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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,[br]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[br]and Gospel,

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and there are amazing lessons for us.

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So we're glad you joined us[br]for Hope Sabbath School.

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And hello to the team;[br]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[br]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[br]of this series,

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you can go to our website:[br]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,[br]watched one program,

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went back and watched 100 hours

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of interactive Bible studies[br]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

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is 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?[br]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[br]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,[br]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,[br]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[br]Sabbath School discussion

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will be translated[br]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,[br]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[br]and instructive."

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I think he looked up a few words,[br]there, for us.

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"Big hug to all of you,[br]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[br]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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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,[br]hopetv.org/hopess.

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And she concludes, "May God[br]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[br]of Trinidad and Tobago."

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I guess that's considered one country,[br]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[br]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[br]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;[br]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[br]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[br]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?)[br]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[br]one of us and wants us all to be saved.

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So He uses us wherever we are to spread[br]His Word to those He wants to save.

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In terms of this case, He knew he was[br]a Zealot, even knew he was a Zealot

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in the time before he was transformed,[br]and he was doing evil things.

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God knew that he was a Zealot[br]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[br]from the beginning, and so, therefore,

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this person's going to be the person[br]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[br]the New Testament,

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about 49-50 A.D.

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And it's written because of a problem[br]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[br]to Galatians, here,

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but Jonathan, would you read for us

0:11:30.753,0:11:34.054
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,

0:11:39.266,0:11:42.600
he says, "Paul is not always easy[br]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[br]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[br]to Hope Sabbath School

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and get a little help from some sisters[br]and brothers.

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But there were a couple[br]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

0:12:38.661,0:12:39.962
as being from God.

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What did you hear?

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Laurel, did you hear something[br]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 twelve[br]with Jesus,

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recognized that Paul was also called,

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even though he wasn't with Christ

0:12:55.378,0:12:56.926
when He was physically on Earth.

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(Derek) That's right; He wasn't[br]one of the twelve, right?

0:12:59.623,0:13:02.908
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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(Derek) So he had seen something[br]from the fruit of his ministry

0:13:10.242,0:13:11.979
that said, "He's an apostle."

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What does <i>apostle</i> mean, by the way?[br]Do you know?

0:13:14.256,0:13:15.563
One who's sent out, right?

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"He's an apostle of Jesus Christ," okay?

0:13:17.904,0:13:20.330
What else, even in the wording[br]of the passage,

0:13:20.332,0:13:21.925
did you see something?

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Christine, and then Marcus.

0:13:23.584,0:13:25.575
(Christine) It says here in verse 15

0:13:25.575,0:13:29.700
that God gave Paul the wisdom[br]and the knowledge...

0:13:29.700,0:13:32.245
(Derek) Aha, wisdom, I think the way[br]Jonathan read it,

0:13:32.245,0:13:34.056
wisdom that comes from God, all right?

0:13:34.056,0:13:36.810
Anywhere else, a little clue? Jason?

0:13:36.810,0:13:38.813
(Jason) In verse 16, he talks about those

0:13:38.813,0:13:41.139
who twist and distort the meaning,

0:13:41.139,0:13:42.849
and he's saying they do it

0:13:42.849,0:13:44.049
to their own destruction.

0:13:44.053,0:13:45.970
And so, you can deduce from that,

0:13:45.970,0:13:47.504
if you understand it correctly,

0:13:47.504,0:13:49.089
that's the way to salvation.

0:13:49.089,0:13:51.216
He's preaching the message of God.

0:13:51.216,0:13:53.047
(Derek) That's an interesting thought,

0:13:53.047,0:13:56.794
and actually there's another phrase[br]attached to there which is important, too.

0:13:56.794,0:13:58.022
Did you notice it, Peter?

0:13:58.022,0:14:00.324
(Peter) It says, "as the rest[br]of the Scripture."

0:14:00.341,0:14:04.506
(Derek) Okay, so he's including[br]Paul's testimonies,

0:14:04.506,0:14:08.093
not only as a wisdom from God,[br]like Christine said,

0:14:08.093,0:14:11.543
but as part of Scripture, God-breathed.

0:14:11.543,0:14:13.767
It's Peter who says all Scripture

0:14:13.767,0:14:15.495
is God-breathed, right?

0:14:15.495,0:14:17.447
No private interpretation,

0:14:17.447,0:14:19.528
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

0:14:19.528,0:14:21.373
All right, but that's interesting.

0:14:21.373,0:14:23.928
Also, implicitly he's saying,

0:14:23.928,0:14:26.910
"If you listen, it's for your salvation,"

0:14:26.910,0:14:28.607
that gives it authority.

0:14:28.607,0:14:29.693
"If you twist it,

0:14:29.693,0:14:30.978
it's for your destruction."

0:14:30.978,0:14:33.390
All right, so Paul is recognized

0:14:33.390,0:14:36.323
by at least Peter, but I think

0:14:36.323,0:14:38.627
we could say by the Christian community.

0:14:38.627,0:14:39.988
God's at work in him,

0:14:39.988,0:14:41.825
and God is speaking through him.

0:14:41.825,0:14:44.559
We're going to look at one[br]of his letters in this series,

0:14:44.559,0:14:46.396
the Gospel to the Galatians.

0:14:46.396,0:14:49.804
The standard format of a letter...

0:14:49.804,0:14:51.917
did you find this from your study?

0:14:51.917,0:14:53.733
What's the standard format of a letter

0:14:53.733,0:14:55.773
back in those times, Tricia Lee?

0:14:55.773,0:14:59.315
(Tricia Lee) I don't know about back then,[br]but I do know, like, when you're

0:14:59.315,0:15:02.932
in grammar school, you're taught that you[br]start with a greeting or some type

0:15:02.932,0:15:07.191
of salutation, then you have who it's to[br]and the subject of the message,

0:15:07.191,0:15:10.808
and you kind of end off with some type of,[br]you know...

0:15:10.808,0:15:13.237
(Derek) Farewell or closing remark or?

0:15:13.237,0:15:15.387
Is that pretty much, Jason,

0:15:15.387,0:15:17.124
the way it looked in these letters

0:15:17.124,0:15:19.608
during the New Testament era?

0:15:19.608,0:15:23.306
(Jason) Largely yes, and you generally[br]start with the positive, too.

0:15:23.306,0:15:26.243
So you'll say, "Oh, you guys, this is[br]a nice thing about you,"

0:15:26.243,0:15:29.133
whether you're writing a letter now[br]or these letters of Paul.

0:15:29.133,0:15:30.390
They're always saying,

0:15:30.390,0:15:32.293
"This is a good thing that you have."

0:15:32.293,0:15:33.837
"This is what I like about you."

0:15:33.837,0:15:36.357
(Derek) That would probably[br]still work today, right?

0:15:36.357,0:15:39.745
If you've got a problem with someone,[br]you can say, "Here are some things

0:15:39.745,0:15:42.651
I really appreciate about you, but,"[br]and talk about a problem.

0:15:42.651,0:15:46.414
And that's pretty much standard format,

0:15:46.414,0:15:49.532
greeting, some word of thanksgiving,

0:15:49.532,0:15:50.936
body of the letter,

0:15:50.936,0:15:53.639
and then some closing remark,

0:15:53.639,0:15:55.008
and typically with Paul

0:15:55.008,0:15:57.298
it would include, "the grace of the Lord

0:15:57.298,0:16:00.416
be with you," right, something like that.

0:16:00.416,0:16:02.582
Let's see how he begins

0:16:02.582,0:16:05.090
the letter to the Galatians.

0:16:05.090,0:16:09.226
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 and 2,

0:16:09.226,0:16:11.921
and, Alyssa, if you'd read that for us,

0:16:11.921,0:16:13.326
and then we'll compare that.

0:16:13.326,0:16:15.958
If someone could find[br]Ephesians 1, verse 1,

0:16:15.958,0:16:18.468
and Colossians 1, verse 1,

0:16:18.475,0:16:20.838
let's see if they're similar

0:16:20.838,0:16:22.500
or if there are some differences.

0:16:22.500,0:16:24.106
By the way, all of those letters

0:16:24.106,0:16:26.309
were written by the Apostle Paul.

0:16:26.309,0:16:29.112
(Alyssa) In the New International Version[br]it says:

0:16:42.690,0:16:45.100
(Derek) Okay, that's his greeting there.

0:16:45.100,0:16:46.300
Keep that in mind.

0:16:46.300,0:16:48.129
Does someone have Ephesians?

0:16:48.129,0:16:51.424
Joshua, chapter 1 and verse 1.

0:16:51.424,0:16:54.361
(Joshua) I'll be reading from the New[br]King James Version.

0:16:54.361,0:16:55.354
The Bible says:

0:17:02.904,0:17:05.490
(Derek) All right, so that's to the church[br]in Ephesus,

0:17:05.490,0:17:07.865
then he writes to the church in Colossae,

0:17:07.868,0:17:12.162
we call that Colossians, Marcus, verse 1.

0:17:12.162,0:17:15.281
(Marcus) I'll be reading from the King[br]James Version:

0:17:22.523,0:17:25.047
(Derek) So what did they have in common,

0:17:25.047,0:17:28.672
those three opening salutations?

0:17:28.672,0:17:30.188
What did they have in common?

0:17:30.188,0:17:31.395
(Harold) He's an apostle.

0:17:31.395,0:17:33.997
(Derek) Okay so, Paul, an apostle -[br]gives his name,

0:17:34.012,0:17:35.817
like we do even today, right?

0:17:35.817,0:17:38.123
Gives a name and says

0:17:38.123,0:17:39.969
he's an apostle of Jesus.

0:17:39.969,0:17:41.749
What was different, Mario?

0:17:41.749,0:17:43.012
What did you see different

0:17:43.012,0:17:45.131
in the Galatian intro?

0:17:45.131,0:17:47.838
(Mario) He expounds on that.

0:17:47.838,0:17:49.918
He says not by the will of man

0:17:49.918,0:17:51.520
but of God, you know.

0:17:51.520,0:17:52.663
So you can tell

0:17:52.663,0:17:54.593
that he needs to clarify something.

0:17:54.593,0:17:57.990
(Derek) Why would he have to do that,[br]anybody?

0:17:57.990,0:18:01.297
He didn't do it to Ephesus or to Colossae.

0:18:01.297,0:18:06.030
Why would he have to do that[br]for Galatia? Alyssa?

0:18:06.030,0:18:07.680
(Alyssa) This is still early.

0:18:07.680,0:18:09.686
Remember, he had to go to all those places

0:18:09.686,0:18:11.741
and represent himself anew

0:18:11.741,0:18:13.022
to each new church,

0:18:13.022,0:18:15.478
so maybe he was still kind of having[br]to defend

0:18:15.478,0:18:16.711
that God did call him.

0:18:16.711,0:18:18.073
(Derek) Possibly. Of course,

0:18:18.073,0:18:20.861
we haven't read the letter yet, have we?

0:18:20.861,0:18:23.088
That is a possibility, though.

0:18:23.088,0:18:25.454
He's like, "You may not know me,"

0:18:25.454,0:18:27.235
but actually there's something else

0:18:27.235,0:18:28.669
going on here. Nicole?

0:18:28.669,0:18:31.483
(Nicole) His letter talks[br]about false teachings,

0:18:31.483,0:18:36.140
so in this case he's saying, "Listen,[br]I'm from God.

0:18:36.140,0:18:37.238
I'm an apostle of God.

0:18:37.238,0:18:39.120
I'm bringing you the truth and the Word

0:18:39.120,0:18:40.413
that you need to hear,

0:18:40.413,0:18:41.958
and I want you all to be careful

0:18:41.958,0:18:43.632
of what else is going on around you

0:18:43.632,0:18:45.355
that may draw you away from Christ."

0:18:45.355,0:18:47.543
(Derek) And implied (stay with me now),

0:18:47.543,0:18:49.715
implied is that these people

0:18:49.715,0:18:52.678
who are giving these false teachings

0:18:52.678,0:18:54.855
are saying what, about Paul?

0:18:54.855,0:18:56.842
(Team) That he's not from God.

0:18:56.842,0:18:59.318
(Derek) He's not a true apostle, right?

0:18:59.318,0:19:02.844
Or he's sent by man and not sent by God.[br]Jonathan?

0:19:02.844,0:19:04.704
(Jonathan) It seems like multiple times

0:19:04.704,0:19:06.705
throughout this that[br]he's emphasizing this,

0:19:06.705,0:19:08.344
that, "My authority doesn't come

0:19:08.344,0:19:09.923
based on other people; it's God."

0:19:09.923,0:19:12.015
It's the truth that matters[br]and not people.

0:19:12.015,0:19:14.899
(Derek) Well let's take a look[br]as we read on in Galatians.

0:19:14.902,0:19:16.421
Jason, if you could read

0:19:16.421,0:19:17.872
the first six verses,

0:19:17.872,0:19:20.823
it will include the initial salutation[br]that we read,

0:19:20.823,0:19:22.411
verses 1 through 6.

0:19:22.411,0:19:25.458
He's going to go past

0:19:25.458,0:19:27.101
saying thank you about anything,

0:19:27.101,0:19:29.901
and he's going to come[br]right to the issue at hand.

0:19:29.901,0:19:33.119
Let's take a look, Galatians 1:1-6.

0:19:33.119,0:19:34.277
(Jason) I'll be reading

0:19:34.277,0:19:36.234
from the New King James Version,

0:19:36.234,0:19:39.362
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 through 6:

0:20:21.515,0:20:23.984
(Derek) Whoa! So something's up here.

0:20:23.984,0:20:25.771
We're going to get right to it,

0:20:25.771,0:20:28.372
but he has kind of given us[br]the Gospel message

0:20:28.372,0:20:31.182
right in those first few verses.

0:20:31.182,0:20:33.326
How would you summarize[br]the Gospel message

0:20:33.326,0:20:36.403
from those verses? Peter.

0:20:36.403,0:20:39.221
(Peter) The salutation[br]that he gives there, grace and peace,

0:20:39.221,0:20:40.801
is very interesting to me,

0:20:40.801,0:20:42.067
and is actually used

0:20:42.067,0:20:43.433
almost in every letter,

0:20:43.433,0:20:44.731
and Peter uses it,

0:20:44.731,0:20:45.960
"Grace and peace to you."

0:20:45.960,0:20:47.244
""Grace and peace to you."

0:20:47.244,0:20:49.669
And it's almost like, the heart of God,

0:20:49.669,0:20:52.015
full of grace, brings something

0:20:52.015,0:20:53.394
to our hearts - peace,

0:20:53.394,0:20:55.411
and He does that through forgiveness,

0:20:55.411,0:20:57.375
and this is given to all men.

0:20:57.375,0:21:00.021
(Derek) So even in the greeting[br]you're seeing a message.

0:21:00.021,0:21:01.442
Many Bible scholars would say

0:21:01.442,0:21:03.994
grace would be a more typical[br]New Testament,

0:21:03.994,0:21:05.536
and shalom, or peace,

0:21:05.536,0:21:07.562
would be more from the Hebrew heritage,

0:21:07.562,0:21:09.659
but we're bringing both

0:21:09.659,0:21:11.372
in Christ Jesus, right?

0:21:11.372,0:21:13.001
What's the message?

0:21:13.001,0:21:13.962
What did you hear

0:21:13.962,0:21:18.336
in the first six verses, anybody?[br]Yes, Alyssa?

0:21:18.336,0:21:20.983
(Alyssa) Christ died for us,[br]but in accordance

0:21:20.983,0:21:25.765
that God the whole Trinity is[br]working together also, he mentions that.

0:21:25.765,0:21:29.138
And that when we've been transformed[br]by that message,

0:21:29.138,0:21:31.194
we give glory back to Him.

0:21:31.194,0:21:33.831
(Derek) Yeah, "He gave Himself[br]for our sins,"

0:21:33.831,0:21:35.730
is the way my Bible translates it,

0:21:35.730,0:21:39.898
"that he might deliver us from..."?

0:21:39.898,0:21:40.788
(Team) Evil.

0:21:40.788,0:21:43.441
(Derek) "...this present evil age,[br]according to the will

0:21:43.441,0:21:47.000
of God our Father, to whom be glory,"[br]and then he, like, "God is awesome."

0:21:47.000,0:21:49.540
You know, he kind of ends[br]his little statement there.

0:21:49.540,0:21:50.965
But he, up front, says,

0:21:50.965,0:21:55.808
"This is God's plan of salvation,[br]through Jesus...," right?

0:21:55.808,0:21:59.539
"...to deliver us[br]from the present evil age.

0:21:59.539,0:22:04.209
What is wrong with you?"[br](Thank you, Nicole.)

0:22:04.209,0:22:09.038
"Where did you get some other gospel?"

0:22:09.038,0:22:12.899
Some other...what does[br]the word <i>gospel</i> mean, do you know?

0:22:12.899,0:22:14.127
(Team) Good News.

0:22:14.127,0:22:17.555
(Derek) "Where do you find some other news[br]that isn't good news at all?"

0:22:17.555,0:22:22.169
So he obviously is dealing,[br]immediately, with a challenge.

0:22:22.187,0:22:24.393
Now before we go into that,

0:22:24.393,0:22:26.723
a revelation about the Good News

0:22:26.723,0:22:29.770
was not only given to him, right?

0:22:29.770,0:22:33.221
Let's go back; in our first study[br]in this series,

0:22:33.221,0:22:37.109
we looked at that amazing[br]concise statement by Peter.

0:22:37.109,0:22:38.584
Do you remember that?

0:22:38.584,0:22:40.057
Guided by the Holy Spirit.

0:22:40.057,0:22:43.535
In Acts 10, verses 34 to 43.

0:22:43.535,0:22:45.193
I want to hear that again.

0:22:45.193,0:22:46.681
I'm always amazed - Nicole,

0:22:46.681,0:22:48.169
if you could read it for us -

0:22:48.169,0:22:51.687
I'm always amazed at the brilliance

0:22:51.687,0:22:53.841
of this concise statement

0:22:53.841,0:22:55.438
about the Gospel message.

0:22:55.438,0:22:57.811
And we know it's not because Peter says,

0:22:57.811,0:22:59.357
"Well, I'm a great scholar."

0:22:59.357,0:23:01.055
No, no, he was a fisherman

0:23:01.055,0:23:03.342
who wholly surrendered his life to God,

0:23:03.342,0:23:05.344
and by the Spirit he's speaking.

0:23:05.344,0:23:07.428
So let's hear his testimony.

0:23:07.428,0:23:11.053
(Nicole) I'm reading Acts 10,[br]verses 34 through 43,

0:23:11.053,0:23:14.224
and I'm reading from the New[br]International Version, and it says:

0:24:34.046,0:24:36.377
(Derek) I love that;[br]it's so powerful, isn't it?

0:24:36.377,0:24:39.330
And by the way, when he says,[br]"as all the prophets,"

0:24:39.330,0:24:41.342
he kind of says that it's the testimony

0:24:41.342,0:24:42.461
of the whole Scripture.

0:24:42.461,0:24:45.393
It reminds me of a Bible study[br]that Jesus gave.

0:24:45.393,0:24:47.411
Do you remember when that was,[br]Tricia Lee?

0:24:47.411,0:24:49.656
(Tricia Lee) When they were[br]walking to Emmaus.

0:24:49.656,0:24:53.302
(Derek) Right, first to Cleopas and the[br]other disciple on the road to Emmaus,

0:24:53.302,0:24:55.047
but then with the disciples

0:24:55.047,0:24:56.289
in the Upper Room.

0:24:56.289,0:24:59.254
And He said, "All of these prophecies,

0:24:59.254,0:25:01.133
all of the Scriptures," what?

0:25:01.133,0:25:02.370
(Team) "Testify about Me."

0:25:02.370,0:25:05.293
(Derek) Yeah, they "testify about Me,[br]and not only about Me

0:25:05.293,0:25:07.020
but that I had to suffer." Why?

0:25:07.020,0:25:08.825
He suffered for our sins, right?

0:25:08.825,0:25:10.881
He bore our sins that He might...?

0:25:10.881,0:25:12.719
What was that wonderful word?

0:25:12.719,0:25:13.908
(Team Member) Deliver us.

0:25:13.908,0:25:16.260
(Derek) Deliver us[br]from this present evil age.

0:25:16.260,0:25:18.960
Wonderful news, but all of that...

0:25:18.960,0:25:20.615
You say, "That's a great summary;

0:25:20.615,0:25:23.372
I'm going to write it down, Acts 10:34-43.

0:25:23.372,0:25:26.433
If anybody, non-Christian, comes and says,

0:25:26.433,0:25:27.620
'Could you give it to me

0:25:27.620,0:25:29.295
in like just a couple of minutes?'"

0:25:29.295,0:25:32.949
You say, "Well, let me read to you[br]what the Holy Spirit said through Peter."

0:25:32.949,0:25:35.413
But we could get even more concise[br]than that.

0:25:35.413,0:25:37.142
Someone have John 3:16,

0:25:37.142,0:25:39.187
who would read it for us?

0:25:39.187,0:25:41.231
Anybody have John 3:16?

0:25:41.231,0:25:42.843
You say, "I'd like to repeat it."

0:25:42.843,0:25:46.443
John 3:16, got a volunteer?

0:25:46.443,0:25:48.003
Jason, read it for us, please.

0:25:48.003,0:25:53.962
(Jason) I'll be reading from the New[br]King James Version, John 3:16:

0:26:06.030,0:26:07.797
(Derek) Well, that challenges

0:26:07.797,0:26:09.159
the whole idea that it's

0:26:09.159,0:26:11.396
just for the Jews, right?

0:26:11.396,0:26:13.163
It says "whoever."

0:26:13.163,0:26:15.190
God so loved the...?

0:26:15.190,0:26:15.981
(Team) World.

0:26:15.981,0:26:17.523
(Derek) I mean it's right there

0:26:17.523,0:26:19.247
in that very simple statement.

0:26:19.247,0:26:21.561
So, I have a question for you, Mario.

0:26:21.561,0:26:25.188
Why do people make the Gospel message,

0:26:25.188,0:26:27.161
the Good News about what God has done

0:26:27.161,0:26:28.374
for us in Jesus,

0:26:28.374,0:26:30.208
why do people make it so complicated?

0:26:30.208,0:26:34.458
(Mario) Oh, wow, we have[br]something inside of us

0:26:34.458,0:26:40.455
that wants to give out steps or processes[br]to accomplish things.

0:26:40.455,0:26:43.583
I mean, in our jobs and in school,

0:26:43.583,0:26:46.847
there's this system[br]that tells us, you know,

0:26:46.847,0:26:48.765
you have to do this and this and this,

0:26:48.765,0:26:50.524
and then you can get what you want.

0:26:50.524,0:26:52.827
So it's hard for us to conceive

0:26:52.827,0:26:56.504
that a God can love us

0:26:56.504,0:26:58.701
and give something to us

0:26:58.701,0:27:02.706
without us having to do[br]something to earn it,

0:27:02.706,0:27:04.459
but that it is a gift

0:27:04.459,0:27:07.023
if we would just submit to His will...

0:27:07.023,0:27:08.468
(Derek) Now the New Testament

0:27:08.468,0:27:10.679
and especially the writings of Paul

0:27:10.679,0:27:12.665
are all about a new creation.

0:27:12.665,0:27:15.342
They're all about deliverance

0:27:15.342,0:27:18.041
from the present evil age,

0:27:18.041,0:27:21.095
but that is the <i>fruit</i>

0:27:21.095,0:27:23.095
of accepting the Gospel message.

0:27:23.095,0:27:24.916
Somehow we try to make it

0:27:24.916,0:27:27.907
more complicated than[br]"whoever believes in Him."

0:27:27.907,0:27:29.411
We've got several hands.

0:27:29.411,0:27:31.506
Let's take a moment to reflect on this.

0:27:31.506,0:27:34.204
(Harold) One way, and we have[br]seen this, actually,

0:27:34.204,0:27:35.714
throughout the New Testament,

0:27:35.714,0:27:37.810
what we studied last time, traditions.

0:27:37.810,0:27:39.656
At times we fall into a routine,

0:27:39.656,0:27:42.005
as Tricia Lee mentioned[br]in a previous study,

0:27:42.005,0:27:45.034
that at times we are so ingrained...

0:27:45.034,0:27:48.601
we get so comfortable that we believe

0:27:48.601,0:27:50.417
that that's the way to go to be saved.

0:27:50.417,0:27:53.140
(Derek) That's maybe even[br]what the Bible teaches, right?

0:27:53.140,0:27:54.790
Because we've done it for so long,

0:27:54.790,0:27:56.648
or what our religious teacher told us.

0:27:56.655,0:27:59.046
(Harold) Yes, and Jesus even rebuked[br]the Pharisees

0:27:59.046,0:28:00.384
because, "You come to Me,"

0:28:00.384,0:28:01.694
you know, "with your mouth;

0:28:01.694,0:28:04.016
you're worshiping with your mouth[br]and everything,

0:28:04.016,0:28:05.267
but yet you come to Me

0:28:05.267,0:28:06.958
by the commandments of men."

0:28:06.958,0:28:09.330
And this is found in Matthew,[br]chapter 15.

0:28:09.330,0:28:11.381
(Derek) Right, so that could happen

0:28:11.381,0:28:13.491
for us, too, right? Tricia Lee?

0:28:13.491,0:28:16.513
(Tricia Lee) He's reminding us[br]that we're in an evil age.

0:28:16.513,0:28:18.749
The devil is out there[br]trying to deceive us.

0:28:18.749,0:28:21.783
From the garden he said,[br]"Did God <i>really</i> say?"

0:28:21.783,0:28:26.223
And when we have simple truths[br]about salvation, that doubt comes

0:28:26.223,0:28:29.878
into our minds like, is it really[br]that easy to be saved through Christ?

0:28:29.878,0:28:36.264
You can hang your doubts on anything,[br]but it's just like, we have to believe

0:28:36.264,0:28:40.705
the true Word that God says,[br]and not question this simple path

0:28:40.705,0:28:42.011
that God already laid out.

0:28:42.011,0:28:45.170
(Derek) I guess there's two approaches[br]that the devil could bring.

0:28:45.170,0:28:49.173
One would be to say,

0:28:49.173,0:28:52.209
it's not that simple, right?[br]It's more complicated,

0:28:52.209,0:28:55.028
or it's not even true.

0:28:55.028,0:28:57.738
This is not true,

0:28:57.739,0:29:00.182
but it's not that simple, you know?

0:29:00.182,0:29:03.601
(Tricia Lee) Is He really[br]going to forgive you if you ask Him?

0:29:03.601,0:29:05.464
(Derek) Or maybe it's for someone else,

0:29:05.464,0:29:08.116
but would it really be for you?

0:29:08.116,0:29:11.502
Anybody else? Why do we make it[br]so complicated, Jonathan?

0:29:11.502,0:29:14.702
(Jonathan) I think sometimes we really[br]want it to be...

0:29:14.702,0:29:16.071
It's an issue of pride.

0:29:16.071,0:29:21.292
I mean like, if I can make all these[br]so wonderful thoughts and ideas,

0:29:21.292,0:29:24.958
then it becomes about me and about what[br]I'm doing or what I'm thinking

0:29:24.958,0:29:29.368
or having the right knowledge, but this is[br]so simple, like a child can understand.

0:29:29.368,0:29:33.195
(Derek) Didn't Jesus say something[br]about we need to become as little children

0:29:33.195,0:29:35.584
if we would enter the Kingdom?

0:29:35.584,0:29:36.993
(Jonathan) That's humbling.

0:29:36.993,0:29:38.958
(Derek) It requires humility?

0:29:38.958,0:29:40.718
(Jonathan) Yeah.

0:29:40.718,0:29:42.058
(Derek) Yes, Peter.

0:29:42.058,0:29:44.529
(Peter) I was thinking, too,[br]that sometimes maybe...

0:29:44.529,0:29:46.058
can God be that good?

0:29:46.058,0:29:47.752
Can it be that good?

0:29:47.755,0:29:50.075
(Derek) You mean a distorted picture

0:29:50.075,0:29:51.587
of the character of God

0:29:51.587,0:29:53.144
could hold me back

0:29:53.144,0:29:55.035
from believing that God could be

0:29:55.035,0:29:55.985
that good to me.

0:29:55.985,0:29:57.262
(Peter) Right, right.

0:29:57.262,0:29:58.535
(Derek) Part of the reason

0:29:58.535,0:29:59.551
we study the Bible

0:29:59.551,0:30:01.981
is to find out the truth about God, right?

0:30:01.981,0:30:02.692
Joshua?

0:30:02.692,0:30:04.740
(Joshua) I believe it was along the lines

0:30:04.740,0:30:06.180
of what Jonathan said.

0:30:06.180,0:30:07.995
He mentioned that, you know,

0:30:07.995,0:30:09.969
the Gospel is even for little children,

0:30:09.990,0:30:12.309
as easy that they can understand it.

0:30:12.309,0:30:13.715
And I remember as a child

0:30:13.715,0:30:15.495
I always saw the Gospel

0:30:15.495,0:30:17.688
as something that was easy to digest,

0:30:17.688,0:30:19.341
like Jesus loves me,

0:30:19.341,0:30:22.310
He wants to save us from our sins,

0:30:22.310,0:30:24.042
we're going to Heaven one day,

0:30:24.042,0:30:25.316
and it was that simple.

0:30:25.316,0:30:26.657
But then as I got older,

0:30:26.657,0:30:29.784
things started to become more and more[br]and more complicated.

0:30:29.784,0:30:32.584
People are like, "Oh! This prophecy,[br]that prophecy."

0:30:32.584,0:30:34.457
"We have to be saved through this."

0:30:34.457,0:30:36.762
"If you do this,[br]this is going to happen to you."

0:30:36.762,0:30:39.948
And your mind just has this,

0:30:39.948,0:30:43.232
for some people,[br]a spiritual breakdown.

0:30:43.232,0:30:45.188
Like, "Whoa, it takes all of that now?

0:30:45.188,0:30:47.190
Every move that I make now,

0:30:47.190,0:30:48.204
I have to be worried

0:30:48.204,0:30:50.672
if God is going to like me or not like me?

0:30:50.672,0:30:52.688
Is He going to strike me from Heaven?"

0:30:52.688,0:30:56.349
And I think that we lose touch

0:30:56.349,0:30:59.976
of that real essence of who Christ is,

0:30:59.976,0:31:02.984
making things complicated,[br]as we've been discussing.

0:31:02.984,0:31:04.565
(Derek) "Whoever believes in Him

0:31:04.565,0:31:06.096
should not perish."

0:31:06.096,0:31:07.591
But of course we need Scripture

0:31:07.591,0:31:08.770
to know who He is.

0:31:08.770,0:31:11.688
Otherwise we could[br]make up some Jesus, right?

0:31:11.688,0:31:13.239
The Bible is crucial,

0:31:13.239,0:31:15.303
and Jesus, when He said, "Baptize

0:31:15.303,0:31:18.052
in the name of the Father, Son[br]and Holy Spirit,"

0:31:18.052,0:31:19.541
He did say, "Teach them

0:31:19.541,0:31:21.884
to observe all things I've commanded you."

0:31:21.884,0:31:25.541
But all of that is an outgrowth

0:31:25.541,0:31:27.815
of my relationship with Him

0:31:27.815,0:31:29.171
as my Savior, right?

0:31:29.171,0:31:30.147
Well, let's go back

0:31:30.147,0:31:31.554
to the letter of Galatians,

0:31:31.554,0:31:32.978
and, Laurel, could you read

0:31:32.978,0:31:35.801
Galatians 1, verses 6 through 9?

0:31:35.801,0:31:38.344
Like we noticed in the first part

0:31:38.344,0:31:40.520
(we read verse 6 already,[br]but read it again),

0:31:40.520,0:31:42.200
he skips over, "I'm really thankful

0:31:42.200,0:31:43.610
for so much about you,"

0:31:43.610,0:31:44.871
and comes in - boom!

0:31:44.871,0:31:46.584
"We've got a problem here."

0:31:46.584,0:31:49.132
Let's read verses 6 through 9[br]of Galatians 1.

0:31:49.132,0:31:51.841
(Laurel) I'll be reading from the New[br]King James Version:

0:32:29.571,0:32:31.142
(Derek) Now that word <i>accursed</i>,

0:32:31.142,0:32:32.547
I've got in my margin, there,

0:32:32.547,0:32:34.016
is the word <i>anathema</i>.

0:32:34.016,0:32:35.500
I mean, it's not like,

0:32:35.500,0:32:37.910
"That's not a good thing to do."

0:32:37.921,0:32:39.587
It's like <i>really</i> strong language.

0:32:39.587,0:32:43.587
Why is Paul...and someone could say,

0:32:43.587,0:32:45.107
"Well, that's your perspective;

0:32:45.107,0:32:46.498
this is my perspective"...

0:32:46.498,0:32:50.182
why is he so intense about people...

0:32:50.182,0:32:54.373
"You cannot preach some other gospel,

0:32:54.373,0:32:58.419
other than what was manifest[br]through Jesus," Marcus?

0:32:58.419,0:33:01.066
(Marcus) Because that would portray[br]a false Christ.

0:33:01.066,0:33:02.900
Just like you said, earlier, as well,

0:33:02.900,0:33:05.052
you said that it's not the same Christ

0:33:05.052,0:33:06.404
if you pervert the Gospel,

0:33:06.404,0:33:07.907
and this is the early church.

0:33:07.907,0:33:09.355
So, what comes out of this

0:33:09.355,0:33:12.135
may affect future churches[br]in the next generation.

0:33:12.135,0:33:13.490
(Derek) So it's not so much

0:33:13.490,0:33:15.259
that, "You don't like my teaching,"

0:33:15.261,0:33:18.931
as "You're saying something[br]about God that isn't true!"

0:33:18.931,0:33:19.784
(Team) Yes.

0:33:19.784,0:33:22.011
(Derek) And...? And what?

0:33:22.011,0:33:23.869
What's the implication of that?

0:33:23.869,0:33:26.184
Destruction for people!

0:33:26.184,0:33:28.227
This is life and death!

0:33:28.227,0:33:31.838
It's not just, "Do you like your sermon[br]or your sermon?"

0:33:31.838,0:33:33.910
This is life and death;

0:33:33.910,0:33:36.172
we're talking about how people can be

0:33:36.172,0:33:38.987
set right with God, right?[br]Yes, Mario.

0:33:38.987,0:33:40.213
(Mario) I just feel like

0:33:40.213,0:33:41.332
I need to highlight,

0:33:41.332,0:33:43.044
the same applies to us today.

0:33:43.046,0:33:45.853
This is about the character of Christ

0:33:45.853,0:33:50.428
as perceived in someone else's eyes[br]through our testimony,

0:33:50.428,0:33:53.435
and we get hung up on our doctrine

0:33:53.435,0:33:55.919
as a means to salvation.

0:33:55.919,0:33:58.029
And there are so many things that we try

0:33:58.029,0:34:00.523
to hang the hat of salvation on,

0:34:00.523,0:34:02.805
but we've got to preach Christ

0:34:02.805,0:34:05.242
and Him crucified, as Paul said, you know,

0:34:05.242,0:34:07.414
and we have to be careful about that.

0:34:07.414,0:34:09.030
(Derek) Now, some people might get

0:34:09.030,0:34:10.749
a little offended with Paul.

0:34:10.749,0:34:12.733
They'd say, "Paul, that's a little,"

0:34:12.733,0:34:15.196
(we have an expression in English),

0:34:15.196,0:34:17.962
"over the top. Please."

0:34:17.962,0:34:19.853
But let's look at a couple of places

0:34:19.853,0:34:25.048
where Jesus was fairly[br](what could I say) direct

0:34:25.048,0:34:28.444
when He felt the same issue,

0:34:28.444,0:34:29.878
"You're getting in the way

0:34:29.878,0:34:32.732
of people learning the truth about God."

0:34:32.732,0:34:36.167
Mark, chapter 9, verse 42,

0:34:36.167,0:34:37.479
Harold, do you have that?

0:34:37.479,0:34:40.305
Again I do believe that Jesus,

0:34:40.305,0:34:42.866
He spoke with love in His heart.

0:34:42.866,0:34:45.106
I don't like if He's portrayed

0:34:45.106,0:34:47.581
as some kind of angry Savior,

0:34:47.581,0:34:51.518
but He spoke strongly here, didn't He?[br]Mark 5:42?

0:34:51.518,0:34:54.790
(Harold) I'll be reading from the New[br]King James Version:

0:35:10.001,0:35:12.836
(Derek) Now, Bible students have discussed

0:35:12.836,0:35:15.170
whether the little ones He's talking about

0:35:15.170,0:35:19.469
are children or new believers.

0:35:19.469,0:35:20.910
What do you think?

0:35:20.910,0:35:22.652
(Team) Both.

0:35:22.652,0:35:24.298
(Derek) Multiple choice, right?

0:35:24.298,0:35:26.319
"All of the above," right?

0:35:26.319,0:35:28.085
If you cause a child to stumble

0:35:28.085,0:35:30.221
that they can't, as children do,

0:35:30.221,0:35:31.982
just say, "Jesus, I trust You,

0:35:31.982,0:35:33.707
and I want You to save me,

0:35:33.707,0:35:35.480
and I want to be with You forever,"

0:35:35.480,0:35:38.802
and the Savior says, "Amen," right?

0:35:38.802,0:35:41.119
But also the new believer?

0:35:41.119,0:35:42.288
(Team) Yes.

0:35:42.288,0:35:45.834
(Derek) So, we want the new believers[br]to learn everything

0:35:45.834,0:35:47.769
that Jesus taught, right?

0:35:47.769,0:35:49.628
So, how do we do that

0:35:49.628,0:35:53.284
without making a stumbling block for them?

0:35:53.284,0:35:54.925
What is crucially important

0:35:54.925,0:36:00.246
when we're teaching them all those things?

0:36:00.246,0:36:04.856
Are you stretching your fingers, Nicole?[br]Yes, tell me.

0:36:04.856,0:36:08.663
(Nicole) I think that it starts with us[br]praying and asking for the Spirit

0:36:08.663,0:36:14.099
to fill us with what we need in order[br]to reach those that we're dealing with.

0:36:14.099,0:36:17.267
And so we don't become a stumbling block[br]ourselves, we have to have

0:36:17.267,0:36:19.812
that connection with Christ[br]to lead us the right way.

0:36:19.812,0:36:21.682
(Derek) Okay, but we want to teach them

0:36:21.682,0:36:23.195
to observe all things.

0:36:23.195,0:36:27.565
So how do we do that without[br](what's the word?)

0:36:27.565,0:36:30.253
damaging the Gospel or mutating the Gospel

0:36:30.253,0:36:33.413
or proclaiming some other Gospel?

0:36:33.413,0:36:35.578
How do we do that? Alyssa?

0:36:35.578,0:36:38.418
(Alyssa) Well, first, everything[br]has to come from Scripture.

0:36:38.418,0:36:41.044
Don't try to show them anything[br]that isn't here.

0:36:41.044,0:36:45.193
And also, if they're not secure, yet,[br]in their salvation,

0:36:45.193,0:36:47.845
first things have to come first.

0:36:47.845,0:36:50.436
(Derek) So I believe in Bible prophecy,[br]it's wonderful.

0:36:50.436,0:36:52.025
By the way, I've met many people

0:36:52.025,0:36:55.889
who believe in the authenticity[br]of the Bible by Bible prophecy,

0:36:55.889,0:36:58.541
but you're saying, "I'm going[br]to tell them about Jesus

0:36:58.541,0:36:59.298
and how to have

0:36:59.298,0:37:00.730
a living connection with Him,"

0:37:00.730,0:37:05.118
and then we talk about how do we live[br]as a Christian,

0:37:05.118,0:37:08.090
rather than, "Here's the list of things

0:37:08.090,0:37:11.543
that can maybe earn God's love and favor

0:37:11.543,0:37:13.214
or maybe earn your way to Heaven."

0:37:13.214,0:37:16.542
(Tricia Lee) It's a great question,[br]and I think that churches struggle

0:37:16.542,0:37:19.238
with how to disciple and how to teach[br]our new believers.

0:37:19.238,0:37:22.912
We should never be afraid of teaching[br]what the Bible says or what Jesus says,

0:37:22.912,0:37:26.535
but there's a big difference between[br]teaching what Jesus taught and lived,

0:37:26.535,0:37:30.914
and then now trying to force people[br]to make those changes and believing

0:37:30.914,0:37:34.541
that we somehow now take on the role[br]of the Holy Spirit in converting people.

0:37:34.541,0:37:38.127
I can teach you and show you, and I should[br]never hide what the Bible says,

0:37:38.127,0:37:41.805
but I have to understand my role is[br]to teach; my role is not to convert.

0:37:41.805,0:37:45.697
I cannot force someone to make a change[br]that it might have taken me many years

0:37:45.697,0:37:47.295
to come to, myself.

0:37:47.295,0:37:50.634
So we have to have patience and humility[br]and realize that we are only

0:37:50.634,0:37:54.185
pointing people to the Bible teachings[br]and allowing the Holy Spirit to work

0:37:54.185,0:37:57.176
that miracle in their life just like[br]He worked in our lives.

0:37:57.176,0:38:00.597
But we shouldn't be afraid to show[br]somebody what the Bible says

0:38:00.597,0:38:04.265
just because it might be too much; maybe[br]we should hide it from them now - no.

0:38:04.265,0:38:07.964
The Bible teaches all these things;[br]it's okay to teach it, but we should never

0:38:07.964,0:38:11.687
feel like we have to force someone to make[br]the same change, just like we have.

0:38:11.687,0:38:14.837
(Derek) And would it be okay to say[br]we always need to remind them

0:38:14.837,0:38:17.624
what the foundation of our faith...[br]where it is?

0:38:17.624,0:38:20.441
It's in Jesus, right?[br]Our Savior.

0:38:20.441,0:38:23.471
Saved by His grace through faith?

0:38:23.471,0:38:25.832
Let's talk about healthful living,

0:38:25.853,0:38:27.335
or let's talk about...

0:38:27.335,0:38:29.105
you could name something else...

0:38:29.105,0:38:30.919
how Jesus is coming back,

0:38:30.919,0:38:34.663
but first I have to talk[br]about the Gospel message, right?

0:38:34.666,0:38:36.389
And the assurance of salvation.

0:38:36.389,0:38:37.792
Several hands raised. Peter?

0:38:37.792,0:38:41.582
(Peter) I was just going to say when we[br]talk about, like, we're saying doctrine

0:38:41.582,0:38:44.839
or anything, living, Jesus sits[br]for His portrait, and how we present

0:38:44.839,0:38:46.126
the teachings of the Bible.

0:38:46.126,0:38:49.053
And what portrait of Jesus[br]are you painting in your doctrine,

0:38:49.053,0:38:51.020
in your lifestyle that you're coaching,

0:38:51.020,0:38:53.241
whatever it is, X, Y, Z - fill it in -

0:38:53.241,0:38:55.226
what portrait of Jesus are you painting?

0:38:55.226,0:38:56.910
(Derek) First I have to know

0:38:56.910,0:38:59.320
the truth about Jesus and who He was.

0:38:59.320,0:39:00.204
Jonathan?

0:39:00.204,0:39:03.647
(Jonathan) I was thinking how,[br]in a musical, you can have the same notes,

0:39:03.647,0:39:06.905
even in the same order, but if you change,[br]like maybe if you start

0:39:06.905,0:39:10.792
with a different emphasis, or if you put[br]it in a different bass note or something,

0:39:10.792,0:39:12.159
the music totally changes.

0:39:12.159,0:39:15.150
You can be saying the same things,[br]but if you're emphasizing

0:39:15.150,0:39:21.251
without that foundation of who God is,[br]His love for us, and salvation,

0:39:21.251,0:39:24.624
then you're communicating[br]a different song, a different tone.

0:39:24.624,0:39:25.807
(Derek) One other text

0:39:25.807,0:39:27.802
where Jesus spoke rather strongly,

0:39:27.802,0:39:31.813
in Matthew 23:13, 14, He was saying,

0:39:31.813,0:39:33.651
"Don't get in the way of people

0:39:33.651,0:39:37.220
knowing the truth about Me."

0:39:37.220,0:39:41.445
Christine, do you have Matthew 23,[br]verses 13 and 14?

0:39:41.445,0:39:44.645
(Christine) I'll be reading from the New[br]King James Version,

0:39:44.645,0:39:49.387
Matthew, chapter 23, verses 13 and 14;[br]it says:

0:40:12.575,0:40:14.541
(Derek) And what does it say at the end?

0:40:14.541,0:40:15.990
"You will receive" what?

0:40:15.990,0:40:18.671
(Derek, Team) A greater condemnation.

0:40:18.671,0:40:23.559
(Derek) You know, you will be[br]held accountable.

0:40:23.559,0:40:25.596
Isn't that what it's saying?

0:40:25.596,0:40:27.158
For getting in the way

0:40:27.158,0:40:28.869
of people knowing the truth.

0:40:28.869,0:40:30.192
Now I don't know about you,

0:40:30.192,0:40:33.314
but we're here, and this is an in-depth,[br]interactive Bible study;

0:40:33.314,0:40:35.347
we've got a lot of people watching this.

0:40:35.347,0:40:37.103
That would cause me to be praying,

0:40:37.103,0:40:38.209
"Oh, Lord, help us

0:40:38.209,0:40:41.031
to tell the truth about You," right?

0:40:41.031,0:40:43.036
"To tell the truth about Your Gospel,

0:40:43.036,0:40:46.224
to tell the truth about the Christian life

0:40:46.230,0:40:48.442
in response to the grace

0:40:48.442,0:40:50.540
that's been shown to us," and all of that.

0:40:50.540,0:40:51.944
We want to go now

0:40:51.944,0:40:55.411
and look at where Paul gets his message,

0:40:55.411,0:40:57.103
because, as someone pointed out

0:40:57.103,0:40:59.133
(Laurel, I think you mentioned earlier),

0:40:59.133,0:41:01.290
he wasn't one of the twelve disciples.

0:41:01.290,0:41:03.120
So where does he get his message?

0:41:03.120,0:41:04.217
Well let's take a look

0:41:04.217,0:41:05.259
at his own testimony,

0:41:05.259,0:41:07.307
and we're looking in Galatians, chapter 1,

0:41:07.307,0:41:09.319
verses 11 through 17,

0:41:09.319,0:41:11.317
and then we'll read on in the chapter

0:41:11.317,0:41:14.942
and also testimony from his letter[br]to the Corinthians.

0:41:14.942,0:41:17.021
But first, Galatians, chapter 1,

0:41:17.021,0:41:19.649
and, Peter, if you could read that for us,

0:41:19.649,0:41:21.492
verses 11 through 17.

0:41:21.492,0:41:25.642
(Peter) I'm reading Galatians, chapter 1,[br]verses 11 to 17,

0:41:25.642,0:41:27.967
in the New King James Version:

0:42:16.576,0:42:19.741
(Derek) What's he saying?

0:42:19.741,0:42:22.529
(Harold) He was called[br]through God's grace.

0:42:22.529,0:42:24.544
(Derek) He was called[br]through God's grace,

0:42:24.544,0:42:27.748
but more than that, what's he saying?

0:42:27.748,0:42:29.451
This revelation...?

0:42:29.451,0:42:31.232
(Nicole) Is not from man.

0:42:31.232,0:42:32.655
(Derek) "...is not from man.

0:42:32.655,0:42:35.635
I didn't learn it from anyone[br]except Jesus!"

0:42:35.635,0:42:37.876
In that sense he's saying,

0:42:37.876,0:42:39.618
"I may not have walked with Him

0:42:39.618,0:42:41.781
when He was here on Earth,

0:42:41.781,0:42:43.284
but I've walked with Him

0:42:43.284,0:42:45.009
since He ascended to Heaven."

0:42:45.009,0:42:46.848
That's a startling claim, isn't it?

0:42:46.848,0:42:48.457
But that's what he's saying -

0:42:48.457,0:42:53.138
"This is the way I received the message."

0:42:53.138,0:42:55.933
Let's keep reading; Mario,[br]if you could read,

0:42:55.933,0:42:59.634
as he continues now,[br]in verses 18 through 24.

0:42:59.634,0:43:03.245
Again, they're saying,[br]"You're not a real apostle."

0:43:03.245,0:43:05.536
"You weren't one of the twelve," right?

0:43:05.536,0:43:08.845
"You weren't there; in fact, your history

0:43:08.845,0:43:12.835
shows you've been fighting[br]against the truth."

0:43:12.835,0:43:16.033
Because, by the way, these Judaizers

0:43:16.033,0:43:18.418
are believers in Jesus.

0:43:18.418,0:43:20.113
So they're not just like those

0:43:20.113,0:43:21.698
who are opposed to Jesus,

0:43:21.698,0:43:23.580
but they're saying, "But there's more,

0:43:23.580,0:43:25.561
and you're not telling the whole story."

0:43:25.561,0:43:27.565
Paul says, "I've got it from Jesus."

0:43:27.565,0:43:30.390
Reading on, verses 18, is it?

0:43:30.390,0:43:34.086
(Mario) Through 24, reading Galatians,

0:43:34.086,0:43:36.157
chapter 1, 18 through 24,

0:43:36.157,0:43:38.445
in the New King James Version:

0:44:19.279,0:44:22.592
(Derek) That's his testimony,[br]"I've been changed."

0:44:22.592,0:44:25.213
Now let's look at one example

0:44:25.213,0:44:28.592
of a revelation given to him,[br]1 Corinthians 11.

0:44:28.592,0:44:34.991
He's talking, here, about the beginning

0:44:34.991,0:44:37.364
of what we call the Lord's Supper

0:44:37.364,0:44:38.997
or the Communion service.

0:44:38.997,0:44:40.860
Now again, obvious question,

0:44:40.860,0:44:42.995
but was he there in the Upper Room?

0:44:42.995,0:44:44.087
(Derek, Team) No.

0:44:44.087,0:44:46.205
(Derek) So, how is he

0:44:46.205,0:44:48.699
going to tell the believers about that?

0:44:48.699,0:44:50.110
Well, let's see what he says.

0:44:50.110,0:44:54.890
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Joshua.

0:44:54.890,0:44:56.913
(Joshua) The Bible says:

0:45:36.362,0:45:38.227
(Derek) That's very specific, isn't it?

0:45:38.227,0:45:40.008
It's not like, "Well, and there was

0:45:40.008,0:45:41.891
this little service in the Upper Room

0:45:41.891,0:45:43.470
before Jesus was crucified."

0:45:43.470,0:45:47.365
It's actually quoting Jesus, what He said,

0:45:47.365,0:45:49.064
and explaining what it meant.

0:45:49.064,0:45:50.699
So I have a question for you.

0:45:50.699,0:45:54.194
He says, "I received it from the Lord."

0:45:54.194,0:45:56.843
How did Jesus reveal that to him?

0:45:56.843,0:45:58.608
Did He appear to him

0:45:58.608,0:46:00.370
like on the Damascus road?

0:46:00.370,0:46:01.972
Did He give him a vision?

0:46:01.972,0:46:04.263
You know, a vision, he's still awake,

0:46:04.263,0:46:07.887
but he receives a message from Heaven.

0:46:07.887,0:46:09.651
Or a dream, we think of like,

0:46:09.651,0:46:12.624
dreams were given to prophets, too?

0:46:12.624,0:46:15.310
How did Jesus reveal that to him,

0:46:15.310,0:46:17.214
what happened in the Upper Room?

0:46:17.214,0:46:18.501
The answer is?

0:46:18.501,0:46:20.605
(Derek, Team) We don't know.

0:46:20.605,0:46:21.997
(Derek) Could it have been

0:46:21.997,0:46:23.094
any one of those?

0:46:23.094,0:46:23.814
(Team) Yes.

0:46:23.814,0:46:26.245
(Derek) Could the Lord Himself[br]have come like He did

0:46:26.245,0:46:27.430
on the Damascus road?

0:46:27.430,0:46:29.205
Or have given him a vision?

0:46:29.205,0:46:33.868
But what is Paul[br]absolutely convinced about?

0:46:33.868,0:46:35.442
(Team) That it's from Christ.

0:46:35.442,0:46:37.776
(Derek) That it's a revelation[br]from Jesus, right?

0:46:37.776,0:46:40.582
So, both that little piece

0:46:40.582,0:46:42.338
of what happened in the Upper Room,

0:46:42.338,0:46:45.875
but actually the entire message[br]he's proclaiming,

0:46:45.875,0:46:48.052
he said, "This doesn't come from me;

0:46:48.052,0:46:49.366
it comes from God."

0:46:49.366,0:46:51.405
So why is that so important

0:46:51.405,0:46:55.627
as he's about to speak to the Galatians

0:46:55.627,0:46:57.557
who were listening to false teaching?

0:46:57.557,0:47:00.741
Why is it important that he asserts

0:47:00.741,0:47:02.882
the source of his message?

0:47:02.882,0:47:06.041
Wouldn't it be enough to say,

0:47:06.041,0:47:07.697
"I learned it from the apostles"?

0:47:07.697,0:47:08.952
Jason, what do you think?

0:47:08.952,0:47:12.256
(Jason) Because he's being attacked[br]as not being connected with Jesus,

0:47:12.256,0:47:13.931
as not being part of that origin.

0:47:13.931,0:47:16.052
They're saying, "You came in[br]after the fact,

0:47:16.052,0:47:18.709
and you're trying to proclaim[br]to us this stuff

0:47:18.709,0:47:21.186
even though you haven't[br]experienced it yourself.

0:47:21.186,0:47:22.951
In fact, you were even one[br]of our persecutors,

0:47:22.951,0:47:23.930
so how do we know

0:47:23.930,0:47:25.500
that you're actually genuine?"

0:47:25.500,0:47:27.352
And they're basically challenging him

0:47:27.352,0:47:30.012
by bringing this other gospel in.

0:47:30.012,0:47:32.076
And he's saying, "Look, this is[br]from Jesus,

0:47:32.076,0:47:33.635
and here's the evidence for it."

0:47:33.635,0:47:37.388
(Derek) We're going to study

0:47:37.388,0:47:39.454
about the whole conflict and the message

0:47:39.454,0:47:41.429
in the Gospel to the Galatians,

0:47:41.429,0:47:44.161
but I just want to pause and ask,

0:47:44.161,0:47:47.013
does it startle you

0:47:47.013,0:47:50.150
that Jesus would call someone

0:47:50.150,0:47:54.271
who'd been such a fierce opponent?

0:47:54.271,0:48:00.998
Would it be fair to say to almost become[br]a primary witness?

0:48:00.998,0:48:03.207
I mean, how many books

0:48:03.207,0:48:04.745
of the New Testament

0:48:04.745,0:48:09.554
did - let's choose some of the Apostles -[br]Peter.

0:48:09.554,0:48:12.525
How many books of the New Testament[br]did Peter write?

0:48:12.525,0:48:15.788
Well we've got 1 and 2 Peter, right?

0:48:15.788,0:48:17.090
That's the clue, right?

0:48:17.090,0:48:19.216
Give me another Apostle.

0:48:19.216,0:48:20.165
(Derek, Team) John.

0:48:20.165,0:48:21.556
(Derek) Okay, how many books

0:48:21.556,0:48:25.492
of the New Testament[br]did John write?

0:48:25.492,0:48:27.093
Five? Okay, you've got

0:48:27.093,0:48:28.597
the Gospel of John,

0:48:28.597,0:48:31.980
1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and?

0:48:31.980,0:48:32.858
(Team) Revelation.

0:48:32.858,0:48:35.127
(Derek) He says, the Revelation[br]of Jesus Christ

0:48:35.127,0:48:36.461
through His servant John."

0:48:36.461,0:48:37.998
Okay, so you've got five there.

0:48:37.998,0:48:41.550
Give me another Apostle[br]besides Peter and John.

0:48:41.569,0:48:46.513
Not Timothy, he was not an Apostle, right?

0:48:46.513,0:48:50.017
But Matthew was...Matthew, how many[br]did he write?

0:48:50.017,0:48:50.956
(Team) One.

0:48:50.956,0:48:52.514
(Derek) One that bears his name,

0:48:52.514,0:48:53.843
an important Gospel, right?

0:48:53.843,0:48:55.424
Give me another Apostle.

0:48:55.424,0:48:58.723
Philip? How many did he write?

0:48:58.723,0:49:00.239
(Derek, Team) None.

0:49:00.239,0:49:01.612
(Derek) Give me another one.

0:49:01.612,0:49:05.939
James, the brother of John,

0:49:05.939,0:49:11.437
that's not the one who wrote

0:49:11.437,0:49:12.940
the book of James, right?

0:49:12.940,0:49:15.109
So, many of the Apostles

0:49:15.109,0:49:16.871
didn't write any books

0:49:16.871,0:49:18.556
of the New Testament, right?

0:49:18.556,0:49:20.570
And how many did you say again

0:49:20.570,0:49:23.522
the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write?

0:49:23.522,0:49:25.041
(Team) Thirteen.

0:49:25.041,0:49:29.205
(Derek) Doesn't it startle you?

0:49:29.205,0:49:33.744
What does that tell you about God?

0:49:33.744,0:49:35.246
Not just about Paul.

0:49:35.246,0:49:37.262
You say, "He was obviously a changed man."

0:49:37.262,0:49:40.862
What does that tell you about God?[br]Christine.

0:49:40.862,0:49:42.671
(Christine) That God can use anyone

0:49:42.671,0:49:45.160
to get them to proclaim the message.

0:49:45.160,0:49:47.335
(Derek) He can use anyone.

0:49:47.335,0:49:50.996
Can we complete that sentence, Tricia Lee?

0:49:50.996,0:49:52.318
(Tricia Lee) Even me.

0:49:52.318,0:49:54.977
(Derek) Okay, yeah.

0:49:54.977,0:49:57.229
God can use anyone, even me.

0:49:57.229,0:50:01.341
I still need a little qualifier[br]in there, Nicole?

0:50:01.341,0:50:04.407
God can use anyone, even me...?

0:50:04.407,0:50:07.808
(Nicole) If you're willing...[br]if you're willing to be used.

0:50:07.808,0:50:09.825
(Derek) If I'm willing.

0:50:09.825,0:50:13.937
And how is that willingness revealed?

0:50:13.937,0:50:15.844
How is that willingness revealed?

0:50:15.844,0:50:20.405
How is it apparent that I am willing

0:50:20.405,0:50:22.491
to be used by God, even me,

0:50:22.491,0:50:24.984
to proclaim the Good News about Jesus?

0:50:24.984,0:50:26.748
(Joshua) By doing the work.

0:50:26.748,0:50:30.380
(Derek) I think before I do the work, no?

0:50:30.380,0:50:31.659
(Nicole) It's choosing.

0:50:31.659,0:50:33.758
(Tricia Lee) Believing.

0:50:33.758,0:50:35.236
(Derek) Choosing, believing.

0:50:35.236,0:50:36.449
(Team Member) Responding to the call.

0:50:36.449,0:50:38.319
(Derek) How do I respond to the call?

0:50:38.319,0:50:39.588
(Team Member) You listen.

0:50:39.588,0:50:40.678
(Derek) I listen?

0:50:40.678,0:50:42.216
(Team Member) Repent first.

0:50:42.216,0:50:43.968
(Derek) I repent. I...?

0:50:43.968,0:50:45.885
(Nicole) Pray?

0:50:45.885,0:50:49.593
(Derek) Pray. I surrender?

0:50:49.593,0:50:52.321
I humble myself before God.

0:50:52.321,0:50:57.000
This message is not about me;[br]it's about Jesus.

0:50:57.000,0:51:00.727
"And God, You're going to have to work[br]supernaturally

0:51:00.727,0:51:04.377
because I don't want to mess that up."

0:51:04.377,0:51:07.040
I certainly don't want to proclaim

0:51:07.040,0:51:09.371
a false gospel, right?

0:51:09.371,0:51:11.772
I humble myself...So, I'm willing.

0:51:11.772,0:51:14.858
Surrender? Even me?

0:51:14.858,0:51:18.008
That Paul could do that?

0:51:18.008,0:51:21.940
And God could use him in such[br]an amazing way? Joshua?

0:51:21.940,0:51:23.664
(Joshua) This is helping me to think

0:51:23.664,0:51:27.711
because if you think about the most[br]well-known pastors and evangelists

0:51:27.712,0:51:29.126
that you hear about

0:51:29.126,0:51:30.721
throughout the Christian church,

0:51:30.721,0:51:33.304
many of them were not raised[br]as Christians.

0:51:33.304,0:51:34.103
(Derek) Yeah.

0:51:34.103,0:51:36.872
(Joshua) Many of them actually converted[br]to Christianity,

0:51:36.872,0:51:38.109
and through the experience

0:51:38.109,0:51:39.432
that they had with Jesus,

0:51:39.432,0:51:41.159
they just went full force,

0:51:41.159,0:51:43.696
and that goes across the board.

0:51:43.697,0:51:45.348
And I think it just goes to show

0:51:45.348,0:51:47.506
that when we have that true conversion,

0:51:47.506,0:51:50.555
our past is no longer a priority.

0:51:50.555,0:51:53.704
Our past is just a shadow of who we were,

0:51:53.704,0:51:55.205
and we are now new in Christ.

0:51:55.205,0:51:56.903
(Derek) Doesn't Paul say somewhere,

0:51:56.903,0:51:58.736
"I consider all of that..."

0:51:58.736,0:52:00.585
What was the word he used?

0:52:00.585,0:52:04.835
I think a literal translation[br]is "cow dung,"

0:52:04.835,0:52:08.723
but "rubbish" would be a little more...

0:52:08.723,0:52:14.513
It's garbage compared to the excellency[br]of knowing Christ.

0:52:14.513,0:52:16.832
Not just knowing about Him, right?

0:52:16.832,0:52:18.489
But <i>knowing</i> Him.

0:52:18.489,0:52:20.362
It's like he can't keep quiet.

0:52:20.362,0:52:24.633
And if we're willing...even me? Even me.

0:52:24.633,0:52:26.533
So in the last few minutes we've got,

0:52:26.533,0:52:28.797
I want you to give a testimony

0:52:28.811,0:52:32.344
of how you have been blessed,

0:52:32.344,0:52:35.630
not only to know Jesus,

0:52:35.630,0:52:37.398
have that relationship,

0:52:37.398,0:52:38.799
but you've been blessed

0:52:38.799,0:52:40.667
that God would use you

0:52:40.667,0:52:42.873
to share the truth about Jesus

0:52:42.873,0:52:44.983
with someone else, okay?

0:52:44.983,0:52:47.229
And you may share a specific instance.

0:52:47.229,0:52:48.569
You may share something

0:52:48.569,0:52:50.254
that's happening to you right now.

0:52:50.254,0:52:52.383
So let's talk about that.

0:52:52.383,0:52:55.922
We can't share what we don't know, right?

0:52:55.922,0:52:57.968
So, coming to know Him and sharing.

0:52:57.968,0:53:00.021
Who can share a testimony of being blessed

0:53:00.021,0:53:01.543
as a result of that?

0:53:01.543,0:53:02.969
We'll start with you, Harold.

0:53:02.969,0:53:05.931
(Harold) One day I was going[br]to Radio Shack

0:53:05.931,0:53:07.678
(that's like an electronics store),

0:53:07.678,0:53:09.361
and they were closing down.

0:53:09.361,0:53:12.929
The thought came, "Well, since it's[br]closing down,

0:53:12.929,0:53:15.089
there's some people who are there,"

0:53:15.098,0:53:17.455
and I'm a type that I like[br]to talk one-on-one.

0:53:17.455,0:53:19.896
And usually the store's kind of empty.

0:53:19.896,0:53:21.501
There was this lady,

0:53:21.501,0:53:23.071
and I had this material,

0:53:23.071,0:53:24.484
and I started talking to her,

0:53:24.484,0:53:26.740
like saying, "Hey, I have this material[br]for you,

0:53:26.740,0:53:27.842
if you're interested."

0:53:27.842,0:53:30.100
(Derek) So this was something[br]about the Bible?

0:53:30.100,0:53:31.779
(Harold) Yeah, all about the Bible.

0:53:31.779,0:53:35.110
Actually that lasted like an hour or more,[br]the conversation.

0:53:35.110,0:53:37.898
(Derek) It must have been a quiet day[br]at the store.

0:53:37.898,0:53:39.444
(Harold) No, it was interesting.

0:53:39.444,0:53:41.331
There were more customers coming in.

0:53:41.331,0:53:42.385
It was so inspiring

0:53:42.385,0:53:43.905
that I started even asking,

0:53:43.905,0:53:45.952
"Hey, customers, would you be interested?"

0:53:45.952,0:53:47.923
I was not afraid; I was really so blessed

0:53:47.923,0:53:50.133
because the lady was asking[br]so many questions,

0:53:50.133,0:53:51.542
even asked for material

0:53:51.542,0:53:54.110
that I had at home; this was interesting.

0:53:54.110,0:53:55.674
I purchased the material

0:53:55.674,0:53:57.157
thinking that I would read it,

0:53:57.157,0:53:58.737
and then she mentioned to me,

0:53:58.737,0:54:00.616
"I remember reading this book

0:54:00.616,0:54:03.144
back in the day by this person."

0:54:03.144,0:54:04.782
And I'm like, "Wow, interesting!"

0:54:04.782,0:54:07.074
I have this book at home,[br]and I just bought one,

0:54:07.087,0:54:08.521
thinking that I would use it,

0:54:08.521,0:54:09.892
and I brought it for her.

0:54:09.892,0:54:12.850
She was so blessed and was acknowledging

0:54:12.850,0:54:14.573
all the truth that was being shared

0:54:14.573,0:54:15.554
that I felt blessed.

0:54:15.554,0:54:18.111
It was like, wow, somebody received[br]God's truth today,

0:54:18.111,0:54:20.272
even the people who were[br]around us listening

0:54:20.272,0:54:22.090
or even receiving the material.

0:54:22.090,0:54:24.386
That made my day,

0:54:24.386,0:54:26.185
and I thank God for that.

0:54:26.185,0:54:28.236
(Derek) For those of you[br]in the second row,

0:54:28.240,0:54:29.995
you couldn't see he was smiling.

0:54:29.995,0:54:31.655
He was blessed to be used

0:54:31.655,0:54:33.101
to bless someone else,

0:54:33.101,0:54:36.137
and it sounds like God was at work[br]even in him getting that book

0:54:36.137,0:54:37.679
that they wanted to read,

0:54:37.679,0:54:39.640
and it was already there.

0:54:39.640,0:54:41.650
In some ways you might think,

0:54:41.650,0:54:45.419
"Well, that's not as dramatic as[br]the Damascus road."

0:54:45.419,0:54:47.831
But it was dramatic for you, wasn't it?

0:54:47.831,0:54:51.252
Anybody else, being blessed? Joshua.

0:54:51.252,0:54:53.772
(Joshua) Years ago I was

0:54:53.772,0:54:55.893
in Antigua visiting family,

0:54:55.893,0:54:59.152
and I was sitting in my Aunt Nola's house,

0:54:59.152,0:55:01.583
and I saw Hope Sabbath School

0:55:01.583,0:55:02.930
for the first time.

0:55:02.930,0:55:04.435
As I watched the people...

0:55:04.435,0:55:07.016
(Derek) Was that before you ever became[br]a participant?

0:55:07.016,0:55:08.947
(Joshua) Oh, yeah, this was before that.

0:55:08.947,0:55:10.658
I was watching the show, and I said,

0:55:10.658,0:55:12.976
"I can't really relate to these people;

0:55:12.976,0:55:14.230
they look too holy."

0:55:14.230,0:55:16.008
And I said, "You know what?

0:55:16.008,0:55:18.727
They're going into all these deep things[br]about the Bible,"

0:55:18.727,0:55:20.184
so I just kept watching it.

0:55:20.184,0:55:21.928
I had no idea that God was ever

0:55:21.928,0:55:23.520
going to put me on this show

0:55:23.520,0:55:25.188
to do this same exact work.

0:55:25.188,0:55:27.204
And now I know that we're not all perfect

0:55:27.204,0:55:30.647
and that through media God can reach

0:55:30.647,0:55:32.180
so many people across the world.

0:55:32.180,0:55:34.293
I'm very thankful to be here,

0:55:34.293,0:55:36.023
and I met my wife on this show.

0:55:36.023,0:55:37.192
(Derek) Oh, you did,

0:55:37.192,0:55:38.539
and she's not here,

0:55:38.539,0:55:41.561
just in case the viewers are trying[br]to guess which one it is.

0:55:41.561,0:55:44.001
But back to what you said, Tricia Lee,

0:55:44.001,0:55:47.287
"Even me." "Even me."[br]Isn't that amazing?

0:55:47.287,0:55:50.458
Surrendered to God, you're watching[br]the show,

0:55:50.458,0:55:54.063
and, you know, our producer Elroy,

0:55:54.063,0:55:55.796
when he was in grad school,

0:55:55.796,0:55:57.688
he said, "I wish I could...,"

0:55:57.688,0:55:59.976
He was watching Hope Sabbath School,

0:55:59.976,0:56:01.410
and he was really blessed.

0:56:01.410,0:56:04.248
He was saying, "I wish I could[br]produce a program like that,"

0:56:04.252,0:56:06.305
and today he's our producer.

0:56:06.305,0:56:08.025
Isn't that awesome!

0:56:08.025,0:56:08.726
(Team) Yes.

0:56:08.726,0:56:12.206
(Derek) That's the kind of people we want[br]to be a part of the team, right?

0:56:12.206,0:56:15.357
That we believe God is working[br]in miraculous ways.

0:56:15.357,0:56:17.177
One last testimony, yes, Nicole.

0:56:17.177,0:56:20.614
(Nicole) I would continue what Joshua said[br]in saying I'm blessed to be

0:56:20.614,0:56:23.132
on this program also, and it's funny[br]because I met you

0:56:23.132,0:56:27.096
at a church here locally, and I hadn't[br]really heard of Hope Sabbath School,

0:56:27.096,0:56:29.283
and you actually talked about it[br]in church.

0:56:29.283,0:56:32.281
I was like, "Let me see what he's[br]talking about," and I watched

0:56:32.281,0:56:33.853
this program a couple of times.

0:56:33.853,0:56:37.037
I just think that the Lord really led me[br]to that church, He led me

0:56:37.037,0:56:40.476
to meet with you that day, and put me[br]in this program, and it's just been

0:56:40.476,0:56:44.140
a blessing because I'm meeting people[br]who have seen the programs, and they're

0:56:44.149,0:56:45.601
very blessed by the program.

0:56:45.601,0:56:48.978
So it's this great blessing to me[br]that I can be a part of this ministry.

0:56:48.978,0:56:52.797
(Derek) I think that's why the Apostle[br]Paul was so passionate, because he's like,

0:56:52.797,0:56:54.812
"It's not just about me being saved;

0:56:54.812,0:56:56.778
it's about sharing that blessing,

0:56:56.778,0:57:00.681
the grace of God I've come to know[br]and experience.

0:57:00.681,0:57:02.683
I want to share that with everybody,

0:57:02.683,0:57:04.328
even if they try to kill me,"

0:57:04.328,0:57:07.418
which, by the way, happened[br]quite frequently to the Apostle Paul.

0:57:07.418,0:57:09.341
And when people tried to distort

0:57:09.341,0:57:10.842
the truth of the Gospel,

0:57:10.856,0:57:12.318
he got really upset

0:57:12.318,0:57:14.359
because he wanted people to know

0:57:14.359,0:57:16.718
the true character of God and God's plan.

0:57:16.718,0:57:18.416
I want to share the truth

0:57:18.416,0:57:20.041
about Jesus, too, don't you?

0:57:20.041,0:57:23.131
Let's pray that he'll work in us[br]in wonderful ways.

0:57:23.131,0:57:25.269
Father in Heaven, thank You

0:57:25.269,0:57:27.575
for the beautiful truth of the Gospel.

0:57:27.575,0:57:30.151
Forgive us if we've made it complicated

0:57:30.151,0:57:33.006
or a stumbling block put in the way[br]of someone

0:57:33.006,0:57:34.644
so they don't hear the truth.

0:57:34.644,0:57:36.714
Help us to continue to study Your Word,

0:57:36.714,0:57:38.884
to learn the truth of the Gospel

0:57:38.884,0:57:40.757
to be able to share it in a way

0:57:40.757,0:57:43.042
that will bless many lives,[br]including ours.

0:57:43.042,0:57:45.350
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

0:57:45.350,0:57:46.223
(Team) Amen.

0:57:46.223,0:57:49.145
(Derek) Well, thanks for joining us[br]for Hope Sabbath School.

0:57:49.145,0:57:51.029
We have so much to learn, but you know?

0:57:51.029,0:57:52.782
God loves us, and He will be with us

0:57:52.782,0:57:54.402
each step of the journey.

0:57:54.402,0:57:55.634
Take what you're learning

0:57:55.634,0:57:57.621
and be a blessing to those around you.

0:57:57.621,0:58:28.873
♪ theme music ♪