1 00:00:00,001 --> 00:00:02,580 [upbeat music] 2 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:08,900 >> Well, good morning, Springhouse. 3 00:00:08,900 --> 00:00:11,960 I'm not Kevin O'Dea for those of you 4 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:16,960 who were not aware of that, but I can dance. 5 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:22,680 Yeah, even at this advanced stage. 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,360 [audience laughing] 7 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:26,200 Yeah. 8 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,120 Today we're going to, actually, 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,240 Kevin and I had switched. 10 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,720 He switched it, the weeks that we were doing it. 11 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,160 So last week we did Acts chapter 18. 12 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:41,040 This week we're going back to Acts chapter 17. 13 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,440 And when we first switched, I thought, oh, great, Kevin. 14 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,820 You're giving me the Sunday when time changes 15 00:00:48,820 --> 00:00:51,340 and it's the Sunday before the election. 16 00:00:51,340 --> 00:00:55,820 And Acts 17, you know, what am I gonna do with that? 17 00:00:55,820 --> 00:00:58,240 But you know, the Holy Spirit tends to come through. 18 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,480 He tends to kind of know what he's doing, 19 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,880 what we should be doing. 20 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,600 So hopefully this will be helpful. 21 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,080 If it's not, you can contact Pastor Kevin 22 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,120 through Church Center and let him know your thoughts. 23 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:13,420 I encourage you to do so. 24 00:01:13,420 --> 00:01:21,380 Acts chapter 17 covers three stops 25 00:01:21,380 --> 00:01:23,680 on Paul's missionary journey. 26 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,280 Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. 27 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:29,840 And what we're gonna do, I'll let you know ahead of time, 28 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,960 I'm gonna have you stand up three times during this sermon, 29 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:37,220 because we're gonna visit each one of these places. 30 00:01:37,220 --> 00:01:40,360 And if we read them all now, you'll forget what we read 31 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,680 before we can get to the others. 32 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,720 So we're gonna cover each one. 33 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:46,900 And let me set this up. 34 00:01:46,900 --> 00:01:50,600 Paul and his companions had gone to Thessalonica 35 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:52,700 and they'd gone to the synagogue 36 00:01:52,700 --> 00:01:57,580 and they had been teaching for three Sundays. 37 00:01:57,580 --> 00:02:00,500 They had been explaining and proving 38 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:04,660 that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. 39 00:02:04,660 --> 00:02:08,140 And that didn't sit too well with some of the people. 40 00:02:08,140 --> 00:02:12,140 And so would you stand with me and let's see what happened. 41 00:02:12,140 --> 00:02:18,940 But the Jews were jealous and taking some wicked men 42 00:02:18,940 --> 00:02:21,980 of the rabble, they formed a mob, 43 00:02:21,980 --> 00:02:26,760 set the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, 44 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:30,220 seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 45 00:02:30,220 --> 00:02:35,220 And they dragged Jason and some of the brothers 46 00:02:35,220 --> 00:02:38,620 before the city authorities, shouting. 47 00:02:38,620 --> 00:02:42,540 These men who have turned the world upside down 48 00:02:42,540 --> 00:02:47,200 have come here also and Jason has received them 49 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:51,540 and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, 50 00:02:51,540 --> 00:02:55,780 saying that there is another king, Jesus. 51 00:02:55,780 --> 00:03:00,020 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed 52 00:03:00,020 --> 00:03:02,220 when they heard these things. 53 00:03:02,220 --> 00:03:06,460 And when they had taken money as security from Jason 54 00:03:06,460 --> 00:03:08,660 and the rest, they let them go. 55 00:03:08,660 --> 00:03:10,700 Father, I thank you for your word. 56 00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:12,980 I thank you for the life that's in your word. 57 00:03:12,980 --> 00:03:15,260 I thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit 58 00:03:15,260 --> 00:03:17,500 that brings that life. 59 00:03:17,500 --> 00:03:20,580 I pray that the Holy Spirit would inhabit each heart. 60 00:03:20,580 --> 00:03:22,420 In Jesus' name, amen. 61 00:03:22,420 --> 00:03:31,780 I normally use the NIV, but I didn't today 62 00:03:31,780 --> 00:03:36,380 because of a particular phrasing that is used. 63 00:03:36,380 --> 00:03:39,780 The New International Version says that they came 64 00:03:39,780 --> 00:03:42,380 and complained that these men have caused trouble 65 00:03:42,380 --> 00:03:43,820 all over the world. 66 00:03:43,820 --> 00:03:46,060 And I'm sure that as far as they were concerned, 67 00:03:46,060 --> 00:03:48,520 that was what they were saying 68 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:50,700 because they were causing trouble for them. 69 00:03:50,700 --> 00:03:55,580 However, what they literally said was these men 70 00:03:55,580 --> 00:03:58,040 who have turned the world upside down. 71 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:02,940 And when I read that phrase, 72 00:04:02,940 --> 00:04:06,580 I immediately think of Hamilton. 73 00:04:06,580 --> 00:04:10,140 Yeah, and I don't know how many of you have seen that, 74 00:04:10,140 --> 00:04:12,900 but if you haven't, Hamilton is a story 75 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:15,580 of Alexander Hamilton and part of that story 76 00:04:15,580 --> 00:04:17,160 involves a revolutionary war. 77 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,380 And when they come to the part where the revolutionary war 78 00:04:20,380 --> 00:04:24,180 has ended or effectively ended when Cornwallis surrendered 79 00:04:24,180 --> 00:04:27,560 to Washington at Yorktown, they have this song. 80 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:32,300 ♪ The world turned upside down ♪ 81 00:04:32,300 --> 00:04:36,440 And it's a powerful song and it's very haunting 82 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,900 and you think, yeah, man, this changed everything. 83 00:04:40,900 --> 00:04:42,800 Only it didn't. 84 00:04:44,780 --> 00:04:47,240 It did not turn the world upside down. 85 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,680 All it did was sort of rearrange some of the pieces 86 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:55,680 in the world and the way that things were distributed. 87 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:02,960 It was an upset to be sure, but not world changing. 88 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:09,120 Tuesday, we're having an election. 89 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,940 We just heard a little bit about that. 90 00:05:12,940 --> 00:05:15,960 I suspect most of you were already aware 91 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,300 that that was happening and that was going on. 92 00:05:18,300 --> 00:05:23,660 Anyway, let me tell you something. 93 00:05:23,660 --> 00:05:28,660 Tuesday will not change much regardless of who gets elected. 94 00:05:28,660 --> 00:05:30,720 And let me tell you why. 95 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:35,000 On a micro level, on a personal level, 96 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,940 the people who are racist will continue to be racist. 97 00:05:39,980 --> 00:05:43,580 The people who are sexist will continue to be sexist. 98 00:05:43,580 --> 00:05:46,060 The people who are arrogant will continue to be arrogant. 99 00:05:46,060 --> 00:05:49,680 The people who are addicts will continue to be addicts. 100 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,580 The people who are fearful will continue to be fearful. 101 00:05:53,580 --> 00:05:58,500 The people who are lonely will continue to be lonely. 102 00:05:58,500 --> 00:06:03,880 The people who are broken will continue to be broken. 103 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:09,380 None of that's gonna change regardless of who gets elected. 104 00:06:09,380 --> 00:06:13,080 On a macro level, the rich will continue 105 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,160 to oppress the poor and exploit them. 106 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,160 The strong will continue to oppress the weak, 107 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,400 the wealthy, and the influential will not be called 108 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,000 to account for their actions. 109 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,420 And the poor and the stranger and the alien 110 00:06:28,420 --> 00:06:31,440 will not receive justice 111 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,840 because that's the way the world works. 112 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:37,400 And many people, I might even say most, 113 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:42,400 but many people who are living unfulfilling, 114 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,480 unsatisfying lives will continue to live 115 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,820 unfulfilling, unsatisfying lives. 116 00:06:49,820 --> 00:06:56,060 And perhaps most importantly or most significantly, 117 00:06:56,060 --> 00:06:57,660 people will continue to die 118 00:06:57,660 --> 00:07:02,320 regardless of who gets elected on Tuesday. 119 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,480 The first election that I actually was interested in 120 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:13,480 was in 1960 when I was 10 years old. 121 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:18,480 I couldn't vote, but I grew up in a rural, 122 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,660 southern Pentecostal household, 123 00:07:21,660 --> 00:07:24,800 and we just had to stop this Kennedy guy 124 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:25,800 'cause if he got elected, 125 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,000 the pope was gonna start running the country. 126 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,360 And he got elected, and I don't know 127 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:33,860 if the pope ran the country or not, 128 00:07:33,860 --> 00:07:35,640 but anyway, 129 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:44,160 I actually, the first election I could vote in was 1972, 130 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,560 so this would be my 15th election. 131 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,000 I'll just tell you for those of you who are wondering 132 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,720 about my political affiliation, 133 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,520 I voted for one party eight times, 134 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:57,260 and I voted for the other one eight times. 135 00:07:57,260 --> 00:07:59,120 So I think I'm an independent. 136 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,420 [audience laughing] 137 00:08:01,420 --> 00:08:02,820 Yeah. 138 00:08:02,820 --> 00:08:06,840 But if I had a nickel for every election 139 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,400 where I heard this is the most important election 140 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,880 in the history of this country, 141 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,160 then after I collect my nickel this year, 142 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:16,640 I would have 18 nickels. 143 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,800 [audience laughing] 144 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:21,360 Now, I'm not saying don't vote, 145 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,200 and I'm not saying it's not of any importance. 146 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:28,460 I am saying if your candidate loses, don't despair, 147 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,660 and if your candidate wins, don't get too over the moon 148 00:08:33,660 --> 00:08:38,660 because nothing much, nothing of real consequence 149 00:08:38,660 --> 00:08:41,340 is going to change. 150 00:08:41,340 --> 00:08:45,740 So let's go to Berea, shall we? 151 00:08:45,740 --> 00:08:49,280 You're gonna get to stand once again in just a moment. 152 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:54,180 After this riot occurred in Thessalonica, 153 00:08:54,180 --> 00:08:57,940 the believers got together at night 154 00:08:57,940 --> 00:09:00,160 and sent Paul and Silas on their way, 155 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,780 and they went to Berea, and basically, 156 00:09:03,780 --> 00:09:06,880 rinse and repeat, they did what they normally do. 157 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,200 They went and started sharing the scripture 158 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:10,560 with a little bit different result, 159 00:09:10,560 --> 00:09:12,640 and so would you stand with me once again? 160 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:21,460 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble mode. 161 00:09:21,460 --> 00:09:27,860 For they received the message with great eagerness, 162 00:09:27,860 --> 00:09:30,940 and examined the scriptures every day 163 00:09:30,940 --> 00:09:34,080 to see if what Paul said was true. 164 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,300 As a result, many of them believed, 165 00:09:37,300 --> 00:09:41,300 as did also a number of prominent Greek women 166 00:09:41,300 --> 00:09:43,340 and many Greek men. 167 00:09:43,340 --> 00:09:44,620 You may be seated. 168 00:09:44,620 --> 00:09:49,980 What is up with these Bereans? 169 00:09:49,980 --> 00:09:55,920 They did something that's rarely done today. 170 00:09:57,140 --> 00:09:58,820 They did some research. 171 00:09:58,820 --> 00:10:03,720 They actually looked into things. 172 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,340 I've got an old college friend 173 00:10:07,340 --> 00:10:12,220 that we've connected a few times over the years, 174 00:10:12,220 --> 00:10:17,220 and recently, he sent me an article about pawpaws, 175 00:10:17,220 --> 00:10:20,340 because I live on Pawpaw Springs Road. 176 00:10:20,340 --> 00:10:22,540 And how many of you even know what a pawpaw is? 177 00:10:22,540 --> 00:10:23,920 It's not your granddad. 178 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,780 It's a fruit. 179 00:10:27,260 --> 00:10:30,700 It's a fruit, and it's actually quite good 180 00:10:30,700 --> 00:10:32,960 if you can get to it before the squirrels do, 181 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,140 but you can't. 182 00:10:35,140 --> 00:10:39,700 Say, well, why don't they sell them? 183 00:10:39,700 --> 00:10:42,860 Well, because they can't really be industrially cultivated. 184 00:10:42,860 --> 00:10:45,280 They're only in the wild. 185 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:46,900 That's beside the point. 186 00:10:46,900 --> 00:10:50,340 He sent me this article about pawpaws, 187 00:10:50,340 --> 00:10:54,760 and somehow or another, that got us to talking about God. 188 00:10:55,600 --> 00:11:00,400 And I've known this man for over 50 years, 189 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,140 and he's never really expressed any faith in God. 190 00:11:03,140 --> 00:11:05,380 In fact, he is an agnostic, 191 00:11:05,380 --> 00:11:09,000 and so we got to talking back and forth. 192 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:10,800 He was wondering about what I believed 193 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,860 and why I believed and stuff, 194 00:11:13,860 --> 00:11:18,860 and his belief is that Christianity is basically 195 00:11:18,860 --> 00:11:23,580 just a group of myths that were collected 196 00:11:23,580 --> 00:11:26,920 around this charismatic leader from 2,000 years ago, 197 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,680 and that most of it was plucked from other religions. 198 00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:34,120 And I said, well, why do you believe that? 199 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,820 And he sent me this meme, 200 00:11:38,820 --> 00:11:41,120 and you probably can't read it 201 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,240 because I was afraid that it'd be a little, 202 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:47,360 but what it basically is saying about each of these guys 203 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:52,360 is stuff like he was born on December the 25th to a virgin. 204 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,800 He had 12 followers and went around doing miracles. 205 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,120 He was crucified. 206 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:02,240 He rose from the dead. 207 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:06,580 And I went, well, that's a little bit disturbing. 208 00:12:06,580 --> 00:12:09,060 And so I thought, well, I need to look something up 209 00:12:09,060 --> 00:12:13,280 about these guys and see where this is coming from. 210 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:18,280 And I did, and I didn't find anything 211 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:21,460 to corroborate any of that. 212 00:12:21,460 --> 00:12:26,280 And in fact, from what we actually do know about them, 213 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:31,040 what I did find basically contradicted all of that. 214 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,220 And I said, I'm doubtful about these facts. 215 00:12:34,220 --> 00:12:37,380 I can't find them confirmed anywhere. 216 00:12:37,380 --> 00:12:39,180 What are your sources? 217 00:12:39,180 --> 00:12:41,840 And a few days later, I get an email back from him, 218 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:45,580 and he says, well, most of the information 219 00:12:45,580 --> 00:12:48,340 in this meme is absolute BS. 220 00:12:48,340 --> 00:12:49,900 I started saying something else. 221 00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:52,140 (congregation laughing) 222 00:12:52,140 --> 00:12:54,340 Which wasn't actually what he said either. 223 00:12:54,340 --> 00:13:00,020 He said, but it spread like wildfire 224 00:13:00,020 --> 00:13:03,860 among the agnostic community, and it's taken his gospel. 225 00:13:03,860 --> 00:13:09,740 Now, before you begin to think, your friend must be dumb. 226 00:13:09,740 --> 00:13:10,780 No, he's not dumb. 227 00:13:10,780 --> 00:13:12,900 He's a pretty sharp cookie, actually. 228 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:16,960 Well, those agnostics must be dumb. 229 00:13:18,260 --> 00:13:20,980 Before you jump there, I begin to think, 230 00:13:20,980 --> 00:13:23,540 now, how would this thing spread like wildfire? 231 00:13:23,540 --> 00:13:27,600 How does misinformation spread like wildfire? 232 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,940 (congregation laughing) 233 00:13:30,940 --> 00:13:38,380 Oh, yeah, there you go. 234 00:13:38,380 --> 00:13:41,300 And it's not necessarily about religion. 235 00:13:41,300 --> 00:13:46,260 It's not necessarily about politics. 236 00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:48,280 It can be about anything. 237 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:52,060 And here's why. 238 00:13:52,060 --> 00:13:55,980 Paul wrote to Timothy, in 2 Timothy 4-3, 239 00:13:55,980 --> 00:13:57,340 and he said, the time's gonna come 240 00:13:57,340 --> 00:14:00,100 when people won't put up with sound doctrine. 241 00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:02,380 Instead, to suit their own desires, 242 00:14:02,380 --> 00:14:04,780 they'll gather around them a great number of teachers 243 00:14:04,780 --> 00:14:07,400 to say what their itching ears wanna hear. 244 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:13,080 If we like it, we don't check it out. 245 00:14:15,980 --> 00:14:17,420 If we don't like it, we just ignore it. 246 00:14:17,420 --> 00:14:19,780 But if we like it, we don't check it out. 247 00:14:19,780 --> 00:14:21,940 Because we're lazy. 248 00:14:21,940 --> 00:14:26,180 Can I get an amen? 249 00:14:26,180 --> 00:14:27,020 - Amen. 250 00:14:27,020 --> 00:14:33,640 - How many of you are old enough to remember 251 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,100 Paul Simon's song, The Boxer? 252 00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:39,200 Yeah, a few of you can, okay. 253 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:43,240 You're not old enough, but you know the song. 254 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:44,900 Yeah, you raised your hand. 255 00:14:44,900 --> 00:14:46,420 That guy wasn't even born. 256 00:14:46,420 --> 00:14:51,020 But for those of you who don't know it, 257 00:14:51,020 --> 00:14:53,080 the first verse goes like this. 258 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:57,780 I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told. 259 00:14:57,780 --> 00:15:01,540 I've squandered my resistance on a pocket full of mumbles. 260 00:15:01,540 --> 00:15:03,400 Such a promise is. 261 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:09,500 All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear 262 00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:13,140 and disregards the rest. 263 00:15:13,140 --> 00:15:15,380 Lie, lie, lie. 264 00:15:15,380 --> 00:15:18,140 Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie. 265 00:15:18,140 --> 00:15:21,820 That's truth, people. 266 00:15:21,820 --> 00:15:23,300 That's some gospel. 267 00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:27,020 We hear what we wanna hear and disregard the rest. 268 00:15:27,020 --> 00:15:29,620 I had a guy, back when I was pastoring, 269 00:15:29,620 --> 00:15:33,580 I had a fellow come to me about a business proposition 270 00:15:33,580 --> 00:15:35,180 that had been presented to him. 271 00:15:35,180 --> 00:15:38,100 And he was pretty excited about it. 272 00:15:38,100 --> 00:15:40,740 But he wanted to know what I thought about it. 273 00:15:40,740 --> 00:15:43,260 And so he brings it to me, 274 00:15:43,260 --> 00:15:47,700 well, I'm not really a businessman, but it smelled fishy. 275 00:15:47,700 --> 00:15:50,860 In fact, it smelled several days old fishy. 276 00:15:50,860 --> 00:15:53,600 And I said, well, let's call Sam. 277 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:54,860 Sam was a guy we both knew, 278 00:15:54,860 --> 00:15:56,820 and Sam's a very successful businessman. 279 00:15:56,820 --> 00:15:58,580 And let's see what he thinks about it. 280 00:15:58,580 --> 00:16:01,900 And so we called Sam up, put him on the speakerphone. 281 00:16:01,900 --> 00:16:03,420 I said, what do you think about this? 282 00:16:03,420 --> 00:16:04,740 And we explained the situation. 283 00:16:04,740 --> 00:16:06,820 He said, no, no, I wouldn't do that. 284 00:16:06,820 --> 00:16:10,860 I said, now that's gonna get you into trouble. 285 00:16:10,860 --> 00:16:12,060 You really shouldn't do that. 286 00:16:12,060 --> 00:16:14,580 And I said, well, thank you for your advice. 287 00:16:14,580 --> 00:16:16,300 And I said, I agree with Sam. 288 00:16:16,300 --> 00:16:17,520 I don't think you should do it. 289 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,720 By the time he got home, and he's not a liar, 290 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:22,500 but by the time he got home, 291 00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:24,760 he told his wife pastor thinks ought to do it. 292 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:33,020 You know when people come and ask you your advice 293 00:16:33,020 --> 00:16:36,820 or ask you your opinion, they don't want your advice. 294 00:16:36,820 --> 00:16:39,300 And they're not caring about your opinion. 295 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:41,900 They're just looking for someone to agree with them. 296 00:16:41,900 --> 00:16:46,540 That's the way that it is. 297 00:16:46,540 --> 00:16:48,820 That's how we do things. 298 00:16:48,820 --> 00:16:51,460 And it's not just secular stuff. 299 00:16:51,460 --> 00:16:54,500 Do you check out your religious leaders? 300 00:16:54,500 --> 00:16:57,320 Do you check them out? 301 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:01,440 Beware especially of Bible specialists. 302 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,120 (audience member speaks off mic) 303 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,480 Yeah, I'm an end time prophecy specialist. 304 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:10,360 I'm an Israel specialist. 305 00:17:10,360 --> 00:17:11,980 I'm a faith specialist. 306 00:17:11,980 --> 00:17:14,620 I'm a prosperity specialist. 307 00:17:14,620 --> 00:17:16,760 I'm a healing specialist. 308 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:18,600 There is no such thing. 309 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:23,940 And all of those things are not the main thing. 310 00:17:23,940 --> 00:17:28,980 Everything needs to point toward the main thing. 311 00:17:28,980 --> 00:17:32,320 And this is especially true if you're basically 312 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,620 getting your information on a screen. 313 00:17:34,620 --> 00:17:38,360 If you're basically getting your information, 314 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:43,040 I'm not saying that podcasts and broadcasts 315 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:47,040 and video blogs, I'm not saying that those are bad, 316 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:48,000 that they're wrong. 317 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,960 I'm just saying you don't know these people. 318 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:55,400 So you need to check them out. 319 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,460 You need to check out what is being said. 320 00:17:57,460 --> 00:18:02,360 You know, it's one thing to be in a situation 321 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:05,760 where you have the opportunity to observe someone's life. 322 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,600 You have the opportunity to feel the texture 323 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,640 of their testimony for Jesus. 324 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:13,680 You know, that's one thing, 325 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,600 but if you don't have that at all, 326 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:20,600 then hey, you got a book, look it up. 327 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,000 See if what they're saying is true. 328 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:27,000 See if it checks out. 329 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:29,380 Jesus said over in Matthew 24, 330 00:18:29,380 --> 00:18:33,380 false messiahs, false prophecies, prophets will appear 331 00:18:33,380 --> 00:18:35,860 and they'll perform great signs and wonders 332 00:18:35,860 --> 00:18:40,020 to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 333 00:18:40,020 --> 00:18:42,360 And when you read a verse like that, 334 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:45,280 you're thinking exactly what I'm thinking. 335 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:49,440 He's warning other people because it can't happen to me. 336 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,400 'Cause that's our default. 337 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:57,320 That's where we go with things. 338 00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,460 These Bereans though, they went, 339 00:18:59,460 --> 00:19:01,520 let's go see if what he's saying is true. 340 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,760 Let's check this thing out. 341 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:08,000 So let's check me out. 342 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:14,080 I'm telling you that Tuesday's not really going 343 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,320 to change the world. 344 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,720 So what does the scripture say? 345 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:20,840 Well, the Psalmist says, 346 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,000 do not put your trust in princes. 347 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,600 And human beings who cannot save. 348 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,520 And you know, I mean, there's some who probably, 349 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,260 well, we're not electing a prince, 350 00:19:32,260 --> 00:19:33,720 we're electing a president. 351 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:35,560 Duh. 352 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,980 Same thing. 353 00:19:38,980 --> 00:19:42,440 They cannot save. 354 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:47,960 I don't care how passionate you are about either candidate. 355 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,480 And if they get elected, they're not going to save you. 356 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,000 They're not going to save anyone because they can't. 357 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,380 They can't. 358 00:19:58,380 --> 00:20:02,420 Isaiah says this, stop trusting in mere humans 359 00:20:02,420 --> 00:20:04,680 who have breath in their nostrils. 360 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,300 Why hold them in esteem? 361 00:20:07,300 --> 00:20:12,300 You know, there are reasons to hold some people in esteem, 362 00:20:12,300 --> 00:20:15,900 especially if you know them. 363 00:20:15,900 --> 00:20:19,960 But they just got breath in their nostrils. 364 00:20:20,860 --> 00:20:22,260 You ever met a famous person? 365 00:20:22,260 --> 00:20:24,320 You ever met a real famous person? 366 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:28,720 Okay, I have. 367 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,420 I don't know what the rest of you guys have been doing. 368 00:20:31,420 --> 00:20:34,660 But you know, if you meet them, 369 00:20:34,660 --> 00:20:37,640 and I don't just mean shake their hand or what, 370 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,920 oh, there he is, you know, or there she is. 371 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,520 But I mean, actually get to know them a little bit. 372 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,040 You know what you discover very quickly? 373 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,500 They're just a person. 374 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,040 They're just a person. 375 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,660 They got the same faults, the same fears, 376 00:20:55,660 --> 00:21:00,660 the same anxieties, the same issues that you have, 377 00:21:00,660 --> 00:21:03,320 or that other people have. 378 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,960 When we were in Zimbabwe back in the '80s, 379 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,660 I remember one of the things that Ezekiel Goudy, 380 00:21:11,660 --> 00:21:13,740 he was a man who led the church there, 381 00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:17,120 would say often that, you know, 382 00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:19,560 he finally said it enough that it got in here, 383 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,020 that it was just simply people are people. 384 00:21:22,020 --> 00:21:29,360 Famous people, obscure people, white people, 385 00:21:29,360 --> 00:21:33,600 black people, yellow people, rich people, poor people, 386 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,080 people are people. 387 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,940 They have the same things going on. 388 00:21:39,940 --> 00:21:44,080 And you say, yeah, but this is for this, 389 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:45,920 and this is for that, and this is a. 390 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,640 Here's another thing. 391 00:21:49,460 --> 00:21:51,440 They're both on the same team. 392 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:57,320 First John 5 19 says, we know that we are children of God 393 00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:00,560 and that the whole world is under the control 394 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,420 of the evil one, the world system. 395 00:22:02,420 --> 00:22:05,280 If you've been listening to Justin's teaching, 396 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:07,220 he calls it the beast system, 397 00:22:07,220 --> 00:22:10,040 you know, that's because he lifts weight and stuff. 398 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:14,320 But you know, I mean, the only reason I kind of want 399 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:15,920 to go there is because it kind of makes you think 400 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,580 about end times and revelations and stuff. 401 00:22:18,580 --> 00:22:22,740 It's been going on since Cain killed Abel. 402 00:22:22,740 --> 00:22:26,640 The world system, the lust of the flesh, 403 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,760 the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, 404 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:31,000 and that's what it's all about. 405 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:36,000 Red, blue, purple, rainbow, whatever. 406 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,320 That's what it's all about. 407 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:39,960 They're on the same team. 408 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,020 And none of the candidates are actually looking 409 00:22:42,020 --> 00:22:45,160 to bring the kingdom of God, 410 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,240 because that's not how the kingdom comes. 411 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:54,240 In World War II, every Nazi soldier had engraven 412 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:58,740 on their belt buckle, God with us. 413 00:22:58,740 --> 00:23:05,500 The Russian Empire's motto was God with us. 414 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:09,900 Our motto, a God we trust. 415 00:23:09,900 --> 00:23:12,800 We don't, but it's what our motto is. 416 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:17,300 [congregation speaking indistinctly] 417 00:23:17,300 --> 00:23:20,500 When Jesus was before Pilate, 418 00:23:20,500 --> 00:23:23,600 and asked about him being a king, 419 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,280 he said, "My kingdom is not of this world. 420 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:30,420 "If it were, my servants would fight 421 00:23:30,420 --> 00:23:32,900 "to prevent my arrest by the Jews. 422 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:36,980 "But now my kingdom is from another place." 423 00:23:36,980 --> 00:23:39,480 The world cannot bring the kingdom. 424 00:23:41,100 --> 00:23:42,660 Cannot bring the kingdom. 425 00:23:42,660 --> 00:23:48,020 The kingdom will ultimately be a political entity 426 00:23:48,020 --> 00:23:49,620 when the king returns. 427 00:23:49,620 --> 00:23:53,240 And as I interpret scripture, as I read scripture, 428 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:57,360 I feel like toward the end times, 429 00:23:57,360 --> 00:24:01,480 not an end time expert, but I've listened to a bunch of 'em, 430 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,600 toward the end times, and as I've read the scripture 431 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,440 for myself, things are gonna get so bad 432 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,240 that the earth itself is gonna be crying out, 433 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:14,640 "Come quickly, come, we need him." 434 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:18,140 And I find myself, especially as I get older, 435 00:24:18,140 --> 00:24:22,240 praying that more and more, "It's such a mess, God. 436 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:24,460 "There's no way we can sort this out. 437 00:24:24,460 --> 00:24:26,800 "We need our king." 438 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,780 And when he comes, then it'll be a political entity. 439 00:24:30,780 --> 00:24:32,660 It'll be manifested that way. 440 00:24:32,660 --> 00:24:36,140 But it is here even now. 441 00:24:36,140 --> 00:24:39,160 It's not out there, it's in here. 442 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,260 The kingdom of God is within you. 443 00:24:43,260 --> 00:24:47,980 Paul says over in Romans, the kingdom of God 444 00:24:47,980 --> 00:24:50,860 is not a matter of eating and drinking, 445 00:24:50,860 --> 00:24:55,500 but of righteousness, peace, and joy, and the Holy Spirit. 446 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:57,380 That's what the kingdom of God is. 447 00:24:57,380 --> 00:24:59,900 Those are things that the world cannot give. 448 00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:04,620 The world can't give peace. 449 00:25:04,620 --> 00:25:05,600 Look at it! 450 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,500 Seriously. 451 00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:12,500 On the night that he was betrayed, 452 00:25:12,500 --> 00:25:14,300 the day before he was going to the cross, 453 00:25:14,300 --> 00:25:16,340 Jesus said, "My peace I give to you, 454 00:25:16,340 --> 00:25:19,460 "I don't give the way the world gives. 455 00:25:19,460 --> 00:25:22,900 "I give something that's real. 456 00:25:22,900 --> 00:25:26,060 "I give something that can hold on." 457 00:25:26,060 --> 00:25:28,820 When you trust in man, let me just ask, 458 00:25:28,820 --> 00:25:32,280 and I'm not asking for a show of hands, 459 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,540 but when you think about this coming election 460 00:25:35,540 --> 00:25:38,000 and you think about your candidate winning 461 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:39,900 or the other candidate winning, 462 00:25:39,900 --> 00:25:44,640 does it cause peace and joy to well up inside of you? 463 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:49,280 Or does it cause anxiety? 464 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,360 It may be fear. 465 00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:53,420 It may be anger. 466 00:25:53,420 --> 00:25:59,120 Yeah, and that's something that we like to grab hold of. 467 00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:02,260 Yeah, this is gonna make it right. 468 00:26:02,260 --> 00:26:04,980 Yeah, we're gonna get this done right this time. 469 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:08,000 James says this. 470 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:15,120 Human anger does not produce the righteousness 471 00:26:15,120 --> 00:26:16,620 that God desires. 472 00:26:16,620 --> 00:26:20,920 Never has, never will. 473 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:22,220 Check me out on that. 474 00:26:22,220 --> 00:26:24,500 Study your history. 475 00:26:24,500 --> 00:26:27,660 Let's go to Athens. 476 00:26:27,660 --> 00:26:30,380 Final stop on this trip. 477 00:26:30,380 --> 00:26:33,180 The Jews from Thessalonica. 478 00:26:34,100 --> 00:26:36,380 You know, the Jews from Thessalonica, 479 00:26:36,380 --> 00:26:38,720 when Paul was in Thessalonica, they were going, 480 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:41,640 "These guys have caused trouble all over the world." 481 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,840 Well, when Paul goes to Berea, 482 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:47,220 the guys from Thessalonica come to Berea and cause trouble, 483 00:26:47,220 --> 00:26:50,220 'cause that's kind of the way that works. 484 00:26:50,220 --> 00:26:54,200 But they come and they stir up trouble, 485 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:58,440 and so the brothers immediately sent Paul on his way, 486 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,740 and he was invited to speak the Areopagus. 487 00:27:02,740 --> 00:27:05,280 These were the leaders there in Athens. 488 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:10,180 And he gives a rather lengthy exposition, 489 00:27:10,180 --> 00:27:12,620 they can call it a sermon teaching, whatever, 490 00:27:12,620 --> 00:27:16,060 but stand with me last time, 491 00:27:16,060 --> 00:27:18,740 and let's read this part of it. 492 00:27:18,740 --> 00:27:23,800 Therefore, since we are God's offspring, 493 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,700 we should not think that the divine being 494 00:27:26,700 --> 00:27:30,100 is like gold or silver or stone, 495 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:33,940 an image made by human design and skill. 496 00:27:33,940 --> 00:27:37,580 In the past, God overlooks such ignorance, 497 00:27:37,580 --> 00:27:42,580 but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 498 00:27:42,580 --> 00:27:46,340 for he has set a day when he will judge the world 499 00:27:46,340 --> 00:27:49,820 with justice by the man he has appointed. 500 00:27:49,820 --> 00:27:53,060 He has given proof of this to everyone 501 00:27:53,060 --> 00:27:56,000 by rising him from the dead. 502 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,380 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, 503 00:27:59,380 --> 00:28:02,340 some of them sneered, but others said, 504 00:28:02,340 --> 00:28:05,460 we wanna hear you again on this subject. 505 00:28:05,460 --> 00:28:09,320 At that, Paul left the council, you may be seated. 506 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:14,820 In Thessalonica, Paul taught that Messiah had to suffer 507 00:28:14,820 --> 00:28:18,420 and rise from the dead, and that he was accused 508 00:28:18,420 --> 00:28:19,420 of being one of these people 509 00:28:19,420 --> 00:28:21,820 who has turned the world upside down. 510 00:28:21,820 --> 00:28:27,140 In Athens, they were listening to this interesting thesis. 511 00:28:27,140 --> 00:28:31,140 This man seems very learned, very interesting, 512 00:28:31,140 --> 00:28:34,620 until Paul said he has given proof of this to everyone 513 00:28:34,620 --> 00:28:37,100 by raising him from the dead, 514 00:28:37,100 --> 00:28:40,420 and the resurrection of the dead broke up the meeting 515 00:28:40,420 --> 00:28:44,580 because the resurrection of the dead changes everything. 516 00:28:44,580 --> 00:28:47,580 The resurrection of Christ changes everything. 517 00:28:47,580 --> 00:28:50,860 That's what truly turns the world upside down. 518 00:28:50,860 --> 00:28:55,860 We get distracted by all the smoke and mirrors and issues 519 00:28:55,980 --> 00:28:59,980 and things going on, but the power of the resurrection 520 00:28:59,980 --> 00:29:01,940 is the power of new life. 521 00:29:01,940 --> 00:29:05,740 Jesus described it to Nicodemus this way. 522 00:29:05,740 --> 00:29:08,460 He said, you must be born again. 523 00:29:08,460 --> 00:29:14,540 And Paul wrote to the Corinthians and he said this, 524 00:29:14,540 --> 00:29:19,260 therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. 525 00:29:19,260 --> 00:29:21,580 The old has gone, the new is here. 526 00:29:23,260 --> 00:29:26,740 Before I came to Christ, before I really gave my life 527 00:29:26,740 --> 00:29:29,380 to Christ, before I began to really walk with him 528 00:29:29,380 --> 00:29:32,500 as an adult, my life was a train wreck. 529 00:29:32,500 --> 00:29:34,740 And I didn't know it. 530 00:29:34,740 --> 00:29:37,420 I mean, you know, I thought, boy, I don't wanna give my life 531 00:29:37,420 --> 00:29:39,620 to Christ 'cause that's gonna mess my life up. 532 00:29:39,620 --> 00:29:43,980 Truth of the matter is my life was a wreck. 533 00:29:43,980 --> 00:29:46,340 And then I gave my life to Christ, 534 00:29:46,340 --> 00:29:51,100 and I remember after a couple of years looking back 535 00:29:51,100 --> 00:29:56,100 and going, wow, I don't even know who that person was. 536 00:29:56,100 --> 00:29:59,980 This is something completely new. 537 00:29:59,980 --> 00:30:03,740 The things that had a hold on me before I came to Christ, 538 00:30:03,740 --> 00:30:05,660 and it didn't take a couple of years. 539 00:30:05,660 --> 00:30:07,980 When I came to Christ, the things that had a hold on me 540 00:30:07,980 --> 00:30:10,200 didn't have a hold on me anymore. 541 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,860 Now, I will say that, you know, there've been some things 542 00:30:13,860 --> 00:30:18,000 that he and I've been walking through and moving along with, 543 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,400 and I don't know, it might, it probably take 544 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:26,760 more than 74 years, but you know, 545 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:27,680 eventually we'll get there. 546 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:32,200 But there were other things that just went bam, gone, 547 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:36,240 changed completely when Christ entered in. 548 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:41,540 And this, folks, this is truly good news. 549 00:30:41,540 --> 00:30:44,440 Jesus said this, the Spirit of the Lord is on me 550 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,640 because he has anointed me to proclaim good news 551 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:48,560 to the poor. 552 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:50,800 You know, the poor don't hear much good news, 553 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,360 but they get it through him. 554 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,920 He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners 555 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,160 and recovery of sight for the blind, 556 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:03,520 to set oppressed, to set the oppressed free, 557 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:06,280 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 558 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:10,900 On a macro level, what the resurrection does 559 00:31:10,900 --> 00:31:14,780 is there is justice for the oppressed. 560 00:31:14,780 --> 00:31:17,300 There is, maybe not in this world, 561 00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:19,400 but there is justice. 562 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:20,940 There is peace. 563 00:31:20,940 --> 00:31:23,480 Oh my goodness. 564 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:29,660 You know, once again, I'm not gonna ask for a show of hands, 565 00:31:29,660 --> 00:31:35,400 but just ask yourself, who's been feeling anxiety lately? 566 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:40,960 Yeah, there's a chorus we used to sing, 567 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,600 and if I start singing it, Alan will join in with me. 568 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,520 Well, a number of you probably would. 569 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:50,940 It's so simple, so sweet. 570 00:31:50,940 --> 00:31:57,280 ♪ Turn your eyes upon Jesus ♪ 571 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:03,180 ♪ Look full in his wonderful face ♪ 572 00:32:03,180 --> 00:32:09,740 ♪ And the things of earth will grow strangely dim ♪ 573 00:32:14,060 --> 00:32:18,480 ♪ In the light of his glory and grace ♪ 574 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:23,680 And it's true. 575 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,880 It's absolutely true. 576 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:33,120 The prophet says he will keep in perfect peace. 577 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:35,400 You will keep in perfect peace 578 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,640 him whose mind has stayed on you. 579 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,440 He brings it. 580 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:41,360 It's perfect. 581 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:43,580 No more crying or suffering. 582 00:32:43,580 --> 00:32:45,120 That day's coming. 583 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:46,580 The first shall be last. 584 00:32:46,580 --> 00:32:48,380 The last shall be first. 585 00:32:48,380 --> 00:32:50,260 That's the world turned upside down. 586 00:32:50,260 --> 00:32:54,260 And even better on a micro level, 587 00:32:54,260 --> 00:32:58,260 the fearful don't need to fear any longer. 588 00:32:58,260 --> 00:33:01,540 There's nothing to be afraid of. 589 00:33:01,540 --> 00:33:06,580 The psalmist says, though the earth shake 590 00:33:06,580 --> 00:33:08,980 and the mountains fall into the high, 591 00:33:08,980 --> 00:33:11,640 the earth shake and the mountains fall into the heart 592 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,920 of the sea, we will not fear. 593 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:19,760 For God is with us and he is our ever present help 594 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:21,200 in times of trouble. 595 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:28,120 The addict, the prisoner is set free. 596 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:31,240 Whatever the addiction is, it could be alcohol. 597 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:32,200 It could be drugs. 598 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,180 It could be pornography. 599 00:33:34,180 --> 00:33:36,040 It could be Facebook. 600 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:40,740 It could be shopping, whatever the addiction may be 601 00:33:40,740 --> 00:33:44,500 that we try to fill that space 602 00:33:44,500 --> 00:33:47,920 that none of those things can fill. 603 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,640 Jesus has come to set us free. 604 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:53,760 Yeah. 605 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,140 The lonely. 606 00:33:56,140 --> 00:33:58,860 No longer alone. 607 00:33:58,860 --> 00:34:05,140 Oh, I'm with you always, even to the very ends of the age. 608 00:34:06,140 --> 00:34:10,060 The broken hearted are mended. 609 00:34:10,060 --> 00:34:12,560 And that's for death. 610 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:16,840 That's for death, it's been defeated. 611 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:19,080 That's some good news. 612 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:21,440 You know, I said, people will still die 613 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:22,440 after this election. 614 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:24,600 You can't go, well, of course people will still die. 615 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:25,840 Not everybody will. 616 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:28,400 Not everybody has to. 617 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:32,200 Because God loved the world so much 618 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:35,820 that he gave his one and only son 619 00:34:35,820 --> 00:34:38,820 that whoever believes on him, 620 00:34:38,820 --> 00:34:42,960 whoever puts their faith in him will not perish. 621 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:47,640 That means not die, but have everlasting life. 622 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:52,340 This really does change everything 623 00:34:52,340 --> 00:34:55,740 and will continue to do so until the end of time. 624 00:34:55,740 --> 00:35:01,700 So think about that when you step into the voting booth 625 00:35:01,700 --> 00:35:02,800 on Tuesday. 626 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:07,560 And think about that when you're out of the voting booth 627 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:10,620 and think about that when it seems like, 628 00:35:10,620 --> 00:35:12,440 I don't know how these bills are gonna get paid. 629 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:16,640 Think about that when it seems like things are against you 630 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:18,600 and turning against you. 631 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:22,860 Oh, turn your eyes upon Jesus. 632 00:35:22,860 --> 00:35:27,720 And the things of earth grow strangely dim. 633 00:35:27,720 --> 00:35:31,360 Worship team, you guys can come on out. 634 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,920 (audience member coughs) 635 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:35,840 Would you stand with me? 636 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:36,680 Let's stand. 637 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:42,000 And those who are going to pray for people, 638 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:44,640 if you'll come down front here. 639 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:51,980 I think we're doing that same song we did. 640 00:35:51,980 --> 00:35:54,280 We're gonna sing this beautiful song. 641 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:56,600 You know, I sometimes 642 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:00,600 almost kind of wish that we could go back 643 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:02,600 and do all the worship songs again 644 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,160 because the Holy Spirit ordained every one of them. 645 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:09,740 Sometimes I would let the worship team know 646 00:36:09,740 --> 00:36:11,940 I want such and such a song done, 647 00:36:11,940 --> 00:36:15,000 but they got tired of playing Saved by Bob Dylan. 648 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:17,840 (audience laughs) 649 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:24,520 But this week I went, I don't know what they ought to sing, 650 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:26,160 but the Holy Ghost sure did. 651 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,440 Bam, bam, bam. 652 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,000 If you need prayer for anything, 653 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:36,680 and I would especially, if there's anxiety in your life 654 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:38,840 about the future and what's coming up, 655 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:41,000 doesn't have to be the election. 656 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:42,960 If there's anxiety in your life, 657 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:46,160 I'd encourage you to come down 658 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:48,920 because these guys are qualified 659 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:51,360 to pray with you about anything. 660 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:53,040 They'll take it to the Lord. 661 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:54,640 Let's worship for a few minutes. 662 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:56,640 [music fades out]