WEBVTT
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♪ theme music ♪
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(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
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an in-depth, interactive study
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of the Word of God.
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I'm glad you joined us
we're in the middle
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of a series on "The gospel in Galatians."
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Actually, we just started,
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but we're already learning amazing lessons
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for our lives today,
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The precious Good News,
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and how when we try to share it,
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sometimes people resist the truth
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as it is in Jesus.
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Our topic today: Paul's Authority
and Gospel,
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and there are amazing lessons for us.
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So we're glad you joined us
for Hope Sabbath School.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And hello to the team;
we're back again.
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The Gospel in Galatians,
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what did we learn
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from the first part of our series
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about Paul being transformed?
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What was the most important
takeaway lesson for you?
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Well, we'll share that as we study today.
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I hope you were with us.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
If you missed the first part
of this series,
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you can go to our website:
hopetv.org/hopess.
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You can watch part one
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of "The Gospel in Galatians."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And we're always happy to hear from you.
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You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org.
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Here are just a few emails.
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You know, we know of 150 countries.
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You say, "Derek, how do you know?"
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Well, we have one Android app
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that's being used in 150 countries,
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so there's a lot of people joining us
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for Hope Sabbath School.
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And we've got an Apple app.
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By the way, for those of you
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who have an iPhone or an iPad,
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you can download Hope Sabbath School.
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It's free, and you can access the program.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Got an email just a few weeks ago
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from someone who in China watched
one program,
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went back and watched 100 hours
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of interactive Bible studies
in our archives.
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So it's there for you.
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Here are a few notes.
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One from Albert in Namibia,
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that's former German West Africa,
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you know, just north of South Africa,
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and Albert writes, "It's so edifying
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to watch and listen
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to you explain the Bible so clearly.
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My wife and I enjoy
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your Bible study every Friday evening
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in preparation for the Sabbath.
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I am a teacher, and I gain
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a lot of knowledge from your classes,
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which I apply during my class," good?
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That's what we want, download the outline.
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"What I want to know is
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whether your class is consisting
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of all student pastors
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because you all seem to know the Bible."
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I guess you could tell, Albert, by the way
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that everybody laughed
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that they're not all student pastors.
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"May the Good Lord continue blessing
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and giving you spiritual wisdom
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as you share the Good News
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with the whole world," amen?
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) So what's the takeaway there?
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And the answer is,
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we can all do something for Jesus, right?
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Whether we're teachers or counselors
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or physicians or homemakers
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or construction workers or pastors, right?
Bible teachers.
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We can all do something for Jesus.
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Thanks for writing to us, Albert.
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Here's a note from Kwasi in Ghana.
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Anyone with Ghanaian roots?
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Oh, Joshua! Ghanaian roots, all right.
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Have a little wave here for Kwasi. Okay.
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"I live in Accra," he writes.
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"Your Sabbath School discussion
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has made me an extraordinary Christian
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and has blessed me.
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It's built my personal relationship
with Jesus."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "It's made me a Bible student!"
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This is all good, isn't it?
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"It's helped me organize
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some children in my community
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to share the Word of God with them."
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It gets better and better,
doesn't it, Mario?
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"Every Sunday morning we do exercise
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with the children also
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to strengthen our physical bodies."
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It sounds like a pretty holistic approach,
right?
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Teach the Word of God,
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help them to be healthy.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"It's my desire that the Hope
Sabbath School discussion
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will be translated
into different languages
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around the world; the program is amazing."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Well, I want to tell you
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that it's already happening
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in different part of the world,
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that Hope Sabbath School
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
is being broadcast in other languages,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
also with closed captioning,
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but you pray for us, Kwasi,
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because we're praying it could go
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to every nation, kindred, tongue,
and people.
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Thanks for being part of the miracle.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Here's a note from Ludwig in Peru.
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He's written to us before.
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Ludwig says, "I'm always instructed
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
by your Friday evening Bible study.
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I thank God for all of you.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
This program is so didactic
and instructive."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I think he looked up a few words there
for us.
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"Big hug to all of you,
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and God bless you all," amen?
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(Team) Amen.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Thanks for writing.
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I know, Ludwig, you said
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you've been learning
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a lot of English, too,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
while you've been watching the broadcast.
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Here's a note from Tammy in New Jersey
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in the United States of America.
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She says, "Thank you so much
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for what you do; it's an encouragement.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I love Hope Sabbath School.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I watched the first episode
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of Hope Sabbath School in December 2016
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during a Sabbath school breakfast
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I'd planned for our church.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I'd heard of Hope Channel,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but not having a television,
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I'd never seen it before
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and never seen Hope Sabbath School.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Well, I loved it, and I was thrilled
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when I found out you could get it online."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It's easy; you can get the app,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or you can watch it online,
hopetv.org/hopess.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And she concludes, "May God
continue abundantly
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to bless your ministry.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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I love being a member
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of Hope Sabbath School."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) All right, and by the way,
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she's involved in a children's ministry
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there in New Jersey,
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and so she can do
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
an interactive Bible study with us
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as part of Hope Sabbath School.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
One last note, from Trinidad and Tobago.
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That's in the beautiful Caribbean.
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Just a short note, Leslie Ann writes
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and says, "I'm from the island
of Trinidad and Tobago."
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I guess that's considered one country,
isn't it?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"I enjoy watching and doing the lesson.
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I also enjoy watching Jason
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
sing the Scripture songs."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Well, Jason, why don't you wave
to Leslie Ann,
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and we're going to sing
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the Scripture song right now, actually.
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We've got a brand new song for this series
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from the gospel in Galatians.
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It's taken from Galatians, chapter 2,
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which says, "I have been crucified
with Christ,
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and I no longer live,
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but Christ lives in me," it's a miracle.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
If you haven't learned the song,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
go to our website, download the song,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the sheet music, so you can sing along.
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We're going to sing it right now.
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♪ music ♪
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(Derek) There's so much included
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in that one verse in Galatians 2:20,21.
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The Son of God loves you
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and gave Himself for you;
isn't that awesome?!
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I just want to pray
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that Jesus would be lifted up today
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as we study the gospel in Galatians.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Father in Heaven, thank You.
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Thank You that God so loved the world
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that You sent Your one and only Son
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that whoever believes in Him
should not perish
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but have everlasting life.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
We see sickness and death all around us.
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We know that sin
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brings death and destruction,
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but I thank You
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that You've given us hope in Your Word
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even today, hope in Jesus.
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And I pray as we study
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the Gospel in Galatians,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as we study Paul's authority and gospel,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that You would work in supernatural ways
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in each of our hearts,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Hope Sabbath School members
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
all around the world.
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May lives be blessed today
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to bring honor to Your name.
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I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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(Team) Amen.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Now before we go
into Paul authority,
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I want to go back
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to our previous study, Nicole.
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How could it be
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that God could take a rebel
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who was forcing people
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to blaspheme and wreaking havoc
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(you remember that word?)
in the church
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and call him "My chosen servant"
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to be an ambassador
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for the Gospel message?
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How can that happen?
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(Nicole) Because God loves each and every
one of us and wants us all to be saved.
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And so He uses us wherever we are to
spread His Word to those He wants to save.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
In terms of this case, He knew he was
a Zealot, even if it was a Zealot
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in the time before he was transformed,
and he was doing evil things.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
God knew that he was a Zealot
and when he was actually changed,
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he'd be a Zealot for Him.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And so God was like, "I know the end
from the beginning, and so, therefore,
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this person's going to be the person
I need at this time to bring my Word
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to those who need it."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Is that encouraging?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
That God sees the potential
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even in the midst of all our stumblings?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
We're going to talk about Paul
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as he writes now.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Many think this was
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
one of the earliest documents
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that we have in what we call
the New Testament,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
about 49-50 A.D.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And it's written because of a problem
in the church,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but by then, even at that time,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we're going to see
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that the Christian church recognized
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the Holy Spirit working in this man,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
name changed from Saul of Tarsus to...?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) Paul.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Paul the Apostle.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So let's start in 2 Peter, chapter 3.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
We're going to come back
to Galatians here,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but Jonathan, would you read for us
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
2 Peter 3, verses 15 and 16.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I want you to listen carefully as Peter,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in some ways a little humorous,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
he says, "Paul is not always easy
to understand,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but there's a testimony
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
about the authority of his work.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jonathan) I'm reading
from the New International Version:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) So, I've always read that
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and though, "Oh, it's not always easy
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to understand Paul," which is true.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Sometimes I read a text, and I go,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"What does that mean?"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Maybe I need to come
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to Hope Sabbath School
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and get a little help
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
from sisters and brothers.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But there were a couple
of little phrases there
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that showed that Peter,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
one of the church leaders and apostle,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
recognized the work of the Apostle Paul
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as being from God.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What did you hear?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Laurel, did you hear something
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that caught your attention?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Laurel) It just was amazing that Peter,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
who was part of the original 12
with Jesus,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
recognized that Paul was also called,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
even though he wasn't with Christ
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
when He was physically on Earth.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) That's right; He wasn't
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
one of the twelve, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So he has seen something in his ministry.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Didn't Jesus say, "By their fruit..."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek, Team) "...you shall know them."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So he had seen something
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
from the fruit of his ministry
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that said, "He's an apostle."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What does apostle mean, by the way?
Do you know?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
One who's sent out, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"He's an apostle of Jesus Christ," okay?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What else, even in the wording
of the passage,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
did you see something?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Christine and then Marcus.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Christine) It says here in verse 15
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that God gave Paul the wisdom
and the knowledge...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Aha, wisdom, I think the way
Jonathan read it,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
wisdom comes from God, all right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Anywhere else, a little clue, Jason?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jason) In verse 16, he talks about those
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
who twist and distort the meaning,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and he's saying they do it
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to their own destruction.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And so, you can deduce from that,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
if you understand it correctly,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that's the way to salvation.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He's preaching the message of God.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) That's an interesting thought,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and actually there's another phrase
attached to there
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
which is important, too.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Did you notice it, Peter?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Peter) It says, "as the rest
of the Scripture."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Okay, so he's including
Paul's testimonies,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
not only as a wisdom from God
like Christine said
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but as part of Scripture, God breathed.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It's Peter who says all Scripture
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
is God breathed, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
No private interpretation,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
All right, but that's interesting.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Also, implicitly he's saying,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"If you listen, it's for your salvation,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that gives it authority.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"If you twist it,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
it's for your destruction."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
All right, so Paul is recognized
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
by at least Peter, but I think
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we could say by the Christian community.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
God's at work in him,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and God is speaking through him.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
We're going to look at one of his letters
in this series,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the gospel to the Galatians.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
The standard format of a letter...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
did you find this from your study?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What's the standard format of a letter
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
back in those times, Tricia Lee?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Tricia Lee) I don't know about back then,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but I do know like when you're
in grammar school,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
you're taught that you start
with a greeting...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Okay.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Tricia Lee) ...or some type
of salutation,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and then you have who it's to
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and then the subject of the message,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and you kind of end off with some type of,
you know...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Farewell or closing remark or?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Is that pretty much, Jason,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the way it looked in these letters
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
during the New Testament era?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jason) Largely yes, and you generally
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
start with the positive, too.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So you'll say, "Oh, you guys,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
this is a nice thing about you,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
whether you're writing a letter now
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or these letters of Paul.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
They're always saying,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"This is a good thing that you have,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"This is what I like about you."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) That would probably
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
still work today, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
If you've got a problem with someone,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
you can say, "Here's some things
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I really appreciate about you, but,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and talk about a problem.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And that's pretty much standard format,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
greeting, some word of thanksgiving,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
body of the letter,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and then some closing remark,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and typically with Paul
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
it would include, "the grace of the Lord
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
be with you," right, something like that.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Let's see how he begins
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the letter to the Galatians.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 and 2,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and, Alyssa, if you'd read that for us,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and then we'll compare that.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
If someone could find
Ephesians 1, verse 1,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and Colossians 1, verse 1,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
let's see if they're similar
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or if there are some differences.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
By the way, all of those letters
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
were written by the Apostle Paul.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Alyssa) In the New International Version
it says:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Okay, that's his greeting there.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Keep that in mind.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Does someone have Ephesians?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Joshua, chapter 1 and verse 1.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Joshua) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
The Bible says:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) All right, so that's to the church
in Ephesus,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
then he writes to the church in Colossae,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we call that Colossians, Marcus, verse 1.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Marcus) I'll be reading from the King
James Version:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) So what did they have in common,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
those three opening salutations?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What did they have in common?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team Member) He's an apostle.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Okay so, Paul, an apostle,
gives his name
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
like we do even today, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Gives the name and says
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
he's an apostle of Jesus.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What was different, Mario?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What did you see different
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in the Galatian intro?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Mario) He expounds on that.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He says not by the will of man
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but of God, you know.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So you can tell
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that he needs to clarify something.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Why would he have to do that,
anybody?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He didn't do it to Ephesus or to Colossae.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Why would he have to do that for Galatia,
Alyssa?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Alyssa) This is still early.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Remember, he had to go to all those places
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and represent himself anew
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to each new church,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
so maybe he was still kind of having
to defend
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that God did call him.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Possibly, of course we haven't
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
read the letter yet, have we?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
That is a possibility, though.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He's like, "You may not know me,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but actually there's something else
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
going on here. Nicole?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Nicole) His letter talks
about false teachings,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
so in this case he's saying, "Listen,
I'm from God.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I'm an apostle of God.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I'm bringing you the truth and the Word
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that you need to hear,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I want you all to be careful
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of what else is going on around you
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that may draw you away from Christ."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) And implied (stay with me now),
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
implied is that these people
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
who are giving these false teachings
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
are saying what about Paul?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) That he's not from God.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) He's not a true apostle, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Or he's sent by man and not sent by God.
Jonathan?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jonathan) It seems like multiple times
throughout this that he's
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
emphasizing this, that, "My authority
doesn't come
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
based on other people; it's God."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It's the truth that matters
and not the people.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Well let's take a look
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as we read on in Galatians.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Jason, if you could read
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the first six verses,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
it will include the initial salutation
that we read,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
verses 1 through 6.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He's going to go pass
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
saying thank you about anything,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and he's going to come right to the issue
at hand.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Let's take a look, Galatians 1:1-6.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jason) I'll be reading
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
from the New King James Version,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 through 6:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Whoa! So something's up here.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
We're going to get right to it,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but he has kind of given us
the gospel message
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
right in those first few verses.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
How would you summarize
the gospel message
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
from those verses? Peter.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Peter) The salutation
that he gives there, grace and peace,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
is very interesting to me,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and is actually used
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
almost in every letter,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and Peter uses it,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"Grace and peace to you."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
""Grace and peace to you."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And it's almost like, the heart of God,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
full of grace, brings something
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to our hearts, peace,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and He does that through forgiveness,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and this is given to all men.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) So even in the greeting
you're seeing a message.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Many Bible scholars would say
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
grace would be a more typical
New Testament,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and shalom, or peace,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
would be more from the Hebrew heritage,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but we're bringing both
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in Christ Jesus, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What's the message?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What did you hear
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in the first six verses, anybody?
Yes, Alyssa?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Alyssa) Christ died for us,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but in accordance that God
the whole Trinity is working together.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Also he mentions that when we've been
transformed by that message,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we give glory back to Him.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Yeah, "He gave Himself
for our sins,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
is the way my Bible translates it,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"that he might deliver us from..."?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) Evil.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) "...this present evil age,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
according to the will of our God
and Father,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to whom be glory,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and then he, like, "God is awesome."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
You know, he kind of ends
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
his little statement there.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But he up front says,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"This is God's plan of salvation,
through Jesus," right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"...to deliver us
from the present evil age.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What is wrong with you?!"
(Thank you, Nicole.)
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"Where did you get some other gospel?"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Some other...what does
the word gospel mean, do you know?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) Good News.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) "Where do you find some other news
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that isn't good news at all?"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So he obviously is dealing immediately
with a challenge.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Now before we go into that,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
a revelation about the Good News
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
was not only given to him, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Let's go back; in our first study
in this series,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we looked at that amazing
concise statement by Peter.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Do you remember that?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Guided by the Holy Spirit.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
In Acts 10, verses 34 to 43.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I want to hear that again.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I'm always amazed, Nicole,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
if you could it for us...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I'm always amazed at the brilliance
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of this concise statement
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
about the Gospel message.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And we know it's not because Peter says,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"Well, I'm a great scholar."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
No, no, he was a fisherman
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
who wholly surrendered his life to God,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and by the Spirit he's speaking.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So let's hear his testimony.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Nicole) I'm reading Acts 10,
verses 34 through 43,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I'm reading from the New
International Version, and it says:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) I love that;
it's so powerful, isn't it?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And by the way, when he says,
"as all the prophets,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
he kind of says that it's the testimony
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of the whole Scripture.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It reminds me of a Bible study
that Jesus gave.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Do you remember when that was,
Tricia Lee?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Tricia Lee) When they were
walking to Emmaus.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Right, first to Cleopas
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and the other disciple
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
on the road to Emmaus,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but then with the disciples
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in the Upper Room.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And He said all of these prophecies,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
all of the Scriptures, what?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) "Testify about Me."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Yeah, they "testify about Me,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and not only about Me
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but that I had to suffer." Why?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He suffered for our sins, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He bore our sins that He might...?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
What was that wonderful word?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team Member) Deliver us.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Deliver us
from this present evil age.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Wonderful news, but all of that...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
You say, "That's a great summary;
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I'm going to write it down, Acts 10:34-43.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
If anybody non-Christian come and says,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
'Could you give it to me
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in like just a couple of minutes?'"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
You say, "Well, let me read to you
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
what the Holy Spirit said through Peter."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But we could get even more concise
than that.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Someone have John 3:16,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
would read it for us?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Anybody have John 3:16?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
You say, "I'd like to repeat it."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
John 3:16, got a volunteer?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Jason, read it for us, please.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jason) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version, John 3:16:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Well that challenges
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the whole idea that it's
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
just for the Jews, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It says "whoever."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
God so loved the...?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) World.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) I mean it's right there
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in that very simple statement.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So, I have a question for you, Mario.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Why do people make the Gospel message,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the Good News about what God has done
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for us in Jesus,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
why do people make it so complicated?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Mario) Oh, wow, we have something
inside of us
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that wants to give out steps or processes
to accomplish things.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I mean, in our jobs and in school,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
there's this system that tells us,
you know,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
you have to do this and this and this,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and then you can get what you want.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
So it's hard for us to conceive
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that a God can love us
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and give something to us
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
without us having to do something
to earn it,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but that it is a gift
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
if we would just submit to His will...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Now the New Testament
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and especially the writings of Paul
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
are all about a new creation.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
They're all about deliverance
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
from the present evil age,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but that is the fruit
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of accepting the Gospel message.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Somehow we try to make it
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
more complicated than "whoever believes
in Him."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
We've got several hands.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Let's take a moment to reflect on this.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Harold) One way, and we have
seen this, actually,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
throughout the New Testament,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
what we studied last time, traditions.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
At times we fall into a routine,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as Tricia Lee mentioned
in a previous study,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that at times we are so ingrained...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we get so comfortable that we believe
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that that's the way to go to be saved.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) That's maybe even
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
what the Bible teaches, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Because we've done it for so long,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or what our religious teacher told us.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Harold) Yes, and Jesus even rebuked
the Pharisees
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
because, "You come to Me,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
you know, with your mouth;
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
you're worshiping with your mouth
and everything.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But yet you come to Me
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
by the commandments of men."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And this is found in Matthew,
chapter 15.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Right, so that could happen
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for us, too, right? Tricia Lee?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Tricia Lee) He's reminding us
that we're in an evil age.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
The devil is out there
trying to deceive us.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
From the garden he said,
"Did God really say?"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And when we have simple truths
about salvation, that doubt comes
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
into our minds like, is it really
that easy to be saved through Christ?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
You can hang your doubts on anything,
but it's just like, we have to believe
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the true Word that God says
and not question this simple path
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that God already laid out.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) I guess there's two approaches
that the devil could bring.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
One would be to say
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
it's not that simple, right?
It's more complicated,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or it's not even true.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
This is not true,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but it's not that simple, you know?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Tricia Lee) Is He really
going to forgive you if you ask Him?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Or maybe it's for someone else,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but would it really be for you?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Anybody else, why do we make it
so complicated, Jonathan?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jonathan) I think sometimes we really
want it to be...
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It's an issue of pride.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I mean like, if I can make all these
so wonderful thoughts and ideas,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
then it becomes about me and about what
I'm doing or what I'm thinking
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or having the right knowledge, but this is
so simple, like a child can understand.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Didn't Jesus say something
about we need to become as little children
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
if we would enter the Kingdom?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Jonathan) That's humbling.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) It requires humility?
Yes, Peter?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Peter) I was thinking, too,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that sometimes maybe...
can God be that good?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Can it be that good?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) You mean a distorted picture
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of the character of God
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
could hold me back
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
from believing that God could be
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that good to me.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Peter) Right, right.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Part of the reason
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we study the Bible
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
is to find out the truth about God, right?
Joshua?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Joshua) I believe it was along the lines
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of what Jonathan said.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He mentioned that, you know,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the Gospel is even for little children,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as easy that they can understand it.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And I remember as a child
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I always saw the Gospel
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as something that was easy to digest,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
like Jesus loves me,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He wants to save us from our sins,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we're going to Heaven one day,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and it was that simple.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But then as I got older,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
things started to become more and more
and more complicated.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
People are like, "Oh! This prophecy,
that prophecy."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"We have to be saved through this."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"If you do this,
this is going to happen to you."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And your mind just has
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
this, for some people,
a spiritual breakdown.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Like, "Whoa, it takes all of that now?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Every move that I make now,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I have to be worried if God is
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
going to like me or not like me?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Is He going to strike me from Heaven?"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And I think that we lose touch
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of that real essence of who Christ is,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
making things complicated,
as we've been discussing.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) "Whoever believes in Him
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
should not perish."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But of course we need Scripture
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to know how He is.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Otherwise we could
make up some Jesus, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
The Bible is crucial,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and Jesus, when He said, "Baptize
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He did say, "Teach them
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to observe all things I've commanded you."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But all of that is an outgrowth
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
of my relationship with Him
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
as my Savior, right?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Well let's go back
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to the letter of Galatians,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and, Laurel, could you read
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Galatians 1, verses 6 through 9?
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Like we noticed in the first part
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(we read verse 6 already,
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
but read it again),
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
he skips over, "I'm really thankful
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for so much about you,"
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and comes in - boom!
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"We've got a problem here."
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Let's read verses 6 through 9
of Galatians 1.
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Alyssa) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version:
99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek)