Caption transcript for In The Footsteps of The Rabbi From Tarsus: “First Steps Toward Christ” (1/12)

• 00:04 WITH DR. JEFFREY SEIF AND SANDRA LEVITT
• 01:01 A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
• 01:03 JEFFREY SEIF HERE,
• 01:04 WITH MY FRIEND SANDRA LEVITT.
• 01:05 SHALOM AND WELCOME TO
• 01:08 "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS"
• 01:10 WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
• 01:12 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RABBI SAUL, RABBI PAUL.
• 01:16 THIS IS A YOUNG MAN THAT WAS TRAINED RABBINICALLY, JEFF.
• 01:20 HE WAS TRAINED TO GO INTO THE MISSION FIELDS.
• 01:23 HERE HE IS AND HE DOES.
• 01:25 HE IS A MISSIONARY BOTH TO THE JEWS AND TO THE GENTILES.
• 01:28 WONDERFUL STORY.
• 01:29 I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT JEWS DON'T BELIEVE IN JESUS.
• 01:31 I GUESS PAUL NEVER GOT THE MEMO.
• 01:33 PAUL NEVER GOT THE MEMO. >>(JEFF LAUGHING)
• 01:34 WHAT A WONDERFUL... HARDSHIP HE WENT THROUGH AND YET
• 01:38 IT REALLY IS ENCOURAGING TO US
• 01:40 TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR WALK WITH THE LORD.
• 01:42 SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS MAN?
• 01:44 HE ACCEPTS JESUS. >>HE DOES.
• 01:45 HE THEN GETS SAVED AND BECOMES A SOUTHERN BAPTIST,
• 01:47 A LUTHERAN METHODIST, WHAT BECAME OF HIM?
• 01:49 ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
• 01:50 NO, HE'S A JEW.
• 01:51 HE REMAINS A JEW AND THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
• 01:53 HE IS A JEW TO THE JEW.
• 01:55 HE IS A GREEK TO THE GREEK.
• 01:57 HE IS A GENTILE TO GENTILES.
• 01:58 HE HAS IT ALL.
• 02:00 HE'S A ROMAN.
• 02:01 HE'S JEWISH.
• 02:03 HE'S A PHARISEE.
• 02:04 HE HAS ALL OF THOSE QUALITIES.
• 02:05 YES, HE SEEMS RATHER COMPLICATED AT ONE LEVEL
• 02:09 BUT IT'S OUR JOB TO SORT IT OUT.
• 02:11 AND THIS SERIES WE'RE GOING TO BE "WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS."
• 02:17 WE WANT TO EXPLORE PAUL IN HIS JEWISH CONTEXT AND SEE HIM FOR WHAT HE REALLY IS,
• 02:23 A JEWISH WHO CAME TO FAITH.
• 02:26 HE LIVED AS A JEW.
• 02:27 HE DIED AS A JEW.
• 02:29 AND AS A JEW HE TOOK THE GOOD NEWS TO YOU.
• 02:32 HERE'S HIS STORY.
• 02:36 HE COULD BE DESCRIBED AS SOMETHING OF AN ANGRY MAN TO PUT IT MILDLY ACTUALLY.
• 02:41 LUKE TELLS US THAT HE WAS BREATHING THREATS
• 02:44 AND NOT JUST IDLE THREATS, MURDER ON TOP.
• 02:47 DIDN'T WANT TO JUST HURT THEM, HE WANTED TO DESTROY THEM.
• 02:50 WHO'S THE HE AND WHO'S THE THEM?
• 02:52 THE "HE" IS A FELLOW NAMED "SHAUL" A MEMBER OF THE PERUSHIM.
• 02:56 "PERUSHIM" COMES FROM "PAROSH" IN HEBREW VERB MEANING TO BE SEPARATE.
• 03:02 IT WAS A PARTY, SIX THOUSAND OR SO INDIVIDUALS IN JESUS' DAY.
• 03:05 ONE OF WHOM WAS THIS FELLOW NAMED SHAUL OR PAUL.
• 03:08 AND THERE WAS THIS MOVEMENT, IT WAS GETTING UP AND GOING IN YERUSHALAYIM, IN JERUSALEM,
• 03:12 AND HE WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.
• 03:15 IN FACT, HIS BIOGRAPHER LUKE TELLS US IN THIS BOOK CALLED ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
• 03:19 THAT WHEN STEPHEN, A GREEK SPEAKING JEW, WAS MARTYRED
• 03:25 THAT SAUL WAS PARTICULARLY PRO-ACTIVE IN FACILITATING HIS DEMISE.
• 03:30 SO PAUL'S NOT JUST A DISGRUNTLED TEACHER WHO'S VERBALLY GIVING VOICE TO HIS ANGST
• 03:35 BUT RATHER HE'S THE KIND OF FELLOW THAT'S GIVEN TO ACTION NOT JUST SPEECH.
• 03:40 LUKE TELLS US AS WELL IN THE 9TH CHAPTER THAT THIS FELLOW SHAUL
• 03:44 WAS WALKING ON A ROAD LIKE THIS HERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
• 03:49 HE WASN'T JUST OUT FOR A CASUAL STROLL.
• 03:51 ACTUALLY HE TELLS THAT HE HAS SECURED BENCH WARRANTS.
• 03:54 LUKE TELLS US THAT CHAGRINED AS HE WAS BY THE MOVEMENT
• 03:57 THAT THIS FELLOW SHAUL WENT TO THE ZEKENIM, THE LEADERS OF THE SYNAGOGUE
• 04:03 AND SECURED ARREST WARRANTS TO BRING THESE PEOPLE TO JUSTICE
• 04:08 AND WHAT WAS JUST FOR THESE BELIEVERS IN JESUS WAS DEATH.
• 04:11 IT'S THE WAY PAUL SAW IT.
• 04:13 PAUL WAS A BLACK AND WHITE KIND OF GUY
• 04:14 AND HE LOOKED AT THIS MOVEMENT OF JEWISH PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN YESHUA,
• 04:19 HE LOOKED AT THIS AS ACNE ON THE FACE OF FIRST CENTURY JUDAISM.
• 04:22 BETTER TO BE WITHOUT IT AND HE WAS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE JOB.
• 04:24 WELL, IN ACTS CHAPTER 9 WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 1 THAT HE'S STILL
• 04:29 BREATHING THREATS AND MURDER
• 04:31 AGAINST THE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD.
• 04:33 IN VERSE 2 WE'RE TOLD OF COURSE AS I'D SAID
• 04:35 THAT HE HAS SECURED WARRANTS.
• 04:38 BUT THEN IN VERSE 3 SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENED TO HIM
• 04:41 AND THAT STRANGE THING HAPPENS TO A LOT OF OTHERS.
• 04:44 THAT IS WE'RE GOING DOWN LIFE'S HIGHWAY AND WE GET KNOCKED OFF OF OUR HORSE.
• 04:48 LUKE TELLS THE STORY ABOUT HIM ONCE IN ACTS.
• 04:50 PAUL TELLS THE STORY ABOUT IT TWICE, THREE TIMES IN THIS TEXT, ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
• 04:56 THREE TIMES PAUL HARKS BACK TO THAT MOMENT WHEN HIS LIFE WAS RADICALLY TRANSFORMED.
• 05:02 HE GETS KNOCKED OFF HIS HORSE,
• 05:03 HE FALLS TO THE GROUND IN VERSE 4,
• 05:05 HE HEARS A VOICE, "SAUL, SAUL WHY DO PERSECUTE ME?"
• 05:10 WELL, PAUL IS GOING TO BE SPELLBOUND BY ALL OF THIS.
• 05:13 HE'S KNOCKED OFF FROM HORSE,
• 05:15 THERE'S A FLASH OF LIGHT,
• 05:17 HE'S LEFT BLINDED FOR 3 DAYS.
• 05:19 THEN HE'S GOING TO GO TO A HOME LIKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS.
• 05:23 HE'S GOING TO GO TO A HOME AND SPEND SOME TIME THERE
• 05:26 AND THEN IN VERSE 17 THE LORD DIRECTS SOMEONE TO GO TO THE HOME, TO LAY HANDS ON THIS GUY
• 05:33 AND ITS AND INTERESTING STORY HERE.
• 05:35 PEOPLE ARE SO NERVOUS ABOUT PAUL BECAUSE HIS REPUTATION PRECEDED HIM.
• 05:39 THEY KNEW, THEY'RE EARLY FOLLOWERS OF YESHUA, OF JESUS,
• 05:42 KNEW THAT THIS WAS A GUY BENT ON THEIR DEMISE.
• 05:45 WHAT HAPPENS ALL OF SUDDEN ONE OF THEM GETS A VISION, IS TOLD,
• 05:48 "LISTEN YOU NEED TO GO AND LAY HANDS ON THIS FELLOW".
• 05:51 AND HE'S NERVOUS ABOUT DOING IT
• 05:53 BUT FINALLY IN VERSE 17 WE'RE TOLD,
• 06:11 FASCINATING STORY, PAUL WALKS AWAY FROM THIS A NEW MAN, A CONVERTED INDIVIDUAL.
• 06:16 MIND YOU, HOWEVER, HE WAS A CONVERTED PERSON.
• 06:20 PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND THEY SAY, "WELL, YOU KNOW MR. SEIF, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A CONVERTED JEW?"
• 06:24 AND I'M VERY FOND OF SAYING IT.
• 06:25 PERSONALLY, I'M NOT A CONVERTED JEW, I'M A CONVERTED SINNER.
• 06:28 IT'S NOT A SIN TO BE A JEW.
• 06:30 PAUL DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT HE USED TO BE JEWISH BUT NOW HE'S BECOME SOMETHING ELSE,
• 06:34 NO, PAUL HAS COME TO APPRECIATE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FULLY JEWISH
• 06:38 IN THE WAKE OF HIS ENCOUNTER WITH THE MESSIAH WHO EPITOMIZES JEWISH FAITH, VIRTUE, HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS.
• 06:56 HE'S LEAD TO DAMASCUS BY THE HAND.
• 06:57 HE'S BLIND.
• 06:58 CAN'T SEE.
• 06:59 CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.
• 07:01 HIS BLINDNESS ASIDE, THERE'S A DISCIPLE THAT HAS VISION FROM THE LORD,
• 07:05 "GO SEE THIS FELLOW NAMED SHAUL".
• 07:08 OF COURSE HE HAS AN AVERSION TO DOING SO.
• 07:10 PAUL'S REPUTATION PRECEDES HIM.
• 07:11 PEOPLE KNEW THAT PAUL WAS PRINCIPALLY ENGAGED IN ERADICATING THE MOVEMENT.
• 07:18 HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE PERSECUTION
• 07:19 SO ASKING ANANIAS TO GO SEE PAUL WAS LIKE ASKING A MOUSE TO GO VISIT A CAT.
• 07:24 HE WASN'T INTERESTED IN IT QUITE FRANKLY.
• 07:26 BUT HE WENT ANYWAY AND WE'RE TOLD THAT HE CAME
• 07:30 IN VERSE 17 OF THE 9TH CHAPTER
• 07:34 AND THAT HE ENTERED THE HOUSE WHERE SHAUL WAS
• 07:35 AND HE LAID HIS HANDS ON HIM
• 07:37 AND SAID, "BROTHER SAUL,
• 07:39 THE LORD JESUS TOLD ME TO COME TO YOU."
• 07:42 AND WHAT HAPPENS, HE PRAYS FOR HIM
• 07:44 AND THEN WE'RE TOLD IN THE TEXT THAT SAUL RECOVERS HIS VISION.
• 07:48 AND THEN INTERESTINGLY WE'RE TOLD THAT IMMEDIATELY PAUL MAKES HASTE TO GO TO THE SYNAGOGUE.
• 07:54 SYNAGOGUES CAME IN VARIOUS SHAPES, SIZES AND COLORS.
• 07:58 PAUL WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE AND HE WAS GIVEN THEREIN TO ADVOCATING FOR THIS YESHUA,
• 08:05 FOR THIS JESUS BEING THE HOPE OF ISRAEL.
• 08:07 IT'S A FASCINATING STORY.
• 08:09 I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT A TEXT PLEASE IN THE 9TH CHAPTER OF THE BOOK OF ACTS
• 08:13 CAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT TO ME IS JUST SO IMPORTANT
• 08:19 AND ITS SO UNDERDEVELOPED.
• 08:21 AND IT'S SO DESCRIPTIVE OF PAUL.
• 08:23 IN VERSE 20 AS I'D SAID
• 08:24 WE'RE TOLD THAT IMMEDIATELY
• 08:26 HE PREACHED THE CHRIST.
• 08:28 YOU KNOW, "IMMEDIATELY" IS USED...THE GREEK TERM IS USED 42 TIMES IN MARK'S GOSPEL.
• 08:34 JESUS IMMEDIATELY....SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK AND FEEL TOO MUCH.
• 08:38 YOU GOTTA JUST GO AFTER IT.
• 08:40 WE'RE TOLD HERE THAT PAUL IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE.
• 08:43 OF COURSE PAUL COULD GET IN THERE.
• 08:45 HE COULD MAKE HIS WAY INTO A SYNAGOGUE AND GET A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT.
• 08:48 HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE PERUSHIM, HE WAS A SCHOLAR, TRAINED, STUDIED IN JERUSALEM
• 08:54 AND SYNAGOGUES WOULD GIVE HIM A HEARING.
• 08:57 BUT THEN OF COURSE WHEN HE STARTED TALKING THEY REALIZED,
• 09:00 "WELL, THIS REALLY ISN'T QUITE WHAT WE EXPECTED", PARTICULARLY OF THESE PEOPLE.
• 09:03 BECAUSE INASMUCH AS THE JEWISH FOLLOWERS OF YESHUA KNEW THAT PAUL HAD COME TO FAITH
• 09:08 THE SYNAGOGUE ITSELF HASN'T YET DISCOVERED IT.
• 09:12 BUT HERE PAUL'S COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET IF YOU WILL AND MAKING HIS VISION KNOWN.
• 09:16 AND WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 20
• 09:17 THAT HE PREACHES THE MASHIACH
• 09:19 IN THE SYNAGOGUE
• 09:21 THAT HE IN FACT
• 09:22 IS THE SON OF GOD.
• 09:23 I WANT YOU TO NOTE IN VERSE 21 THERE'S SOME DISCONSTERNATION ALONG WITH THAT.
• 09:28 IT WAS A ROCKY ROAD, IT WASN'T WHAT PEOPLE WERE EXPECTED
• 09:32 AND THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT FROM PAUL BUT HE IS WHAT HE IS.
• 09:36 HE'S NOT TRYING TO WIN A POPULARITY CONTEST, HE'S TRYING TO TELL THE TRUTH.
• 09:39 WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 22 THEN THAT DIFFICULTIES NOTWITHSTANDING,
• 09:42 AND I REALLY WANT YOU TO HEAR ME ON THIS.
• 09:44 WE'RE TOLD,
• 09:57 NOW TO DESCRIBE THIS MAN AS A MAN OF STRENGTH, UMPH, HE'S GOT SOME MOXIE.
• 10:02 A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE LIKE THEIR RELIGIOUS LEADERS SWEET AND DOCILE AND FOREVER SHEEPISH AND COMPLIANT.
• 10:10 THAT'S NOT PAUL.
• 10:11 THOSE PEOPLE DON'T CHANGE THE WORLD.
• 10:14 PAUL HERE IS PROACTIVE, HE'S ENGAGED AND HE'S STRONG.
• 10:19 WHEN WE READ PAUL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THIS ISN'T SOME RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHER,
• 10:24 THIS IS A MAN WHO'S HAD A RADICAL ENCOUNTER WITH YESHUA
• 10:28 AND HE'S BENT ON ADVOCATING FOR HIM
• 10:30 MUCH AS HE WAS BENT ON DESTROYING HIM PREVIOUSLY IN HIS LIFE.
• 10:35 PAUL WAS A MAN ON A MISSION.
• 10:36 PAUL WAS AN INTENSE MAN.
• 10:38 HE WAS A FOCUSED MAN.
• 10:40 HE WAS A MAN WITH VISION.
• 10:41 NOT EVERYBODY LOVED HIM BUT THEY CAME TO RESPECT HIM.
• 10:44 THIS IS A MAN THAT SAID WHAT HE THOUGHT.
• 10:46 AND THESE APPARENTLY WEREN'T JUST HIS THOUGHTS BUT RATHER,
• 10:48 UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HE WENT FORTH AND CHANGED THE WORLD
• 10:53 AND OFF INTO THE WORLD WE GO AS WE WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THIS RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 11:01 THE GREEKS HAVE A SAYING,
• 11:02 "FIVE SENSES TO ADORE,
• 11:04 ONE COUNTRY TO EXPLORE".
• 11:07 JEFF, WE'RE EXPLORING GREECE,
• 11:08 WE'RE STANDING HERE IN CORINTH,
• 11:09 IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.
• 11:10 I WANT EVERYONE TO COME SEE IT.
• 11:12 WELL, YOU HEARD WHAT THE LADY SAID.
• 11:14 COME TO CORINTH AND WALK IN PAUL'S FOOTSTEPS.
• 11:16 IT'S A GOOD EXPERIENCE ISN'T IT?
• 11:18 IT WOULD BE OUR PLEASURE TO SHOW YOU GREECE.
• 11:20 ALL THE BIBLE SITES COME ALIVE WHEN YOU SEE THEM IN PERSON.
• 11:25 JEFF, THEY COME ALIVE.
• 11:26 I'M SO EXCITED TO SHOW PEOPLE GREECE AND ISRAEL.
• 11:28 I'M SO EXCITED.
• 11:29 YES, YOU'LL LOVE IT.
• 11:31 IT'LL BE INFORMATIONAL,
• 11:32 INSPIRATIONAL.
• 11:34 BE TRANSFORMED WITH THE TRANSATLANTIC TRIP HERE
• 11:37 AND WALK IN THE BIBLE LANDS.
• 11:41 USUALLY YOU HEAR ME SAY, "THAT'S ISRAEL".
• 11:44 BUT NOW "THAT'S GREECE".
• 11:45 JEFF WE GET TO GO TO GREECE,
• 11:46 WE GET TO SEE ALL THE SITES THAT PAUL SAW.
• 11:48 WE REALLY WALKED IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PAUL.
• 11:51 IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE ALL THAT.
• 11:52 AND FOLK CAN COME WITH US TOO.
• 11:54 WHY HAVE ALL THE FUN?
• 11:55 SEE THE BIBLE LANDS.
• 11:57 ACTUALLY GREECE IS MY SECOND FAVORITE PLACE TO GO.
• 12:00 I LIKE SEEING MARS HILL.
• 12:02 I LIKE SEEING ATHENS.
• 12:03 I LIKE SEEING THE CULTURE OF THE DAY.
• 12:05 IT'S UN-SIMILAR TO WHAT IT WAS WHEN PAUL WAS THERE.
• 12:08 IT BRINGS THE BIBLE ALIVE.
• 12:09 IT REALLY DOES.
• 12:11 AS A BIBLE COLLEGE PROF I'LL BRING SLIDES OF ATHENS, WHEREVER
• 12:13 AND PEOPLE LOVE TO SEE IT.
• 12:15 THERE HEAR ABOUT, THEY READ ABOUT IT.
• 12:16 GO VISIT IT.
• 12:17 IT ADDS A DIMENSION THAT WOULDN'T OTHERWISE BE THERE.
• 12:19 WELL, IT IS.
• 12:21 AND I,M THAT PERSON I LIKE TO KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS.
• 12:22 I'M FROM TEXAS.
• 12:23 EVERYTHING IS BIG HERE.
• 12:25 I LIKE TO KNOW HOW FAR THINGS ARE.
• 12:26 FOR EXAMPLE, DAMASCUS FROM TARSUS, NOT FAR, 300 MILES.
• 12:30 DAMASCUS FROM JERUSALEM 140 MILES.
• 12:33 THOSE ARE NOT VERY FAR, EVERYTHING'S KIND OF COMPACT.
• 12:36 RIGHT AND THE STORY THAT WAS PLAYED OUT
• 12:38 IN THAT LITTLE ARENA IS FANTASTIC.
• 12:40 ISN'T IT? >>OH, RIGHT.
• 12:41 AND WE GET TO SEE THAT.
• 12:43 JEFF HERE TEACHES ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS.
• 12:47 SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENED TO HIM ON THAT ROAD TO DAMASCUS MANY YEARS AGO.
• 12:51 THE RABBI FROM TARSUS TRAVERSED THE PATH
• 12:55 AND THERE HE WAS KNOCKED OFF HIS HORSE, FLOORED,
• 12:58 HE WAS AS GOOD AS BLIND
• 13:01 AND SO MUCH SO THAT HE HAD TO GET LEAD INTO DAMASCUS BY THE HAND.
• 13:06 AND THERE ONE OF THE BRETHREN LAID HANDS ON HIM AND PAUL BEGAN TO SEE.
• 13:12 OH, BUT THIS MAN DIDN'T JUST SEE THINGS MATERIALLY,
• 13:16 HE WAS GIVEN A KIND OF SPIRITUAL VISION AS WELL.
• 13:20 AND WHAT HE ENVISIONED WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD.
• 13:24 IN HIS OWN WORLD PAUL HAD A VISION.
• 13:27 OH YES, LIKE OTHERS HE WAS INDELIBLY MARKED, IMPRESSED BY HIS EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS.
• 13:34 BUT HIS EXPERIENCE WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE EARLIER DISCIPLES
• 13:37 FOR PAUL HIMSELF NEVER DRANK ANY WATER TURNED TO WINE,
• 13:41 NEVER ATE ANY FISH ON ANY MOUNTAIN SIDE THAT HAD BEEN MULTIPLIED MIRACULOUSLY.
• 13:45 HE NEVER HEARD A SINGLE PARABLE ROLL OFF OF JESUS' LIPS.
• 13:50 PAUL HAD NO FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE
• 13:53 AND HE WAS BENT INITIALLY ON DESTROYING THOSE WHO DID.
• 13:57 INTERESTINGLY WHEN HE HAS A RADICAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS
• 14:00 HE DOESN'T RUN TO THE SCHOOL TO LEARN TO SIT AT THE FEET OF THE ORIGINALS.
• 14:06 NO, HE RETREATS.
• 14:08 HE'S IN DAMASCUS.
• 14:09 HE TELLS US IN HIS OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY THAT WE'LL GET TO
• 14:12 THAT FROM DAMASCUS HE THEN GOES TO ARABIA.
• 14:16 THIS IS NOT THE ARABIA OF THE SAUDI PENINSULA OF TODAY;
• 14:21 RATHER THIS IS THE NABATIAN COMMUNITY IN WHAT WOULD BE JORDAN
• 14:25 JUST EAST OF THE HOLY LAND IN MODERN JORDAN, TRANSJORDANIA.
• 14:30 AND THERE HE LEARNED, THERE HE DEVELOPED, THERE GREW
• 14:34 AND HE EMERGED FROM IT AS THIS STRIKING APOSTLE THAT WE KNOW
• 14:39 WHO THEN WENT ON TO LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE PAGES OF THE HOLY WRIT.
• 14:44 AND SPEAKING OF HOLY WRIT, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GALATIANA CORRESPONDENCE,
• 14:48 AND THIS WAS ARGUABLY THE FIRST NEW TESTAMENT TEXT WRITTEN,
• 14:53 HERE PAUL WAXES ELOQUENT AS HE GIVES SOME AUTOBIOGRAPHY TO MAKE A POINT.
• 14:58 HE NOTES IN VERSE 15 AND HE SAYS,
• 15:08 NOW HEAR ME ON THIS.
• 15:09 IF YOU HAVE THE KIND OF INTENSITY THAT PAUL HAD
• 15:11 YOU NEED TO FEEL CALLED, SOME SENSE OF THE LORD BECKONING YOU INTO THIS.
• 15:16 THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS TODAY THAT HAVE A CALL OF GOD ON THEIR LIFE.
• 15:20 ITS FROM THE LATIN "VOCATIO"
• 15:23 CALLING,
• 15:24 THE WORD "VOCATION"
• 15:26 COMES FROM THAT.
• 15:27 THE WORD "VOICE"
• 15:28 COMES FROM THAT AS WELL,
• 15:30 THAT IS THE INDIVIDUAL HEARS THAT VOICE INTERNALLY BECKONING THEM A DIRECTION.
• 15:33 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION.
• 15:35 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH INDOCTRINATION.
• 15:38 IT'S ORIENTATION.
• 15:39 THERE SOMETHING INSIDE OF YOU,
• 15:41 THE RUACH ELOHIM, THE SPIRIT OF GOD COMES IN TO SOMEONE AND THEN MOVES THEM.
• 15:47 AND THE LORD MOVED PAUL.
• 15:50 BUT HE DIDN'T MOVE PAUL TO SIT AT THE FEET OF THOSE WHO WERE IN THE KNOW.
• 15:55 HE MOVED PAUL AWAY TO A SEASON OF SOLACE WHERE HE COULD SPEAK TO HIM PERSONALLY.
• 16:02 IN PAUL'S MIND HE WAS ALREADY FILLED UP WITH THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION AS A MEMBER OF THE PARUSHEIM.
• 16:07 HE NEEDED THE SCHOOL OF THE SPIRIT AND THE LORD TOOK HIM AWAY.
• 16:10 HE SAYS THAT THE LORD PLEASED,
• 16:13 IN VERSE 16, TO REVEAL HIS SON.
• 16:16 HE SEPARATED ME FROM MOTHER'S WOMB, IN VERSE 15, 16
• 16:19 AND THEN HE REVEALED HIS SON TO ME
• 16:22 THAT I MIGHT PREACH HIM AMONG THE GOYIM,
• 16:25 AMONG THE PEOPLE OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT.
• 16:27 PAUL HAD A VISION.
• 16:29 THE RABBI FROM TARSUS HAD A BROADER VISION THAN JUST JUDEA PROPER.
• 16:34 HE BELIEVED THAT GOD WAS FOR ..., FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLES, "KOL HAYOM"
• 16:39 AND HE WAS MINDED TO CARRY THE BURDEN AND CARRY IT HE DID.
• 16:44 WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 16,
• 16:52 PAUL DIDN'T RUN OFF TO JERUSALEM TO GET A MASTER OF DIVINITY DEGREE FROM THOSE WHO ARE IN THE KNOW.
• 16:56 NO, HE RAN OFF TO A BARREN PLACE, TO A DESOLATE PLACE.
• 17:01 BUT HE DIDN'T JUST GO INTO A CAVE AND STUDY,
• 17:03 THOUGH THERE'S PLENTY...THERE'S MANY PLACES FOR PRIVACY TO GO
• 17:07 IF YOU WANT AN ARID, DRY ENVIRONMENT
• 17:09 YOU CAN FIND IT AROUND THE ARABIAN DESERT THERE WHERE PAUL WAS.
• 17:15 THE REASON WHY WE KNOW HE DIDN'T JUST GO AWAY AND MEDITATE
• 17:18 IS LATER ON WHEN HE WRITES II CORINTHIANS 11:32
• 17:22 HE'S GOING TO GIVE VOICE TO THE FACT
• 17:24 THAT WHEN HE RETURNS TO DAMASCUS AFTER SOME YEARS IN THE AREA OF THE NABATIANS,
• 17:30 WHAT'S REFERRED TO HERE AS ARABIA,
• 17:32 WHEN HE GOES BACK, HE MENTIONS HOW KING ARETAS OF THE DAMASCANS,
• 17:36 HOW HE'S HELL BENT ON DESTROYING HIM WITH A NET RESULT
• 17:40 THAT PAUL HAS TO SNEAK OUT OF THE CITY, TO GET LOWERED IN A BASKET.
• 17:44 ARGUABLY, SOMEHOW WHEN HE'S OUT AND ABOUT IN THE REGION HE'S NOT JUST MEDITATING PRIVATELY
• 17:50 BUT HE'S CONFUTING, RATHER HE'S DEBATING,
• 17:53 HE'S WEIGHING IN ON ISSUES, DISCUSSING, GROWING, GOING TO SYNAGOGUES
• 17:56 AND HE'S KNOWN AS SOMETHING OF A TROUBLE MAKER
• 17:59 AND ALREADY THE KING OF THE AREA HAS WARRANTS OUT FOR HIM.
• 18:03 REMINDS ME OF JOHN WESLEY WHO COMES TO THE STATE INITIALLY AS A MISSIONARY
• 18:07 BUT THEN HAS TO FLEE BACK TO EUROPE BECAUSE THE CONSTABLES ARE AFTER HIM
• 18:10 BECAUSE HE STIRRED IT UP OVER HERE.
• 18:12 YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE TROUBLE MAKERS WHEN THEY ADVOCATE FOR THE KINGDOM.
• 18:15 THEY'RE NOT JUST SHEEPISH, RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHERS
• 18:18 AND PAUL WAS OF THAT YOKE WERE HE WANTED TO CONFRONT THE WORLD WITH THE TRUTH OF JESUS.
• 18:23 AND THERE WAS SOME BACKLASH TO THAT.
• 18:25 INASMUCH AS HE PUSHED FOR JESUS, PEOPLE TRIED TO PUSH HIM BACK.
• 18:29 DIFFICULTIES NOT WITHSTANDING, WHEN WE FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS
• 18:35 WE ENCOUNTER SOMEONE WHO IS NOT GOING TO BE BESTED BY HIS TROUBLES OR HIS DESPAIR.
• 18:40 HE DIDN'T CARE.
• 18:42 HE WENT EVERYWHERE TO ADVANCE THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM AND THAT'S WHAT HE WAS ALL ABOUT.
• 18:45 AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ALL ABOUT
• 18:47 AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE PAUL AS WE WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 19:04 WHEN I CONSIDER PAUL'S MINISTRY INITIALLY I'M REMINDED OF HOW PRECARIOUS LIFE CAN BE.
• 19:10 EVEN LIFE WITH THE LORD.
• 19:12 IT SEEMS THAT WHEN YOU WALK WITH GOD
• 19:14 HELL HAS AN ASSIGNMENT AGAINST YA
• 19:15 AND THAT'S MANIFEST IN PAUL'S EXPERIENCE.
• 19:17 AND THAT IS PAUL.
• 19:18 HE'S EXCITED.
• 19:19 HE'S COME TO KNOW MESSIAH.
• 19:20 HE'S OUT THERE TEACHING.
• 19:22 HE IS THRILLED TO BE SPREADING THE NEWS.
• 19:24 HE KNOWS THIS IS THE MESSIAH.
• 19:26 AND WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM?
• 19:27 HE HAS TO LEAVE IN A BASKET.
• 19:29 HOW HUMILIATING FOR HIM?
• 19:31 HOW HUMILIATING FOR US WHEN WE WITNESS?
• 19:33 SOMETIMES WE DON'T QUITE THE WORD OUT
• 19:35 EXACTLY THE WAY WE WANT
• 19:36 AND WE HAVE TO RETREAT AND GO BACK.
• 19:38 RIGHT, AND HIS AGONY IS OUR ECSTASY.
• 19:41 WE'VE LEARNED LIFE BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE SUFFERED IN LIFE.
• 19:44 THERE'S A...WHAT DO I SAY?, MODERN DAY PAUL? YES AND NO.
• 19:48 DR. JOHN FISCHER, LIKE PAUL, IS A JEWISH FELLOW, THOROUGHLY EDUCATED IN THINGS JEWISH.
• 19:53 HE CAME TO KNOW THE LORD THOROUGHLY EDUCATED.
• 19:57 HE'S NOW A PROFESSOR OF JEWISH STUDIES, BIBLE, HE IS RICH.
• 20:02 AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA BE THE WEALTHIER FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH RABBI DR. JOHN FISCHER.
• 20:13 DR. FISCHER IT IS MY PLEASURE
• 20:15 TO WELCOME YOU TO ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS.
• 20:17 I KNOW THAT YOU ARE THIS EMINENT THEOLOGIAN,
• 20:21 YOU'RE A RABBI.
• 20:22 I REALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU CAME TO KNOW THE MESSIAH.
• 20:25 YOUR PARENTS...YOU WERE RAISED IN A MESSIANIC HOME
• 20:28 BY PARENTS WHO CAME OUT OF THE HOLOCAUST.
• 20:30 YES, QUITE A STORY. >>QUITE A STORY.
• 20:33 FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON
• 20:35 AND YOU FLATTER ME.
• 20:36 BUT, YEAH, IT'S A VERY INTERESTING STORY.
• 20:39 IT'S A STORY THAT IN SHORT FORM
• 20:41 MY MOTHER RELATES IN 45 MINUTES. >>(SANDRA LAUGHING)
• 20:44 IT'S IN BOOKLET FORM
• 20:46 YOU CAN GET IT,
• 20:47 IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY CALLED "TIME OF STORM"
• 20:48 AND IT LITERALLY IS OUR JOURNEY THROUGH TIME AND TIMES OF STORM.
• 20:52 AS A FAMILY WE SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY.
• 20:55 SO THE STORY WINDS THROUGH THE BACK ALLIES AND THE GHETTOS OF BUDAPEST,
• 20:58 WINDS THROUGH THE OFFICES OF COMMUNIST IMMIGRATION IN POST WAR HUNGARY
• 21:05 AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THE IRON CURTAIN SO TO SPEAK.
• 21:10 IT TRAVELS THE CEILINGS OF THE OCEAN LINERS
• 21:13 ON THE WAY TO ACTUALLY PARAGUAY WITH A STOP OVER IN AMERICA.
• 21:17 UNFORTUNATELY WHILE WE WERE IN ROUTE PARAGUAY HAD A REVOLUTION,
• 21:23 WE GOT STUCK IN THE UNITED STATES,
• 21:24 NO PLACE TO GO, READY TO BE DEPORTED,
• 21:27 GO THROUGH THE HALLS OF CONGRESS
• 21:29 WHERE SPECIAL LEGISLATION ENABLED US TO REMAIN HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
• 21:33 SO QUITE A STORY, MIRACLE ON TOP OF MIRACLE.
• 21:36 BUT, YES, AND IT ALSO INVOLVES A STORY
• 21:38 OF A VERY FAITHFUL MESSIANIC JEWISH HUNGARY GAL
• 21:41 BY THE NAME OF MARY HAJOS
• 21:43 WHO ALSO SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST
• 21:44 WHO KEPT FOCUSING US IN ON ISAIAH 53.
• 21:48 AND WHO DID THIS CHAPTER DESCRIBE?
• 21:52 WHO IS THIS TALKING ABOUT?
• 21:53 WHO IS THIS TALKING ABOUT?
• 21:54 AND WE FINALLY GOT THE PICTURE.
• 21:56 SO, YES, RAISED IN A MESSIANIC HOME,
• 21:58 INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH SANDRA,
• 21:59 WHILE I AM TECHNICALLY SECOND GENERATION MESSIANIC JEW,
• 22:04 I AM HISTORICALLY THIRD GENERATION MESSIANIC JEW. >>WOW
• 22:08 MY GRANDPARENTS LATER BECAME MESSIANIC JEWS AFTER US
• 22:11 AND WE NOW HAVE CHILDREN
• 22:15 AND WE'LL HAVE A GRANDCHILD SHORTLY
• 22:18 SO WE'RE A FAMILY OF AT LEAST FOUR GENERATIONS OF MESSIANIC JEWS
• 22:22 WITH THE FIFTH ONE ABOUT TO SHOW UP.
• 22:24 SO, IT IS A VERY INTERESTING STORY
• 22:26 BUT IT'S A STORY OF HOW GOD MOVES IN PEOPLES LIVES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
• 22:28 THE STORY SOUNDS DRAMATIC AND TO SOME DECREE IT IS.
• 22:31 BUT MY PERSONAL END OF THE STORY IS NOT OVERLY DRAMATIC
• 22:35 ITS JUST A KID WHO CAME TO FAITH IN A JEWISH MESSIAH BY THE NAME OF YESHUA,
• 22:40 AND WHO GREW UP IN A JEWISH FAMILY THAT WAS ALSO A MESSIANIC JEWISH FAMILY,
• 22:46 THAT ACKNOWLEDGED THE MESSIAH
• 22:47 BUT YET REMAINED FIRMLY CONNECTED TO OUR JEWISH HISTORY,
• 22:51 OUR JEWISH HERITAGE, OUR TRADITIONS.
• 22:53 IT'S A LOVELY STORY.
• 22:55 I CANNOT IMAGINE THE MOVING AROUND
• 22:58 AND THE MIRACLES THAT YOU MUST HAVE SEEN IN YOUR LIFE
• 23:01 AND YET STILL HOLD ON TO THAT HOPE
• 23:03 THAT HERE YESHUA IS THE MESSIAH.
• 23:05 IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY.
• 23:07 ABSOLUTELY AND IT'S BEEN CENTRAL TO OUR LIVES SINCE THEN
• 23:10 AND IT INVOLVED US MOVING ON INTO MINISTRY.
• 23:12 INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH THE GAL WHO GOT THE WHOLE STORY STARTED
• 23:15 IS THE ONE WHO GOT MY WIFE AND I INVOLVED IN MESSIANIC MINISTRY.
• 23:20 MARY HAJOS WAS VISITING THE UNITED STATES,
• 23:23 MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS THIS OUTFIT IN CHICAGO
• 23:26 THAT NEEDED SOMEONE TO WORK ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS WITH JEWISH STUDENTS
• 23:29 AND SAID, "YOU GUYS SHOULD BE IT".
• 23:30 AND HERE WE ARE.
• 23:31 AND HERE WE ARE. >>HERE WE ARE.
• 23:33 WELL, WE'RE GONNA TALK SOME MORE.
• 23:34 WE'VE GOT YOU IN SEVERAL MORE PROGRAMS, SO THANK YOU.
• 23:36 I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND THANK YOU.
• 23:37 ABSOLUTELY.
• 23:46 ♪(ORCHESTRA PLAYING)♪
• 24:41 DR. FISCHER WAS SO INTERESTING AND SO INSPIRATIONAL.
• 24:45 HIS FAMILY CAME OUT OF THE HOLOCAUST
• 24:49 AND YET THEY WERE BELIEVERS, MESSIANIC JEWISH BELIEVERS.
• 24:53 IT WAS JUST REALLY ENCOURAGING TO TALK TO HIM JEFF.
• 24:56 WHEN I WAS CONSIDERING WHO TO BRING HERE TO TALK ON THE SERIES
• 24:59 I THOUGHT "LET'S GET DR. FISCHER TO TALK ABOUT PAUL".
• 25:02 JOHN IS ONE OF THE BEST OF THE BEST, LIKE PAUL. >>YEAH
• 25:06 PAUL WAS THOROUGHLY EDUCATED AND A REAL STRONG BELIEVER IN YESHUA AND DR. FISCHER IS MUCH THE SAME.
• 25:12 WE'LL BE HEARING HIM THROUGHOUT THE SERIES.
• 25:14 I KNOW AND IT WAS ALMOST A LITTLE INTIMIDATING.
• 25:16 I HAVE THREE PAGES OF NOTES ON HIM.
• 25:18 IT'S LIKE ALL THESE ARTICLES HE'S WRITTEN,
• 25:19 ALL THESE DEGREES HE HAS, ALL THIS THAT HE HAS DONE.
• 25:23 I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOODNESS.
• 25:24 I WILL NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO TALK TO THIS MAN."
• 25:26 AND YET SUCH A SWEET SPIRIT
• 25:28 AND WE TALKED ABOUT MANY, MANY THINGS.
• 25:31 I WAS A VERY, VERY IMPRESSED WITH IT.
• 25:33 OUR VIEWERS ARE IN FOR SOMETHING GOOD. WITH JOHN FISCHER >>YEAH, HE WAS GOOD.
• 25:36 NOW TALK ABOUT NAMES, NEVER MIND JOHN, LET'S TALK ABOUT PAUL.
• 25:39 PAUL, I FOUND THIS VERY FASCINATING TO ME.
• 25:42 PAUL WAS SAUL AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
• 25:45 HIS HEBREW NAME MEANS "REQUESTED" OR "ASKED FOR".
• 25:48 HEBREW NAMES ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL MEANING.
• 25:51 BUT THEN HE CHANGES HIS NAME TO PAUL.
• 25:54 BUT IT'S 15 YEARS AFTER HIS CONVERSION.
• 25:56 ITS NOT THAT HE'S CONVERTED
• 25:58 AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE HAS A NEW NAME,
• 26:00 HE DOESN'T.
• 26:01 IT TAKES A WHILE FOR HIM TO BECOME PAUL.
• 26:03 AND WHO IS HIS FIRST CONVERT?
• 26:05 A FELLOW NAMED PAUL. >>A FELLOW NAMED PAUL.
• 26:08 IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE NAME CHANGE?
• 26:09 AND FROM A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE,
• 26:11 A WOMAN MARRIES AND TAKES ON THE NAME OF SOMEONE ELSE,
• 26:13 SOME KIND OF IDENTITY BY ASSOCIATION.
• 26:16 DOES THAT HAVE AN EFFECT INTERNALLY?
• 26:18 DON'T YOU THINK IT'S A SIGN OF RESPECT?
• 26:21 YES, BUT I THINK IN THE BIBLE THAT
• 26:23 ALL BELIEVERS WE'RE TOLD IN REVELATION
• 26:25 ARE GIVEN A NEW NAME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GRAVE.
• 26:27 THINK WHERE PAUL IS.
• 26:28 HE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GRAVE.
• 26:29 BUT HE GOT A NEW NAME BEFORE HE GOT THERE THOUGH.
• 26:31 RIGHT, WE NEED PEOPLE TO STAY TUNED
• 26:33 BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO GO MANY PLACES IN THE UPCOMING SERIES.
• 26:36 WE'RE GOING TO ITALY.
• 26:38 WE'RE GOING TO GREECE, EPHESUS.
• 26:42 WE'VE GONE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 26:45 ITS GONNA BE TERRIFIC.
• 26:47 AND AS YOU GO "SHA' ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM"
• 26:49 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.
• 26:53 OUR OFFER ON THIS PROGRAM: