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Acts 12:18-13:3 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Open up God's Word to Acts. Acts chapter 12. Picking up on our study. So, as a lot of you are aware, I'm going to be married in a couple of weeks.
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But in all seriousness, I'm feeling like the weight that a lot of you have experienced who are married.
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And just preparing yourself, not just for the event, but for actual marriage.
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And preparing yourself spiritually above all.
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Feeling just the weight of this is a big deal and I have to come to God to work on me and to prepare me as best as I can be.
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And I reached out to a friend of mine recently, Zach Watson, who lives in Dawsonville now.
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But a guy who invested into me a lot of my early Christian life.
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God's really given this guy just a talent and a gift to understand the Word and to teach the Word.
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Just a man who loves Jesus.
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And one of his, when he went to seminary, he exempted his first Greek course by translating the book of James.
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Yeah, he's that kind of guy.
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I hate people like that.
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I feel like I, but, but I reached out to him just to say, hey.
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And he just encouraged me like, man, as you're preparing to get married, like let that elevate your thoughts towards the heavenly marriage and the return of Christ.
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And as you will be purifying yourself for our heavenly bridegroom one day.
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For the marriage supper of the Lamb.
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And allow that to like even be the driving force behind, like while you're preparing now.
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And just really, really challenged me.
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And to think about Christ returning and the end coming, there's some things that do have to happen first.
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And one of those is that the gospel should be preached to all nations and then the end will come.
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And with that in mind, I just want you to be aware that the end will not come easily.
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That there are many people, many leaders, many nations who hate Christ, who hate the gospel.
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And many obstacles that we as the church are going to have to wade through with our own blood, with our own sweat.
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That many will die to bring the gospel to the nations.
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And with that in mind, I want us just to keep that in our minds as we're reading today and as we're looking at Acts.
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And just to throw some other stuff out there, like while you're listening, like look for yourself in the story.
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Like that's a tip for listening to God's word.
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Not just kind of waiting for the preacher to give you the application and you can kind of check out until then.
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The application is going to come from text.
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And you need to be able to pay attention and ask God and His Spirit to open your eyes.
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And as if God was addressing you personally from His word, because He is.
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And every time that you hear the word, you're accountable for what you hear.
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So if you're just here to gain knowledge, then you need to ask God to change your heart,
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because we're held to the standard of which we've attained in God's word.
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So let's just read our text and then we'll dive into it.
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It would be really awesome for me to turn there myself so I can do that.
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All right.
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All right.
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Our text today is just going to be Acts 12.
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We're going to start in verse 18 and go down through chapter 13 into verse 3.
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Chapters and verses are not inspired by God.
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Just the text is.
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So we are going to just continue reading down a little bit.
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But starting in verse 18, it said,
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Now when the day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.
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And after Herod searched for him and did not find him,
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he examined the sentries in order that they should be put to death.
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Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.
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Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon.
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And they came to him with one accord.
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And having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain,
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they asked for peace because their country depended on the king's country for food.
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And on an appointed day, Herod put on his royal robes,
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took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.
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And the people were shouting, the voice of a God and not a man.
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And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down,
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because he did not give God the glory.
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And he was eaten by worms, and he breathed his last.
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But the word of God increased and multiplied.
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And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service,
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bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.
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Now there was in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers,
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Barnabas, Simon, who was called Niger,
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Lucius of Cyrene,
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Manon, a lifelong friend of Herod the Tetrarch,
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and Saul.
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While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting,
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the Holy Spirit said,
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Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
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Then after fasting and praying,
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they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
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Let's join me in a word of prayer.
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Father, I just ask that during this time,
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your people would worship through the hearing of your word,
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that you would have the desired effect on them,
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and that it would carry them from this place to obedience,
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to sacrifice,
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and to laying down our lives for others for the sake of Christ.
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And I pray that you would help me to communicate with clarity
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and to not fear man,
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but to only fear you.
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God, we just offer at this time,
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I pray it would be pleasing to you.
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In Christ's name, amen.
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So last week,
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Daniel preached in the,
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starting in the earlier part of chapter 12,
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and this was basically the acts of Herod Agrippa.
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There are several Herods in the New Testament.
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This one is more or less the third main Herod,
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Herod Agrippa.
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And so he kind of went on a rampage,
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and he sought to stop the advancement of the gospel in his territory.
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Herod Agrippa was in some hot water with the Roman authorities.
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He owed a lot of debt,
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and he had just some chaos going on in his realm
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that he had been given charge of.
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And basically, he had to get his stuff together,
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or he was going to feel the wrath of Caesar.
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And in some ways,
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he thought that the new sect of Christianity
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was causing a lot of this problem
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and causing threat to the stability of the region.
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So, with that in mind,
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I just want you to,
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again, as we look through this,
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just think about how
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it just feels like
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the whole world
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is against us as believers.
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Here in the West,
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we've enjoyed a season of peace
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where there hasn't been
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that much hostility
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as you might find
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in some other parts of the world.
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But I feel,
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just as many of you might,
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just if you've been looking at
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our nation now,
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and even just the crazy political situation,
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that,
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I mean,
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things are,
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you should just know,
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like the Bible says,
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things are not going to go our way.
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They're not.
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Our hope is not in America
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or in our government.
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Though we pray for them,
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and at any moment,
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God could,
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if He wants to,
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bring revival.
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But we also just know
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that it's just not going to go our way.
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We know that it's going to get harder.
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We know that it's going to be
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increased secularization
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and increased hostility to the truth.
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And when that happens,
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we've got to have enough fiber in our faith
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and trust in our Lord
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to press through that regardless
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of like what comes.
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And I feel like many of us
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are just going to blow over
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when this happens
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because we've become so used to
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comfort and ease in the West
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and our Christianity
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really isn't what's exhibited
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in the Word of God
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a lot of the time.
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So we have to prepare ourselves
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and I want this text
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to be a means of that,
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a means of encouragement to you.
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And we're just going to do it
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with just asking two questions
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just about the text
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and then applying that.
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So again,
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listen for yourself throughout this,
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but what are,
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the first one,
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number one,
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what are Herod's evil desires?
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What are Herod's evil desires?
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Like what are his intentions
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in this,
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in these chapters here?
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Because they are pretty evident.
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And you can see,
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you can see this,
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but I want you to jump back
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just briefly to the beginning
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of chapter 12
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and look at verses 1 through 5.
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Just the beginning of chapter 12.
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This is what Daniel preached on last week.
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It says,
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about that time,
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Herod the king laid violent hands
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on some who belonged to the church.
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He killed James,
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the brother of John,
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with the sword.
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And when he saw
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that it pleased the Jews,
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he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
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This was during the days
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of unleavened bread.
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And when he had seized him,
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he put him in prison,
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delivering him over
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to four squads of soldiers
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to guard him,
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intending after the Passover
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to bring him out to the people.
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So Peter was kept in prison,
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but earnest prayer for him
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was made to God
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by the church.
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Alright, so in this,
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you can see very clearly
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Herod's evil desires.
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One, just sort of very plain,
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was that Herod desired
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to contain or even eliminate
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the expansion of the gospel.
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He didn't want it going any further.
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He said,
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this has got to stop.
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So he had never been a fan of Jesus,
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never been a fan of believers.
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And it says that he laid
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violent hands on them.
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It means like to render
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an evil effect,
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to inflict evil harm on someone.
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This was his desire.
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This will be the desire
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of anyone that is hostile
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towards the gospel
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coming to their nations.
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And then it says that they,
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he not only did that,
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but he kind of singled out
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the leaders of the church.
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He killed James,
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the brother of John,
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with the sword.
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Kind of implying,
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like under the law,
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someone who preached
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blasphemy was to be beheaded.
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So more or less,
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that's what his charge was,
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but that's how he died.
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And then on the other hand,
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he arrested Peter
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and threw Peter in prison,
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more or less kind of saying
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that I'm going to keep you
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for something special.
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You're going to be
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the prized bird in my cage.
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I'm going to bring out
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for a special occasion
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to humiliate you
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and then show you
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who's really the boss.
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So he kind of held Peter
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over to the side
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as a prized captive
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or a trophy of his power.
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And Jesus had said to James
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earlier in the gospel of Mark,
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this cup that I drink,
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you also will drink.
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This idea that very soon,
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like you will be charged
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for the same crimes
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which I'm being charged for,
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and you're going to die.
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And Jesus had told them,
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remember the word
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that I've said to you.
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A servant is not greater
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than his master.
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If they persecute me,
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they will persecute you.
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If it's happening to our Lord,
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then it's going to happen to us.
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If we really are following him.
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And Herod would be the first,
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in a way,
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of many kings,
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emperors,
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presidents,
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chancellors,
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who would seek to halt
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the stop of the gospel
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by trying to kill
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the followers of Christ.
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It's going to happen.
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It's going to happen.
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So,
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but even underneath this,
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underneath this,
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this desire
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to eliminate
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or contain the church,
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look at our text.
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Very scary.
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Verse 3 says,
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when he saw
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that it pleased
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the Jews.
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So,
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underneath all of this
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was a very sinister desire,
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and that was
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he wanted
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the praise of men.
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He wanted,
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really,
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which is fueled by
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pride,
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right?
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He wanted the approval,
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the praise of men.
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It says,
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when he saw
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that it pleased the Jews.
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So,
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the ultimate source
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of all these atrocious acts
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is Herod's pride
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underneath it all.
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So,
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I want you to
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follow me here.
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We're going to kind of
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single out some things,
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but let's just simply,
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for the sake of
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just understanding,
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let's just define
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pride
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as an excessive
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desire
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for others
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to see us
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as impressive
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or admirable.
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An excessive
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desire for others
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to see us
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as impressive
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or admirable.
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And so,
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he wanted
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the applause
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of his subjects,
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and he also
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wanted the approval
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of Rome
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to,
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you know,
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that he's bringing
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stability to his region.
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And this was
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his desire
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very clearly
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in our text.
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And he sought
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desperately
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the praise of men.
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That's why he kept
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Peter on the sideline
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because later on
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he wanted to bring him
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out to show
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in front of all
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the people
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that he was
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the man.
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So,
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don't get this wrong.
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Like,
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here his actions
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are an overflow
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of the evil heart
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that he had,
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not the other way around.
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Alright,
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that's what our Lord
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said,
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like,
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out of the hearts
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of men
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come all kinds
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of evil.
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And he even
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names,
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like,
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pride
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among those things.
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So,
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we're not really
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defined by that.
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What's in here
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is what comes out.
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It's just
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how it is.
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That's our nature.
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It's an overflow
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of our heart.
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And notice
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that,
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unlike Saul,
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who earlier in Acts
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was persecuting
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the church
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for religious zeal,
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he was doing it
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for just his own
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pride and vanity.
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So,
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even unlike Saul
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who had become Paul.
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If you look
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over to verse 20
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in our text,
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you see that
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he has some
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of the people
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that are dependent
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on him
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coming and groveling
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before him,
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begging,
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you know,
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to get back
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in his good graces
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from Tyre and Sidon
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because they
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were dependent
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on his food
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supply.
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And just,
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you know,
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come and beg,
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come and grovel.
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Let me show you
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who's really
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in control.
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Let me show you
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that you're going
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to die
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if I don't feed you.
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And so,
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that's what they're doing.
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They sent these delegates
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or whoever
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to come to Herod
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and to plead
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with him
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to like not cut off
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their food supply.
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these are like
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little coastal cities
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in Syria.
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And so,
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he'll do whatever
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it takes
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to feed that ego.
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He'll do it
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through killing believers.
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He'll do it
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through giving speeches.
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And he'll do it
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through,
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you know,
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showing that
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I'm the one
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who feeds you.
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This is the hand
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who feeds you.
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So,
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he has a desire
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for power.
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But then we go on
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and we see
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in verses 21
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and 22,
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that he just,
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you know,
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bit off the whole thing
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and began to like
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array himself
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and pump.
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And it's,
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whatever it takes,
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he's going to do it.
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And he delivered
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a speech
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or an oration.
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So,
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back in this time,
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just in ancient times
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in general,
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in Greco-Roman society,
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like,
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people who came to give
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who were great orators,
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they would,
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it was a source
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of entertainment.
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Like if,
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you know,
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you could invite
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somebody up here
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and they could,
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use very smooth speech
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and persuade you
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and control you,
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you would get applause
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for that.
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And so,
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whether he was good at it,
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who knows,
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but that's what he did.
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And he delivered
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this speech
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and we see very clearly
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in our text
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that all the people
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just cried out,
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you know,
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bravo,
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like you are amazing,
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you are the man.
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And then they said,
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the voice of a god
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and not a man.
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Right?
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Very scary words.
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And so,
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I want you to contrast,
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contrast,
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earlier in Acts
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when Peter
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encounters Cornelius
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and he,
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like,
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Cornelius falls to the ground
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to worship Peter
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and Peter says,
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get up,
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stand up,
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I'm a man
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just like you,
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I'm not a god.
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In contrast,
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later on with Paul
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when people try to
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identify him
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as the god of Hermes
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and he again
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pushes that off
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and says,
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I'm a man,
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like,
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get away from me.
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Do not call me
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anything supernatural.
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So,
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the difference
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is Herod is like
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craving this,
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loves it.
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Yes,
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call me a god.
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Right?
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And,
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people who
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crave the praise
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of man,
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Christ is always
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going to be
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a thorn in their side
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because,
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he said,
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how can you believe
18:36
you who receive glory
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from one another
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and do not seek
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the glory that comes
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from the only God?
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Like,
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how can you just receive
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the praise of man
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and not,
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like,
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that's why you won't
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come to me
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because you love
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the praise of others
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and you reject
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the praise of man.
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If you have
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real faith in Christ,
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your desire will be
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to exalt him,
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to take attention
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off of yourself
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and put it on him.
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A long time ago,
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maybe in the 70s,
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doesn't matter,
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but,
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if you go down
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to my study,
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you'll see a picture
19:14
of a guy that has
19:14
like a nice,
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like,
19:15
fro and a beard
19:17
and,
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his name was Keith Green.
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He was one of my,
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definitely one of my heroes.
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We sang one of his songs
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a while back,
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There Is a Redeemer,
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I think the name,
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and,
19:28
but he was
19:29
a man just radically
19:31
changed by Christ
19:32
back in the,
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the hippie movement,
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the Jesus freak movement,
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and,
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he immediately just like
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turned into like
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the,
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one of the most like
19:42
on fire evangelists
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I've ever,
19:44
ever seen.
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But he was a musician.
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He played the piano
19:48
and he was a songwriter
19:49
and he was the,
19:51
one of the first
19:52
Christian musicians
19:53
to kind of come out
19:54
and say,
19:54
I don't want to charge
19:56
people for my music
19:56
because if,
19:59
I don't want to like,
20:00
I don't want money
20:01
to be a barrier
20:01
to ministry
20:02
and to the gospel.
20:04
And,
20:05
I go on and on about him,
20:06
but anyways,
20:07
my uncle,
20:08
Scott,
20:10
he actually heard
20:11
Keith Green play
20:12
like back in the day
20:13
and I was like,
20:14
really?
20:14
So he told me a story,
20:15
he said,
20:16
yeah,
20:16
like,
20:17
Keith came out
20:19
on the stage
20:19
and people were just like
20:21
going crazy,
20:23
like applauding him,
20:24
and like shouting his name
20:25
and he just like sat down
20:27
at the piano,
20:30
his head low
20:31
and like everyone's out here
20:32
just cheering
20:34
and Scott said that
20:35
when everyone finished,
20:36
he like grabbed
20:38
a little microphone
20:38
and pulled it down
20:39
and he says,
20:40
God despises
20:41
the praise of man.
20:49
Like,
20:50
let your,
20:50
the Christian music
20:52
that you listen to
20:53
kind of be judged by that.
20:54
It's just turning to a circus
20:56
in a lot of ways,
20:57
but like,
20:58
don't crave the praise
20:59
of man
21:00
at all.
21:02
He would like go ballistic
21:03
on people.
21:04
That wasn't the only occasion
21:05
who,
21:05
who like gave him great,
21:07
you know,
21:08
praise and stuff.
21:09
But,
21:10
so very clearly
21:11
in our text,
21:13
we see
21:13
that
21:14
two evil desires
21:16
that are kind of
21:17
pushing Herod
21:18
to do these things
21:19
that he has
21:19
coming from his evil heart.
21:22
He wants to contain
21:23
or eliminate the gospel
21:24
and the spreading of it
21:26
and he really just wants
21:27
to fuel his own pride,
21:29
his own vanity
21:30
and he wants to seek
21:31
the praise of men
21:32
above the,
21:35
above praising God himself.
21:36
So,
21:38
kind of like
21:38
the height of this,
21:40
the height of this,
21:41
he,
21:41
uh,
21:42
raised himself
21:43
in God-like pomp,
21:45
puts on his royal
21:46
robes
21:47
and he thinks
21:49
that he is the man.
21:50
Like,
21:50
this is,
21:50
this is it,
21:51
right?
21:53
And you see
21:53
that God
21:54
has his own plans
21:56
for Herod
21:56
and his schemes.
21:58
So,
21:59
listen,
22:00
lives that are driven
22:01
by pride
22:03
and by vanity
22:04
and by the approval
22:05
of others
22:05
is in opposition
22:07
to God.
22:09
Okay?
22:09
It just is.
22:11
So,
22:13
Herod is talking
22:15
some serious trash
22:16
to his Creator.
22:19
So,
22:20
what does God do?
22:22
What is God's response?
22:24
This goes to our
22:25
second question.
22:28
How does God
22:29
thwart
22:30
Herod's evil desires?
22:33
Or how does he dismantle?
22:35
Or how does he,
22:36
uh,
22:36
you know,
22:37
um,
22:38
tear apart
22:39
Herod's evil desires?
22:40
And we see this,
22:41
um,
22:43
first,
22:44
and we're going to,
22:45
like,
22:45
correspond to all these
22:46
little things
22:46
that I just mentioned.
22:48
But if you,
22:49
I just want you to stop
22:50
and just think about this
22:51
before we do it.
22:52
Um,
22:53
I want to encourage you
22:54
that
22:55
in this,
22:57
this day
22:58
when,
22:58
like,
22:58
everything seems to be
22:59
going horribly wrong
23:01
in the church,
23:03
um,
23:04
not just here,
23:05
but worldwide,
23:05
when,
23:06
when so much is,
23:07
at least here in the West,
23:08
you see people
23:09
sacrificing the truth
23:10
for the praise of man
23:12
to gather crowds
23:13
to be cool.
23:14
And over,
23:15
and abroad,
23:16
you see,
23:16
like,
23:16
death and persecution.
23:18
So much is,
23:20
is happening.
23:20
But I just want to
23:21
encourage you
23:23
that God
23:25
still reigns.
23:28
I want to assure you
23:30
that God
23:32
is not subject
23:33
to man's sinful desires
23:36
and man's sinful schemes.
23:38
He is not.
23:40
He holds
23:40
the life breath
23:42
of every living thing
23:43
in His hand.
23:43
He is not threatened
23:44
by any of this.
23:46
So Herod proudly
23:48
sought
23:48
all this stuff
23:50
by plotting
23:51
and by cunning
23:52
to have this place
23:53
of honor,
23:55
right?
23:56
And it's,
23:57
it's scary
23:58
because if you're
23:58
really careful,
23:59
you can see
24:00
this sort of stuff
24:01
in our own lives,
24:02
right?
24:03
But,
24:04
what I want to
24:05
encourage you with
24:07
is that
24:08
wicked men
24:12
do not
24:13
thwart God's plan.
24:14
He thwarts
24:15
their plan.
24:16
It says in Psalm
24:18
146
24:19
that He thwarts
24:20
the way
24:21
of the wicked.
24:23
They fall
24:24
into their own traps.
24:26
Job wrote,
24:28
He frustrates
24:29
the devices
24:29
of the crafty
24:30
so that their hands
24:32
achieve no success.
24:34
He catches the wise
24:35
in their own craftiness
24:36
and the schemes
24:38
of the wily
24:38
are brought
24:39
to a quick end.
24:42
Be encouraged
24:43
by that.
24:44
And if Herod
24:45
had just read
24:47
the scripture
24:48
that he had
24:48
at his disposal,
24:50
he could have read
24:51
the words of Solomon,
24:53
and he could have
24:53
seen this,
24:54
the Lord tears down
24:55
the house
24:56
of the proud.
24:59
Pride goes
25:00
before destruction
25:01
and a haughty
25:02
spirit before the fall.
25:03
why is God
25:05
opposed
25:06
to people
25:07
who are proud?
25:09
There's a lot
25:10
of ways
25:10
to answer that,
25:11
but if I had
25:11
just one stat
25:12
that I would say
25:12
because we have
25:14
nothing to be proud
25:15
about,
25:15
we have nothing
25:17
in and of ourselves
25:17
to which we can brag
25:19
or boast about.
25:19
any good
25:21
that is in me
25:21
or in you
25:22
or anyone else
25:23
has only come
25:24
by the grace
25:24
of God.
25:25
And so how can
25:26
you boast
25:26
about something
25:27
that you were
25:28
given
25:28
by somebody else?
25:31
It's a,
25:33
for sinful,
25:34
broken,
25:34
corrupt man
25:35
to say
25:35
that like,
25:36
I am worthy
25:37
of praise
25:37
when he received
25:39
everything he did
25:40
from God himself,
25:42
it's,
25:42
it's blasphemous.
25:45
Only God,
25:47
because God
25:47
is perfect,
25:48
God is pure,
25:49
God is holy,
25:51
only he is worthy
25:52
of that kind
25:53
of praise,
25:53
so it's not wrong
25:54
for him to ask
25:55
for it.
25:56
A long time ago,
25:57
Jonathan Edwards
25:58
said,
25:58
it is right
25:59
for us to give
26:01
glory to someone
26:03
in proportion
26:04
to that person's
26:05
excellence.
26:07
True?
26:09
God has infinite
26:10
excellence though,
26:11
so he is worthy
26:12
of infinite glory.
26:14
And only then,
26:15
right,
26:16
only then can we
26:17
actually be
26:17
made right with
26:18
God,
26:18
if we lay
26:19
our pride
26:19
aside.
26:21
We have nothing
26:22
to be proud
26:23
about at all.
26:25
The wicked,
26:26
the pride,
26:27
the vanity
26:28
of Herod
26:28
puts him
26:29
on a collision
26:30
course with
26:32
God.
26:33
Alright?
26:34
Puts him
26:34
on a collision
26:35
course with
26:36
God.
26:37
So,
26:38
as we talk
26:39
about this,
26:40
I want you
26:40
to just see
26:41
three things
26:41
that God
26:43
does
26:44
just to
26:45
dismantle
26:46
or thwart
26:47
Herod's
26:47
plans.
26:49
So,
26:50
first,
26:50
if you
26:50
remember,
26:52
he was
26:53
persecuting
26:54
the church
26:54
and he
26:54
arrested
26:55
Peter.
26:57
I want you
26:58
to look at
26:59
verse 18
27:00
or 19.
27:00
it says,
27:08
And when
27:08
the day
27:09
came,
27:09
there was
27:09
no little
27:10
disturbance
27:10
among the
27:11
soldiers
27:11
over what
27:12
had become
27:12
of Peter.
27:13
And after
27:13
Herod searched
27:14
for him
27:14
and did not
27:15
find him,
27:15
he examined
27:16
the sentries
27:16
in order
27:17
that they
27:17
should be
27:17
put to
27:18
death.
27:19
And then
27:19
he went
27:20
down to
27:20
Judea and
27:21
Caesarea
27:21
and spent
27:22
time there.
27:22
Peter.
27:23
So,
27:24
what's
27:24
happened is,
27:25
like God,
27:26
with no
27:27
problem at
27:28
all,
27:28
releases
27:29
Peter from
27:30
prison.
27:30
That's what
27:31
Daniel preached
27:31
on last
27:32
night.
27:32
Go back
27:32
and listen
27:33
to that
27:34
or go back
27:34
and read
27:34
this chapter.
27:36
But God
27:36
just miraculously
27:38
just set
27:40
Peter free.
27:41
The angel of
27:42
the Lord
27:42
came and
27:43
set him
27:44
free.
27:45
They like
27:45
slipped past
27:46
the guards.
27:47
They went
27:47
out the door
27:49
and into the
27:49
city.
27:50
And Herod
27:51
was so
27:51
angry that
27:52
he just
27:52
like ordered
27:53
all the guards
27:54
to be put
27:54
to death.
27:56
Word can't
27:56
get out of
27:57
this,
27:57
so you
27:58
have to
27:58
die.
27:59
Again,
27:59
defeat his
28:00
own ego
28:01
and pride.
28:03
So,
28:04
I want you
28:05
to hear this
28:06
too,
28:06
though,
28:06
just a
28:06
little
28:07
connection.
28:09
Why didn't
28:09
God do
28:09
that for
28:10
James?
28:11
Why did
28:12
James die
28:12
and not
28:14
Peter?
28:16
I don't
28:16
have the
28:17
answer to
28:17
that.
28:18
But I
28:19
can tell
28:19
you that
28:19
by this
28:20
act,
28:21
James
28:21
dying
28:22
does not
28:22
mean that
28:23
God couldn't
28:24
deliver him
28:24
and chose
28:25
not to.
28:27
Some
28:28
people bear
28:28
witness to
28:29
the gospel
28:30
through death
28:30
and others
28:31
bear witness
28:32
to the gospel
28:33
through life.
28:35
And so,
28:36
God dismantled
28:37
this and
28:38
took away
28:38
his prized
28:39
prisoner from
28:40
right under
28:40
his nose.
28:42
It's
28:42
awesome.
28:44
So,
28:44
to God,
28:45
like Herod's
28:45
schemes are
28:46
laughable.
28:48
Psalm 1
28:48
says that
28:49
he who
28:49
sits in
28:49
the heavens
28:50
laughs at
28:51
the schemes
28:51
of men.
28:52
So,
28:53
the score
28:53
so far
28:53
is God
28:54
won,
28:54
Herod's
28:55
zero.
28:56
Look down
28:57
to verse
28:58
21 and
28:58
23.
29:00
We see
29:00
that he,
29:02
at the
29:03
apex of
29:03
all this,
29:04
he kind
29:05
of raised
29:05
himself with
29:06
all the
29:07
prompt and
29:07
gives the
29:08
speech.
29:09
It's the
29:09
moment he's
29:10
worked for,
29:11
and just
29:11
when all
29:12
eyes are
29:12
on him,
29:13
just when
29:14
all eyes
29:14
are on
29:15
him,
29:15
that's
29:16
when God
29:16
shows to
29:17
reveal to
29:17
Herod that
29:18
he is not,
29:19
there is only
29:20
one God,
29:20
and he is
29:21
not it.
29:22
Ends his
29:23
life.
29:24
So,
29:24
the score is
29:25
now game
29:26
over,
29:26
God wins.
29:27
So,
29:27
the other
29:28
way is that
29:29
he thwarts
29:29
this plan is
29:30
he just
29:30
kills Herod,
29:32
takes his
29:33
life,
29:34
takes his
29:35
life.
29:35
His angel,
29:36
the Lord,
29:36
struck him
29:37
down.
29:37
I like the
29:37
old language,
29:38
the Lord
29:38
smote him,
29:39
I like that,
29:40
the smote.
29:40
So,
29:44
amazingly
29:44
enough,
29:45
I'll spare
29:46
you,
29:46
but just
29:47
so you
29:47
know,
29:49
the ancient
29:50
Jewish
29:50
historian in
29:51
the first
29:51
century A.D.,
29:53
Josephus
29:54
Flevius,
29:56
he wrote an
29:56
account of
29:57
this,
29:57
and it's
29:58
pretty much
29:58
what Luke
29:58
says.
29:59
Luke gives
30:00
you the
30:00
short version,
30:02
Josephus
30:02
elaborates a
30:03
little bit,
30:03
and makes
30:04
it very
30:04
dramatic.
30:06
It says
30:06
that right
30:06
after Herod
30:07
made this
30:07
speech,
30:08
that he saw
30:08
like an
30:08
owl fly in,
30:10
and he
30:10
just like saw
30:11
it,
30:11
and like
30:11
to a lot
30:12
of cultures,
30:12
owls are
30:13
bad omens,
30:13
and the
30:14
people were
30:15
praising him,
30:15
saying he's
30:16
a god,
30:16
and he
30:18
just falls
30:18
and he dies
30:19
with something
30:20
going on in
30:20
his stomach,
30:21
you know,
30:22
the worms,
30:22
eaten by
30:23
worms,
30:24
very dramatic,
30:27
and so,
30:28
we see at
30:29
this point that
30:30
God has said
30:31
to Herod,
30:32
enough,
30:33
like I've
30:34
allowed you
30:34
to live and
30:35
blaspheme
30:36
my name,
30:36
enough,
30:38
and some
30:39
of these
30:39
people standing
30:42
by would
30:42
have clearly
30:43
seen that
30:43
their praise
30:44
was wrong,
30:45
right?
30:46
So,
30:47
why death,
30:48
right?
30:48
Why is death,
30:50
what is the
30:50
theology behind
30:51
death,
30:52
okay?
30:53
There is a
30:54
theology behind
30:54
death.
30:56
Death was a
30:56
part of the
30:57
judgment of
30:58
God on
30:59
people who
31:00
have rebelled
31:01
against him,
31:01
who have
31:02
sinned against
31:03
him,
31:04
who said,
31:04
you are not
31:05
worthy,
31:06
so we're
31:06
going to live
31:07
the way that
31:07
we want to,
31:08
and all of us
31:08
have done
31:09
that.
31:09
All of us
31:10
have done
31:11
that.
31:12
So,
31:12
I want you
31:13
to hear
31:13
this,
31:13
though.
31:15
This is
31:15
Don Carson.
31:17
He said,
31:19
the modern
31:19
mood is
31:21
to live as
31:21
if death
31:22
was not
31:22
waiting for
31:23
us in the
31:23
end.
31:24
We just
31:25
kind of go
31:25
on about
31:26
like it's
31:26
not going
31:26
to happen,
31:28
hoping it
31:28
won't happen,
31:30
but then he
31:30
says,
31:31
but why
31:31
death?
31:32
And listen
31:33
to this,
31:34
death is
31:35
God's
31:35
limit on
31:37
creatures
31:37
whose
31:38
sin is
31:39
they want
31:39
to be
31:40
gods.
31:42
Death
31:42
is God's
31:43
limit on
31:44
creatures
31:44
whose sin
31:45
is they
31:45
want to
31:46
be gods.
31:47
So,
31:48
it's God's
31:48
ultimate way
31:49
of saying
31:49
like,
31:50
do you
31:51
think you're
31:51
like me?
31:52
Well,
31:52
let me show
31:53
you how
31:53
you're not.
31:54
You're going
31:54
to die
31:55
because I
31:55
am the
31:55
only
31:56
immortal,
31:57
invisible
31:57
God
31:59
who was
31:59
and is
32:00
to come.
32:02
Death
32:03
shows us
32:03
that.
32:04
And he
32:05
says,
32:05
the soul
32:05
who sins
32:06
will die.
32:08
And because
32:09
of sin,
32:09
we all
32:10
will die.
32:10
Because of
32:11
Christ,
32:11
though,
32:12
we can
32:12
have life
32:13
and life
32:14
eternal
32:15
in him,
32:16
but we
32:17
still will
32:17
face a
32:18
judgment
32:18
because of
32:18
sin.
32:19
So,
32:20
the moral
32:20
of the
32:20
story is,
32:21
if you
32:21
stand against
32:21
God and
32:22
his purposes,
32:23
you're going
32:23
to go down.
32:24
There's no
32:24
way to
32:25
stop what
32:26
he has
32:27
planned.
32:28
That is
32:28
the moral
32:29
of this
32:29
story.
32:30
If we
32:30
oppose God,
32:31
you will
32:31
lose.
32:31
And not
32:32
just lose a
32:32
little bit,
32:32
lose massively.
32:34
for eternity.
32:36
So,
32:37
he frees
32:39
Peter.
32:40
He kills
32:42
Herod.
32:43
And then,
32:43
what's the
32:44
third thing
32:44
that God
32:44
does?
32:45
He spreads
32:46
the gospel.
32:47
Look at
32:47
verse 24.
32:48
The very
32:49
thing that
32:49
Herod was
32:50
hoping wouldn't
32:50
happen,
32:51
he's like,
32:51
just get
32:53
out of my
32:53
way.
32:53
This is
32:54
going to
32:54
happen.
32:55
But the
32:56
word of
32:56
God
32:56
increased
32:57
and
32:57
multiplied.
32:59
So,
33:00
again,
33:01
God made
33:03
the fame
33:04
and glory
33:04
of Christ
33:05
spread,
33:05
not the
33:06
fame and
33:06
glory of
33:07
Herod
33:07
spread.
33:09
So,
33:10
salvation
33:11
is going
33:12
to come
33:12
to the
33:12
nations.
33:13
And like
33:13
Jesus said,
33:13
it's going
33:14
to start
33:14
here in
33:15
Judea,
33:16
and it's
33:16
going to
33:16
spread out.
33:17
It's just
33:17
going to
33:17
go out.
33:18
And to
33:19
all the
33:20
nations
33:20
are reached.
33:21
And the
33:22
whole number
33:23
of the
33:23
church
33:23
is brought
33:25
in.
33:25
It's going
33:26
to happen.
33:27
So,
33:27
don't stand
33:28
in God's
33:28
way.
33:28
Get behind
33:29
Him.
33:29
And if
33:29
this is
33:29
God's
33:30
purpose,
33:31
you have
33:31
nothing to
33:32
lose.
33:32
Like,
33:32
throw
33:32
yourself
33:33
into that
33:33
recklessly
33:34
even.
33:35
Who cares
33:36
what it
33:36
costs you?
33:37
This is
33:38
God's
33:38
purpose.
33:40
And we
33:40
go on
33:41
and see
33:41
this,
33:41
in this,
33:42
just without
33:42
getting in
33:43
it too
33:44
much,
33:44
we see
33:44
the church
33:45
that had
33:45
started
33:46
in Antioch,
33:47
and we
33:48
see that,
33:49
you know,
33:49
who is
33:50
Paul and
33:51
Barnabas and
33:51
some others
33:52
kind of all
33:52
coming together
33:53
there.
33:54
But a
33:54
really interesting
33:55
one that
33:56
stands out
33:56
is that,
33:58
you see,
33:59
verses this,
34:01
it's verse
34:01
one,
34:03
you see
34:03
Manan,
34:04
a lifelong
34:05
friend of
34:06
Herod,
34:06
the Tetrarch.
34:08
So this
34:09
guy who
34:09
was a
34:10
leader of
34:10
the church
34:11
of Antioch
34:11
grew up
34:13
with the
34:14
same Herod
34:15
who killed
34:16
John the
34:17
Baptist,
34:17
the same
34:18
Herod who
34:18
stood at
34:18
the trial
34:19
of Jesus,
34:20
the same
34:21
guy he
34:21
grew up
34:22
with,
34:22
and now
34:22
he is a
34:22
leader of
34:23
the church
34:23
in Antioch,
34:24
so just
34:25
go figure.
34:26
And so
34:27
they began
34:28
to commission
34:30
and send
34:30
out Paul
34:31
and Barnabas
34:31
to go on
34:32
what we
34:32
might call
34:33
Paul's
34:34
first
34:34
missionary
34:35
journey,
34:36
and he
34:36
begins
34:37
taking the
34:37
gospel out
34:38
to the
34:38
Gentiles.
34:40
Most of
34:41
us are
34:41
Gentiles,
34:41
this is where
34:42
it started,
34:42
just kind of
34:43
going out.
34:44
So God
34:45
exploded
34:46
the cause
34:47
of Christ
34:48
because of
34:48
this little
34:49
incident,
34:51
right,
34:51
that was
34:51
nothing for
34:52
him to
34:52
overcome
34:53
at all.
34:55
So,
34:56
in conclusion,
34:59
I want us
35:00
just to
35:00
think about
35:01
a couple
35:02
of things.
35:04
One is,
35:05
very clearly,
35:06
if you've
35:06
been listening
35:07
to the
35:07
text,
35:09
that we
35:09
need to
35:10
beware of
35:10
pride in
35:11
our own
35:11
lives.
35:14
Don't
35:15
be too
35:15
swept to
35:15
Judge
35:16
Herod.
35:17
Pride is
35:18
not a
35:19
small matter
35:20
to God
35:21
at all.
35:23
I'll just
35:26
go back
35:26
to the
35:27
definition.
35:27
Pride is
35:28
an excessive
35:28
desire for
35:30
people to
35:31
see us
35:31
as admirable
35:33
or
35:33
impressionable.
35:36
So,
35:37
I want you
35:37
to also
35:37
know that
35:38
insecurity
35:39
that we
35:40
all have
35:40
is like
35:41
connected
35:42
to pride.
35:43
Pride is
35:44
this hope
35:44
that they
35:45
will see
35:45
us as
35:46
great
35:46
and
35:47
admirable.
35:47
Insecurity
35:48
is that
35:49
instead of
35:49
them seeing
35:50
that,
35:51
they see
35:51
that we're
35:52
not perfect,
35:53
that they
35:53
see our
35:53
imperfections,
35:54
that they
35:55
see our
35:55
flaws,
35:56
that we
35:56
can't live
35:57
up to
35:58
who God
35:58
is.
35:59
And we
36:00
all have
36:01
that problem.
36:02
I don't
36:02
care who
36:03
you are.
36:03
Some deal
36:03
with it
36:04
more than
36:04
others,
36:05
but we
36:06
all have
36:06
it.
36:07
So,
36:08
what is
36:08
that one
36:09
thing that
36:09
you're afraid
36:10
of that
36:10
you want
36:12
people to
36:12
see you
36:13
as?
36:14
You want
36:14
the praise
36:15
of men.
36:15
You crave
36:16
the praise
36:16
of man.
36:18
What area
36:19
is that in
36:19
your life?
36:20
It's linked
36:21
to pride.
36:23
C.S.
36:24
Lewis said,
36:24
pride is a
36:25
spiritual
36:26
cancer.
36:28
It eats
36:28
the very
36:28
possibility
36:29
of love
36:30
or contentment
36:30
or even
36:31
common sense
36:32
away.
36:33
Pride is
36:34
a serious
36:35
thing.
36:37
So,
36:37
what area
36:38
do you
36:39
really want
36:39
others to
36:40
recognize you
36:41
for?
36:42
What do you
36:42
seek to
36:43
portray?
36:44
Is it like
36:45
brains,
36:46
knowledge,
36:46
and how
36:46
smart you
36:47
are?
36:48
is it
36:49
wealth,
36:50
accumulation,
36:52
and luxury?
36:52
You want
36:52
people to
36:53
see how
36:53
well off
36:54
you are
36:54
and all
36:55
the stuff
36:55
you have?
36:57
Is it
36:57
for physical
36:59
attraction?
37:00
Is it
37:01
I want
37:02
people to
37:02
see me
37:02
as cute
37:04
or sexy
37:05
or attractive?
37:06
This is
37:06
what I'm
37:07
going to
37:07
invest my
37:07
life into
37:08
and I
37:09
hope that
37:10
they don't
37:10
really see
37:11
that I'm
37:11
not that
37:11
way.
37:12
What is
37:13
it for
37:14
you?
37:15
Is it
37:15
athletic
37:16
skill?
37:17
Is it
37:17
I want
37:17
people to
37:18
praise me
37:18
for my
37:18
performance
37:19
on a
37:20
field?
37:21
All those
37:22
things,
37:22
guys,
37:22
like hear
37:24
what James
37:24
said,
37:24
James 4,
37:25
6,
37:26
God opposes
37:27
the proud
37:27
and gives
37:29
grace to
37:30
the humble.
37:32
Pride robs
37:33
us from joy
37:34
and contentment
37:36
as believers
37:36
because it
37:37
takes our
37:38
gaze off of
37:39
the one who
37:40
gives us that
37:41
joy and
37:41
contentment and
37:42
puts it on
37:42
us.
37:43
We can't
37:43
really produce
37:44
any of that
37:45
in and of
37:45
ourselves.
37:46
We can't.
37:47
It says
37:48
that God
37:48
regards the
37:49
lowly,
37:50
the broken,
37:50
those who
37:51
recognize that
37:51
they are
37:52
nothing apart
37:52
from him,
37:53
that they
37:54
need him.
37:55
They rightly
37:56
acknowledge their
37:56
spiritual condition
37:57
before him.
37:59
And it is
37:59
those who
38:00
come to
38:01
Christ and
38:01
say,
38:02
I am far
38:03
from perfect.
38:04
I am a
38:04
sinful,
38:06
broken person
38:06
and I need
38:08
you to be
38:08
my deliverer.
38:09
I want to
38:10
give you
38:11
my life.
38:12
Jesus said,
38:14
everyone who
38:15
exalts
38:15
himself will
38:17
be humbled,
38:18
but the
38:18
one who
38:18
humbles
38:19
himself will
38:20
be exalted.
38:21
So,
38:22
where is
38:22
that in
38:23
your life?
38:24
Attack it.
38:26
Attack it
38:27
with God's
38:27
word,
38:28
attack it
38:28
with prayer,
38:29
attack it
38:29
with other
38:30
believers around
38:30
you.
38:32
Like,
38:32
pray that
38:33
you be like
38:34
John the
38:34
Baptist where
38:35
he said,
38:35
I must
38:36
decrease,
38:37
but he
38:37
must increase.
38:38
that when
38:39
they see
38:40
you,
38:40
they see
38:40
Jesus and
38:41
not who
38:42
you're trying
38:43
to make
38:43
yourself into.
38:45
So,
38:46
that is
38:47
one,
38:47
and just
38:47
beware of
38:48
pride in
38:48
our own
38:48
lives.
38:49
It's there.
38:50
So,
38:50
where do
38:51
you struggle?
38:52
It's not
38:53
okay to
38:53
God.
38:53
It's not
38:54
okay to
38:54
justify some
38:55
of these
38:55
things.
38:58
And I
38:59
also should
38:59
tell you
39:00
that your
39:00
pride is
39:01
probably one
39:01
of the
39:02
number one
39:02
things in
39:03
the way
39:03
of you
39:03
carrying the
39:04
gospel forward.
39:06
You don't
39:06
want people to
39:07
see you as
39:07
losers.
39:08
You're
39:08
uncool,
39:09
unpopular.
39:11
You want
39:12
to be
39:13
accepted.
39:14
You want
39:14
to be
39:14
cool.
39:15
So,
39:16
pride even
39:16
can stand
39:17
the way
39:17
of advancing
39:18
the gospel.
39:19
So,
39:20
again,
39:21
deal with
39:22
it.
39:22
You know,
39:23
it's there.
39:24
We need
39:25
God to
39:26
help us
39:26
attack it
39:27
unashamedly.
39:29
Being
39:30
ashamed of
39:30
the gospel.
39:32
So,
39:33
what I
39:34
want to
39:34
last
39:35
let us
39:35
encourage you
39:36
with,
39:37
I've got
39:37
my papers
39:38
out of
39:38
order.
39:39
No
39:39
big deal,
39:40
they're
39:40
numbered.
39:42
So,
39:43
and the
39:44
other one
39:44
is,
39:45
in the
39:46
twilight of
39:47
where
39:47
believers
39:47
seem to
39:48
be kind
39:48
of losing
39:49
favor on
39:50
a national
39:50
level,
39:51
even,
39:53
we need
39:54
to remember
39:54
again,
39:54
like,
39:55
take solace
39:56
in that
39:56
God,
39:57
this is
39:57
nothing to
39:58
God.
39:59
Like,
39:59
he is still
40:00
in control.
40:00
It's not
40:01
who's in
40:02
Washington or
40:02
who's in
40:03
some other
40:03
parts of the
40:04
world.
40:04
he is
40:05
still in
40:06
sovereign
40:06
control.
40:08
It's the
40:08
story of
40:09
humanity.
40:09
Those who
40:10
exalt themselves
40:11
against God
40:12
will be
40:12
brought low.
40:14
Listen to
40:15
this.
40:15
This is
40:15
Job 42,
40:17
verse 2.
40:19
Job said
40:19
this,
40:20
I know
40:20
that you
40:21
can do
40:21
all things
40:22
and no
40:23
purpose of
40:24
yours can
40:24
be thwarted.
40:26
So,
40:27
throw yourself
40:27
into that
40:28
and take
40:28
comfort into
40:29
that.
40:29
because all
40:31
those who
40:31
stand in
40:32
the way
40:32
of God,
40:33
according to
40:34
His sovereignty
40:35
and the
40:35
dictates of
40:36
His will,
40:37
they're destined
40:37
to be brought
40:38
down.
40:39
It's going
40:40
to happen.
40:41
So,
40:42
be bold.
40:43
Be courageous
40:44
with the
40:44
gospel and
40:45
go.
40:47
The people
40:47
who think
40:48
that they
40:48
are so
40:49
strong before
40:49
God now,
40:51
people who
40:52
curse Him
40:52
and mock
40:54
Him,
40:55
one day
40:56
when they
40:56
face Him,
40:57
I heard
40:58
Paul Washer
40:58
say this,
40:59
and he gave
40:59
me goosebumps.
41:00
He said,
41:01
they'll be
41:01
like a little
41:02
wax figurine
41:03
before the
41:03
sun.
41:03
They'll melt
41:04
away.
41:04
Their pride,
41:05
their courage
41:06
won't stand
41:07
before God.
41:09
Take comfort
41:10
in that.
41:12
A long
41:12
time ago,
41:13
I should say
41:14
just a few
41:14
years ago,
41:15
Matt Chandler,
41:17
a brother in
41:17
Christ,
41:18
preacher of
41:18
the word,
41:18
he was in
41:19
the city
41:20
of Rome
41:20
meeting with
41:21
some other
41:22
pastors from
41:23
27 different
41:24
countries.
41:26
And as
41:27
they were
41:27
meeting there,
41:28
it just
41:28
dawned on
41:29
Him,
41:29
that they
41:29
were meeting
41:30
like in
41:30
the shadows
41:31
of these
41:31
ruins of
41:32
the Coliseum
41:33
where they
41:33
used to
41:33
feed our
41:34
brothers and
41:35
sisters to
41:35
animals and
41:36
kill us.
41:37
And now,
41:37
like that's
41:38
just ruins.
41:39
It's as if
41:39
God just
41:40
said,
41:41
it's no big
41:42
deal,
41:42
nothing's going
41:42
to stop my
41:43
purpose,
41:43
and the
41:44
gospel is
41:44
going to go
41:45
forward
41:45
regardless.
41:46
So if we
41:47
are with
41:47
Christ,
41:48
we are
41:48
going to
41:49
not be
41:49
defeated.
41:51
Stand with
41:52
Christ.
41:53
Take
41:54
solace in
41:54
the fact that
41:56
He rules over
41:56
all things.
41:58
And with
41:59
that, I
42:01
want you to
42:02
just see
42:03
God's
42:04
sovereignty as
42:05
fuel for
42:07
going and
42:08
taking the
42:08
gospel forward
42:09
and allowing
42:09
no obstacle
42:10
to stay on
42:12
your way.
42:14
Nothing.
42:15
We're pretty
42:16
pathetic sometimes.
42:17
If you think
42:18
about the
42:19
stuff that we
42:20
are afraid of
42:21
happening to
42:22
us on the
42:23
college campus
42:24
or entering
42:24
the workplace
42:25
with our
42:26
families,
42:29
I received
42:31
Voice of the
42:32
Martyrs magazine.
42:36
I encourage
42:37
you to.
42:37
It's a great
42:38
ministry,
42:38
very God
42:40
exalting.
42:43
But this
42:44
is an
42:44
addition I
42:45
got recently
42:46
and this
42:46
just made
42:46
me tear up
42:47
a couple
42:47
of times
42:48
at least.
42:49
And I
42:49
think,
42:50
and one
42:50
reason is
42:51
because it's
42:53
so dear to
42:54
us,
42:55
because I'm
42:56
pretty sure
42:56
that a lot
42:57
of us who
42:57
know Jay
42:59
and Carolyn
42:59
Whetstone,
43:01
who have
43:01
invested their
43:03
lives much in
43:04
Central Asia
43:05
and the
43:05
Middle East,
43:07
spent many
43:07
years in
43:08
Afghanistan
43:08
preaching the
43:10
gospel of
43:11
Christ,
43:12
and it
43:13
dawned on me
43:14
that I
43:14
think this
43:15
was a
43:15
family that
43:15
they knew.
43:18
And when
43:19
Jay came
43:19
back one
43:20
time,
43:20
we met
43:20
back in
43:20
the corner
43:21
and we
43:21
prayed for
43:22
all the
43:22
stuff that
43:22
had happened.
43:24
But this
43:25
is about a
43:26
family that
43:29
came from
43:30
South Africa
43:30
and the
43:33
Garnowalds.
43:36
It's
43:36
Warner,
43:38
his wife,
43:39
Haneli,
43:39
and their
43:40
two kids,
43:41
Jean-Pierre
43:42
and Rhoda.
43:45
And he
43:45
was a
43:46
Dutch
43:46
Reform
43:47
pastor in
43:47
South Africa
43:48
and just
43:48
really felt
43:49
like,
43:50
man,
43:50
God's
43:50
cause has
43:51
got to
43:51
go to
43:51
the
43:52
nations
43:52
no matter
43:52
what.
43:53
And they
43:54
weighed the
43:54
cost.
43:55
They said
43:55
that we
43:55
could die
43:56
going,
43:56
our kids
43:57
could die,
43:58
and they
43:59
decided to
44:00
go to
44:01
Afghanistan.
44:01
They took
44:02
their kids
44:02
with them.
44:04
And not
44:06
long before
44:07
these other
44:08
things happen,
44:09
Warner,
44:10
the dad,
44:11
he spoke
44:12
at a
44:12
conference,
44:14
and he
44:14
spoke on
44:15
counting the
44:16
costs for
44:17
Christ.
44:18
And the
44:18
last thing
44:19
he said
44:19
was,
44:19
we only
44:20
die one
44:20
time.
44:21
It might
44:22
as well
44:22
be for
44:23
Christ.
44:24
Make your
44:25
life count,
44:26
in other
44:27
words.
44:28
And so,
44:30
in November
44:31
2014,
44:34
in Kabul,
44:35
Afghanistan,
44:37
Haneli,
44:38
the mom,
44:38
was out
44:39
kind of
44:39
running some
44:39
errands.
44:40
their two
44:41
teenagers
44:41
were back
44:43
at the
44:43
facility in
44:44
Kabul,
44:45
where they
44:45
lived,
44:46
kind of
44:46
taking a
44:47
day off
44:47
from school.
44:49
And their
44:49
dad,
44:50
Warner,
44:50
was teaching
44:51
a class
44:51
in that
44:52
facility.
44:53
And around
44:54
three o'clock,
44:56
there was
44:57
three Taliban
44:58
guys who
45:01
went over
45:02
the wall
45:03
and into
45:03
the compound
45:03
and started
45:05
shooting up
45:06
the place.
45:07
And I'm
45:09
pretty sure
45:09
this is what
45:10
Jay was
45:10
talking about
45:11
when he
45:11
was here.
45:13
And that
45:15
God just
45:15
preserved them
45:16
in the midst
45:17
of that.
45:18
But they
45:20
were told
45:20
before they
45:21
go,
45:21
you could
45:21
die.
45:23
It says,
45:24
our friends
45:25
and our
45:25
family tried
45:26
to keep
45:26
us away
45:26
from going
45:27
to a
45:27
crazy place
45:28
like
45:28
Afghanistan
45:29
and to
45:31
stay like
45:31
in the
45:32
comforts of
45:32
South
45:33
Africa.
45:35
And it
45:35
was just
45:36
clear that
45:37
the Lord
45:37
wanted them
45:37
to be there.
45:38
So when
45:38
these guys
45:38
came into
45:39
the building,
45:39
they began
45:40
shooting up
45:41
things and
45:42
Haneli,
45:42
the mom,
45:43
was on
45:43
her way
45:44
home.
45:44
She heard
45:45
the shots
45:45
and saw
45:46
the smoke
45:47
and all
45:48
the hysteria
45:49
going on
45:49
in the
45:50
streets and
45:50
she kind
45:50
of sat
45:51
out outside
45:52
just in
45:53
tears and
45:53
she kept
45:54
reading over
45:54
and over
45:55
Psalm 91.
45:58
And later
45:59
on, one
46:01
of the
46:01
teenagers who
46:02
escaped the
46:03
facility heard
46:05
one of the
46:05
terrorists say,
46:06
they're all
46:07
dead.
46:07
We got them
46:08
all.
46:08
They're all
46:09
dead.
46:09
And so
46:11
later on,
46:18
they found
46:19
the bodies
46:20
of her
46:21
two kids
46:21
in the
46:23
top of
46:23
the apartment
46:23
who had
46:24
been killed,
46:24
both who had
46:25
great walks
46:26
with Jesus,
46:26
both who were
46:27
excited about
46:28
taking the
46:28
gospel further
46:29
and further
46:30
to the
46:31
nations.
46:31
They both
46:32
were killed
46:32
and her
46:35
husband was
46:35
killed.
46:37
Trying to
46:37
get others
46:38
out of the
46:38
facility,
46:39
he himself
46:39
was shot.
46:41
And this
46:43
is something
46:44
that she
46:46
said later
46:46
after all
46:47
this happened.
46:48
She says,
46:49
I don't
46:49
think that
46:51
we will
46:52
know 100%
46:53
what was
46:54
the impact
46:55
of what we
46:55
made in
46:55
Afghanistan
46:56
through the
46:56
years.
46:57
I think
46:58
that we
46:58
will know
46:59
one day
46:59
when we
47:02
are in
47:02
front of
47:02
the Lord,
47:03
but I
47:04
believe with
47:04
all my
47:05
heart that
47:05
we made
47:06
an impact
47:06
on people's
47:07
lives.
47:08
I believe
47:09
also that
47:09
my family's
47:10
blood that
47:12
was shed
47:12
like the
47:13
seed for
47:13
the Afghan
47:14
church,
47:15
that there
47:16
will be
47:16
10,000 fold
47:17
harvest in
47:18
the end
47:18
because I
47:19
believe God
47:20
has the
47:21
last move.
47:24
And she
47:25
said,
47:25
for me
47:25
on the
47:26
field,
47:27
it was a
47:27
life of
47:28
sacrifice and
47:28
difficulty,
47:30
but in
47:30
the middle
47:31
of all
47:31
of that,
47:33
the Lord
47:33
gave us
47:34
the reward
47:34
of his
47:35
presence.
47:37
And he
47:37
himself was
47:38
with us.
47:41
Guys,
47:41
we have to
47:42
have more
47:44
confidence in
47:45
our God.
47:46
We have to
47:46
believe in
47:47
the power of
47:47
the gospel.
47:48
it's so
47:50
hard for us
47:50
here.
47:51
Like we're
47:51
tempted in
47:51
so many
47:52
ways just
47:52
to lay
47:53
down,
47:53
blend in,
47:55
not cause
47:55
a fuss,
47:57
and we're
47:57
told that by
47:58
our culture.
48:00
But we
48:00
have to
48:01
stand for
48:01
Christ and
48:02
we have to
48:02
proclaim the
48:04
gospel.
48:05
It's not,
48:07
it's no
48:07
different for
48:08
us here.
48:09
We need to
48:09
be faithful.
48:11
And so be
48:12
encouraged by
48:12
the fact that
48:13
like according
48:13
to God's
48:14
purposes,
48:15
none of this
48:15
will be
48:16
stopped.
48:17
He's going
48:17
to do it
48:18
with or
48:19
without you.
48:20
And the
48:20
gospel will
48:20
go to
48:21
all the
48:21
nations.
48:23
All the
48:24
nations.
48:25
So let's
48:26
just pray
48:26
together.
48:27
Let's