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Philippians 1:12-19 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Open up your Bibles to Philippians.
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So again, it's me up here.
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College students, sorry.
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You might get a break from me this week
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I believe our third week in Philippians.
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And Paul is writing from Rome
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and he is under, well, he's in prison.
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But we, as I said last week,
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if you want to go back
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and get some of the background of Philippians,
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you can go listen to the previous message.
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But more than likely he was under some form,
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hey, he was under some form of house arrest
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or as a Roman citizen had, you know,
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somewhat comfortable quarters at the time.
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Now, he had much more severe imprisonments later
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and in other places.
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And, but if you read the end of the book of Acts,
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we see that when Paul came to Rome,
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he actually was able to preach the gospel unhindered.
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And it says he welcomed all who came to his quarters
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and spent time with them.
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And while he was awaiting trial from Caesar,
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which we probably think did not happen,
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but he was, he seemed confident
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even in the book of Philippians
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about being released.
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And he talks about even another missionary journey.
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And so we're confident that he was released
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from this particular imprisonment.
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So today, I guess if we had a title for the message,
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it would be the advancement of the gospel.
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And just by way of introduction,
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obviously, let's just read our text together.
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We'll be in chapter 1.
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And we're going to start in verse 12.
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And he says, Paul,
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I want you to know, brothers,
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that what has happened to me
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has really served to advance the gospel
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so that it has become known
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throughout the whole imperial guard
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and to all the rest
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that my imprisonment is for Christ.
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And most of all,
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most of the brothers,
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having become confident in the Lord
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by my imprisonment,
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are much more bold
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to speak the word without fear.
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Some, indeed,
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preach Christ from envy and rivalry,
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but others from goodwill.
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The latter do it out of love,
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knowing that I am put here
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for the defense of the gospel.
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The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry,
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not sincerely,
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but thinking to afflict me
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in my imprisonment.
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What then?
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Only that in every way,
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whether in pretense or in truth,
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Christ is proclaimed
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and in that I rejoice.
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Yes, I will rejoice.
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For I know that through your prayers
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and the help of the Spirit
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of Jesus Christ,
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this will turn out for my deliverance.
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So, we'll stop there.
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We could get into verse 20,
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but I could just camp on verse 20 forever.
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So we'll just save it for next week
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and tie it in to next week.
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But for introduction's sake,
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just look at verse 12.
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He says,
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I want you to know, brothers,
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that what has happened to me
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has really served
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to advance the gospel.
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And things hadn't quite turned out
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for Paul as he wanted.
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He thought that
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he actually was going to get
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some really great public trial,
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hopefully before Caesar,
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because he had appealed to Caesar,
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which would have been
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the whack job Nero,
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but he probably
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did not actually hear him,
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in which case
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some other officials
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would have heard him.
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And he says, though,
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that his imprisonment in Rome
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hasn't hindered
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the advancement of the gospel,
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but rather is served
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as a progression of the gospel.
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And God had chosen
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to use his arrest
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to spread the news of Christ
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to many of the elites in Rome.
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So the main focus
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of the message today
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is that the gospel
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will go forth
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no matter what,
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and it will advance
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from every place
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where it is preached.
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No matter what circumstance,
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I guess,
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you find yourself in,
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we are to be proclaiming Christ
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to a lost and dying world
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around us.
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So,
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the Greek word advancement
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is a metaphor
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for pioneers
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who are cutting away
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before an army
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and to further its march.
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So I will,
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I spared you
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a lot of history last week,
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I might not spare you this week.
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So,
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other than my good friend
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Parker Kleindeek,
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who I can now talk
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about history with,
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and someone else
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who enjoys it,
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most people get bored.
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But,
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one of the most remarkable
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advancements in history,
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I believe,
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was around 200 B.C.
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So imagine being in 200 B.C.,
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and I said,
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I want you to organize
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an army
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from several different nations,
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most of which
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that don't really like each other.
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I want you to train them.
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I want you to march
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a thousand miles
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over rugged wilderness.
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I want you to cross
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or forge large rivers,
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defeat any native peoples
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that might harass you
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along the way,
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keep moving,
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cross the Alps
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in freezing,
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cold,
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winter weather,
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go down into Italy,
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and then defeat
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10 Roman legions,
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roughly 70,000 men,
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some of the best trained,
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the best trained army
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in the ancient world.
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Would anybody want that job?
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That just sounds awful.
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Let it actually happen.
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That advancement,
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which is what he's talking about here,
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the same kind of word,
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happened by Hannibal
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in his Carthaginian army.
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Military historians
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at West Point
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and every other
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in North Georgia,
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hopefully,
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if not,
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then we're going downhill.
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We've got to talk about this.
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they study
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this advancement,
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this movement
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of Hannibal's army
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into Rome.
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He had
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declared war on them.
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They had harassed him
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and his people
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for centuries.
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And around 22 BC,
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he came to power.
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And he had an army
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of about 38,000 infantry,
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8,000 cavalry,
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and 37 war elephants.
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Made up from a lot
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of different nations,
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but they united together
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to fight against Rome,
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spoke different languages.
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He had to cross
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a lot of rivers
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to feed a lot of different
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barbaric peoples
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along the way.
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And he marched
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through the Alps
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in the middle of winter,
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which most Romans
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thought was impossible.
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And he actually cut
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through the mountains,
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like broke through
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the rock,
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and made a way
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to go down in it.
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And so,
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he finally
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got down
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into Italy
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where a huge,
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one of the largest
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Roman armies
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ever assembled.
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70,000 men
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were waiting for him,
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about 10 Roman legions,
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and he defeated them.
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Almost killed them
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to the man.
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It was one of the worst
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military defeats
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in Roman history.
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But,
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people studied
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that crazy march,
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like how in the world
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did he do it
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under such circumstances.
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And,
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but I say that
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because
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both of those advancements,
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both of Carthage
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and Rome,
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are over.
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Period.
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They don't,
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they're not around
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today.
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But Paul is using
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that same word
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that you would talk about
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for some sort of
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military advancement
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to describe
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how his advancement,
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the advancement
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of the gospel,
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has not been stopped.
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It hasn't been prevented.
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It hadn't been thwarted.
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And,
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remember,
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it has gone out
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through,
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to every nation,
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nation to nation,
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across oceans,
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to many different
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people's groups,
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from persecutions.
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people have tried
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to destroy
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the word of God.
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People have tried
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to destroy
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the gospel
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and his missionaries,
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his people.
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We're still here.
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And,
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it's still going forward
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even today,
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many,
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many,
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many years later.
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So,
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God has promised
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that no power,
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earthly or spiritual,
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is going to stop
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the advancement
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of the gospel.
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And,
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I love Isaiah 40,
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which we studied
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a few weeks ago,
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where it foretells
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of this advancement,
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right,
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that later,
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John the Baptist
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spoke of.
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But a voice cries
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in the wilderness,
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prepare the way
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of the Lord.
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Make straight
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in the desert
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a highway for our God.
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Every valley
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will be lifted up
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and every mountain
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and hill
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be made low.
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And the uneven ground
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become level
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and the rough places plain.
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And the glory
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of the Lord
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shall be revealed
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and all flesh
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shall see it together
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for the mouth
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of the Lord
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has spoken.
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And so,
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it's coming.
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Like he said,
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it's here
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when John the Baptist
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said that
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in the person
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of Christ.
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So,
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today,
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we're going to talk
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about four different ways
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that the gospel
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affects those
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who share it.
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How the gospel
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affects us.
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So,
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don't get comfortable.
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But number one,
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these are
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talking about our text,
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sharing the gospel
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affects your soul.
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Sharing the gospel
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affects your soul.
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Paul recognized
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that his imprisonment
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released the power
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of the gospel,
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but even his imprisonment
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did not bind
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the gospel.
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He knew that God
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had brought him there,
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so he didn't complain.
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He kind of just
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accepted it
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as it was,
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accepted the present
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circumstances
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and allowed God
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to use him
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where he was.
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So,
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in 2 Timothy
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chapter 2,
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this was his last
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imprisonment,
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by the way,
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when he wrote
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2 Timothy,
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so more than likely
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his last imprisonment
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before he was executed.
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But he wrote
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to Timothy
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saying,
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remember
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Jesus Christ,
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risen from the dead,
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the offspring
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of David,
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as preached
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in my gospel,
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for which I am suffering,
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bound with chains
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as a criminal.
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But,
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the word of God
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is not bound.
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Therefore,
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I endure everything
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for the sake
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of the elect,
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that they also
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may obtain
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the salvation
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that is in Christ Jesus
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with eternal glory.
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and I hope
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and pray
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that
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we can somehow
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be challenged
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by those words,
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I endure
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everything,
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so that they
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can actually
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hear
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the gospel,
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so that we
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may obtain
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salvation.
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And even though
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he recognizes
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that he's chained,
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like he's saying,
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the gospel
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is not chained,
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the word of God
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is not chained,
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it's going forward.
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And,
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God will allow
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us to go through
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many,
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many hardships
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in order
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to share
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the gospel
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with other people.
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So,
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I would even,
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you know,
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say,
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God will even
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allow death
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to even happen
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to one of his own
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children
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if it means
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bring salvation
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to other people.
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If you don't think
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that God would allow
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suffering to come
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upon his own
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for the sake
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of others being
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saved,
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then we have to
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just go back
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to the cross
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because he allowed
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his son
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to suffer
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the worst
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kind of death
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so that we
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might step
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into salvation
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and eternal life.
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Christ is
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committed
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to saving
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his people
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no matter what.
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And he went
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into the most
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dreadful place
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so that we
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could be saved.
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In John 6,
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this is telling you
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his commitment,
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John 6,
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verse 37,
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he says,
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all that the
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Father gives me
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will come to me.
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And whoever
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comes to me
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I will never
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cast out.
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For I have
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come down
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from heaven
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not to do
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my own will
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but the will
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of him
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who sent me.
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And this is
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the will
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of him
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who sent me
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that I should
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lose nothing
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of all that
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he has given me
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but raise it up
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on the last day.
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all that
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he has come
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to save
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will be saved.
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And we can
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be a part of that.
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It's a mission
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that's going to
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happen.
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And he's chosen
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to use us
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as his
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instruments,
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his messengers.
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So,
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one of the ways,
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again,
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that the gospel
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affects your own
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soul
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is that
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this is the most
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basic,
13:26
easy thing,
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guys.
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we glorify
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and we praise
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what we love
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the most.
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Some of you
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don't like to
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talk about
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stuff like this
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but you could
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talk all day
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about something
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else.
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And what we
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talk about,
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what we do
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with our time,
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what we read
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about,
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how we spend
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our money,
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it reflects
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what we really
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love.
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And we praise
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the things,
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again,
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that we love
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the most
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and we have
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to express
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that out loud
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a lot of the
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time.
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So,
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before his
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conversion,
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C.S. Lewis
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wondered why
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the Bible
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was filled
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with the
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term praise
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a lot.
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He said it
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sounded like
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an old woman
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wanting compliments
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at first.
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But then,
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this is where
14:09
he wrote,
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I think we
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delight to
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praise what
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we enjoy
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because the
14:14
praise not
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merely expresses
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but completes
14:18
the enjoyment.
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And that
14:21
is it.
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Like,
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we can't
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just not
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talk about
14:25
it.
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And it
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says in
14:28
Psalm 34,
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I will
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bless the
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Lord at
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all times
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and his
14:32
praise should
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be continually
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in my
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mouth.
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My soul
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must boast
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in the
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Lord.
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I
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magnify the
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Lord with
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me and let
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us exalt
14:42
his name
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together.
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His name
14:44
will be on
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our lips
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at all
14:46
times.
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And so,
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as a child
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of God,
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we should
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love expressing
14:51
that to
14:52
other people.
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We have
14:53
the privilege,
14:54
again,
14:54
of being
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his
14:55
messengers.
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And,
14:58
again,
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it's as easy
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as remembering
15:00
that your
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affections in
15:02
Christ will
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compel you to
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talk about
15:04
Christ with
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other people.
15:06
We can't be
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silent.
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So,
15:08
the joy of
15:09
Christ has
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to kind of
15:11
break out
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somehow.
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God is
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putting his
15:15
joy into
15:16
you and it
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has to come
15:17
out or else
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it will be
15:18
kind of like
15:18
the Dead
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Sea where
15:19
everything goes
15:20
in but
15:20
nothing comes
15:21
out.
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And so,
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that's one
15:24
of the most
15:24
basic ways.
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And if we
15:26
don't have
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any desire
15:27
to talk
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about it,
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then there's
15:29
something wrong
15:30
in our
15:30
affections.
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So,
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number two,
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just to kind
15:35
of move on,
15:36
we're going
15:36
to cover
15:37
some more
15:37
of this.
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Number two,
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sharing the
15:41
gospel affects
15:42
lost souls.
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See this in
15:45
verse 13.
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He says,
15:47
So,
15:47
it has
15:48
become known
15:48
throughout the
15:49
whole imperial
15:50
guard and to
15:52
the rest that
15:53
my imprisonment
15:53
is for
15:54
Christ.
15:56
So,
15:57
again,
15:57
his imprisonment
15:58
was kind of
15:58
becoming well
15:59
known.
15:59
People were
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finding out
16:01
who he was
16:02
and why he
16:02
was there.
16:03
So,
16:04
the imperial
16:04
guard really
16:05
is the
16:06
praetorian
16:07
guard,
16:08
the elite
16:08
guard of
16:09
the Roman
16:09
emperor,
16:11
stationed at
16:11
the palace
16:12
to guard
16:13
the emperor
16:13
and etc.
16:14
and important
16:15
other places
16:15
in Rome.
16:16
Paul knew
16:17
the influence
16:18
that those
16:19
men could
16:19
have for
16:21
the gospel
16:22
and so,
16:24
somehow,
16:25
the chain
16:25
reaction,
16:25
right,
16:26
it was going
16:27
to the
16:28
imperial guard.
16:29
It was
16:29
reaching the
16:30
palace itself,
16:32
right?
16:33
And after
16:34
that time,
16:35
they began,
16:35
many people
16:36
in the
16:36
household of
16:37
Caesar were
16:38
coming to
16:39
know the
16:39
name of
16:40
Christ.
16:41
And just
16:42
think about
16:43
it though,
16:43
he didn't
16:43
say,
16:44
like,
16:44
Lord,
16:44
why am I
16:45
chained up
16:45
here?
16:45
Like,
16:46
this is,
16:46
I could
16:47
do so
16:47
much more
16:48
if I
16:48
was just
16:49
released.
16:50
It was
16:51
more of
16:51
like,
16:53
you know,
16:54
the guards
16:55
that are
16:55
hanging out
16:55
with Paul
16:56
and he's,
16:57
so what
16:57
are you in
16:58
for,
16:58
bro?
17:00
Well,
17:00
let me tell
17:01
you,
17:01
because you
17:01
can't go
17:02
anywhere and
17:03
I'm stuck
17:03
with you.
17:04
So,
17:05
I love
17:06
sharing the
17:06
gospel with
17:06
people on
17:07
airplanes because
17:07
they're stuck
17:08
with you.
17:08
They can't
17:09
go anywhere.
17:10
So,
17:10
until eventually
17:11
they put their
17:12
headphones on or
17:13
something,
17:13
you're like,
17:14
no problem.
17:15
But yeah,
17:15
but it's as easy
17:17
as it was
17:17
spreading and
17:18
it was affecting
17:18
many people in
17:20
the city of Rome,
17:21
including the
17:22
elite Praetorian
17:24
guard.
17:26
And so,
17:26
we should feel
17:28
brokenness in our
17:29
soul for
17:30
the lost.
17:31
lost.
17:33
We once were
17:34
in that place
17:35
ourselves.
17:37
Many of you,
17:37
not that long
17:38
ago,
17:39
you remember
17:39
what it was
17:40
like to walk
17:41
in darkness.
17:43
And God
17:44
has chosen,
17:45
again,
17:45
to use us
17:46
to be the
17:46
ones to bring
17:47
a message to
17:48
them that's
17:48
going to set
17:49
their souls
17:50
free.
17:52
And I love
17:53
hearing about,
17:55
and I hope
17:56
any of us
17:56
do,
17:57
about how God
17:58
has saved
17:59
someone and
17:59
changed them
18:00
and given
18:00
them new
18:01
life in
18:02
Christ.
18:04
And so,
18:05
we should be
18:05
broken for
18:07
their souls.
18:10
Thirdly,
18:11
excuse me,
18:11
this is number
18:12
three.
18:13
Sharing the
18:14
gospel affects
18:15
fellow believers.
18:17
So,
18:17
it affects our
18:18
souls,
18:18
it affects
18:19
lost souls,
18:21
and sharing
18:21
the gospel
18:22
affects fellow
18:23
believers.
18:24
He says this
18:24
in verse 14.
18:26
He says that
18:27
most of the
18:29
brothers,
18:29
having become
18:30
confident in
18:31
the Lord
18:31
by my
18:32
imprisonment,
18:33
are much
18:33
more bold
18:34
to speak
18:35
the word
18:35
without fear.
18:38
So,
18:38
he says that
18:39
they're emboldened
18:40
by his
18:40
imprisonment.
18:42
I don't know
18:43
what it is,
18:44
but I'm sure
18:45
there's some
18:46
sort of
18:46
social or
18:48
psychological
18:48
term for
18:49
this.
18:50
But when I
18:51
hear stories
18:51
like this,
18:52
I get,
18:53
I'm challenged.
18:54
I'm like,
18:54
man,
18:55
what excuse
18:55
do I have
18:56
if this
18:57
is happening
18:58
in places
18:59
like prisons
19:00
where people
19:02
have endured
19:03
great persecutions
19:04
even today,
19:06
like,
19:06
what is my
19:06
excuse?
19:07
I'm challenged
19:08
by that.
19:08
I'm incited
19:09
by that.
19:11
But there are
19:12
some people
19:12
today that are
19:13
kind of like,
19:13
well,
19:14
that just makes
19:14
me feel even
19:15
worse because
19:16
I don't have
19:17
any excuse.
19:18
And I feel,
19:19
and they just
19:19
use it to
19:20
continue driving
19:21
themselves down.
19:22
And,
19:23
but,
19:23
but just
19:24
check this
19:24
out though,
19:25
what God
19:25
means for
19:26
stuff like
19:28
this to be
19:29
encouraging to
19:29
us.
19:30
He means for
19:31
it to be
19:31
challenging to
19:33
us.
19:34
So Paul is
19:35
saying that my
19:35
imprisonment has
19:36
furthered these
19:37
things.
19:37
And so I
19:38
love hearing
19:39
just,
19:41
you know,
19:42
wartime
19:42
stories from
19:43
both here in
19:44
the U.S.
19:44
and overseas.
19:46
Men and
19:47
women that are
19:47
sharing Christ
19:48
in very dangerous
19:49
and difficult
19:50
situations.
19:52
And,
19:53
again,
19:53
I rejoice
19:54
when I hear
19:54
of people
19:55
coming to
19:58
Christ and
19:58
being delivered
19:59
from sin.
20:00
One of my,
20:01
one of my best
20:02
friends,
20:04
he went to
20:05
North Georgia
20:05
many years ago,
20:06
but he and his
20:06
wife are in,
20:07
in a very
20:09
strong,
20:10
influential Muslim
20:11
country right
20:12
now.
20:13
And,
20:14
and all day
20:14
like just
20:15
preaching Christ,
20:18
making disciples
20:19
in that context.
20:20
And I,
20:21
I'm challenged
20:21
by that.
20:22
I'm not
20:22
discouraged by
20:23
that.
20:23
I'm not like,
20:24
well,
20:24
I'm just
20:24
worthless
20:25
because I'm
20:25
not doing
20:26
anything.
20:27
I'm like,
20:27
I'm like,
20:28
no,
20:28
God means
20:29
for this
20:29
to challenge
20:31
us.
20:31
So,
20:32
what I want
20:32
you to do
20:33
this week,
20:34
I'm just going
20:35
to give you
20:35
a challenge.
20:37
Meet with
20:38
or call
20:39
a person
20:39
that God
20:40
has used
20:41
to bring
20:42
you to
20:43
faith
20:43
in Jesus
20:44
Christ.
20:45
Someone who
20:46
shared the
20:47
gospel with you,
20:47
someone who
20:48
was patient
20:48
with you,
20:50
someone who
20:50
took the
20:51
time to
20:52
show you
20:53
the love
20:53
of Christ.
20:54
They were,
20:55
you know,
20:55
to you,
20:56
they were like
20:56
a picture
20:57
of the gospel
20:58
made visible.
21:00
And thank
21:01
them for
21:02
sharing it
21:02
with you.
21:04
It could be
21:04
your parents,
21:05
it could be
21:05
a friend,
21:06
it could be
21:06
someone else
21:07
that you know
21:08
elsewhere.
21:09
But just
21:10
thank them
21:10
and ask them
21:11
why they did
21:12
it too.
21:12
and see
21:14
if that
21:14
affects your
21:15
soul.
21:17
Number
21:17
four,
21:19
sharing the
21:20
gospel
21:20
affects
21:21
opponents.
21:22
Sharing the
21:23
gospel
21:23
affects
21:24
opponents.
21:25
See this
21:26
in verses
21:26
15 through
21:27
18.
21:28
Some indeed
21:28
preach Christ
21:29
from envy
21:29
and rivalry
21:30
but others
21:31
from goodwill.
21:32
The latter
21:32
do it out
21:33
of love
21:33
knowing that
21:34
I am put
21:35
here for the
21:36
defense of
21:36
the gospel.
21:37
The former
21:38
proclaim Christ
21:39
out of rivalry
21:40
or selfish
21:41
ambition.
21:41
not sincerely
21:43
but thinking
21:44
to afflict
21:44
me in my
21:45
imprisonment.
21:46
What then?
21:47
Only that
21:48
in every way
21:49
whether in
21:49
pretense
21:50
or in
21:50
truth
21:50
Christ
21:51
is
21:52
proclaimed
21:52
and in
21:53
that
21:53
I
21:53
rejoice.
21:55
Jesus
21:55
warned
21:56
that one
21:56
of the
21:56
biggest
21:56
opponents
21:57
of the
21:57
gospel
21:58
was not
21:58
necessarily
21:59
going to
21:59
be
22:00
outside
22:00
forces
22:01
but
22:01
eventually
22:01
it was
22:02
going to
22:02
be
22:02
inside
22:02
forces.
22:04
And
22:04
that's
22:04
why
22:05
Paul
22:05
spent
22:06
so much
22:06
time
22:07
dealing
22:08
with
22:08
Jewish
22:08
sects,
22:09
pagan
22:09
establishments,
22:11
false
22:11
teachers
22:11
that were
22:12
trying to
22:12
pollute
22:13
the gospel.
22:14
And here
22:15
he mentions
22:16
that hostility
22:16
coming from
22:17
so-called
22:18
leaders
22:18
in the
22:19
church.
22:21
And so
22:21
that's one
22:21
of the most
22:22
discouraging
22:23
things is
22:23
when other
22:25
people they're
22:26
supposed to be
22:27
like alongside
22:27
you,
22:28
fighting alongside
22:28
you,
22:29
become,
22:30
they attack
22:30
you and
22:31
slander
22:32
you.
22:33
And so,
22:34
but in a lot
22:35
of ways here,
22:36
it seems to be
22:37
not necessarily
22:38
that their
22:39
doctrine or
22:40
their theology
22:41
was off,
22:42
but that
22:42
their motives
22:43
were off.
22:43
They had
22:44
bad motives
22:44
for what
22:46
they were
22:46
doing.
22:47
It says
22:47
in verse
22:48
15,
22:49
he uses
22:49
the word
22:50
envy,
22:52
which means
22:53
to deprive
22:53
someone
22:54
of what
22:56
is rightfully
22:57
theirs so
22:57
that they
22:58
wish they
22:58
had it
22:59
and you
22:59
didn't.
23:00
And so,
23:02
you see
23:02
the word
23:03
strife
23:04
also,
23:04
really.
23:05
Strife
23:05
means enmity
23:06
caused by
23:07
jealousy,
23:09
wanting
23:09
something
23:09
another
23:10
possesses.
23:12
And Paul
23:13
is trying
23:13
to say
23:13
that a lot
23:14
of these
23:15
people are
23:15
preaching
23:15
this to
23:16
hurt me.
23:17
They have
23:18
bad motives,
23:20
selfish
23:20
ambition,
23:21
not out of
23:22
sincere love
23:23
for the
23:24
gospel,
23:25
but they
23:25
wanted to
23:26
somehow
23:26
dismantle
23:27
Paul's
23:27
reputation,
23:29
discredit
23:29
his work,
23:31
and they
23:31
had some
23:32
personal
23:32
issue with
23:33
him,
23:34
and they
23:35
even looked
23:35
at his
23:36
imprisonment
23:36
as a sign
23:37
that God
23:37
was not
23:38
pleased with
23:38
him.
23:39
You see,
23:39
he's in
23:39
prison right
23:40
now.
23:41
I'm
23:41
challenged
23:42
all of you
23:42
to some
23:42
point,
23:43
do a good
23:43
in-depth
23:43
study of
23:44
2 Corinthians,
23:45
and you'll
23:45
learn a lot
23:46
about Paul
23:46
that you
23:47
might not
23:48
have ever
23:48
thought about
23:48
him before.
23:50
But one
23:52
of those
23:52
things was
23:52
he didn't
23:53
just look
23:53
like a
23:54
successful
23:54
guy.
23:55
He wasn't
23:56
physically
23:56
impressive,
23:57
he wasn't
23:58
a great
23:58
public
23:59
speaker,
24:01
he didn't
24:02
have a ton
24:02
of money
24:03
and stuff,
24:03
and he
24:05
had poor
24:06
speaking
24:06
abilities,
24:07
right?
24:07
But God
24:07
chose instead
24:08
to still
24:09
work through
24:09
him and
24:10
use him,
24:11
but many
24:11
people just
24:12
didn't think
24:13
he was worth
24:14
it.
24:14
So they
24:14
were preaching
24:15
the same
24:16
gospel message
24:17
in a way,
24:18
but doing it
24:18
to inflict
24:19
harm on
24:20
Paul.
24:22
But Paul
24:23
had enough
24:24
security in
24:24
the Lord,
24:27
confidence in
24:27
the Lord,
24:28
to be like,
24:28
you know
24:28
what?
24:30
If they
24:30
make fun
24:31
of me
24:31
and give
24:31
me bull,
24:32
that's okay,
24:32
because as
24:33
long as the
24:33
gospel is
24:34
going forth,
24:35
that's all
24:35
I really
24:35
care about.
24:37
And in
24:37
that,
24:38
I will
24:38
rejoice.
24:40
So we
24:41
need to
24:41
ask ourselves,
24:42
you know,
24:42
as well,
24:43
why would
24:44
we proclaim
24:44
Christ?
24:46
Not to
24:46
compete with
24:47
one another
24:47
or other
24:48
churches,
24:49
and you
24:49
should hear
24:50
some of the
24:50
other pastors
24:51
and churches
24:51
out here that
24:52
we just have
24:53
to talk to
24:53
sometimes.
24:54
A lot of
24:55
them are
24:55
great ones,
24:56
but a lot
24:56
of them are,
24:57
you can just
24:57
tell,
24:58
it's like a
24:58
competition.
24:59
Who's got
24:59
the biggest
24:59
this and
25:01
the biggest
25:01
that,
25:02
and how
25:03
many people
25:03
are showing
25:04
up,
25:04
and how
25:04
many
25:04
programs,
25:05
and it
25:06
is disgusting
25:07
at times.
25:08
So,
25:09
some application
25:10
for this,
25:11
because I'm
25:12
running out
25:12
of time.
25:14
What excuses
25:15
do we make
25:18
for not
25:18
advancing
25:19
the gospel?
25:22
Number one
25:23
is circumstances.
25:24
We just say,
25:25
well,
25:25
we don't have
25:25
the time.
25:26
If I was
25:26
just in a
25:26
different stage
25:28
of life,
25:28
or if I
25:28
was in
25:29
a different
25:29
job,
25:30
or I
25:31
didn't have
25:31
as many
25:32
responsibilities
25:33
as I
25:33
did,
25:34
this is
25:34
probably the
25:34
biggest one
25:35
for me
25:35
at the
25:36
moment,
25:37
because I
25:39
guess when I
25:39
was single,
25:40
I could
25:40
kind of run
25:40
rogue a lot
25:41
more,
25:42
like all
25:42
hours of
25:43
the day
25:43
and night
25:43
doing things.
25:45
But we
25:48
say things
25:48
even like,
25:50
you ever
25:51
heard this,
25:51
I'm just
25:51
waiting for
25:52
God to
25:52
open the
25:53
door.
25:53
Well,
25:56
that's
25:56
partially
25:56
biblical.
25:57
Out of
25:57
Colossians
25:58
4,
25:59
Paul says
25:59
he's praying
26:00
that God
26:00
may open
26:01
a door
26:01
for them
26:02
to share
26:02
the word.
26:05
But,
26:05
what it
26:06
usually means,
26:07
usually,
26:08
you could mean
26:09
that in a
26:09
good way,
26:10
but what it
26:10
usually means
26:11
I'm waiting
26:11
until it's
26:12
easy,
26:13
until it's
26:13
convenient,
26:14
until it's
26:15
safe,
26:16
and then I'm
26:16
going to share
26:17
the gospel.
26:19
Paul writes
26:20
in 1 Corinthians
26:21
another similar
26:22
way of opening
26:23
the door,
26:24
that it doesn't
26:25
always mean
26:26
easy or
26:26
no resistance.
26:28
He said,
26:29
I will stay
26:29
in Ephesus
26:30
until Pentecost
26:31
for a wide
26:32
door for
26:34
effective work
26:35
has opened
26:36
to me.
26:38
Cool,
26:38
a door of
26:39
ministry
26:39
has opened
26:40
to him.
26:42
He says,
26:42
but there
26:43
are many
26:43
adversaries.
26:46
So,
26:46
not convenient
26:47
door to go
26:48
through.
26:48
He goes
26:48
through that
26:48
door to
26:49
preach the
26:49
gospel,
26:49
there's
26:50
going to
26:50
be a lot
26:50
of hostility.
26:52
And so,
26:53
some of us
26:53
need to
26:53
quit waiting
26:54
for that,
26:54
some of us
26:55
need to
26:55
try to
26:55
kick
26:55
down doors,
26:56
beat down
26:57
doors.
26:58
It'll open
26:58
if God
26:59
wants it
26:59
to open,
27:00
but we
27:01
need to
27:01
take the
27:02
initiative
27:02
by faith.
27:04
Secondly,
27:05
some people
27:06
don't advance
27:07
the gospel
27:08
out of
27:08
fear.
27:10
Okay?
27:12
I'm afraid,
27:13
but it really
27:14
comes down to
27:14
is because
27:15
we're not
27:15
ever,
27:16
at least
27:16
for now,
27:18
going to be
27:18
in prison
27:18
for sharing
27:19
our faith,
27:20
are beaten
27:21
up,
27:21
more than
27:22
likely.
27:22
Some people
27:22
might have
27:23
wanted to
27:23
kill me
27:24
before,
27:24
but I
27:24
wouldn't
27:24
know that.
27:26
But fear
27:27
really means
27:28
I'm afraid
27:29
of what they
27:30
will think
27:30
about me.
27:31
I don't
27:31
want to
27:32
upset them.
27:33
I don't
27:33
want them
27:34
to stop
27:34
being my
27:35
friend.
27:36
And
27:37
underneath
27:38
that,
27:39
very subtly,
27:40
very subtly,
27:41
is the
27:43
hidden
27:43
idolatry
27:43
of pride.
27:44
You want
27:44
to be liked.
27:45
You want
27:46
to be
27:46
accepted
27:47
by people.
27:50
And
27:50
we feel
27:50
like we
27:51
have to
27:51
warm up
27:52
to people
27:53
for years
27:53
at a time
27:54
before we
27:55
actually share
27:55
the gospel
27:56
with them
27:56
because we
27:56
might scare
27:57
them away.
27:59
Just quit
27:59
hiding behind
28:00
that excuse.
28:02
The real
28:02
quick biblical
28:03
answer to
28:03
that is
28:04
fear God,
28:04
not man.
28:07
So,
28:07
thirdly,
28:09
I know I'm
28:09
out of time,
28:10
but oh
28:10
well,
28:10
not knowledgeable
28:11
enough.
28:13
Not knowledgeable
28:13
enough.
28:14
I don't know
28:14
enough.
28:15
Like what if
28:15
they ask me
28:15
something I
28:16
don't know?
28:16
Well,
28:17
if you
28:17
know the
28:18
gospel,
28:18
then you
28:18
know enough
28:19
to share.
28:20
If you
28:20
have
28:20
believed
28:20
the
28:21
gospel,
28:21
there's
28:21
no way
28:22
you've
28:22
forgotten
28:22
what you
28:23
have
28:23
believed
28:24
in.
28:25
And the
28:25
disciples
28:26
weren't
28:26
big brains,
28:27
they weren't
28:28
big theology
28:28
degrees,
28:29
they didn't
28:29
have all
28:30
that,
28:30
they weren't
28:30
master
28:31
apologists,
28:32
they were
28:32
ordinary,
28:33
common
28:33
guys.
28:36
They were
28:36
quick-tempered,
28:37
a lot of
28:38
them,
28:39
but listen
28:39
to what it
28:40
says in
28:40
Acts 13
28:41
about Peter
28:42
and John.
28:43
It says,
28:44
now when
28:45
they saw
28:45
the boldness
28:46
of Peter
28:46
and John,
28:47
they perceived
28:48
that they
28:48
were uneducated,
28:51
common men,
28:53
and they were
28:53
astonished,
28:55
and they
28:55
recognized that
28:56
they had been
28:57
with Jesus.
28:59
So remember,
29:00
it's about who
29:00
they know.
29:01
They had been
29:02
with Christ.
29:03
That was it.
29:04
So the closer
29:05
we get to
29:05
Christ,
29:07
the more we
29:07
know about
29:08
him,
29:08
the more we
29:08
will be able
29:09
to talk
29:09
about him.
29:10
So all
29:12
that's really
29:12
needed is
29:13
just a
29:13
willing heart.
29:14
You don't
29:15
have to
29:15
know everything.
29:17
You have
29:17
to be able
29:17
to communicate
29:18
the gospel.
29:19
I know a
29:20
lot of people
29:20
who aren't
29:21
great communicators,
29:23
and I know
29:24
that a lot
29:24
of them are
29:25
just afraid
29:26
even.
29:27
They feel
29:28
insufficient.
29:30
I know
29:31
one guy
29:32
named Jonathan,
29:34
one of my
29:35
best friends.
29:37
He's led
29:38
people to
29:38
Christ before,
29:39
and he
29:40
is not
29:41
anything like
29:41
what you
29:42
would think
29:42
somebody would
29:43
be as an
29:44
evangelist.
29:47
Fourthly,
29:48
I don't
29:48
really hear
29:49
this one
29:49
too much,
29:50
but I have
29:50
heard it.
29:51
It's not
29:51
my gift.
29:52
I don't
29:52
have the
29:52
spiritual
29:52
gift of
29:53
evangelism.
29:54
I'll just
29:54
leave that
29:54
to the
29:55
professionals
29:55
or those
29:56
who do.
29:57
And it's
29:58
only true,
29:59
that is only
30:00
true in the
30:00
sense that
30:01
God has
30:01
gifted some
30:02
people just
30:03
a little bit
30:04
better of an
30:05
ability to
30:05
communicate
30:06
gospel truth,
30:08
to articulate
30:08
the gospel
30:09
message.
30:10
But it
30:11
doesn't
30:11
excuse anyone
30:12
from sharing
30:14
the message
30:15
in what
30:15
capacity God
30:16
has given
30:17
them.
30:19
Understand
30:19
that?
30:20
And I
30:21
mean,
30:21
would we
30:21
really pass
30:22
over someone
30:23
in need
30:23
of Christ
30:25
just because
30:25
it's not
30:26
your spiritual
30:26
gift?
30:27
We can't
30:28
live that
30:29
way.
30:30
The gifts
30:30
have a place,
30:31
but don't
30:31
use them as
30:32
an excuse.
30:32
It would
30:33
be like me
30:33
or Nathan
30:33
saying,
30:34
well,
30:35
we're too
30:35
high and
30:35
mighty to
30:36
wash dishes,
30:36
or we're too
30:37
high and
30:37
mighty to
30:37
help set up
30:38
chairs,
30:38
or do
30:39
anything
30:39
else.
30:39
It doesn't
30:40
make any
30:41
sense at
30:41
all.
30:42
Again,
30:43
oddly enough,
30:43
God picks
30:44
a lot of
30:44
people in
30:45
Scripture who
30:45
don't seem
30:45
to be great
30:46
communicators
30:47
publicly,
30:49
Paul included.
30:50
So,
30:51
another one
30:52
you could
30:53
probably throw
30:53
out there is
30:54
my own sin.
30:55
I'm not good
30:56
enough.
30:56
I'm such a
30:57
terrible person.
31:00
I'm a terrible
31:00
follower of
31:01
Jesus,
31:02
and I'm
31:02
bogged down
31:03
by my own
31:04
sin.
31:05
God
31:06
can't
31:06
share it
31:07
with somebody
31:08
else.
31:08
Well,
31:09
if that's
31:11
the truth,
31:11
if that's
31:11
your demeanor
31:13
all the
31:13
time,
31:14
then there's
31:14
something
31:15
missing in
31:15
your belief
31:17
and connection
31:17
to the
31:18
gospel itself.
31:19
It should
31:20
liberate you.
31:22
And sometimes,
31:23
even sharing
31:23
it with
31:24
someone else
31:24
reignites
31:25
the joy of
31:26
it in my
31:27
own soul.
31:28
So,
31:29
don't hide
31:30
behind that
31:31
either.
31:31
Satan would
31:32
love to
31:33
bog you
31:33
down so
31:34
that you
31:34
don't share
31:34
with other
31:35
people,
31:36
but live in
31:36
the freedom
31:37
that Christ
31:37
has won
31:38
for you.
31:40
So,
31:41
as one
31:42
missionary
31:42
said,
31:44
sympathy is
31:45
no substitute
31:46
for action.
31:48
So,
31:49
there are
31:49
many people,
31:50
I guess we
31:51
just want to
31:51
feel bad for
31:52
them,
31:52
we want to
31:52
pity them,
31:53
our friends,
31:53
our family,
31:55
but we
31:55
need to
31:56
begin praying
31:57
and being
31:58
very intentional
31:59
about living
32:01
the gospel
32:01
in front
32:01
of them
32:02
and sharing
32:04
it with
32:04
them,
32:05
not one
32:06
or the
32:06
other.
32:07
So,
32:08
what about
32:09
you?
32:10
I mean,
32:10
where are
32:10
you in
32:11
this process?
32:13
And,
32:14
God will
32:15
put people
32:16
in your
32:16
path,
32:17
but you
32:17
can also
32:17
go out
32:18
and find
32:18
them.
32:18
We need
32:18
to hunt
32:20
them down,
32:21
take initiative,
32:23
take that
32:23
the right
32:23
way,
32:24
hunt them
32:24
down.
32:25
But,
32:26
yeah,
32:26
there's,
32:28
one thing
32:28
I wanted
32:29
to share
32:30
this morning
32:30
is,
32:30
the only
32:31
way I
32:31
could
32:31
really
32:31
relate
32:32
to
32:32
Paul
32:32
is a
32:32
lot of
32:33
my
32:33
hospital
32:33
stays
32:34
over the
32:34
year,
32:35
which is,
32:35
again,
32:35
nothing like
32:36
he endured,
32:36
but there
32:37
was one
32:37
time I
32:38
missed out
32:39
on a
32:39
great ministry
32:40
opportunity
32:40
because I
32:41
got sick
32:41
and I
32:41
had to
32:42
go to
32:42
the hospital.
32:43
I was
32:43
super
32:43
bummed.
32:44
I was
32:44
in
32:44
Atlanta
32:45
at the
32:46
cystic
32:46
fibrosis
32:47
center,
32:48
and I
32:50
must have
32:50
been sitting
32:51
there
32:51
watching Lord
32:53
the rings
32:53
or a
32:53
baseball game
32:54
or something,
32:54
but my
32:55
doctor came
32:56
in and
32:56
said,
32:57
hey,
32:57
there's
32:57
another
32:58
patient
32:58
here who
32:59
was just
32:59
really afraid
33:00
of needles
33:00
and getting
33:01
an IV
33:02
or a
33:03
PICC line.
33:04
Could you
33:05
go talk to
33:05
them and
33:06
tell them,
33:07
you know,
33:07
kind of calm
33:08
them down?
33:08
And I
33:10
thought,
33:10
you want me
33:11
to tell them?
33:11
Tom is not
33:12
going to
33:12
hurt?
33:13
So,
33:14
that's lying.
33:15
So,
33:15
anyway,
33:17
it was a
33:18
girl,
33:18
her name
33:19
was Jade,
33:21
and here's
33:22
what's crazy,
33:22
she was from
33:23
Dahlonega,
33:24
and met
33:25
her for the
33:26
first time.
33:27
She was
33:27
definitely
33:28
just afraid
33:28
of being
33:30
in the
33:30
hospital.
33:30
She hadn't
33:31
had to be
33:31
hospitalized
33:32
too much
33:33
to that
33:33
point.
33:35
But I
33:35
began just
33:36
talking to
33:36
her and
33:37
getting to
33:37
know her,
33:38
and
33:38
she was
33:39
afraid of
33:40
dying.
33:41
She was
33:41
afraid of
33:42
what the
33:45
disease was
33:45
going to
33:46
do to
33:46
her,
33:47
because all
33:47
of a sudden
33:48
she had
33:48
been living
33:49
a pretty
33:49
normal life,
33:50
but then
33:50
all of a
33:50
sudden things
33:51
were just
33:51
getting worse,
33:52
like with
33:53
her cystic
33:54
fibrosis.
33:58
So,
33:59
while I
33:59
was there,
34:00
I continued
34:01
just to,
34:02
she's like,
34:02
how do you
34:03
deal with
34:03
it?
34:03
How do you
34:04
face this?
34:05
And I
34:06
said,
34:06
I can't
34:07
face it.
34:07
I mean,
34:08
but I
34:08
have a
34:09
hope that
34:10
is not
34:10
of this
34:11
world,
34:11
and I
34:11
began just
34:13
unpacking the
34:14
gospel to
34:15
her and
34:17
trying to
34:17
do it in a
34:18
very understanding,
34:19
compassionate
34:19
way.
34:21
And by the
34:22
end of the
34:22
week,
34:23
she told me
34:24
she wanted to
34:24
become a
34:25
follower of
34:26
Christ,
34:27
and told me
34:28
that when
34:28
she came back
34:28
to Delonaga,
34:29
she was going
34:30
to continue
34:30
to follow
34:30
Christ.
34:31
And I
34:31
just told
34:31
her,
34:32
no promises.
34:33
I can't
34:33
promise that
34:34
Jesus is
34:34
going to
34:34
make your
34:34
life easier,
34:35
that he's
34:35
going to
34:36
heal you
34:37
of your
34:38
CF,
34:39
but no
34:40
matter what,
34:41
you're going
34:42
to follow
34:42
him,
34:42
right?
34:43
And she's
34:43
like,
34:43
yes.
34:43
And she
34:46
did.
34:47
She came
34:47
back and
34:47
was a part
34:48
of a church
34:49
here in
34:49
Delonaga.
34:51
A few
34:51
years later,
34:52
she passed
34:52
away,
34:54
which just
34:56
really kind
34:56
of caught
34:57
me off
34:57
guard.
34:57
God will
34:59
use you.
35:01
He'll use
35:02
you to
35:02
reach other
35:03
people.
35:04
Just stop.
35:06
Snap out of
35:06
this like I'm
35:07
here at church
35:07
and someone
35:08
else is telling
35:08
me to share
35:09
the gospel.
35:09
Like,
35:09
just stop.
35:11
And see
35:13
the great
35:13
privilege we
35:14
have as
35:14
messengers
35:15
of Christ.
35:17
And see
35:18
that people
35:18
need Christ.
35:21
That we
35:21
can,
35:22
by his
35:22
power and
35:23
by his
35:23
grace,
35:24
be the
35:25
one to
35:27
talk about
35:27
our
35:28
Savior.
35:30
So,
35:31
yeah,
35:32
let's pray
35:33
together and
35:34
let's rejoice
35:35
that the
35:35
gospel is
35:36
going to go
35:36
forward with
35:37
or without
35:37
us.
35:39
And I
35:39
hope that we
35:40
will be a
35:41
part of it.