WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:28.480 You are so good that we can just delight to sit at your feet. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:32.640 God, thank you for the blood. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:37.759 God, thank you for washing us clean. 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:40.000 God, thank you for what you have done. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:44.880 Because that that's that that shows us how much you uh how you feel of us right now. 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:50.960 We're not loved by a historical event, but that historical event shows us how much you love us today. 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:54.799 Thank you even for Morgan's story. 00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:12.799 Holy Spirit, as we open up your scriptures and continue worshiping through the reading of your scripture, God, would you please open up our hearts and our minds and have us wrap our minds around such a goodness that we can just sit at your feet, that we can delight to be in your presence. 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:15.840 Lord, we love you. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:17.840 We pray these things in your name. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:18.719 Amen. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:20.480 Be seated. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:29.200 Well, good morning. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:31.840 So good to be with you. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:33.599 If you have your Bibles, would you go ahead and grab those? 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:35.680 Go to Acts chapter 13. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:37.120 Acts chapter 13. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:38.560 If you don't have a Bible, you can just relax. 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:42.480 The text you're reading from is gonna appear here on the screen. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.879 We got over 30, we have about 30 verses to cover, so I would love for everyone to be on the same page. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:48.879 This is Acts chapter 13. 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:53.439 Okay, now um this is gonna be a sermon about another sermon. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:58.799 Okay, most of our time today, we're gonna be flies on the wall at a synagogue over in Galatia. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:00.480 So we're gonna jump right in. 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:14.879 Um just remember, by way of review, um, the camera in the beginning of this chapter, um, the camera of the Bible is focused on a local church, church in Antioch, but now the camera of the Bible has shifted to a two-man team, Paul and Barnabas. 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:25.360 And these two men were set apart by the Holy Spirit, they were filled by the Holy Spirit, and they were sent by the Holy Spirit to do what we're gonna read that they're doing right now. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:30.319 Okay, some people read this passage and call this the first international mission trip. 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:41.039 So, what we do here as a church, whenever we go to whether it's Cuba or Sri Lanka or Costa Rica, what we do, we it finds its lineage right here in the passage what we're about to read. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:44.080 So I'm gonna start reading in verse 13 and go all the way to 43. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:45.039 So follow along with me. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:46.000 It says this. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:55.199 Now, Paul and his companions set sails from Paphas and came to Perga in Pamphlia. 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:58.960 And John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:03.199 And they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Poseida. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:07.199 And on Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:16.319 And after reading from the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them saying, Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for these people, say it. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:25.439 So Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said, Men of Israel, you who fear God, listen. 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:33.759 The God of this people, Israel, chose our fathers and made the people great during the day, during their stay in the land of Egypt. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:37.120 And with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:42.639 And for about forty years he put up he put up with them in the wilderness. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:48.800 And after destroying seven nations of the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:04:01.520 And all this took about four hundred and fifty years, and after he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet, and they asked for a king, and he and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:13.199 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart who will do all my will. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:20.639 Of this man's offspring, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:26.720 Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:31.839 And as John was finishing his course, he said, What do you suppose that I am? 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:33.839 I am not he. 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:43.600 No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:51.600 Brothers, son of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:05:02.560 For those who live in Jerusalem and the rulers, because they did not recognize him or understand the utterances of the prophets, which were read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:08.000 And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:14.639 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:27.839 But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and who are now his witnesses to the people. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:39.279 And we bring to you the good news of what of that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, you are my son. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:42.000 Today I have begotten you. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:54.240 And as for that, and as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way I will give you the holy ensure promise blessings of David. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:59.839 Therefore, he says and also in another Psalm, you will not let your holy one seek corruption. 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:08.399 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.480 But he whom God raised up did not see corruption. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:21.279 Let it be known to you, therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed. 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:26.319 And from everything that you could not be free by the law of Moses. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:31.199 Beware, therefore, lest what is said about in the prophets should come about. 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:34.959 Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:41.279 For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:49.600 And as that day, as they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:07:07.439 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:09.759 It's the word of the Lord. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:10.319 Okay. 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:18.160 Um, one of the most fraudulent parts about Leo being a pastor, okay, is Leo doesn't drink any coffee. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:20.399 Okay, it's written in the Bible somewhere. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:22.240 If you're a pastor, you have to drink coffee. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:24.800 And for whatever reason, I haven't started that addiction yet. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:26.800 Okay, I haven't started that in that road just yet. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:28.079 I am a tea guy. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:31.279 And the interesting thing about tea is that immersion is everything. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:37.680 Okay, back in the day, when I would drink tea, I would just dip the bag in there a little bit, and then I would drink, you know what it would taste like? 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:38.800 Water. 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.439 And at best, flavored water. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:48.240 But now, okay, whenever I put the pouch in, the bag in, and it immerses. 00:07:48.639 --> 00:08:02.079 When it immersion, whenever it's immersed, um you let it steep, the taste completely changes, the color completely changes, the potency completely changes. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:05.040 That's what immersion does. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:13.120 Listen, this passage shows us the benefits of letting the gospel immerse in your minds. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:19.120 This passage shows us the benefits of letting the gospel actually steep in our minds. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:22.720 Okay, some of us are just content with dipping spiritually. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:26.319 I think the world is content with having us just dip spiritually. 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:28.720 So you dip with a sermon every Sunday. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:31.519 And every once in a while you dip with a 10-minute devotional. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:35.279 Okay, or you even dip with some KSPJ on the way to work. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:38.080 Okay, we're some of us are content with dipping. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:43.120 And so you let Bible encouragement in and out of your mind to ease the stresses of life. 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:45.039 But that's not Paul's brain at all. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:48.399 Paul has experienced Jesus personally and powerfully. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:52.000 He has spent extended time alone with Jesus in Arabia for three years. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:59.120 He's part of a praying church that takes the word of God extremely serious and is sensitive to the voice of God. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:05.120 He has spent uncomfortable, uncomfortable and uninterrupted time in prayer. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:08.159 And he has accepted the call of ministry. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:10.799 The good news has immersed his mind. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:12.399 It's immersed his life. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:15.039 It has now colored his cup. 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:22.159 And what we just read here, this is an example of what happens when the greatest news in the universe steeps in your mind. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:25.519 His audience is reaping those benefits. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:31.600 Okay, when the gospel steeps in your mind, number one, you go from being right to being ready. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:36.080 You go from being right to being what good is expertise if it's stationary? 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:37.840 Paul isn't just right, but he's ready. 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:39.759 Look at verses 15 and 16 again. 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:40.799 It says this. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:53.360 After the reading from the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them saying, Brothers, okay, brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:10:01.600 So Paul stood up, motioning with his hand, men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:02.480 So what happened here? 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:04.639 Okay, this right here is a synagogue. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:07.440 This is where Jews would go and worship. 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:17.120 And typically what would happen is in a first century synagogue, opening prayers were offered, and then there was a reading from the law, and then there's a reading from the prophets. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:29.120 And then, okay, if there was a guest, and the guest was an educated Jew, okay, he would be invited to speak on what was just read. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:31.120 Can you imagine that? 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:31.840 Right? 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:36.799 Spoiler alert, after this sermon, if you're new here, I'm gonna ask you to text welcome to this number right here. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:38.960 If you're new here, I'm not gonna tell you to preach for me. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:40.720 It's probably not gonna happen. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:48.960 But, okay, uh, but this is um just imagine if you're a first-time guest, people notice you're new and they give you the mic to share it for everyone. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.399 That's pretty scary for most of you, but Paul was ready. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:54.960 He knew what he was doing going in that synagogue on that day. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:56.000 He was ready. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:00.879 He was not just right about what he believes, but he was ready with and armed with them. 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:05.600 He to Paul, gospel is not just an idea that he dips in and out of his mind. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:12.799 He lives it, he's so immersed with it that he boldly gets up with no notes and preaches the same gospel that has saved his soul. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:13.919 He was ready. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:16.000 Now, this is not the thrust of the text. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:18.799 I'm not gonna spend too much time on this point, but I do need to say this. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:27.039 Some of us in this room, you can ace a Bible pop quiz, but you're not ready whenever God actually allows you to be tested. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:30.720 You can ace a Bible pop quiz, but you're not ready whenever God allows you to be tested. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:34.720 And here in the suburbs, the test is not, do you believe in Jesus? 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:37.440 If you say yes, I'm gonna, that's not our test. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:42.080 Our typical test is you've earned the right to be heard. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:43.600 Will you say anything? 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:47.679 People see you living differently. 00:11:47.919 --> 00:12:10.639 Whether you work in a secular environment and you say no to an unethical deal, or you're you're or you're a you're you're a parent and your kids are extremely talented and they're in every extracurricular activity under the sun, and yet people see you prioritizing church over their schedule, or you're a teenager, you stand up for someone who's being bullied or gossiped about. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:12.080 Okay? 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:16.480 Are you prepared to tell them the reason behind you living different on purpose? 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:21.840 Or will you build a platform in people's lives and never use it? 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:26.240 You earn the right to be heard and yet say nothing. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:29.200 One of the greatest movies of all time. 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:33.519 It's a triumph for the cinematic arts, is a movie called Like Mike. 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:42.879 Okay, and in this movie, okay, there's a young man, Calvin Cambridge, aka Lil Bow Wow in real life. 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:44.559 There are some shoes. 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:50.240 He's an orphan, he doesn't have a he lives in an orphanage, there's some shoes on a cable line, and it's it's as cheesy as it gets, right? 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:51.919 Is it shoes on the cable line? 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:55.039 He gets the shoes down, the shoes get struck by lightning. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:13:03.759 He finds out these are Michael Jordan's shoes, but whenever the shoes get struck by lightning, he he wears them and he gets Michael Jordan's powers, right? 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:11.200 And this was so tantalizing because he becomes a 13-year-old professional basketball player and he's playing with all my heroes. 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:13.039 I'm like, oh, I wanted to be him. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:18.080 The twist of the movie is this he can't go anywhere without the shoes. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:22.080 If he doesn't have the shoes, he will not be prepared. 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:24.000 He's just a regular guy. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:27.679 Without the shoes, he will blend right into society. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:33.360 In that same way, you and I are called to have the armor of God. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:41.039 And whenever we talk about the armor of God, we usually visualize the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the sword of truth. 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:43.039 But there are some shoes that go along with that. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:50.720 Ephesians 6.15 talks about having shoes, but for shoes, put on the readiness to preach the good news of the peace of God. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:54.320 Okay, put on the readiness to preach the good news. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:58.639 So like Calvin Cambridge, without the shoes, you may blend right in. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:05.279 You should ask yourself today, is God opening any doors for me to declare the hope that I have? 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:10.399 And you should pray, God, make me sensitive to open doors and be ready for them. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:21.679 When the gospel steeps in your mind, not just dips in and out, but when the gospel colors your cup and steeps in your mind, you go from being right to being mobile, flexible, and ready with truth. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.480 You live in constant readiness. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:33.200 And you think consistently, hey, the best news in the universe apply directly to whoever it is in front of me, and I'm ready for it. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:35.200 I'm ready to deliver that. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:39.039 But when the gospel steeps in your mind, you go from being right to being ready. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:45.840 Furthermore, when the gospel steeps in your mind, you go from being right to being ready, but you also go from Christianese to gospel fluency. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:52.960 Christianese, some of us in this room, a lot of us, you know just enough jargon to blend into groups like these. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:15:01.679 You can start sentences with, hey, in this season of life, or that's my cross to carry, which I still don't know what that means. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:02.720 I don't. 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:07.120 You know just enough jargon to get by in this subculture we've created here. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:11.679 You know the sayings of the culture, but you're not fluent in the news about Christ. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.120 Not gospel fluent. 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:17.600 So I I was I found out I was coming to America in the Christmas of 2000. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:19.679 We got here January 16th. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:20.159 Okay? 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:23.120 I didn't leave enough time for English classes at all. 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:28.639 So I took a few classes and I came out of those classes knowing three words yes, no, and ski. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.559 For whatever reason, that word made sense. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:33.200 It made sense for whatever reason. 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:37.360 And then when we got here, we had no one to really practice English with. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:38.720 So we'd stay home. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:40.799 My brothers and I, don't judge me. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:46.720 My parents, my mom would go to work, and my brothers and I would stay and watch daytime television. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.919 There was a show that used to come on called Jerry Springer. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:57.600 And listen, hey, listen, hey, hey, listen, there's no, hey, there's no PhDs, and you know, it's it's pretty simple English. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:58.799 Right. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:09.360 Man, okay, so and that actually grew my English a little bit. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:16.559 But I didn't really um learn to be fluent until I was immersed in school. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:19.360 And so my parents are all right, buddy, go off to school. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:23.120 That when I was immersed in it, that's when I became fluent. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:25.840 So immersion in that case leads to fluency. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:33.919 In that same way, when the gospel is immersed in our mind, whenever you're immersed in this book, you become gospel fluent. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.679 And this is what we see from Paul. 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.600 He's thinking, I was made for this moment. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:38.559 Again, he's not slick. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.039 He knew it, he knew what he was doing when he went there. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:45.840 He doesn't preach a sermon about uh parenting, marriage, stress. 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:52.000 First recorded sermon we have from Paul is the gospel, and look at how he starts it off. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:53.440 Look at verse 16 again. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:59.840 Men of Israel, and you who fear God. 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:01.840 Now hold on to that. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:03.440 Look at verse 26. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.200 Okay, this is in the middle of the sermon. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:06.240 Look at this. 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:17.200 Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:18.559 What's he doing? 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:23.759 Years ago, I watched an interview of a coach talking about why it's dumb to yell after games. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:26.480 You don't yell at people, don't yell at your pleasure after games. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.039 You know why? 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:30.720 Because the good ones that don't need to hear it, they're gonna lean in. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:34.559 And the ones that do need to hear it, they've already tuned you out. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:39.759 So you get in this weird limbo phase, like, I have a message for y'all, but it's for y'all, but not for y'all. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:42.319 Just you become in this limbo. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:44.240 That's not Paul at all. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:47.680 Paul's saying what I have to say applies to all y'all. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:56.160 It's everybody Jewish, Gentile, rule follower, or rule breaker, whether you've never seen detention in your life or you're born on parole. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:01.119 Everybody, everybody, listen, everybody has the needs the message of what? 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:01.920 What does your Bible say? 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:04.799 Message of this what salvation. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:09.359 Now remember, the backdrop of salvation is desperation. 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:18.880 Remember, in human history, there's never been a person ever that's been drowning, going, hey, lifeguard, when you get a minute, no, you're desperate. 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:21.119 You are absolutely desperate. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:27.759 So what he's saying, you all this is a mess of salvation, and you desperately need to hear this. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:30.559 What he's saying is, all of you desperately need to hear this news. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:35.599 There is not one type of person who is not desperate to hear this news. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:39.839 There's not one type of person that the gospel fits best. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.440 So that's how he starts it off. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:43.599 And that's how he even says it again in the middle. 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:47.759 Men of Israel and those who fear God means Jewish, everybody, Jewish, Gentile. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.359 And then he keeps going. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:55.680 After he sets it up, he talks about Jesus, but he takes a Jewish highway there. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:01.200 He appeals to the Jewishness in the room in order to talk about Jesus. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:06.160 He presents God as active in history. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:12.240 So you have sin as a problem, and God was active in preparing the way for the solution. 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:14.240 And this is fascinating the way he does it. 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:17.839 I want you to look at this because maybe there's some of you who think that God is a hands-off God. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:23.680 He's not a heavenly father, he's a heavenly grandfather out somewhere in outer space with his hands folded on his rocking chair. 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:26.799 I want to show you this act of God that Paul is presenting. 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:31.119 Okay, uh, verse 17 says, He chose our fathers. 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.720 He chose our fathers. 00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:36.240 Then he says, He made the people great. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:42.480 Okay, so he told he turned an old pagan man living in comfort into a country. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:48.319 Okay, so he chose Abraham and Sarai, Abraham and Sarai, and he turned them into an entire country. 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:54.160 Okay, and then he says, He with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:58.079 So he rescued Israel from an international powerhouse. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:06.559 I know we looked at some countries in Africa and they're less than, but Egypt was number one, number one, and he rescued them out of that. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:11.200 Furthermore, he put up with them in the wilderness. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.680 He was patient with them. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:19.279 He destroyed seven nations uh in the land of Canaan. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:21.680 Okay, this is a God who fights. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:24.640 God is not a pushover, this is a warrior God. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:33.519 He gave them their land as an inheritance, he gave them the judges, he God gave them Saul of son of Kish. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:34.480 This is a generous God. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:36.480 So you see that gave, gave, gave. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:41.119 And then he raised up David to be their king. 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:47.519 God gave us a preview of the hero through a man, a flawed man who was pointing to the perfect man. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:53.200 And then lastly, God has brought to Israel a savior. 00:20:53.519 --> 00:21:01.119 So look at these verbs: chose, made, led, put up, destroyed, gave, gave, gave, raised, and brought. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:03.279 This is an active God. 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:05.519 This is not a hands-off God, this is an active God. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:10.000 He's not far away, he's not hands-off, he's generous, he's wise, he's faithful. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:13.680 God is good, God is active, he's not passive, he's active. 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:20.880 And what he's saying is this the God who rescued us from rescued our people then, he's brought the most important salvation to us now. 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:24.400 Hey, Israel, we have first dibs now. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:26.400 That's what's happening. 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:28.079 And then he gets to the Savior. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:31.119 I'm gonna read again, verses 27 through 39. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:45.839 It says this those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him, nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:52.000 And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:59.759 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.960 But God raised him from the dead. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:13.440 And many days, for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Gal from Galilee to Jerusalem, who were now his witnesses to the people. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:25.440 And we bring you the good news that what God had promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, you are my son, today I've begotten you. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:36.720 And as and as for the fact that he raised it from the dead, no more to return up to corruption, he wrote, he spoke in this day, in this way, I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:44.319 Therefore, he says also in another Psalm, You will not see your holy ones, you will not let your holy ones see corruption. 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:52.640 For David, after he had served the purpose of God and his generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:57.599 But he whom God raised up did not see corruption. 00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:11.519 Let it be known to you, therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be free by the law of Moses. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:19.119 In this passage, Paul is talking about an innocent Jesus being rejected and executed. 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:27.680 Okay, verse 29 is telling, it starts off with, and when they had carried out all that was written of him. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:32.960 Okay, the worst thing that ever happened in human history is Jesus being murdered. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:40.240 And yet he says, when they carried out all that was written from, that shows that God was sovereign even over the worst thing that ever happened. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:42.400 This was still God's plan A. 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.759 God was not scrambling. 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:45.119 This was actually written of him. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:48.480 It was ordained by God, it was a part of God's plan. 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:50.079 This is a wise God. 00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:55.119 And in verse 30, you get the two most important words of the whole Bible. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:57.200 Okay, but God. 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:01.119 The entire Bible hinges on these two words. 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.400 But God. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:12.480 And then he goes on to talk about how David died and stayed dead, but Jesus himself was raised. 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:17.920 Now, listen, Jesus died for our sins and he rose again. 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:24.880 The moment that those two facts become boring to you, there's a huge problem. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:27.599 And I will contend with you today and say this. 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:35.519 Maybe some of you are here today, you think you have a maybe a stress problem or a joy problem or a zeal problem. 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:42.400 You might really just get you might just have a, I'm getting bored with the greatest news in the universe problem. 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:44.960 That might be the biggest issue right now. 00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:48.400 Because right here, this is the message of grace. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:51.359 And it all comes down to verses 38 and 39. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:59.200 It says this, let it be known to you, therefore, brothers, that through this man, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:10.079 And by him, everyone who believes is freed or justified from everything which you cannot be freed by the law of Moses. 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:12.400 That's the bullseye of his sermon. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:14.880 Forgiveness of sins is here through Jesus. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:25.279 What he's saying is this through the law of Moses, which you people follow, his audience follows, you cannot be freed, you cannot be justified, you cannot be saved, you cannot be declared righteous. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:29.759 They display you. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:31.920 They diagnose you, they don't heal. 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:32.480 Okay? 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:38.160 An x-ray is not going to be able to heal your broken bone, but it shows you. 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:42.000 That same way, a mirror can't make you look pretty. 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:44.160 It just shows you. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:48.319 In that same way, that's what the law does, if he's speaking, that's what the law does. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.440 That's what the rules do. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:55.039 Rules are a reflection of how broken we are because the law itself is not quantum physics. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:58.640 It's not, hey, well, a train leaves 30 minutes this way and the no. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:00.480 It's hey, don't steal. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:04.960 If it's not wife, if not, if it's not your wife, leave her alone. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:07.119 It's pretty simple, yet we're breaking all of them. 00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:08.079 You're breaking all of them. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.359 It cannot save you. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:13.200 And he shows them the they diagnose you, they show you the problem. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:15.599 And the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:19.440 And when he's saying this, Jesus is the cure for your heart. 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:23.440 Through Jesus, you have what's called the forgiveness of sin. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:30.000 God is an inexhaustible fountain of grace. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:35.519 He's an inexhaustible fountain of grace. 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:39.839 And right here, he displays it through his son. 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.640 I don't like acronyms. 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:48.720 I think they're cheesy, but some people say grace is God's riches at Christ's expense. 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:52.160 And I think this hits right on this passage. 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:56.240 Grace has come through Jesus. 00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:01.599 The gospel shows us the bankruptcy of earning favor or earning from God. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:05.359 No, we have freedom of forgiveness. 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:09.119 And then he finishes by putting the ball in their court. 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:13.119 This is gospel fluency that Paul is displaying. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:21.680 He's not just a part of the subculture, he knows all the jargon to blend in, but he's fluent in the most important thing there is to be fluent in. 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:24.720 Okay, the greatest news there is. 00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:30.640 So he actually enjoys this news, he meditates on this news, he drinks in this news. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:32.480 This news is like the light of his life. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:35.200 It shines on explain everything else. 00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:38.799 He's immersed in this news and it's immersed in him. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:45.039 When this news steeps in your mind, you go from Christianese to gospel fluency. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:48.000 From Christianese to gospel fluency. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:52.880 So you go from being right to being ready, to Christianese to gospel fluency. 00:27:52.960 --> 00:28:00.880 And lastly, whenever the gospel steeps in your mind, you are freed from being the main character. 00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:08.799 Look at verses 24 and 25 again. 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:11.839 Says this. 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:39.680 No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie. 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:41.119 Okay. 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:49.839 The gospel had sinked so deeply and it soaked at such a point in John the Baptist's mind that he became a human red carpet. 00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:53.920 He became a human red carpet for Jesus. 00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:57.119 Okay, he's nicknamed the baptizer. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:02.319 If I was there, I'd call him John Ain't the One. 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:04.880 Not even as a threat. 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:06.000 Like John, I ain't the one. 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:06.640 Not even like that. 00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:08.559 But like literally, like that's his signature move. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:09.279 I'm not the guy. 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:09.920 It's him. 00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:11.119 I'm not the one. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:11.759 It's he. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:12.559 I'm not the one. 00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:13.759 It's that's his signature move. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:20.400 And it's and it's he built a very popular ministry, so popular and so important, Jesus showed up. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:23.519 And yet he never got in selfie mode. 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:33.599 I am not he, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie. 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:44.400 Whenever you go to a wedding, you identify yourself by your name, and then you explain yourself based on your relationship with whoever just got married. 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:48.000 I'm Leo, I'm friends with the groom, or I'm Leo, I'm friends with the bride. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:52.400 Your name and then your relation to the bride and groom. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:55.519 That gets annoying after two out two hours. 00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:58.880 John the Baptist lived like that. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:01.519 It's all it's all about him. 00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:02.319 It's not me. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:04.960 Huge mission, it's all about him. 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:06.319 I'm not the guy. 00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:07.279 Why? 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:14.079 A mind steeping with this is content to be a faithful extra. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:16.160 I'll play the background. 00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:17.119 I'm good. 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:20.640 Look again at verse 43. 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:39.599 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:53.599 Again, a large following wants to go with Paul and Barnabas, but instead, instead of going into selfie mode, he urged them to continue with continue in the grace of God. 00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:55.599 He points back to the grace of God. 00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:56.799 He points back to the grace of God. 00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:59.119 If this was here, he'd probably sign a book deal. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:01.039 But he points back to the grace of God. 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:01.359 Why? 00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:07.759 Again, a mind that is steeped with this is content to be a faithful extra. 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:13.680 Bad things happen when extras try to be the main character. 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:18.000 There was a movie we used to watch in college. 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:18.799 Okay. 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:29.839 Probably five or six times we hosted a watch party to watch, I mean like 10 to 15 people in my living room to watch said movie. 00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:36.079 And we would laugh at the movie over and over, and we would rewind it and laugh it over and over. 00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:38.799 And it wasn't a comedy. 00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:40.799 Wasn't a comedy at all. 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:48.000 This movie came out in 1990, and as soon as it came out, it was considered one of the worst movies ever made. 00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:51.839