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

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