WEBVTT

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♪ theme music ♪

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(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,

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an in-depth, interactive study

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of the Word of God.

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I'm glad you joined us
we're in the middle

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of a series on "The Gospel in Galatians."

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Actually, we just started,

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but we're already learning amazing lessons

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for our lives today,

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The precious Good News,

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and how when we try to share it,

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sometimes people resist the truth

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as it is in Jesus.

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Our topic today: Paul's Authority
and Gospel,

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and there are amazing lessons for us.

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So we're glad you joined us
for Hope Sabbath School.

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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,

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one of the church leaders, an apostle,

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recognized the work of the Apostle Paul

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as being from God.

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What did you hear?

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Laurel, did you hear something
that caught your attention?

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(Laurel) It just was amazing that Peter,

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who was part of the original 12
with Jesus,

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recognized that Paul was also called,

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even though he wasn't with Christ

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when He was physically on Earth.

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(Derek) That's right; He wasn't
one of the twelve, right?

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So he has seen something in his ministry.

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Didn't Jesus say, "By their fruit..."

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(Derek, Team) "...you'll know them."

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So he had seen something
from the fruit of his ministry

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that said, "He's an apostle."

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What does <i>apostle</i> mean, by the way?
Do you know?

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One who's sent out, right?

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"He's an apostle of Jesus Christ," okay?

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What else, even in the wording
of the passage,

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did you see something?

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Christine and then Marcus.

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(Christine) It says here in verse 15

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that God gave Paul the wisdom
and the knowledge...

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(Derek) Aha, wisdom, I think the way
Jonathan read it,

00:13:32.245 --> 00:13:33.886
wisdom comes from God, all right?

00:13:33.886 --> 00:13:36.810
Anywhere else, a little clue, Jason?

00:13:36.810 --> 00:13:38.813
(Jason) In verse 16, he talks about those

00:13:38.813 --> 00:13:41.139
who twist and distort the meaning,

00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:42.849
and he's saying they do it

00:13:42.849 --> 00:13:44.049
to their own destruction.

00:13:44.053 --> 00:13:45.970
And so, you can deduce from that,

00:13:45.970 --> 00:13:47.504
if you understand it correctly,

00:13:47.504 --> 00:13:49.089
that's the way to salvation.

00:13:49.089 --> 00:13:51.216
He's preaching the message of God.

00:13:51.216 --> 00:13:53.047
(Derek) That's an interesting thought,

00:13:53.047 --> 00:13:56.794
and actually there's another phrase
attached to there which is important, too.

00:13:56.794 --> 00:13:58.022
Did you notice it, Peter?

00:13:58.022 --> 00:14:00.324
(Peter) It says, "as the rest
of the Scripture."

00:14:00.341 --> 00:14:04.506
(Derek) Okay, so he's including
Paul's testimonies,

00:14:04.506 --> 00:14:08.093
not only as a wisdom from God
like Christine said

00:14:08.093 --> 00:14:11.543
but as part of Scripture, God breathed.

00:14:11.543 --> 00:14:13.967
It's Peter who says all Scripture

00:14:13.967 --> 00:14:15.495
is God breathed, right?

00:14:15.495 --> 00:14:17.447
No private interpretation,

00:14:17.447 --> 00:14:19.528
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

00:14:19.528 --> 00:14:21.373
All right, but that's interesting.

00:14:21.373 --> 00:14:23.928
Also, implicitly he's saying,

00:14:23.928 --> 00:14:26.910
"If you listen, it's for your salvation,"

00:14:26.910 --> 00:14:28.607
that gives it authority.

00:14:28.607 --> 00:14:29.693
"If you twist it,

00:14:29.693 --> 00:14:30.978
it's for your destruction."

00:14:30.978 --> 00:14:33.210
All right, so Paul is recognized

00:14:33.244 --> 00:14:36.563
by at least Peter, but I think

00:14:36.563 --> 00:14:38.627
we could say by the Christian community.

00:14:38.627 --> 00:14:39.988
God's at work in him,

00:14:39.988 --> 00:14:41.825
and God is speaking through him.

00:14:41.825 --> 00:14:44.559
We're going to look at one of his letters
in this series,

00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.306
the Gospel to the Galatians.

00:14:46.319 --> 00:14:49.804
The standard format of a letter...

00:14:49.804 --> 00:14:51.917
did you find this from your study?

00:14:51.917 --> 00:14:53.733
What's the standard format of a letter

00:14:53.733 --> 00:14:55.773
back in those times, Tricia Lee?

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

00:14:59.235 --> 00:15:02.932
in grammar school, you're taught that you
start with a greeting or some type

00:15:02.932 --> 00:15:07.191
of salutation, then you have who it's to
and the subject of the message,

00:15:07.191 --> 00:15:10.598
and you kind of end off with some type of,
you know...

00:15:10.598 --> 00:15:13.238
(Derek) Farewell or closing remark or?

00:15:13.367 --> 00:15:15.387
Is that pretty much, Jason,

00:15:15.387 --> 00:15:17.124
the way it looked in these letters

00:15:17.124 --> 00:15:19.608
during the New Testament era?

00:15:19.608 --> 00:15:23.306
(Jason) Largely yes, and you generally
start with the positive, too.

00:15:23.306 --> 00:15:26.243
So you'll say, "Oh, you guys, this is
a nice thing about you,"

00:15:26.243 --> 00:15:29.133
whether you're writing a letter now
or these letters of Paul.

00:15:29.133 --> 00:15:30.390
They're always saying,

00:15:30.390 --> 00:15:32.293
"This is a good thing that you have."

00:15:32.293 --> 00:15:33.837
"This is what I like about you."

00:15:33.837 --> 00:15:36.357
(Derek) That would probably
still work today, right?

00:15:36.357 --> 00:15:39.745
If you've got a problem with someone,
you can say, "Here's some things

00:15:39.745 --> 00:15:42.675
I really appreciate about you, but,"
and talk about a problem.

00:15:42.701 --> 00:15:46.414
And that's pretty much standard format,

00:15:46.414 --> 00:15:49.532
greeting, some word of thanksgiving,

00:15:49.532 --> 00:15:50.936
body of the letter,

00:15:50.936 --> 00:15:53.639
and then some closing remark,

00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:55.008
and typically with Paul

00:15:55.008 --> 00:15:57.298
it would include, "the grace of the Lord

00:15:57.298 --> 00:16:00.416
be with you," right, something like that.

00:16:00.416 --> 00:16:02.042
Let's see how he begins

00:16:02.042 --> 00:16:05.090
the letter to the Galatians.

00:16:05.090 --> 00:16:09.226
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 and 2,

00:16:09.226 --> 00:16:11.921
and, Alyssa, if you'd read that for us,

00:16:11.921 --> 00:16:13.326
and then we'll compare that.

00:16:13.326 --> 00:16:15.958
If someone could find
Ephesians 1, verse 1,

00:16:15.958 --> 00:16:18.468
and Colossians 1, verse 1,

00:16:18.475 --> 00:16:20.838
let's see if they're similar

00:16:20.838 --> 00:16:22.500
or if there are some differences.

00:16:22.500 --> 00:16:24.106
By the way, all of those letters

00:16:24.106 --> 00:16:26.309
were written by the Apostle Paul.

00:16:26.309 --> 00:16:29.112
(Alyssa) In the New International Version
it says:

00:16:42.690 --> 00:16:45.560
(Derek) Okay, that's his greeting there.

00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:46.690
Keep that in mind.

00:16:46.690 --> 00:16:48.129
Does someone have Ephesians?

00:16:48.129 --> 00:16:50.084
Joshua, chapter 1 and verse 1.

00:16:50.084 --> 00:16:54.581
(Joshua) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version.

00:16:54.581 --> 00:16:55.964
The Bible says:

00:17:02.904 --> 00:17:05.490
(Derek) All right, so that's to the church
in Ephesus,

00:17:05.490 --> 00:17:07.865
then he writes to the church in Colossae,

00:17:07.868 --> 00:17:10.812
we call that Colossians, Marcus, verse 1.

00:17:10.812 --> 00:17:15.281
(Marcus) I'll be reading from the King
James Version:

00:17:22.523 --> 00:17:25.047
(Derek) So what did they have in common,

00:17:25.047 --> 00:17:28.672
those three opening salutations?

00:17:28.672 --> 00:17:30.188
What did they have in common?

00:17:30.188 --> 00:17:31.395
(Harold) He's an apostle.

00:17:31.395 --> 00:17:33.997
(Derek) Okay so, Paul, an apostle,
gives his name

00:17:34.102 --> 00:17:35.817
like we do even today, right?

00:17:35.817 --> 00:17:37.843
Gives the name and says

00:17:37.843 --> 00:17:39.969
he's an apostle of Jesus.

00:17:39.969 --> 00:17:41.749
What was different, Mario?

00:17:41.749 --> 00:17:43.012
What did you see different

00:17:43.012 --> 00:17:45.141
in the Galatian intro?

00:17:45.161 --> 00:17:47.838
(Mario) He expounds on that.

00:17:47.838 --> 00:17:49.918
He says not by the will of man

00:17:49.918 --> 00:17:51.520
but of God, you know.

00:17:51.520 --> 00:17:52.663
So you can tell

00:17:52.663 --> 00:17:54.593
that he needs to clarify something.

00:17:54.593 --> 00:17:57.990
(Derek) Why would he have to do that,
anybody?

00:17:57.990 --> 00:18:01.297
He didn't do it to Ephesus or to Colossae.

00:18:01.297 --> 00:18:06.030
Why would he have to do that for Galatia,
Alyssa?

00:18:06.030 --> 00:18:07.680
(Alyssa) This is still early.

00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:09.686
Remember, he had to go to all those places

00:18:09.686 --> 00:18:11.741
and represent himself anew

00:18:11.741 --> 00:18:13.022
to each new church,

00:18:13.022 --> 00:18:15.478
so maybe he was still kind of having
to defend

00:18:15.478 --> 00:18:16.711
that God did call him.

00:18:16.711 --> 00:18:18.073
(Derek) Possibly, of course

00:18:18.073 --> 00:18:20.861
we haven't read the letter yet, have we?

00:18:20.861 --> 00:18:23.118
That is a possibility, though.

00:18:23.274 --> 00:18:25.454
He's like, "You may not know me,"

00:18:25.454 --> 00:18:27.235
but actually there's something else

00:18:27.235 --> 00:18:28.669
going on here. Nicole?

00:18:28.669 --> 00:18:31.483
(Nicole) His letter talks
about false teachings,

00:18:31.483 --> 00:18:36.140
so in this case he's saying, "Listen,
I'm from God.

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:37.238
I'm an apostle of God.

00:18:37.238 --> 00:18:39.120
I'm bringing you the truth and the Word

00:18:39.120 --> 00:18:40.413
that you need to hear,

00:18:40.413 --> 00:18:41.958
and I want you all to be careful

00:18:41.958 --> 00:18:43.632
of what else is going on around you

00:18:43.632 --> 00:18:45.355
that may draw you away from Christ."

00:18:45.355 --> 00:18:47.543
(Derek) And implied (stay with me now),

00:18:47.676 --> 00:18:49.715
implied is that these people

00:18:49.715 --> 00:18:52.678
who are giving these false teachings

00:18:52.678 --> 00:18:54.855
are saying what about Paul?

00:18:54.855 --> 00:18:56.842
(Team) That he's not from God.

00:18:56.842 --> 00:18:59.318
(Derek) He's not a true apostle, right?

00:18:59.318 --> 00:19:02.844
Or he's sent by man and not sent by God.
Jonathan?

00:19:02.844 --> 00:19:05.925
(Jonathan) It seems like multiple times
throughout this that he's

00:19:05.925 --> 00:19:08.324
emphasizing this, that, "My authority
doesn't come

00:19:08.324 --> 00:19:09.923
based on other people; it's God."

00:19:09.923 --> 00:19:12.015
It's the truth that matters
and not people.

00:19:12.015 --> 00:19:14.769
(Derek) Well let's take a look
as we read on in Galatians.

00:19:14.902 --> 00:19:16.421
Jason, if you could read

00:19:16.421 --> 00:19:17.872
the first six verses,

00:19:17.872 --> 00:19:20.823
it will include the initial salutation
that we read,

00:19:20.823 --> 00:19:22.411
verses 1 through 6.

00:19:22.411 --> 00:19:25.458
He's going to go past

00:19:25.458 --> 00:19:27.101
saying thank you about anything,

00:19:27.101 --> 00:19:29.901
and he's going to come right to the issue
at hand.

00:19:29.901 --> 00:19:33.119
Let's take a look, Galatians 1:1-6.

00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:34.277
(Jason) I'll be reading

00:19:34.277 --> 00:19:36.234
from the New King James Version,

00:19:36.234 --> 00:19:39.362
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 through 6:

00:20:21.515 --> 00:20:23.984
(Derek) Whoa! So something's up here.

00:20:23.984 --> 00:20:26.191
We're going to get right to it,

00:20:26.191 --> 00:20:28.372
but he has kind of given us
the gospel message

00:20:28.372 --> 00:20:31.162
right in those first few verses.

00:20:31.175 --> 00:20:33.326
How would you summarize
the gospel message

00:20:33.326 --> 00:20:36.403
from those verses? Peter.

00:20:36.403 --> 00:20:39.221
(Peter) The salutation
that he gives there, grace and peace,

00:20:39.221 --> 00:20:40.801
is very interesting to me,

00:20:40.801 --> 00:20:42.067
and is actually used

00:20:42.067 --> 00:20:43.433
almost in every letter,

00:20:43.433 --> 00:20:44.731
and Peter uses it,

00:20:44.731 --> 00:20:45.960
"Grace and peace to you."

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:47.244
""Grace and peace to you."

00:20:47.244 --> 00:20:49.669
And it's almost like, the heart of God,

00:20:49.669 --> 00:20:52.015
full of grace, brings something

00:20:52.015 --> 00:20:53.394
to our hearts, peace,

00:20:53.394 --> 00:20:55.411
and He does that through forgiveness,

00:20:55.411 --> 00:20:57.375
and this is given to all men.

00:20:57.375 --> 00:21:00.021
(Derek) So even in the greeting
you're seeing a message.

00:21:00.021 --> 00:21:01.512
Many Bible scholars would say

00:21:01.512 --> 00:21:03.854
grace would be a more typical
New Testament,

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:05.536
and shalom, or peace,

00:21:05.536 --> 00:21:07.562
would be more from the Hebrew heritage,

00:21:07.562 --> 00:21:09.659
but we're bringing both

00:21:09.659 --> 00:21:11.372
in Christ Jesus, right?

00:21:11.372 --> 00:21:13.001
What's the message?

00:21:13.001 --> 00:21:13.962
What did you hear

00:21:13.962 --> 00:21:18.336
in the first six verses, anybody?
Yes, Alyssa?

00:21:18.336 --> 00:21:20.983
(Alyssa) Christ died for us,
but in accordance

00:21:20.983 --> 00:21:25.765
that God the whole Trinity is
working together also, he mentions that.

00:21:25.765 --> 00:21:29.425
And that when we've been transformed
by that message,

00:21:29.578 --> 00:21:31.194
we give glory back to Him.

00:21:31.194 --> 00:21:33.831
(Derek) Yeah, "He gave Himself
for our sins,"

00:21:33.831 --> 00:21:35.730
is the way my Bible translates it,

00:21:35.730 --> 00:21:39.898
"that he might deliver us from..."?

00:21:39.898 --> 00:21:40.788
(Team) Evil.

00:21:40.788 --> 00:21:43.451
(Derek) "...this present evil age,
according to the will

00:21:43.451 --> 00:21:47.000
of God our Father, to whom be glory,"
and then he, like, "God is awesome."

00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:49.540
You know, he kind of ends
his little statement there.

00:21:49.540 --> 00:21:51.165
But he up front says,

00:21:51.282 --> 00:21:55.808
"This is God's plan of salvation,
through Jesus," right?

00:21:55.808 --> 00:21:59.539
"...to deliver us
from the present evil age.

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:04.209
What is wrong with you?!"
(Thank you, Nicole.)

00:22:04.209 --> 00:22:09.038
"Where did you get some other gospel?"

00:22:09.038 --> 00:22:12.899
Some other...what does
the word <i>gospel</i> mean, do you know?

00:22:12.899 --> 00:22:14.127
(Team) Good News.

00:22:14.127 --> 00:22:17.555
(Derek) "Where do you find some other news
that isn't good news at all?"

00:22:17.555 --> 00:22:22.169
So he obviously is dealing immediately
with a challenge.

00:22:22.187 --> 00:22:24.393
Now before we go into that,

00:22:24.393 --> 00:22:26.723
a revelation about the Good News

00:22:26.723 --> 00:22:29.770
was not only given to him, right?

00:22:29.770 --> 00:22:33.221
Let's go back; in our first study
in this series,

00:22:33.221 --> 00:22:37.109
we looked at that amazing
concise statement by Peter.

00:22:37.109 --> 00:22:38.584
Do you remember that?

00:22:38.584 --> 00:22:40.057
Guided by the Holy Spirit.

00:22:40.057 --> 00:22:43.535
In Acts 10, verses 34 to 43.

00:22:43.535 --> 00:22:45.193
I want to hear that again.

00:22:45.193 --> 00:22:46.681
I'm always amazed, Nicole,

00:22:46.681 --> 00:22:48.089
if you could it for us...

00:22:48.089 --> 00:22:51.687
I'm always amazed at the brilliance

00:22:51.687 --> 00:22:53.841
of this concise statement

00:22:53.841 --> 00:22:55.438
about the Gospel message.

00:22:55.438 --> 00:22:57.811
And we know it's not because Peter says,

00:22:57.811 --> 00:22:59.357
"Well, I'm a great scholar."

00:22:59.357 --> 00:23:01.055
No, no, he was a fisherman

00:23:01.055 --> 00:23:03.342
who wholly surrendered his life to God,

00:23:03.342 --> 00:23:05.344
and by the Spirit he's speaking.

00:23:05.344 --> 00:23:07.428
So let's hear his testimony.

00:23:07.428 --> 00:23:11.053
(Nicole) I'm reading Acts 10,
verses 34 through 43,

00:23:11.053 --> 00:23:14.224
and I'm reading from the New
International Version, and it says:

00:24:34.096 --> 00:24:36.377
(Derek) I love that;
it's so powerful, isn't it?

00:24:36.377 --> 00:24:39.330
And by the way, when he says,
"as all the prophets,"

00:24:39.330 --> 00:24:41.342
he kind of says that it's the testimony

00:24:41.342 --> 00:24:42.461
of the whole Scripture.

00:24:42.461 --> 00:24:45.393
It reminds me of a Bible study
that Jesus gave.

00:24:45.393 --> 00:24:47.411
Do you remember when that was,
Tricia Lee?

00:24:47.411 --> 00:24:49.656
(Tricia Lee) When they were
walking to Emmaus.

00:24:49.656 --> 00:24:53.333
(Derek) Right, first to Cleopas and the
other disciple on the road to Emmaus,

00:24:53.442 --> 00:24:55.047
but then with the disciples

00:24:55.047 --> 00:24:56.289
in the Upper Room.

00:24:56.289 --> 00:24:59.254
And He said all of these prophecies,

00:24:59.254 --> 00:25:01.133
all of the Scriptures, what?

00:25:01.133 --> 00:25:02.370
(Team) "Testify about Me."

00:25:02.370 --> 00:25:05.293
(Derek) Yeah, they "testify about Me,
and not only about Me

00:25:05.293 --> 00:25:07.020
but that I had to suffer." Why?

00:25:07.020 --> 00:25:08.825
He suffered for our sins, right?

00:25:08.825 --> 00:25:10.881
He bore our sins that He might...?

00:25:10.881 --> 00:25:12.719
What was that wonderful word?

00:25:12.719 --> 00:25:13.908
(Team Member) Deliver us.

00:25:13.908 --> 00:25:16.260
(Derek) Deliver us
from this present evil age.

00:25:16.260 --> 00:25:18.960
Wonderful news, but all of that...

00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:20.615
You say, "That's a great summary;

00:25:20.615 --> 00:25:23.372
I'm going to write it down, Acts 10:34-43.

00:25:23.372 --> 00:25:26.433
If anybody non-Christian comes and says,

00:25:26.433 --> 00:25:27.620
'Could you give it to me

00:25:27.620 --> 00:25:29.295
in like just a couple of minutes?'"

00:25:29.295 --> 00:25:32.949
You say, "Well, let me read to you
what the Holy Spirit said through Peter."

00:25:32.949 --> 00:25:35.413
But we could get even more concise
than that.

00:25:35.413 --> 00:25:37.142
Someone have John 3:16,

00:25:37.142 --> 00:25:39.187
would read it for us?

00:25:39.187 --> 00:25:41.231
Anybody have John 3:16?

00:25:41.231 --> 00:25:42.843
You say, "I'd like to repeat it."

00:25:42.843 --> 00:25:46.243
John 3:16, got a volunteer?

00:25:46.376 --> 00:25:48.003
Jason, read it for us, please.

00:25:48.003 --> 00:25:53.962
(Jason) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version, John 3:16:

00:26:06.030 --> 00:26:07.797
(Derek) Well that challenges

00:26:07.797 --> 00:26:09.159
the whole idea that it's

00:26:09.159 --> 00:26:11.396
just for the Jews, right?

00:26:11.396 --> 00:26:13.163
It says "whoever."

00:26:13.163 --> 00:26:15.190
God so loved the...?

00:26:15.190 --> 00:26:15.981
(Team) World.

00:26:15.981 --> 00:26:17.523
(Derek) I mean it's right there

00:26:17.523 --> 00:26:19.257
in that very simple statement.

00:26:19.357 --> 00:26:21.561
So, I have a question for you, Mario.

00:26:21.561 --> 00:26:25.188
Why do people make the Gospel message,

00:26:25.188 --> 00:26:27.161
the Good News about what God has done

00:26:27.161 --> 00:26:28.374
for us in Jesus,

00:26:28.374 --> 00:26:30.208
why do people make it so complicated?

00:26:30.208 --> 00:26:34.458
(Mario) Oh, wow, we have something
inside of us

00:26:34.458 --> 00:26:40.455
that wants to give out steps or processes
to accomplish things.

00:26:40.455 --> 00:26:43.583
I mean, in our jobs and in school,

00:26:43.583 --> 00:26:46.847
there's this system that tells us,
you know,

00:26:46.847 --> 00:26:48.765
you have to do this and this and this,

00:26:48.765 --> 00:26:50.524
and then you can get what you want.

00:26:50.524 --> 00:26:52.827
So it's hard for us to conceive

00:26:52.827 --> 00:26:56.537
that a God can love us

00:26:56.554 --> 00:26:58.701
and give something to us

00:26:58.701 --> 00:27:02.706
without us having to do something
to earn it,

00:27:02.706 --> 00:27:04.459
but that it is a gift

00:27:04.459 --> 00:27:07.023
if we would just submit to His will...

00:27:07.023 --> 00:27:08.468
(Derek) Now the New Testament

00:27:08.468 --> 00:27:10.679
and especially the writings of Paul

00:27:10.679 --> 00:27:12.665
are all about a new creation.

00:27:12.665 --> 00:27:15.342
They're all about deliverance

00:27:15.342 --> 00:27:17.021
from the present evil age,

00:27:17.021 --> 00:27:20.005
but that is the <i>fruit</i>

00:27:20.005 --> 00:27:23.095
of accepting the Gospel message.

00:27:23.095 --> 00:27:24.916
Somehow we try to make it

00:27:24.916 --> 00:27:27.907
more complicated than "whoever believes
in Him."

00:27:27.907 --> 00:27:29.411
We've got several hands.

00:27:29.411 --> 00:27:31.506
Let's take a moment to reflect on this.

00:27:31.506 --> 00:27:34.204
(Harold) One way, and we have
seen this, actually,

00:27:34.204 --> 00:27:35.714
throughout the New Testament,

00:27:35.714 --> 00:27:37.810
what we studied last time, traditions.

00:27:37.810 --> 00:27:39.656
At times we fall into a routine,

00:27:39.656 --> 00:27:42.005
as Tricia Lee mentioned
in a previous study,

00:27:42.005 --> 00:27:45.034
that at times we are so ingrained...

00:27:45.034 --> 00:27:48.601
we get so comfortable that we believe

00:27:48.601 --> 00:27:50.417
that that's the way to go to be saved.

00:27:50.417 --> 00:27:53.140
(Derek) That's maybe even
what the Bible teaches, right?

00:27:53.140 --> 00:27:54.790
Because we've done it for so long,

00:27:54.790 --> 00:27:56.648
or what our religious teacher told us.

00:27:56.655 --> 00:27:59.046
(Harold) Yes, and Jesus even rebuked
the Pharisees

00:27:59.046 --> 00:28:00.384
because, "You come to Me,"

00:28:00.384 --> 00:28:01.694
you know, "with your mouth;

00:28:01.694 --> 00:28:04.016
you're worshiping with your mouth
and everything,

00:28:04.016 --> 00:28:05.267
but yet you come to Me

00:28:05.267 --> 00:28:06.958
by the commandments of men."

00:28:06.958 --> 00:28:09.338
And this is found in Matthew,
chapter 15.

00:28:09.370 --> 00:28:11.381
(Derek) Right, so that could happen

00:28:11.381 --> 00:28:13.491
for us, too, right? Tricia Lee?

00:28:13.491 --> 00:28:16.513
(Tricia Lee) He's reminding us
that we're in an evil age.

00:28:16.513 --> 00:28:18.749
The devil is out there
trying to deceive us.

00:28:18.749 --> 00:28:21.783
From the garden he said,
"Did God really say?"

00:28:21.783 --> 00:28:26.223
And when we have simple truths
about salvation, that doubt comes

00:28:26.223 --> 00:28:29.878
into our minds like, is it really
that easy to be saved through Christ?

00:28:29.878 --> 00:28:36.264
You can hang your doubts on anything,
but it's just like, we have to believe

00:28:36.264 --> 00:28:40.705
the true Word that God says
and not question this simple path

00:28:40.705 --> 00:28:42.011
that God already laid out.

00:28:42.011 --> 00:28:45.170
(Derek) I guess there's two approaches
that the devil could bring.

00:28:45.170 --> 00:28:49.173
One would be to say

00:28:49.173 --> 00:28:52.209
it's not that simple, right?
It's more complicated,

00:28:52.209 --> 00:28:55.028
or it's not even true.

00:28:55.028 --> 00:28:57.738
This is not true,

00:28:57.739 --> 00:29:00.182
but it's not that simple, you know?

00:29:00.182 --> 00:29:03.601
(Tricia Lee) Is He really
going to forgive you if you ask Him?

00:29:03.601 --> 00:29:05.464
(Derek) Or maybe it's for someone else,

00:29:05.464 --> 00:29:08.116
but would it really be for you?

00:29:08.116 --> 00:29:11.502
Anybody else, why do we make it
so complicated, Jonathan?

00:29:11.502 --> 00:29:14.702
(Jonathan) I think sometimes we really
want it to be...

00:29:14.702 --> 00:29:16.071
It's an issue of pride.

00:29:16.071 --> 00:29:21.292
I mean like, if I can make all these
so wonderful thoughts and ideas,

00:29:21.292 --> 00:29:24.958
then it becomes about me and about what
I'm doing or what I'm thinking

00:29:24.958 --> 00:29:29.368
or having the right knowledge, but this is
so simple, like a child can understand.

00:29:29.368 --> 00:29:33.195
(Derek) Didn't Jesus say something
about we need to become as little children

00:29:33.195 --> 00:29:35.584
if we would enter the Kingdom?

00:29:35.584 --> 00:29:36.993
(Jonathan) That's humbling.

00:29:36.993 --> 00:29:38.958
(Derek) It requires humility?

00:29:38.958 --> 00:29:40.718
(Jonathan) Yeah.

00:29:40.718 --> 00:29:42.058
(Derek) Yes, Peter.

00:29:42.058 --> 00:29:44.529
(Peter) I was thinking, too,
that sometimes maybe...

00:29:44.529 --> 00:29:46.058
can God be that good?

00:29:46.058 --> 00:29:47.752
Can it be that good?

00:29:47.755 --> 00:29:50.075
(Derek) You mean a distorted picture

00:29:50.075 --> 00:29:51.587
of the character of God

00:29:51.587 --> 00:29:53.144
could hold me back

00:29:53.144 --> 00:29:55.035
from believing that God could be

00:29:55.035 --> 00:29:55.985
that good to me.

00:29:55.985 --> 00:29:57.262
(Peter) Right, right.

00:29:57.262 --> 00:29:58.535
(Derek) Part of the reason

00:29:58.535 --> 00:29:59.551
we study the Bible

00:29:59.551 --> 00:30:02.692
is to find out the truth about God, right?
Joshua?

00:30:02.692 --> 00:30:04.740
(Joshua) I believe it was along the lines

00:30:04.740 --> 00:30:06.180
of what Jonathan said.

00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:07.995
He mentioned that, you know,

00:30:07.995 --> 00:30:09.969
the Gospel is even for little children,

00:30:09.990 --> 00:30:12.309
as easy that they can understand it.

00:30:12.309 --> 00:30:13.715
And I remember as a child

00:30:13.715 --> 00:30:15.495
I always saw the Gospel

00:30:15.495 --> 00:30:17.688
as something that was easy to digest,

00:30:17.688 --> 00:30:19.341
like Jesus loves me,

00:30:19.341 --> 00:30:22.310
He wants to save us from our sins,

00:30:22.310 --> 00:30:24.042
we're going to Heaven one day,

00:30:24.042 --> 00:30:25.316
and it was that simple.

00:30:25.316 --> 00:30:26.657
But then as I got older,

00:30:26.657 --> 00:30:29.784
things started to become more and more
and more complicated.

00:30:29.784 --> 00:30:32.584
People are like, "Oh! This prophecy,
that prophecy."

00:30:32.584 --> 00:30:34.457
"We have to be saved through this."

00:30:34.457 --> 00:30:36.762
"If you do this,
this is going to happen to you."

00:30:36.762 --> 00:30:38.868
And your mind just has

00:30:38.868 --> 00:30:43.232
this, for some people,
a spiritual breakdown.

00:30:43.232 --> 00:30:45.188
Like, "Whoa, it takes all of that now?

00:30:45.188 --> 00:30:47.190
Every move that I make now,

00:30:47.190 --> 00:30:48.204
I have to be worried

00:30:48.204 --> 00:30:50.672
if God is going to like me or not like me?

00:30:50.672 --> 00:30:52.688
Is He going to strike me from Heaven?"

00:30:52.688 --> 00:30:56.349
And I think that we lose touch

00:30:56.349 --> 00:30:59.976
of that real essence of who Christ is,

00:30:59.976 --> 00:31:02.984
making things complicated,
as we've been discussing.

00:31:02.984 --> 00:31:04.565
(Derek) "Whoever believes in Him

00:31:04.565 --> 00:31:06.096
should not perish."

00:31:06.096 --> 00:31:07.591
But of course we need Scripture

00:31:07.591 --> 00:31:08.772
to know how He is.

00:31:08.810 --> 00:31:11.688
Otherwise we could
make up some Jesus, right?

00:31:11.688 --> 00:31:13.239
The Bible is crucial,

00:31:13.239 --> 00:31:15.303
and Jesus, when He said, "Baptize

00:31:15.303 --> 00:31:18.052
in the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit,"

00:31:18.052 --> 00:31:19.541
He did say, "Teach them

00:31:19.541 --> 00:31:21.884
to observe all things I've commanded you."

00:31:21.884 --> 00:31:25.541
But all of that is an outgrowth

00:31:25.541 --> 00:31:27.815
of my relationship with Him

00:31:27.815 --> 00:31:29.171
as my Savior, right?

00:31:29.171 --> 00:31:30.147
Well let's go back

00:31:30.147 --> 00:31:31.554
to the letter of Galatians,

00:31:31.554 --> 00:31:32.978
and, Laurel, could you read

00:31:32.978 --> 00:31:35.801
Galatians 1, verses 6 through 9?

00:31:35.801 --> 00:31:38.344
Like we noticed in the first part

00:31:38.344 --> 00:31:40.520
(we read verse 6 already,
but read it again),

00:31:40.520 --> 00:31:42.200
he skips over, "I'm really thankful

00:31:42.200 --> 00:31:43.639
for so much about you,"

00:31:43.670 --> 00:31:45.521
and comes in - boom!

00:31:45.521 --> 00:31:46.804
"We've got a problem here."

00:31:46.804 --> 00:31:49.132
Let's read verses 6 through 9
of Galatians 1.

00:31:49.132 --> 00:31:51.841
(Alyssa) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version:

00:32:29.571 --> 00:32:31.142
(Derek) Now that word <i>accursed</i>,

00:32:31.142 --> 00:32:32.477
I've got in my margin there

00:32:32.477 --> 00:32:33.966
is the word <i>anathema</i>.

00:32:33.966 --> 00:32:35.500
I mean, it's not like,

00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:37.910
"That's not a good thing to do."

00:32:37.921 --> 00:32:39.587
It's like really strong language.

00:32:39.587 --> 00:32:43.587
Why is Paul...and someone could say,

00:32:43.587 --> 00:32:45.107
"Well, that's your perspective;

00:32:45.107 --> 00:32:46.498
this is my perspective"...

00:32:46.498 --> 00:32:50.182
why is he so intense about people...

00:32:50.182 --> 00:32:54.373
"You cannot preach some other gospel

00:32:54.373 --> 00:32:58.419
other than what was manifested
through Jesus," Marcus?

00:32:58.419 --> 00:33:01.066
(Marcus) Because that would portray
a false Christ.

00:33:01.066 --> 00:33:02.900
Just like you said earlier as well,

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:05.052
you said that it's not the same Christ

00:33:05.052 --> 00:33:06.404
if you pervert the gospel,

00:33:06.404 --> 00:33:07.907
and this is the early church.

00:33:07.907 --> 00:33:09.355
So, what comes out of this

00:33:09.355 --> 00:33:12.135
may affect future churches
in the next generation.

00:33:12.135 --> 00:33:13.490
(Derek) So it's not so much

00:33:13.490 --> 00:33:15.259
that, "You don't like my teaching,"

00:33:15.261 --> 00:33:18.931
as "You're saying something about God
that isn't true!"

00:33:18.931 --> 00:33:19.784
(Team) Yes.

00:33:19.784 --> 00:33:22.011
(Derek) And...? And what?

00:33:22.011 --> 00:33:23.869
What's the implication of that?

00:33:23.869 --> 00:33:26.184
Destruction for people!

00:33:26.184 --> 00:33:28.227
This is life and death!

00:33:28.227 --> 00:33:31.838
It's not just, "Do you like your sermon
or your sermon?"

00:33:31.838 --> 00:33:33.910
This is life and death;

00:33:33.910 --> 00:33:36.172
we're talking about how people can be

00:33:36.172 --> 00:33:38.987
set right with God, right?
Yes, Mario.

00:33:38.987 --> 00:33:40.213
(Mario) I just feel like

00:33:40.213 --> 00:33:41.332
I need to highlight

00:33:41.332 --> 00:33:43.044
the same applies to us today.

00:33:43.046 --> 00:33:45.853
This is about the character of Christ

00:33:45.853 --> 00:33:50.428
as perceived in someone else's eyes
through our testimony,

00:33:50.428 --> 00:33:53.435
and we get hung up on our doctrine

00:33:53.435 --> 00:33:55.919
as a means to salvation.

00:33:55.919 --> 00:33:58.029
And there are so many things that we try

00:33:58.029 --> 00:34:00.523
to hang the hat of salvation on,

00:34:00.523 --> 00:34:02.805
but we've got to preach Christ

00:34:02.805 --> 00:34:05.242
and Him crucified, as Paul said, you know,

00:34:05.242 --> 00:34:07.414
and we have to be careful about that.

00:34:07.414 --> 00:34:09.010
(Derek) Now some people might get

00:34:09.010 --> 00:34:10.749
a little offended with Paul.

00:34:10.749 --> 00:34:12.583
They'd say, "Paul, that's a little,"

00:34:12.730 --> 00:34:15.196
(we have an expression in English),

00:34:15.196 --> 00:34:17.962
"over the top. Please."

00:34:17.962 --> 00:34:19.853
But let's look at a couple of places

00:34:19.853 --> 00:34:25.048
where Jesus was fairly (what could I say)
direct

00:34:25.048 --> 00:34:28.444
when He felt the same issue,

00:34:28.444 --> 00:34:29.878
"You're getting in the way

00:34:29.878 --> 00:34:32.732
of people learning the truth about God."

00:34:32.732 --> 00:34:36.167
Mark, chapter 9, verse 42,

00:34:36.167 --> 00:34:37.479
Harold, do you have that?

00:34:37.479 --> 00:34:40.305
Again I do believe that Jesus,

00:34:40.305 --> 00:34:42.866
He spoke with love in His heart.

00:34:42.866 --> 00:34:45.106
I don't like if He's portrayed

00:34:45.106 --> 00:34:47.581
as some kind of angry Savior,

00:34:47.581 --> 00:34:51.518
but He spoke strongly here, didn't He?
Mark 5:42?

00:34:51.518 --> 00:34:54.790
(Harold) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version:

00:35:10.001 --> 00:35:12.836
(Derek) Now, Bible students have discussed

00:35:12.836 --> 00:35:15.170
whether the little ones He's talking about

00:35:15.170 --> 00:35:18.649
are children or new believers.

00:35:18.649 --> 00:35:20.910
What do you think?

00:35:20.910 --> 00:35:22.252
(Team) Both.

00:35:22.252 --> 00:35:24.718
(Derek) Multiple choice, right?

00:35:24.718 --> 00:35:26.319
"All of the above," right?

00:35:26.319 --> 00:35:28.085
If you cause a child to stumble

00:35:28.085 --> 00:35:30.221
that they can't, as children do,

00:35:30.221 --> 00:35:31.982
just say, "Jesus, I trust You,

00:35:31.982 --> 00:35:33.707
and I want You to save me,

00:35:33.707 --> 00:35:35.480
and I want to be with You forever,"

00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:38.772
and the Savior says, "Amen," right?

00:35:38.798 --> 00:35:41.119
But also the new believer?

00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:42.288
(Team) Yes.

00:35:42.288 --> 00:35:45.834
(Derek) So, we want the new believers
to learn everything

00:35:45.834 --> 00:35:47.769
that Jesus taught, right?

00:35:47.769 --> 00:35:49.628
So, how do we do that

00:35:49.628 --> 00:35:53.284
without making a stumbling block for them?

00:35:53.284 --> 00:35:54.925
What is crucially important

00:35:54.925 --> 00:35:57.766
when we're teaching them all those things?

00:35:57.766 --> 00:36:04.856
Are you stretching your fingers, Nicole?
Yes, tell me.

00:36:04.856 --> 00:36:08.663
(Nicole) I think that it starts with us
praying and asking for the Spirit

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.

00:36:14.099 --> 00:36:17.267
And so we don't become a stumbling block
ourselves, we have to have

00:36:17.267 --> 00:36:19.812
that connection with Christ to lead us
the right way.

00:36:19.812 --> 00:36:21.752
(Derek) Okay, but we want to teach them

00:36:21.866 --> 00:36:23.195
to observe all things.

00:36:23.195 --> 00:36:27.565
So how do we do that without
(what's the word)

00:36:27.565 --> 00:36:30.253
damaging the gospel or mutating the gospel

00:36:30.253 --> 00:36:33.413
or proclaiming some other gospel?

00:36:33.413 --> 00:36:35.578
How do we do that, Alyssa?

00:36:35.578 --> 00:36:38.458
(Alyssa) Well, first, everything
has to come from Scripture.

00:36:38.458 --> 00:36:41.044
Don't try to show them anything
that isn't here.

00:36:41.044 --> 00:36:45.193
And also, if they're not secure yet
in their salvation,

00:36:45.193 --> 00:36:47.845
first things have to come first.

00:36:47.845 --> 00:36:50.436
(Derek) So I believe in Bible prophecy,
it's wonderful.

00:36:50.436 --> 00:36:52.025
By the way, I've met many people

00:36:52.025 --> 00:36:55.909
who believe in the authenticity
of the Bible by Bible prophecy,

00:36:55.929 --> 00:36:58.541
but you're saying, "I'm going
to tell them about Jesus

00:36:58.541 --> 00:36:59.298
and how to have

00:36:59.298 --> 00:37:00.730
a living connection with Him,"

00:37:00.730 --> 00:37:05.118
and then we talk about how do we live
as a Christian

00:37:05.118 --> 00:37:08.118
rather than, "Here's the list of things

00:37:08.260 --> 00:37:11.543
that can maybe earn God's love and favor

00:37:11.543 --> 00:37:13.214
or maybe earn your way to Heaven."

00:37:13.214 --> 00:37:16.542
(Tricia Lee) It's a great question,
and I think that churches struggle

00:37:16.542 --> 00:37:19.238
with how to disciple and how to teach
our new believers.

00:37:19.238 --> 00:37:22.912
We should never be afraid of teaching
what the Bible says or what Jesus says,

00:37:22.912 --> 00:37:26.535
but there's a big difference between
teaching what Jesus taught and lived

00:37:26.535 --> 00:37:30.914
and then now trying to force people
to make those changes and believing

00:37:30.914 --> 00:37:34.541
that we somehow now take on the role
of the Holy Spirit in converting people.

00:37:34.541 --> 00:37:38.127
I can teach you and show you, and I should
never hide what the Bible says,

00:37:38.127 --> 00:37:41.805
but I have to understand my role is
to teach; my role is not to convert.

00:37:41.805 --> 00:37:45.697
I cannot force someone to make a change
that it might have taken me many years

00:37:45.697 --> 00:37:47.295
to come to myself.

00:37:47.295 --> 00:37:50.634
So we have to have patience and humility
and realize that we are only

00:37:50.634 --> 00:37:54.185
pointing people to the Bible teachings
and allowing the Holy Spirit to work

00:37:54.185 --> 00:37:57.176
that miracle in their life just like
He worked in our lives.

00:37:57.176 --> 00:38:00.597
But we shouldn't be afraid to show
somebody what the Bible says

00:38:00.597 --> 00:38:04.265
just because it might be too much; maybe
we should hide it from them now - no.

00:38:04.265 --> 00:38:07.964
The Bible teaches all these things;
it's okay to teach it, but we should never

00:38:07.964 --> 00:38:11.687
feel like we have to force someone to make
the same change just like we have.

00:38:11.687 --> 00:38:14.837
(Derek) And would it be okay to say
we always need to remind them

00:38:14.837 --> 00:38:17.624
what the foundation of our faith...
where it is?

00:38:17.624 --> 00:38:20.441
It's in Jesus, right?
Our Savior.

00:38:20.441 --> 00:38:23.471
Saved by His grace through faith?

00:38:23.471 --> 00:38:25.832
Let's talk about healthful living,

00:38:25.853 --> 00:38:27.335
or let's talk about...

00:38:27.335 --> 00:38:29.105
you could name something else...

00:38:29.105 --> 00:38:30.919
how Jesus is coming back,

00:38:30.919 --> 00:38:34.663
but first I have to talk
about the Gospel message, right?

00:38:34.666 --> 00:38:36.389
And the assurance of salvation.

00:38:36.389 --> 00:38:37.792
Several hands raised, Peter?

00:38:37.792 --> 00:38:41.582
(Peter) I was just going to say when we
talk about, like, we're saying doctrine

00:38:41.582 --> 00:38:44.839
or anything, living, Jesus sits
for His portrait, and how we present

00:38:44.839 --> 00:38:46.126
the teachings of the Bible.

00:38:46.126 --> 00:38:49.053
And what portrait of Jesus
are you painting in your doctrine,

00:38:49.053 --> 00:38:51.020
in your lifestyle that you're coaching,

00:38:51.020 --> 00:38:53.241
whatever it is, X, Y, Z - fill it in -

00:38:53.241 --> 00:38:55.226
what portrait of Jesus are you painting?

00:38:55.226 --> 00:38:56.910
(Derek) First I have to know

00:38:56.910 --> 00:39:00.204
the truth about Jesus and who He was.
Jonathan.

00:39:00.204 --> 00:39:03.647
(Jonathan) I was thinking how,
in a musical, you can have the same notes,

00:39:03.647 --> 00:39:06.905
even in the same order, but if you change,
like maybe if you start

00:39:06.905 --> 00:39:10.792
with a different emphasis, or if you put
it in a different bass note or something,

00:39:10.792 --> 00:39:12.159
the music totally changes.

00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:15.150
You can be saying the same things,
but if you're emphasizing

00:39:15.150 --> 00:39:21.251
without that foundation of who God is,
His love for us, and salvation,

00:39:21.251 --> 00:39:24.324
then you're communicating
a different song, a different tone.

00:39:24.597 --> 00:39:26.167
(Derek) One other text

00:39:26.167 --> 00:39:27.802
where Jesus spoke rather strongly,

00:39:27.802 --> 00:39:31.813
in Matthew 23:13,14, He was saying,

00:39:31.813 --> 00:39:33.651
"Don't get in the way of people

00:39:33.651 --> 00:39:35.640
knowing the truth about Me."

00:39:35.640 --> 00:39:41.445
Christine, do you have Matthew 23,
verses 13 and 14?

00:39:41.445 --> 00:39:44.645
(Christine) I'll be reading from the New
King James Version,

00:39:44.645 --> 00:39:49.387
Matthew, chapter 23, verses 13 and 14;
it says:

00:40:12.575 --> 00:40:14.541
(Derek) And what does it say at the end?

00:40:14.541 --> 00:40:16.021
"You will receive" what?

00:40:16.140 --> 00:40:18.671
(Derek, Team) A greater condemnation.

00:40:18.671 --> 00:40:23.559
You know, you will be held accountable.

00:40:23.559 --> 00:40:25.596
Isn't that what it's saying?

00:40:25.596 --> 00:40:27.158
For getting in the way

00:40:27.158 --> 00:40:28.869
of people knowing the truth.

00:40:28.869 --> 00:40:30.192
Now I don't know about you,

00:40:30.192 --> 00:40:33.314
but we're here, and this is an in-depth,
interactive Bible study;

00:40:33.314 --> 00:40:35.393
we've got a lot of people watching this.

00:40:35.407 --> 00:40:37.103
That would cause me to be praying,

00:40:37.103 --> 00:40:38.209
"Oh, Lord, help us

00:40:38.209 --> 00:40:41.031
to tell the truth about You," right?

00:40:41.031 --> 00:40:43.036
"To tell the truth about Your gospel,

00:40:43.036 --> 00:40:46.224
to tell the truth about the Christian life

00:40:46.230 --> 00:40:48.442
in response to the grace

00:40:48.442 --> 00:40:50.540
that's been shown to us," and all of that.

00:40:50.540 --> 00:40:51.944
We want to go now

00:40:51.944 --> 00:40:55.411
and look at where Paul gets his message

00:40:55.411 --> 00:40:57.103
because, as someone pointed out

00:40:57.103 --> 00:40:59.133
(Laurel, I think you mentioned earlier),

00:40:59.133 --> 00:41:01.290
he wasn't one of the 12 Disciples.

00:41:01.290 --> 00:41:03.130
So where does he get his message?

00:41:03.150 --> 00:41:04.217
Well let's take a look

00:41:04.217 --> 00:41:05.259
at his own testimony,

00:41:05.259 --> 00:41:07.307
and we're looking in Galatians, chapter 1,

00:41:07.307 --> 00:41:09.319
verses 11 through 17,

00:41:09.319 --> 00:41:11.317
and then we'll read on in the chapter

00:41:11.317 --> 00:41:14.942
and also testimony from his letter
to the Corinthians.

00:41:14.942 --> 00:41:17.061
But first, Galatians, chapter 1,

00:41:17.251 --> 00:41:19.769
and, Peter, if you could read that for us,

00:41:19.769 --> 00:41:21.492
verses 11 through 17.

00:41:21.492 --> 00:41:25.872
(Peter) I'm reading Galatians, chapter 1,
verses 11 to 17,

00:41:25.872 --> 00:41:27.967
in the New King James Version:

00:42:16.576 --> 00:42:18.001
(Derek) What's he saying?

00:42:18.001 --> 00:42:22.529
(Harold) He was called
through God's grace.

00:42:22.529 --> 00:42:24.544
(Derek) He was called
through God's grace,

00:42:24.544 --> 00:42:26.378
but more than that, what's he saying?

00:42:26.378 --> 00:42:29.451
This revelation...?

00:42:29.451 --> 00:42:31.232
(Nicole) Is not from man.

00:42:31.232 --> 00:42:32.655
(Derek) "...is not from man.

00:42:32.655 --> 00:42:35.635
I didn't learn it from anyone
except Jesus!"

00:42:35.635 --> 00:42:37.876
In that sense he's saying,

00:42:37.876 --> 00:42:39.618
"I may not have walked with Him

00:42:39.618 --> 00:42:41.781
when He was here on Earth,

00:42:41.781 --> 00:42:43.284
but I've walked with Him

00:42:43.284 --> 00:42:45.009
since He ascended to Heaven."

00:42:45.009 --> 00:42:46.848
That's a startling claim, isn't it?

00:42:46.848 --> 00:42:48.457
But that's what he's saying,

00:42:48.457 --> 00:42:52.828
"The way I received the message."

00:42:52.828 --> 00:42:55.933
Let's keep reading; Mario,
if you could read,

00:42:55.933 --> 00:42:59.634
as he continues now,
in verses 18 through 24.

00:42:59.634 --> 00:43:03.245
Again, they're saying, "You're not
a real apostle."

00:43:03.245 --> 00:43:05.536
"You weren't one of the twelve," right?

00:43:05.536 --> 00:43:08.845
"You weren't there; in fact, your history

00:43:08.845 --> 00:43:12.835
shows you've been fighting against
the truth."

00:43:12.835 --> 00:43:16.033
Because, by the way, these Judaizers

00:43:16.033 --> 00:43:18.418
are believers in Jesus.

00:43:18.418 --> 00:43:20.113
So they're not just like those

00:43:20.113 --> 00:43:21.698
who are opposed to Jesus,

00:43:21.698 --> 00:43:23.580
but they're saying, "But there's more,

00:43:23.580 --> 00:43:25.585
and you're not telling the whole story."

00:43:25.601 --> 00:43:27.565
Paul says, "I got it from Jesus."

00:43:27.565 --> 00:43:30.390
Reading on, verses 18, is it?

00:43:30.390 --> 00:43:34.086
(Mario) Through 24, reading Galatians,

00:43:34.086 --> 00:43:36.157
chapter 1, 18 through 24,

00:43:36.157 --> 00:43:38.445
in the New King James Version:

00:44:19.279 --> 00:44:22.592
(Derek) That's his testimony,
"I've been changed."

00:44:22.592 --> 00:44:25.213
Now let's look at one example

00:44:25.213 --> 00:44:28.592
of a revelation given to him,
1 Corinthians 11.

00:44:28.592 --> 00:44:32.721
He's talking here about the beginning

00:44:32.721 --> 00:44:37.364
of what we call the Lord's Supper

00:44:37.364 --> 00:44:38.997
or the Communion service.

00:44:38.997 --> 00:44:40.860
Now again, obvious question,

00:44:40.860 --> 00:44:42.995
but was he there in the Upper Room?

00:44:42.995 --> 00:44:44.087
(Derek, Team) No.

00:44:44.087 --> 00:44:46.205
(Derek) So, how is he

00:44:46.205 --> 00:44:48.699
going to tell the believers about that?

00:44:48.699 --> 00:44:50.110
Well, let's see what he says.

00:44:50.110 --> 00:44:54.220
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Joshua.

00:44:54.220 --> 00:44:56.913
(Joshua) The Bible says:

00:45:36.362 --> 00:45:38.227
(Derek) That's very specific, isn't it?

00:45:38.227 --> 00:45:40.008
It's not like, "Well, and there was

00:45:40.008 --> 00:45:41.891
this little service in the Upper Room

00:45:41.891 --> 00:45:43.492
before Jesus was crucified."

00:45:43.540 --> 00:45:47.365
It's actually quoting Jesus, what He said,

00:45:47.365 --> 00:45:49.064
and explaining what it meant.

00:45:49.064 --> 00:45:50.699
So I have a question for you.

00:45:50.699 --> 00:45:54.194
He says, "I received it from the Lord."

00:45:54.194 --> 00:45:56.843
How did Jesus reveal that to him?

00:45:56.843 --> 00:45:58.608
Did He appear to him

00:45:58.608 --> 00:46:00.370
like on the Damascus road?

00:46:00.370 --> 00:46:01.972
Did He give him a vision?

00:46:01.972 --> 00:46:04.263
You know, a vision, he's still awake,

00:46:04.263 --> 00:46:07.887
but he receives a message from Heaven.

00:46:07.887 --> 00:46:09.651
Or a dream, we think of like,

00:46:09.651 --> 00:46:12.624
dreams were given to prophets, too?

00:46:12.624 --> 00:46:15.310
How did Jesus reveal that to him,

00:46:15.310 --> 00:46:17.214
what happened in the Upper Room?

00:46:17.214 --> 00:46:18.501
The answer is?

00:46:18.501 --> 00:46:20.605
(Derek, Team) We don't know.

00:46:20.605 --> 00:46:21.997
(Derek) Could it have been

00:46:21.997 --> 00:46:23.094
any one of those?

00:46:23.094 --> 00:46:23.814
(Team) Yes.

00:46:23.814 --> 00:46:26.245
(Derek) Could the Lord Himself have come
like He did

00:46:26.245 --> 00:46:27.390
on the Damascus road?

00:46:27.425 --> 00:46:29.205
Or have given him a vision?

00:46:29.205 --> 00:46:33.868
But what is Paul
absolutely convinced about?

00:46:33.868 --> 00:46:35.442
(Team) That it's from Christ.

00:46:35.442 --> 00:46:37.776
(Derek) That it's a revelation
from Jesus, right?

00:46:37.776 --> 00:46:40.582
So, both that little piece

00:46:40.582 --> 00:46:42.350
of what happened in the Upper Room,

00:46:42.368 --> 00:46:45.875
but actually the entire message
he's proclaiming,

00:46:45.875 --> 00:46:48.052
he said, "This doesn't come from me;

00:46:48.052 --> 00:46:49.366
it comes from God."

00:46:49.366 --> 00:46:51.405
So why is that so important

00:46:51.405 --> 00:46:55.627
as he's about to speak to the Galatians

00:46:55.627 --> 00:46:57.557
who were listening to false teaching?

00:46:57.557 --> 00:47:00.011
Why is it important that he asserts

00:47:00.011 --> 00:47:02.882
the source of his message?

00:47:02.882 --> 00:47:06.041
Wouldn't it be enough to say,

00:47:06.041 --> 00:47:07.697
"I learned it from the apostles"?

00:47:07.697 --> 00:47:08.952
Jason, what do you think?

00:47:08.952 --> 00:47:12.256
(Jason) Because he's being attacked
as not being connected with Jesus,

00:47:12.256 --> 00:47:13.958
as not being part of that origin.

00:47:13.971 --> 00:47:16.052
They're saying, "You came in
after the fact,

00:47:16.052 --> 00:47:18.709
and you're trying to proclaim to us
this stuff

00:47:18.709 --> 00:47:21.186
even though you haven't experienced it
yourself.

00:47:21.186 --> 00:47:22.951
In fact, you were even one
of our persecutors,

00:47:22.951 --> 00:47:23.930
so how do we know

00:47:23.930 --> 00:47:25.500
that you're actually genuine?"

00:47:25.500 --> 00:47:27.352
And they're basically challenging him

00:47:27.352 --> 00:47:30.012
by bringing this other gospel in.

00:47:30.012 --> 00:47:32.076
And he's saying, "Look, this is
from Jesus,

00:47:32.076 --> 00:47:33.639
and here's the evidence for it."

00:47:33.665 --> 00:47:37.388
(Derek) We're going to study

00:47:37.388 --> 00:47:39.454
about the whole conflict and the message

00:47:39.454 --> 00:47:41.429
in the gospel to the Galatians,

00:47:41.429 --> 00:47:43.621
but I just want to pause and ask,

00:47:43.621 --> 00:47:45.902
does it startle you

00:47:46.043 --> 00:47:50.150
that Jesus would call someone

00:47:50.150 --> 00:47:54.271
who'd been such a fierce opponent?

00:47:54.271 --> 00:47:59.808
Would it be fair to say to almost become
a primary witness?

00:47:59.808 --> 00:48:03.737
I mean, how many books

00:48:03.737 --> 00:48:04.745
of the New Testament

00:48:04.745 --> 00:48:09.554
did - let's choose some of the Apostles -
Peter.

00:48:09.554 --> 00:48:12.525
How many books of the New Testament
did Peter write?

00:48:12.525 --> 00:48:15.788
Well we've got 1 and 2 Peter, right?

00:48:15.788 --> 00:48:17.090
That's the clue, right?

00:48:17.090 --> 00:48:19.216
Give me another Apostle.

00:48:19.216 --> 00:48:20.165
(Derek, Team) John.

00:48:20.165 --> 00:48:21.556
(Derek) Okay, how many books

00:48:21.556 --> 00:48:23.412
of the New Testament
did John write?

00:48:23.424 --> 00:48:27.093
Five? Okay, you've got

00:48:27.093 --> 00:48:28.597
the Gospel of John,

00:48:28.597 --> 00:48:31.980
1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and?

00:48:31.980 --> 00:48:32.858
(Team) Revelation.

00:48:32.858 --> 00:48:35.127
(Derek) He says, the Revelation
of Jesus Christ

00:48:35.127 --> 00:48:36.461
through His servant John."

00:48:36.461 --> 00:48:37.998
Okay, so you've got five there.

00:48:37.998 --> 00:48:41.550
Give me another Apostle
besides Peter and John.

00:48:41.589 --> 00:48:46.513
Not Timothy, he was not an Apostle, right?

00:48:46.513 --> 00:48:50.017
But Matthew was...Matthew, how many
did he write?

00:48:50.017 --> 00:48:50.956
(Team) One.

00:48:50.956 --> 00:48:52.514
(Derek) One that bears his name,

00:48:52.514 --> 00:48:53.843
an important Gospel, right?

00:48:53.843 --> 00:48:55.424
Give me another Apostle.

00:48:55.424 --> 00:48:58.723
Philip? How many did he write?

00:48:58.723 --> 00:49:00.239
(Derek, Team) None.

00:49:00.239 --> 00:49:01.612
(Derek) Give me another one.

00:49:01.612 --> 00:49:05.939
James, the brother of John,

00:49:05.939 --> 00:49:11.437
that's not the one who wrote

00:49:11.437 --> 00:49:12.940
the book of James, right?

00:49:12.940 --> 00:49:15.109
So, many of the Apostles

00:49:15.109 --> 00:49:16.871
didn't write any books

00:49:16.871 --> 00:49:18.556
of the New Testament, right?

00:49:18.556 --> 00:49:20.570
And how many did you say again

00:49:20.570 --> 00:49:23.522
the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write?

00:49:23.522 --> 00:49:25.041
(Team) Thirteen.

00:49:25.041 --> 00:49:29.205
(Derek) Doesn't it startle you?

00:49:29.205 --> 00:49:33.744
What does that tell you about God?

00:49:33.744 --> 00:49:35.246
Not just about Paul.

00:49:35.246 --> 00:49:37.262
You say, "He was obviously a changed man."

00:49:37.262 --> 00:49:40.900
What does that tell you about God?
Christine.

00:49:40.952 --> 00:49:42.671
(Christine) That God can use anyone

00:49:42.671 --> 00:49:45.160
to get them to proclaim the message.

00:49:45.160 --> 00:49:47.335
(Derek) He can use anyone.

00:49:47.335 --> 00:49:50.996
Can we complete that sentence, Tricia Lee?

00:49:50.996 --> 00:49:52.318
(Tricia Lee) Even me.

00:49:52.318 --> 00:49:54.977
(Derek) Okay, yeah.

00:49:54.977 --> 00:49:57.229
God can use anyone, even me.

00:49:57.229 --> 00:50:01.341
I still need a little qualifier
in there, Nicole?

00:50:01.341 --> 00:50:03.877
God can use anyone, even me...?

00:50:03.877 --> 00:50:08.540
(Nicole) If you're willing...
if you're willing to be used.

00:50:08.648 --> 00:50:09.825
(Derek) If I'm willing.

00:50:09.825 --> 00:50:12.397
And how is that willingness revealed?

00:50:12.397 --> 00:50:15.844
How is that willingness revealed?

00:50:15.844 --> 00:50:20.405
How is it apparent that I am willing

00:50:20.405 --> 00:50:22.491
to be used by God, even me,

00:50:22.491 --> 00:50:24.984
to proclaim the Good News about Jesus?

00:50:24.984 --> 00:50:26.748
(Joshua) By doing the work.

00:50:26.748 --> 00:50:30.380
(Derek) I think before I do the work, no?

00:50:30.380 --> 00:50:31.659
(Nicole) It's choosing.

00:50:31.659 --> 00:50:33.758
(Tricia Lee) Believing.

00:50:33.758 --> 00:50:35.236
(Derek) Choosing, believing.

00:50:35.236 --> 00:50:36.449
(Team Member) Responding to the call.

00:50:36.449 --> 00:50:38.319
(Derek) How do I respond to the call?

00:50:38.319 --> 00:50:39.588
(Team Member) You listen.

00:50:39.588 --> 00:50:40.678
(Derek) I listen?

00:50:40.678 --> 00:50:42.216
(Team Member) Repent first.

00:50:42.216 --> 00:50:43.968
(Derek) I repent. I...?

00:50:43.968 --> 00:50:45.885
(Nicole) Pray?

00:50:45.885 --> 00:50:49.593
(Derek) Pray. I surrender?

00:50:49.593 --> 00:50:52.321
I humble myself before God.

00:50:52.321 --> 00:50:57.021
This message is not about me;
it's about Jesus.

00:50:57.050 --> 00:51:00.727
"And God, You're going to have to work
supernaturally

00:51:00.727 --> 00:51:04.377
because I don't want to mess that up."

00:51:04.377 --> 00:51:07.040
I certainly don't want to proclaim

00:51:07.040 --> 00:51:09.371
a false gospel, right?

00:51:09.371 --> 00:51:11.772
I humble myself...So, I'm willing,

00:51:11.772 --> 00:51:14.858
surrender? Even me?

00:51:14.858 --> 00:51:18.008
That Paul could do that?

00:51:18.008 --> 00:51:21.940
And God could use him in such
an amazing way? Joshua?

00:51:21.940 --> 00:51:23.664
(Joshua) This is helping me to think

00:51:23.664 --> 00:51:27.711
because if you think about the most
well-known pastors and evangelists

00:51:27.712 --> 00:51:29.126
that you hear about

00:51:29.126 --> 00:51:30.721
throughout the Christian church,

00:51:30.721 --> 00:51:33.304
many of them were not raised
as Christians.

00:51:33.304 --> 00:51:34.103
(Derek) Yeah.

00:51:34.103 --> 00:51:36.872
(Joshua) Many of them actually converted
to Christianity,

00:51:36.872 --> 00:51:38.109
and through the experience

00:51:38.109 --> 00:51:39.432
that they had with Jesus,

00:51:39.432 --> 00:51:41.159
they just went full force,

00:51:41.159 --> 00:51:43.696
and that goes across the board.

00:51:43.697 --> 00:51:45.348
And I think it just goes to show

00:51:45.348 --> 00:51:47.506
that when we have that true conversion,

00:51:47.506 --> 00:51:50.555
our past is no longer a priority.

00:51:50.555 --> 00:51:53.704
Our past is just a shadow of who we were,

00:51:53.704 --> 00:51:55.205
and we are now new in Christ.

00:51:55.205 --> 00:51:56.903
(Derek) Doesn't Paul say somewhere,

00:51:56.903 --> 00:51:58.616
"I consider all of that..."

00:51:58.643 --> 00:52:00.585
What was the word he used?

00:52:00.585 --> 00:52:04.835
I think a literal translation
is "cow dung,"

00:52:04.835 --> 00:52:08.723
but "rubbish" would be a little more...

00:52:08.723 --> 00:52:14.513
It's garbage compared to the excellency
of knowing Christ.

00:52:14.513 --> 00:52:16.832
Not just knowing about Him, right?

00:52:16.832 --> 00:52:18.489
But <i>knowing</i> Him.

00:52:18.489 --> 00:52:20.362
It's like he can't keep quiet.

00:52:20.362 --> 00:52:24.633
And if we're willing...even me? Even me.

00:52:24.633 --> 00:52:26.533
So in the last few minutes we've got,

00:52:26.533 --> 00:52:28.797
I want you to give a testimony

00:52:28.811 --> 00:52:32.344
of how you have been blessed,

00:52:32.344 --> 00:52:35.040
not only to know Jesus

00:52:35.040 --> 00:52:37.398
and have that relationship,

00:52:37.398 --> 00:52:38.799
but you've been blessed

00:52:38.799 --> 00:52:40.667
that God would use you

00:52:40.667 --> 00:52:42.873
to share the truth about Jesus

00:52:42.873 --> 00:52:44.983
with someone else, okay?

00:52:44.983 --> 00:52:47.229
And you may share a specific instance.

00:52:47.229 --> 00:52:48.569
You may share something

00:52:48.569 --> 00:52:50.254
that's happening to you right now.

00:52:50.254 --> 00:52:52.333
So let's talk about that.

00:52:52.348 --> 00:52:55.922
We can't share what we don't know, right?

00:52:55.922 --> 00:52:57.968
So, coming to know Him and sharing.

00:52:57.968 --> 00:53:00.021
Who can share a testimony of being blessed

00:53:00.021 --> 00:53:01.543
as a result of that?

00:53:01.543 --> 00:53:02.969
We'll start with you, Harold.

00:53:02.969 --> 00:53:05.931
(Harold) One day I was going
to Radio Shack

00:53:05.931 --> 00:53:07.678
(that's like an electronics store),

00:53:07.678 --> 00:53:09.361
and they were closing down.

00:53:09.361 --> 00:53:12.929
The thought came, "Well, since it's
closing down,

00:53:12.929 --> 00:53:15.089
there's some people who are there,"

00:53:15.098 --> 00:53:17.455
and I'm a type that I like
to talk one-on-one.

00:53:17.455 --> 00:53:19.896
And usually the store's kind of empty.

00:53:19.896 --> 00:53:21.501
There was this lady,

00:53:21.501 --> 00:53:23.071
and I had this material,

00:53:23.071 --> 00:53:24.484
and I started talking to her,

00:53:24.484 --> 00:53:26.740
like saying, "Hey, I have this material
for you,

00:53:26.740 --> 00:53:27.842
if you're interested."

00:53:27.842 --> 00:53:30.100
(Derek) So this was something
about the Bible?

00:53:30.100 --> 00:53:31.779
(Harold) Yeah, all about the Bible.

00:53:31.779 --> 00:53:35.110
Actually that lasted like an hour or more,
the conversation.

00:53:35.110 --> 00:53:37.898
(Derek) It must have been a quiet day
at the store.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Harold) No, it was interesting.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
There were more customers coming in.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It was so inspiring

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that I started even asking,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"Hey, customers, would you be interested?"

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I was not afraid; I was really so blessed

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
because the lady was asking
so many questions,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
even asked for material

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that I had at home; this was interesting.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I purchased the material

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
thinking that I would read it,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and then she mentioned to me,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"I remember reading this book

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
back in the day by this person."

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And I'm like, "Wow, interesting!"

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I have this book at home,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I just bought one,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
thinking that I would use it,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I brought it for her.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
She was so blessed and was acknowledging

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
all the truth that was being shared

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that I felt blessed.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
It was like, wow, somebody received
God's truth today,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
even the people who were
around us listening

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or even receiving the material.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
That made my day,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I thank God for that.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) For those of you

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in the second row,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
you couldn't see he was smiling.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He was blessed to be used

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to bless someone else,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and it sounds like God was at work

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
even in him getting that book

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that they wanted to read,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and it was already there.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
In some ways you might think,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"Well, that's not as dramatic as
the Damascus road."

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But it was dramatic for you, wasn't it?

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Anybody else, being blessed? Joshua.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Joshua) Years ago I was

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
in Antigua visiting family,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I was sitting in my Aunt Nola's house,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I saw Hope Sabbath School

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for the first time.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
As I watched the people...

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Was that before you ever became
a participant?

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Joshua) Oh, yeah, this was before that.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I was watching the show, and I said,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"I can't really relate to these people;

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
they look too holy."

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And I said, "You know what?

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
They're going into all these deep things
about the Bible,"

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
so I just kept watching it.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I had no idea that God was ever

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
going to put me on this show

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to do this same exact work.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And now I know that we're not all perfect

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and that through media God can reach

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
so many people across the world.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I'm very thankful to be here,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and I met my wife on this show.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Oh, you did,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and she's not here,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
just in case the viewers are trying

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to guess which one it is.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
But back to what you said, Tricia Lee,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"Even me," "Even me."
Isn't that amazing?

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Surrendered to God, you're watching
the show,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and, you know, our producer Elroy,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
when he was in grad school,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
he said, "I wish I could...,"

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He was watching Hope Sabbath School,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and he was really blessed.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
He was saying, "I wish I could

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
produce a program like that,"

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and today he's our producer.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Isn't that awesome!

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) Yes.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) That's the kind of people

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
we want to be a part of the team, right?

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
That we believe God is working
in miraculous ways.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
One last testimony, yes, Nicole.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Nicole) I would continue what Joshua said
in saying I'm blessed to be

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
on this program also, and it's funny
because I met you

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
at a church here locally, and I hadn't
really heard of Hope Sabbath School,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and you actually talked about it
in church.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I was like, "Let me see what he's
talking about," and I watched

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
this program a couple of times.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I just think that the Lord really led me
to that church,

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

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
a blessing because I'm meeting people
who have seen the programs, and they're

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
very blessed by the program.

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.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) I think that's why the Apostle
Paul was so passionate, because he's like,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
"It's not just about me being saved;

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
it's about sharing that blessing,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the grace of God I've come to know
and experience.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I want to share that with everybody,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
even if they try to kill me,"

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
which, by the way, happened
quite frequently

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for the Apostle Paul.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
And when people tried to distort

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the truth of the Gospel,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
he got really upset

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
because he wanted people to know

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
the true character of God and God's plan.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
I want to share the truth

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
about Jesus, too, don't you?

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Let's pray that he'll work in us
in wonderful ways.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Father in Heaven, thank You

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for the beautiful truth of the Gospel.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Forgive us if we've made it complicated

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
or a stumbling block put in the way
of someone

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
so they don't hear the truth.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Help us to continue to study Your Word,

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to learn the truth of the Gospel

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
to be able to share it in a way

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
that will bless many lives,
including ours.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Team) Amen.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
(Derek) Well, thanks for joining us

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
for Hope Sabbath School.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
We have so much to learn, but you know?

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
God loves us, and He will be withe us

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
each step of the journey.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
Take what you're learning

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
and be a blessing to those around you.

99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999
♪ theme music ♪