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The Incomparable Friendship of Jesus | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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2nd Timothy chapter 4. Next week will be our last time
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in this book. And so cherish these moments.
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And second Timothy chapter 4, we have two verses that we will ask
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the Lord to help us with beginning in verse 16.
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God's word says, through the writing of Paul at my first
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defense, no one came to Stand By Me but all deserted me may not
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be charged against them but the Lord stood by me and
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strengthened me so that threw me.
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The message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles
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Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's
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mouth, the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed.
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Bring me safely into his Heavenly Kingdom to him.
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Be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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Amen. Pray with me.
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Lori saying of your greatness. Now, we want to hear of it
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through your word. And Lord we admit in your
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presence that it does not matter how.
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Well crafted a message might be how structured in might be apart
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from the power of the Holy Spirit.
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We will not know the full force of these words.
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We will not know what can happen to our faith.
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We will not know the depths of your beauty and your infinite
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glory. And so Lord, we humble ourselves
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before you as we open your word. And we ask that by your spirit,
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you would assist us to receive all that you have to say, Lord,
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we pray that nothing would be set out of the flesh.
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We ask Lord that nothing would be missed because of our flesh.
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We asked oh Lord, that you would just be the teacher that you
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tell us who you are and to teach us these things.
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And that Lord, it would make an impact on our lives.
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And that Lord, he would polish us so that you would see a
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greater reflection of yourself. As you look at our hearts, Lord
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Jesus. Protect the service from Satan's
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attacks from the distractions that he would bring it.
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To make us miss what you have to say hello.
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We want all that you have to say whether it hurts us in the
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moment. We want to all Lord and we pray
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that you would meet us in Jesus name we pray.
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Amen. Learning about Paul's fragmented
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friendships last week, hopefully and prayerfully convinced, you
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and me. That's our relationships with
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other people will not be without its share of difficulties.
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The joys of knowing and growing with other Christians are often
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mixed with the temptation to be frustrated.
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Disappointed. Downcast and sometimes outright
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devastated. You and I are through what we
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heard last week called to be expected of such things.
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Even the greatest Saints can cause sorrow to your heart and
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mind. And Paul's account of some
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less-than-ideal circumstances. And the flaws of others is
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followed up in this verse, by the mention of a different
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friendship, a different relationship in the context of
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complicated relationships. This man of God, draws our
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attention to the person of Jesus Christ.
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Why does he bring up the Lord? Does he want to speak about the
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Lord's deity? Does he want to share some
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aspect of his nature? Does he does?
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He want to tell us something about his present Ministry in
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heaven or something about his Redemptive work.
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Not, in this case, Paul is not introducing Jesus to change the
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subject. In fact, the reason why he is
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bringing up Christ right here, right now is to teach each of us
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that there is no friend like him.
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The incomparable friendship of Jesus Christ, that is exactly
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what he is trying to do here as he contrasts the Lord to all the
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people that he mentions before this, and what he will mention
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after this, he is unlike any other unmatched.
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Unparalleled God, created you and I to be relational beings,
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you know what that means? That by Nature you crave
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relationships. You want to seek out and
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establish and enjoy communion with others.
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And that is normal. That is the way God intended it
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to be. And as you, and I seek to do
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that to discover the blessings that God has reserved within
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those relationships. You, and I also cannot forget
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that God made us to know friendship with himself.
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Friendship with almighty God on an individual basis, not as the
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bride being a corporate thing. But you individually as a child
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of God, have been created by Him to know him.
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And that that's, that's very familiar, Christian rhetoric,
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but it's rarely testified as a reality in so many people's
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lives. We cannot forget this.
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God has made this clear in the old and the new.
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When he talks about Moses, he says that he had spoken to him
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face-to-face. As one does with a friend and
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Isaiah, he claims explicitly, that Abraham was his friend and,
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and the new it is exciting, Lee obvious, that Jesus makes it
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clear. That we are not just his
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servants, but also his friends friendship with God relationship
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with the Lord intimate knowledge of who Is it's not just
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important for you and I to know so that we can relate to him in
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a certain way. Again, I make the point, it's
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important to know so that we can realize that he is the truest of
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friends. That he is the most reliable
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that he is, unfailing that he is flawless.
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And that there is nobody else in this world, no matter how much
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you love them or how much they love you.
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There is no one else in this world that can bring more
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satisfaction to your soul and the one who made it.
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Because you see as much as Paul could thank God for Timothy and
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as much as he could trust somebody like karpis the
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greatest of these men could not ultimately fulfill the needs
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that this man had and that goes for you and me as well.
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We need to understand that because if we don't understand
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that you and I will not even consider pursuing that knowledge
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of God. We won't even let suggestions
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not even appealing you and I cannot even begin that Pursuit
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Of God that goes beyond it exceeds, be on a set of
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doctrinal affirmations. We won't explore what the soul
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can know. And that is this, he is really
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someone that I can know. He's really someone that is
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present in my every moment. He's really someone that I
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Commune with. And that is aware.
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That actually cares about the details of my life.
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He is really someone that I can just reach out to and he's
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giving me his full attention. He's really someone that can
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intervene at any time in my life.
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He's really someone that I can say like Paul, he stood by me.
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I may have not seen him physically, I may not heard an
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audible voice, but I just know in the depths of my soul that he
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is more than just my Creator. He is more than just my savior.
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He is more than just my Vindicator.
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He's my friend. He's my friend.
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And as I said earlier, our hearts will not even Explore
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such things until we are first convinced that as much as God
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designed us for horizontal relationships and to enjoy, so
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much out of it, there is a cap, whatever healing comes from, a
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friend of a brother of your wife of your husband, no matter what
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kind of Harmony and Symphony. You can own your soul by the
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joys that come from relationships with those that
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also love Christ. they cannot perform on only Christ, can
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provide They cannot. And that's exactly what he
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highlights here. He says here in verse 16 at my
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first defense. No one came.
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No one came to Stand By Me. But all deserted me.
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When Paul says his first offense, he speaking about his
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preliminary hearing on his trial.
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This is speaking about a court setting and Paul was not a
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stranger to the court seen this. Man, this man was familiar with
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such environments, often. This man would be wrapped with
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changed, as he stood before tribunals Emperors and rulers.
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And they would try to convict them or try to find some fault
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in him. But he eloquently and
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persuasively proved his innocence and all this men was
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an evangelist, even and those settings, he would take
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advantage of those times to preach the Possible to those in
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high positions and that great mind of his.
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So he can argue his way out of punishment and though he can
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make those men who are drunk with power, be sobered with
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conviction for a moment. He still felt the pain of what
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we see. In this verse.
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He was still human. You and I are called to give up
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everything when we follow Jesus. But don't forget this, you don't
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lose your emotions. You don't lose your feelings in
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the process. And here we see the transparency
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of this great man. Of God, the reason why he pens
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as though he is led by the spirit is because there was
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genuine disappointment. when you said all deserted me, Why would
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he mention this? Because there is an opportunity
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for someone even just one. To come into that place and to
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make it defense for Paul to come and to to stand by him and to
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plead his cause there is even an opportunity for some to maybe
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not even be in that immediate setting.
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But to encourage him, as he is being falsely accused but
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nothing of the sort, you read that list of names and Romans 16
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how Paul greets them each individually.
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And my question is, not one of you could have shown up Not one,
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not one person could have made the trip to make sure that not
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just for a psychological well-being.
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But even for his legal case, who knows what could have happened.
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If there is another voice to speak on his behalf But all
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deserted me. None came to my defense.
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This is abandonment, this is not an unrealistic expectation.
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This is a genuine relational need and it was unmet.
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There was disloyalty here. There was a failure, from even
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the greatest of his friends. No one came to Stand By Me
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Wonder. Why, why didn't they come?
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If they could have come. And I believe the main reason is
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because it was too dangerous. I'll In their minds, widespread
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persecution has bursted fourth. Narrow is drunk with his
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craziness, and he is, blaming his foolishness on the
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Christians. And to dare to be associated
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with a man, like Paul was a death sentence and itself.
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And so when Paul went to court people, hid in their homes, we
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will not dare maybe afterwards, but not in this time step foot
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in that place and have people know that we are associated with
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this, great leader of the Christian Movement.
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None came to my defense but all deserted me.
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What's the point here for you? And I For no one to show up in
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Paul's case. Teaches us that even in our
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case, every single person that, you know, in life is capable of
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failing. You Every single one, not the
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majority not those that you might think would fail you
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because they are inconsistent with their character.
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Everyone, maybe you don't feel the weight of that.
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So let me illustrate somebody to help you feel it.
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I want you in this moment to just think about those that, you
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know, on a greeting level, maybe even in this place today, you
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don't know anybody Beyond high in by think about those people
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for a moment, they're there in your mind, you know who they
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are. Now, go beyond that, and think
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about those that you may not know so well.
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But you serve alongside with, and you do ministry within a
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consistent basis and from time to time, you have small talk,
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you talk about your day and how work was that week?
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And how things are with the family, doesn't go beyond that.
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Now, go beyond that. I think about those that you've
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developed a deep bond with, you spend time with these people
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outside of the church services that we have on a weekly basis.
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You've sat with him into the late hours of the night and
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you've given something of your heart, a deeper, Of who you are
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has been exposed because you feel like there's a kindred
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spirit there and that you can share these things and receive
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counsel and comfort. And Honan now think about those,
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think about those that you can trust with everything, you know.
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And everything you have think about those people.
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Now as you as you put those people in your world and those
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different categories know this that there's a banner over every
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single one of them and it is this they can all Let You Down.
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Every single one of them, I know that's not the most uplifting
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thought on the Sunday afternoon. But it's probably going to be
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the most helpful thing, you can understand concerning your
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relationship with God. Why?
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Because there are some genuine lovers of Christ.
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Who cannot who cannot understand that he is the most steadfast
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reliable Eternal rock that you can know in this life.
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There's just a little bit too much expectation on someone who
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is a sinner, like you And Paul makes a contrast.
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He's not just making a contrast, he's making a case for Christ.
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He did not write this with self-pity.
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He didn't write this with bitterness.
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He wasn't trying to shame these people who have indeed failed
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them. He's trying to make a point, and
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we can know that he is not filled with unforgiveness
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because he says in the same verse may not be charged against
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them. I genuinely do not desire that
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those who did not come to my defense.
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I don't want that to be held against them on that day when
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the Lord will judge. What we've done as Christians.
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I don't want God to even bring that up to them, that's a free
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was, that's how liberating he was.
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That's how that's how forgiving he was.
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And I think that is so powerful because we have to understand
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something what Paul is saying here.
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It's, it's so important to believe the weakness of other
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people. But to understand how they can
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fail, you is not to cause you to be reserved or resentful.
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To understand how they can fail, should just prepare you to be
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all the more forgiving. To be all the more merciful to
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be all the more gracious. You and I need to understand
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that posture of love, when we comprehend a universal
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possibility of relational sorrow, you know what will
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happen if you. And I don't you're not going to
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have very much friends. You're not going to know the
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longevity. The beauty of relationships that
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grow throughout time and that have memories and trials
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together, unforgiveness cuts off the life source of friendships.
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It does not preserve precious people in your life.
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Who at some moments just like you and me can become selfish,
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right? We are quick to just condemning
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cut off. We will rob ourselves ultimately
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because forgiveness heals and restores.
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It can actually enrich relationships because it offers
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a fast as of Christ on a horizontal level that can bring
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about a greater worship to him. When you become merciful, people
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can see Christ in you and you know that when people have been
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merciful to you have you not thank God for that Mercy.
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If and when people fail, you please understand what I am
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saying. Never allow it to convince you,
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that they are Unworthy of unforgiveness, but there's more
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dangerous than that. There's more dangerous than that
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when people come and they were facing disappointment and they
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let us down. There's another thing that
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people don't realize is lurking. And that is the doubt that may
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be cast upon the person that they claim to represent.
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This is so crucial. Paul could never fathom the
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thought of associating, the failures of Christians to Christ
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himself, he that could even enter into his mind.
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To think that he could abandon the one who is the most faithful
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to him, because there are those who claim to be faithful to him.
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Who weren't? As tempting as that might be as
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much as that suggestion, my present itself.
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Remember this servant of God, remember this man who would not
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dare to allow the faults of others to blur his vision of
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Christ. If anything, all of that, just
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served as a backdrop to highlight the beauty of Jesus
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Christ. My wife has failed me.
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My husband has failed me. My kids have failed me.
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My pastor has failed me. Christ has never failed me.
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He's never let me down. He's never disappoint.
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He was always constant. He's always been the same.
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He's never changed. And so learn to recycle their
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hurt of other people to help. You see the incomparable
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goodness of God, recycle it and only way you can recycle it as
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by revelation. And that's exactly what he's
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doing here. He wants to tell Timothy as he's
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about to endure difficult times in Ministry, by mentioning his
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personal experience of the goodness of God.
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In the midst of relational mess-ups, Timothy, you need to
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know what I'm about to say about Jesus because you need to rely
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on him and love him through it all.
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And so, he tells him about the extent of his support God
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support, but the Lord verse 17, stood by me and strengthened me.
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Everybody failed me, everybody disappointed me but the Lord
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himself stood by me and strengthened.
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Now what's the difference between that and let's say
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Jonathan who came to David side and strengthen his hand in the
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Lord can't people offer that? Well yeah they can and it is an
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extension of God's mercy through people.
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And there are many differences though and one of the most
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important differences between God's support and man's support,
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is this that the Lord's Aid in our lives is unbroken and
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uninterrupted. It's always available, always.
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Especially when those all of those have deserted you, the
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Lord stood by me, he was there. And here's what's so important,
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Paul is not speaking about God's care in generalities, he's not
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speaking about it. In a general sense, he's
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speaking about a particular event in his life and he truly
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believed that the Lord was there for him during that singular
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event. Here's why I'm bringing this up.
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You have many good hearted Christians, who believe in
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Christ, but don't believe that he deals with the Of your life.
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It's like, he's an idea, he's a, he's real, but he's
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disconnected. The one day, I'm going to be
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connected to him. He's something to be trusted
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theologically but not to be known intimately. and every
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single one of us must be totally convinced that the resurrected
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Lord is constantly by us, as we function, in our day-to-day,
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like, always, Always. And and even when you're
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distracted, by your duties know that God's thoughts are for you
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and his attention is on you, and he is closer to you than your
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own skin is to your body. And sometimes that reality is
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manifested. But let me tell you, most of the
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time you just gotta believe it by faith and that faith, not to
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just be wishful thinking. But to cause you to worship that
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truth, the Lord, stood by me, he was actually with me and not
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just in a sense, or God's, always present because he's
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omnipresent know. He was with me to strengthen me.
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As an individual as a select child of God, he actually caters
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to my need and that just is always with me because he's with
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all of God's children. No, no, no, it was deeply
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personal. It was deeply personal and we
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are not to only believe that his presence is with us at all
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times. We were also to trust with all
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of our hearts, that he provides a strength to every stride day
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by day, day by day Moment by moment moment by moment.
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I don't believe Paul was speaking here about a miraculous
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manifestation of Jesus while he was in prison at this time,
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that's happened. More than once.
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But I believe here he is speaking by faith.
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The Lord stood by me and strengthened me And I think that
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Paul here is saying this by faith because he learned in
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previous experiences by miraculous.
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Manifestation, that Christ is surely.
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Always with me. Here's proof go to your Bible
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Xanax. 23:11, this is when he was in prison in Jerusalem,
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and at this point, we can begin in verse 10.
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And acts 23 verse 10. At this point, he was almost
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ripped to shreds because of a mob in Jerusalem that accused
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him falsely of breaking certain laws in the temple.
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And it says here in verse 10. And when the dissension became
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violent, the Tribune, afraid that Paul would be Torn to
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Pieces by them commanded, the soldiers to go down and take him
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away from among them by force, and bring him into the barracks.
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The following night, the Lord stood by him.
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The Lord stood by him and said, take courage for as you have
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testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem.
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So you must testify also in Rome you know what's so fascinating
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about the Lord standing by Paul here in a miraculous way in the
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Lord standing by Paul and that final prison cell before his
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execution Is the way in which he strengthened him.
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It says, the following night, the Lord stood by him, it didn't
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say that the Lord stood by him and then slaughtered the guards
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that were surrounding him and opened the Iron Gate.
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So that he can be delivered. He showed up in the prison cell
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and kept him in the prison cell. There are times where you can
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shop in the prison cell like an Peters case and bring you out in
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such a way where you don't even know if you're dreaming or not.
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But it's often the case where he shows up in the trial and
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intends to keep you in the trial, he shows up in the test,
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not to make the test Easier by rescuing you from it all
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together, but to provide a Grace and to provide a joy that would
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testify of his power just as much If we think that God's
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strength is only known in him reaching down into our problems
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and pulling us out of it, we have been gravely mistaken.
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In the ways of God, God doesn't just come to prove his power by
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silencing our enemies and slaughtering them and bury them
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under the Red Sea. Oftentimes God proves his
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strength to say, I'm going to sustain you.
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So that when people see you they can say such a man.
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Surely is dependent upon a source outside of himself.
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That's how God does it. He shows up in this cell Paul
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stays in the cell, but there's something else I was deposited
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him and infusion of Grace and same in.
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Second Timothy, I'm not going to let you go away.
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I'm not going to rescue you from martyrdom.
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I'm just going to make you smile on the face of it.
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That's the strength that you and I have to understand about about
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God and Isaiah 43:2. God says, when you pass through
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the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they
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shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you
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shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you.
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One of the most precious promises in the Old Testament,
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but I believe one of the most misinterpreted, at the same time
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Because the way we read it is, when you pass through the
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waters, I will take you out of it.
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I will, I will redirect the river so they don't overwhelm
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you. You're never gonna know heat
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fire. You're never going to walk
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through it. I'll make sure to extinguish it.
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That is not what God is saying. When you go through it, in fact,
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he says, when you walk through the fire, he doesn't say when
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you run through it and take some time for you to be in the fire,
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you're gonna walk in, you're gonna, it's probably going to be
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a long walk but know this that my strength is in the fact that
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I will be there with you through it, all you.
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And I have to grasp that as we are enduring, these things that
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are difficult in life to nothing that God loves us less because
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it seems to be prolonged. And it seems to be so painful.
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But it is a way in which you will prepare for you to
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understand a power from his hands that you wouldn't know,
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otherwise God never promised the absence of problems.
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But he did promise the empowerment through his presence
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in the midst of them. That's what he promised.
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But the promise of his presence, the promise of his power, check
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this out, it's conditional. I'm sorry.
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It's conditional. And that's proven in the verse
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of our time. Today in second, Timothy verse
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17 of chapter 4, read it very carefully.
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Notice what Paul says When he says that the Lord stood by him
27:10
to strengthen him, there is a purpose for that and it says
27:15
here. So that through the through me,
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the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles
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might hear it so that the Lord stood by me and he strengthened
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me, More than just for us to be comforted.
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He stood by me and strengthened me so that attask would be
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accomplished. So that I would be able to
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Proclaim to more Gentiles in Rome and the center of the world
27:50
of Known World at a time that the gospel will ReSound through
27:53
that Capital place and other people other Gentiles were
27:55
received the gospel. So what am I trying to say?
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The presence in the power of Jesus Christ, always has a
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purpose and the purpose is beyond for you.
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And I to just be numb from these things that would otherwise
28:08
crush us. So, God's assistance comes.
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For a particular few. What am I trying to say?
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This tells us that if we are to know what Paul knew, which was a
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supernatural sustaining strength than we must align our hearts to
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pursue the purpose that Paul had.
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Paul lived for the glory of God. Paul lived to obey the commands
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of God. Paul was sold out to the cause
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of Christ to which some might have Jake.
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But are you telling me brother, that God doesn't treat all his
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children the same way to which I answer?
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Soberly. No.
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He doesn't, he loves us all the same, but we experience that
28:56
love differently upon conditions.
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The same way you and I believe I'm sure that Satan doesn't
29:03
treat all of God's children. The same, does he The Satan
29:07
harass, all of God's children in the same way.
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Or does he have a special Target on those who have sold out their
29:15
lives for the purposes of the kingdom of God?
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And in like manner, the same way God also supplies and reserves a
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special Mercy for those who are truly his servants in this
29:25
world, you can't tell me that a church will be blessed by God if
29:30
they don't obey God's commands. How can that be?
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We can't believe that a Believer can know all those glorious
29:37
things. That that Christ promised, if
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they live in a way that contradicts his commands.
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There's no way Let me prove it to you.
29:47
You've heard the statement, right?
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And lo I am with you always. And lo, I Am With You Always to
29:55
the end of the age and we Comfort ourselves.
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We console others with that truth.
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Here's the problem. You quoted a third of it.
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You and I quote parts of God's word.
30:07
And what we do is we set up people to not experience the
30:11
promise of God because we cut out the conditions.
30:15
So go to Matthew 28, let me just prove it to you, Meeks.
30:17
Hopefully, you believe me? Matthew 28 verse 19. and verse
30:23
20, you know, this, we've memorized it Matthew 28:19.
30:37
Go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations, baptizing them
30:40
in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy
30:42
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that.
30:45
I have commanded you and behold. I Am With You Always to the end
30:51
of the age. We got ourselves a lot of
30:55
trouble when we take portions of verses.
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Who did he say that he would be with always?
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Who did he say that? He would be with always to the
31:03
End of the Age those who obey him?
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Those who are serious about the gospel, those who have made
31:11
their lives about either with their time, energy efforts, or
31:14
resources to fuel, the advancement of God.
31:17
Skim, those who are serious Christians.
31:18
That's what I'm trying to say. Those who really live under the
31:21
Mandate of the kingdom of God. It is, they, it is those that
31:26
Jesus Promised, I'm with you, I'm going to support you.
31:29
I'm going to strengthen you. It's going to be ugly.
31:30
It's going to be difficult. It's going to be rewarding at
31:32
times, but no, this, I'm constantly by your side.
31:37
I'm constantly with you Christ. Promises is uninterrupted
31:42
intervening Grace to those who are willing to sacrifice and
31:46
were set apart for his purposes. And so you have to understand
31:51
that there are great. Great difficulties ahead as
31:53
obedient children of God. But there are also great
31:56
manifestations of his power and presence as we walk in his ways
32:01
as he walk in his ways, I've I've been told and it's always
32:06
stuck with me. That the holy spirit is called
32:10
the comforter. but someone wise he once told me well how is he
32:15
supposed to come for you until you put yourself in
32:17
uncomfortable situations And I can tell you this, that he has
32:22
manifested his comfort and those times where seemed uncomfortable
32:26
in terms of obedience to him saying things, that would offend
32:30
most people, his comfort is there, evangelizing to people at
32:33
work or your family members and it can be awkward.
32:35
It's amazing how his comfort is there his he Comforts for a
32:38
purpose. He Comforts for a purpose so
32:42
God's presence and power is not some sprinkling of some kind of
32:46
Happiness over us as we cruise through life.
32:48
Selfishly, that's not how it works.
32:50
It's for those who have been consecrated unto the Lord.
32:53
They can know this blanketing goodness from heaven.
32:58
I think that's important to me as a distinction but he doesn't
33:01
just mention the extent of his support.
33:03
He mentions the depth of his support in verse 18.
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The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me
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safely into his Heavenly Kingdom.
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These are one of those verses that you just have to read them
33:19
without much explanation and you can feel the power of it, you
33:22
can just you can just read it and and Noah Grace to your faith
33:26
and a surging of Hope. That only a verse like this can
33:31
provide but when you understand the context, when you understand
33:34
what was intended, what Paul was thinking, when he wrote this,
33:37
the application and the immediate sense has even more
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tough for us. What did he mean by by saying?
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The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed.
33:46
Well, let's do a process of elimination.
33:48
Number one, it can't mean that you'll be free, you'll be
33:51
Untouched by physical verbal. Assault.
33:55
That's impossible. Paul all you had to do is just
33:59
pull down his gown to show you the scars on his back to prove.
34:02
Otherwise all you have to do is read the verses before this to
34:05
understand his comments to realize that it is not meaning
34:09
that you and I will evade every type of attack.
34:14
Nor does it mean that you and I will escape death, even if that
34:17
death is martyrdom because Paul, with full Assurance as writing,
34:21
this believing that his death was imminent.
34:23
Okay? So if it doesn't mean that I
34:25
won't be physically, harmed or my character won't be assaulted
34:29
or that I will escape death and go up into heaven with fiery
34:32
chariots like Elijah. What does it mean?
34:37
I believe it means this the closest conclusion is that as as
34:41
he is approaching his execution, He would be able to overcome
34:46
every Temptation, that would present itself.
34:49
In that moment. The pressure to deny Christ.
34:55
The overwhelming temptation to blaspheme the name of the Lord
34:58
to escape pain. The persuasion to to let go of a
35:05
truth that you stood for and you preached about for the sake of
35:09
self-preservation, what Paul is saying is I will be able to
35:12
overcome every single one of those Temptations, even in the
35:16
face of grueling torture. And I Rejoice over that because
35:23
this verse is a glorious statement that should comfort us
35:27
to know that, no matter how overwhelming oppression may be
35:30
or how seductive sin. Maybe Christ assures us.
35:35
I will hold you up and you don't have to sink into this.
35:38
You don't have to give in to this.
35:41
And I read that verse and I say, what a friend, what a God, what
35:45
a master, he doesn't just expect me to be faithful to the end.
35:49
Enables me to he enables me to have you ever thought that I've
35:53
had many conversations and I would wonder if Isis came to
35:56
America and they put my head on a chopping block.
35:58
I don't know what I would do. The Lord will rescue me from
36:02
every evil deed, that's what he will do.
36:05
He will give you the grace to stay faithful until the very
36:09
end. No matter.
36:11
If Devils themselves come up from hell and try to take your
36:14
life. Because that's what he's saying
36:16
here and bring me safely into his Heavenly Kingdom.
36:19
I'm Goin In. I'm going in safely.
36:22
Yes. By the grace of God but also
36:24
with faithfulness in my hands And I rejoice in that and I
36:32
think one of the strongest examples of the goodness of God,
36:35
even in the face of death is with the first Christian martyr,
36:38
and this is what we're ending today, it's an axe chapter 7.
36:43
And consider this account and apply it to your own life.
36:48
And light of knowing Jesus as the incomparable friend and I
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exception. Verse 54.
37:00
Steven. He preached a fiery sermon.
37:07
If you want a hint of it, look at verse 51.
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You stiff-necked people. Uncircumcised in heart and ears.
37:12
You always resist the Holy Spirit.
37:15
That's a way to end a service. He rebukes them, calls them out.
37:22
And they're pulling their hair at this point.
37:24
And in verse 54, we see that when they heard these things,
37:27
they were in Rage and they ground their teeth at him.
37:31
Have you ever experienced somebody grinding their teeth at
37:33
you? That's a that's a particular
37:36
type of viciousness if I may say so myself grinding their teeth
37:41
at him. They're so upset with what he
37:43
just said. Now, look what happens.
37:46
But he being Stephen Full of the Holy Spirit gazed into heaven
37:51
and saw the glory of God. Now, hold on there, full of the
37:55
Holy Spirit, as he is dead center around ravenous mob.
38:00
That's ready to just chew em up. You know what he does.
38:04
You know where his attention is heaven.
38:07
He's gazing into heaven. While these men are growling
38:11
with their beautiful beards and their gowns.
38:15
Ready to destroy him and stone him, full of the Holy Spirit.
38:19
He's looking where Jesus is The holy spirit will do that to you.
38:25
And I He is able to coach us and redirect Us in the midst of
38:29
great trials to look where our help comes from.
38:34
To look where Jesus is to set our minds on things above and
38:38
then, to soar above what else is happening in this world.
38:42
He's looking at Heaven. That's where his gaze is.
38:45
Not the face of these men, not their words, not about, what's
38:48
about to happen to him. He's somewhere else.
38:53
And when you're filled with the Holy Spirit, that's what can
38:55
happen. When things are happening, you
38:59
can be somewhere else because the holy spirit is taking you
39:03
somewhere else. And so, he's looking above.
39:09
And he's looking to where he's about to go and he's looking to
39:11
where his help is in the moment. And what does he see?
39:16
What will God in his Mercy? Decides to peel back a few
39:19
curtains so that he can get a glimpse into glory and he sees
39:23
the glory of God, but he sees something that is unique to the
39:25
rest of the Bible. He saw the glory of God and
39:30
Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
39:33
That is the only time you will see Jesus standing at the right
39:36
hand of God. Throughout the scriptures.
39:40
We read that he is at the right hand of God.
39:42
We read that he is sitting at the right hand of God as a
39:45
posture of his rest from his completed work and Redemptive
39:49
purpose. But here we see Stephen seeing
39:53
and Luke being so precise that dr.
39:56
Luke he writes Jesus standing Jesus is standing.
40:05
The question is, why why? And consider a few options.
40:12
I believe he is standing here to Showcase his attentive care for
40:17
his child. As he's about to be killed.
40:23
Here is his master standing in the heavens, but totally aware
40:29
of what's Happening. He's not disconnected, he is not
40:34
unaware. He is present.
40:36
He is standing the Lord stood by me and the Lord is standing here
40:41
and he is watching. What is taking place and in this
40:45
crisis Christ disconnected. He's observing, he's seeing it,
40:50
he's taking it into account and that does my soul good.
40:55
I don't know about you. Okay, so all these men are
40:58
standing against him. This this group of the
41:00
Sanhedrin, and yet, there is one standing in heaven for him.
41:05
And he's not just standing for him in that moment and giving
41:08
Steven the Revelation that Christ is fully aware of what's
41:11
happening right here, right now, but he is standing prepared to
41:15
welcome him as he comes home. He knows that the first
41:21
Christian martyr is about to step into those heavenly Gates.
41:25
And as he stands there as an advocate, would I believe, as
41:28
one person said so beautifully. That Steven has been confessing
41:31
Christ before men and now he sees Christ confessing the
41:35
servant before God. That's what's happening.
41:43
So who cares who stands against you?
41:46
There's one in heaven who stands with you and was ready to
41:49
welcome. You.
41:50
You think you're any less than Stephen?
41:53
You think Christ loves you. Less than he does.
41:57
Stephen his love is the same how we experience it.
42:00
Yes. Can differ based on how we
42:01
respond to his word, but his love is the same.
42:06
But I believe there's something else going on here.
42:09
He says in verse 66 56 and he said, behold, I see the heavens
42:13
opened and the son of man standing at the right hand of
42:16
God, but they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their
42:19
ears and rushed together at him. Can you imagine that site?
42:24
That sounds like children that sounds like kids when they're
42:27
upset, they plug their ears and they run around screaming.
42:33
They're rushing at him, ready to take him, throw him outside the
42:37
city and stone him to death. And I wonder why they reacted
42:41
this way. And I believe in great part,
42:42
it's because what they heard. They believed to be a
42:44
Blasphemous you're telling me that man, that we crucified on a
42:47
cross is standing at the right hand of God that he's the
42:51
Messiah and that he's going to, you telling me that he's alive
42:54
and they couldn't even they couldn't even register that
42:57
without reacting like animals. But could it be that there's
43:02
something else happening? Could it be that Jesus standing
43:05
in this moment is more than just him, ready to welcome his
43:08
servant. But it's, in fact, something to
43:10
say against those who are against his servant. when you
43:16
look at scripture, you see that when royalty stands In different
43:22
contexts. It can mean that they are
43:23
honoring whoever is before them or it can mean that they are
43:26
ready to execute judgment whoever is before them.
43:31
That enraged, they arise from that place ready to do something
43:37
to satisfy their Justice. In fact, Isaiah himself, the
43:43
prophet uses that language concerning the Lord when he is
43:46
ready to judge. And I believe there's a
43:48
connection here and Isaiah 313. We are told.
43:51
The Lord has taken his place to contend.
43:55
He stands to judge people's Let me say that again, the Lord has
44:01
taken his place to contend. He stands to judge people's the
44:06
Lord will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of
44:10
his people. It is you who have devoured The
44:13
Vineyard, the spoil, the poor is in your houses.
44:16
Do you see what Isaiah seeing that?
44:18
The Lord is standing from his throne and the reason why he is
44:21
standing is because he is ready to judge those who have rejected
44:25
his word. And could it be in part?
44:30
I don't think it's the major reason, but could it be in part
44:33
that in Stephen saying, I see, I see him standing at the right
44:37
hand of God. He's not only knowing something
44:40
that will comfort him in this moment, but something that will
44:42
convict those who are ready to do something that doesn't just
44:46
touch Stephen, but touches Christ himself.
44:51
Christ is standing to say I will vindicate.
44:53
You Steven, I will do something with those who have taken your
44:57
life. And I love that.
45:03
Because that just proves that there is no friend, like Jesus.
45:07
He is not just our provider, he is our protector.
45:12
He's not just one who comforts us, he is one who takes into
45:15
account the things done to us. He will not leave any Injustice
45:20
on dealt with. He realizes it.
45:23
He sees it and he will do something about it.
45:27
He is our friend. Our friend who is a king and as
45:33
I Look to a verse like this, I think to myself, What other king
45:39
is like him. What other king is like and who
45:43
stands for somebody who's been saved as a sinner, who's ready
45:47
with joy and with honor to welcome those who are the least
45:51
deserving of it. It says, here in verse 59, and
45:55
as they were stoning, Stephen, he called out Lord.
45:57
Jesus receive my spirit. If you need a verse to show you
46:03
that you can pray directly to Jesus.
46:04
There it is. Lord, Jesus receive my spirit.
46:10
You know, what's so amazing? Even though he saw him in the
46:12
heavens so far away in the distant so far away from this
46:16
corrupt broken, filthy World. Steven new innately that I can
46:20
speak to me as though he's right in front.
46:22
I mean, he can hear me. Lord, Jesus.
46:24
Receive my spirit. Do you talk to Jesus?
46:29
Do you speak to them in your pain?
46:31
Even if that pain are Stones being thrown at you literally Do
46:35
you believe he's standing by you standing for you and we'll do
46:39
something about those who would stand against you as you stand
46:42
for Christ? I want to tell you something,
46:45
there is no one like him. and if you don't know him today, I'm
46:51
not saying you're missing out on a buddy, you're missing out on
46:54
eternal life. This is not an option.
46:59
This is a command Christ is a friend.
47:04
Yes, but he is a judge as well. And Christ wants you to become
47:09
his friend wants you to become his child but you must first
47:12
deal with the thing that is separating you and him and that
47:15
is your sin. If you have sinned against God,
47:20
even once just like one digit being off on a phone number, you
47:23
are disconnected from him. And you need to repent and
47:28
believe on him. He extends his hands of Mercy,
47:31
not just to wipe your state clean so that you can avoid
47:34
hell, but that you can know life in Christ now and forevermore.
47:40
And if you have not made that decision and hearing about
47:43
Christ, I want you to know that he is just as present.
47:46
Now as he was with Stephen in that setting, he is just as
47:50
present in this place, as he was with Paul in that prison cell.
47:53
And all you need to do is understand that by faith You
47:56
call upon Him, He will do the supernatural work on your heart
47:59
to make you realize that all the more, but you have to repent and
48:02
believe in him. If you haven't done that, do it
48:05
today. He died for you.
48:07
He died for you. He wants to forgive you.
48:11
And wash, you and rescue you from your sin.
48:14
Don't reserve your faith. Don't hold back.
48:17
Your heart. To the one who made it.
48:23
And believer, as you come to eat and drink today at the Lord's
48:27
table. Realize that his body was broken
48:31
and his blood was shed. So that you would know his
48:35
presence forever and ever and ever.
48:38
Realize that this event right here.
48:39
This ordinance is not to reflect on the past merely but the look
48:43
forward to the future of a fellowship with Christ.
48:48
And he purchased that for you. Let's pray.
49:06
Help us realize your friendship Lord.
49:10
The Deep affection that you have for us the enjoyment, you even
49:13
have for us. Well, we don't want to live this
49:19
life. Just affirming a few theological
49:22
truths and missing out on the realization of your nearness and
49:28
your genuine care for each of us.
49:32
Look for the person who doesn't know you.
49:36
We ask that they would taste your goodness.
49:38
The goodness that leads us to repentance.
49:41
For us to do know, you remind us again.
49:46
Remind us again, Lord. That you were to be known and
49:50
adored and loved doing communed with, forgive us.
49:54
If we've been absent, minded of that thing. forgive us Lord for
49:58
just making you something of an idea instead of a person to be
50:01
known and loved What is we break bread and drink flood our hearts
50:06
and Minds with the revelation of the gospel and renew, the joy of
50:10
your salvation? We give you everything.
50:14
Oh God, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
50:13
We give you everything. Oh God, in Jesus name we pray.
50:17
Amen.