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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.

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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.

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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

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of "The Gospel in Galatians."

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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

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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.

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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.

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"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."

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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

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is being broadcast in other languages,

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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.

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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

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by your Friday evening Bible study.

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I thank God for all of you.

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This program is so didactic
and instructive."

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I think he looked up a few words there
for us.

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"Big hug to all of you,
and God bless you all," amen?

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(Team) Amen.

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(Derek) Thanks for writing.

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I know, Ludwig, you said you've been
learning a lot of English, too,

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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.

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I love Hope Sabbath School.

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I watched the first episode

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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.

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I'd heard of Hope Channel,

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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.

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Well, I loved it, and I was thrilled

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when I found out you could get it online."

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It's easy; you can get the app,

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or you can watch it online,
hopetv.org/hopess.

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And she concludes, "May God
continue abundantly

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to bless your ministry.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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I love being a member

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of Hope Sabbath School."

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(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

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an interactive Bible study with us

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as part of Hope Sabbath School.

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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

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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?

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"I enjoy watching and doing the lesson.

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I also enjoy watching Jason

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sing the Scripture songs."

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Well, Jason, why don't you wave
to Leslie Ann,

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and we're going to sing

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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.

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If you haven't learned the song,

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go to our website, download the song,

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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 from 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.

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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.

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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

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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

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the Gospel in Galatians,

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as we study "Paul's Authority and Gospel,"

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that You would work in supernatural ways

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in each of our hearts,

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Hope Sabbath School members

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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.

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(Derek) Now before we go
into Paul's 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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So He uses us wherever we are to spread
His Word to those He wants to save.

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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.

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God knew that he was a Zealot
and when he was actually changed,

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he'd be a Zealot for Him.

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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

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to bring my Word to those who need it."

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(Derek) Is that encouraging?

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That God sees the potential

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even in the midst of all our stumblings?

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We're going to talk about Paul

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as he writes now.

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Many think this was

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one of the earliest documents

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that we have in what we call
the New Testament,

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about 49-50 A.D.

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And it's written because of a problem
in the church,

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but by then, even at that time,

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we're going to see

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that the Christian church recognized

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the Holy Spirit working in this man,

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name changed from Saul of Tarsus to...?

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(Team) Paul.

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(Derek) ...to Paul the Apostle.

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So let's start in 2 Peter, chapter 3.

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We're going to come back
to Galatians here,

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but Jonathan, would you read for us

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2 Peter 3, verses 15 and 16.

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I want you to listen carefully as Peter,

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in some ways a little humorous,

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he says, "Paul is not always easy
to understand,"

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but there's a testimony

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about the authority of his work.

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(Jonathan) I'm reading
from the New International Version:

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(Derek) So, I've always read that

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and thought, "Oh, it's not always easy

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to understand Paul," which is true.

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Sometimes I read a text, and I go,

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"What does that mean?"

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Maybe I need to come
to Hope Sabbath School

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and get a little help from some sisters
and brothers.

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But there were a couple
of little phrases there

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that showed that Peter,

266
00:12:32,020 --> 00:12:34,548
one of the church leaders, an apostle,

267
00:12:34,548 --> 00:12:38,661
recognized the work of the Apostle Paul

268
00:12:38,661 --> 00:12:39,962
as being from God.

269
00:12:39,962 --> 00:12:40,904
What did you hear?

270
00:12:40,904 --> 00:12:43,674
Laurel, did you hear something
that caught your attention?

271
00:12:43,674 --> 00:12:47,459
(Laurel) It just was amazing that Peter,

272
00:12:47,570 --> 00:12:50,427
who was part of the original 12
with Jesus,

273
00:12:50,427 --> 00:12:53,229
recognized that Paul was also called,

274
00:12:53,229 --> 00:12:55,378
even though he wasn't with Christ

275
00:12:55,378 --> 00:12:56,926
when He was physically on Earth.

276
00:12:56,926 --> 00:12:59,623
(Derek) That's right; He wasn't
one of the twelve, right?

277
00:12:59,623 --> 00:13:02,908
So he has seen something in his ministry.

278
00:13:02,908 --> 00:13:05,476
Didn't Jesus say, "By their fruit..."

279
00:13:05,476 --> 00:13:07,234
(Derek, Team) "...you'll know them."

280
00:13:07,234 --> 00:13:09,852
So he had seen something
from the fruit of his ministry

281
00:13:09,852 --> 00:13:11,979
that said, "He's an apostle."

282
00:13:11,990 --> 00:13:14,256
What does <i>apostle</i> mean, by the way?
Do you know?

283
00:13:14,256 --> 00:13:15,563
One who's sent out, right?

284
00:13:15,563 --> 00:13:17,904
"He's an apostle of Jesus Christ," okay?

285
00:13:17,904 --> 00:13:20,330
What else, even in the wording
of the passage,

286
00:13:20,372 --> 00:13:21,925
did you see something?

287
00:13:21,925 --> 00:13:23,584
Christine and then Marcus.

288
00:13:23,584 --> 00:13:25,575
(Christine) It says here in verse 15

289
00:13:25,575 --> 00:13:29,700
that God gave Paul the wisdom
and the knowledge...

290
00:13:29,700 --> 00:13:32,245
(Derek) Aha, wisdom, I think the way
Jonathan read it,

291
00:13:32,245 --> 00:13:33,886
wisdom comes from God, all right?

292
00:13:33,886 --> 00:13:36,810
Anywhere else, a little clue, Jason?

293
00:13:36,810 --> 00:13:38,813
(Jason) In verse 16, he talks about those

294
00:13:38,813 --> 00:13:41,139
who twist and distort the meaning,

295
00:13:41,139 --> 00:13:42,849
and he's saying they do it

296
00:13:42,849 --> 00:13:44,049
to their own destruction.

297
00:13:44,053 --> 00:13:45,970
And so, you can deduce from that,

298
00:13:45,970 --> 00:13:47,504
if you understand it correctly,

299
00:13:47,504 --> 00:13:49,089
that's the way to salvation.

300
00:13:49,089 --> 00:13:51,216
He's preaching the message of God.

301
00:13:51,216 --> 00:13:53,047
(Derek) That's an interesting thought,

302
00:13:53,047 --> 00:13:56,794
and actually there's another phrase
attached to there which is important, too.

303
00:13:56,794 --> 00:13:58,022
Did you notice it, Peter?

304
00:13:58,022 --> 00:14:00,324
(Peter) It says, "as the rest
of the Scripture."

305
00:14:00,341 --> 00:14:04,506
(Derek) Okay, so he's including
Paul's testimonies,

306
00:14:04,506 --> 00:14:08,093
not only as a wisdom from God
like Christine said

307
00:14:08,093 --> 00:14:11,543
but as part of Scripture, God breathed.

308
00:14:11,543 --> 00:14:13,967
It's Peter who says all Scripture

309
00:14:13,967 --> 00:14:15,495
is God breathed, right?

310
00:14:15,495 --> 00:14:17,447
No private interpretation,

311
00:14:17,447 --> 00:14:19,528
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

312
00:14:19,528 --> 00:14:21,373
All right, but that's interesting.

313
00:14:21,373 --> 00:14:23,928
Also, implicitly he's saying,

314
00:14:23,928 --> 00:14:26,910
"If you listen, it's for your salvation,"

315
00:14:26,910 --> 00:14:28,607
that gives it authority.

316
00:14:28,607 --> 00:14:29,693
"If you twist it,

317
00:14:29,693 --> 00:14:30,978
it's for your destruction."

318
00:14:30,978 --> 00:14:33,210
All right, so Paul is recognized

319
00:14:33,244 --> 00:14:36,563
by at least Peter, but I think

320
00:14:36,563 --> 00:14:38,627
we could say by the Christian community.

321
00:14:38,627 --> 00:14:39,988
God's at work in him,

322
00:14:39,988 --> 00:14:41,825
and God is speaking through him.

323
00:14:41,825 --> 00:14:44,559
We're going to look at one of his letters
in this series,

324
00:14:44,559 --> 00:14:46,306
the Gospel to the Galatians.

325
00:14:46,319 --> 00:14:49,804
The standard format of a letter...

326
00:14:49,804 --> 00:14:51,917
did you find this from your study?

327
00:14:51,917 --> 00:14:53,733
What's the standard format of a letter

328
00:14:53,733 --> 00:14:55,773
back in those times, Tricia Lee?

329
00:14:55,773 --> 00:14:59,235
(Tricia Lee) I don't know about back then,
but I do know like when you're

330
00:14:59,235 --> 00:15:02,932
in grammar school, you're taught that you
start with a greeting or some type

331
00:15:02,932 --> 00:15:07,191
of salutation, then you have who it's to
and the subject of the message,

332
00:15:07,191 --> 00:15:10,598
and you kind of end off with some type of,
you know...

333
00:15:10,598 --> 00:15:13,238
(Derek) Farewell or closing remark or?

334
00:15:13,367 --> 00:15:15,387
Is that pretty much, Jason,

335
00:15:15,387 --> 00:15:17,124
the way it looked in these letters

336
00:15:17,124 --> 00:15:19,608
during the New Testament era?

337
00:15:19,608 --> 00:15:23,306
(Jason) Largely yes, and you generally
start with the positive, too.

338
00:15:23,306 --> 00:15:26,243
So you'll say, "Oh, you guys, this is
a nice thing about you,"

339
00:15:26,243 --> 00:15:29,133
whether you're writing a letter now
or these letters of Paul.

340
00:15:29,133 --> 00:15:30,390
They're always saying,

341
00:15:30,390 --> 00:15:32,293
"This is a good thing that you have."

342
00:15:32,293 --> 00:15:33,837
"This is what I like about you."

343
00:15:33,837 --> 00:15:36,357
(Derek) That would probably
still work today, right?

344
00:15:36,357 --> 00:15:39,745
If you've got a problem with someone,
you can say, "Here's some things

345
00:15:39,745 --> 00:15:42,675
I really appreciate about you, but,"
and talk about a problem.

346
00:15:42,701 --> 00:15:46,414
And that's pretty much standard format,

347
00:15:46,414 --> 00:15:49,532
greeting, some word of thanksgiving,

348
00:15:49,532 --> 00:15:50,936
body of the letter,

349
00:15:50,936 --> 00:15:53,639
and then some closing remark,

350
00:15:53,639 --> 00:15:55,008
and typically with Paul

351
00:15:55,008 --> 00:15:57,298
it would include, "the grace of the Lord

352
00:15:57,298 --> 00:16:00,416
be with you," right, something like that.

353
00:16:00,416 --> 00:16:02,042
Let's see how he begins

354
00:16:02,042 --> 00:16:05,090
the letter to the Galatians.

355
00:16:05,090 --> 00:16:09,226
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 and 2,

356
00:16:09,226 --> 00:16:11,921
and, Alyssa, if you'd read that for us,

357
00:16:11,921 --> 00:16:13,326
and then we'll compare that.

358
00:16:13,326 --> 00:16:15,958
If someone could find
Ephesians 1, verse 1,

359
00:16:15,958 --> 00:16:18,468
and Colossians 1, verse 1,

360
00:16:18,475 --> 00:16:20,838
let's see if they're similar

361
00:16:20,838 --> 00:16:22,500
or if there are some differences.

362
00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:24,106
By the way, all of those letters

363
00:16:24,106 --> 00:16:26,309
were written by the Apostle Paul.

364
00:16:26,309 --> 00:16:29,112
(Alyssa) In the New International Version
it says:

365
00:16:42,690 --> 00:16:45,560
(Derek) Okay, that's his greeting there.

366
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:46,690
Keep that in mind.

367
00:16:46,690 --> 00:16:48,129
Does someone have Ephesians?

368
00:16:48,129 --> 00:16:50,084
Joshua, chapter 1 and verse 1.

369
00:16:50,084 --> 00:16:54,581
(Joshua) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version.

370
00:16:54,581 --> 00:16:55,964
The Bible says:

371
00:17:02,904 --> 00:17:05,490
(Derek) All right, so that's to the church
in Ephesus,

372
00:17:05,490 --> 00:17:07,865
then he writes to the church in Colossae,

373
00:17:07,868 --> 00:17:10,812
we call that Colossians, Marcus, verse 1.

374
00:17:10,812 --> 00:17:15,281
(Marcus) I'll be reading from the King
James Version:

375
00:17:22,523 --> 00:17:25,047
(Derek) So what did they have in common,

376
00:17:25,047 --> 00:17:28,672
those three opening salutations?

377
00:17:28,672 --> 00:17:30,188
What did they have in common?

378
00:17:30,188 --> 00:17:31,395
(Harold) He's an apostle.

379
00:17:31,395 --> 00:17:33,997
(Derek) Okay so, Paul, an apostle,
gives his name

380
00:17:34,102 --> 00:17:35,817
like we do even today, right?

381
00:17:35,817 --> 00:17:37,843
Gives the name and says

382
00:17:37,843 --> 00:17:39,969
he's an apostle of Jesus.

383
00:17:39,969 --> 00:17:41,749
What was different, Mario?

384
00:17:41,749 --> 00:17:43,012
What did you see different

385
00:17:43,012 --> 00:17:45,141
in the Galatian intro?

386
00:17:45,161 --> 00:17:47,838
(Mario) He expounds on that.

387
00:17:47,838 --> 00:17:49,918
He says not by the will of man

388
00:17:49,918 --> 00:17:51,520
but of God, you know.

389
00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:52,663
So you can tell

390
00:17:52,663 --> 00:17:54,593
that he needs to clarify something.

391
00:17:54,593 --> 00:17:57,990
(Derek) Why would he have to do that,
anybody?

392
00:17:57,990 --> 00:18:01,297
He didn't do it to Ephesus or to Colossae.

393
00:18:01,297 --> 00:18:06,030
Why would he have to do that for Galatia,
Alyssa?

394
00:18:06,030 --> 00:18:07,680
(Alyssa) This is still early.

395
00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:09,686
Remember, he had to go to all those places

396
00:18:09,686 --> 00:18:11,741
and represent himself anew

397
00:18:11,741 --> 00:18:13,022
to each new church,

398
00:18:13,022 --> 00:18:15,478
so maybe he was still kind of having
to defend

399
00:18:15,478 --> 00:18:16,711
that God did call him.

400
00:18:16,711 --> 00:18:18,073
(Derek) Possibly, of course

401
00:18:18,073 --> 00:18:20,861
we haven't read the letter yet, have we?

402
00:18:20,861 --> 00:18:23,118
That is a possibility, though.

403
00:18:23,274 --> 00:18:25,454
He's like, "You may not know me,"

404
00:18:25,454 --> 00:18:27,235
but actually there's something else

405
00:18:27,235 --> 00:18:28,669
going on here. Nicole?

406
00:18:28,669 --> 00:18:31,483
(Nicole) His letter talks
about false teachings,

407
00:18:31,483 --> 00:18:36,140
so in this case he's saying, "Listen,
I'm from God.

408
00:18:36,140 --> 00:18:37,238
I'm an apostle of God.

409
00:18:37,238 --> 00:18:39,120
I'm bringing you the truth and the Word

410
00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:40,413
that you need to hear,

411
00:18:40,413 --> 00:18:41,958
and I want you all to be careful

412
00:18:41,958 --> 00:18:43,632
of what else is going on around you

413
00:18:43,632 --> 00:18:45,355
that may draw you away from Christ."

414
00:18:45,355 --> 00:18:47,543
(Derek) And implied (stay with me now),

415
00:18:47,676 --> 00:18:49,715
implied is that these people

416
00:18:49,715 --> 00:18:52,678
who are giving these false teachings

417
00:18:52,678 --> 00:18:54,855
are saying what about Paul?

418
00:18:54,855 --> 00:18:56,842
(Team) That he's not from God.

419
00:18:56,842 --> 00:18:59,318
(Derek) He's not a true apostle, right?

420
00:18:59,318 --> 00:19:02,844
Or he's sent by man and not sent by God.
Jonathan?

421
00:19:02,844 --> 00:19:05,925
(Jonathan) It seems like multiple times
throughout this that he's

422
00:19:05,925 --> 00:19:08,324
emphasizing this, that, "My authority
doesn't come

423
00:19:08,324 --> 00:19:09,923
based on other people; it's God."

424
00:19:09,923 --> 00:19:12,015
It's the truth that matters
and not people.

425
00:19:12,015 --> 00:19:14,769
(Derek) Well let's take a look
as we read on in Galatians.

426
00:19:14,902 --> 00:19:16,421
Jason, if you could read

427
00:19:16,421 --> 00:19:17,872
the first six verses,

428
00:19:17,872 --> 00:19:20,823
it will include the initial salutation
that we read,

429
00:19:20,823 --> 00:19:22,411
verses 1 through 6.

430
00:19:22,411 --> 00:19:25,458
He's going to go past

431
00:19:25,458 --> 00:19:27,101
saying thank you about anything,

432
00:19:27,101 --> 00:19:29,901
and he's going to come right to the issue
at hand.

433
00:19:29,901 --> 00:19:33,119
Let's take a look, Galatians 1:1-6.

434
00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:34,277
(Jason) I'll be reading

435
00:19:34,277 --> 00:19:36,234
from the New King James Version,

436
00:19:36,234 --> 00:19:39,362
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 through 6:

437
00:20:21,515 --> 00:20:23,984
(Derek) Whoa! So something's up here.

438
00:20:23,984 --> 00:20:26,191
We're going to get right to it,

439
00:20:26,191 --> 00:20:28,372
but he has kind of given us
the gospel message

440
00:20:28,372 --> 00:20:31,162
right in those first few verses.

441
00:20:31,175 --> 00:20:33,326
How would you summarize
the gospel message

442
00:20:33,326 --> 00:20:36,403
from those verses? Peter.

443
00:20:36,403 --> 00:20:39,221
(Peter) The salutation
that he gives there, grace and peace,

444
00:20:39,221 --> 00:20:40,801
is very interesting to me,

445
00:20:40,801 --> 00:20:42,067
and is actually used

446
00:20:42,067 --> 00:20:43,433
almost in every letter,

447
00:20:43,433 --> 00:20:44,731
and Peter uses it,

448
00:20:44,731 --> 00:20:45,960
"Grace and peace to you."

449
00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:47,244
""Grace and peace to you."

450
00:20:47,244 --> 00:20:49,669
And it's almost like, the heart of God,

451
00:20:49,669 --> 00:20:52,015
full of grace, brings something

452
00:20:52,015 --> 00:20:53,394
to our hearts, peace,

453
00:20:53,394 --> 00:20:55,411
and He does that through forgiveness,

454
00:20:55,411 --> 00:20:57,375
and this is given to all men.

455
00:20:57,375 --> 00:21:00,021
(Derek) So even in the greeting
you're seeing a message.

456
00:21:00,021 --> 00:21:01,512
Many Bible scholars would say

457
00:21:01,512 --> 00:21:03,854
grace would be a more typical
New Testament,

458
00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:05,536
and shalom, or peace,

459
00:21:05,536 --> 00:21:07,562
would be more from the Hebrew heritage,

460
00:21:07,562 --> 00:21:09,659
but we're bringing both

461
00:21:09,659 --> 00:21:11,372
in Christ Jesus, right?

462
00:21:11,372 --> 00:21:13,001
What's the message?

463
00:21:13,001 --> 00:21:13,962
What did you hear

464
00:21:13,962 --> 00:21:18,336
in the first six verses, anybody?
Yes, Alyssa?

465
00:21:18,336 --> 00:21:20,983
(Alyssa) Christ died for us,
but in accordance

466
00:21:20,983 --> 00:21:25,765
that God the whole Trinity is
working together also, he mentions that.

467
00:21:25,765 --> 00:21:29,425
And that when we've been transformed
by that message,

468
00:21:29,578 --> 00:21:31,194
we give glory back to Him.

469
00:21:31,194 --> 00:21:33,831
(Derek) Yeah, "He gave Himself
for our sins,"

470
00:21:33,831 --> 00:21:35,730
is the way my Bible translates it,

471
00:21:35,730 --> 00:21:39,898
"that he might deliver us from..."?

472
00:21:39,898 --> 00:21:40,788
(Team) Evil.

473
00:21:40,788 --> 00:21:43,451
(Derek) "...this present evil age,
according to the will

474
00:21:43,451 --> 00:21:47,000
of God our Father, to whom be glory,"
and then he, like, "God is awesome."

475
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,540
You know, he kind of ends
his little statement there.

476
00:21:49,540 --> 00:21:51,165
But he up front says,

477
00:21:51,282 --> 00:21:55,808
"This is God's plan of salvation,
through Jesus," right?

478
00:21:55,808 --> 00:21:59,539
"...to deliver us
from the present evil age.

479
00:21:59,539 --> 00:22:04,209
What is wrong with you?!"
(Thank you, Nicole.)

480
00:22:04,209 --> 00:22:09,038
"Where did you get some other gospel?"

481
00:22:09,038 --> 00:22:12,899
Some other...what does
the word <i>gospel</i> mean, do you know?

482
00:22:12,899 --> 00:22:14,127
(Team) Good News.

483
00:22:14,127 --> 00:22:17,555
(Derek) "Where do you find some other news
that isn't good news at all?"

484
00:22:17,555 --> 00:22:22,169
So he obviously is dealing immediately
with a challenge.

485
00:22:22,187 --> 00:22:24,393
Now before we go into that,

486
00:22:24,393 --> 00:22:26,723
a revelation about the Good News

487
00:22:26,723 --> 00:22:29,770
was not only given to him, right?

488
00:22:29,770 --> 00:22:33,221
Let's go back; in our first study
in this series,

489
00:22:33,221 --> 00:22:37,109
we looked at that amazing
concise statement by Peter.

490
00:22:37,109 --> 00:22:38,584
Do you remember that?

491
00:22:38,584 --> 00:22:40,057
Guided by the Holy Spirit.

492
00:22:40,057 --> 00:22:43,535
In Acts 10, verses 34 to 43.

493
00:22:43,535 --> 00:22:45,193
I want to hear that again.

494
00:22:45,193 --> 00:22:46,681
I'm always amazed, Nicole,

495
00:22:46,681 --> 00:22:48,089
if you could it for us...

496
00:22:48,089 --> 00:22:51,687
I'm always amazed at the brilliance

497
00:22:51,687 --> 00:22:53,841
of this concise statement

498
00:22:53,841 --> 00:22:55,438
about the Gospel message.

499
00:22:55,438 --> 00:22:57,811
And we know it's not because Peter says,

500
00:22:57,811 --> 00:22:59,357
"Well, I'm a great scholar."

501
00:22:59,357 --> 00:23:01,055
No, no, he was a fisherman

502
00:23:01,055 --> 00:23:03,342
who wholly surrendered his life to God,

503
00:23:03,342 --> 00:23:05,344
and by the Spirit he's speaking.

504
00:23:05,344 --> 00:23:07,428
So let's hear his testimony.

505
00:23:07,428 --> 00:23:11,053
(Nicole) I'm reading Acts 10,
verses 34 through 43,

506
00:23:11,053 --> 00:23:14,224
and I'm reading from the New
International Version, and it says:

507
00:24:34,096 --> 00:24:36,377
(Derek) I love that;
it's so powerful, isn't it?

508
00:24:36,377 --> 00:24:39,330
And by the way, when he says,
"as all the prophets,"

509
00:24:39,330 --> 00:24:41,342
he kind of says that it's the testimony

510
00:24:41,342 --> 00:24:42,461
of the whole Scripture.

511
00:24:42,461 --> 00:24:45,393
It reminds me of a Bible study
that Jesus gave.

512
00:24:45,393 --> 00:24:47,411
Do you remember when that was,
Tricia Lee?

513
00:24:47,411 --> 00:24:49,656
(Tricia Lee) When they were
walking to Emmaus.

514
00:24:49,656 --> 00:24:53,333
(Derek) Right, first to Cleopas and the
other disciple on the road to Emmaus,

515
00:24:53,442 --> 00:24:55,047
but then with the disciples

516
00:24:55,047 --> 00:24:56,289
in the Upper Room.

517
00:24:56,289 --> 00:24:59,254
And He said all of these prophecies,

518
00:24:59,254 --> 00:25:01,133
all of the Scriptures, what?

519
00:25:01,133 --> 00:25:02,370
(Team) "Testify about Me."

520
00:25:02,370 --> 00:25:05,293
(Derek) Yeah, they "testify about Me,
and not only about Me

521
00:25:05,293 --> 00:25:07,020
but that I had to suffer." Why?

522
00:25:07,020 --> 00:25:08,825
He suffered for our sins, right?

523
00:25:08,825 --> 00:25:10,881
He bore our sins that He might...?

524
00:25:10,881 --> 00:25:12,719
What was that wonderful word?

525
00:25:12,719 --> 00:25:13,908
(Team Member) Deliver us.

526
00:25:13,908 --> 00:25:16,260
(Derek) Deliver us
from this present evil age.

527
00:25:16,260 --> 00:25:18,960
Wonderful news, but all of that...

528
00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:20,615
You say, "That's a great summary;

529
00:25:20,615 --> 00:25:23,372
I'm going to write it down, Acts 10:34-43.

530
00:25:23,372 --> 00:25:26,433
If anybody non-Christian comes and says,

531
00:25:26,433 --> 00:25:27,620
'Could you give it to me

532
00:25:27,620 --> 00:25:29,295
in like just a couple of minutes?'"

533
00:25:29,295 --> 00:25:32,949
You say, "Well, let me read to you
what the Holy Spirit said through Peter."

534
00:25:32,949 --> 00:25:35,413
But we could get even more concise
than that.

535
00:25:35,413 --> 00:25:37,142
Someone have John 3:16,

536
00:25:37,142 --> 00:25:39,187
would read it for us?

537
00:25:39,187 --> 00:25:41,231
Anybody have John 3:16?

538
00:25:41,231 --> 00:25:42,843
You say, "I'd like to repeat it."

539
00:25:42,843 --> 00:25:46,243
John 3:16, got a volunteer?

540
00:25:46,376 --> 00:25:48,003
Jason, read it for us, please.

541
00:25:48,003 --> 00:25:53,962
(Jason) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version, John 3:16:

542
00:26:06,030 --> 00:26:07,797
(Derek) Well that challenges

543
00:26:07,797 --> 00:26:09,159
the whole idea that it's

544
00:26:09,159 --> 00:26:11,396
just for the Jews, right?

545
00:26:11,396 --> 00:26:13,163
It says "whoever."

546
00:26:13,163 --> 00:26:15,190
God so loved the...?

547
00:26:15,190 --> 00:26:15,981
(Team) World.

548
00:26:15,981 --> 00:26:17,523
(Derek) I mean it's right there

549
00:26:17,523 --> 00:26:19,257
in that very simple statement.

550
00:26:19,357 --> 00:26:21,561
So, I have a question for you, Mario.

551
00:26:21,561 --> 00:26:25,188
Why do people make the Gospel message,

552
00:26:25,188 --> 00:26:27,161
the Good News about what God has done

553
00:26:27,161 --> 00:26:28,374
for us in Jesus,

554
00:26:28,374 --> 00:26:30,208
why do people make it so complicated?

555
00:26:30,208 --> 00:26:34,458
(Mario) Oh, wow, we have something
inside of us

556
00:26:34,458 --> 00:26:40,455
that wants to give out steps or processes
to accomplish things.

557
00:26:40,455 --> 00:26:43,583
I mean, in our jobs and in school,

558
00:26:43,583 --> 00:26:46,847
there's this system that tells us,
you know,

559
00:26:46,847 --> 00:26:48,765
you have to do this and this and this,

560
00:26:48,765 --> 00:26:50,524
and then you can get what you want.

561
00:26:50,524 --> 00:26:52,827
So it's hard for us to conceive

562
00:26:52,827 --> 00:26:56,537
that a God can love us

563
00:26:56,554 --> 00:26:58,701
and give something to us

564
00:26:58,701 --> 00:27:02,706
without us having to do something
to earn it,

565
00:27:02,706 --> 00:27:04,459
but that it is a gift

566
00:27:04,459 --> 00:27:07,023
if we would just submit to His will...

567
00:27:07,023 --> 00:27:08,468
(Derek) Now the New Testament

568
00:27:08,468 --> 00:27:10,679
and especially the writings of Paul

569
00:27:10,679 --> 00:27:12,665
are all about a new creation.

570
00:27:12,665 --> 00:27:15,342
They're all about deliverance

571
00:27:15,342 --> 00:27:17,021
from the present evil age,

572
00:27:17,021 --> 00:27:20,005
but that is the <i>fruit</i>

573
00:27:20,005 --> 00:27:23,095
of accepting the Gospel message.

574
00:27:23,095 --> 00:27:24,916
Somehow we try to make it

575
00:27:24,916 --> 00:27:27,907
more complicated than "whoever believes
in Him."

576
00:27:27,907 --> 00:27:29,411
We've got several hands.

577
00:27:29,411 --> 00:27:31,506
Let's take a moment to reflect on this.

578
00:27:31,506 --> 00:27:34,204
(Harold) One way, and we have
seen this, actually,

579
00:27:34,204 --> 00:27:35,714
throughout the New Testament,

580
00:27:35,714 --> 00:27:37,810
what we studied last time, traditions.

581
00:27:37,810 --> 00:27:39,656
At times we fall into a routine,

582
00:27:39,656 --> 00:27:42,005
as Tricia Lee mentioned
in a previous study,

583
00:27:42,005 --> 00:27:45,034
that at times we are so ingrained...

584
00:27:45,034 --> 00:27:48,601
we get so comfortable that we believe

585
00:27:48,601 --> 00:27:50,417
that that's the way to go to be saved.

586
00:27:50,417 --> 00:27:53,140
(Derek) That's maybe even
what the Bible teaches, right?

587
00:27:53,140 --> 00:27:54,790
Because we've done it for so long,

588
00:27:54,790 --> 00:27:56,648
or what our religious teacher told us.

589
00:27:56,655 --> 00:27:59,046
(Harold) Yes, and Jesus even rebuked
the Pharisees

590
00:27:59,046 --> 00:28:00,384
because, "You come to Me,"

591
00:28:00,384 --> 00:28:01,694
you know, "with your mouth;

592
00:28:01,694 --> 00:28:04,016
you're worshiping with your mouth
and everything,

593
00:28:04,016 --> 00:28:05,267
but yet you come to Me

594
00:28:05,267 --> 00:28:06,958
by the commandments of men."

595
00:28:06,958 --> 00:28:09,338
And this is found in Matthew,
chapter 15.

596
00:28:09,370 --> 00:28:11,381
(Derek) Right, so that could happen

597
00:28:11,381 --> 00:28:13,491
for us, too, right? Tricia Lee?

598
00:28:13,491 --> 00:28:16,513
(Tricia Lee) He's reminding us
that we're in an evil age.

599
00:28:16,513 --> 00:28:18,749
The devil is out there
trying to deceive us.

600
00:28:18,749 --> 00:28:21,783
From the garden he said,
"Did God really say?"

601
00:28:21,783 --> 00:28:26,223
And when we have simple truths
about salvation, that doubt comes

602
00:28:26,223 --> 00:28:29,878
into our minds like, is it really
that easy to be saved through Christ?

603
00:28:29,878 --> 00:28:36,264
You can hang your doubts on anything,
but it's just like, we have to believe

604
00:28:36,264 --> 00:28:40,705
the true Word that God says
and not question this simple path

605
00:28:40,705 --> 00:28:42,011
that God already laid out.

606
00:28:42,011 --> 00:28:45,170
(Derek) I guess there's two approaches
that the devil could bring.

607
00:28:45,170 --> 00:28:49,173
One would be to say

608
00:28:49,173 --> 00:28:52,209
it's not that simple, right?
It's more complicated,

609
00:28:52,209 --> 00:28:55,028
or it's not even true.

610
00:28:55,028 --> 00:28:57,738
This is not true,

611
00:28:57,739 --> 00:29:00,182
but it's not that simple, you know?

612
00:29:00,182 --> 00:29:03,601
(Tricia Lee) Is He really
going to forgive you if you ask Him?

613
00:29:03,601 --> 00:29:05,464
(Derek) Or maybe it's for someone else,

614
00:29:05,464 --> 00:29:08,116
but would it really be for you?

615
00:29:08,116 --> 00:29:11,502
Anybody else, why do we make it
so complicated, Jonathan?

616
00:29:11,502 --> 00:29:14,702
(Jonathan) I think sometimes we really
want it to be...

617
00:29:14,702 --> 00:29:16,071
It's an issue of pride.

618
00:29:16,071 --> 00:29:21,292
I mean like, if I can make all these
so wonderful thoughts and ideas,

619
00:29:21,292 --> 00:29:24,958
then it becomes about me and about what
I'm doing or what I'm thinking

620
00:29:24,958 --> 00:29:29,368
or having the right knowledge, but this is
so simple, like a child can understand.

621
00:29:29,368 --> 00:29:33,195
(Derek) Didn't Jesus say something
about we need to become as little children

622
00:29:33,195 --> 00:29:35,584
if we would enter the Kingdom?

623
00:29:35,584 --> 00:29:36,993
(Jonathan) That's humbling.

624
00:29:36,993 --> 00:29:38,958
(Derek) It requires humility?

625
00:29:38,958 --> 00:29:40,718
(Jonathan) Yeah.

626
00:29:40,718 --> 00:29:42,058
(Derek) Yes, Peter.

627
00:29:42,058 --> 00:29:44,529
(Peter) I was thinking, too,
that sometimes maybe...

628
00:29:44,529 --> 00:29:46,058
can God be that good?

629
00:29:46,058 --> 00:29:47,752
Can it be that good?

630
00:29:47,755 --> 00:29:50,075
(Derek) You mean a distorted picture

631
00:29:50,075 --> 00:29:51,587
of the character of God

632
00:29:51,587 --> 00:29:53,144
could hold me back

633
00:29:53,144 --> 00:29:55,035
from believing that God could be

634
00:29:55,035 --> 00:29:55,985
that good to me.

635
00:29:55,985 --> 00:29:57,262
(Peter) Right, right.

636
00:29:57,262 --> 00:29:58,535
(Derek) Part of the reason

637
00:29:58,535 --> 00:29:59,551
we study the Bible

638
00:29:59,551 --> 00:30:02,692
is to find out the truth about God, right?
Joshua?

639
00:30:02,692 --> 00:30:04,740
(Joshua) I believe it was along the lines

640
00:30:04,740 --> 00:30:06,180
of what Jonathan said.

641
00:30:06,180 --> 00:30:07,995
He mentioned that, you know,

642
00:30:07,995 --> 00:30:09,969
the Gospel is even for little children,

643
00:30:09,990 --> 00:30:12,309
as easy that they can understand it.

644
00:30:12,309 --> 00:30:13,715
And I remember as a child

645
00:30:13,715 --> 00:30:15,495
I always saw the Gospel

646
00:30:15,495 --> 00:30:17,688
as something that was easy to digest,

647
00:30:17,688 --> 00:30:19,341
like Jesus loves me,

648
00:30:19,341 --> 00:30:22,310
He wants to save us from our sins,

649
00:30:22,310 --> 00:30:24,042
we're going to Heaven one day,

650
00:30:24,042 --> 00:30:25,316
and it was that simple.

651
00:30:25,316 --> 00:30:26,657
But then as I got older,

652
00:30:26,657 --> 00:30:29,784
things started to become more and more
and more complicated.

653
00:30:29,784 --> 00:30:32,584
People are like, "Oh! This prophecy,
that prophecy."

654
00:30:32,584 --> 00:30:34,457
"We have to be saved through this."

655
00:30:34,457 --> 00:30:36,762
"If you do this,
this is going to happen to you."

656
00:30:36,762 --> 00:30:38,868
And your mind just has

657
00:30:38,868 --> 00:30:43,232
this, for some people,
a spiritual breakdown.

658
00:30:43,232 --> 00:30:45,188
Like, "Whoa, it takes all of that now?

659
00:30:45,188 --> 00:30:47,190
Every move that I make now,

660
00:30:47,190 --> 00:30:48,204
I have to be worried

661
00:30:48,204 --> 00:30:50,672
if God is going to like me or not like me?

662
00:30:50,672 --> 00:30:52,688
Is He going to strike me from Heaven?"

663
00:30:52,688 --> 00:30:56,349
And I think that we lose touch

664
00:30:56,349 --> 00:30:59,976
of that real essence of who Christ is,

665
00:30:59,976 --> 00:31:02,984
making things complicated,
as we've been discussing.

666
00:31:02,984 --> 00:31:04,565
(Derek) "Whoever believes in Him

667
00:31:04,565 --> 00:31:06,096
should not perish."

668
00:31:06,096 --> 00:31:07,591
But of course we need Scripture

669
00:31:07,591 --> 00:31:08,772
to know how He is.

670
00:31:08,810 --> 00:31:11,688
Otherwise we could
make up some Jesus, right?

671
00:31:11,688 --> 00:31:13,239
The Bible is crucial,

672
00:31:13,239 --> 00:31:15,303
and Jesus, when He said, "Baptize

673
00:31:15,303 --> 00:31:18,052
in the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit,"

674
00:31:18,052 --> 00:31:19,541
He did say, "Teach them

675
00:31:19,541 --> 00:31:21,884
to observe all things I've commanded you."

676
00:31:21,884 --> 00:31:25,541
But all of that is an outgrowth

677
00:31:25,541 --> 00:31:27,815
of my relationship with Him

678
00:31:27,815 --> 00:31:29,171
as my Savior, right?

679
00:31:29,171 --> 00:31:30,147
Well let's go back

680
00:31:30,147 --> 00:31:31,554
to the letter of Galatians,

681
00:31:31,554 --> 00:31:32,978
and, Laurel, could you read

682
00:31:32,978 --> 00:31:35,801
Galatians 1, verses 6 through 9?

683
00:31:35,801 --> 00:31:38,344
Like we noticed in the first part

684
00:31:38,344 --> 00:31:40,520
(we read verse 6 already,
but read it again),

685
00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:42,200
he skips over, "I'm really thankful

686
00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:43,639
for so much about you,"

687
00:31:43,670 --> 00:31:45,521
and comes in - boom!

688
00:31:45,521 --> 00:31:46,804
"We've got a problem here."

689
00:31:46,804 --> 00:31:49,132
Let's read verses 6 through 9
of Galatians 1.

690
00:31:49,132 --> 00:31:51,841
(Alyssa) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version:

691
00:32:29,571 --> 00:32:31,142
(Derek) Now that word <i>accursed</i>,

692
00:32:31,142 --> 00:32:32,477
I've got in my margin there

693
00:32:32,477 --> 00:32:33,966
is the word <i>anathema</i>.

694
00:32:33,966 --> 00:32:35,500
I mean, it's not like,

695
00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:37,910
"That's not a good thing to do."

696
00:32:37,921 --> 00:32:39,587
It's like really strong language.

697
00:32:39,587 --> 00:32:43,587
Why is Paul...and someone could say,

698
00:32:43,587 --> 00:32:45,107
"Well, that's your perspective;

699
00:32:45,107 --> 00:32:46,498
this is my perspective"...

700
00:32:46,498 --> 00:32:50,182
why is he so intense about people...

701
00:32:50,182 --> 00:32:54,373
"You cannot preach some other gospel

702
00:32:54,373 --> 00:32:58,419
other than what was manifested
through Jesus," Marcus?

703
00:32:58,419 --> 00:33:01,066
(Marcus) Because that would portray
a false Christ.

704
00:33:01,066 --> 00:33:02,900
Just like you said earlier as well,

705
00:33:02,900 --> 00:33:05,052
you said that it's not the same Christ

706
00:33:05,052 --> 00:33:06,404
if you pervert the gospel,

707
00:33:06,404 --> 00:33:07,907
and this is the early church.

708
00:33:07,907 --> 00:33:09,355
So, what comes out of this

709
00:33:09,355 --> 00:33:12,135
may affect future churches
in the next generation.

710
00:33:12,135 --> 00:33:13,490
(Derek) So it's not so much

711
00:33:13,490 --> 00:33:15,259
that, "You don't like my teaching,"

712
00:33:15,261 --> 00:33:18,931
as "You're saying something about God
that isn't true!"

713
00:33:18,931 --> 00:33:19,784
(Team) Yes.

714
00:33:19,784 --> 00:33:22,011
(Derek) And...? And what?

715
00:33:22,011 --> 00:33:23,869
What's the implication of that?

716
00:33:23,869 --> 00:33:26,184
Destruction for people!

717
00:33:26,184 --> 00:33:28,227
This is life and death!

718
00:33:28,227 --> 00:33:31,838
It's not just, "Do you like your sermon
or your sermon?"

719
00:33:31,838 --> 00:33:33,910
This is life and death;

720
00:33:33,910 --> 00:33:36,172
we're talking about how people can be

721
00:33:36,172 --> 00:33:38,987
set right with God, right?
Yes, Mario.

722
00:33:38,987 --> 00:33:40,213
(Mario) I just feel like

723
00:33:40,213 --> 00:33:41,332
I need to highlight

724
00:33:41,332 --> 00:33:43,044
the same applies to us today.

725
00:33:43,046 --> 00:33:45,853
This is about the character of Christ

726
00:33:45,853 --> 00:33:50,428
as perceived in someone else's eyes
through our testimony,

727
00:33:50,428 --> 00:33:53,435
and we get hung up on our doctrine

728
00:33:53,435 --> 00:33:55,919
as a means to salvation.

729
00:33:55,919 --> 00:33:58,029
And there are so many things that we try

730
00:33:58,029 --> 00:34:00,523
to hang the hat of salvation on,

731
00:34:00,523 --> 00:34:02,805
but we've got to preach Christ

732
00:34:02,805 --> 00:34:05,242
and Him crucified, as Paul said, you know,

733
00:34:05,242 --> 00:34:07,414
and we have to be careful about that.

734
00:34:07,414 --> 00:34:09,010
(Derek) Now some people might get

735
00:34:09,010 --> 00:34:10,749
a little offended with Paul.

736
00:34:10,749 --> 00:34:12,583
They'd say, "Paul, that's a little,"

737
00:34:12,730 --> 00:34:15,196
(we have an expression in English),

738
00:34:15,196 --> 00:34:17,962
"over the top. Please."

739
00:34:17,962 --> 00:34:19,853
But let's look at a couple of places

740
00:34:19,853 --> 00:34:25,048
where Jesus was fairly (what could I say)
direct

741
00:34:25,048 --> 00:34:28,444
when He felt the same issue,

742
00:34:28,444 --> 00:34:29,878
"You're getting in the way

743
00:34:29,878 --> 00:34:32,732
of people learning the truth about God."

744
00:34:32,732 --> 00:34:36,167
Mark, chapter 9, verse 42,

745
00:34:36,167 --> 00:34:37,479
Harold, do you have that?

746
00:34:37,479 --> 00:34:40,305
Again I do believe that Jesus,

747
00:34:40,305 --> 00:34:42,866
He spoke with love in His heart.

748
00:34:42,866 --> 00:34:45,106
I don't like if He's portrayed

749
00:34:45,106 --> 00:34:47,581
as some kind of angry Savior,

750
00:34:47,581 --> 00:34:51,518
but He spoke strongly here, didn't He?
Mark 5:42?

751
00:34:51,518 --> 00:34:54,790
(Harold) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version:

752
00:35:10,001 --> 00:35:12,836
(Derek) Now, Bible students have discussed

753
00:35:12,836 --> 00:35:15,170
whether the little ones He's talking about

754
00:35:15,170 --> 00:35:18,649
are children or new believers.

755
00:35:18,649 --> 00:35:20,910
What do you think?

756
00:35:20,910 --> 00:35:22,252
(Team) Both.

757
00:35:22,252 --> 00:35:24,718
(Derek) Multiple choice, right?

758
00:35:24,718 --> 00:35:26,319
"All of the above," right?

759
00:35:26,319 --> 00:35:28,085
If you cause a child to stumble

760
00:35:28,085 --> 00:35:30,221
that they can't, as children do,

761
00:35:30,221 --> 00:35:31,982
just say, "Jesus, I trust You,

762
00:35:31,982 --> 00:35:33,707
and I want You to save me,

763
00:35:33,707 --> 00:35:35,480
and I want to be with You forever,"

764
00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,772
and the Savior says, "Amen," right?

765
00:35:38,798 --> 00:35:41,119
But also the new believer?

766
00:35:41,119 --> 00:35:42,288
(Team) Yes.

767
00:35:42,288 --> 00:35:45,834
(Derek) So, we want the new believers
to learn everything

768
00:35:45,834 --> 00:35:47,769
that Jesus taught, right?

769
00:35:47,769 --> 00:35:49,628
So, how do we do that

770
00:35:49,628 --> 00:35:53,284
without making a stumbling block for them?

771
00:35:53,284 --> 00:35:54,925
What is crucially important

772
00:35:54,925 --> 00:35:57,766
when we're teaching them all those things?

773
00:35:57,766 --> 00:36:04,856
Are you stretching your fingers, Nicole?
Yes, tell me.

774
00:36:04,856 --> 00:36:08,663
(Nicole) I think that it starts with us
praying and asking for the Spirit

775
00:36:08,663 --> 00:36:14,099
to fill us with what we need in order
to reach those that we're dealing with.

776
00:36:14,099 --> 00:36:17,267
And so we don't become a stumbling block
ourselves, we have to have

777
00:36:17,267 --> 00:36:19,812
that connection with Christ to lead us
the right way.

778
00:36:19,812 --> 00:36:21,752
(Derek) Okay, but we want to teach them

779
00:36:21,866 --> 00:36:23,195
to observe all things.

780
00:36:23,195 --> 00:36:27,565
So how do we do that without
(what's the word)

781
00:36:27,565 --> 00:36:30,253
damaging the gospel or mutating the gospel

782
00:36:30,253 --> 00:36:33,413
or proclaiming some other gospel?

783
00:36:33,413 --> 00:36:35,578
How do we do that, Alyssa?

784
00:36:35,578 --> 00:36:38,458
(Alyssa) Well, first, everything
has to come from Scripture.

785
00:36:38,458 --> 00:36:41,044
Don't try to show them anything
that isn't here.

786
00:36:41,044 --> 00:36:45,193
And also, if they're not secure yet
in their salvation,

787
00:36:45,193 --> 00:36:47,845
first things have to come first.

788
00:36:47,845 --> 00:36:50,436
(Derek) So I believe in Bible prophecy,
it's wonderful.

789
00:36:50,436 --> 00:36:52,025
By the way, I've met many people

790
00:36:52,025 --> 00:36:55,909
who believe in the authenticity
of the Bible by Bible prophecy,

791
00:36:55,929 --> 00:36:58,541
but you're saying, "I'm going
to tell them about Jesus

792
00:36:58,541 --> 00:36:59,298
and how to have

793
00:36:59,298 --> 00:37:00,730
a living connection with Him,"

794
00:37:00,730 --> 00:37:05,118
and then we talk about how do we live
as a Christian

795
00:37:05,118 --> 00:37:08,118
rather than, "Here's the list of things

796
00:37:08,260 --> 00:37:11,543
that can maybe earn God's love and favor

797
00:37:11,543 --> 00:37:13,214
or maybe earn your way to Heaven."

798
00:37:13,214 --> 00:37:16,542
(Tricia Lee) It's a great question,
and I think that churches struggle

799
00:37:16,542 --> 00:37:19,238
with how to disciple and how to teach
our new believers.

800
00:37:19,238 --> 00:37:22,912
We should never be afraid of teaching
what the Bible says or what Jesus says,

801
00:37:22,912 --> 00:37:26,535
but there's a big difference between
teaching what Jesus taught and lived

802
00:37:26,535 --> 00:37:30,914
and then now trying to force people
to make those changes and believing

803
00:37:30,914 --> 00:37:34,541
that we somehow now take on the role
of the Holy Spirit in converting people.

804
00:37:34,541 --> 00:37:38,127
I can teach you and show you, and I should
never hide what the Bible says,

805
00:37:38,127 --> 00:37:41,805
but I have to understand my role is
to teach; my role is not to convert.

806
00:37:41,805 --> 00:37:45,697
I cannot force someone to make a change
that it might have taken me many years

807
00:37:45,697 --> 00:37:47,295
to come to myself.

808
00:37:47,295 --> 00:37:50,634
So we have to have patience and humility
and realize that we are only

809
00:37:50,634 --> 00:37:54,185
pointing people to the Bible teachings
and allowing the Holy Spirit to work

810
00:37:54,185 --> 00:37:57,176
that miracle in their life just like
He worked in our lives.

811
00:37:57,176 --> 00:38:00,597
But we shouldn't be afraid to show
somebody what the Bible says

812
00:38:00,597 --> 00:38:04,265
just because it might be too much; maybe
we should hide it from them now - no.

813
00:38:04,265 --> 00:38:07,964
The Bible teaches all these things;
it's okay to teach it, but we should never

814
00:38:07,964 --> 00:38:11,687
feel like we have to force someone to make
the same change just like we have.

815
00:38:11,687 --> 00:38:14,837
(Derek) And would it be okay to say
we always need to remind them

816
00:38:14,837 --> 00:38:17,624
what the foundation of our faith...
where it is?

817
00:38:17,624 --> 00:38:20,441
It's in Jesus, right?
Our Savior.

818
00:38:20,441 --> 00:38:23,471
Saved by His grace through faith?

819
00:38:23,471 --> 00:38:25,832
Let's talk about healthful living,

820
00:38:25,853 --> 00:38:27,335
or let's talk about...

821
00:38:27,335 --> 00:38:29,105
you could name something else...

822
00:38:29,105 --> 00:38:30,919
how Jesus is coming back,

823
00:38:30,919 --> 00:38:34,663
but first I have to talk
about the Gospel message, right?

824
00:38:34,666 --> 00:38:36,389
And the assurance of salvation.

825
00:38:36,389 --> 00:38:37,792
Several hands raised, Peter?

826
00:38:37,792 --> 00:38:41,582
(Peter) I was just going to say when we
talk about, like, we're saying doctrine

827
00:38:41,582 --> 00:38:44,839
or anything, living, Jesus sits
for His portrait, and how we present

828
00:38:44,839 --> 00:38:46,126
the teachings of the Bible.

829
00:38:46,126 --> 00:38:49,053
And what portrait of Jesus
are you painting in your doctrine,

830
00:38:49,053 --> 00:38:51,020
in your lifestyle that you're coaching,

831
00:38:51,020 --> 00:38:53,241
whatever it is, X, Y, Z - fill it in -

832
00:38:53,241 --> 00:38:55,226
what portrait of Jesus are you painting?

833
00:38:55,226 --> 00:38:56,910
(Derek) First I have to know

834
00:38:56,910 --> 00:39:00,204
the truth about Jesus and who He was.
Jonathan.

835
00:39:00,204 --> 00:39:03,647
(Jonathan) I was thinking how,
in a musical, you can have the same notes,

836
00:39:03,647 --> 00:39:06,905
even in the same order, but if you change,
like maybe if you start

837
00:39:06,905 --> 00:39:10,792
with a different emphasis, or if you put
it in a different bass note or something,

838
00:39:10,792 --> 00:39:12,159
the music totally changes.

839
00:39:12,159 --> 00:39:15,150
You can be saying the same things,
but if you're emphasizing

840
00:39:15,150 --> 00:39:21,251
without that foundation of who God is,
His love for us, and salvation,

841
00:39:21,251 --> 00:39:24,324
then you're communicating
a different song, a different tone.

842
00:39:24,597 --> 00:39:26,167
(Derek) One other text

843
00:39:26,167 --> 00:39:27,802
where Jesus spoke rather strongly,

844
00:39:27,802 --> 00:39:31,813
in Matthew 23:13,14, He was saying,

845
00:39:31,813 --> 00:39:33,651
"Don't get in the way of people

846
00:39:33,651 --> 00:39:35,640
knowing the truth about Me."

847
00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:41,445
Christine, do you have Matthew 23,
verses 13 and 14?

848
00:39:41,445 --> 00:39:44,645
(Christine) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version,

849
00:39:44,645 --> 00:39:49,387
Matthew, chapter 23, verses 13 and 14;
it says:

850
00:40:12,575 --> 00:40:14,541
(Derek) And what does it say at the end?

851
00:40:14,541 --> 00:40:16,021
"You will receive" what?

852
00:40:16,140 --> 00:40:18,671
(Derek, Team) A greater condemnation.

853
00:40:18,671 --> 00:40:23,559
You know, you will be held accountable.

854
00:40:23,559 --> 00:40:25,596
Isn't that what it's saying?

855
00:40:25,596 --> 00:40:27,158
For getting in the way

856
00:40:27,158 --> 00:40:28,869
of people knowing the truth.

857
00:40:28,869 --> 00:40:30,192
Now I don't know about you,

858
00:40:30,192 --> 00:40:33,314
but we're here, and this is an in-depth,
interactive Bible study;

859
00:40:33,314 --> 00:40:35,393
we've got a lot of people watching this.

860
00:40:35,407 --> 00:40:37,103
That would cause me to be praying,

861
00:40:37,103 --> 00:40:38,209
"Oh, Lord, help us

862
00:40:38,209 --> 00:40:41,031
to tell the truth about You," right?

863
00:40:41,031 --> 00:40:43,036
"To tell the truth about Your gospel,

864
00:40:43,036 --> 00:40:46,224
to tell the truth about the Christian life

865
00:40:46,230 --> 00:40:48,442
in response to the grace

866
00:40:48,442 --> 00:40:50,540
that's been shown to us," and all of that.

867
00:40:50,540 --> 00:40:51,944
We want to go now

868
00:40:51,944 --> 00:40:55,411
and look at where Paul gets his message

869
00:40:55,411 --> 00:40:57,103
because, as someone pointed out

870
00:40:57,103 --> 00:40:59,133
(Laurel, I think you mentioned earlier),

871
00:40:59,133 --> 00:41:01,340
he wasn't one of the 12 Disciples.

872
00:41:01,340 --> 00:41:03,130
So where does he get his message?

873
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Well let's take a look

874
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
at his own testimony,

875
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we're looking in Galatians,

876
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
chapter 1, verses 11 through 17,

877
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then we'll read on in the chapter

878
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and also testimony from his letter
to the Corinthians.

879
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But first, Galatians, chapter 1,

880
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and, Peter, if you could read that for us,

881
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
verses 11 through 17.

882
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Peter) I'm reading Galatians, chapter 1,
verses 11 to 17,

883
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the New King James Version:

884
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) What's he saying?

885
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Harold) He was called
through God's grace.

886
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) He was called
through God's grace,

887
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but more than that, what's he saying?

888
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This revelation...?

889
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nicole) Is not from man.

890
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) "...is not from man.

891
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I didn't learn it from anyone
except Jesus!"

892
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In that sense he's saying,

893
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"I may not have walked with Him

894
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
when He was here on Earth,

895
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but I've walked with Him

896
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
since He ascended to Heaven."

897
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That's a startling claim, isn't it?

898
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But that's what he's saying,

899
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"The way I received the message."

900
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Let's keep reading; Mario,
if you could read,

901
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as he continues now,
in verses 18 through 24.

902
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Again, they're saying, "You're not
a real apostle."

903
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"You weren't one of the twelve," right?

904
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"You weren't there; in fact, your history

905
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
shows you've been fighting against
the truth."

906
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Because, by the way, these Judaizers

907
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
are believers in Jesus.

908
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So they're not just like those

909
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
who are opposed to Jesus,

910
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but they're saying, "But there's more,

911
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and you're not telling the whole story."

912
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Paul says, "I got it from Jesus."

913
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Reading on, verses 18, is it?

914
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Mario) Through 24, reading Galatians,

915
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
chapter 1, 18 through 24,

916
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the New King James Version:

917
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) That's his testimony,
"I've been changed."

918
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Now let's look at one example

919
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of a revelation given to him,
1 Corinthians 11.

920
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He's talking here about the beginning

921
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of what we call the Lord's Supper

922
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
or the Communion service.

923
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Now again, obvious question,

924
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but was he there in the Upper Room?

925
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek, Team) No.

926
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) So, how is he

927
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
going to tell the believers about that?

928
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Well, let's see what he says.

929
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Joshua.

930
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) The Bible says:

931
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) That's very specific, isn't it?

932
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's not like, "Well, and there was

933
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
this little service in the Upper Room

934
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
before Jesus was crucified."

935
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's actually quoting Jesus, what He said,

936
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and explaining what it meant.

937
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So I have a question for you.

938
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He says, "I received it from the Lord."

939
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
How did Jesus reveal that to him?

940
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Did He appear to him

941
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
like on the Damascus road?

942
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Did He give him a vision?

943
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You know, a vision, he's still awake,

944
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but he receives a message from Heaven.

945
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Or a dream, we think of like,

946
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
dreams were given to prophets, too?

947
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
How did Jesus reveal that to him,

948
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
what happened in the Upper Room?

949
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The answer is?

950
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek, Team) We don't know.

951
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Could it have been

952
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
any one of those?

953
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Yes.

954
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Could the Lord Himself have come

955
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
like He did on the Damascus road?

956
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Or have given him a vision?

957
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But what is Paul
absolutely convinced about?

958
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) That it's from Christ.

959
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) That it's a revelation
from Jesus, right?

960
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, both that little piece

961
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of what happened in the Upper Room,

962
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but actually the entire message
he's proclaiming,

963
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
he said, "This doesn't come from me;

964
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it comes from God."

965
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So why is that so important

966
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as he's about to speak to the Galatians

967
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
who were listening to false teaching?

968
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Why is it important that he asserts

969
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the source of his message?

970
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Wouldn't it be enough to say,

971
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"I learned it from the apostles"?

972
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Jason, what do you think?

973
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Jason) Because he's being attacked

974
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as not being connected with Jesus,

975
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as not being part of that origin.

976
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They're saying, "You came in
after the fact,

977
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and you're trying to proclaim to us
this stuff

978
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
even though you haven't experienced it
yourself.

979
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In fact, you were even one
of our persecutors,

980
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so how do we know

981
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that you're actually genuine?"

982
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And they're basically challenging him

983
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
by bringing this other gospel in.

984
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And he's saying, "Look, this is
from Jesus,

985
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and here's the evidence for it."

986
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) We're going to study

987
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
about the whole Conflict and the message

988
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the gospel to the Galatians,

989
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but I just want to pause and ask,

990
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
does it startle you

991
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that Jesus would call someone

992
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
who'd been such a fierce opponent?

993
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Would it be fair to say to almost become
a primary witness?

994
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I mean, how many books

995
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the New Testament

996
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
did - let's choose some of the Apostles -
Peter.

997
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
How many books of the New Testament
did Peter write?

998
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Well we've got 1 and 2 Peter, right?

999
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That's the clue, right?

1000
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Give me another Apostle.

1001
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek, Team) John.

1002
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Okay, how many books

1003
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the New Testament
did John write?

1004
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Five? Okay, you've got

1005
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Gospel of John,

1006
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and?

1007
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Revelation.

1008
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) He says, the Revelation
of Jesus Christ

1009
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
through His servant John."

1010
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Okay, so you've got five there.

1011
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Give me another Apostle
besides Peter and John.

1012
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Not Timothy, he was not an Apostle, right?

1013
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But Matthew was...Matthew, how many
did he write?

1014
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) One.

1015
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) One that bears his name,

1016
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
an important Gospel, right?

1017
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Give me another Apostle.

1018
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Philip? How many did he write?

1019
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek, Team) None.

1020
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Give me another one.

1021
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
James, the brother of John,

1022
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that's not the one who wrote

1023
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the book of James, right?

1024
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, many of the Apostles

1025
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
didn't write any books

1026
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of the New Testament, right?

1027
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And how many did you say again

1028
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write?

1029
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Thirteen.

1030
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Doesn't it startle you?

1031
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What does that tell you about God?

1032
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Not just about Paul.

1033
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You say, "He was obviously a changed man."

1034
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What does that tell you about God?
Christine.

1035
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Christine) That God can use anyone

1036
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to get them to proclaim the message.

1037
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) He can use anyone.

1038
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Can we complete that sentence, Tricia Lee?

1039
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Even me.

1040
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Okay, yeah.

1041
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
God can use anyone, even me.

1042
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I still need a little qualifier
in there, Nicole?

1043
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) God can use anyone, even me...?

1044
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nicole) If you're willing...
if you're willing to be used.

1045
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) If I'm willing.

1046
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And how is that willingness revealed?

1047
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
How is that willingness revealed?

1048
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
How is it apparent that I am willing

1049
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to be used by God, even me,

1050
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to proclaim the Good News about Jesus?

1051
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) By doing the work.

1052
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) I think before I do the work, no?

1053
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nicole) It's choosing.

1054
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Tricia Lee) Believing.

1055
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Choosing, believing.

1056
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team Member) Responding to the call.

1057
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) How do I respond to the call?

1058
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I listen?

1059
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team Member) Repent first.

1060
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) I repent. I...?

1061
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nicole) Pray?

1062
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Pray. I surrender.

1063
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I humble myself before God.

1064
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
This message is not about me;
it's about Jesus.

1065
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"And God, You're going to have to work
supernaturally

1066
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because I don't want to mess that up."

1067
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I certainly don't want to proclaim

1068
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a false gospel, right?

1069
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I humble myself...So, I'm willing,

1070
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
surrender? Even me?

1071
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That Paul could do that?

1072
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And God could use him in such
an amazing way? Joshua?

1073
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) This is helping me to think

1074
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because if you think about the most
well-known pastors and evangelists

1075
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that you hear about

1076
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
throughout the Christian church,

1077
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
many of them were not raised
as Christians.

1078
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Yeah.

1079
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) Many of them actually converted
to Christianity,

1080
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and through the experience

1081
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that they had with Jesus,

1082
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
they just went full force,

1083
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that goes across the board.

1084
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I think it just goes to show

1085
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that when we have that true conversion,

1086
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
our past is no longer a priority.

1087
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Our past is just a shadow of who we were,

1088
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and we are now new in Christ.

1089
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Doesn't Paul say somewhere,

1090
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"I consider all of that..."

1091
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
What was the word he used?

1092
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I think a literal translation
is "cow dung,"

1093
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but "rubbish" would be a little more...

1094
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's garbage compared to the excellency
of knowing Christ.

1095
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Not just knowing about Him, right?

1096
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But <i>knowing</i> Him.

1097
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It's like he can't keep quiet.

1098
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And if we're willing...even me? Even me.

1099
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So in the last few minutes we've got,

1100
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I want you to give a testimony

1101
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
of how you have been blessed,

1102
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
not only to know Jesus

1103
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and have that relationship,

1104
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
but you've been blessed

1105
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that God would use you

1106
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to share the truth about Jesus

1107
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
with someone else, okay?

1108
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And you may share a specific instance.

1109
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
You may share something

1110
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that's happening to you right now.

1111
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So let's talk about that.

1112
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We can't share what we don't know, right?

1113
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
So, coming to know Him and sharing.

1114
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Who can share a testimony of being blessed

1115
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
as a result of that?

1116
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We'll start with you, Harold.

1117
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Harold) One day I was going
to Radio Shack

1118
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(that's like an electronics store),

1119
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and they were closing down.

1120
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
The thought came, "Well, since it's
closing down,

1121
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
there's some people who are there,"

1122
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I'm a type that I like
to talk one-on-one.

1123
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And usually the store's kind of empty.

1124
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
There was this lady,

1125
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I had this material,

1126
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I started talking to her,

1127
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
like saying, "Hey, I have this material
for you,

1128
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
if you're interested."

1129
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) So this was something
about the Bible?

1130
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Harold) Yeah, all about the Bible.

1131
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Actually that lasted like an hour or more,
the conversation.

1132
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) It must have been a quiet day
at the store.

1133
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Harold) No, it was interesting.

1134
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
There were more customers coming in.

1135
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It was so inspiring

1136
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that I started even asking,

1137
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Hey, customers, would you be interested?"

1138
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I was not afraid; I was really so blessed

1139
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because the lady was asking
so many questions,

1140
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
even asked for material

1141
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that I had at home; this was interesting.

1142
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I purchased the material

1143
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
thinking that I would read it,

1144
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and then she mentioned to me,

1145
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"I remember reading this book

1146
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
back in the day by this person."

1147
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I'm like, "Wow, interesting!"

1148
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I have this book at home,

1149
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I just bought one,

1150
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
thinking that I would use it,

1151
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I brought it for her.

1152
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
She was so blessed and was acknowledging

1153
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
all the truth that was being shared

1154
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that I felt blessed.

1155
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
It was like, wow, somebody received
God's truth today,

1156
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
even the people who were
around us listening

1157
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
or even receiving the material.

1158
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That made my day,

1159
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I thank God for that.

1160
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) For those of you

1161
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in the second row,

1162
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
you couldn't see he was smiling.

1163
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He was blessed to be used

1164
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to bless someone else,

1165
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and it sounds like God was at work

1166
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
even in him getting that book

1167
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that they wanted to read,

1168
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and it was already there.

1169
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In some ways you might think,

1170
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Well, that's not as dramatic as
the Damascus road."

1171
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But it was dramatic for you, wasn't it?

1172
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Anybody else, being blessed? Joshua.

1173
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) Years ago I was

1174
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
in Antigua visiting family,

1175
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I was sitting in my Aunt Nola's house,

1176
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I saw Hope Sabbath School

1177
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for the first time.

1178
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
As I watched the people...

1179
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Was that before you ever became
a participant?

1180
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Joshua) Oh, yeah, this was before that.

1181
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I was watching the show, and I said,

1182
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"I can't really relate to these people;

1183
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
they look too holy."

1184
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And I said, "You know what?

1185
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
They're going into all these deep things
about the Bible,"

1186
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so I just kept watching it.

1187
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I had no idea that God was ever

1188
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
going to put me on this show

1189
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to do this same exact work.

1190
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And now I know that we're not all perfect

1191
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and that through media God can reach

1192
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so many people across the world.

1193
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I'm very thankful to be here,

1194
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and I met my wife on this show.

1195
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Oh, you did,

1196
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and she's not here,

1197
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
just in case the viewers are trying

1198
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to guess which one it is.

1199
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
But back to what you said, Tricia Lee,

1200
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"Even me," "Even me."
Isn't that amazing?

1201
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Surrendered to God, you're watching
the show,

1202
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and, you know, our producer Elroy,

1203
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
when he was in grad school,

1204
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
he said, "I wish I could...,"

1205
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He was watching Hope Sabbath School,

1206
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and he was really blessed.

1207
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
He was saying, "I wish I could

1208
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
produce a program like that,"

1209
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and today he's our producer.

1210
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Isn't that awesome!

1211
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Yes.

1212
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) That's the kind of people

1213
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
we want to be a part of the team, right?

1214
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
That we believe God is working
in miraculous ways.

1215
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
One last testimony, yes, Nicole.

1216
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Nicole) I would continue what Joshua said
in saying I'm blessed to be

1217
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
on this program also, and it's funny
because I met you

1218
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
at a church here locally, and I hadn't
really heard of Hope Sabbath School,

1219
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and you actually talked about it
in church.

1220
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I was like, "Let me see what he's
talking about," and I watched

1221
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
this program a couple of times.

1222
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I just think that the Lord really led me
to that church,

1223
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
led me to meet with you that day, and put
me in this program, and it's just been

1224
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
a blessing because I'm meeting people
who have seen the programs, and they're

1225
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
very blessed by the program.

1226
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And so it's this great blessing to me
that I can be a part of this ministry.

1227
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) I think that's why the Apostle
Paul was so passionate, because he's like,

1228
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
"It's not just about me being saved;

1229
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
it's about sharing that blessing,

1230
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the grace of God I've come to know
and experience.

1231
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I want to share that with everybody,

1232
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
even if they try to kill me,"

1233
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
which, by the way, happened
quite frequently

1234
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for the Apostle Paul.

1235
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
And when people tried to distort

1236
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the truth of the Gospel,

1237
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
he got really upset

1238
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
because he wanted people to know

1239
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
the true character of God and God's plan.

1240
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
I want to share the truth

1241
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
about Jesus, too, don't you?

1242
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Let's pray that he'll work in us
in wonderful ways.

1243
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Father in Heaven, thank You

1244
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for the beautiful truth of the Gospel.

1245
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Forgive us if we've made it complicated

1246
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
or a stumbling block put in the way
of someone

1247
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
so they don't hear the truth.

1248
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Help us to continue to study Your Word,

1249
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to learn the truth of the Gospel

1250
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
to be able to share it in a way

1251
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
that will bless many lives,
including ours.

1252
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

1253
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Team) Amen.

1254
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
(Derek) Well, thanks for joining us

1255
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
for Hope Sabbath School.

1256
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
We have so much to learn, but you know?

1257
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
God loves us, and He will be withe us

1258
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
each step of the journey.

1259
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
Take what you're learning

1260
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
and be a blessing to those around you.

1261
99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999
♪ theme music ♪