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Acts 4:23-31 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Our text for this morning is going to be verses 23 through 31, but before we get into that, let me set the scene for you a bit and talk a little about the last two weeks and what we've discussed together in chapter 4.
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In chapter 3, you'll note that Peter and John are going up to the temple at the hour of prayer.
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They encounter a lame man who's been lame since birth.
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We find out later in chapter 4 that he's more than 40 years old.
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For a significant amount of time, he sat at this gate and he's begged.
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He's begged for alms, for his daily sustenance.
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And they come by him and Peter looks at him and he's healed.
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This sets a great stage up.
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God ordains this, that they're able now in the temple to preach.
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A great crowd has gathered.
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We find out in chapter 4 that the number of the church is now 5,000 men.
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So many more, many more responses of faith to Peter's preaching.
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So many responding favorably, but some not so much.
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We see at the beginning of chapter 4, their arrest.
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We saw that they were imprisoned overnight and that they then stood a trial before the Sanhedrin,
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which were the ruling Jews of the day.
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It's the first picture of Christian persecution.
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This is the first time that a member of the church has been arrested and imprisoned because of the gospel.
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And I spoke to you over the past two weeks of the normalcy of Christian persecution.
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The fact that it should be the regular experience of the Christian.
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Christian persecution.
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Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
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We have taken persecution and we have narrowed it down to a particular type of persecution.
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And that is the persecution of the body.
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It's what we witness here.
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The imprisonment, arrest and imprisonment of Peter and John.
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And we have made persecution a far-off thing.
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A maybe one day thing.
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If we live in another place or if suddenly the political environment in our country changes,
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maybe then we'll deal with persecution.
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But it's very difficult to get around what Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3.12.
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And so there are varying kinds of persecution.
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Certainly the persecution of the body.
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It is something to be considered around the world as believers are beheaded for their faith in Christ.
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And imprisoned and tortured.
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The church has a great history of physical persecution.
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But there is also a persecution of the ego.
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And I'm not trying to equate the two.
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And I'm not trying to suggest that ours would be the same as others.
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But what I'm simply trying to say to you is that it ought not be a thing that we don't experience.
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Some form of objection to the gospel of Jesus Christ boldly proclaimed in this world.
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The more we, as the people of God, push against the system of this world,
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the more this world will push back.
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I would love to think that as we boldly go forth and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ,
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that everyone we proclaim it to will accept it with open arms.
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The scripture consistently tells us this will not be the case.
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Many will, but many will not.
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Don't let American religious freedom numb you to this reality.
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If you preach the good news of Jesus Christ boldly,
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you may lose your reputation, your status, some position, possibly your job.
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People may think you strange or narrow-minded, judgmental.
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People may not like you.
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They may not want to have you around because you talk about sin.
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And you present to them God's holy standard.
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And with great love, you ask them to repent, turn from their sin, and turn to God.
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They may not want to hear that message.
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The problem of us not experiencing this type of persecution is not because of where we live.
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It's because of a lack of boldness on our part.
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And I am not suggesting that we go out and we seek out this type of thing.
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But what I am saying is that we need to be boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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And then not surprised when the persecution comes.
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And so, because persecution of one kind to another,
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if you live here in the States or someday God takes you across this world,
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it will happen, it should be the normative experience,
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we begin to prepare for it by considering from our text
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seven ways to honor God in the midst of persecution.
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But I hope you're hearing that this shouldn't be a far-off thing for you.
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That this is a thing you need to be hearing for this week.
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That if you are a follower of Jesus Christ,
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you will go and be about the work of Jesus Christ in the world.
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He came to seek and to save the lost.
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He came to give His life as a ransom for many.
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And just as the Father sent Him into the world,
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in the same way He sends us into the world
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to proclaim the good news
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and to call people to respond in faith to that good news.
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So this has bearing for this week.
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This has bearing for today.
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And I hope you hear it as such.
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In the past two weeks,
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we've considered the first four of these seven ways to honor God
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in the midst of persecution.
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The first week, the first three.
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Last week, an additional one.
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Let me recap those quickly for you
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and then we'll look at our text.
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The first was to be expendable,
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which is implicitly taught in the text, right?
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You have Peter and John.
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Peter, the great ear lopper,
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as Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane,
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like rebelling against,
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now willfully accepting, right?
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His seizure and His imprisonment,
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willing to lay His life down.
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That was the possible eventual outcome
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of being arrested by these men
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and standing trial before them.
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These are the men that were intrinsically involved
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in seeing Christ put to death.
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So being expendable,
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verse 4, chapter 4,
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but many of those who had heard the word
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believed,
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and the number of the men came
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to about 5,000,
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willing to boldly proclaim
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the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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In Solomon's portico,
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the very place where Jesus gave
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the good shepherd dialogue, right?
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The lamb that was led to slaughter.
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This is where they're standing
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and He's preaching.
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So hold your life,
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your reputation,
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your position,
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your job loosely
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for the sake of others.
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Be expendable.
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Second, be filled with the Spirit.
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Verse 8,
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as Peter stands before the Sanhedrin,
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we see that He was filled
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with the Spirit.
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And I fear that summary statements
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on this matter
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cause a lot of confusion.
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So at this point,
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I'm just going to say,
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please go back and listen to part 2
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of Acts 2, 1-12.
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If you want to know more about this,
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if you haven't been here,
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let me encourage you to that.
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We will talk more about
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what it means to be filled with the Spirit
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as we work through the book of Acts.
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But number 1, be expendable.
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Number 2, be filled with the Spirit.
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Number 3, be bold.
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Here is Peter standing before the Sanhedrin
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and he presses forward
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instead of shrinking back.
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And it's so difficult for me
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to think myself in his shoes
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and to wonder what I might do.
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I hope by the power of the Spirit
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I would do what he did.
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He presses in.
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Boy, they ask him a question.
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Under whose authority
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or by whose name do you do this?
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And it's as if he says,
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well, since you asked.
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And he launches into
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this third sermon he preaches
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as recorded by Luke.
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He doesn't remove any offense
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of the Gospel from his preaching,
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but he rather boldly indicts them.
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These are the men.
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These are the builders
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who have rejected the cornerstone,
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he says,
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who have put to death
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the Christ.
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In verse 12 of chapter 4,
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he says,
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there is salvation in no one else,
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for there is no other name
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under heaven given among men
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by which we must be saved.
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He's saying to these men,
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this is the Messiah.
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This is the anointed one of God.
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This is the one you've been waiting for.
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And you killed him.
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If you don't hang
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all of your hope of salvation
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in the personal work of Jesus Christ,
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you will be destroyed.
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It's a narrow path.
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To be expendable,
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be filled with the Spirit,
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be bold,
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and last week,
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be obedient.
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I added to that,
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be obedient at all costs,
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despite the cost.
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We obey God
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before we obey men.
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So in summary,
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we could say,
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be humbly and boldly obedient
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by the power of the Spirit.
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Be humbly and boldly obedient
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by the power of the Spirit.
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Let me give to you an example
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from history
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of humble,
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bold obedience
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in the missionary
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John G. Patton.
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One of my favorite missionaries
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lived in the 19th century,
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just barely into the 20th century.
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He was a missionary
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from Glasgow, Scotland,
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to a group of islands
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that were then known as
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the New Hebrides.
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The Hebrides are a group of islands
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off the coast of Scotland,
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so they called it
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New Hebrides
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if you want to look it up on a map.
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It's in the South Pacific.
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It's now called Vanuatu.
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If you care to see
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where he served
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in the 19th century.
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And these islands
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were known
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for their cannibalism.
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The very first missionaries
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to go to Vanuatu
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in 1839,
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John Williams
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and James Harris
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were clubbed to death
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and eaten on the shore
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in the sight of the ship
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that had dropped them off.
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They stood on the ship
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and watched this happen.
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The first two missionaries there.
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And John G. Patton,
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moved by God,
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decides to go.
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And from his journal,
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let me read to you
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one of the objections
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to him going.
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He wrote,
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Amongst many
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who sought to deter me,
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one was a dear old
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Christian gentleman
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whose crowning argument
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always was,
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the cannibals.
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You will be eaten
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by cannibals.
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At last I replied,
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Mr. Dixon,
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you are advanced
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in years now
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and your own prospect
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is soon to be laid
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in the grave,
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there to be eaten
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by worms.
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I confess to you
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that if I can but live
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and die serving
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and honoring
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the Lord Jesus,
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it will make no difference
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to me whether I am
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eaten by cannibals
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or by worms.
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And in the great day,
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my resurrection body
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will arise
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as fair as yours
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in the likeness
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of our risen Redeemer.
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Then he records,
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the old gentleman,
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raising his hands
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in a deprecating attitude,
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left the room exclaiming,
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After that,
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I have nothing more to say.
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The boldness on his part
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and his account goes on
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to talk about how
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these cannibals
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would come to kill him
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and he would get in arguments
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with the chief
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with a machete in his hand.
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He'd hold him by the wrist
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and he would lecture him
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on how evil
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the thing he was trying to do was
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and the man would finally feel
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some conviction
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for the evil of it
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and they'd flee back off
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into the jungle.
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A great deal of boldness,
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holding his life loosely
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for the sake of others.
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And so this week,
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we will address
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the final three ways
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to honor God
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in the midst of persecution.
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So Acts 4, 23-31.
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Beloved, this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory
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and our good.
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We would all do well
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to listen to it
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in order to believe
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its promises
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and obey its commands.
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When they were released,
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they went to their friends
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and reported
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what the chief priests
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and the elders
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had said to them.
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And when they heard it,
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they lifted their voices
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together to God
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and said,
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Sovereign Lord,
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who made the heaven
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and the earth
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and the sea
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and everything in them,
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who through the mouth
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of our Father David,
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your servant,
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said by the Holy Spirit,
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why did the Gentiles rage
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and the people's plot
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in vain?
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The kings of the earth
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set themselves
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and the rulers
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were gathered together
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against the Lord
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and against His anointed.
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For truly in this city
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they were gathered together
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against your holy servant Jesus,
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whom you anointed,
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both Herod and Pontius Pilate,
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along with the Gentiles
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and the peoples of Israel,
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to do whatever your hand
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and your plan
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had predestined
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to take place.
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And now, Lord,
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look upon their threats
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and grant to your servants
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to continue to speak
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your word
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with all boldness
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while you stretch out
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your hand to heal
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and signs and wonders
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are performed
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through the name
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of your holy servant Jesus.
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And when they had prayed,
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the place in which
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they were gathered together
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was shaken
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and they were all filled
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with the Holy Spirit
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and continued to speak
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the word of God
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with boldness.
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And so the fifth way
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to honor God
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in the midst of persecution
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is to be committed
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to fellowship.
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Be committed to fellowship.
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Verse 23
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and the first part of 24,
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notice that the very first thing
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that they did
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was go to their friends
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and report what the chief priests
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and the elders
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had said to them.
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I find it so fascinating
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that they've gone through now
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this epic trial,
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spent a night in prison,
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and the very first thing
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that they do
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is they go to their friends.
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And it seems to me, beloved,
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that when we have trouble
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in this world,
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we are less likely
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to gather with believers.
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Something just doesn't go
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quite right in our day.
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The morning starts out
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a little rough
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and we choose
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to not gather together.
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Beloved, when things
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aren't going well
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in our lives,
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that's all the more reason
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to be with the people of God.
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And this speaks
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to the plasticity
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of our environment.
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All of us as people
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have a front stage
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and a backstage.
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We hang a great curtain
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between the two
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and we have the front stage
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all neat
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and all tidied up.
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And when something
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spills out of the backstage
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onto the front stage,
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we're so quick
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to run people
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out of the theater.
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Are we not?
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The very best thing
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for all of us
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would be if the curtain
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would be torn down.
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That you would truly
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know me.
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And what better way
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to do that
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than when things
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aren't going well,
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we get together.
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If you have a fever
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or you're throwing up,
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don't come to church
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on Sunday.
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Don't meet
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with your community
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outreach group.
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But if you're in town,
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otherwise,
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you should be
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with the people of God
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when the people of God
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gather.
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Think about the way
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I would have felt
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after having spent
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a night in prison.
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This is not
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a fancy accommodation
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that they spent.
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It was likely
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not much more
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than a hole
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in the ground
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where they spent
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their time.
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I think I could have
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gone for a shower
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and a nap
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before I showed up
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to fellowship
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with the people of God.
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But they go
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immediately.
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They desired
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fellowship
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after leaving
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the council.
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And they go
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to see their
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friends.
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friends.
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This should not
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be limited
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to the apostles.
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I also don't think
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it should be expanded
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to the entire church.
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There wasn't really
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a great place
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for them all
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to meet together.
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It could have been
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that initial
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120 that received
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the Spirit
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on the day of Pentecost
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or some subset
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of that number.
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But they were
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their friends.
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It's a single word
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in the Greek.
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the NASV
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renders that phrase
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their own companions
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which helps give
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more meaning
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to the idea.
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We could say
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in the ESV
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we could add
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the word
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own their own
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friends.
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It signifies
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that they belonged
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to one another.
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Here not many days
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into the birth
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of the Christian church
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and because of what
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Christ had done
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on their behalf
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they already saw
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themselves
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as belonging
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to one another.
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They were a
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faith family
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as I love Kyle
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says so often.
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They went to
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their own
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friends
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and they
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shared the news
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and the first part
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of verse 24
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what did they do
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when they gathered
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together?
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They prayed.
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They did spiritual
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things together.
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When they heard it
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they lifted their
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voices together
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to God.
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So persecution
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draws the church
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of God
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together.
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And we should be
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experiencing that
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beloved.
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We should be
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feeling so strange
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out in the world
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rejected so often
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by the world
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that we come
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together
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when we can
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whenever we can
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to just not feel
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crazy.
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Other people
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believe in this
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Christ.
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Other people
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have been changed
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by Him.
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We come together
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to rejoice.
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Our singing
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together should be
19:47
so warming to
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your heart
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because you go
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I'm not losing
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my mind.
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Other people
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believe this.
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It creates
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solidarity
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amongst
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God's people.
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You might not
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care to meet
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with God's people
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because you don't
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need God's people.
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Because you don't
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experience
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the hatred
20:07
of God's people
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in the world.
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It creates
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solidarity.
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We can see an
20:12
example of that
20:13
in a very practical
20:14
way on into
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chapter 4
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verses 32
20:17
through 35.
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The way in which
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they come and
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share their
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possessions together
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and meet each
20:22
other's needs.
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It creates
20:24
solidarity.
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On the front
20:27
of your bulletin
20:28
is a Charles
20:30
Spurgeon
20:30
quotation.
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Some Christians
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try to go to
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heaven alone
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in solitude,
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but believers
20:36
are not compared
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to bears
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or lions
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or other animals
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that wander
20:41
alone,
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but those
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who belong
20:43
to Christ
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are sheep
20:44
in this respect
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that they love
20:47
to get
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together.
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Sheep go in
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flocks
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and so do
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God's
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people.
20:55
So the fifth
20:56
way to honor
20:57
God in the
20:58
midst of persecution
20:59
is to be committed
21:00
to fellowship.
21:01
The sixth way
21:02
is to be
21:03
thankful.
21:05
It's to be
21:05
thankful.
21:07
Last part of
21:07
verse 24
21:08
through 28.
21:10
This is the
21:10
beginning of
21:11
their prayer.
21:14
They were
21:15
thankful for
21:15
the fulfillment
21:16
of God's
21:18
eternal
21:19
plan.
21:21
Thankful for
21:22
the fulfillment
21:23
of God's
21:24
eternal
21:24
plan.
21:26
The persecution
21:26
of Peter and
21:27
John was no
21:28
surprise to
21:29
them.
21:30
And they
21:30
start out
21:31
this prayer,
21:34
Sovereign
21:35
Lord.
21:36
Some of your
21:37
translations might
21:38
simply say,
21:39
O Lord.
21:41
It's one
21:42
word,
21:43
which is why
21:43
it's translated
21:44
that way in
21:44
some translations.
21:45
ESV tries to
21:46
give us a little
21:46
more meaning
21:47
to what they
21:48
meant by
21:48
Lord.
21:49
Sovereign
21:49
Lord.
21:51
It's only
21:52
used five
21:52
other places
21:53
in the
21:54
entirety of
21:55
the New
21:55
Testament.
21:57
So ESV
21:58
is weighting
21:59
it,
22:00
giving it
22:00
this
22:01
larger
22:03
title,
22:03
because it
22:04
denotes
22:04
an
22:05
absolute
22:06
master,
22:08
sovereign
22:08
Lord.
22:10
They were
22:10
thankful for
22:11
God's
22:11
complete
22:12
control
22:13
of
22:13
all
22:14
things.
22:17
They go
22:18
on to say,
22:19
who made
22:20
the heaven
22:21
and the
22:22
earth
22:22
and the
22:23
sea
22:23
and
22:24
everything
22:25
in them.
22:26
You are
22:27
creator.
22:29
You created
22:29
all things
22:30
and you
22:31
sustain all
22:32
things
22:32
by your
22:33
sovereign
22:34
hand.
22:36
I don't
22:37
understand how
22:38
Christians who
22:38
don't believe in
22:39
the sovereignty
22:39
of God go
22:40
through difficult
22:41
times.
22:42
It makes
22:43
absolutely no
22:44
sense to me
22:45
whatsoever.
22:47
God is
22:48
fully in
22:48
control of
22:49
everything and
22:50
nothing
22:51
escapes
22:52
his grasp.
22:54
They have
22:54
great reason
22:55
to be
22:56
thankful,
22:57
to see
22:57
his sovereign
22:58
purposes
22:59
working out.
23:01
They understood
23:02
that what
23:02
was happening
23:03
was the
23:04
fulfillment of
23:05
what God
23:06
had said
23:06
would
23:07
happen.
23:09
And they
23:10
cite Psalm
23:10
chapter 2
23:12
verses 1
23:13
through 2.
23:15
See the
23:16
sovereign
23:16
Lord,
23:17
verse 25,
23:18
who through
23:18
the mouth
23:19
of our
23:20
father David,
23:21
who penned
23:22
Psalm 2,
23:23
you,
23:24
your servant,
23:25
said by the
23:26
Holy Spirit.
23:29
So they
23:30
recognized that
23:31
God wrote
23:31
by the
23:32
inspiration of
23:33
the Spirit
23:33
and the
23:34
pen of
23:35
David,
23:36
Psalm 2,
23:37
1 and
23:38
2.
23:38
Why did
23:39
the Gentiles
23:39
rage?
23:40
And the
23:41
people's plot
23:41
in vain.
23:42
The kings
23:43
of the earth
23:43
set themselves
23:44
and the
23:44
rulers were
23:44
gathered
23:45
together
23:45
against the
23:46
Lord,
23:47
against
23:47
His
23:48
anointed.
23:50
In
23:50
Hebrew,
23:52
Messiah.
23:53
In
23:53
Greek,
23:54
Christ.
23:55
Against
23:56
God and
23:57
Christ.
24:00
So they
24:00
reference
24:01
canonized
24:03
Scripture.
24:03
They knew
24:04
to be the
24:05
Word of
24:05
God,
24:06
to see
24:06
this
24:07
fulfillment.
24:09
Now we
24:10
have a
24:10
broader
24:10
canon now,
24:12
do we not?
24:13
We have
24:14
John's
24:14
writing,
24:15
which came
24:15
after the
24:16
record of
24:17
what's
24:17
happening
24:17
here.
24:18
They
24:19
didn't have
24:19
John's
24:20
writing yet,
24:21
but let's
24:21
think about
24:21
together
24:22
some
24:23
broader
24:24
canon.
24:24
John 15,
24:26
18-20.
24:27
Jesus says,
24:28
If the
24:29
world hates
24:29
you,
24:30
know that
24:30
it has
24:31
hated
24:31
me before
24:31
it hated
24:32
you.
24:33
If you
24:33
were of
24:33
the world,
24:34
the world
24:34
would love
24:34
you as
24:35
its own.
24:36
But because
24:36
you were
24:36
not of
24:36
the world,
24:37
but I
24:38
chose you
24:38
out of
24:38
the world,
24:39
therefore
24:39
the world
24:40
hates you.
24:41
Remember
24:42
the word
24:42
that I
24:43
said to
24:43
you,
24:43
a servant
24:44
is not
24:44
greater
24:45
than his
24:45
master.
24:46
If they
24:46
persecute
24:47
me,
24:47
they will
24:47
also
24:47
persecute
24:48
you.
24:49
If they
24:49
kept
24:49
my word,
24:50
they will
24:51
also keep
24:52
yours.
24:53
So they're
24:54
remembering
24:54
these
24:54
things,
24:55
right?
24:55
It's
24:55
yet to
24:56
be
24:56
canonized.
24:56
They're
24:57
citing
24:57
from
24:58
Psalm
24:58
2,
24:59
1 and
24:59
2,
25:00
but they're
25:00
bringing
25:00
to their
25:01
remembrance
25:02
the things
25:02
that Jesus
25:03
had spoken
25:04
to them.
25:06
So the
25:06
persecution
25:07
of Peter
25:07
and John
25:08
serves
25:09
as further
25:10
confirmation
25:11
that Jesus
25:12
is the
25:13
Christ.
25:15
A great
25:16
deal to
25:17
rejoice in
25:18
at this
25:19
point.
25:21
So they
25:21
go on to
25:22
simply say
25:22
in verses
25:23
27,
25:23
28,
25:25
that there
25:26
were in
25:27
fact people
25:27
in the
25:27
city gathered
25:28
against your
25:28
holy servant
25:29
Jesus.
25:30
Fulfillment
25:30
of 2,
25:31
1 through
25:31
2,
25:32
Psalm
25:32
2,
25:32
1,
25:32
2,
25:32
through,
25:33
whom you
25:34
anointed,
25:34
your
25:34
anointed
25:35
one,
25:35
your
25:35
Messiah,
25:36
the
25:36
Christ,
25:37
Herod and
25:37
Pontius
25:37
Pilate with
25:38
the Gentiles
25:39
and the
25:40
peoples of
25:41
Israel to
25:42
do what
25:43
your hand
25:43
and your
25:44
plan had
25:45
predestined
25:46
to take
25:47
place.
25:49
Christ was
25:49
crucified by
25:50
the preordained
25:52
purpose
25:53
of God.
25:55
Their
25:55
thanksgiving
25:56
in the
25:56
midst of
25:56
persecution
25:57
reminds me
25:59
of the
25:59
instruction of
26:00
Paul in
26:01
Philippians
26:01
chapter 4,
26:03
verses 4
26:04
through 7.
26:05
So here
26:05
they are
26:05
rejoicing,
26:07
being thankful
26:07
for the
26:08
thing that
26:09
has happened.
26:11
Verse 4,
26:12
Philippians 4,
26:13
rejoice in
26:14
the Lord
26:14
always.
26:17
Again, I
26:17
will say
26:18
rejoice.
26:19
Let your
26:19
reasonableness
26:20
be known
26:21
to everyone.
26:23
The Lord
26:23
is at
26:24
hand or
26:24
He is
26:25
present.
26:27
Do not
26:27
be anxious
26:28
about anything
26:28
but in
26:28
everything by
26:29
prayer and
26:30
supplication.
26:31
With
26:31
thanksgiving,
26:33
let your
26:33
requests be
26:34
made known
26:34
to God
26:35
and the
26:36
peace of
26:36
God which
26:36
surpasses all
26:37
understanding
26:38
will guard
26:38
your hearts
26:39
and your
26:40
minds in
26:41
Christ Jesus.
26:43
They're
26:43
recognizing the
26:44
presence of
26:45
God in
26:46
fulfilling
26:47
His
26:47
promises.
26:49
and they're
26:50
thankful for
26:51
it.
26:52
So be
26:53
committed to
26:54
fellowship.
26:55
Be thankful.
26:56
And finally,
26:57
the seventh
26:57
way to
27:00
honor God
27:00
in the
27:00
midst of
27:01
persecution
27:01
is to
27:03
be prayerful.
27:05
Now, they've
27:05
already been
27:06
praying.
27:06
I recognize
27:07
that previously
27:08
in our text.
27:09
I want to
27:10
pick up in
27:10
verse 29
27:11
through the
27:12
end
27:13
through 31
27:16
through the
27:16
end of our
27:17
text.
27:19
be
27:20
prayerful.
27:21
Verse 29,
27:23
And now,
27:24
Lord, look
27:25
upon their
27:25
threats and
27:26
grant to
27:27
your servants
27:28
to continue
27:28
to speak
27:29
your word
27:29
with all
27:31
boldness
27:31
while you
27:32
stretch out
27:32
your hand
27:33
to heal
27:33
and signs
27:34
and wonders
27:34
are performed
27:34
through the
27:35
name of
27:35
your holy
27:35
servant,
27:37
Jesus.
27:38
Be
27:38
prayerful.
27:40
Certainly be
27:40
prayerful
27:41
independently.
27:42
Closet
27:43
prayer is an
27:43
important part
27:44
of the
27:44
Christian
27:44
life,
27:45
but
27:45
specifically
27:45
the
27:46
exhortation
27:46
here is to
27:47
be prayerful
27:48
corporately.
27:51
The example
27:52
of corporate
27:53
prayer is
27:54
found in
27:55
a multitude
27:55
of places
27:56
in the
27:57
book of
27:58
Acts.
27:58
I just
27:59
want to
27:59
show you
27:59
a few.
28:00
Ready?
28:02
Chapter 1
28:03
verse 14
28:03
and chapter 2
28:04
verse 42
28:05
see the
28:07
church
28:07
devoted
28:08
to prayer.
28:10
Today's
28:10
text,
28:11
424,
28:11
they lifted
28:12
their voices
28:12
together
28:13
to God.
28:15
Chapter 6
28:16
verse 6
28:17
the church
28:18
chooses
28:19
seven
28:19
deacons
28:20
and they
28:21
pray
28:22
for them.
28:23
Chapter 12
28:24
verse 5
28:25
Peter is
28:25
in prison
28:26
and earnest
28:27
prayer is
28:28
made for
28:28
him to
28:29
God
28:29
by the
28:30
church.
28:31
And when
28:31
he escapes
28:32
from prison
28:32
he finds
28:33
many gathered
28:34
together
28:35
and praying.
28:36
That's
28:36
chapter 12
28:36
verse 12.
28:38
Chapter 13
28:39
verse 3
28:40
after fasting
28:41
and praying
28:42
the church
28:42
in Antioch
28:43
sends Paul
28:44
and Barnabas
28:44
on the
28:46
first missionary
28:46
journey.
28:47
Chapter 14
28:48
verse 23
28:49
elders are
28:50
appointed
28:50
and committed
28:51
to the
28:51
Lord
28:51
with prayer
28:53
and fasting.
28:54
Chapter 16
28:55
verse 25
28:56
Paul and
28:57
Silas
28:58
are imprisoned
28:59
and they're
29:00
praying
29:00
and singing
29:01
hymns
29:01
while in
29:02
jail.
29:04
Chapter 20
29:05
verse 36
29:06
Paul prays
29:07
with the
29:08
Ephesian
29:09
elders
29:09
when departing
29:11
from them.
29:12
So we're
29:12
seeing a
29:13
clearly
29:14
prescriptive
29:16
pattern
29:16
of corporate
29:18
prayer
29:19
just in
29:20
the book
29:21
of Acts
29:22
and it's
29:22
commanded of
29:23
us
29:23
elsewhere.
29:25
So they're
29:25
praying
29:26
together.
29:26
Be
29:27
prayerful.
29:28
And what
29:29
is it that
29:29
they request
29:30
of God?
29:32
More
29:32
boldness.
29:33
And that
29:33
just astounds
29:34
me.
29:35
On the
29:36
heels of
29:36
such great
29:37
boldness
29:38
they ask
29:39
for
29:39
more
29:41
boldness.
29:43
They know
29:44
that they
29:44
need the
29:44
power of
29:45
God
29:45
to fulfill
29:47
the purposes
29:48
of God.
29:50
Grant
29:50
to your
29:50
servants
29:51
to continue
29:52
to speak
29:53
your word
29:54
with all
29:55
boldness.
29:58
And interestingly
29:58
they ask
29:59
that while
29:59
God works
30:00
miracles
30:01
notice verse
30:02
30
30:02
while you
30:03
stretch out
30:03
your hand
30:03
to heal
30:04
and signs
30:05
and wonders
30:05
are performed
30:06
through the name
30:06
of your
30:06
holy servant
30:07
Jesus
30:08
give us
30:10
boldness
30:11
to speak.
30:12
Amidst the
30:13
miracles
30:13
amidst the
30:14
things that
30:14
are going
30:14
on around
30:15
us
30:16
grant us
30:18
boldness.
30:21
And you
30:21
can see
30:21
that this
30:22
is a
30:22
prayer
30:22
that's
30:23
within
30:23
the will
30:23
of God
30:24
because
30:24
in verse
30:24
31
30:25
it says
30:26
at the
30:26
very end
30:26
of verse
30:27
31
30:27
they were
30:27
filled
30:28
with the
30:28
Holy Spirit
30:28
and continued
30:29
to speak
30:30
the word
30:31
of God
30:31
with boldness.
30:33
They have
30:34
been commanded
30:34
by the
30:35
Sanhedrin
30:35
to no
30:36
longer
30:36
speak
30:37
in the
30:37
name
30:38
of Jesus.
30:39
And before
30:40
the Sanhedrin
30:40
Peter and
30:41
John
30:41
collectively
30:42
have said
30:42
for we
30:43
cannot
30:43
but speak
30:44
of what
30:45
we have
30:45
seen
30:45
and heard.
30:49
And I
30:50
think that
30:50
they know
30:50
how sheepish
30:52
their own
30:53
hearts
30:53
could be.
30:55
And so
30:55
they pray
30:56
for more
30:57
boldness
30:58
and God
30:58
grants it
30:59
to them
30:59
and they
31:00
act
31:01
accordingly.
31:02
So we're
31:04
to be
31:04
bold
31:05
proclaimers
31:06
of the
31:06
gospel
31:07
of Jesus
31:08
Christ.
31:10
And we're
31:10
to be
31:11
prepared
31:11
and expect
31:12
that some
31:13
people will
31:14
respond
31:15
unfavorably
31:16
to that
31:17
message.
31:19
John writes
31:20
in 1 John
31:20
3.13
31:21
Do not be
31:22
surprised
31:23
for others
31:24
that the
31:24
world
31:25
hates you.
31:28
So when you
31:29
are hated
31:29
for the message
31:30
of Christ
31:31
as you go
31:31
out from
31:32
this place
31:32
and you
31:34
preach it
31:34
boldly
31:35
to people
31:35
who desperately
31:36
need it
31:37
remember
31:38
these seven
31:39
ways to
31:40
honor God
31:40
in the midst
31:41
of persecution.
31:42
Be expendable.
31:43
Be filled
31:44
with the
31:44
Spirit.
31:45
Be bold.
31:46
Be obedient
31:46
at all
31:47
cost.
31:48
Be committed
31:49
to fellowship.
31:50
Be thankful
31:50
and be
31:52
prayerful.
31:55
And I
31:55
want to
31:55
conclude
31:56
with another
31:57
quotation
31:57
from C.T.
31:58
Studd.
31:58
He was a
31:59
late 19th
32:00
early 20th
32:00
century
32:01
contemporary
32:01
of John
32:03
G.
32:03
Patton
32:03
on the
32:04
front of
32:04
your
32:04
bulletin.
32:04
Some
32:05
want to
32:05
live
32:05
within
32:06
the
32:06
sound
32:06
of
32:07
church
32:07
or
32:08
chapel
32:08
bell.
32:09
I
32:09
want to
32:09
run
32:10
a
32:10
rescue
32:10
shop
32:11
within
32:12
a
32:12
yard
32:12
of
32:13
hell.
32:14
Let's
32:14
pray
32:14
together.