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The Gospel Goes Viral · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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  I'm going to look to the Book of Acts tonight and to continue thinking about this message that Paul preached.
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  ! The first sermon of the Apostle Paul during his ministry in the first of his three great missionary journeys that are recorded in the Book of Acts.
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  I mentioned this morning that he was in the company of Barnabas who came from the island of Crete.
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  And when they visited that island together at the beginning of this missionary journey sent out from Antioch in Syria,
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  I suppose the leading apostle was Barnabas.
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  But after leaving the island and going to the mainland of Asia Minor and going to Pisidian Antioch,
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  they came to see Paul becoming the main spokesman of the mission.
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  He became the more gifted of the two and the more used by the Lord to spread the message that would one day win the whole world.
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  The first missionary journey covers Acts chapter 13 and 14.
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  The narrative begins in Antioch in Syria.
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  It ends in Antioch in Syria with a report back to the sending church.
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  And all of that took around about a year and a half, under two years of traveling around 18 to 24 months.
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  And they visited the islands of the Mediterranean and they visited cities like Perga,
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  this city where this sermon was in Antioch, in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.
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  The message was one of hope.
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  It was full of the resurrection.
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  Just to stand back from this particular chapter, this particular passage that we're going to look at tonight,
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  just to remind you of what Acts is in the Word of God.
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  John Piper has helpfully commented that Acts is fairly unique in the Scriptures.
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  It's a book that's in the canon of Scripture to help prevent the church from coasting to a standstill.
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  It's really easy for that to happen to the Christian church,
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  especially if things are going quite well or if there are decent numbers or there's plenty money around or something like that.
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  We can simply think maintenance is all that we need.
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  We'll just keep going, keep the wheels turning, but to complete Piper's quote,
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  to prevent the church from coasting to a standstill and entering a maintenance mode
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  with all the inner wheels turning, working, but going nowhere.
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  There have been many moments in the history of the global church
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  where a particular local expression of the Christian faith starts to coast, to plateau and to decline
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  or comes under the judgment of the Lord.
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  And I'm pretty convinced that the book of Acts contains the answer to avoid that danger.
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  This book is saturated in prayer and in the fear of the Lord
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  and it is driven by the heartbeat of a missionary concern.
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  Wanting to see outsiders becoming insiders,
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  wanting to see people who are far away being brought near.
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  If we lose that prayerful concern and that missionary concern,
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  we're not really walking in the footsteps of the apostles.
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  We're not really living like a book of Acts kind of church.
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  And yet the book of Acts is there in the New Testament to say,
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  this is what life looks like between the first and second comings of Jesus.
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  We want to see witness from Jerusalem in ever expanding circles of effect,
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  like ripples in a pond.
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  You throw a stone in a pond and the ripples travel to the other side of the pond.
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  If you stand by a loch or something like that,
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  you've probably all done this.
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  You've thrown a stone and you see the little wave that it creates.
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  Well, the death and the resurrection of Jesus
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  are a moment at the center of the history of the universe,
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  sending out ripples.
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  And depending on how we hear that story and respond to it,
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  we will either be drawing nearer or drawing further away from life and hope and peace with God.
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  The church was born in Pisidian Antioch over the course of eight days of ministry.
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  Two Sabbaths, two Jewish Sabbaths.
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  Paul and Barnabas witnessing to a little group there.
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  And on the eighth day, they were thrown out and they had to flee.
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  But eight days was long enough to establish a living church that continued in that place
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  and that continued to glorify God for years and years and years to come.
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  This book of Acts is full of fuel for our prayers and wisdom.
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  If we want strategies, if we want an idea of who we should be and what we should be doing,
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  we don't need to look any further.
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  Title for my message tonight is the gospel goes viral.
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  It spreads like a contagion.
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  You see these things sometimes in the news or on social media or something like that,
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  that a story will be ignored for a long time and then suddenly everyone's talking about it.
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  It's mentioned, it's discussed, it's gossiped, it spreads all around the world.
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  And Jesus and his death and resurrection becomes the talking point in Pisidian Antioch.
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  The church is born and the church grows.
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  Two things about how this message came and about how it was reacted to tonight.
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  The first thing is that there is good news for those who break God's law.
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  The gospel, by definition, is good news.
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  And the gospel is to be shared with those who are in the wrong before Almighty God.
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  The gospel is for sinners.
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  The gospel exposes the fact that we are sinners in need of Christ, in need of grace.
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  The reason I broke the reading this morning at verse 37 and took it up again tonight at verse 38
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  is that Paul seems here to be moving to application mode.
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  He gives us his teaching, his doctrine, in his sermon, lots of Old Testament quotation
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  in the verses recorded between 13 and 37.
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  But from verse 38 onwards, he's really bringing the plane down to land with his listeners in that synagogue.
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  He's giving them the application.
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  So what?
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  What should you do with this message of Jesus who's been raised?
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  And so he says in verse 38,
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  Let it be known to you therefore.
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  I want you to take this on board.
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  I want you to know this, understand it and act upon it, brothers.
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  That through this man, through Jesus, what do you get through Jesus?
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  What is the good news of Jesus?
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  It is that forgiveness is preached, is offered.
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  Forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you and by him.
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  Everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
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  He was speaking to Jews.
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  He was speaking to people who were scrupulous in their Sabbath observance.
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  They went to the synagogue.
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  They did the things that Jewish people were supposed to do according to the law of Moses.
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  They would be circumcising their little boys.
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  They would be thinking about how they paid into the costs of the temple back in Jerusalem.
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  They would be thinking about the year and how at different stages in the year they obeyed the requirements of the law.
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  Their home life, even their kitchen, would be governed by the law of Moses.
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  And Paul says that's fine as far as it goes.
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  But it does not free you from sin.
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  The law of Moses actually teaches you how bad your problem of sin is.
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  The moral law applies to all human beings.
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  The Ten Commandments.
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  It applies to me.
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  It applies to you.
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  It doesn't matter in what era of world history we live.
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  It doesn't matter if we live in the Old Covenant or the New Covenant.
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  It doesn't matter if we're young or old.
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  The same Ten Commandments are binding on me, binding on my heart, binding on you.
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  And no amount of temple visiting or synagogue visiting or attempts at keeping the law can fix you.
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  Because every one of those Ten Commandments has been broken by every human being who ever lived except one.
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  Only Jesus kept this law.
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  Only Jesus pleased God at all times.
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  And this problem that we have sinned and we have offended against God, we're in a deep hole and we are digging it even more deeply.
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  We cannot climb out of the hole.
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  Jesus is the good news of forgiveness.
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  I want to put it to you that if you have religion without a living faith in Jesus,
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  you are trying to solve a guilt and shame and sin problem with something that will let you down.
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  Religion isn't going to cut it.
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  Even versions that are Christianized of religion are just so much self-help.
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  I was talking to a lad not so many days ago who grew up as a Jehovah's Witness.
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  And in his early 20s he has turned his back on all of that and he has embraced Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
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  And as far as I can see, a true and growing Christian disciple.
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  And he talked about what it was like to be a boy in that particular sect.
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  That they would do the mission things that they were told they had to do.
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  To be on side with God.
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  To be on side with the Kingdom Hall.
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  They would have to visit people or give out literature or approach doors.
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  But they would do it as slowly as possible.
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  It was usually a Saturday morning that he was involved in that as a boy.
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  As slowly as possible.
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  Not like Paul wanting the whole city to hear of Jesus.
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  Not like someone with the joy of salvation that wants everyone to know.
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  But getting off with as little as possible.
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  Because it's a drudge.
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  It's a trial.
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  It's not a joy.
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  It's not a pleasure.
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  It's just ticking a box.
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  My religion requires me to do this so I'll try and do it.
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  But my heart isn't in it.
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  And I suspect if we talk to religious people.
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  Whether they follow non-Christian paths.
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  Or versions of Christianity that don't have Christ and the cross at the center.
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  It's just a burden.
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  We're trying to carry something.
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  Paul quotes the book of Habakkuk to his listeners in the synagogue.
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  And he warns them.
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  He talks about freedom from these burdens.
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  Freedom from the law of Moses that they couldn't keep by themselves through Christ and his resurrection.
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  But in verse 40.
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  Beware therefore lest what is said and the prophet should come about.
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  Look you scoffers.
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  Be astounded and perish for I am doing a work in your days.
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  A work that you will not believe even if one tells it to you.
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  Now the background to that was that Habakkuk had a message of invasion.
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  Of the Babylonians coming to judge the nation.
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  Because they were just going through the motions.
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  They were just religious.
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  There was violence and there was destruction and strife and conflict.
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  They weren't really repenting of these real sins.
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  They weren't addressing the root problem of the human heart.
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  And so Habakkuk says in Habakkuk 1.4
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  Therefore the law is paralyzed and justice never prevails.
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  That's why you scoff.
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  That's why you don't believe.
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  Even though someone explains it to you.
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  You won't believe it.
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  Because you don't deal with the root of your sin problem.
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  Well here's good news for a world with a sin problem.
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  Here's good news for a world that cannot climb its way up to God by itself.
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  God has come down.
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  God has come into the pit and the miry clay where we are.
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  God has come down in Jesus Christ.
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  And God has come under the load that we cannot carry.
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  And God has saved us through the cross and through the resurrection.
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  And all that we need to do is repent and believe and put our trust in Jesus.
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  Now those who opposed Paul and Barnabas in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch.
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  They shook the dust off their feet when they left that city.
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  They were rejecting Jesus and his death and resurrection.
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  And that meant they were condemning themselves.
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  And just as Jesus told his church to do in Matthew 10 and Mark 6 and Luke 9 and Luke 10.
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  Jesus said if they won't receive my peace and my word.
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  Shake the dust off your feet and go to the next town.
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  And go to the next town.
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  And go to the next town.
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  So that folk have the opportunity to hear the good news.
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  There is a way for lawbreakers to be saved.
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  But it's not through human effort.
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  It's not through human religion.
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  It's through faith.
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  That's all very well, isn't it?
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  But I suspect the easy thing to do is to just nod and say,
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  Yeah, I've heard that since I was a child.
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  I think that's right.
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  And not ask the question,
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  Am I doing this very thing that Jesus warned his compatriots in Israel about?
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  That Paul was warning the people in the synagogue about?
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  Am I doing this?
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  Are you doing this?
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  That we think,
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  My problem with sin and my problem with the things that I don't get quite right,
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  It's quite a small problem.
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  It's one I'm going to somehow muddle through and fix.
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  I don't really need God to come down and dramatically save me.
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  I don't need the Son of God to take my load.
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  I'm better than a lot of other people.
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  If there's a piece of your heart that thinks like that,
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  Talk to God about it and admit that that is a grievous deception and a foolish sin.
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  To minimize your need, to minimize your sin, to minimize your guilt.
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  And maybe to say,
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  I don't need the medicine that maybe some other people need.
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  We all need the medicine.
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  We all need the gospel.
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  We all need Christ.
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  What Paul says in the synagogue on the second Sabbath when he was there,
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  Is that he's going to turn to the Gentiles.
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  He's going to turn to the non-Jews.
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  Because so many of the Jews are hardening their hearts against the message of the prophets.
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  And the message of Jesus.
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  And the message of the apostles.
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  Not everybody.
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  But some hardened their hearts.
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  Be so careful that you don't go home tonight saying,
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  I can listen to this gospel next week, next month, next year.
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  It's not important tonight.
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  It is important tonight.
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  If you have unconfessed, unforgiving sin in your life,
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  It separates you from God and eternal life.
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  And I would not want to leave this building, let alone fall asleep at home tonight,
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  Without crying out to God,
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  Deal with my sin.
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  Give me eternal life.
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  Be merciful to me.
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  So there is good news for those who break God's law.
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  And that's what the verses 38 to 41 are all about.
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  Don't be like those who are mentioned in the prophet Habakkuk's book,
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  Who will not believe,
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  Even if one tells it to you.
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  But the second thing tonight,
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  As well as the good news for those who break God's law,
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  Is the right response to God's gospel.
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  Verse 42 to the end of the chapter shows us those who responded correctly,
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  And those who did not respond correctly.
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  Verse 42,
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  As they went out,
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  Went out of the synagogue on the first of the two Sabbaths,
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  The people begged them that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.
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  But they didn't wait till the next Sabbath.
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  Verse 43,
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  They haven't really left the vicinity of the gathering in the events in verse 43.
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  After the meeting of the synagogue broke up,
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  Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas.
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  Isn't that interesting?
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  They heard the gospel,
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  And some of them became convinced,
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  There's something here that's real and necessary and true,
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  And I want to find out more about it.
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  Maybe that's where you are in your life before God tonight.
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  Well, they weren't happy to just say,
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  Well, we'll see what happens.
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  We'll see if we feel like coming along next week.
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  They followed Paul and Barnabas.
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  They wanted to know.
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  Because it was a big deal to know God,
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  To know peace with God.
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  It was a big deal.
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  And so they spoke with Paul and Barnabas,
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  And they urged them to continue in the grace of God.
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  To continue in the way of peace with God through the cross.
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  Verse 44,
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  So what has happened in Pisidian Antioch?
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  The whole city wasn't in the Jewish synagogue on the first Sabbath.
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  Something has happened in that city
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  Between one Friday and the next Friday.
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  The Sabbath was Friday night, Saturday morning.
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  What happened between the synagogue service breaking up
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  On the first Sabbath,
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  And then the following week, seven days later.
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  What happened to bring the whole city out?
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  People were talking.
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  The news of Jesus as the God who became a man,
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  The God who as a man suffered and tasted death,
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  The God who took shame onto himself,
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  And suffered and died on the tree,
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  On the cross,
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  That was being talked about in Pisidian Antioch all week.
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  And the whole city came out to the synagogue
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  To hear what was going on.
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  That's why I say the good news of the gospel went viral.
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  People were talking about it.
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  I can remember seasons in my own life
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  Where this seemed to be happening
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  And people were talking about the gospel
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  And who's being converted
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  And who's coming to church
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  And who's reading the Bible
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  And who's praying
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  And who's coming to Bible studies
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  And prayer meetings.
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  And sometimes that tide comes in
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  And sometimes it goes out a bit
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  And then it comes in again.
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  But are you looking for that?
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  Are you praying for that?
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  Are you expecting that God can do again
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  What he has done many times before?
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  Alistair Begg at a conference a while ago
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  I heard him say the following words
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  Talking about the local church
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  And how important it is
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  In God's work in the world.
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  Alistair Begg said
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  The authentic local church
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  Contains the DNA
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  Of a remade world.
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  I like that.
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  Where you get a few people
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  There might only be 20, 30, 50, 80, 100
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  There might be hundreds
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  There might be thousands
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  But if it's a real gospel church
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  That gathers around the word
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  Gathers around prayer
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  Gathers around the sacraments
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  There's something going on there
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  That has got the seeds of a new creation in it.
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  It's got the DNA of a remade world.
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  It's got the power
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  To make a dead place come alive.
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  I once came across a photograph
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  Taken in Chile
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  In the Atacama Desert
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  Which is the driest desert on earth.
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  Some polar regions can be classed as deserts
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  But outside of the poles
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  The Atacama in Chile
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  It's got mountains on one side
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  That stops clouds bearing rain
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  It's got the Pacific Ocean on the other side
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  That takes the wind away from the land
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  So that there's no chance of rain falling on the ground.
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  Very different from our dear Hebrides.
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  It doesn't rain a lot in the Atacama Desert
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  It's the driest place on earth.
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  And yet
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  In the 1970s
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  It rained heavily there.
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  And the thing that happened in that desert
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  That surprised people
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  And caused thousands of people
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  To travel there
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  With their cameras
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  And take photos of the place
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  Was that that dry wilderness
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  That had had no recorded rain
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  For maybe 300 years
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  When the rain came
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  It turned pink
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  And purple
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  With a bloom of flowers
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  A floral bloom
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  The seed was there
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  And the life was in the seed
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  Wherever God's word goes
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  Wherever God's gospel goes
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  It has the DNA
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  Of the new creation
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  Of the age that is to come
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  Within it.
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  And that means
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  If you are praying
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  For your children
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  For your spouse
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  For your Sunday school group
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  That you look after
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  For your youth fellowship
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  The seed has the life
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  Of the kingdom in it
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  And you are praying
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  That God would water it
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  And cause it to come alive
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  A super bloom
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  When dormant seeds
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  Burst into life
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  That is glorious and wonderful
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  When the word comes in power
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  Now there is resistance
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  In verse 45
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  When the Jews saw the crowds
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  They were filled with jealousy
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  Pure envy
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  Don't like to see
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  The success
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  Of the Christian missionaries
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  And so they began to contradict
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  What was spoken by Paul
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  Reviling him
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  And Paul and Barnabas
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  Don't shut up
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  They speak with boldness
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  It is necessary
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  That the word of God
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  Be spoken first to you
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  Since you thrust it aside
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  Judge for yourselves
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  Since you judge yourselves
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  Unworthy of eternal life
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  We are turning to the Gentiles
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  This is fulfilling prophecy actually
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  This is the role of the Messiah
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  And the role of the witnesses
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  Of the Messiah
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  I have made you a light
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  For the Gentiles
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  That you may bring salvation
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  To the ends of the earth
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  And the Gentiles rejoiced
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  And the word of the Lord
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  Was blessed to them
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  And many believed
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  And the word of the Lord
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  Spread through the region
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  Verse 49
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  And despite the opposition
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  They are filled with joy
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  And with the Holy Spirit
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  There is a bloom
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  There are flowers
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  There is life
• 27:39
  The word of God was honoured
• 27:41
  The word of God was shared
• 27:43
  And God's sovereignty
• 27:45
  Is at work in all of this
• 27:47
  And a little bit of persecution
• 27:49
  Didn't halt the power of the word
• 27:52
  A bit of hassle
• 27:54
  Didn't halt the power of the word
• 27:58
  What about the islands?
• 28:00
  What about Stornoway?
• 28:01
  What about our schools?
• 28:03
  What about our community?
• 28:04
  What about people
• 28:05
  With deep, deep hatred
• 28:09
  Towards the things of Christ?
• 28:11
  They may be being burnt
• 28:12
  They may be had a bad experience
• 28:14
  They may be being let down badly
• 28:17
  By a Christian
• 28:19
  Or by a church
• 28:20
  And they don't want to touch
• 28:22
  This Christianity
• 28:23
  With a long, long, long barge pole
• 28:26
  While prayer
• 28:29
  And love
• 28:30
  And gentleness
• 28:31
  And the word
• 28:33
  Can get through
• 28:35
  Because the seed
• 28:37
  Has life in it
• 28:39
  The word
• 28:40
  Has life in it
• 28:42
  I want to finish
• 28:44
  By giving you three signs
• 28:46
  Of a healthy response
• 28:49
  To the gospel
• 28:51
  I think this will be true
• 28:53
  At all times
• 28:54
  And in all places
• 28:56
  That where God is working
• 28:58
  These three signs
• 29:01
  Will mark God working
• 29:03
  And God's word getting through
• 29:05
  And these three signs
• 29:07
  Are a hunger for the words
• 29:10
  And an active witness
• 29:13
  And an overcoming
• 29:16
  Of opposition
• 29:18
  Through grace
• 29:20
  Hunger for the word
• 29:22
  Active witness
• 29:24
  Overcoming
• 29:25
  Opposition
• 29:27
  There is hunger
• 29:29
  All through this chapter
• 29:31
  And indeed all through
• 29:32
  Many parts of the book of Acts
• 29:34
  There is hunger for the word
• 29:35
  Paul's sermon
• 29:37
  Quotes Psalm 2
• 29:38
  Psalm 16
• 29:39
  Isaiah 55
• 29:41
  Isaiah 49
• 29:42
  Habakkuk chapter 1
• 29:44
  It's full of the word
• 29:45
  Paul is a word of God
• 29:48
  Man
• 29:48
  And God's grace
• 29:50
  Is falling
• 29:51
  On the word
• 29:52
  If you find it hard to pray
• 29:55
  Read through
• 29:56
  A psalm
• 29:57
  And ask God to help you
• 29:59
  To turn that psalm
• 30:01
  Into your stumbling
• 30:03
  Halting prayers
• 30:04
  It's the word
• 30:05
  That will disciple you
• 30:07
  And will help you
• 30:09
  To grow spiritually
• 30:11
  And to be fruitful
• 30:12
  Spiritually
• 30:13
  I've hidden your word
• 30:15
  In my heart
• 30:16
  That I might not
• 30:17
  Sin against you
• 30:18
  A few chapters on
• 30:20
  In chapter 17
• 30:21
  We read about
• 30:23
  The Bereans
• 30:24
  The people there
• 30:25
  In chapter 17
• 30:27
  Verse 11
• 30:27
  Received the message
• 30:29
  In Berea
• 30:30
  With great eagerness
• 30:31
  And examined the scriptures
• 30:33
  Every day
• 30:34
  To see if what Paul said
• 30:36
  Was true
• 30:37
  Many of them believed
• 30:39
  They searched the scriptures
• 30:40
  If you're not sure
• 30:43
  If you've got questions
• 30:44
  Search the scriptures
• 30:46
  It's a sign
• 30:48
  Of a healthy response
• 30:50
  To the gospel
• 30:50
  That we read
• 30:52
  And that we
• 30:53
  Carefully read
• 30:55
  The word of God
• 30:56
  The second sign
• 30:58
  Is active witness
• 30:59
  Again
• 31:00
  This passage
• 31:01
  Is full of it
• 31:01
  Verse 44
• 31:03
  The next Sabbath
• 31:04
  Almost the whole city
• 31:05
  Gathered to hear
• 31:06
  The word of the Lord
• 31:07
  Verse 49
• 31:08
  The word of the Lord
• 31:09
  Was spreading
• 31:10
  Throughout the whole
• 31:12
  Region
• 31:13
  I mentioned this morning
• 31:15
  That a team
• 31:17
  Of three missionaries
• 31:18
  Had been reduced
• 31:18
  To a team
• 31:19
  Of two missionaries
• 31:20
  That did not stop
• 31:23
  The word spreading
• 31:24
  Mark
• 31:25
  John Mark
• 31:26
  Had left
• 31:27
  But the blessing
• 31:28
  Of God
• 31:29
  Had not left
• 31:30
  And so Barnabas
• 31:31
  And Paul
• 31:32
  See blessing
• 31:34
  And their witness
• 31:36
  And the witness
• 31:37
  Of others
• 31:38
  Makes the gospel
• 31:39
  Credible
• 31:40
  I know
• 31:42
  There is live stream
• 31:43
  And things like that
• 31:44
  And that sometimes
• 31:45
  We maybe think
• 31:47
  Well
• 31:47
  Do I really need
• 31:49
  To go out tonight
• 31:50
  Nobody will miss me
• 31:51
  And I can always
• 31:53
  Catch up with the service
• 31:54
  Or I can watch it live
• 31:56
  And that's true
• 31:58
  But if you walk
• 32:01
  Into a building
• 32:02
  And there are
• 32:03
  Hundreds of empty seats
• 32:04
  That could be filled
• 32:06
  It makes the word
• 32:09
  Less credible
• 32:11
  To any visitor
• 32:13
  Who comes in
• 32:14
  Off the street
• 32:15
  And I think
• 32:18
  This is something
• 32:18
  That has happened
• 32:19
  Across Europe
• 32:20
  In the last
• 32:21
  Centuries actually
• 32:22
  That many people
• 32:24
  Have concluded
• 32:25
  That Christianity
• 32:26
  Is irrelevant
• 32:28
  Because it doesn't
• 32:30
  Seem
• 32:31
  To affect
• 32:33
  People
• 32:33
  Doesn't seem
• 32:35
  To be precious
• 32:36
  To them
• 32:36
  Well the gatherings
• 32:39
  Of God's people
• 32:41
  Should be well
• 32:42
  Supported
• 32:43
  And the mission
• 32:45
  Of God's church
• 32:46
  Should be well
• 32:47
  Supported
• 32:48
  Prayerfully
• 32:49
  Financially
• 32:50
  And every other way
• 32:51
  To show
• 32:53
  That we really
• 32:54
  Do believe this
• 32:55
  And we do
• 32:56
  Love and serve
• 32:57
  This God
• 32:58
  And we want
• 32:59
  To be committed
• 33:00
  And it may be
• 33:03
  That there's a cup
• 33:04
  Final on the TV
• 33:05
  It may be
• 33:06
  That we've had
• 33:07
  A hard week
• 33:07
  It may be
• 33:08
  That we have
• 33:09
  A lot of work
• 33:10
  To do
• 33:11
  In the next few days
• 33:12
  But if God
• 33:13
  Is great
• 33:14
  In our thinking
• 33:15
  We will not
• 33:16
  Be minimizing
• 33:17
  !
• 33:17
  Our desire
• 33:18
  To honor him
• 33:20
  In active
• 33:21
  Witness
• 33:22
  Romans 1
• 33:24
  Verse 16
• 33:25
  For I am not
• 33:26
  Ashamed of the gospel
• 33:28
  I fear that
• 33:29
  Many Christians
• 33:30
  Seem to be ashamed
• 33:32
  I wonder how often
• 33:35
  I'm tongue tied
• 33:36
  And I'm ashamed
• 33:37
  But that gospel
• 33:39
  Is God's power
• 33:40
  For salvation
• 33:41
  For Jew
• 33:43
  For Gentile
• 33:44
  So when I meet
• 33:46
  People
• 33:46
  And they ask me
• 33:48
  What I do
• 33:48
  For a living
• 33:49
  When I meet people
• 33:50
  And they ask me
• 33:52
  What I did
• 33:52
  At the weekend
• 33:53
  Or what I did
• 33:54
  At New Year
• 33:55
  Or at Christmas
• 33:56
  I want to give them
• 33:56
  An answer
• 33:57
  That glorifies God
• 33:59
  Not to sort of
• 34:01
  Show off
• 34:02
  Or to
• 34:02
  Sort of
• 34:03
  You know
• 34:04
  Be a
• 34:06
  A kind of
• 34:07
  Pretend-y
• 34:08
  Holy person
• 34:09
  But to think
• 34:11
  How can I
• 34:12
  Answer this
• 34:14
  Casual question
• 34:16
  With a way
• 34:17
  That says
• 34:18
  I had a great
• 34:19
  Weekend
• 34:20
  I spent time
• 34:22
  With a family
• 34:23
  We ate together
• 34:25
  And we got to
• 34:26
  Go and worship
• 34:28
  Jesus Christ
• 34:29
  Together
• 34:30
  And that's the
• 34:30
  Highlight of our
• 34:31
  Week
• 34:32
  So important
• 34:34
  To us
• 34:35
  As a family
• 34:36
  Hunger for the
• 34:39
  Word
• 34:39
  An active
• 34:41
  Witness
• 34:41
  Matthew Henry
• 34:43
  Once said
• 34:45
  The spirit of
• 34:47
  Christ
• 34:47
  Is the spirit
• 34:49
  Mission
• 34:50
  Do you believe
• 34:52
  That
• 34:53
  If we have
• 34:54
  The spirit
• 34:55
  We have
• 34:57
  The spirit
• 34:57
  To equip us
• 34:58
  To be
• 34:59
  Missionaries
• 35:00
  To be
• 35:00
  Witnesses
• 35:02
  A hunger for the
• 35:03
  Word
• 35:03
  An active
• 35:04
  Witness
• 35:04
  And then
• 35:05
  Overcoming
• 35:06
  Opposition
• 35:08
  And I guess
• 35:08
  That sometimes
• 35:09
  Just looks like
• 35:10
  You keep
• 35:11
  Going
• 35:12
  Even when
• 35:13
  You're tired
• 35:14
  Or even
• 35:15
  When
• 35:16
  It's not
• 35:17
  Easy
• 35:17
  Verse 45
• 35:18
  When the
• 35:19
  Jews saw
• 35:20
  The crowds
• 35:20
  They were
• 35:20
  Filled with
• 35:21
  Jealousy
• 35:22
  They began
• 35:22
  To contradict
• 35:23
  What was
• 35:23
  Spoken by
• 35:24
  Paul
• 35:24
  Reviling
• 35:25
  Him
• 35:25
  Reviling
• 35:26
  Is a
• 35:27
  Strong
• 35:27
  Word
• 35:27
  My
• 35:29
  Colleague
• 35:30
  Chris Davidson
• 35:30
  At
• 35:31
  Merkinj
• 35:32
  At the
• 35:32
  Church
• 35:32
  Plant
• 35:33
  In one
• 35:34
  Of the
• 35:34
  Poorest
• 35:35
  Parts
• 35:35
  Of the
• 35:35
  Highlands
• 35:36
  In one
• 35:37
  Of the
• 35:37
  Most
• 35:37
  Economically
• 35:38
  Deprived
• 35:39
  Postcodes
• 35:40
  In
• 35:41
  Scotland
• 35:41
  Chris
• 35:42
  Says
• 35:43
  And I
• 35:44
  Think he's
• 35:44
  Right
• 35:44
  If you
• 35:45
  Want to
• 35:46
  Be a
• 35:46
  Gospel
• 35:47
  Minister
• 35:47
  In
• 35:48
  Contemporary
• 35:49
  Scotland
• 35:49
  You need
• 35:51
  A heart
• 35:52
  That is
• 35:52
  Soft
• 35:53
  And gentle
• 35:53
  Like
• 35:54
  Jesus
• 35:55
  And you
• 35:57
  Need a
• 35:57
  Hide
• 35:57
  That is
• 35:58
  Tough
• 35:59
  Like a
• 36:01
  Rhinoceros
• 36:01
  It's not
• 36:04
  Going to
• 36:04
  Be easy
• 36:05
  It's not
• 36:06
  Going to
• 36:07
  Be easy
• 36:07
  To be
• 36:07
  A deacon
• 36:08
  Or an
• 36:09
  Elder
• 36:09
  It's
• 36:09
  Going to
• 36:10
  Cost
• 36:10
  You
• 36:10
  But we
• 36:12
  Are called
• 36:13
  As disciples
• 36:14
  To take
• 36:14
  Up the
• 36:15
  Cross
• 36:15
  It's not
• 36:16
  Going to
• 36:16
  Be easy
• 36:17
  If you
• 36:18
  Give up
• 36:18
  A career
• 36:19
  That's
• 36:20
  A good
• 36:20
  Career
• 36:21
  To take
• 36:23
  The wage
• 36:24
  Of a
• 36:25
  Church
• 36:25
  Worker
• 36:26
  And go
• 36:27
  And spread
• 36:28
  The news
• 36:29
  Of Jesus
• 36:30
  But it's
• 36:32
  Worth it
• 36:32
  Don't do
• 36:34
  It
• 36:35
  For earthly
• 36:36
  Reward
• 36:36
  You overcome
• 36:37
  Difficulty
• 36:38
  Cost
• 36:39
  Opposition
• 36:40
  You keep
• 36:41
  Going
• 36:42
  Verse 50
• 36:44
  The Jews
• 36:45
  Incited the
• 36:45
  Devout
• 36:46
  Woman of
• 36:46
  High
• 36:46
  Standing
• 36:47
  And the
• 36:47
  Leading
• 36:47
  Men of
• 36:48
  The city
• 36:48
  And stirred
• 36:49
  Up
• 36:49
  Persecution
• 36:50
  Is that
• 36:52
  Really
• 36:53
  What's
• 36:53
  Stopping
• 36:54
  Us
• 36:54
  Are we
• 36:56
  Being
• 36:56
  Persecuted
• 36:57
  Not
• 36:58
  Much
• 36:59
  Maybe
• 37:01
  Sometimes
• 37:02
  People
• 37:02
  Have a
• 37:02
  We
• 37:02
  Laugh
• 37:03
  At
• 37:03
  Our
• 37:03
  Expense
• 37:04
  But we're
• 37:05
  Not going
• 37:06
  To be
• 37:06
  Rounded
• 37:06
  Up
• 37:07
  And put
• 37:08
  In jail
• 37:08
  Are we
• 37:08
  But we
• 37:09
  Have brothers
• 37:09
  And sisters
• 37:10
  Who face
• 37:11
  That
• 37:11
  In Sudan
• 37:12
  And where
• 37:14
  Islam is
• 37:15
  Sweeping
• 37:16
  Through parts
• 37:16
  Of Africa
• 37:18
  And making
• 37:19
  It so hard
• 37:20
  To be a
• 37:21
  Christian
• 37:21
  In parts
• 37:24
  Of India
• 37:25
  In parts
• 37:26
  Of Asia
• 37:26
  Hinduism
• 37:28
  And buddhism
• 37:29
  Can be very
• 37:29
  Militant
• 37:30
  Atheism
• 37:33
  Secular
• 37:34
  Can be
• 37:34
  Very
• 37:35
  Militant
• 37:36
  In your
• 37:37
  Workplace
• 37:38
  Maybe
• 37:38
  It's not
• 37:39
  Easy
• 37:40
  To take
• 37:40
  A
• 37:41
  Respectful
• 37:43
  Gentle
• 37:43
  Christian
• 37:44
  Stand
• 37:45
  But do
• 37:45
  It
• 37:46
  Commit
• 37:47
  Yourself
• 37:48
  To God
• 37:48
  And do
• 37:49
  It
• 37:49
  I don't
• 37:51
  Think we
• 37:52
  Will face
• 37:53
  The risk
• 37:54
  Of stoning
• 37:55
  Paul faced
• 37:56
  That in
• 37:57
  Chapter
• 37:57
  14
• 37:58
  And verse
• 37:59
  19
• 37:59
  Because the
• 38:01
  Jews from
• 38:02
  Antioch
• 38:02
  Travelled
• 38:04
  80 miles
• 38:05
  To the
• 38:05
  Next town
• 38:06
  That he
• 38:06
  Was in
• 38:06
  And stirred
• 38:07
  Up trouble
• 38:08
  Against him
• 38:09
  And tried
• 38:10
  To have him
• 38:10
  Killed
• 38:11
  That's a
• 38:12
  Different order
• 38:13
  Of difficulty
• 38:15
  But he
• 38:16
  Overcame it
• 38:17
  By grace
• 38:18
  By faith
• 38:18
  Now what's
• 38:21
  The worst
• 38:22
  Thing
• 38:22
  That's going
• 38:23
  To happen
• 38:24
  To us
• 38:24
  If we
• 38:26
  Look to
• 38:27
  The Lord
• 38:27
  And desire
• 38:29
  To respond
• 38:30
  To the
• 38:30
  Gospel
• 38:31
  As a
• 38:32
  Christian
• 38:32
  Who wants
• 38:33
  To be a
• 38:34
  Witness
• 38:34
  To be a
• 38:35
  Sin
• 38:35
  What's
• 38:36
  What's
• 38:36
  The worst
• 38:36
  That will
• 38:37
  Happen
• 38:37
  To you
• 38:37
  If you
• 38:38
  Are ready
• 38:39
  To follow
• 38:40
  Jesus
• 38:40
  But you're
• 38:41
  Thinking
• 38:41
  Some of
• 38:42
  My friends
• 38:43
  Will tease
• 38:44
  Me
• 38:44
  Tease you
• 38:46
  Isn't it
• 38:48
  Worth it
• 38:49
  That the
• 38:49
  Son of
• 38:50
  God
• 38:50
  Hung
• 38:50
  Naked
• 38:51
  On a
• 38:51
  Tree
• 38:52
  And died
• 38:53
  For you
• 38:54
  Isn't it
• 38:55
  Worth it
• 38:56
  That you
• 38:56
  Might be
• 38:57
  Teased
• 38:57
  By someone
• 38:58
  Nail your
• 39:00
  Colors
• 39:00
  To the
• 39:01
  Mast
• 39:01
  Follow
• 39:02
  Jesus
• 39:02
  He's
• 39:04
  Worth it
• 39:05
  Overcome
• 39:07
  Opposition
• 39:08
  I'm just
• 39:10
  Amazed
• 39:11
  By this
• 39:11
  Chapter
• 39:12
  That there
• 39:13
  Were
• 39:13
  Eight
• 39:14
  Days
• 39:15
  That Paul
• 39:17
  And Barnabas
• 39:18
  Spent in
• 39:19
  That city
• 39:19
  But when
• 39:21
  They left
• 39:22
  It
• 39:22
  They left
• 39:24
  A church
• 39:25
  Free
• 39:27
  Church of
• 39:27
  Scotland
• 39:28
  Has been
• 39:28
  Around
• 39:28
  Since
• 39:29
  1843
• 39:30
  We're
• 39:31
  Heading
• 39:31
  For another
• 39:32
  Big
• 39:32
  Anniversary
• 39:33
  2043
• 39:35
  Will have
• 39:36
  Been
• 39:36
  Around
• 39:37
  For two
• 39:38
  Centuries
• 39:38
  I fear
• 39:42
  That we
• 39:43
  Are not
• 39:44
  As tough
• 39:45
  As Paul
• 39:46
  And his
• 39:47
  Companions
• 39:47
  Were
• 39:48
  That we
• 39:49
  Give up
• 39:49
  Too
• 39:49
  Quickly
• 39:50
  That we
• 39:51
  Quit
• 39:52
  Too
• 39:52
  Easily
• 39:53
  And so
• 39:54
  I encourage
• 39:55
  You to
• 39:55
  Find your
• 39:56
  Strength
• 39:57
  And find
• 39:58
  Your joy
• 39:59
  And find
• 40:00
  Your encouragement
• 40:01
  In the
• 40:02
  Gospel
• 40:03
  The good
• 40:05
  News
• 40:05
  For those
• 40:06
  Who break
• 40:07
  God's law
• 40:08
  Come to
• 40:09
  The cross
• 40:09
  And the
• 40:11
  Good news
• 40:11
  That all
• 40:12
  Who come
• 40:13
  With the
• 40:13
  Right
• 40:13
  Response
• 40:14
  To the
• 40:14
  Gospel
• 40:15
  Will be
• 40:16
  Saved
• 40:17
  And will
• 40:18
  Then have
• 40:18
  News to
• 40:19
  Share
• 40:20
  There is
• 40:22
  Encouragement
• 40:22
  Here
• 40:23
  I wonder
• 40:25
  If Scotland
• 40:26
  Is a dry
• 40:28
  Spiritual
• 40:29
  Desert
• 40:30
  More arid
• 40:31
  Than the
• 40:32
  Atacama
• 40:33
  I wonder
• 40:35
  If prayer
• 40:36
  And fasting
• 40:37
  Are needed
• 40:38
  So that the
• 40:40
  Rain begins
• 40:41
  And the
• 40:43
  Seed
• 40:44
  Comes alive
• 40:46
  Father
• 40:47
  In heaven
• 40:48
  We bless
• 40:48
  You for
• 40:48
  Being together
• 40:49
  Under the
• 40:50
  Word today
• 40:50
  For being
• 40:51
  Together under
• 40:52
  The Word
• 40:52
  This evening
• 40:53
  And for
• 40:54
  The pictures
• 40:55
  That we
• 40:55
  Have of
• 40:56
  The growth
• 40:56
  Of the
• 40:57
  Early
• 40:57
  Church
• 40:58
  Despite
• 40:58
  Persecution
• 40:59
  There was
• 41:01
  Response
• 41:01
  !
• 41:02
  There was
• 41:02
  Harvest
• 41:02
  Grant
• 41:04
  Harvest
• 41:05
  And response
• 41:06
  Tonight
• 41:07
  And in
• 41:08
  Our hearts
• 41:09
  And in
• 41:09
  This gathering
• 41:10
  And in
• 41:11
  The weeks
• 41:11
  And the
• 41:12
  Months
• 41:12
  And in
• 41:12
  The years
• 41:13
  To come
• 41:13
  Bless
• 41:15
  Your servant
• 41:16
  Callum
• 41:17
  Smith
• 41:17
  As he
• 41:18
  Ministers
• 41:18
  Here
• 41:18
  And all
• 41:19
  Who are
• 41:19
  Part of
• 41:20
  The team
• 41:20
  Here
• 41:21
  And all
• 41:21
  Who preach
• 41:22
  Here regularly
• 41:22
  In English
• 41:23
  And Gaelic
• 41:24
  Bless the
• 41:25
  Coming weekend
• 41:26
  And the
• 41:26
  Visit of
• 41:27
  Colin
• 41:28
  Macleod
• 41:29
  Next Sunday
• 41:30
  And bless
• 41:31
  The work
• 41:31
  And the
• 41:32
  Witness
• 41:32
  Of all
• 41:33
  Who serve
• 41:34
  You
• 41:34
  Across
• 41:35
  This land
• 41:36
  Of ours
• 41:37
  Bless every
• 41:38
  Gospel
• 41:38
  Church
• 41:39
  And grant
• 41:40
  That the
• 41:40
  Arid
• 41:41
  Days
• 41:42
  The dry
• 41:43
  Days
• 41:43
  The wilderness
• 41:45
  Desert
• 41:46
  Days
• 41:46
  Will be
• 41:47
  Replaced
• 41:48
  With super
• 41:49
  Bloom
• 41:50
  With life
• 41:51
  With glory
• 41:53
  With many
• 41:55
  Many
• 41:55
  Stories
• 41:56
  Of salvation
• 41:57
  Hear our
• 41:59
  Prayers
• 41:59
  Amen
• 42:01
  Shall we
• 42:03
  Close
• 42:03
  With the
• 42:04
  Lovely
• 42:04
  Words
• 42:05
  Of psalm
• 42:05
  84
• 42:06
  From the
• 42:06
  Scottish
• 42:07
  Psalter
• 42:07
  Psalm
• 42:08
  84
• 42:09
  We'll
• 42:10
  Sing
• 42:11
  From the
• 42:12
  Beginning
• 42:12
  Of the
• 42:13
  Psalm
• 42:13
  In the
• 42:15
  Scottish
• 42:15
  Psalter
• 42:16
  Psalm
• 42:16
  84
• 42:16
  How
• 42:17
  Lovely
• 42:17
  Is thy
• 42:19
  Dwelling
• 42:19
  Place
• 42:20
  O Lord
• 42:20
  Of hosts
• 42:21
  To me
• 42:22
  The
• 42:22
  Tabernacles
• 42:23
  Of thy
• 42:24
  Grace
• 42:24
  How
• 42:24
  Pleasant
• 42:25
  Lord
• 42:25
  They
• 42:26
  Be
• 42:26
  We'll
• 42:27
  Sing
• 42:27
  Verse 1
• 42:28
  And 2
• 42:29
  And then
• 42:30
  We'll go
• 42:31
  Down to
• 42:31
  Verse 8
• 42:32
  Lord
• 42:32
  God
• 42:33
  Of hosts
• 42:33
  My
• 42:34
  Prayer
• 42:34
  Here
• 42:35
  The
• 42:36
  First
• 42:36
  Two
• 42:36
  Verses
• 42:37
  And the
• 42:37
  Final
• 42:38
  Four
• 42:39
  Stanzas
• 42:40
  Of
• 42:40
  Psalm
• 42:41
  84
• 42:41
  To
• 42:42
  God's
• 42:42
  Glory
• 42:43
  The
• 42:43
  Tune
• 42:43
  Is
• 42:44
  The
• 42:44
  Homes
• 42:45
  Of
• 42:45
  Donegal
• 42:46
  Paul
• 42:48
  How lovely is thy place, O Lord, of hosts to thee.
• 43:02
  The tavern outcomes of thy gifts have blessed longed me.
• 43:13
  My thirsty soul of timidly, yet face thy horns to see.
• 43:26
  My heavy heart and flesh I urge, O living not for thee.
• 43:36
  Lord God, of hosts my prayer here, O Jacob's gardener.
• 43:48
  He guard her shield, look on the face of thine and ironed deal.
• 44:01
  For in thy courts on me excels a thousand rather than.
• 44:11
  My thoughts I dwell like deep and warm, and dwell in tents of sin.
• 44:24
  What of the Lord's house sun and shield, give peace and glory there.
• 44:35
  And dwell with hope no good on end, and other need to live.
• 44:46
  O thou that art the Lord of hosts, and man is to thee blessed.
• 44:57
  With my assured confidence, on thee alone thou best.
• 45:10
  Receive God's blessing.
• 45:12
  May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, be upon you,
• 45:22
  and on the whole Israel of God, today and forevermore.
• 45:28
  Amen.
• 45:29
  Go in peace.
• 45:42
  Thank you.