Sermon
Day 3: The Defense of the Gospel (Part 1)
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. So today, the teaching is actually
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the defense of the gospel. What we want to talk
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about this afternoon is the defense of the gospel
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the defense of the gospel The defense of the
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gospel And now I like a few things as before
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progress writes before progress our light in
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a few things The scriptures, okay can we write
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that the scriptures answers to itself okay that
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the scriptures answers to itself meaning that
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scriptures are used to corroborate scriptures
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so when you read a scripture and you have a question
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is still the scriptures that will answer that
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question If we have a scripture, we have questions,
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it's still the scriptures that will answer that
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question. And you can see that in several patterns
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in Jesus' teaching, that scriptures will answer
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questions that arise from scriptures. And that
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is why when Jesus has been asked questions, as
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I think Pastor Victor and many other pastors
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that have been here that acknowledge their teaching,
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Already point us to how Jesus was answering questions,
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right? So they talk about marriage and Where
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did Jesus go to answer the question of marriage
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the scriptures? right, so Jesus did not stand
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out to put up a defense to say that I'm the one
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that have the revelation about marriage. She
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does not say we in the beginning I was there
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I was the one who did it who wrote it down that
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they should not be they should be male and female
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no he didn't say that right he said from the
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beginning he referred to them he referred to
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the scripture from the beginning the creation
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that's the way made male and female so even jesus
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in his answers to questions in his defense of
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the scriptures right quoted the scriptures or
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referred to the scriptures or more specifically
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thoughts from the scriptures. So we can say that
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it will be very unfair and unjust of us that
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we want to answer scriptural questions and we
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quote ourselves. Right? We quote ourselves. Now,
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there's a reason why I'm saying that because
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tomorrow we are going to deal with uh some theologies
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in quotes I call them I mean we also write them
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as theologies but they are not theologies because
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there's no other gospel right but some certain
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teachings when men refer to themselves even Jesus
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did not refer to a revelation Jesus never said
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I saw a revelation to answer a question but rather
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always refer him back in his temptation refer
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back to the scriptures in his encounter refers
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back with the Pharisees refers back to the scriptures.
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So the scriptures answers to itself. Now the
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defense of the scripture, our case scripture
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3, which is where we find that word defense of
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the scripture. 1 Peter chapter 3 verse, I will
1 Peter 3 chapter mention
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put it short. Verse 15. Verse 15. Verse 15, from
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verse 15, let's start reading. It's a, but sanctify
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the Lord in your hearts and be ready always to
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give an answer, right? Which scripture are you
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using? Always ready to give a defense. Okay,
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good. NKJV. All right, that works. So this, but
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sanctify the Lord in your hearts and always be
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ready to give a defense. to everyone who asks
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you a reason for the hope that is in you, with
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meekness and fear. With what? With meekness and
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fear. Having a good conscience that when they
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defame you as evildoers, those who revile your
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good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. We'll
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come to this later. Next verse. For it is better
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if it is the will of God sober for doing good
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than for doing evil. Go back to verse 15 Go back
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to verse 15. We'll come back to these other scriptures
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verse 15 It's about sanctify the Lord in your
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hearts and always be ready to give a defense
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Always be ready to give a defense To everyone
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who asks you a reason a reason so the defense
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of the gospel requires a reason right a reason
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the defense of the gospel requires a reason you
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cannot just say you know there was one time to
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say i'm apologize i'm unapologetic i just do
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it you know you can't just do it right you can't
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just do it whatever you do which is faith right
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what will do is faith are we together so when
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we do things there's an explanation in whichever
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expression there's an explanation in the scriptures
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why we do that so if someone asks you so that
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you can't be able to answer this is the reason
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this is the reason for the hope that is in me
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with meekness and fear now the word reason is
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the word apologia okay so we can write down the
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word reason is the word apologia So what I want
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to do is some levels of apologetics, right? Apologetics
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to explain, right? We are not a faith that cannot
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be explained by the scriptures. That's why I
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say the scripture itself answers to itself. The
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scriptures answer the questions that we have
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regarding the scriptures. So the word there is
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apology. Now, I've been studying faiths that
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we're going to talk about tomorrow. One of the
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major things that makes you know, right, that
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you might be in a cult, right, is when what you
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believe cannot be questioned and cannot be explained.
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Okay? When what you believe is something that
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is said, we just receive it, we don't question
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it, and we don't explain it, you are already
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in a cult. If you join them, you are in a cult.
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But the faith of Christ, Right? The third of
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Christ, we can question and receive explanations
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from the scriptures. Okay? We can question, ask
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questions, and receive explanations from the
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scripture. So that word, Apologia, it's a reasoned
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answer. It means a reasoned answer. Answer that
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is not just shabu -shabu answer, not quick fix
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answer, not Key points. It's not key point answer.
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It's a reasoned answer. A verbal defense. This
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is where we're going. This is what we will do.
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We will give a reasoned answer, a verbal defense,
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a reasoned explanation. As I said, in this kind
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of explanation, you will explain, but you will
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not be tired. You will explain and explain and
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you keep explaining. This is what we are called
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to do. As I said, we will preach the word until
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the end of time. We'll keep doing it. We won't
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get tired, because that is what we have been
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called to do. So it's a reasoned answer, a verbal
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defense, a reasoned explanation, right? It does
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not mean apologizing for being a Christian. OK,
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so you can write it out. It doesn't mean I'm
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trying to apologize. No. If I'm giving an explanation,
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I'm helping you to clear your confusion. So it
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is not apologizing for being. It's not like you're
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giving excuse. No, no, no, no, no, no. Apologia
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is not excuse. It's reason understanding. You
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are opening the minds of people to know why you
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believe what you have believed. A reason explanation,
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and it does not mean apologizing for being. Rather,
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it is actually a thoughtful biblical explanation.
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A thoughtful biblical explanation. All right.
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So is it thoughtful biblical explanation? It
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is given the reason for the faith that we have
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in Christ. It is given a reason for the faith
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that we have in Christ. Now, notice that Peter
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will not, right? Peter will not assume, okay?
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Peter will not, okay. All right, Peter will not
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assume, right, to say that give a reason when
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there will be nobody to ask you. So what it means
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is that Peter knew that where these people are,
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the context of first Peter, right? Okay, maybe
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you should go to chapter one. You will see that
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is a place where people would ask you for the
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reason of the faiths that you have in Christ.
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Now, first Peter. chapter 1 verse 1 Peter an
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apostle of Jesus Christ to the stranger scattered
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Right you see those who he's writing to right
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to the stranger scattered through out Pontus,
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Dalatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bethany Elect according
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to the full knowledge of God the Father through
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sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and
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sprinkling of the blood of Christ Grace unto
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you, and peace be multiplied. So, he's talking
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about believers that are what? Scattered abroad.
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Right? He's not talking about believers that
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are in Jerusalem. Even in Jerusalem, people are
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asking them questions. But he's not talking about
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people that are scattered abroad. That people
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that didn't know, people that are in places where
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they've never probably heard about who Jesus
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was. Places maybe they've never heard about the
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faith of Christ. To Asia, to Brittany, to places.
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that the message of the gospel might not have
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been preached, right? So it therefore means that
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you will be asked questions, right? So this is
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the background. So therefore to say that they
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should be ready to give an explanation means
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that people will ask them questions, okay? So
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we cannot be Christians that people cannot ask
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questions. We cannot be believers that people,
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people must ask you questions. They must ask
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you questions about your faith. That is when
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you know that you are in the faith. I mean, that's
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a signal that it's obvious now, like in your
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conduct, in your lifestyle and everything you
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do, people are, this one is a believer. Let's
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ask her about the kingdom of God. So at your
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workplace, be excited, be ready for people to
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say, ah, what do you think about death? What
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do you think about heaven? What do you think
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about, you know? Life after dates. I have a very
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special person in school that always asks me
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that question. Just comes lunchtime, just starts
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asking those questions. And I'm excited to answer
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him. And one thing I also do is I said, this
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is what you believe, which we are going to come
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there. We're going to come to that. I say, this
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is what you believe. This is what you believe.
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Thank you. All right. This is what you believe.
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And I tell him, this is what we. Christian belief,
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right? You see, drawing that boundary would help
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us very well. Sometimes we are scared. What if
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I tell him that is what I believe and his belief
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is different? No, when it comes to apologia,
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we're gonna teach us how to approach someone
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and say, this is my stand, right? This is your
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own stand. We are not standing on the same footing,
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right? So people will ask the question. So in
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this life, as a believer, always be ready that
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people will ask you, don't hide. right don't
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hide sometimes we used to hide right don't hide
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in fact sometimes when we start reading the scripture
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we will see that intentionally people call will
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go to a place so that they were asking questions
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why because he has an intention to give an explanation
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of the scriptures it will intentionally start
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the conversation that will lead to them asking
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him questions and he will preach So every opportunity
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we can be asked questions. So it therefore means
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that we will be asked questions and we have to
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give an explanation. We have to give an explanation.
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Let's go to Jude 3. During the course of the
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last three weeks of one month, the good driver,
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Pastor Fred, started the foundation of this.
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So Jude 3. Can I go to Jude 3? Jude 3. Beloved,
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while I was very diligent to write to you concerning
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our common salvation, I found it necessary to
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write to you, exhorting you to contend earnestly
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for the fates, which was once all delivered to
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the saints, right? To contend earnestly for the
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faith that was once delivered to us, the saints.
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So it therefore means that in these faiths that
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we have, right? We are going to face people.
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That is one thing we must know, right? We are
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going to face people that will ask us questions
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and we have to contend for the faiths. So we're
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gonna face people they're gonna access series
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of questions series of question series of question
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Okay, all right so therefore means that we must
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be ready right at all times to give an answer
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To defend the faiths that we have to defend the
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faith that we have. Now, please, can you tell
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me which of the words that I translate to as
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Apologia? The reason, right? Can you go back
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to that scripture, please? Can you go back to
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1 Peter 3 verse 15? 1 Peter 3 verse 15. Use KJV,
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let me see. Okay, and be ready to always give
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an answer. Okay, the word answer is actually
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the apologia. So please, can you correct that,
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right? The word answer is actually the word apologia,
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right? The word answer is actually the one that
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carries the word apologia. And the word reason
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is logos, which is the word, right? Explanation,
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right? So the word answer, please correct that,
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is the apologia. The word reason is the logos.
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So it means that the word answer, okay, is the
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apologia. The word logos is the reason. Means
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that it is something that is explained, spoken,
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talked, okay? Means that something that is explained,
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something that is spoken, something that is talked,
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right? Something that is talked. So the answer
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is the apologia that we are providing. for the
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people the apologia there we are explaining and
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we are using logos which is word to explain the
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reason of our faith so it means like this altered
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speech the logos is altered speech right what's
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that is being said right the saints the saints
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and we know that this same is the same that is
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found in the word of god okay this logos is the
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same the teachings the words that is found in
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god all right so We can come together to say
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that we should be ready to give an answer, Apologia,
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to anyone who asks us to give an answer for the
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reason why we believe what we believe. It means
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that we have to give an explanation. So this
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is what is expected in the life of every believer.
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Now let's go to Acts 23. Acts 23. Acts 23, from
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verse 1. Acts 23 from verse one. Okay, go to
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26. Go to 26. I wanna show us an example. This
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one, 23 will be very long. Go to 26. Because
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if we go to 23, we have to read the long, little
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bit long. Just go to 26. Then Agrippa said unto
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Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.
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Then Paul stretched forth the hand and answered
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for himself. Paul stretched forth his hand and
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did what? And answered for himself. So Paul actually
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has been arrested, right? The context of this
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is that Apostle Paul has been arrested, right,
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for preaching the gospel. And you know, the same
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pattern. Jesus was arrested, right? Accusations
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was placed before him, right? And they bring
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him before Herod, okay? It's the same pattern.
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Paul preached the gospel, was arrested, and they
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brought him before Agrippa. Agrippa is also King
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Herod, just having a title, Agrippa II. So the
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same pattern, right, is what is happening here.
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So he has been brought before two leaders, right?
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It was before first two in verse... In chapter
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25, right? In chapter 25, you go from verse 23.
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And on the morning when Agrippa was come and
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Bennis, the great Tom, and was entered into the
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place of the hearing, the chief and the captains
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and principal men of the city, at Fester's commandment,
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Paul was brought forth, right? Paul was brought
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forth. And Fester said, King Agrippa, all men
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which are here present with us, And yet see this
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man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews
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have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem and also
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here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
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Does it sound like what he did to Jesus? Does
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it sound like what he did to Jesus? Yes. So a
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servant is not greater than his master. Example
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in Paul's life. What he did to Jesus, he did
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to Paul. So they said he ought not to leave the
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Jews They said he ought not to leave from Jerusalem
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and those that are here. But when I found that
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He had committed nothing worthy of death. Does
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he also sound a game like what's happened to
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Jesus before Pontus Pilate? Are we together?
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It's a pattern said I find nothing in the in
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the in the life of this man that is worthy of
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death He's about argument and debates about your
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Jewish rights about what concerns you, and is
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only stating his point of view, his position
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on the matter of faith, why should it be put
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to death? You know, Romans, they reason. Romans,
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they reason. So they can't find anything. In
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fact, from their own point of view, to debate
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in theaters is a normal system of, you know,
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whatever development they have, philosophies
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and all of that. So for him to stay the position
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is not a crime. So they couldn't find anything.
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So the same thing here, after Festus has examined
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him, of course it was from Felix, now Festus.
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What I found out that he had committed not in
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worthy of death, and that he himself had appealed
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to Augustus, I have determined to send him, of
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whom I have no certain thing to write on to my
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Lord. Wherefore I have brought him before you,
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especially before the old King Agrippa, that
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after examination had, other examination had
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I might have so much to write for it seemed to
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me unreasonable to send a prisoner not and not
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without to signify the crimes laid what against
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him means there was no crime against him right
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it means to defend the gospel to preach the gospel
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there's no it's not a crime even in you know
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the Roman system and now it's not a crime because
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this is what Paul did. Then Agrippa said unto
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Paul, thou art permitted to speak for thyself.
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Then Paul straight forth the hand and answer
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it for himself. I think myself happy, King Agrippa,
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because I shall answer for this day before thee
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touching all things, whereof I am accused of
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the Jews. Right? So Paul was there to do what?
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To give an answer. Now, do you think Paul was
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there to give an answer pertaining himself? No,
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Paul wasn't there to give an answer pertaining
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himself. He was actually there to preach to them
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again, to give an explanation of the gospel again.
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Right? To give an explanation of the gospel.
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Now observe, especially because I know you need
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to be an expert in our customs and questions,
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which are among the Jews. Right? So it's a matter
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pertaining to questions and customs among the
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Jews. Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
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My manner of life from my youth, which was the
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first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know
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all the Jews. So they knew him, and the kind
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of person he was, which knew me from the beginning,
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which they would testify that after the most
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strictest sets of our religion, I leave a Pharisee.
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And now I stand and I'm judged for the hope of
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the promise made of God unto our fathers. Started
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explaining. I am being judged on the hope that
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God made, on the hope of the promise that God
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made to our Father. So Paul was standing there
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and explaining to Agrippa an explanation he has
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done in several places and giving an apology
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of why he believed what he believed, right? Onto
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which promise our 12 tribes and we're going to
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speak and in verse 9 it says I've already taught
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with myself that I ought to do many things I've
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already told myself that I ought to do many things
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contrary to the name of Jesus which thing I do
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I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints
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did shut up in prison having received the authority
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from Christ from chief priests and when they
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put to death and they were put to death including
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steven I gave my voice against them and I punished
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them and he explained all of this now verse 14
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and when uh no no from from verse 12 whereupon
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as i went to damascus to continue the persecution
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with authority and commission from the chief
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priest at midday okay i saw the way a light from
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heaven above the brightness of the sun shining
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around me and then and we then we journeyed with
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me and when we were all falling to the earth
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i heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in
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the hebrew language in the british Saul Saul,
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why persecuted thou me? It is hard to kick against
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the pricks, right? So we had that reading as
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well. Now let's see, he quoted Jesus, let's look
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to verse 19. Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was
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not disobedient unto this heavenly vision, but
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showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem,
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and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then
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to the Gentiles, that they should repent and
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turn to God, and do works meets for repentance.
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To do works meets for repentance. For these causes,
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verse 21, the Jews caught me in the temple and
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then they were about to what? To kill me. Right?
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So he wasn't saying anything than the fact that
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he had an encounter with Christ and that encounter
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changed him. because this is what was promised.
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That encounter changing and onto that, because
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he's preaching in this name, that is why they
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have found him. Now he started explaining that
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long verses and the explanation continue. Now
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let's see, let's see something that happened
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in verse 24. Verse 24. I think I'd like to read
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from verse number two, sorry. Having therefore
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obtained help of God, I continued on to this
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day, witnessing both to small and great, saying
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none other things than those which the prophets
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and Moses did say should come. Again, explaining
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that this is what has been promised to the Father,
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this is what the prophets said, this is what
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I am saying. So the explanation of Paul was also
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in accordance to what has been written. in the
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scriptures. Are we together? So Paul's explanation
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is also in alignment to what has been written
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in the scriptures, right? So the apologia of
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Paul is from what has been written in the scriptures.
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What has been written in the scriptures. Verse
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23, that Christ should suffer and that he should
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be the first that should rise from the dead and
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show and should show lights unto the people and
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to who? The Gentiles. To show light on the people
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and the Gentiles. And I suspect for himself in
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an apologian explanation answer to why he's been
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held. What did Fester said? Fester said with
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a loud voice, Paul thou art beside thyself. Much
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learning doth make thee mad. Now, This okay much
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learning much may be mad now then restore faces,
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but I said I am not mad most noble festers but
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speak forth the words of truth and words and
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Sobhan is for the king knoweth this things for
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whom I speak freely Right and the students have
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said King Agrippa believers believers now the
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prophets. I know now believers So God give an
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explanation that's made people that make festers
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to say you are you are out of your mind like
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you are out of your mind and he said no i'm not
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out of my mind Agrippa think Agrippa can bear
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witness to these things that it has been said
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by the prophets right because don't forget he
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said you are a man that knows about the customs
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are we together so we are the man that knows
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about the custom and Agrippa and he asked him
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you see a very way to catch someone when you
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are doing evangelism after you have said everything
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don't wait for the person to say what now no
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no no wait for the person to say what now you
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cannot preach and you wait for the person to
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say what now basically i tell you that's a good
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speech you know i like that i like rito i've
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seen people said that yes i'm telling you really
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i've seen people say you do as a believer you
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don't wait you ask them straight do you believe
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do you believe right you don't wait Some people
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say, wow, that was a good speech. In this environment,
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it's quite common. They can come to your church,
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and they will hear the sound. So you guys play
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good music. I like the dance in church. I like
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the way people clap in church. Please don't accept
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those things. Ask the person, do you believe?
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When the person tells you, I like the way you
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guys dress on Sunday to church, you guys are,
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that's an opportunity. So really, you like the
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way we dress to church? Let me tell you why we
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dress to church like that. Then you preach the
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gospel. and you explain, you ask the person,
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do you believe? Now let's see what Agrippa said,
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Agrippa verse 27, King Agrippa, believers thou
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the prophets and I know that thou believers,
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and Agrippa said unto Paul, almost thou persuades
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me to be a Christian, almost persuaded me to
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be a Christian. It means that, this is what it
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means, let me tell you what this means, it means
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that Paul presented every evidence with doubts,
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doubts. It means that beyond the reasonable doubts,
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you know, beyond the reasonable doubts, Paul
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presented that Christ is the Messiah and through
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him, the penance, forgiveness of sins will be
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given. He presented beyond the, but because of
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the hardness of man, He said, you almost persuaded
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me. I don't know why Agrippa didn't believe,
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probably because Festus was there, probably because
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of the culture and the people was. Sometimes,
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you know, leaders, they don't want to believe
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in a public place, right? They like to, you know,
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it's pride. So what we see here is that beyond
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reasonable doubts, two people, one said is mad.
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Because for you to collect those things together,
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your mind must really be beyond. You must have
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a supernatural mind to bring that together. And
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then, So what we see is that in our apologia,
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people must be persuaded. They will not reach
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halfway. You can say to yourself, in my explanation
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of the gospel to someone, they will be persuaded.
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They will be persuaded. They will come to believe.
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They will come to believe. They will come to
-
believe. So, let's go to Acts chapter seven,
-
verse one. Acts chapter seven, verse one. Again,
-
then said the high priests, are these things
-
so? So they were asking Stephen, right? They
-
were asking Stephen, after all the accusations
-
around him, right? So, it is expected, you know,
-
Mbemfaba will still come there. Part of the things
-
that come with apologia, explaining the scripture,
-
is persecution. In these two cases, they are
-
calling them to explain. The expectation of the
-
Jews is that maybe they will change their mind
-
about what they believe, and then we will preserve
-
them. But Paul and Stephen did not change their
-
mind. And they said these things, and then the
-
hybrid said, are these things so? And he said,
-
men and brethren, fathers hacking the God of
-
glory appeared onto our father Abraham again
-
referring to what God has promised us for time.
-
He has promised a long time ago when he was in
-
Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Cairo. Now look
-
at those people they are not just quoting John
-
3 .16 like are you getting it? It's not just
-
one scripture they are coming from the Old Testament,
-
from the prophets, to begin to explain in detail
-
about the message of the gospel. So the Apologous
-
Gospel is the detailed explanation beyond reasonable
-
doubt. The detailed explanation beyond reasonable
-
doubt. So it says, God appeared unto our father
-
Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he
-
dwelt in Corinth and said unto him, get the out
-
of their country now this explanation went okay
-
until verse 53 verse what 53 so they were listening
-
to a preaching an explanation a defense of the
-
gospel that was what they listened to a defense
-
of the gospel the answer of steven to what they
-
were asking him. So the defense of the gospel
-
is very long. You should be prepared. So if you
-
want to give up, it's not something you just
-
quickly, that's why we say, that's why we see
-
that. You see that in this church we pay attention
-
a lot to teachings. As much as we can do anything
-
on a Sunday service, on a Sunday service, the
-
teaching time remains what? At least one hour,
-
if you have observed. Because the explanation
-
of the gospel, has to be detailed. The reason
-
is because you don't want to leave the person
-
in confusion. And that's why Pastor Victor was
-
saying that such kind of an explanation or a
-
teaching that does not explain the gospel cannot
-
produce life, cannot produce eternal life, cannot
-
produce faith in someone. So you have to be detailed
-
in your explanation of the gospel, in the answer
-
that you give people. So we say that people will
-
ask us questions, right? People will ask us questions.
-
It might be for persecution. It might be for
-
people to know, right? But one thing that is
-
certain is that they will ask questions. Now
-
let's see some demonstrations of explanation
-
of the gospel in the Old Testament, right? So
-
it's like more or less tracing themes of apologetics
-
in the Old Testament. Answers where people are
-
being taught. or told, or there's a practice
-
of it in the Old Testament. So most of the time
-
we want to pick it from there because whatever
-
we are doing today that we found in the New Testament,
-
right, must have been found in the Old Testament
-
as well, what we call the Old Testament text.
-
So we can trace something in the Deuteronomy
-
6 verse 20 to 25. Deuteronomy 6 verse 20 to 25.
-
good and when thy son asketh thee in time to
-
come saying what mean the testimonies and the
-
statutes and the judgments which the Lord our
-
God at commanded you so it means that you they'll
-
wake up one day and begin to say why do we observe
-
the Passover what is the Passover for why do
-
we keep the showbread why do we have all of this
-
then thou shall say unto thy son we were once
-
pharaohs born men in egypt and the lord brought
-
us out of egypt with a mighty hand stop that's
-
that's that's a picture of god's salvation so
-
it is from here they'll begin to explain to them
-
this is what happened to us and this is the message
-
now go to verse 22 Verse 22 and the Lord show
-
signs and wonders great and so upon Egypt upon
-
Pharaoh and upon all the household before our
-
eyes next and it brought us out from this that
-
he might bring us in to give us the land which
-
is swore unto our fathers and the Lord commanded
-
us to do all the statues to fear the Lord our
-
God for our good always that he might preserve
-
us alive as it is at this day and five and he
-
shall be our righteousness if we observe all
-
to do all these commandments before the Lord
-
our God as he has commanded us so we see that
-
he said that a generation will come and you would
-
need to give an explanation of why you are doing
-
what you're doing right a generation will come
-
we'll come to that when we start picking why
-
we need apologetics we will come to that we'll
-
come back to this scripture again all right exodus
-
12 26 to 27 the same scriptures exodus 12 26
-
to 27 just write that down exodus 12 26 to 27
-
exodus 13 verse 14 so here verse 12 says, what
-
mean ye by this service? So it will be practices,
-
it will be service, it will be whatever they
-
do as a nation. 13 verse 14, Exodus 13 verse
-
14. And shall be when thy son access thee in
-
time to come, what is this? That thou shall see
-
unto them by the strength of the Lord, by the
-
strength of hand, the Lord brought us out of
-
Egypt from the house of bondage. Again. explaining
-
so you can just write those scriptures down the
-
scriptures down joshua 4 6 to 7 joshua 4 6 to
-
7 observe that observe that in this explanation
-
is like some things were set in place and those
-
things triggered a question okay some things
-
were set in place and those things triggered
-
a question So when it comes to apology, it might
-
be your lifestyle that somebody will just see
-
and will ask you, why are you living like this?
-
Why are you not the aggressive type? Why are
-
you not the one that just live without principle?
-
Why are you so kind? Why are you so loving? So
-
through that, you find the means by which you
-
can explain extensively why we believe. words
-
we believe so just four six to seven it tells
-
you that there were stones right uh that this
-
may be a sign among you that when a children
-
asks the same thing what's minutes these stones
-
in this case stones stones now some 78 verse
-
128 my people to my law and incline your ears
-
to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth
-
in a parable and I'll utter dark sayings of old
-
which we have heard and known and our fathers
-
have told us we will not hide them from their
-
children we will not hide them from their children
-
showing to the generation to come the praises
-
of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful
-
works that he had done wonderful works that he
-
had done for he established a testimony in Jacob
-
and appointed the law in Israel and he commanded
-
our father that we should make them what known
-
to our children right known to our children now
-
let's write these other scriptures Micah 6 1
-
to 5 Micah 6 1 to 5 I'm also going to give one
-
again these ones are teachings right This was
-
our teachings, teachings, teachings, teachings.
-
Let's say one that the defense of the gospel,
-
right? You know, it's almost the only example
-
that it happened in a very practical way, right?
-
In a very practical way. Let's go to 1 Kings
-
18, 1 Kings 18 20 to 39, where the prophets who
-
has been preaching to them, right? 1 Kings 18
-
verse 32, 39. If you're there. Now, so here I've
-
sent all the children of Israel and gathered
-
the prophets, and they came onto Mount Camel.
-
And Elijah came onto all the people and said,
-
how long holds here between two opinions? If
-
the Lord be God, follow him. But if bow, then
-
follow him. And the people answered him, not
-
a word. Then Elijah said unto the people, I,
-
even I only remain a prophet of the Lord, but
-
Baal's prophets are 450 men. Let them therefore
-
give us two bullocks. Let them choose one bullock
-
for themselves and cut it into pieces and lay
-
it on the wood. And put no fire under it, and
-
I will dress the other bullock and lay it on
-
the wood and put no fire under it. next and call
-
you on the name of your gods and I will call
-
you on the name of the Lord and the God that's
-
answered by fire let him be God and all the people
-
answered and say it is well spoken right in this
-
case there is no teaching right in that sense
-
but what we observe is that he was providing
-
evidence to them by signs I want us to say that
-
God is God right God is God so that's a demonstration
-
demonstration so we can say that in apologia
-
right in explaining the demonstration of the
-
spirits okay the demonstration of the spirits
-
can aid in our explanation of the gospel or will
-
aid us in our explanation of the gospel the demonstration
-
of the spirits so you are teaching someone about
-
jesus and you have preached to the person and
-
you call the person and say, can I pray with
-
you? You hold the person's hand and the person
-
receives instant healing. So the demonstration
-
of the spirit comes with, can hear those or will
-
hear those in the explanation of the gospel,
-
in our prologue. Good. Now let's go back to 1
-
Peter 3, 15. Let's go back to that first Peter,
-
which is our key scripture. It says, was sanctifying
-
the Lord in your hearts. Now let's talk about
-
sanctifying the Lord in our hearts, right? Santification,
-
I don't know. What does this mean? It is simply
-
to set the Lord aside, is a form of a consecration,
-
right? So what this means is that above all,
-
right? There is a place. where you have a concentration
-
that's any time you are ready to give an apology,
-
an explanation, an answer about the gospel. So
-
again, let me say it. Being ready to give an
-
answer about the gospel is concentration and
-
is sanctification. You are sanctifying yourself.
-
Being ready always to give an answer about the
-
message of the gospel is your concentration,
-
is your sanctification. It means you are set
-
aside. It means all the ideologies in this world.
-
You are set aside that when you are called, when
-
you are asked, you are ready to give. So that
-
is consecration. Because that is why I say, but
-
sanctify the Lord in your hearts. In today's
-
world, you say the Lord has a special place in
-
my heart. He has a special place that if you
-
just touch any wrong doctrine, I would be kind
-
to explain to you that you are not representing
-
God well in your teaching. So it means that you
-
are ready. You are ready. It's not being apprehensive,
-
but being ready. You are just ready to teach
-
someone. You are ready for someone's knowledge
-
to increase and come to faith. So that sanctification
-
there means when you are able to give an explanation,
-
It means you are putting yourself in a state
-
of consecration. Now, it matches with Isaiah
-
8, verse 13. So we can go to Isaiah 8, verse
-
13. Isaiah 8, verse 13. It says, sanctify the
-
Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear,
-
and let him be your dread. Sanctify the Lord
-
of hosts himself. Now, this is a situation. where
-
they were facing enemies. And it says, sanctify
-
the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your
-
dread. So it means that you hold on. Now go to
-
verse 20. Let me read them together. Verse 20.
-
It says, so the law unto the testimony, if they
-
speak not according to the words, it is because
-
there is no light in them. If we read it a little
-
bit. me open them from my scriptures then we
-
can get a little bit of a context of what is
-
happening there and then we can build on that
-
so it's like they're facing uh isa 8 sorry let's
-
open it quickly all right good so if you read
-
from verse Verse one, so the Lord said unto me,
-
take thee a great school, a great rule, and write
-
it in a man's pen, consigning Melchaleh as bash.
-
And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record
-
Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of, the
-
name is there, right? Verse three said, I went
-
unto the prophetess and she conceived. Now this
-
is in a situation of distress, actually, in Israel,
-
right? It's in a situation. of distress. Of course
-
we know Isaiah was talking about where they were
-
in distress. Now verse 7 says, now therefore
-
be you the Lord bring upon thee the waters of
-
the river and the waters of the river strong
-
and many even the king of Assyria and all is
-
glory and he shall come up over all the channels
-
and go over all the banks and he shall pass through
-
Judah he shall overflow and go over and go over
-
he shall reach even to the neck of the outstretched.
-
Right so the whole context here right is Israel
-
right being in distress Israel being in exile
-
and this is Isaiah prophesying and verse from
-
verse 11 says for the Lord spake thus to me with
-
a strong hand and instructed me that I should
-
not walk in the way of these people saying saying
-
not a confederacy to all them to whom these people
-
shall say a confederacy neither fear their fear
-
nor be afraid was sanctified the Lord right so
-
it's like holding on to the God's testimony in
-
a circumstance right holding on to God's testimony
-
in a circumstance if you keep reading it says
-
and it shall be for a sanctuary but for I shall
-
be for a sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling
-
and a rock of offense to both the house of Israel
-
and for a jinn and for its net to the inhabitants
-
of Jerusalem and many among them shall stumble
-
and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken
-
bite of the testimonies to seal the law among
-
my disciples so it's mainly emphasizing if people
-
set aside right sanctify the Lord our voice himself
-
and letting be your fear so the fear here right
-
is talking about reverencing God in a circumstance
-
okay so reverencing God in a circumstance so
-
we can say that to be ready to give an account
-
of the gospel is actually a reverence to God
-
in that circumstance. So be ready to give an
-
account and explain the teaching and say this
-
is what the scripture says is actually reverence
-
to God. So if you want to reverence God, if you
-
want to honor God, if you want to fear God in
-
the words of Isaiah is that you are always willing
-
to give an account. Now let's now see, the next
-
thing is, why do we need apologetics? Is it just
-
for the fun of it? Is it just to show that I
-
know Bible? No, definitely not. Definitely not.
-
Why do we need apologetics? That's the next subheading.
-
Why should I be so engrossed in the scriptures
-
that I can explain the scriptures from Genesis
-
to Malachi and to Revelation talking about the
-
message of God? Why? Why is it important? Why
-
is it important? The first thing is that a generation
-
would rise. A new generation would rise. Or I
-
think I wrote it there, a new generation will
-
always rise. A new generation will always rise.
-
Today you have, I mean, let's even use the scientific
-
way of saying it. You have Gen Z, right? After
-
Gen Z will be done, you have Gen Alpha, right?
-
It means that new people would come. Right? And
-
they will come, a new generation will always
-
rise. Just like the children of Israel are the
-
new generation that knew not the law or what
-
God has done. And that is why they were instructed,
-
write it down. Let the stones be there. Let the
-
book be here. Let the statues be there. Why?
-
So that even before you say you want to teach,
-
your children will do what? They will ask, why
-
are we doing this? Right? Why are we doing this?
-
So a new generation will always rise. Now we
-
are a new generation. This generation is totally
-
different from mine. In my generation, I mean,
-
I'm still very young. I think the way I'm saying
-
it is looking as if I'm old. But being in, let's
-
say, in my 20s, let's wait. I think we can say
-
that now, right? Being in my 20s, you can say
-
that now, right? Sometimes I used to feel myself
-
still very young. Now, in my own 20s, Which,
-
of course, even before my 20s, the zeal and passion
-
we have for God, I beg to say that is different
-
from this generation. I really do beg to say
-
that the zeal that we have, this generation looks
-
a little bit cold. I'm sorry to say. Now we didn't
-
have all the revelation. We just had one thing.
-
Jesus followed. That's it. We were reading all
-
manner of books. We fell into the ones that are
-
good. We came out. We fell into the ones that
-
are good. We held on to it. So we fell into the
-
ones that are bad. We came out. The ones that
-
are dangerous. Then one thing we held on to this
-
one. Right? In my own time, they don't, they
-
don't compare you to come to church. You want
-
to be in church. Like they don't have to, you
-
know, you have to save money. They don't tell
-
you to save money. You trick. It's not a joke.
-
We trick from Goyeli to Fuwa. They are here,
-
at least people that were here. And it's not
-
here we started. We started from far back home.
-
where you go and carry the speaker with your
-
head. I'm not saying that you should not desire
-
comfort in this time, but when it's not available,
-
then stretch. Stretch. So a generation will come.
-
In fact, the way we did, you know, now we're
-
saying, okay, rich canonicals, we're trying to
-
push each other. Some of us came here three months
-
in Cyprus to down the Bible. I'm not kidding.
-
What were you doing? You go to school, you go
-
to church, you come back home. Where? No club,
-
nothing. They don't do anything. No social activities.
-
We're sitting down. So sometimes I try to understand
-
the zeal. So it means that in this generation,
-
we need to do what? To teach the zeal of my father's
-
house. Right? We need to do what? We need to
-
teach the zeal of God's house. We need to teach
-
it again. I remember sometimes we were going
-
to meet in Pastor Frey's house. That time, now
-
the transfer system is very good in Cyprus. right
-
we have class now that time going early boss
-
will stop at seven seven thirty and we'll have
-
meeting in pacifist house in probably in other
-
coin or yenikent area and we are living in merits
-
i know some of you two are doing that tricks
-
now so we'll get bishop will carry a guitar we'll
-
be singing and be trekking till we get to merits
-
but some people got started knowing us that these
-
people always come back playing guitar and all
-
of that and I'm saying that this thing did not
-
started here what happened here in this is because
-
we already had the zeal and the truth about the
-
matter is another generation will rise truly
-
not maybe because it's not about zeal or maybe
-
because it's a generation where is the internet
-
generation every gospel everything is online
-
right your short message is the someone that
-
works for you you know attention span all of
-
the it therefore means that we need to explain
-
the zeal again of my father's house to us right
-
so generations will come and things will change
-
but one thing that must be consistent that we
-
must keep emphasizing the importance of the gospel
-
we must keep emphasizing now it's better i don't
-
know their generation i'm praying for them you
-
know trusting god That is why it is not wrong
-
for them to be praying now. So that when they
-
grow, they'll say, daddy, what is these tongues?
-
Then we can teach, right? Why do we go to church?
-
Then we can explain, right? Because that is the
-
way they will be preserved. So generations will
-
come. Generations will come. And things will
-
change. Many systems will change. So we must
-
be ready. Right, I think it was first was saying
-
past I was asking about some questions that didn't
-
come out From the scriptures stretch on that.
-
It is not a context of Paul or Peter But yet
-
we have to from the wisdom of the scripture answer
-
those questions is the same explain Just like
-
pastor Fred pastor Victor did The bunting or
-
the feminist and all those ideologies and those
-
supremacists and all of that. We must be able
-
from the scripture to explain what is the will
-
of God. So, Apologia, therefore, is for us to
-
be ready for energy. Now, the word of God, the
-
scripture, is transgenerational. You must acknowledge
-
that. So, whether you are A, B, C, D, E, F, depending
-
on the category they put you, or you are the
-
one that live wilderness and you are the one
-
that is entering Canaan, it doesn't matter. The
-
word of God is transgenerational. Therefore,
-
it will stand. So it is for any generation. Any
-
generation. Therefore, that's why we have to
-
repeat it. We don't have to update it. Those
-
ones that are trying to make it the language
-
of today, try to make it, the Lord is my friend.
-
We. They are putting in, the Lord is my shepherd.
-
They are changing it to something else. There
-
are translations, if you touch. Yes. They are
-
giving things like that. So you have to avoid
-
all of those things. You don't need to keep it
-
the way it is. So we must keep it our soul. That
-
is one. A new generation will come and they deserve
-
thoughtful answers. Now you must know that you
-
owe the generation to come a thoughtful answer
-
about the scripture. You owe them that. We owe
-
them because it's instruction from God. We owe
-
them that. You will give back to children. That's
-
another thing. Your kids will come. They will
-
ask you. they will tell you somebody told me
-
outside that I can be a boy and a girl at the
-
same time and you will need to explain that and
-
you will tell me with scripture if you are not
-
grounded in the scripture so we must know that
-
generations will come will give back the children
-
and we owe them one thing that the word of God
-
will not be scarce in our generation the word
-
of God will not be scarce in our generation yeah
-
so the next one is Reason why we need apologetic
-
teacher, there are some sincere teachers that
-
needs to be corrected. And I mean the word sincere
-
teachers that mean to be corrected. Now, sincerity
-
does not excuse wrong doctrine, okay? Sincerity
-
does not excuse wrong doctrine. There are some
-
sincere teachers that needs to be corrected.
-
Sincerity does not excuse wrong doctrine at all.
-
It doesn't. Wrong doctrine is wrong doctrine.
-
Whether you know it, whether you don't know it,
-
wrong doctrine is wrong doctrine. But accepting
-
correction is honorable. Yes. But accepting correction
-
is honorable. It's honorable. Accepting correction
-
is honorable. For the first one, Deuteronomy
-
6 .20 still stands for a new generation will
-
rise. The 206 -20 still stands for that, for
-
the first one. The second one, Acts 18, verse
-
24 to 28, Galatians 2, 11 to 14. For the second
-
one, some T, some synthesizers that needs to
-
be corrected, Acts 18, verse 28 to 24, 24 to
-
28, sorry, and Galatians 2, 11 to 14. Acts 2
-
Timothy 3, 16. 2 Timothy 3, 16. Now in Acts 18,
-
verse 24 to 28, you can see a sincere teacher,
-
Apollos, okay? He was sincere, teaching, okay?
-
Those are sincere. That's a sincere teacher.
-
He was eloquent in the world. So eloquent is
-
also not revelation, okay? Eloquent is not revelation.
-
So he was sincere in what he was teaching. but
-
it was not accurate it was sincere and it was
-
eloquent yet not accurate sincere and eloquent
-
yet not accurate we know the scripture so we're
-
not going to read it and we'll move please don't
-
let my time disappear and reduce just bring it
-
back thank you all right so let's read peter's
-
case calatians 2 verse 11 to 14 let's read peter's
-
case and when peter was come to aunt george i
-
was stood in to the face because it was to be
-
blamed for before the starting before that starting
-
came from James he did eat with the Gentiles
-
but when they were calm he withdrew and separated
-
himself fearing them which were of circumcision
-
now go back go back to go back to uh that scripture
-
let me see uh go back to the first verse that
-
I that I mentioned, right? Galatians 2 .11. Now
-
look at it. He said, I withstood him. It means
-
that Paul, right, approached Peter. Why? Because
-
he was to be blamed. What was to be blamed? I
-
think some transitionists put it very well, that
-
he stood condemned, right? What that means, we
-
are going to dig deeper into it. It means that,
-
let me tell you what that means, a four time.
-
It means that Peter provided evidences that Gentiles,
-
Peter, I'm saying Peter not Paul, are part of
-
what God is doing. Peter practiced that, okay,
-
and that is why he hurts with the Gentiles, and
-
I'll say that with them. Do you get? Now, when
-
someone else came, some circumcision party, Peter
-
now stood before them. I saved the evidence of
-
what he did is wrong. That is what it means.
-
So Peter stood before them as if he did the wrong
-
thing. Like I presented evidence to you. We're
-
gonna see it when it comes to Apologia. This
-
thing I'm teaching is very important for Apologia.
-
You know why? Because one of the things that
-
would happen is that Apologia is actually to
-
make people, go back to the scripture. You just
-
put that, I need that word blame there. Apology
-
is actually to make people to stand blamed. Actually,
-
it's also another word is ashamed. Now it is
-
not to shame somebody. It is not to insult somebody
-
because when I explain spiritual, I'm not saying
-
to insult you, right? We're gonna see that is
-
either blamed or ashamed. You can use either
-
of the two because they refer to the same thing.
-
It means that you have provided all evidences
-
that this is true. Someone now comes and begin
-
to say something. And you now feel, ah, this
-
thing is not true. You now felt this thing is
-
not true for all the evidences that you provided.
-
This is what happened to him here. So he felt
-
like, ah, maybe all these things that I'm teaching
-
is not true because some people came. That is
-
why Paul had to stand before him and say, no,
-
there is more than sufficient evidence. So the
-
things that you did and you teach, there is more
-
than sufficient evidence. So you should not stand
-
blamed. Why should you stand blamed? Why should
-
you stand as if the evidences and the life you
-
live is not what Christ expected? So he said,
-
no, you cannot stand blamed. You cannot stand
-
condemned. But when we are preaching, right?
-
We're going to come to that. When we are preaching
-
and we are speaking to someone, What we want
-
the person to do is to see that amidst all their
-
evidences, the scripture supersedes. Right? And
-
that will be that to show them that this evidence
-
from the scripture supersedes so that they can
-
discard their evidences. We're going to see that
-
even from tomorrow. So what we'll see here is
-
that they are sincere. Now, is Peter a sincere
-
teacher? Yes. Is Apollo a sincere teacher? Yes.
-
They are not doing it for their bellies. They're
-
not doing it for their belly. That's what I mean
-
by a sincere teacher. And they are also receiving
-
what? Correction. They're also receiving correction.
-
The next one, which I think for this one we will
-
see it's correct. The next one is false teachers,
-
mockers, and scoffers. Why we need apologetics?
-
False teachers, scoffers, mockers. False teachers,
-
mockers, and scoffers. must be answered so that
-
others are not deceived. They must be answered
-
so that other people will not be deceived. So
-
you cannot allow somebody to just be saying something.
-
Now, I'm not saying online. Please don't quote
-
me. I'm still talking about in an environment.
-
This has not gotten to that, right? So we are
-
somewhere and someone is teaching what is not
-
correct. I can approach them and correct them.
-
I said again that false teachers, mockers, and
-
scobards must be answered so that others are
-
not deceived. Right? Romans 16, 17 to 20. Romans
-
16, 17 to 20. Now I beseech you brethren, mark
-
them which cause divisions and offence, contrite
-
to the doctrine ye have received, and avoid them.
-
Next. For they that are such serve not our Lord
-
Jesus Christ. Did you see? This group is different
-
from Peter and Apollos. Are we together? This
-
group is different from Peter and Apollos. He
-
said those, these ones, they are not serving
-
our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter and Apollos, they
-
are serving the Lord Jesus. But their own belly,
-
you see, and by good words, words, hold on to
-
that good words, and fresh pitches, they deceive
-
the hearts of the simple. Verse 19. For your
-
obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad
-
therefore on your behalf But yet I would have
-
you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning
-
evil means talking to them about this people
-
and God of peace shall bruise Satan under your
-
feet shortly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
-
be with you. Amen So the instruction is to these
-
people that cause division. How do they cause
-
division because division by first pitches first
-
pitches, you know Let me use the word of Pasto.
-
They use literature. Maybe, I don't know, I'm
-
trying to find the word for it. You know, they
-
put words together, right? They put words together.
-
I don't want to say the very popular one so that
-
it doesn't look like Aspire to Paspire, you know,
-
those kind of a thing. Those kind of very sweet
-
words, right? They bring it together. Now, again.
-
They are using the scripture to do this thing.
-
They are using the scripture to do this. So first
-
speeches, speeches are very attractive, very
-
attractive, right? This is what they are doing,
-
good words to lure people away. So now go to
-
1 Peter 3 verse, 1 Peter 3 verse 16, let's see
-
what is there. Okay. He said having a good conscience.
-
Now from verse 15, we already have established
-
what is happening in verse 15, right? Good verse
-
15, let's read it quickly then we'll come to
-
16. But I'm sorry, the Lord, the God in your
-
heart and be ready always to give an answer to
-
every man that ask it, that ask get you a reason,
-
right? Of the hope that is in you with meekness
-
and fear. The next one, having a good conscience.
-
Now see, having a good conscience that whereas
-
they speak evil of you, as evildoers means that
-
in their evidence you you are evildoer. Now what
-
will happen to them? They may be ashamed that
-
falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
-
They may be ashamed that falsely accuse your
-
good conversation in Christ. So don't forget
-
the conversation is coming from sanctify the
-
Lord to give an answer right? So your answer
-
right that they may be ashamed that firstly accuse
-
you of your answer in Christ's okay the answer
-
you are giving them they will be ashamed now
-
what is our shame our shame is able to put them
-
to shame no it simply means that by evidences
-
what I explained right all evidences that you
-
will present they will see that this one that
-
we are holding is not the evidence of Christ
-
do we get it put more scriptures put more scriptures
-
where we need to put them. Luke 3 .16, let's
-
just write them down, then we'll read them. You
-
will see the opposite of ashamed, right? This
-
ashamed that they use here. You will see the
-
opposite of it soon when we read the scriptures.
-
Luke 3 .16, 2 Corinthians 10 verse 8, Philippians
-
1 verse 20. Luke 3 verse 16, 2 Corinthians 10
-
verse 8. Philippians 1 verse 20, sorry. So let's
-
go to Luke 3 verse 16, please. Luke 3 verse Luke,
-
not second, okay. All right, so in these scriptures
-
you will see, and then as I send on to them,
-
I did, sorry, is that a scripture I need? That's
-
quite interesting. Where's the 2 Corinthians
-
10 .8? Let's go to that one. Let's see. Luke
-
3 .15. Use the hearts. Just go to 2 Corinthians
-
10 verse 8. For though I should boast somewhat
-
more of our authority, which the Lord had given
-
us for edification, not for your destruction,
-
I should not be ashamed, right? This is the same
-
word there, right? Though I should boast somewhat
-
of our authority, which he had given us for edification,
-
right? And not for your destruction, I should
-
not be ashamed. It means that by the evidence
-
of knowing the authority God has given me, right,
-
it is for your building, lest I will be ashamed.
-
Let's be ashamed. The next scriptures are Philippians
-
1 -20. That's the one that will give us this
-
quickly. According to any expectation and my
-
hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed. So really
-
according to the ns expectation and my hope that's
-
in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness
-
as always and so now also Christ shall be magnified
-
in My body whether is be life or by dead. So
-
look at it is it that's in nothing I shall be
-
ashamed but what's What's that with all boldness?
-
So it means that when I come to teach and I explain
-
and I give an answer pertaining the power and
-
demonstration of God and the suffering of Christ
-
and his glory and his ascension in me, when I
-
give evidences to it, those false teachers will
-
lose their boldness. Do you get it? It is Sean
-
profane babbling, right? You know there are scriptures,
-
Sean profane, that is it. So we would not, they
-
will be shut up, right? They will lose their
-
boldness. So it's not like, you know, they'll
-
come out, they have boldness to teach, right?
-
But when they see sufficient evidence, like Elimas
-
saw the teachings and the miracles, right? I
-
feel it did, right? And what happened? It dropped.
-
It dropped, right? So what happened is that when
-
sufficient evidence is presented, people who
-
are false prophets will lose their boldness.
-
Muckers and scoffers will lose their boldness
-
when evidence is beyond reasonable that as we
-
teach so of course uh the scripture we put there
-
is sufficient right to take now first emotive
-
four verse 16 you can add it you can add that
-
to it first emotive four verses said take heed
-
unto thyself and unto thy doctrine continuing
-
them for in doing this thou shall save thyself
-
and them that hear thee so one of the things
-
why we have to teach and explain scripture apologetically
-
is that we will save people we will save people
-
we will snatch people from the hands of the enemy
-
right we will snatch people from the hands of
-
the enemy so that's one of the reasons why we
-
have to explain so that we can save you know
-
the people from wrong doctrine Good, the first
-
one is that there will be persecution and you
-
need boldness to speak. Okay, there will be persecution
-
and you need boldness to speak. Now we've seen
-
that in the case of Stephen, we've seen that
-
in the case of Apostle Paul, right? We've seen
-
that in both cases and in all the lives of the
-
disciples, we've realized that when there is
-
persecution, there is always an answer. for the
-
gospel so you cannot be persecuted and they ask
-
you why are you being persecuted and you cannot
-
give a comprehensive answer of why you have been
-
persecuted so persecution will come and you must
-
give an answer right you must give an answer
-
first Peter 3 17 the first Peter just go to verse
-
17 first Peter just go to the verse 17 of that
-
first Peter he said it is better if the will
-
of God be so that you suffer for well doing than
-
for evil doing. What is well doing here? To give
-
an answer for the gospel, right? Well doing here
-
is to give an explanation for the gospel and
-
if you suffer for that you say let it be so.
-
It therefore means that persecution or giving
-
an answer for the gospel would come with that
-
or persecution will require you to explain further.
-
what Christ has done. So you need boldness. You
-
need boldness to teach, to explain why you have
-
been, you know, some will say, at least in the
-
course of it, a number of people will be saved.
-
But you have to preach the right message. In
-
the course of being persecuted, a number of people
-
will be saved. I think Masfredo was telling me
-
that someone went to debunk, you know, some religious,
-
you know, false teachings and in the place of
-
having a conversation over the doctrine of a
-
particular religion and our religion and our
-
faiths rather two people give their lives means
-
two people believed and they followed Christ
-
on the sports and within that confinement that
-
environment they killed the person who gave the
-
defense right that's a game painful but again
-
right that's a game Paul was saying, for me to
-
leave is Christ, right, to die is gain. That
-
is how much painful is it? Two people on the
-
spot. That is great, right? But how did he do
-
it? Sufficient evidence so that these people
-
became ashamed and they didn't know how to respond
-
than to kill. Sufficient evidence. If you tell
-
that man if he was alive I asked him would you
-
like this kind of story I bet you he will say
-
no matter how painful I think is a good one so
-
persecution will come and it is the reason why
-
we need sufficient evidence right sufficient
-
evidence you know let me let me put it funny
-
if you want to die for the gospel die for the
-
correct one like make sure what you are teaching
-
is the correct one is what dying for right so
-
be sure So that's why we need to pay attention
-
to these. So just put scriptures, Acts 7, Stephen's
-
story again, is another one, Acts 7 in that context.
-
Acts 4, 29 to 30, Acts 4, 7, just put chapter
-
7, chapter 7 is fine, across all chapter 7. Then
-
Acts 4, 29 to 30, that you will grind unto thy
-
servant, with all boldness they might be able
-
to do. That is why it's apologia when you say,
-
should we listen to God or we should obey man?
-
They cannot say obey man. They cannot say obey
-
man. They know that you should listen to God.
-
You should do what God requires you to do. So
-
that's an apologetic approach to approach people
-
who are hard -hearted. Now, the fifth one, which
-
is the one we are going to deal with tomorrow.
-
very well, we're going to deal with this tomorrow
-
very well, is we need apologetics because of
-
groups that are misrepresenting the Bible. Put
-
it that way. We need apologetics because of groups
-
that are misrepresenting the Bible. Now, it is
-
different from, you see, if you are false prophets,
-
right, it's okay. One here, there. But when they
-
become an organization, it's more deadly. If
-
you have one or two prophets, one by one, we
-
can hold them, right? We can just share ourselves
-
here and we can go and teach. But when it becomes
-
an organization, it becomes a very deep problem,
-
right? So, and the influence is spreading. So
-
we need this, right? Because of this group that
-
represents the... the scriptures now the interesting
-
thing is that most groups want to found a foundation
-
in the bible like everybody wants to use the
-
foundation as the bible like you want to start
-
your conversation your story is from the bible
-
your it's either you say oh the bible is corrupt
-
then you build your own or you say after the
-
bible we collect another revelation why is it
-
the bible it shows the that shows the authenticity
-
of the bible if it's not authentic if you use
-
or roomil as book, it will not be a problem.
-
We're not even gonna discuss anybody that did
-
not touch the Bible here. But if you touch the
-
Bible, we will discuss you. Yes, that is it.
-
Because you pick the Bible as the authenticity,
-
and we all know the authenticity of the Bible,
-
and you build a wrong doctrine on it. So as a
-
result, those groups needs to be touched upon
-
gradually, because when you go out, those are
-
the people you meet. Now, if you meet, if you
-
meet, a nominal person, right? The person doesn't
-
have arguments. They don't have much, right?
-
You are too loaded, right? So even you, you're
-
trying to just put them within Romans 10 and
-
John 3 .16, right? You're not going to bend hell
-
to him, you know? The uniqueness and the appearance
-
of, you're not going there. You're just giving
-
them, you're giving them little. But you see
-
this group. They went to study that Ben Elohim
-
and interpreted it wrongly. And they gave it
-
to people to swallow. That is unfaithfulness.
-
Okay? So these people that are unfaithful with
-
the Bible, they are unfaithful. That one we cannot
-
condone, right? We need apologetics for those
-
ones because they are not propagating the Bible.
-
Now under them, let's quickly touch to... We'll
-
touch one or two there about... So under this
-
five, can you just put A, right? Just put A.
-
Those who assume we are same. Those that assume
-
that we are same, right? There are people who
-
assume that we are same, we are the same. You
-
know, we serve the same God. And this one is
-
common in this environment. Put at 14 .11. At
-
14 .11, let me show you. People who thought apostles
-
were same with them. And when the people saw
-
what Paul had done, They lifted up their voices
-
saying, in the speech of Laconia, the gods are
-
come down to us in the likeness of men. They
-
assume that it is the God that they have been
-
serving, right? That appear to them in the person
-
of Apostle Paul. Right? So there are people who,
-
when you manifest or you do something, they'll
-
say, oh, we are the same. We are serving. Now
-
look at verse 12. Go to verse 12. And they called
-
Barnabas Jupiter. And they called Paul's Macurius.
-
Because he was the chief speaker, next, then
-
the priest of Jupiter. Can you see? They called
-
a service immediately, which was before the acidity,
-
brought oxen and gallants onto. We are not the
-
same. It's something else. Let's see how the
-
apostles responded. no no come back to the previous
-
scriptures and brought garlands onto the gates
-
and would have done sacrifice to the people right
-
with the people rather next which when the apostles
-
them when the apostles brother buds and poor
-
head of they rent their clothes and ran in among
-
the people crying out go to the next verse now
-
that rents in and they just are they just like
-
they what would i say they just spoil the show
-
there you know if is a if they were not believers
-
let's say they were not apostles right the moment
-
you see that they have made you influencer right
-
what will you do you're gonna follow us right
-
you gotta follow us and before you know everywhere
-
the city they've made you the king jupiter and
-
more mercurius but look at their response and
-
saying sas why do you these things why do you
-
these things we are also men we are also a man
-
of light passions with you and preach unto you,
-
that ye should turn from this thing, this same
-
thing that you are doing, that you want to do
-
unto us, unto the living God, which made the
-
heaven and the earth and the sea and all the
-
things that are therein. Who in the past suffered
-
all nations to walk in their ways, nevertheless
-
he left not himself without weakness, in that
-
he did good and gave us rain from heaven and
-
full seasons, filling our hearts with food and
-
gladness. And with this saying, Scarce restrained
-
they the people, that they had not done sacrifice
-
unto them. And there came Tita, certain words,
-
Jews, from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded
-
the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him
-
out of the city, supposing he was dead. So, of
-
course, you know what the Jews do, right? This
-
is their style. They look for a crowd, right?
-
They look for a crowd, and within the crowd,
-
right, they create a rebellion. They create a
-
rebellion. They create a rebellion that creates
-
a problem for the apostles. So they couldn't
-
preach. Now if those Jews were not there, maybe
-
they would have sat down and they would have
-
taught them continuously. We have the ones that
-
they were saying to the unknown God. And from
-
there, we're going to see that much more. I think
-
very closely now we might have to see that. So
-
we have people who might find unifiers, but there
-
are no unifiers. Is it that you're here or you're
-
not here? So we have that. Now one of the things
-
we must convince them of, convince them, one
-
of the things we must convince them of is that
-
although, right, humanity is the handwork of
-
God, right? Humanity, all of us being humans,
-
right? We are created, right? Humanity is the
-
handwork of God, right? Means God created humans,
-
means created Adam and from Adam we are procreated
-
and as a result we say God created humanity,
-
right? God is not the father of all. God is not
-
the father of all. Although God creates humanity,
-
right, without whom there will be no breath of
-
life in any man. God is not the father of all.
-
God is not the father of all. Acts 17, 24 to
-
27. Acts 17, 24 to 27. Now you see here, it says,
-
God that made the world and all things therein,
-
seeing that his Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth
-
not in temples made with hands, neither is neither
-
is worshipped with man's hand as though he needed
-
anything seeing that he give it to all life and
-
breath and all things and had made of one blood
-
all nations of men for to dwell on all the face
-
of the earth at the time in their times before
-
appointed and bounds of their habitation right
-
that they may seek the lord if aptly they might
-
feel after him and finding though he be not far
-
from every one of us. So it's talking about God
-
creating a people within this earth, okay? It's
-
not saying that he's the father of all. So God
-
creates, that's why saying that they should seek
-
the Lord that they might find him. Okay, that
-
they should seek the Lord that if he's talking
-
to, if he's talking about that those people that
-
God created are believers and he's talking about
-
the creation in Christ, he would not be saying
-
they should seek the Lord and find him because
-
they found God. So it was coming from explanation
-
of a general creation, right? Explaining to those
-
who say to the unknown God. From that point,
-
it was coming to explain the gospel to them.
-
Right? So we can acknowledge that, well, we did
-
not exist. No man, no person created any man.
-
God created Adam, and from there, we exist. So
-
we can agree. But to say that he's the father
-
of all, no. So he's not the father of all. Neither
-
is he the God of all. Hallelujah. Neither is
-
he what? The God of all. He's not the father
-
of all. He's not the God of all. Everybody knows
-
their father. Ephesians 2. Ephesians two. Ephesians
-
two. From verse one. And you hear at quick in
-
who we are dead in trespasses and sin. When in
-
the past year worked according to the course
-
of this world, according to the prince of the
-
power of air, the spirit that is at work in the
-
children of disobedience right the spirit that
-
is at work in children of disobedience so it
-
means that the children of disobedience in this
-
world there are people now is this one talking
-
about believers that have come to believe right
-
but it simply refers to people who are working
-
according to a spirit that is not a spirit of
-
god and therefore god cannot be their father
-
and neither will he be their God. Now if you
-
read when Jesus is talking to the Pharisees,
-
right, it tells them, it says, you know your
-
father, right, it talks about your father the
-
devil and his activities from the beginning.
-
So it means that the source of what they are
-
doing is from the devil. So when people see us
-
and say, oh we serve the same God, we serve,
-
you have to ask them, what do you mean? Tomorrow
-
we are going to see that. The way people have
-
used terminology, even salvation, It's worse
-
these days because even in movies, you'll be
-
seeing atonement. You'll be seeing salvation.
-
You'll be seeing deliverance in movies. And this
-
has become the order of the day. And people are
-
believing this thing. So we must know that we
-
are not the same. Now let's look at the second
-
one. The second group on that is five. Those
-
who believe Christianity is perverted, right?
-
or the Christendom is perverted. Those who believe
-
Christendom is perverted. They literally go after
-
it and say, in fact, some of them refuse to call
-
themselves Christians, or they say the Christendom
-
that we practice, Christianity is perverted.
-
And the third one is those who believe they are
-
totally different from us. Those who believe
-
they are totally different from us. Now, what
-
is As we close, what is our responsibility? We're
-
gonna see more of it tomorrow. Our responsibility,
-
right, towards them. First, it's still love,
-
right? It's still love, but much more. Much more.
-
Holding on to the faithfulness and integrity
-
of God's word in our explanation to them. Holding
-
on to the... faithfulness and the integrity of
-
God's Word in our explanation to them. Why did
-
I say love? Because most of these groups, right,
-
they actually, they're actually anti or antagonistic
-
towards the gospel. Clearly antagonistic towards
-
the gospel. Clearly, what I mean clearly, they
-
go, I mean, they come and say, this is, you know,
-
this is not a faith. right so so our job to them
-
is clearly love and faithfulness in or to the
-
integrity of God's word so the integrity of God's
-
word so we'll stop here for today so that we
-
can continue tomorrow we still have a whole lot
-
to cover but as we go one thing i want us to
-
go is to have a mindset that you will study the
-
scripture sufficiently enough to be able to explain
-
the message of salvation, that there will be
-
no subjects, there will be no question, right?
-
I'm trusting that after this meeting we are going
-
to prepare a material, I think that's a question
-
raised that matter at some point in time, that
-
we're going to prepare materials, right, for
-
us, that you will have those materials and when
-
you go out before the person says anything you
-
know where the person is coming from and in love
-
you will explain to the person and bring the
-
person out of darkness into the marvelous line
-
of price. Hallelujah. Can we begin to pray? We
-
appreciate you being here today. We hope you
-
carry this word with you throughout your week.
-
Don't forget to check the show notes for additional
-
insights. Stay connected with us through our
-
website or follow us on social media. If you
-
were encouraged, share this message with someone
-
you care about. Until next time, stay blessed.