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. 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:19.519 Amen, amen. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:20.480 Let's pray together. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:24.320 Lord Jesus, we believe everything that the Bible says about this world. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:25.120 Is it broken? 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:26.079 Is it fading? 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:26.800 Absolutely. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:28.480 But we don't lose hope, okay? 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:31.600 Uh, because what is true of the world is not true of you. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:37.520 Uh, you're not broken, you're not fading, you're not decreasing in value, you don't rise and fall like the stock market. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:42.479 You are ever consistent, ever unchanging, ever always true God. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:47.119 And so, Lord, we uh we come to you because we got to get our head and our heart reoriented. 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:52.560 We get out in the world, we get jacked up, we get a little divided, we get a little jaded, we get a little cynical. 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:55.600 We let the way people drive inform how we think. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:59.280 And so we come to your word, Lord, because it finds us and unwinds us. 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.079 And so, Holy Spirit, do that today. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:14.560 Let it find us and unwind us and just remind us of things that we've forgotten, we've neglected, we've covered our ears because we don't want to hear anymore, because the way we live is in direct contradiction to everything we know to be true. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:16.079 You're a God of mercy. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:18.879 And so the Bible says every morning your mercies are new. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:23.200 So let us taste new mercy today from your word and by your spirit. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:24.480 This is our prayer, God. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:27.840 We pray it in Jesus' name, and everyone said, Amen, amen. 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:29.040 You can have a C if you've got a Bible. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:31.519 I invite you to take it and open up to Acts chapter 13. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:33.760 Acts chapter 13, if you're our guest. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:37.359 Uh, we're preaching through the book of Acts expositorily, which means verse by verse. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:41.359 It's not license or permission to bore people with a with a religious lecture. 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:46.799 We believe this is how you nourish the the people's head and heart and their faith over the long haul. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:51.200 Now, if you're uh a late arriver, you may be thinking, what is the crimson tide over here? 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:52.480 People in all these red shirts. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:53.599 This is our student ministry. 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:57.280 We had our D now this weekend, and I want to acknowledge two people, Ian and Andy. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:01:58.400 If you're here, would you stand up? 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:00.079 This is our student pastor. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:01.840 Where are you? 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:03.040 Yeah, yeah, stand up. 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:06.480 Ian, Ian is the blonde, and Annie, no. 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:07.760 Where's Ian? 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:08.479 Is he over there? 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:09.439 There he's back there. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.400 Yeah, after getting coffee after a long weekend. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.840 Ian, what time did you go to bed last night? 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:17.599 12 30. 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:18.479 Man, that's easy. 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:20.080 That's easy sleeping right there. 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:21.360 You're not working hard enough. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.639 Anyway, uh uh Ian and Annie are doing a great job. 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:30.960 If you're visiting, you've got students anywhere from 7th to 12th grade, you need to be a part of what God is doing through this student ministry, okay? 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:38.400 Uh and so anyway, I want to talk to you from Acts chapter 13, verse 44 about the always ever consequential word of God. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:40.080 Now, let me give you the context, okay? 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:43.599 Because last week we had the bearded wonder from Nashville, Chris Brooks here. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:49.599 Uh, and and yeah, you know, I'm like, does that guy smoke or what? 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:51.039 He's a little too excited. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:56.400 Uh, but let me just kind of give you the context because Leo preached a couple weeks ago from the early part of Acts chapter 13. 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:57.360 Now, here's the context. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:03.680 Paul and Barnabas are visiting a Jewish synagogue, and the leaders of the synagogue see them sitting there, they're like, oh, we didn't know you're here. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:07.039 And they sent them a message and said, Hey, would you guys like to say something? 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:09.439 Would you have a do you have a word of encouragement for us? 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:22.879 Now, students, that sounds innocuous and innocent and everything, but let me tell you, that's not you inviting Eminem to your grandma's house for Thanksgiving and then asking him to say the blessing, and you're kind of like, uh-oh, and all of a sudden, when you say that, the soundtrack drops. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:27.280 Don't, don't, don't, don't, shh, don't, don't, shh, and somebody's like, we're gonna have a problem here. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:41.680 And uh, because Paul gets up and basically what he does is he summarizes the activity of God all the way through the Old Testament: the life, death, burial, consequential ministry, resurrection of Jesus, and the people lose their mind. 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:50.800 This is why I referred to this sermon as the always ever consequential word of God, because the people beg them to come back and talk more the next Sabbath, okay? 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:54.560 This is like saying leaving church today, go, oh my gosh, that was so good. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:55.520 I can't get enough. 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:58.319 Would you please come back next Sunday? 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:00.319 Here's why this was so such a big deal. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:09.520 It was so new to them because they had to hear it more than once because it was a radical shift in their thinking and the basis upon which they relate to God and what it means to have a relationship with God. 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:11.120 Here's why it was such a big deal. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.479 What they'd been taught all depended on them and their efforts. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:20.079 What Paul was talking about and what Paul was saying depended on God and his accomplishment. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:21.279 Let me say that again. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:31.519 What they'd been taught, so they would come to the synagogue and they'd be like, uh, I stink, I'm not doing enough, I need to try harder, do more, and do more good and stop doing bad. 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:36.240 Everything they've been taught, the law, taught them that this all depends on you and your efforts. 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:38.639 Paul gets up and it's so life-altering. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:43.600 People are like, oh my gosh, because everything, and you'll see this in the text, okay? 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:49.279 Everything that he talked about, it depended on God and what God had already accomplished, okay? 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:53.439 And he invites them to have faith in God and not faith in themselves. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:05:00.800 If you're here today and you have faith in yourself, you probably hate religion, but I would say to you, you're one of the more religious people you know. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:04.959 Because religion puts its faith in man, Christianity puts its faith in God. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:05.680 Does that make sense? 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:06.800 Say amen. 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:08.319 Let's read the text again. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:09.600 Now we have the context. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:11.199 Let's properly understand the text. 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:13.279 Acts chapter 13, verse 44. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:16.560 This was the week before we pick up the next week and the next Sabbath. 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:18.319 Verse 44, the next Sabbath. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:21.519 Almost a whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:28.160 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:38.319 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, since you thrust it aside and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:40.800 Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:47.519 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, I have made you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:52.160 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:55.120 And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:58.240 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:07.199 But the Jews inside of the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the district. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:15.199 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium, and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:20.480 Now there's four things I want you to see in the text to understand this always ever consequential word. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:23.120 Did you notice in the text no one praises the preacher? 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:25.600 They talk about the word, the word, the word. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:27.439 This is what the word was doing. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:30.079 Four things I want you to see to properly understand this. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.920 Number one is this we all have appetites that can only be awakened by the word. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:35.680 Look at verse 44. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:41.600 It says the next Sabbath, almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:44.560 Preachers weren't that popular back then, and it was a good thing. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:49.519 They didn't have celebrity preachers, they didn't have preachers in sneakers, they didn't have any of that. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:51.920 They didn't have a cult of personality, none of this. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:56.000 All they had was the word of God, and it was taught and priests and proclaimed. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:00.879 People's souls just kind of opened up like, oh my gosh, this is what I was created for. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:01.360 Why? 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:05.279 Because everyone has appetites in them that can only be awakened by the word. 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:08.399 Now there's a French proverb that goes with cooking. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:11.360 It says this the appetite grows with the eating. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:14.560 They got a little taste of this, and it only made them want more. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:24.079 See, the church in America is taking on the responsibility of trying to create desire in people with its programming, and then sustaining that desire with even more stimulating programming. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:26.959 And in that environment, the first casualty is the Bible. 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:32.639 It gets watered down, it gets divided, it gets apologized for, and eventually it becomes unnecessary. 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:34.720 It's super, super stimulating. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:38.800 Ah! And you get to the car and you're like, okay, what do we hear today? 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:41.040 What can we build and bank our life on? 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:43.839 When life gets hard, what truth are we going to hold on to? 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.199 What's going to pull us through? 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:48.160 What can we look to that's beyond our circumstance or situation? 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.120 And the answer is, hey, just a pep talk. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:55.839 See, because we all have appetites in us that can only be awakened by the word. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:59.519 And as a church, we are formed by the word, we're focused on the word. 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:06.639 It's the reason we turn the lights on, it's what shapes our thoughts, it molds our character, and its truth finds expression in our behavior. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:07.600 Now, it's easy. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:11.279 What we do is we read things like this where almost a whole town showed up. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:12.879 I mean, who wouldn't want that? 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:16.959 But we see responses like this to the word and we wonder, hey, what caused that? 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:18.000 How'd they do that? 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:19.040 What's the formula? 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:25.040 Who has the conferences teaching everybody else how to do, get God to do over here what God did in this one place? 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.519 And the answer is the word caused this. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:33.919 When preached and taught, the Bible creates desire in us for a deeper, fuller understanding of the Bible. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:34.960 Let me say that again. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:44.639 When properly preached and taught, the Bible itself creates desires in us, this deeper desire and hunger for understanding the Bible. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:47.600 I've been a Christian about eight months. 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:51.120 Uh, and an older man said, Hey son, has anybody discipled you yet? 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:54.159 And I said, I don't think so because I have no idea what that means. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:09:00.000 Uh and he said, they just meet with you and kind of help you understand what the Bible is and what it says, why it says it. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:01.279 And I said, No, I got nobody. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.679 I read the Bible myself about two or three, four hours. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:04.879 Sometimes I get lost in it. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:05.519 I just love it. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:07.679 And he says, Well, let's let's sit down sometime. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:09.039 I'd like to just speak into your life. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:10.399 I said, I'm down for that. 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:14.720 One of the first things he did was open up the Bible to Psalm 119, verse 129. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:15.840 And he read these words. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:20.879 This is what I mean when I say, when you hear the Bible, it creates a deeper hunger in you for the Bible. 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:25.840 Psalm 119, 129, talking about the word says, Your testimonies are wonderful. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:28.240 Therefore, therefore, my soul keeps them. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.279 The unfolding of your words give light. 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:33.519 It imparts understanding to the simple. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:37.279 I open my mouth and pant because I long for your commandments. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:39.200 And I looked up and the guy said, What do you think? 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.039 And I said, That's kind of creepy. 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:43.039 He goes, Do you feel that way about the Bible? 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.000 I said, That made me very uncomfortable. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:46.799 He said, Why? 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:48.000 And I said, just pant. 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:53.759 It's like, and he turns to Psalm 42, 1, is a deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for thee, oh God. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:55.600 Okay, can we be done with the panting? 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:56.080 Okay. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:58.559 I mean, I just don't want to smoke weed, okay? 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:01.279 That's why I gotta read the Bible because I know myself. 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:02.799 And he said, What did you say? 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:06.639 I said, Yeah, I used to smoke a lot of pot, and sometimes I miss smoking pot. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:10.240 Yeah, there's not a discipleship program for that students. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:18.240 And he just kind of smiled and he said, Here's one of the signs that you're maturing near your out Neil, your appetites will begin to change. 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:19.519 And I said, What do you mean? 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:23.279 He said, You will long for the word of God like you once longed for weed. 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:26.000 And I said, Oh, now keep talking about that. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:28.080 I'm strangely drawn to that. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:33.200 Now, before you are affected by the Bible, there's five questions you and I have to answer about the Bible. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:40.399 And here's why: because people that you, anybody you run into, anybody at your school, uh uh is really got these questions in their head. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:43.519 They may ask them in a different way, but they come out in these five forms. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:44.320 Simple questions. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:46.240 Number one, is the Bible divine? 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:47.600 Is the Bible divine? 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:49.759 Or otherwise, was it just a book written by men? 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:51.519 Secondly, is the Bible true? 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:52.879 Can we trust it? 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:53.840 Is it really true? 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:55.519 Thirdly, is the Bible clear? 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:56.720 Can we understand it? 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:58.639 Fourthly, is the Bible sufficient? 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.559 Does it speak to our deep needs? 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:03.679 And then the last one is is it personally authoritative? 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:05.759 Oh, that kind of got wordy right there. 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:06.399 What does that mean? 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:08.799 Does it alter and affect my daily living? 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:14.960 Put a star by that lesson because if you don't have a yes to that, no one wants to hear you talk about the Bible. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.360 You're just a fat guy trying to sell them slim fast. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:21.519 They don't believe you, they're polite, they may smile down and go, Well, I appreciate that. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:22.080 That works for you. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:23.519 You got your truth, I got my truth. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:27.600 What they're saying is this book that you talk about doesn't seem to change you. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:30.080 So why should I have faith in it to change me? 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:33.360 We all have appetites in us that can be awakened by the word. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:35.840 This is not a formula in Acts 13, okay? 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:37.679 For missions or evangelism. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:43.519 This is the power of this ever uh never-changing, always ever consequential word. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:45.440 Here's the second thing you see in the text. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:48.480 The gospel is the only story big enough to live in. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.200 The gospel is the only story big enough to live in. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.919 This is what happens in verse 45, verse 47. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:12:01.360 It says the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and begin to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:02.320 Reviling him. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:02.879 Why? 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:05.679 Because they saw the crowd, they saw the response, okay? 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:11.039 Now, up to this time, the Jews relied on gentile curiosity to get people to come to church. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:12.480 He said, No, what do you mean? 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:17.039 They would just like, hey, if you're curious, you know where we are, the synagogue's right down here on first and main. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:17.679 You can come. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:21.200 I got a bumper sticker on the back of my truck that tells the whole city where I go to church. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.919 You can follow me to my church, just don't sit in my seat. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:25.840 It was gentile curiosity. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:30.879 But see, here's the difference in Barnabas and Paul and these Jewish people. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:33.519 They relied on people just to be curious, okay? 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:36.960 Barnabas and Saul relied on the commands of God. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:40.480 And because of the commands of God, they took very seriously. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:45.519 And when they spoke, they spoke with this weighty, consequential words would come out of their mouth. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.080 And people would say, Man, I want to hear you again on this. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.320 Oh my gosh, that was incredible. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:53.200 I'm sick of getting religious lectures every time I come. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:56.159 That was life-giving and life-altering. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:01.360 And they begin to realize what I've been living in, the story I've been living in, it's not very big. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:03.840 It's a matter of fact, it's it's too small. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:07.360 It's what Paul and them, they quote down there in about verse 47. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:14.879 They they they reference uh Isaiah 49, is what they're quoting, where because the the Jewish people are like, God, we want you to restore the tribes of Israel. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:18.240 We want you to be our God and everybody else, too bad, so sad. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:21.919 And God says to them in Isaiah 49, it's too small a thing. 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:25.120 It's way too small a thing for me just to be your God. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.759 I want to be God of all the nations all over the earth. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:32.080 And so, right here in Acts 13, the Jewish people realize that God's not their pet rock. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:35.440 He's not their personal little God that, hey, we've got God on our side. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:36.799 Good luck for you, okay? 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:39.840 No, he they realize that wait a minute, wait a minute. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.159 The promises that God makes to the Jewish people also extend to the Gentiles? 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:45.279 What? 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:50.080 I mean, Kansas City and San Francisco can't both win at the same time, can they? 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:55.759 Their minds can't get around this because the gospel is the only story big enough to live in. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:14:01.919 And so what you see here is the smallness of religion and religious people getting jealous at the consequence of the gospel. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:05.840 And I would just say this this applied to them, this applies to every one of us. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:15.039 Not until you hear the gospel and God regenerates your heart, will you see the insufficiency of how you've lived your whole life, and you will hate it. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.159 Let me say it again. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:18.879 It's not the church's responsibility to make you feel bad. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:23.440 Preachers shouldn't get up and try to talk to you and go, hey, listen, you shouldn't be doing that, you've been doing this and this and this. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:24.320 How could you do that? 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:24.960 You go to church. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:25.679 No, no, no. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:33.759 No, unless and until God regenerates your heart and you see the insufficiency of how you've lived your entire life. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:37.120 And then you have this moment where you're like, oh my gosh, what? 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:47.200 It's why the there's a verse in the Bible that says, Hey, the time past that is past is sufficient for doing what the Gentiles, what what what what unchristian, non-Christian people want to do. 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:51.519 No one has to tell you to stop doing it, no one has to engage you in behavior modification. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:52.159 You know why? 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:59.759 Because at the core of your being, from your regenerated heart, you you realize, oh my gosh, I have wasted so much time. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:04.399 Or as Paul reminds them from Isaiah 49, hey, it's too small of a thing. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:09.360 You can't live for very long in the story that your life has been telling up to now. 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:19.600 And so what happens is these people, they got some affection and some attention stirring up in them, and they're like, oh my gosh, you mean to tell me there's more, okay? 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:22.960 And so they begin to contradict the Bible says what Paul said. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:28.559 So it's important that we understand what exactly did Paul say that made these people hate on him like this? 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:33.519 Now I know many of you over here in the red shirts, some of you go to public school, we're praying for you. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:35.759 Most of you, a lot of you go to private school. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:37.759 And everybody in private school is nice. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:40.080 They're all Christians because they go to a private school. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:40.799 Amen. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:49.679 Yeah, one girl's got her arms filled and she goes, I go because my parents make me. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:52.399 Yeah, well, see, here's the thing. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:54.080 Here's the beauty of this, okay? 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:55.440 This is what happens here. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:16:01.039 But I want I want you to understand, you if you're gonna understand their response, you got to understand what they were responding to. 00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:04.879 What they were responding to was what Paul said in verses 16 to verse 39. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:06.000 Now we're not gonna read that. 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.320 Leo preached it a couple weeks ago, okay? 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:13.200 But I want you to notice uh uh that the gospel is all about what God has done. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:17.679 Remember, I told you in the beginning when he gets up, they said, Hey, do you have a word of encouragement? 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.360 Uh Eminem at Thanksgiving. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.799 Yes, I'll say the blessing, grandma. 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:22.000 Here, hold my mic. 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.600 And he goes off, okay? 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:26.480 Basically, everything he says boils down into four statements. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:29.360 Number one, he says the gospel is a historical fact. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.639 It's a historical fact. 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:35.200 God has acted over hundreds of years in ways that are historically verifiable. 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:36.639 It is a historical fact. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:39.840 Secondly, he says Jesus is God's solution to man's need. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:41.679 That's why he's called a savior. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:45.840 That's why before he was born, this angel appeared and said, And you will name him Jesus. 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:46.240 Why? 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:48.480 For he will save his people from his sins. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:54.960 See, if you think you can do something about your sins, you can do more good than bad or whatever, then you don't need a savior. 00:16:55.519 --> 00:17:16.720 But just the fact that Jesus has to leave heaven and come to earth to incarnate, take on flesh, be born to the womb of a virgin, live a sinless life, die on the cross, and be resurrected from the dead, indices every one of us in this room and watching online that we really by nature are sinful, separated from God, people, and we need someone to restore and reconcile us. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:21.039 That's just why he's called a savior, because he comes to save his people from their sin. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.039 And so Paul just basically says, Hey, Jesus is God's solution to man's need. 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:26.480 That's why they call him a savior. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:31.359 Thirdly, he says Jesus was uh innocent, yet he died for guilty people, and he rose again. 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:33.359 Jesus was innocent. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:35.599 You knuckleheads didn't know what you were doing. 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:37.920 You, you, you crucified an innocent man. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:48.240 But the reason they kill an innocent man, they think they're kind of stopping this, but no, they're just participating in this narrative of redemption that God's been telling all along. 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:53.440 That's why Paul started where he did when he starts talking to these people in the synagogue that day. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:55.440 He says, Hey, you killed an innocent man. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:58.240 He died for guilty people, and yet he rose again. 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:08.480 So if you're here today and you have this gnawing, nagging sense of guilt, here's the good news of Christianity Jesus Christ, the innocent, sinless Son of God, died in your place and for your sin. 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:13.119 And so you not only can be forgiven, you don't have to feel guilty ever again. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:15.839 This is why they call it good news. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:20.400 And see, the last thing is that only in Jesus can you find forgiveness and freedom. 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:22.240 This is the part that made him go crazy. 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.160 Look at verse 38 of chapter 13. 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:27.119 Verse 38, he says, Let it be known to you, therefore, brothers. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:34.079 He's the he he's if he was a gymnast, he's on the uh he's on the uh the uneven parallel bars and he's just cranking it up. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:39.279 Woo, woo, woo! He's getting ready for the dismount, and he's gonna stick the landing. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:52.799 He says this, he says, Hey, 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 freed by the law of Moses. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:53.839 Uh-oh. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:59.680 Uh-oh, you just came up into the synagogue and just said, Hey, the law can never accomplish for you. 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:03.599 Keeping the rules can never accomplish for you what only the gospel can. 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:15.359 And so when he says, Only in Jesus can you for God find forgiveness and freedom, religious people can't take that because it points out the insufficiency of everything they've taught up to this point. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:19.680 Here's the third thing you see in the text that doctrine informs how you tell the story. 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:21.759 Doctrine informs how you tell the story. 00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:22.880 It's a verse 48. 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:30.240 And when the Gentiles heard this, when they heard this good news, people who hadn't heard it before, it was new to them, okay? 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:33.920 These people that go to church every Sunday, like, yeah, yeah, yeah, right, right, right, right, right, right. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:34.559 I'm gonna text. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:40.640 But these people who hadn't heard it before, they heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:43.599 And as many as were appointed to eternal life, believed. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:47.200 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:50.960 But the Jews inside of the devout women, they had this response, okay? 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:55.119 Now, when I say that doctrine informs how you tell a story, here's what I mean. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:59.200 He says, When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorified the word of the Lord. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:02.160 And as many as were appointed to eternal life, believed. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:03.440 Hold on to that phrase. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:06.880 And as many as were appointed to eternal life, believed. 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:09.920 Doctrine refers to the truth of Christianity as revealed in the Bible. 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:12.640 I brought you a definition uh that's a little accessible. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:19.680 Doctrine refers to the entire body of essential theological truths that define and describe the message of Christianity. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:21.920 You say, that's a mouthful. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:25.039 Yes, doctrine refers to the entire body. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.640 You can't just focus on one. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:28.400 Well, my God's a God of love. 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:31.119 See, doctrine is like holding up a diamond. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:36.000 And every time you turn it and a light hits it, this brilliant light fills the room. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:41.119 Because every facet, every side, every everywhere they cut the diamond is one of the attributes of God. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:48.559 And when doctrine, when you talk about doctrine, see, when you read the Bible, you should you should read the Bible and go, hey, what doctrine is being taught here? 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:51.519 What are they saying to me that I need to kind of hold on to? 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:52.000 Okay. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.720 I love what Kevin Van Hooser says about doctrine. 00:20:54.799 --> 00:21:01.920 He says, Christians learn doctrine in order to participate more deeply, passionately, and truthfully in the drama of redemption. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:04.960 Hear that again, and I want you to underline truthfully. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:13.200 Christians learn doctrine in order to participate more deeply, passionately, and truthfully, truthfully in the drama of redemption. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:17.920 My concern is all our little evangelicube little gimmicks we come up with at headquarters. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:23.359 Uh, it's not a truthful expression uh of the gospel or of biblical doctrine. 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:29.920 And so when you ask yourself in this section right here, hey, what doctrine is being demonstrated here in our text? 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.519 It's the doctrine of election. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:36.079 And he says, Hey, as many as were appointed to eternal life, believe. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.920 Now, let me just pump the brakes right here. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:40.640 You're like, dude, it's Super Bowl Sunday. 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:41.759 We've had tea now. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:44.799 I've had 18 10th graders in my house. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:47.119 It smells like puberty and Fritos, okay? 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:48.160 Shut up. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.000 It's the Super Bowl. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:54.720 I got the pig in the ground and the beer on ice, and all my rowdy friends are coming over tonight. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:59.680 I know, but here's what you're gonna do, students you're gonna go home after this, you're gonna go to our house, eat. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:07.279 A yummy breakfast, go home, take a nap, set an alarm for 5:15, and get up because the game kicks off in 15 minutes. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:10.240 You will not miss anything this afternoon, okay? 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:12.160 And so, but just let's just think for a little bit. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:13.920 I know it's Super Bowl Sunday. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:15.119 It's right there in the text. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:17.920 I don't get to choose what's in the what I say and don't say. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:19.920 The text determines what the preacher says. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:24.799 And the Bible says, as many as were appointed to eternal life, believed. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:25.839 You're smart people. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:27.440 Who appointed them? 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.279 They can't appoint themselves. 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:34.480 Now you're like, oh, oh, here's what I hear all the time. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:36.880 People are like, oh, that sounds like you're talking like a Calvinist. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.640 I'm not a Calvinist, I'm a Biblicist. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:39.680 I believe the Bible. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:44.640 Even when it glorifies God at the expense of glorifying me, I still believe the Bible. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:48.079 And all those who were appointed to eternal life believe. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:49.119 Now, here's what people say. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:52.240 Oh, when you hear the doctrine of election, oh, that's fatalism. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:55.359 God, if God chooses people, then why do we have to do anything? 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:57.680 To that, I would say, no, that's not fatalism. 00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.799 That's freedom. 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:00.799 Now, allow me to explain. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.079 I am free. 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:11.359 Because of the doctrine of election, I am free, and you are free to not turn the gospel into this set of propositional truths about you and Jesus that if you agree with this, get you to heaven. 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:15.119 Here's the problem with that praying the prayer doesn't make you a Christian. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:20.079 I think that we've got a religious system that teaches people how to say some words in their heart. 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:22.400 God's never revealed himself to them, okay? 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:24.720 So that's not what makes you a Christian. 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:31.759 What saves you, what changes you is when God reveals himself to you, regenerates your heart, and brings you to repentance, okay? 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.680 And here's the beauty of this, all right? 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:37.440