Caption transcript for In The Footsteps of The Rabbi From Tarsus: “Paul’s Earliest Writings: Galatians and 1 Thessalonians” (7/12)

• 00:03 WITH DR. JEFFERY SEIF AND SANDRA LEVITT
• 01:00 A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
• 01:03 JEFFERY SEIF HERE WITH MY FRIEND SANDRA LEVITT.
• 01:05 SHALOM
• 01:06 WELCOME BACK.
• 01:07 WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE PARCHMENTS
• 01:09 OR THE TEACHINGS OF PAUL THIS WEEK.
• 01:11 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GALATIANS.
• 01:12 PROBABLY THE VERY EARLIEST EPISTLE THAT PAUL WOULD HAVE WRITTEN.
• 01:16 I LOVE GALATIANS.
• 01:17 IS THERE SOMETHING IN GALATIANS THAT REALLY JUST KIND OF >>YES
• 01:20 WARRANTS YOUR ATTENTION? >>OH, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME.
• 01:22 WELL THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.
• 01:23 I LOVE, OF COURSE GALATIANS FOR ME IS 3:28,
• 01:33 THAT SOUNDS LIKE GREAT CHURCH LANGUAGE TODAY.
• 01:35 YESTERDAY, THEMS WERE FIGHTIN' WORDS.
• 01:38 WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S NOT JEW OR GREEK, RICH OR POOR,
• 01:41 MALE AND FEMALE? HOLD ON, BECAUSE SOCIETY WAS ALL DIVIDED.
• 01:44 RIGHT, BUT WE'RE ALL BELIEVERS TODAY
• 01:46 AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT JUST SO EXCITING TO READ THE WORD OF GOD.
• 01:49 WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE WORD IS THAT PAUL WAS FEISTY. >>YEAH
• 01:53 TODAY I THINK TOO MANY MINISTERS HIDE BEHIND THEIR PULPITS,
• 01:57 RATHER THAN STANDING UP FROM THOSE PULPITS.
• 01:59 AND HERE IN GALATIANS
• 02:01 PAUL WEIGHS IN ON THE ISSUES OF THE DAY. >>PAUL DOES THAT.
• 02:03 WELL AND WE'RE GONNA SEE YOU WEIGH IN AT EPHESUS.
• 02:06 HERE'S JEFF.
• 02:23 PAUL ARGUED FORCEFULLY WHEN WORKING IN EPHESUS
• 02:28 AND HE ARGUED FORCEFULLY WHEN WRITING FROM EPHESUS.
• 02:32 PAUL HAD A VISION, A MYSTERY THAT WAS REVEALED TO HIM.
• 02:37 IN FACT THE WORD THAT'S USED FOR THE REVEALING IS APOCALYPSE,
• 02:40 FOR WHERE WE GET THE WORD REVELATION,
• 02:42 WELL IT WASN'T SO MUCH A VISION FOR THE END OF TIME AS MUCH AS A VISION FOR THE PRESENT TIME.
• 02:46 PAUL BELIEVED THAT THROUGH ABRAHAM ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL BE BLESSED.
• 02:54 AND THAT'S NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM,
• 02:57 BUT THOSE WHO SPIRITUALLY ENJOIN THEMSELVES TO ABRAHAM THROUGH FAITH.
• 03:01 PAUL WASN'T HAPPY WHEN HE LEARNED THAT HIS EGALITARIAN VISION OF ALL PEOPLE,
• 03:08 BEING THE PEOPLE OF GOD, WAS INTERRUPTED.
• 03:10 PAUL HAD COME TO ASIA TO MINISTER ON HIS FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY
• 03:15 AND ESTABLISHED A NUMBER OF CHURCHES.
• 03:17 IN AROUND THE AREA OF GALATIA AND WHEN LEARNED THAT IN THE WAKE OF HIS DEPARTURE
• 03:21 THAT SOME HAD COME IN AND PREACHED ANOTHER GOSPEL PAUL WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.
• 03:26 AND SO FROM HERE IN EPHESUS HE MADE HIS UNDERSTANDING KNOWN
• 03:33 IN WHAT IS ARGUABLY THE FIRST DOCUMENT WRITTEN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• 03:39 THE NEW TESTAMENT AS WE HAVE IT BEGINS WITH MATTHEW AND ENDS IN REVELATION.
• 03:44 BUT ... WASN'T THE FIRST AUTHOR TO PEN TO PAPER.
• 03:48 PAUL WROTE FIRST AND HE WAS NOT THE LEAST BIT HAPPY.
• 03:54 AND YOU CAN REALLY FEEL THE TONE AND TENURE OF THE MAN IN GALATIANS CHAPTER 1.
• 03:59 AND ON HE STARTS OFF, PROFESSIONALLY SO:
• 04:10 YOU KNOW THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT ADVOCATED THEY HAD BETTER PEDIGREE THAN PAUL
• 04:13 BECAUSE THEY STUDIED IN JERUSALEM.PAUL DIDN'T.
• 04:16 PAUL SAID, NO MAN MADE ME AN APOSTLE, FOR GO HIMSELF CALLED ME.
• 04:20 AND THEN IN VERSE 6, YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION AS HE ARGUED:
• 04:32 HE GOES, "MY GOD WHAT'S UP WITH YOU PEOPLE?"
• 04:34 "YOU'RE LIKE A BUNCH OF BACKSLIDERS."
• 04:37 IN FACT, HE SAYS AS MUCH.
• 04:38 IT SEEMS AT ONE LEVEL, SO VERY UNCHARACTERISTIC IN CHAPTER 3, VERSE 1.
• 04:43 PAUL WILL SAY:
• 04:51 NOW ISN'T THAT AN INTERESTING WAY TO WRITE A LETTER TO A CHURCH TO SAY LISTEN,
• 04:53 "WHAT DEVIL PUT ON A SPELL ON YOU?"
• 04:56 PAUL IS RAMPING UP, HE'S INTENSE IN PART BECAUSE PAUL'S AUTHORIZATION IS UNDERMINED.
• 05:04 THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THE REGION OF GALATIA, CAME TO THE PEOPLE THAT HE PREACHED TO,
• 05:09 AND THEY KNOCKED THE LEGS OUT FROM UNDERNEATH HIM SAYING, THAT,
• 05:12 THAT PAUL DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
• 05:14 THEY ARGUED THEY HAD A BETTER TELLING OF THE NATURE AND THE STRUCTURE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE.
• 05:19 AND SO IT IS THEY ADVOCATED THAT THESE NON-JEWISH PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TO FAITH
• 05:23 THAT THEY NOW COME TO BE MORE JEWISH IN THEIR PRACTICE.
• 05:26 PAUL WAS NOT OF THAT PARTICULAR UNDERSTANDING.
• 05:31 PAUL BELIEVED THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO CAME TO THE MESSIAH OF ISRAEL,
• 05:36 DIDN'T NEED TO CONFORM TO ALL THE CONVENTIONS OF ISRAEL.
• 05:40 AND SO IT IS THAT INDIVIDUALS OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT COULD COME
• 05:44 AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS BODY LIFE WITHOUT PICKING UP ALL THE ACCOUTREMENTS OF JEWISH CULTURE.
• 05:50 AND THE REQUIREMENTS AND BIBLICAL LITERATURE FOR JEWS, IN FACT, IN CHAPTER 3, VERSE 26
• 05:56 HE MAKES A POINT THAT HE'S GONNA MAKE OVER AGAIN IN HIS WRITINGS.
• 05:59 AND IT'S HIS OWN WAY OF GIVING AN ACCOUNTING FOR CORE VALUE.
• 06:02 HE SAYS:
• 06:12 AND THEN IN VERSE 28 HE SAYS WHAT HE'S FAMOUS FOR:
• 06:31 SEE PAUL HAD A VISION.
• 06:33 PAUL HIMSELF AS WE KNOW WAS THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, BUT IF WE THINK FOR A MINUTE,
• 06:38 THE GENTILES THAT HE SPOKE TO WEREN'T YOUR GARDEN VARIETY, EVERYDAY PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
• 06:42 PAUL WENT INTO SYNAGOGUES.
• 06:44 AND IN THE SYNAGOGUES HE MET INDIVIDUALS OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT
• 06:47 WHO WERE IMPRESSED BY HIS TEACHINGS WHO FOLLOWED HIM
• 06:50 AS DID JEWISH PEOPLE LEAVE THE SYNAGOGUES WITH THESE GENTILES
• 06:54 AND TOGETHER THEY FORMED A NUCLEUS OF NEW CONGREGATIONS.
• 06:57 PAUL'S GENTILES WERE THEMSELVES HALF-BAKED JEWS,
• 07:02 INDIVIDUALS WHO LOVE JEWISH PEOPLE, THEY LOVE JEWISH SCRIPTURE,
• 07:05 AND NOW PAUL HELPED THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THE MESSIAH OF THE JEWS HAVE COME
• 07:10 AND THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL
• 07:14 WITHOUT CONFORMING TO ALL THE CONVENTIONS OF ISRAEL.
• 07:17 AGAIN THAT WAS RADICAL IN HIS DAY AND TIME.
• 07:20 PAUL HAD A VISION FOR A WORLD WITHOUT BORDERS.
• 07:22 YOU KNOW BEHIND ME HERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
• 07:27 THEY'D KINDA HACK IT OUT.
• 07:29 THEY'D WORK THROUGH ISSUES, THEY'D DEBATE THE PREVAILING PROBLEMS OF THE DAY
• 07:32 HERE AT THE PARLIAMENT IN EPHESUS.
• 07:35 WELL HERE FROM EPHESUS AND FROM THIS ANCIENT WORLD,
• 07:38 PAUL WHO HIMSELF WAS A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD,
• 07:41 WHO HIMSELF APPRECIATED DIVERSITY
• 07:44 AND WASN'T HIMSELF GIVEN TO IMPOSING SOME MONOLITH FROM THE CHURCH.
• 07:48 SOME ONE WAY OF BEING AND ONE WAY OF BEING ONLY.
• 07:51 THIS PAUL ENVISIONED A BROADER WORLD,
• 07:53 A CHURCH WITHOUT BORDERS THAT MADE ROOM FOR ALL PEOPLE IN ITS ENVIRONS.
• 07:58 AND IF YOU'LL LOOK AT GALATIANS EPISTLE,
• 08:00 THEREIN HE'S ON RECORD CONTENDING BOLDLY FOR BROADER HORIZONS.
• 08:06 WHAT A MESSAGE.
• 08:07 RADICAL IN ITS DAY AND TIME
• 08:09 FROM THE HEART AND THE MIND AND THE INSPIRATION OF PAUL.
• 08:13 AND WE'LL BE LEARNING MORE ABOUT HIM AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HIS MOVEMENTS
• 08:17 AND HIS PARCHMENTS.
• 08:18 AS WE FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 08:34 I TRUST YOU'RE ENJOYING OUR SERIES ON PAUL.
• 08:38 I BELIEVE YOU'LL ENJOY THE BOOK, MY NEW BOOK CALLED,
• 08:41 "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS."
• 08:44 HEREIN WE EXAMINE THE MAN'S WORLD
• 08:47 AND THE WORD THAT HE SHARED IN THAT WORLD.
• 08:50 AS FAR AS THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN TODAY
• 08:53 IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES,
• 08:55 WE HAVE A MONTHLY MAGAZINE,
• 08:57 WE'RE PLEASED TO SEND TO YOU FOR ASKING.
• 08:59 1-800-WONDERS IS THE NUMBER.
• 09:02 AND IF YOU'D CALL IT WE'D GET THIS TO YOU, OUR LEVITT LETTER.
• 09:06 IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO WITH ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES TO THE BIBLE LANDS.
• 09:10 PRINCIPALLY ISRAEL, EXCURSIONS IN GREECE, AND ELSEWHERE.
• 09:13 DO LET US KNOW.
• 09:14 1-800-WONDERS, THAT'S THE CONNECT NUMBER.
• 09:17 GIVE US A CALL.
• 09:23 THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT READING THE BIBLE AND LOOKING AT WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
• 09:27 ATHENS, CORINTH, EPHESUS,
• 09:29 JEFF WE HAVE TRAVELED THE WHOLE GAMUT OF THE FOOTSTEPS OF PAUL.
• 09:33 IT'S JUST BEEN GREAT.
• 09:34 WELL IT'S GREAT TO LOOK INTO PAUL'S WORLD.
• 09:37 BUT IT'S GREAT TO LOOK INTO PAUL'S WORD, TOO. >>AMEN.
• 09:41 AND THE THESSALONICAN CORRESPONDENCE, THAT'S A GO TO TEXT.
• 09:44 AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND,
• 09:47 I DON'T THINK I DID.
• 09:48 PAUL WROTE 13 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• 09:50 13 BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• 09:52 THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF WRITING FOR NEW TESTAMENT.
• 09:55 WELL THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE. >>RIGHT
• 09:57 THERE'S ABOUT 6,000 COPIES OF MANUSCRIPTS THAT HAVE COME DOWN.
• 10:00 OF COURSE THIS IS DUPLICATIONS AND DUPLICATIONS, >>RIGHT
• 10:02 BUT THE CHURCH COULD ONLY AUTHENTICATE A DOZEN PLUS, BUT THIS GUY WAS GIVEN TO WRITING,
• 10:07 BECAUSE HE CARED ABOUT PEOPLE,
• 10:09 LIKE POSTCARDS AND THROUGH LETTERS. >>BUT HE CARED ABOUT PEOPLE
• 10:10 HE LOVED THEM.
• 10:10 THAT IS TERRIFIC.
• 10:11 WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO YOUR TEACHING.
• 10:13 YOU'RE IN ATHENS NOW.
• 10:14 WE'RE GONNA GO TO JEFF IN ATHENS.
• 10:24 HE WAS KNOWN AS THE FASTEST TO THE GREEKS, VULCAN TO THE ROMANS.
• 10:28 HE WAS THE PATRON GOD OF METAL WORKING.
• 10:32 SEEMS AT ONE LEVEL TO BE A VERY INTERESTING PATRON TO HAVE,
• 10:36 BUT THE GREEKS AND THE ROMANS AS WELL,
• 10:38 WERE VERY INDEBTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF METAL WORKING SKILLS
• 10:43 AS WERE THE ANCIENTS GENERALLY.
• 10:45 IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED IN MODERNITY I THINK.
• 10:47 AND WHY IS THAT?
• 10:49 WELL, METAL IMPLEMENTS WERE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FARMING.
• 10:55 WITH THE NET RESULT THAT IT CONTRIBUTED TOWARD WEALTH AND PROSPERITY IN AN EMPIRE.
• 11:00 IN LIKE MANNER, METAL WORKING WAS USED TO FORGE INSTRUMENTS OF WAR.
• 11:06 AND THE NET RESULT IS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO FORTIFY AND EXPAND EMPIRE.
• 11:11 BEYOND THAT OF COURSE METAL WORKING WAS INSTRUMENTAL
• 11:15 IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEMPLES LIKE THIS.
• 11:18 THIS ONE SITTING PROMINENT HERE IN THE ANCIENT CITY OF ATHENS.
• 11:22 THIS ONE DEDICATED TO THE PATRON GOD OF METAL WORKERS, SILVER SMITHS AND THE LIKE.
• 11:29 IT REPRESENTS AMONG OTHER THINGS AS WELL,
• 11:31 THAT MAN IS COMING TO TERMS WITH DEVELOPING MASTERY OVER CREATION.
• 11:37 YOU MIGHT RECALL IN THE GENSIS NARRATIVE
• 11:39 THAT HUMANKIND WERE MADE A CUT ABOVE THE REST OF CREATION TO SUPERINTEND THE EARTH.
• 11:46 AND HERE THIS REFLECTS THE DEVELOPMENTS OF TECHNOLOGIES
• 11:49 WITH PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO COME TO TERMS WITH PULLING ORE FROM THE EARTH AND SMELTING IT
• 11:55 AND PUTTING IT IN A FURNACE AND MANUFACTURING NEW THINGS THAT CAN BE USED.
• 12:00 WELL, SPEAKING OF PUTTING THINGS IN A FURNACE,
• 12:03 PAUL THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM A FURNACE
• 12:06 BROUGHT SOMETHING NEW AS WELL THAT COULD BE USED.
• 12:09 I MIGHT SAY IN THAT REGARD THAT THE VERY SPIKES THAT WERE PUT IN JESUS' HANDS AND FEET
• 12:15 REPRESENT THE KIND OF TECHNOLOGY HERE, THAT IS TO SAY, WORKING WITH IRON IMPLEMENTS.
• 12:21 FASHIONING THEM AND USING THEM.
• 12:23 WELL I DON'T WANNA BE MOROSE HERE BY UNDERSCORING CRUCIFIXION TOO MUCH.
• 12:27 BUT I DO WANNA SAY THAT, PAUL'S CHURCHES EMERGED OUT OF THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION.
• 12:34 THAT THEY WERE MANUFACTURE AMIDST THE TURBULENCE OF TRYING TIMES.
• 12:38 IN FACT PAUL LEFT ASIA MINOR BECAUSE OF DIFFICULTIES THERE AND HE COMES HERE TO GREECE.
• 12:45 STARTING 1ST AT PHILIPPI, HUGGING THE COAST, MAKING HIS WAY THROUGH AMPHIPOLIS,
• 12:51 APOLLONIA, THESSALONICA, AND THEN FINALLY AFTER THESSALONICA
• 12:55 COMING TO THIS GREAT CITY OF ATHENS.
• 12:59 IN ACTS CHAPTER 17:1-3, WE'RE INFORMED THAT WHEN HE WAS IN THESSALONICA THAT:
• 13:13 THAT AS HE DID ALL THIS THERE WERE JEWS AND NON-JEWS ALIKE
• 13:16 THAT WERE PERSUADED TO HIS WAY OF THINKING.
• 13:18 NOT ALL WERE, HOWEVER. A RIOT ENSUED AND PAUL HAD TO BE ESCORTED OUT OF THE CITY.
• 13:23 AND THEN HE MADE HIS WAY HERE TO ATHENS.
• 13:26 WELL HE GOT TO ATHENS, BUT A GOOD PART OF HIS HEART STILL BELONGED IN THESSALONICA,
• 13:31 BECAUSE HE KNEW THE BRETHREN WERE SUFFERING THERE.
• 13:35 AND SO WHAT DOES HE DO?
• 13:36 HE PUTS PEN TO PAPER TO WRITE THE THESSALONICAN CORRESPONDENCES,
• 13:39 1ST AND 2ND AND WITH GALATIANS THEN WE HAVE THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF NEW TESTAMENT WRIT.
• 13:45 IF YOU LOOK AT IT CHRONOLOGICALLY THIS IS THE 1ST.
• 13:48 AND YOU CAN FEEL HIS AFFECTIONS FOR THE THESSALONICANS.
• 13:51 HE SAYS IN CHAPTER 3, VERSE 1 OF 1ST THESSALONIANS,
• 14:01 TIMOTHY WAS SENT TO THEM AND TIMOTHY CAME BACK WITH A WORD FROM THEM.
• 14:10 TIMOTHY SHARED HOW THEY WERE BEARING UP UNDER THEIR AFFLICTIONS GRACIOUSLY,
• 14:13 BUT PAUL WAS STILL CONCERNED.
• 14:27 LUKE SAID THAT A RIOT ENSUED IN THESSALONICA.
• 14:30 PAUL HAPPILY GOT AWAY, BUT NOT ALL WERE SO FORTUNATE.
• 14:34 JASON WHO'S ONLY CRIME WAS THAT HE GAVE HIM QUARTER, HE HOUSED HIM.
• 14:38 HE SAID THAT THEY WENT AND GOT JASON BY THE THROAT AND DRUG HIM BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES.
• 14:44 COMPLAINING THAT THIS FELLOW GAVE HOUSING TO THIS MAN WHO'S TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN.
• 14:49 THEY WERE SO DISCONCERTED, THEY WERE SO ANGRY, SO UPSET,
• 14:55 BECAUSE JEWS AND NON-JEWS ALIKE WERE COMING TO FAITH IN YESHUA.
• 15:00 PAUL WAS SPIRITED AWAY AND HE MADE HIS WAY HERE TO ATHENS.
• 15:04 HE WAS HERE ALRIGHT BUT HIS HEART BELONGED ELSEWHERE.
• 15:07 HE WAS THINKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT HE LOVED.
• 15:10 AND HE WAS CONCERNED, BECAUSE THOUGH HE GOT OUT OF THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION,
• 15:13 HE KNEW THEY WERE STILL THERE.
• 15:15 SO WHAT DOES HE DO?
• 15:16 HE WRITES THEM.
• 15:17 EVER WRITE A LETTER TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE?
• 15:19 THAT'S WHAT PAUL DID.
• 15:20 PAUL NEVER THOUGHT HE WAS WRITING THE BIBLE.
• 15:22 PAUL WAS JUST LOVING SIMPLE AS THAT.
• 15:25 IN FACT I DOUBT WHEN PAUL PICKED UP PEN TO WRITE HE EVER THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE WRITING STUFF
• 15:31 THAT WOULD MAKE IT'S WAY IN A BOOK THAT WOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME LEVEL OF AUTHORIZATION
• 15:36 AS THE WRITINGS OF MOSES AND THE PROPHETS AND THE LIKE.
• 15:39 PAUL IS JUST RESPONDING TO STUFF AND HERE FROM ATHENS,
• 15:44 HE'S RESPONDING TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HE LOVED WERE SUFFERING.
• 15:48 AND THEY WERE SUFFERING IN PART, BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HE INSTIGATED.
• 15:53 AND WHAT HE INSTIGATED IN PART WAS STIMULATED BY SOMEONE ELSES SUFFERING, JESUS.
• 15:58 SUFFERING SEEMS TO ME TO BE PART AND PARTIAL OF CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
• 16:03 PAUL HERE SEEMS TO SAY AS MUCH IN 1ST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 2, HE SAYS,
• 16:32 IF I UNDERSTAND PAUL CORRECTLY, THE WAY HE IS ORIENTED TOWARD THESE FOLK.
• 16:36 HE SAYS, LISTEN GUYS YOU KNOW, AND HE SAYS A FEW TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.
• 16:41 WHAT THEY KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANNA HEAR, WE DON'T WANNA KNOW.
• 16:45 HE SAYS, GUYS LOOK WAKE UP SMELL THE COFFEE, REMEMBER THAT WHEN I WAS PHILIPPI,
• 16:49 BEFORE I GOT TO YOU, THINGS GOT RATHER UNRAVELED.
• 16:52 WHEN I CAME TO THESSALONICA THINGS GOT UNRAVELED AND YOU KNOW WHAT, UNRAVELING HAPPENS.
• 16:58 BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.
• 17:01 TODAY THERE'S MANY A PREACHER THAT ADVOCATES,
• 17:04 "OH, NO YOU EXCEPT JESUS, BABY IT'S ALL GOOD."
• 17:06 AND WHAT IT IS, IS YOU'RE JUST GONNA PROSPER AND HAVE BOUNDLESS SUCCESS IN LIFE.
• 17:11 LISTEN, I BELIEVE THAT THE LORD DOES LEAD US ONWARD TOWARD SUCCESS IN LIFE,
• 17:15 BUT I THINK THE POINT IS GROSSLY OVERSTATED.
• 17:19 IN THE INTEREST OF TICKLING PEOPLES EARS AND MAKING PROMISES
• 17:22 THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE JUST MEANS ALL THINGS GOOD.
• 17:25 I BELIEVE THERE ARE THINGS GOOD, BUT I BELIEVE TOO THAT THERE'S TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY.
• 17:29 I BELIEVE THAT IF GOD HAS A CALL IN OUR LIFE THAT SATAN WILL HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT AGAINST US.
• 17:35 AND WE MUST NEEDS THEN BEAR UP.
• 17:38 DEVELOP AN APTITUDE TO RESIST, TO STAND, TO NOT BE BESTED BY DESPAIR, DEPRESSIONS,
• 17:46 AND EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES,
• 17:48 TRIALS THAT BESET US AND TRY AND OVERWHELM US.
• 17:52 WE MUST NEEDS STAND UP, SPEAK UP, AND RISE UP FOR BIBLICAL TRUTH.
• 17:56 IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PEOPLE ARE TOO DEPRESSED, PUSHED DOWN,
• 18:00 BUT THERES A TRIUMPHANT GOD WHO LEADS US IN TRIUMPH THROUGH DIFFICULTIES.
• 18:05 THAT WAS THE RABBI FROM TARSUS' MESSAGE TO THE THESSALONIANS.
• 18:11 SURE HE SAID THINGS BEYOND THAT, BUT PRINCIPALLY IT WAS DRIVEN BY A LOVE FOR THEM.
• 18:17 IT WAS DRIVEN BY WANTING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BEAR UP
• 18:21 AND LET THEM KNOW THAT HELP IS COMING FROM HEAVEN TO DEAL WITH VEXING TROUBLES ON EARTH,
• 18:27 BECAUSE AT DAYS END WE HAVE A WINNING GOD.
• 18:43 IT'S GREAT TO OPEN UP GOD'S WORD AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US TO DO AND BE.
• 18:49 IN LIKE MANNER I BELIEVE, AND I SAY THIS AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING A TAD BIT SELF-SERVING,
• 18:55 I BELIEVE IT'S GOOD TO TURN ON THE TELEVISION AND ENTER INTO GOD'S WORLD.
• 19:00 AND THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT IS WE TAKE YOU BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE THE STORY UNFOLDED.
• 19:05 AND SO, YOU COME WITH US ON A JOURNEY,
• 19:08 AS WE WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 19:12 AND LIKE TOUR GUIDES, WE TAKE YOU TO THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL HAPPENED.
• 19:16 OH, BUT I LOVE BEING A TOUR GUIDE.
• 19:18 I LOVE SEEING PEOPLES LIGHTS COME ON
• 19:21 WHEN THEY READ THE WORD OF GOD
• 19:22 AND, OH MY GOODNESS, WE'RE STANDING IN THE PARTHENON,
• 19:26 ON THE ACROPOLIS, WE'RE STANDING THERE.
• 19:28 OR WE'RE IN THE AGORA IN ATHENS.
• 19:30 EVEN IN ISRAEL, I LOVE SHOWING PEOPLE THE BIBLICAL SIGHTS.
• 19:33 I LOVE IT.
• 19:34 YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT PREACHERS WOULD DO BETTER
• 19:37 TO BE TOUR GUIDES THAN LECTURERS.
• 19:39 THAT IS TAKE INDIVIDUALS TO THE STORY
• 19:42 AND LET INDIVIDUALS BASK IN THE NARRATIVE.
• 19:45 THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN WORK THROUGH THAT TO GET INTO PEOPLE'S HEARTS.
• 19:48 WHY LECTURE IT INTO PEOPLE?
• 19:49 I DON'T KNOW AND I'VE SEEN PASTORS GO TO GREECE AND ISRAEL,
• 19:53 THEY'RE LIGHTS COME ON AND THEY ARE SO EXCITED WITH THE WORD.
• 19:58 THEY CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK AND PREACH THE WORD.
• 20:00 IT'S JUST WONDERFUL.
• 20:00 WE'RE IN GREECE.
• 20:02 WE HAVE A GUIDE THAT WE'VE HAD FOR PROBABLY 20 YEARS.
• 20:05 SHE'S GREAT. >>SHE IS, OH >>SHE'S WONDERFUL.
• 20:07 SO I ALWAYS LIKE TALKING TO HER.
• 20:10 SHE'S GOT SUCH GREAT INSIGHTS.
• 20:11 SHE SHOWS US THE SIGHTS.
• 20:13 SHE SPELLS FOR US, THAT'S THE NICEST PART.
• 20:15 SHE SPELLS PLACES FOR US.
• 20:16 SHE'S AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GREEK KNOWLEDGE. >>SHE IS.
• 20:18 HERE IS GINA.
• 20:20 WE'RE IN ATHENS.
• 20:24 GINA WE ARE SITTING ON THE AGORA.
• 20:26 8 ACRES OF TEMPLES, SHOPS,
• 20:29 EVERYTHING THE GREEKS WOULD WANT IN THE 1ST CENTURY.
• 20:33 YES.
• 20:34 THIS WAS THE REAL HEART OF THE CITY.
• 20:36 IT WAS THE HEART OF THE CITY
• 20:38 SINCE THE VERY EARLY ANTIQUITY.
• 20:40 AND WHEN PAUL CAME HERE IT STILL EXISTED AS A VERY CENTRAL SPOT OF ATHENS.
• 20:46 WE HAVE A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS,
• 20:48 WE HAVE A LOT OF TEMPLES WITH PHILOSOPHERS AND ...,
• 20:54 YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT GOT INVOLVED IN TRADE BEING HERE ALL THE TIME.
• 20:59 AND DON'T FORGET WITH THESE WALLS
• 21:01 THE PLACE WERE SOCRATES 6 CENTURIES AGO
• 21:04 USE TO COME EVERYDAY ALMOST
• 21:07 TO MEET HIS FELLOW CITIZENS AND TO TALK ABOUT HIS PHILOSOPHICAL, YOU KNOW, IDEAS.
• 21:13 IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE LOOKING AT THESE RUINS
• 21:16 THE MAGNIFICENCE THAT GREECE MUST HAVE BEEN.
• 21:19 IT WAS THE BE ALL AND THEN END ALL OF THE KNOWN WORLD.
• 21:23 THE DEMOCRACY COMES FROM GREECE.
• 21:25 THAT'S VERY TRUE.
• 21:26 AND DON'T FORGET THAT EVERYTHING WAS FLOURISHING
• 21:29 IN THE 5TH CENTURY, THAT'S RIGHT, THE GOLDEN AGE.
• 21:31 THE GOLDEN AGE.
• 21:32 THE GOLDEN AGE OF PERICLES,
• 21:34 BECAUSE OF HIS MEN WHO TRIED TO BEAUTIFY THE CITY.
• 21:38 TO EMBELLISH THE CITY.
• 21:39 THE ONE WHO HAD ENCOURAGED THE MOST FAMOUS HEARTS
• 21:42 OF HIS DAYS, SCULPTORS AND PAINTERS AND ARCHITECTS
• 21:45 IN ORDER TO CREATE THESE MASTERPIECES OUT ON THE ACROPOLIS.
• 21:49 ALTHOUGH ATHENS WAS AT ITS DECADENCE >>WHEN PAUL CAME HERE. >>RIGHT
• 21:54 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 1ST CENTURY A.D, WE'RE TALKING THE YEAR 51 A.D
• 21:59 WHEN HE CAME ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM THESSALONICA
• 22:02 AND HE HAS NOT BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THE ATHENIANS, NO
• 22:08 BECAUSE OF ALL THESE PHILOSOPHERS THAT TOTALLY
• 22:10 REJECTED THE NEW IDEA THE NEW RELIGION
• 22:14 THAT THE APOSTLE WAS BRINGING WITH HIM,
• 22:16 THE EPICUREAN PHILOSOPHERS AND THE STOIC PHILOSOPHERS WHO MOCKED AT HIM.
• 22:21 SO HIS STAY WAS NOT REALLY A VERY SUCCESSFUL ONE.
• 22:26 AND THAT'S WHY WE KNOW TWO PERSONS WERE CONVERTED. >>RIGHT
• 22:29 AND OF ALL THESE PEOPLE THEY WERE SUCH FREE THINKERS
• 22:33 AND SUCH DEEP THINKERS. >>YEAH
• 22:35 AND YET COULDN'T GRASP THE CONCEPT THAT THERE WAS ONE GOD. >>THAT'S TRUE
• 22:40 COULD NOT GRASP THAT CONCEPT. >>THAT'S TRUE
• 22:42 BUT I'M SURE THAT PAUL MUST HAVE WALKED DOWN HERE SEVERAL TIMES IN THE AGORA.
• 22:47 HE MUST HAVE TALKED TO THE ATHENIANS, THE LOCAL PEOPLE.
• 22:52 HE MUST HAVE SEEN THE BEMA WHERE THE SPEAKER'S PLATFORM >>THE BEMA.
• 22:56 MARS HILL, THE ACROPOLIS, RIGHT. >>MARS HILL OF COURSE, YES
• 22:59 IT REALLY IS AMAZING FOR ME TO BE STANDING HERE.
• 23:03 I AM, I THINK OUTSIDE, IT IS SO HISTORICAL FOR US >>I CAN IMAGINE.
• 23:07 THAT WE REALLY NEED TO STOP A MINUTE AND LOOK AND THINK ALL THAT WAS GREECE.
• 23:12 ALL THAT WAS GREECE.
• 23:27 ♪(Piano playing with Orchestra)♪
• 24:19 FAITH IN YESHUA.
• 24:20 PAUL PREACHED FAITH IN YESHUA,
• 24:23 NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS.
• 24:24 NOT WORKS, FAITH IN MESSIAH.
• 24:27 WHY DO PEOPLE WANNA COMPLICATE THAT?
• 24:29 IT SEEMS THAT IN THE GALATIANS EPISTLE PEOPLE WEREN'T SATISFIED,
• 24:34 BUT WE NEED TO ADD ON RULES IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH GOD.
• 24:38 THEY KEEP ADDING RULES.
• 24:39 IT'S PEOPLE, IT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO, THEY MAKE THINGS HARDER THAN WHAT IT IS.
• 24:42 THE SALVATION DOCTRINE IS NOT HARD.
• 24:44 AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, THAT'S A PROBLEM
• 24:46 THAT'S NOT RESERVED FOR GALATIANS YESTERDAY, >>RIGHT
• 24:49 IT'S A PROBLEM THAT RAISES ITS HOARY TODAY IN RELIGIOUS CIRCLES.
• 24:52 YOU'RE TALKING WHAT, 50 A.D, 52 A.D?
• 24:55 THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA.
• 24:57 YEAH 2008 A.D THE SAME TENDENCY IS TO TAKE >>RIGHT
• 25:01 WHAT'S PRISTINE AND SIMPLE RIGHT AND COMPLICATE IT.
• 25:05 AND COMPLICATE IT.
• 25:06 MAKE IT MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE IT.
• 25:07 YES AND HERE'S WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE.
• 25:09 WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
• 25:11 YOU NEED TO LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND ASK YOURSELF, DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
• 25:15 YOU NEED TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR LIFE AND ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION,
• 25:19 "DO YOU LIKE THE WAY YOU'RE LIVING IT OUT?"
• 25:21 IF YOU'RE DISSATISFIED, IF YOU HAVE PANGS OF CONSCIENCE,
• 25:24 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT YOU CAN REACH UP TO GOD AND REACH OUT TO THE FUTURE.
• 25:28 REACH UP TO HIM AND SAY, "FORGIVE ME FOR MY SINS," AND YOU CAN BE BORN ANEW.
• 25:32 FIND A GOOD BIBLE CHURCH AND HAVE AT IT.
• 25:35 WHY IS THAT SO HARD?
• 25:37 I'M NOT SURE.
• 25:38 IS IT THAT WE GIVE UP CONTROL?
• 25:40 IS IT A CONTROL THING?
• 25:41 IS IT A MAN THING?
• 25:42 IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE.
• 25:43 IT'S AN EVIL THING.
• 25:44 MAN IS BORN NOT GOOD.
• 25:46 MAN IS BORN EVIL.
• 25:48 CONTROL'S AN INTERESTING FACTOR TOO, SANDRA.
• 25:50 IN THE GALATIANS CORRESPONDENCE PARTICULARLY,
• 25:52 PEOPLE WEREN'T CONTENT WITH PAUL'S SIMPLE PERSPECTIVE.
• 25:56 THEY CAME IN AND WANTED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE CONVERSATION AND >>IMPOSE A NEW VISION. >>RIGHT.
• 26:01 WHY?
• 26:03 WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE FAITH IN MESSIAH, YESHUA?
• 26:06 THAT'S IT.
• 26:07 IT'S NOT HARD. >>I AGREE 100%.
• 26:09 I SAY LET'S STRIP IT ALL BACK AND GO BACK TO THE FOUNDATIONS.
• 26:12 AND HERE'S WHAT RUBS PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY, I BELIEVE.
• 26:15 IF ONE WANTS TO GO BACK TO THE FOUNDATIONS OF BIBLICAL TEACHING,
• 26:19 THEN THEY GO BACK TO THE JEWISH FOUNDATIONS. >>AMEN
• 26:23 AND NOT ALL ARE GIVEN TO SEEING THAT,
• 26:26 BUT SEE IT WE DO AS WE CONSIDER OUR RABBI FROM TARSUS.
• 26:29 AND ON WE GO.
• 26:31 NEXT WEEK WE GO ON TO SEE SOME MORE PARCHMENTS NEXT WEEK.
• 26:33 AND AS YOU GO.
• 26:35 SHA 'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM.
• 26:36 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.