Caption transcript for In The Footsteps of The Rabbi From Tarsus: “Arrest and Appeal to Rome for Trial” (5/12)

• 00:02 WITH DR. JEFFERY SEIF AND SANDRA LEVITT.
• 00:59 A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
• 01:02 JEFFERY SEIF HERE
• 01:03 WITH MY FRIEND SANDRA LEVITT.
• 01:05 SHALOM
• 01:06 WELCOME TO ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS,
• 01:07 IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 01:10 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PAUL.
• 01:12 AND THIS WEEK JEFF, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT PAUL
• 01:14 BEING ARRESTED IN JERUSALEM, GOING TO TRIAL.
• 01:16 BUT I AM SO STRUCK BY HIS TENACITY, HIS FAITH.
• 01:22 I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH HIS FAITH.
• 01:25 IN FACT, IN ACTS CHAPTER 21, VERSE 5 IT SAYS,
• 01:27 "BEFORE THEY LEFT EPHESUS, THEY PRAYED,
• 01:37 BEFORE HE MOVED ONE INCH, HE'D PRAY WHERE HE WAS GOING.
• 01:40 HE WAS WARNED THAT HE WAS GONNA BE ARRESTED.
• 01:43 THEY TOLD HIM HE WAS GOING INTO PERIL.
• 01:45 HE DIDN'T CARE, HE WAS GOING ON.
• 01:47 YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT POINT.
• 01:49 HE REMINDS ME OF THE LORD, WHEN HE PRAYED AND SAID,
• 01:52 "LORD I DON'T PRAY SAVE ME FROM THIS HOUR,
• 01:54 FOR THIS HOUR I HAVE COME. RIGHT
• 01:56 PAUL KNEW HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH DESTINY
• 02:00 AND HE FACED IT WITH VERVE, VISION, AND FAITH.
• 02:02 IT'S THE WAY WE SHOULD DO IT.
• 02:03 HERE'S JEFF ON LOCATION.
• 02:17 I'M SURE THAT PAUL WAS IN A VERY SERIOUS MOOD WHEN HE SET HIS SIGHTS ON JERUSALEM.
• 02:22 IN FACT, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION HE WAS WARNED THAT BAD THINGS WHERE TO COME,
• 02:28 BUT HE WAS NOT TO BE DISSUADED FROM HIS TASK.
• 02:30 AND WHAT WAS HIS TASK?
• 02:31 HIS TASK WAS TO MAKE THE LORD KNOWN AND TO FULFILL HIS DESTINY.
• 02:35 THE EPHESIANS ELDERS CAME OUT AND THEY SAID, "PAUL THERE'S A BAD MOON RISING."
• 02:40 HE WAS NOT TO BE DISSUADED.
• 02:42 HE SET SAIL FOR JERUSALEM, FINISHING UP HIS 3RD MISSIONARY JOURNEY.
• 02:47 AND HE THEN STARTS IN CAESAREA, CAESAREA MARITIME, WAS A MAJOR PORT CITY.
• 02:54 IT WAS A ROMAN HOME AWAY FROM HOME, SPORTING A GRAND THEATRE, SPORTING A HERODIAN PALACE.
• 03:01 PAUL LANDS THERE AND HE SPENDS TIME, NOT IN THE PALACE,
• 03:05 HE DIDN'T HAVE SO MANY RICH FRIENDS, BUT PHILIP THE EVANGELIST TOOK HIM IN.
• 03:09 HE HAD DAUGHTERS THAT MINISTERED AND PROPHESIED.
• 03:11 AND A PROPHET CAME WHO PARTICULARLY SPOKE TO PAUL AND SAID,
• 03:15 "LISTEN YOU WILL BE BOUND IF YOU GO TO JERUSALEM."
• 03:18 PAUL HAS HEARD THAT ON MORE ONE OCCASION, BUT IN EFFECT IT MEANS NOTHING TO HIM,
• 03:22 BECAUSE HE CARES ABOUT HIS MISSION, NOT ABOUT HIS CIRCUMSTANCES.
• 03:25 AND OFF TO JERUSALEM HE GOES.
• 03:40 LUKE TOLD US THAT WHEN PAUL WENT UP TO JERUSALEM
• 03:43 THAT THE QUOTE "BRETHREN"
• 03:45 "RECEIVED US GLADLY"
• 03:47 BUT IT'S WHAT HE SAID AFTER THAT, THAT'S PARTICULARLY REVEALING.
• 03:50 LUKE INFORMED THAT THERE WAS SOME ANGST ABOUT PAUL'S PRESENCE THERE.
• 03:53 WHY IS THAT?
• 03:55 BECAUSE, SOME OF THE JEWISH BRETHREN IN JUDEA
• 03:57 UNDERSTOOD PAUL TO BE ADVOCATING THAT JEWS ROUND ABOUT THE WORLD FORSAKE MOSES
• 04:02 IN ORDER TO FOLLOW JESUS.
• 04:05 NOW THAT WAS NOT PAUL'S MESSAGE.
• 04:08 PAUL'S MESSAGE WAS THAT WOMEN AND MEN OF NON JEWISH EXTRACT,
• 04:12 NEEDN'T EMBRACE THINGS JEWISH IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN.
• 04:16 IT WASN'T THAT PEOPLE OF JEWISH EXTRACT
• 04:18 NEED TO FORSAKE THINGS JEWISH IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN.
• 04:21 WELL, THEY WANTED PAUL TO PROVE UP THE POINT, SO HE WENT INTO THE TEMPLE TO MAKE SOME VOWS,
• 04:26 AND TO TEND TO SOME JEWISH BUSINESS THAT WOULD THEN EVIDENCE
• 04:30 THAT HE WAS STILL FAITHFUL TO THE ANCESTRAL RELIGION.
• 04:33 BUT WHEN HE GOT THERE, LUKE TELLS US,
• 04:36 THAT SOME JEWISH FOLK FROM ASIA MINOR STIRRED UP THE CROWD.
• 04:41 WITH THE NET RESULT THAT SOMETHING OF A RIOT ENSUES.
• 04:44 AND PAUL'S GONNA WIND UP GETTING ARRESTED.
• 04:47 IT'S REALLY GOING TO GET HEATED.
• 04:49 AND SO PAUL'S GONNA FIND HIMSELF THROWN IN A DUNGEON FOR A SEASON UNTIL THEY SORT OUT WHAT TO DO.
• 05:05 THERE WAS TENSION IN THE AIR.
• 05:08 LUKE TELLS US THAT THEY HAD TO SNEAK HIM OUTTA TOWN.
• 05:12 BUT NOT JUST STEALTHILY, AND THEY DID TAKE HIM OUT STEALTHILY,
• 05:16 BUT HOW CAN THEY HIDE HUNDREDS OF SPEAR MEN AND REGULAR INFANTRY,
• 05:22 NOT TO MENTION 70 HORSES?
• 05:24 GOODNESS THERE'S A LOT OF EXPENDITURE OF MILITARY ENERGY JUST TO GET HIM OUT OF TOWN.
• 05:30 WHY?
• 05:31 BECAUSE THE TENSION WAS HIGH IN JERUSALEM.
• 05:35 THIS CRIMINAL, THIS ALLEGED CRIMINAL WAS THEN SENT TO CAESAREA
• 05:40 WHERE HE WILL STAND BEFORE THE GOVERNOR AND GIVE AN ACCOUNTING FOR HIS MISDEEDS,
• 05:48 HIS ALLEGED MISDEEDS.
• 05:50 THE STATE PRESENTS ITS CASE FIRST.
• 05:54 LUKE HERE HAS THE STATE'S WITNESSES SPEAKING.
• 05:58 IF YOU LOOK IN CHAPTER 24, VERSE 5,
• 06:05 WELL, THAT'S NOT EVIDENCE, THAT'S SENTIMENT.
• 06:16 THAT'S HYPERBOLE, THAT'S OVER STATEMENT, BUT IT'S NOT JUST MYTH.
• 06:20 THERE'S SOME REALITY THAT, HE SAYS,
• 06:28 HE WILL GO ON AND PRESENT HIS CASE, PAUL WILL RESPOND IN KIND AND IN EFFECT SAY, "NON-SENSE."
• 06:35 LET ME DISPEL SOME NONSENSE.
• 06:38 TYPICALLY, JEWS WERE CONSTRUED AS SAYING, "THUMBS DOWN ON JESUS," IN THE WAKE OF WHICH,
• 06:44 GOD IS PERCEIVED AS SAYING, "THUMBS DOWN ON THE JEWS AND LET'S GO WITH THE GENTILES."
• 06:50 AND THE JEWS HAVING REJECTED JESUS EN TOTO
• 06:54 ARE THEN LEFT TO THE BACK WATERS OF GOD'S ATTENTION AND EXPERIENCE.
• 06:58 THAT IS A MYTHIC TELLING.
• 07:01 THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED.
• 07:05 WHEN PAUL IS BROUGHT UP ON CHARGES, THE STATEMENT IS THAT
• 07:10 THERE'S DIVISION AMONGST THE JEWS ABOUT THE MESSAGE THAT PAUL HAS ADVOCATED.
• 07:17 PAUL'S TALKING ABOUT JESUS TO JEWISH PEOPLE.
• 07:20 SOME SAY, "YEH," SOME SAY, "NAY," AND IT'S TENSE.
• 07:24 THERE'S A RIFT TO BE SURE.
• 07:26 WHEN I LOOK AT THE NEW TESTAMENT I SEE A RIFT AMONGST JEWS.
• 07:30 SOME JEWS WEIGHING IN POSITIVELY, SOME JEWS WEIGHING IN NEGATIVELY,
• 07:34 BUT IT'S A JEWISH STORY.
• 07:36 IN FACT, THE ACCUSATION GOES ON TO READ
• 07:39 THAT THIS PAUL IS A RINGLEADER OF THIS SECT OF JEWISH FOLLOWERS OF JESUS.
• 07:45 LET ME SAY THIS FORCEFULLY.
• 07:48 THE RABBI FROM TARSUS WAS NOT AN EX-JEW,
• 07:52 HE WAS A JEW WHO BELIEVED THAT HE MESSIAH HAD COME, AND THAT HIS NAME WAS YESHUA.
• 07:57 AND HE WAS BENT ON ADVOCATING FOR THIS MESSIANIC VISION BEYOND ISRAEL'S BORDERS.
• 08:05 HE WAS CREATIVE, HE WAS INNOVATIVE.
• 08:09 AND THE UPSHOT OF IT ALL IS THAT HE EVOKED SOME IRE.
• 08:23 HOPE YOU'RE LEARNING A LITTLE MORE ABOUT PAUL.
• 08:26 I'D LIKE YOU TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT US.
• 08:30 AND I'D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU.
• 08:33 IF YOU'LL PICK UP A PEN AND RIGHT DOWN THE NUMBER:
• 08:37 THEN WHAT YOU CAN DO IS TAP INTO OUR FREE MAGAZINE,
• 08:40 YOU CAN RECEIVE IT.
• 08:42 YOU CAN READ THE ARTICLES AND RESPOND IN WRITING TO US.
• 08:44 WE CAN GET SOME INTERACTION GOING.
• 08:46 AND TALK ABOUT GOING.
• 08:47 IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO WITH ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES
• 08:50 TO THE BIBLE LANDS,
• 08:51 PRINCIPALLY ISRAEL, EXCURSIONS IN GREECE AND ELSEWHERE.
• 08:54 DO LET US KNOW, 1-800-WONDERS.
• 08:57 THAT'S THE CONNECT NUMBER.
• 08:59 GIVE US A CALL:
• 09:03 GREECE IS A FASCINATING PLACE.
• 09:05 AND I LOVE SEEING THE PLACES THAT PAUL WALKED.
• 09:08 BUT ISRAEL ALSO IS JUST INCREDIBLE TO ME.
• 09:12 WE SEE CAESAREA, WE SEE JERUSALEM.
• 09:14 JERUSALEM, THE HEART OF JUDAISM.
• 09:17 JEFF WE SEE IT, WE GO THERE.
• 09:19 PAUL WAS A JEW.
• 09:21 AT THE END OF THE DAY ISRAEL IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF BIBLICAL RELIGION.
• 09:27 IT'S THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE JESUS STORY. ABSOLUTELY.
• 09:31 CALVARY. BUT IT'S MY HEART AND IT'S YOUR HEART TOO.
• 09:34 I KNOW WHEN I TRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD,
• 09:35 ISRAEL IS WHERE I WANNA BE.
• 09:37 YESHUA, JESUS KNEW WHEN HE WENT TO JERUSALEM
• 09:40 THAT HE WAS FACING THE COUNTDOWN TO HIS PRIVATE ARMAGEDDON. RIGHT.
• 09:43 PAUL KNEW IT AS YOU ALLUDED TO IN THE PREVIOUS SEGMENT,
• 09:46 FOR YOU, THAT HE KNELT AND PRAYED
• 09:48 AND HE KNEW HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIS FUTURE. HE KNEW.
• 09:52 BUT HE WAS STILL GOING ON.
• 09:53 AND THAT TO ME IS HUMBLING.
• 09:55 AND IT IS ENCOURAGING ALSO TO KNOW THAT FAITH REALLY DOES WORK.
• 10:00 YES AND WE NEED SOMETHING IN LIFE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR LIFE.
• 10:04 AND OFF WE GO WITH THE RABBI FROM TARSUS,
• 10:06 AS HE GETS ON WITH HIS JOURNEY AS HE FOLLOWS GOD.
• 10:13 THE WATERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN HERE ARE CALM.
• 10:16 BUT THAT'S BEEN KNOWN TO CHANGE ON OCCASION.
• 10:19 IN FACT, THE MEDITERRANEAN BECOMES SO PRECARIOUS THAT SHIPPING STOPS IN THE WINTER.
• 10:24 NO ONE DARES TRAVERSE THESE WATERS.
• 10:27 PAUL MADE A TRIP OF A LIFETIME, ONE HE WOULDN'T REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF HIS SHORT LIFETIME,
• 10:34 LIVE THERE AND AFTER WHEN HE LEFT CAESAREA MARITIME, CAESAREA
• 10:38 IN THE WAKE OF HIS APPEAL TO ROME.
• 10:41 AND OFF TO ROME HE GOES ONLY TO, AMIDST THE PRECARIOUSNESS OF IT ALL,
• 10:47 BE WAYLAID ON THE ISLAND OF MALTA IN THE WAKE OF A HORRIFIC SHIPWRECK.
• 10:52 THINGS START OFF RATHER TUMULTUOUS AS YOU MIGHT RECALL PAUL IS IN JERUSALEM.
• 10:58 AND A RIOT ENSUES AS JUDEANS FROM ASIA MINOR RECOGNIZED PAUL THERE AND THEY STIR IT UP.
• 11:07 PAUL IS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN THE WAKE OF A RIOT.
• 11:10 LUKE TELLS US A CENTURION WAS KINDLY DISPOSED TOWARD PAUL.
• 11:16 SEEING A RUCKUS HE PULLS HIM OUT OF THE FRAY.
• 11:19 LEARNING THROUGH ONE OF PAUL'S RELATIVES THAT SOME WERE OUT TO KILL HIM THEN,
• 11:24 HE WILL GET A NUMBER OF SOLDIERS, A FEW CENTURIONS ACTUALLY,
• 11:29 TO ESCORT PAUL BY NIGHT TO CAESAREA.
• 11:31 AND THERE IN CAESAREA HE WILL GO BEFORE FELIX WHO WILL PROCRASTINATE.
• 11:39 AND THEN FESTUS WHO'S MINDED TO DO MUCH THE SAME.
• 11:42 FINALLY IT'S WHEN HE IS GETTING A HEARING BEFORE FESTUS IN CAESAREA MARITIME,
• 11:48 WHICH BY THE WAY WAS THE ANCIENT ROMAN HOME AWAY FROM HOME.
• 11:52 IT WAS WHERE THE ROMAN OCCUPIERS WERE HEADQUARTERED.
• 11:55 IT WAS THERE WHERE REALIZING THAT HE WAS NOT GONNA GET A FAIR TRIAL IN JERUSALEM,
• 12:01 BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MAN OF THE POWERS THAT BE THAT WERE GIVEN TO HIS DEMISE UNFAIRLY.
• 12:06 PAUL THEN MAKES HIS APPEAL TO CAESAR IN RESPONSE WHICH THE NARRATIVE GOES IN LUKE,
• 12:18 FINALLY AT THE APPOINTED TIME PAUL BOARDS A SHIP.
• 12:22 THERE'S A CENTURION THAT'S GUARDING HIM.
• 12:24 THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THAT SHIP.
• 12:26 AND OFF THEY GO TOWARD ROME ONLY TO THEN GET CAUGHT UP IN PRECARIOUS WATERS.
• 12:32 THEY HAVE TO GET RID OF CARGO.
• 12:33 EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GONNA LOOSE THE BOAT, BUT WILL SUFFER NO LOSS OF LIFE.
• 12:38 AND EVEN AMIDST IT ALL, PAUL EMERGES AS SOMETHING OF A HEROIC FIGURE,
• 12:42 BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE THAT'S GIVEN INSIGHT MAGNIFICENTLY SO,
• 12:49 THE LORD JUST ENDUES HIM WITH UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE JOURNEY,
• 12:53 HE PRESAGES THEY'LL BE NO LOSS OF LIFE.
• 12:56 AND HE ENDEARS HIMSELF TO SOME.
• 12:58 THE NET RESULT IS THAT PAUL WILL DO JUST THAT.
• 13:01 HE WILL GIVE VOICE TO THESE PROPHETIC WORDS.
• 13:04 THE BOAT WILL BE SHIPWRECKED ON MALTA.
• 13:07 AND THERE PAUL WILL SPEND A SEASON.
• 13:09 AND THAT MALTA STORY WE'LL GET TO IN A SECOND AS WE CONTINUE.
• 13:19 THE RABBI FROM TARSUS WAS FAR AWAY FROM HOME ON THE ISLAND OF MALTA.
• 13:25 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA WHERE HE WAS SHIPWRECKED.
• 13:28 I'D LIKE YOU TO OPEN UP YOUR BIBLES PLEASE
• 13:30 AND LOOK AND SEE WITH ME WHAT LUKE TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCE THERE.
• 13:35 I THINK IT'S RATHER REVEALING FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
• 13:38 IF YOU'LL LOOK IN THE 28TH CHAPTER, WE'RE TOLD THAT THE NATIVES ON THE ISLAND,
• 13:45 TO USE THE LANGUAGE OF THE TEXT IN VERSE 2,
• 13:52 IT SEEMS THAT WE CAN FIND OURSELVES PRESSED AMIDST THE TURBULENCE OF TRYING TIMES.
• 13:57 AND THE LORD SENDS PEOPLE TO SHOW UNUSUAL KINDNESS.
• 14:03 BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING AS THE STORY CONTINUES TO UNFOLD,
• 14:08 THAT PAUL IS THERE, THE WEATHER IS RAINY, THEY BUILT A FIRE,
• 14:16 THEY'RE WARMING THEMSELVES AND A VIPER ATTACHES ITSELF TO PAUL'S HAND.
• 14:21 IN RESPONSE TO WHICH THOSE WHO IN ONE MINUTE WERE INCLINED TO SHOW GREAT
• 14:26 AND UNUSUAL KINDNESS LOOK AT PAUL AND CONSTRUED HIM AS SOME HEINOUS FIGURE, SOME MURDER,
• 14:34 WHO THOUGH HE HAS FORTUNATELY ESCAPED THE SEA, HE CAN'T ESCAPE PROVIDENCE.
• 14:39 AND SO IT IS THAT GOD IS JUDGING HIM BY SLAYING HIM BY THE VIPER.
• 14:45 WHAT HAPPENS THEN, HOWEVER, IT'S RATHER INTERESTING IS THAT, HIS HAND DOESN'T SWELL,
• 14:50 HE DOESN'T DIE, HE SHAKES THE VIPER OFF,
• 14:53 IN THE WAKE OF WHICH PEOPLE THEN BEGIN TO CONSTRUE HIM AS A GOD.
• 14:59 THE NATURE OF THIS STORY IS FASCINATING FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
• 15:04 IT SHOWS HOW PRECARIOUS, NOT JUST THE SEA IS,
• 15:07 BUT HOW PRECARIOUS PEOPLE ON LAND CAN BE.
• 15:10 IT CAN BE STORMY ON LAND JUST AS ON SEA AS PEOPLE MOODS AND THOUGHTS
• 15:15 AND FEELINGS TOWARD US CAN SHIFT SO DRAMATICALLY IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
• 15:22 PASTORAL MINISTRY HAS ALWAYS STRUCK ME LIKE THIS.
• 15:25 THAT IS TO SAY AS A MINISTER, ONE MINUTE THEY THINK YOU'RE A GOD,
• 15:30 ANOTHER MINUTE THEY THINK YOU'RE A DEVIL.
• 15:32 I CONSTRUE US AS JUST PEOPLE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO SERVE A GOD WHO'S PERFECT
• 15:38 AND GREATER THAN ALL OF US.
• 15:39 BUT THOSE OF US WHO STEP UP TO DO IT ARE IMPERFECT
• 15:42 AND IT SEEMS THAT WE ABSORB A LOT OF TENSION AND A LOT OF UNREASONABLE CRITIQUE
• 15:47 AND EXPECTATION AS IS THE CASE WITH THE APOSTLE HERE.
• 15:51 WELL LUKE GOES ON TO NOTE THIS STORY, BUT THEN HE SAYS,
• 15:57 AND HERE HE SAYS IN VERSE 7,
• 16:02 I LIKE THE WAY LUKE UNDERSCORES
• 16:04 THE WAY DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO PAUL.
• 16:06 UNREASONABLE KINDNESS, HE'S A MURDERER, A DEMONIC TYPE FIGURE, HE'S A GOD,
• 16:12 NOW SOMEONE HERE IS SHOWING A GENTEEL KIND OF COURTEOUSNESS
• 16:16 IN RESPONSE TO WHICH THEN PAUL RETURNS THE FAVOR IN KIND.
• 16:21 YOU MIGHT RECALL ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE TEMPLE ENVIRONS
• 16:25 APOSTLES WERE WALKING AND THERE WAS A LAME MAN BEGGING AND THE APOSTLE SAID,
• 16:39 AND THIS PERSON WAS HEALED.
• 16:41 WELL PAUL DIDN'T HAVE 2 NICKELS TO RUB TOGETHER, THAT I KNOW OF,
• 16:44 BUT THIS FELLOW HERE WHOSE KINDLY DISPOSED TOWARD PAUL,
• 16:47 PAUL RETURNS THE FAVOR IN KIND BY LAYING HANDS ON HIM. THERE'S SOME SICKNESS THERE
• 16:51 AND THERE'S A HEALING, WHICH THEN THE NEWS SPREADS OUT AND PEOPLE COME TO BE HEALED.
• 16:56 THE NET RESULT OF IT ALL IS THAT PEOPLE ARE BLESSED BY VIRTUE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE
• 17:02 WITH THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 17:05 LET ME CLOSE OUT THIS SEGMENT BY UNDERSCORING THE IMPORTANCE
• 17:09 OF BEING KINDLY DISPOSED TO THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING TO WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS.
• 17:15 MINISTRY IS EXTREMELY PRECARIOUS, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS UP AND DOWN.
• 17:19 LET'S GET BEHIND AND SUPPORT THOSE THAT ARE ADVOCATING FOR CHRISTIAN FAITH
• 17:24 AND VIRTUE OUT HERE IN A WORLD WHERE VIRTUE IS IN VERY HIGH DEMAND,
• 17:29 BUT VERY SHORT SUPPLY.
• 17:32 THIS IS THE LESSON THAT I LEARNED
• 17:33 AS I EXAMINED THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 17:56 WHEN I THINK OF RABBI PAUL, I'M REMINDED OF THE FACT
• 18:00 THAT WE DO WELL TO NOT BE TOO CIRCUMSTANCE DEPENDENT.
• 18:05 AND I THINK WE ARE.
• 18:06 WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL WE'RE HAPPY, GOD IS MOVING.
• 18:10 WHEN THINGS ARE GOING POOR IN LIFE, WE FEEL GOD HAS ABANDONED.
• 18:14 PAUL'S WORLD WAS SO PRECARIOUS AND HE HAD A SOURCE OF STRENGTH
• 18:19 THAT ENABLED HIM TO GET PAST ABYSMAL CIRCUMSTANCES,
• 18:23 AND GET ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF WALKING THE PATH THAT GOD HAD FOR HIM.
• 18:27 WOULD THAT WE ALL WERE THUS MINDED.
• 18:29 LOOK WHAT HE'D BEEN THROUGH,
• 18:31 SHIPWRECKS
• 18:32 AND LANDS ON THIS ISLAND,
• 18:33 AND THEN THIS SNAKE BITES HIM,
• 18:34 AND THEN THEY THINK HE'S EVIL,
• 18:35 AND THEN HE'S NOT
• 18:37 THEN HE SHAKES THE SNAKE OFF AND NOW HE'S A GOD.
• 18:38 IT GOES FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER.
• 18:41 PEOPLE MARKET THE GOSPEL TODAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ENOUGH PAIN IN THE WORLD,
• 18:45 "OH, COME TO JESUS,"
• 18:46 AND YOUR PROBLEMS ARE OVER AND THEN PEOPLE COME TO JESUS YEAH.
• 18:48 AND THEY REALIZE THE PROBLEMS AREN'T OVER,
• 18:50 SO THEY FIGURE I MUST HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE WRONG ENTERPRISE.
• 18:53 AND WHERE DOES IT SAY,THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE PROBLEMS.
• 18:54 RIGHT, THEY'RE NOT READING THE BIBLE.
• 18:56 IT'S SOME FALSE PROSPERITY MESSAGE THAT DOESN'T DOVETAIL WITH THE TEXT
• 18:59 OR THE EXPERIENCE OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 19:01 NO, WE'RE SUPPOSE TO HAVE PROBLEMS.
• 19:03 AND HOW WE FACE THOSE PROBLEMS,
• 19:04 IT'S HOW WE FACE THEM,
• 19:06 HOW GOD GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO DO IT.
• 19:08 THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO PAUL.
• 19:09 HE IS FACING HIS TRIALS
• 19:11 AND TRIBULATIONS WITH STRENGTH.
• 19:13 I LOOK AT TRIALS AS OPPORTUNITIES WITH WORK CLOTHES ON, ABSOLUTELY.
• 19:16 WE GROW THROUGH THEM.
• 19:17 WE PRESS ON AND GET STRONG.
• 19:19 WE TALKED TO DR. FISCHER, ALSO JEFF, ABOUT STEPHEN'S TRIALS
• 19:22 AND THE TRIAL THAT HE FACED BEING STONED.
• 19:25 BUT LOOKING UP AND KNOWING THAT HE KNOWS WHERE HE'S GOING, WHERE HIS MESSIAH IS.
• 19:30 HERE IS DR. FISCHER.
• 19:38 WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT PAUL AND THE PERILS OF PAUL
• 19:41 AND HIS ARREST, HIS TRIALS.
• 19:43 HIS SPEECH THAT HE GIVES IS ALMOST
• 19:46 IDENTICAL TO STEPHEN'S.
• 19:47 AND YET IT'S NOT.
• 19:50 IT'S A WHOLE HEARTFELT THING THAT HE DOES.
• 19:52 OH, YEAH, DEFINITELY.
• 19:53 HE OBVIOUSLY LISTENED TO STEPHEN
• 19:56 AND GOT THE POINT.
• 19:57 WELL, IT'S A POINT
• 19:58 THAT OBVIOUSLY GOES BACK TO YESHUA
• 19:59 AND IT'S FOUND IN THE GOSPEL WRITERS AS WELL.
• 20:01 THAT THIS MESSAGE THAT WE'RE NOW HEARING,
• 20:03 THAT WE NOW CALL MESSIANIC MESSAGE,
• 20:04 IS A MESSAGE THAT'S INTRICATELY TIED BACK
• 20:07 INTO ALL JUDAISM IN ITS HISTORY
• 20:09 NOT JUST IN ITS TEXT, IN THE OLDER TESTAMENT,
• 20:12 BUT THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY AS IT DEVELOPED
• 20:15 THERE ARE POINTS THAT TOUCH WITH THE MACCABEES
• 20:16 AND THE TIME OF HANUKKAH.
• 20:18 SO THIS IS A WHOLE PIECE OF CLOTH THAT HE'S CONNECTING WITH,
• 20:20 SO HE'S TRYING TO WEAVE JUST ANOTHER STRAND
• 20:23 INTO THIS WHOLE WONDERFUL FABRIC
• 20:25 OR TAPESTRY OF GOD'S MESSIANIC PLAN FOR THE AGES, SO TO SPEAK.
• 20:29 RIGHT AND HE'S NOT JUST TAKING IT FROM CURRENT,
• 20:32 HE'S GOING ALL THE WAY BACK INTO THE PROPHETS AND TO THE LAW.
• 20:37 HE'S LETTING THEM KNOW THAT HE KNOWS THIS REALLY IS THE MESSIAH
• 20:41 AND THEY NEED TO GET ON BOARD WITH ALL THE INFORMATION.
• 20:43 OH, OBVIOUSLY.
• 20:44 BUT LOOK, HE'S A RABBI RIGHT
• 20:46 HE LEARNED AT THE FEET OF SOME OF THE BEST RABBIS,
• 20:49 LEARNED IN SOME OF THE BEST RABBINIC SCHOOLS.
• 20:50 HE'S CONTINUING THAT WHOLE RABBINIC STORY TELLING MODE,
• 20:53 WHERE YOU HAVE TO TIE EVERYTHING.
• 20:54 IT ALL GOES BACK TO TORAH.
• 20:56 AS TORAH IS UNFOLDED BY THE PROPHETS,
• 20:58 AS IT IS ELABORATED ON BY THE WRITINGS, AS IT IS SPELLED OUT NOW BY YESHUA IN THE GOSPELS,
• 21:02 HE'S DOING THAT SAME KIND OF UNFOLDING.
• 21:05 IN JUDAISM OFTEN WE DESCRIBE THIS KIND OF UNFOLDING, MIDRASHIC KIND OF UNFOLDING.
• 21:11 YOU FILL IN THE STORY LINE.
• 21:12 NOT IN THE SENSE THAT YOU CREATE A STORY, BUT YOU ARE TELLING THE STORY.
• 21:17 AND HE'S TELLING THE STORY IN A WONDERFUL FASHION.
• 21:19 BUT IT'S ALWAYS A JEWISH STORY THAT HE'S TELLING. RIGHT.
• 21:21 SO WHEN HE...JUST BEFORE HE GETS ARRESTED HERE IN THIS SEGMENT,
• 21:26 HE'S MET BY YESHUA'S BROTHER JAMES OR YA'KOV.
• 21:30 AND WHAT'S PRECEDED IN THERE, HE SAID,
• 21:33 "NOW, WE'VE HEARD YOUR REPUTATION,
• 21:35 THAT YOU'RE A PERSON THAT FOLLOWS THE TORAH,
• 21:37 BUT THERE'S A RUMOR THAT YOU'RE TEACHING OTHERS NOT TO FOLLOW TORAH."
• 21:41 AND SO NOW YA'KOV, JAMES,
• 21:43 "LOOK, SO YOU DEMONSTRATE YOUR JEWISHNESS,
• 21:46 YOU GO WITH THESE NAZARITES, MAKE A VOW,
• 21:47 BRING THE APPROPRIATE SACRIFICE,
• 21:49 THEN EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU'RE STILL A GOOD JEWISH BOY,
• 21:51 TEACHING OTHERS TO BE GOOD JEWISH BOYS."
• 21:53 AND WHAT I ALWAYS FOUND INTERESTING IS HE DOESN'T SAY TO YA'KOV, JAMES,
• 21:57 HEY DID YOU READ GALATIANS BY ANY CHANCE?
• 21:59 THIS STUFF IS DONE WITH?
• 22:01 NO, HE DOES EXACTLY WHAT JAMES SUGGESTS TO DO,
• 22:04 TO DEMONSTRATE EXACTLY WHAT JAMES SUGGESTED IT WOULD DEMONSTRATE,
• 22:07 THAT HE'S LIVING WITHIN THE STREAM OF JUDAISM
• 22:10 AND HE'S TEACHING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME THING.
• 22:12 IT'S STILL A JEWISH STORY FROM BEGINNING TO END THAT HE'S TELLING.
• 22:15 IT'S AN AMAZING STORY. RIGHT, IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY.
• 22:16 AND IT IS.
• 22:17 I KNOW WE KEEP SAYING THAT, BUT IT REALLY IS
• 22:19 TO THINK ABOUT A MAN WHO HATED SO MUCH
• 22:22 AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE FLIPS
• 22:24 AND GOES THE OTHER WAY,
• 22:26 BECOMES A MISSIONARY,
• 22:27 TRAVELS HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF MILES.
• 22:29 AND IT'S JUST A GREAT STORY.
• 22:32 OH, IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY.
• 22:34 AND ITS OBVIOUSLY HE HAD EXPERIENCED A REALITY OF THIS ONE
• 22:38 THAT HE HAD BEEN EXPECTING,
• 22:40 AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN HE DISCOVERS IT. RIGHT.
• 22:42 CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW EXCITED HE MUST HAVE BEEN?
• 22:44 REALLY EXCITED.
• 22:45 THE ENTHUSIASTIC JEW.
• 22:47 YEAH.
• 22:48 THANK YOU.
• 22:49 YOU'RE WELCOME.
• 23:02 ♪(Orchestra Playing)♪
• 24:12 DR. FISCHER, I'VE ENJOYED TALKING TO HIM, ABOUT HIM, THROUGH HIM.
• 24:17 HE HAS SOME WONDERFUL INSIGHTS ABOUT
• 24:20 HOW WE ARE TO ENDURE,
• 24:22 HOW WE ARE TO GO ON THROUGH TRIALS,
• 24:24 HOW WE ARE STARTING WHERE WE START WHEN THE TRIAL COMES AND WE GO AND WORK THROUGH IT.
• 24:29 HE REALLY WAS ENCOURAGING ME AND I ENJOYED HIM.
• 24:31 YES, HE TALKED ABOUT STEPHEN WHO HAD A TRIAL.
• 24:33 WE TALK ABOUT TRIALS NOW AS JUST FEELINGS, BUT TRUTH BE KNOWN,
• 24:37 PROCARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES BESET PEOPLE THAT WALK WITH GOD.
• 24:42 WELL WE EXPECT IT TO BE OVER IN 30 MINUTES.
• 24:44 IT'S LIKE A TV SITCOM,
• 24:46 WE THINK THE PROBLEM COMES IN FIRST
• 24:48 AND WE CAN DEAL WITH IT IN 30 MINUTES.
• 24:50 LIFE IS NOT THAT WAY.
• 24:51 IT'S HOW WE PICK UP THOSE PROBLEMS AND GO FORWARD.
• 24:53 I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME ON THE HEELS OF THIS, AND SANDRA'S EXHORTATION,
• 24:58 THAT I BELIEVE WE DO WELL TO TAKE OUR CUES FROM THE BIBLICAL NARRATIVE,
• 25:02 NOT POPULAR SENTIMENTALITY.
• 25:03 THEREIN YOU MIGHT RECALL IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK,
• 25:07 JESUS, YESHUA ASKED THE QUESTION "WHO DO FOLKS SAY THAT I AM?"
• 25:10 IN RESPONSE TO WHICH HEARING, "YOU ARE THE CHRIST."
• 25:13 IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT PETER IS INFORMED AND THE REST BY ASSOCIATION.
• 25:17 HE SAYS
• 25:26 I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THE FIRST GOSPEL UTTERANCE
• 25:29 OF SOMEONE COMING TO TERMS WITH WHO JESUS IS,
• 25:32 THAT FIRST UTTERANCE THEN IS COMPLIMENTED BY A STORY OF THE CROSS.
• 25:36 AND I BELIEVE THAT WE DO WELL TO TALK CROSS TALK,
• 25:39 BUT MANY DON'T WANNA HEAR IT.
• 25:41 IT'S TOO MUCH PAIN INVOLVED IN ALL THAT.
• 25:42 WHO WANTS PAIN?
• 25:43 WHO WANTS SUFFERING?
• 25:44 WHO WANTS TO GROW?
• 25:45 NOBODY WANTS TO DO THAT.
• 25:47 YEAH, I WANT YOU HEAR ME ON THIS AS WELL, ON THE HEELS OF THAT,
• 25:49 THAT MANY WATCH TELEVISION TO GET THEIR MIND OFF THEIR TROUBLES.
• 25:52 AND SO IT IS, IT'S NICE TO HEAR JUST ROSES BEING PIPED INTO YOUR LIVING ROOM.
• 25:56 ABOUT HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN, ISN'T GOD GOOD?
• 25:59 LISTEN, WHEN PEOPLE JUST TELL YOU THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
• 26:01 IS ALL ABOUT PROSPERITY AND BLESSING, I WANT YOU TO KNOW
• 26:04 THAT I DON'T TRUST THEM ANY FURTHER THAN I CAN THROW THEM.
• 26:07 AND THE REASON IS,
• 26:08 IS I WANNA TAKE CUES FROM THE BIBLICAL TEXT.
• 26:10 AND I BELIEVE LIFE COMES WITH DIFFICULTIES,
• 26:13 BUT GOD LEADS US TO AND THROUGH THOSE.
• 26:16 THANKS BE TO GOD, SAYS PAUL, WHO ALWAYS LEADS US IN TRIUMPH.
• 26:20 WELL, NOT ONLY THAT,
• 26:21 PAUL SAYS, "I AM NOT ONLY WILLING TO BE BOUND,
• 26:23 I'M WILLING TO DIE FOR MESSIAH."
• 26:26 THIS IS A GREAT STORY.
• 26:28 WE'RE GOING TO ROME NEXT WEEK.
• 26:30 STAY WITH US.
• 26:31 AND SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM
• 26:33 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM