Sermon
Acts 9:1-31
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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Do turn to Acts chapter 9.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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One of the most important things you can do as a Christian disciple is to try and get a true view of the Lord Jesus.
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It's really easy to get a partial view and a distorted view of the Lord Jesus.
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And not to keep a true and a complete view of the kind of saviour that the Bible presents for us.
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And that's what you have in Acts chapter 9.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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I think what we have in Acts chapter 9 is really a view of the Lord Jesus that maybe is really surprising for us.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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Acts chapter 9 is really well known.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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It's the conversion story of Saul into Paul.
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In our culture we talk about people seeing the light that's taken from this passage.
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But it's much more than a conversion story.
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Because what Jesus is doing in Acts chapter 9 is he is capturing his premier witness.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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In Acts chapter 9 the risen Lord Jesus is starting a new stage of church history.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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The Apostle Paul doesn't stand really on the same level as us.
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I'm not saying that the Apostle Paul is a God or anything like that.
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But the Apostle Paul is a special servant of Jesus.
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He doesn't quite stand on the same level as the rest of us.
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He is God's chosen instrument.
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He is God's premier witness.
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And he was going to be a witness that the Lord Jesus would use to take the gospel to the Gentiles, to the world.
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To the pagan population of the ancient world.
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There is a sense in which the Apostle Paul is in a special class.
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But the reason that I think we need to change how we come to Acts chapter 9 is that our premier interest shouldn't really be in the Apostle Paul.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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We shouldn't come to Acts chapter 9 and say well this is the kind of psychology.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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This is what it looks like to be converted.
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Or this is what goes on in conversion.
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What Acts 9 shows us is Jesus.
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And what Jesus is about here.
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And the point of Acts chapter 9 is that Jesus shows us who he is.
Acts 9 chapter mention
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When he captures his premier witness.
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What do we see about Jesus here?
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What does Jesus show us about himself?
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And first of all I want to show you the violence of Jesus.
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That's right, you didn't mishear me.
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The violence of Jesus.
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It's a really strong word isn't it?
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And I use it because it's a strong act.
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So can you look at verses 1 and 2.
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You've got Saul of Tarsus.
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And we've not heard about Saul since chapter 8 and verse 3.
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Chapter 8 and verse 3, do you remember that?
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There is Saul ravaging the church.
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Entering house after house.
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Dragging off men and women.
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And committing them to prison.
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He's there bringing them.
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Dragging the church.
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Capturing the church.
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And now we see, don't we, in verses 1 and 2.
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That here is Saul again.
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Breathing out murderous threats.
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Towards Jesus.
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He goes to the chief priests.
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The religious leaders.
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And he gets letters to give him authority.
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To go to Damascus.
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To see that he can bring any Christian disciples.
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Followers of Jesus.
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To Jerusalem.
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For justice.
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He's breathing out threats.
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And murder.
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He is a violent opponent.
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Of the Lord Jesus.
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And his church.
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And against the disciples.
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And so whatever.
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What is it that's going to turn this man.
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From a violent opponent.
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To a servant.
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To a servant of the Lord Jesus.
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How is Jesus going to do that?
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Well you've seen verses 3 to 5.
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Saul is on his way to Damascus.
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And suddenly a bright light shines from heaven.
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Saul falls to the ground.
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And he hears this voice saying.
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Saul.
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Saul.
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Why are you persecuting me?
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What are you meant to do.
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When you have a man who is.
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Livid with you.
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When you have a man who is.
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Enraged against the people of Jesus.
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And he will do anything he can.
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To destroy Jesus people.
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And if you're going to make him a servant.
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If you're going to make him.
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A bond slave of yours forever.
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How are you going to get.
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This violent opponent.
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To acknowledge your Lordship.
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So what does Jesus do?
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He brings him.
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He brings his face to the ground.
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He brings him to his knees.
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On the Damascus road.
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He makes him eat dust.
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Can you see the violence of Jesus?
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You could say.
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What Jesus did with this man.
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What Jesus did with this man.
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Who so opposed him.
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And he knocks him to his backside.
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He puts him on his back.
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He knocks him out.
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The violence of Jesus.
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Jesus.
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Doesn't always have to do that.
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Does he?
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Not all of us.
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Have got a conversion story.
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Like this.
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In fact.
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Not all conversion stories.
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In the Bible.
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Are the same.
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Which ought to teach us something.
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As a church family.
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If you go back to last week.
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Do you remember chapter 8.
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Verses 26 to 40.
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You've got one of those.
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Episodes of conversion.
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Where it's.
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It's very gradual.
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Apparently.
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You've got a eunuch.
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Who is treasurer.
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To the queen of Ethiopia.
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And he is a convert.
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To Judaism.
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And he's gone to Jerusalem.
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To worship.
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At the feast.
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But now he's coming back.
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And in his chariot.
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He's going back to Ethiopia.
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And the Lord tells Philip.
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Go to the desert road.
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And join yourself.
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To that chariot.
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And Philip jumps up.
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And the Ethiopian.
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Is reading aloud.
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From Isaiah 53.
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Isn't it?
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That.
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The servant of the Lord.
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Was led like a lamb.
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To the slaughter.
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Like a sheep.
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Before her shears.
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Is silent.
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So he opens his mouth.
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And Philip says to him.
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Do you know what you're reading?
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And he replies.
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Well how can I.
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Unless somebody explains it to me.
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Is he speaking about himself?
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Or someone else?
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Why don't you come up.
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And explain it to me.
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And Philip begins.
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On that passage.
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And he explains.
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And preaches Jesus.
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To this man.
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And that man.
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Is baptized.
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On profession of faith.
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There's no stopping.
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In his tracks.
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There is no.
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Dropping to the floor.
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There is no.
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Blinding light.
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He's just reading.
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The Bible.
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Somebody explained it to him.
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And he slides.
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And he slides.
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Into the kingdom of God.
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By faith in Jesus.
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And he's baptized.
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And joins the church.
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But Jesus doesn't always work that way.
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He doesn't always work the same way.
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But what Jesus does do is this.
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Jesus is going to make you willing to come to him.
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He will make you willing.
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If you are his.
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To come to him.
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But it takes more for some people.
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Than it does for others.
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When you have someone like.
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Saul of Tarsus.
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Livid with rage.
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With murderous threats.
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Against Jesus' people.
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If Jesus is going to bring.
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Someone like him to himself.
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Jesus is going to have to exercise.
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A holy violence.
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And bring him to his face.
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On the floor.
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On the Damascus road.
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And almost as it were.
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Force him into the kingdom of God.
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Now what does this do.
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For the case of Saul.
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And the way Jesus brought him to himself.
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What does this do.
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For our image of Jesus.
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And there is.
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Isn't there.
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In the Christian church.
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In the UK.
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To have a really false.
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Image of Jesus.
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JB Phillips.
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Talked about.
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Gentle Jesus.
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Meek and mild.
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Who was certainly meek.
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But never mild.
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And we have to be careful.
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We almost.
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When we talk about.
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The gentleness of Jesus.
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And the tenderness of Jesus.
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And all that is true.
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But there is a tendency.
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To corrupt that.
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There is a tendency.
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To make it become.
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Something of the weakness.
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Of Jesus.
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And all.
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Almost.
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The wimpiness.
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Of Jesus.
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And that kind of.
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False image.
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We need to really beware of.
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We may not have the right image.
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Of Jesus.
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And we need to see.
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That sometimes.
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Jesus exercises.
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Holy violence.
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To bring someone.
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To himself.
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Samuel Stone.
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Was an Anglican.
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Clergyman.
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He was a poet.
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In the east end.
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Of London.
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It was in the 19th century.
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It was a very poor area.
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He stayed in.
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That parish.
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In the east end.
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For eight years.
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And this.
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Anglican clergyman.
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Who was also a poet.
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Samuel Stone.
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One day.
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He was walking.
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Through the east end.
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And he happened to see.
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A young woman.
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Being attacked.
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By three men.
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And she was on her own.
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She was helpless.
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She was friendless.
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And she cried out.
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For help.
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Samuel Stone.
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Heard her cry.
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He ran.
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To the scene.
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And with one blow.
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He knocked out.
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One of the attackers.
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Cold.
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He jumped on.
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The other attacker.
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And he pummeled him.
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Until the guy.
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Plead.
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For mercy.
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Crying.
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The third guy.
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Got away.
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Before Samuel Stone.
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Could get hold of him.
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And Samuel Stone.
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Said in the report.
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The only regret he had.
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Is he wished he could get hold.
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Of the third guy.
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Who was.
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Samuel Stone.
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Take your service sheet.
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And turn to the final hymn.
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He's the author.
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Of the final hymn.
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The church's one foundation.
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Is Jesus Christ.
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Her Lord.
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And you might think.
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I don't want to sing the hymns.
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Of such a violent man.
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I love it.
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I absolutely love it.
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We don't often think of the.
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Combination.
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Do we.
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Of an Anglican clergyman.
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And poet.
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And somebody.
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Who beats people senseless.
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We don't often think.
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That someone who can write.
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Beautiful hymns.
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Of praise and worship.
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And confession.
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Can at the same time.
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Punch someone in the face.
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And knock them out cold.
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But it's wonderful.
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We don't tend to think of.
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Hymn writers.
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Doing that kind of thing.
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Do we?
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And so we have to keep.
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The balance.
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Of Jesus Christ.
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Our Lord.
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Our Lord.
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That in his meekness.
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And in his gentleness.
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Draws us.
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To himself.
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But there are others.
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Out there.
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Who resist.
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And they are dead set.
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In their refusal.
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And their reluctance.
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And their rebellion.
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Has to be overcome.
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In a far more dramatic way.
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And what the conversion of Saul.
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Tells us.
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Is this.
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If Jesus Christ.
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Has chosen.
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To make you.
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One of his servants.
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No matter how rebellious.
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You may be.
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Against him.
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He will bring you.
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To your knees.
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And he will do that.
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If he must.
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With holy violence.
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He will bring you.
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To himself.
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You see.
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I think.
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We have this vision.
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Don't we.
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Of Jesus.
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In Revelation chapter 3.
Revelation 3 chapter mention
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Have you heard this?
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Sometimes.
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And the gospel.
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Is presented in this way.
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Then Revelation 3.
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There is a door.
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And Jesus.
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Stands at the door.
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And he knocks.
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And the picture.
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That is often given.
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Is that there isn't a latch.
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On the outside.
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But the latch.
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Is on the inside.
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And Jesus.
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Is the perfect gentleman.
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He stands.
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Just knocking.
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And he knocks.
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And Jesus.
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Will never force himself.
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Upon you.
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Have you heard that?
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There is an element.
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Of truth in that.
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But there is a great element.
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Of error in that.
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Ask Saul of Tarsus.
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And I think.
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If Saul of Tarsus.
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Heard us say.
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Well Jesus.
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Is the perfect gentleman.
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He would never force himself.
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Upon you.
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And so on.
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I think he would say.
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Well where on earth.
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Did you get that idea from?
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You see.
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Sometimes Jesus.
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Exercises.
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Holy.
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Violence.
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Upon us.
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Not in order.
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To distress us.
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But in order.
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To bring us.
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To his kingdom.
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Sometimes.
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The risen Lord Jesus.
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Breaks into our circumstances.
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In ways.
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That we would never want.
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And never choose.
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In order to bring us.
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To himself.
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Because he always gets.
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His man or woman.
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The violence of Jesus.
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Secondly.
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Let's see the closeness.
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Of Jesus.
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When Jesus.
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Addressed Saul.
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In the Aramaic.
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Verse 4 and 5.
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Saul.
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Saul.
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Why are you persecuting?
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Why are you persecuting?
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Can you see it?
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Why are you persecuting?
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Me?
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Why are you persecuting me?
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Saul says.
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Well who are you Lord?
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And he said.
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I am Jesus.
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Whom you are persecuting.
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What had Saul been doing?
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We've seen it already.
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He'd been persecuting.
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The followers of Jesus.
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And yet.
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Jesus' followers.
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Are so closely united.
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To himself.
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So united.
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To himself.
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That Jesus says.
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Why are you persecuting me?
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That is.
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Why are you trying to destroy.
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My people.
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My church.
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My disciples.
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Why are you persecuting me?
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Do you see what Jesus is saying?
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Jesus is saying.
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When you make my people suffer.
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When you seek to destroy my people.
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When you seek to afflict my people.
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You are afflicting me.
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You are seeking to destroy me.
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I am so united.
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Closely united to my people.
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That when you make them suffer.
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You are making me suffer.
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I am Jesus.
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Whom you are persecuting.
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Because you are seeking to destroy my disciples.
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How close is the bond.
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Between Jesus.
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And his people.
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There is a beautiful text.
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In Isaiah.
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Isaiah 63.
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In verse 9.
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If you want to write that down.
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And in that text.
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In the Old Testament.
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It makes exactly the same point.
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It is talking about.
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The time of Moses.
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When Israel was in the wilderness.
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And so on.
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They were in Egypt.
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They were in bondage.
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And Isaiah says this.
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He says.
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In all their affliction.
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That is in all of Israel's affliction.
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The Lord was afflicted.
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The Lord was afflicted.
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In all their afflictions.
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So can you grasp this.
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Whenever God's people suffer.
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And especially.
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When they are persecuted.
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For Jesus sake.
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What is done.
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To God's people.
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It is.
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As though it is done.
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To the Lord Jesus.
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He is so.
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Closely united.
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With his people.
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And you.
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May need to remember that.
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When the day may come.
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When that truth is.
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Of immense comfort to you.
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Maybe of immense comfort to you today.
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It may be because.
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Some of the people.
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Discriminate against you.
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Because you are a Christian.
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In your job.
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You are looked down upon.
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Because you are a follower.
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Of the Lord Jesus.
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In school.
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You are not on.
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In the in crowd.
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People make fun of you.
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Because you are a Christian.
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In.
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Or they hold you.
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In some kind of contempt.
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And not for any fault.
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Of yours.
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But because.
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It just.
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Sticks in their craw.
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It rankles them.
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That you are a follower.
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Of the Lord Jesus.
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But when they do that.
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They are doing it to Jesus.
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So closely.
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So closely.
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Are you.
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So closely.
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Are you.
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Bound to him.
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United to him.
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And you will need to keep that in mind.
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Won't you.
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In some very dark hours.
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The closeness of Jesus.
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And then thirdly.
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The program of Jesus.
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The violence of Jesus.
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The closeness of Jesus.
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The program of Jesus.
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Look at verses 15 to 16.
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What is Jesus up to.
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When he brings.
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Saul.
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Into the kingdom of God.
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When he.
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Disarms him.
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Overcomes his resistance.
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And makes him willing.
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To bow the knee.
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To Jesus Christ.
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As Lord.
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What is his purpose.
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Well.
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And he tells you.
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His purpose.
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When he speaks to Ananias.
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Ananias.
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Is.
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Naturally.
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Hesitant.
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To go and lay hands on Saul.
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I.
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I think.
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If I were Ananias.
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To carry my name.
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Before the Gentiles.
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And the kings.
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And the sons of Israel.
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And so.
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Here is a new moment.
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In church history.
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Here is a new departure.
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The apostle Paul.
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Is not just.
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Any other witness.
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But Jesus.
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Is beginning.
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To carry out.
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That program.
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From all eternity.
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That program.
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That's spoken of.
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In the old testament.
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In Isaiah 49.
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Verses 5 and 6.
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Where the Lord.
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Is speaking.
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To the Messiah.
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The suffering servant.
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And the Lord.
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Says.
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To his Messiah.
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The servant of the Lord.
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Is it too small.
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A thing.
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That you should be.
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My servant.
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To bring my people.
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Israel back to me.
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Is it too small.
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A thing.
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To bring.
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A remnant.
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Of the Jews.
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Back to a knowledge.
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Of the true God.
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And restore them.
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To my favor.
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Let's do something.
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Grander.
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Says God.
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Let's do something.
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Greater.
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Let's do something.
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Bigger.
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I will give you.
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As a light.
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To the Gentiles.
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To the nations.
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That my salvation.
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Might reach the ends of the earth.
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And that is Isaiah 49.
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Verses 5 and 6.
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And that's what Jesus is beginning to institute.
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In verses 15 and 16.
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Of Acts 9.
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He's saying.
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This man.
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Ananias.
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He is a chosen vessel of mine.
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To carry my name.
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To the Gentiles.
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And the emphasis is on that.
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The pagans.
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The non-Jews.
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The people that didn't have the covenants.
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The promises.
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The signs.
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The scriptures.
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The folks that didn't have the revelation.
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From Mount Sinai.
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Of God's law.
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The people that didn't have the true worship.
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In the tabernacle.
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And the temple.
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The ones that didn't have.
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All of the spiritual advantages.
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Of being raised in a covenant family.
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And Paul is going to be.
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The man.
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The main witness.
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And servant of Jesus.
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To bring that gospel.
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Of Jesus.
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To the Gentiles.
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And the pagans of this day.
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And you might be sitting there thinking.
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Well that's all well and good.
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But frankly who cares.
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But if Jesus Christ.
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Had not made Saul.
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His chosen vessel.
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To bring the gospel.
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And the name of Jesus.
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To the Gentiles.
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Then most of us here.
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Wouldn't be in the kingdom of God.
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It's that simple.
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We wouldn't be here.
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It may be hard for you to see.
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What the connection is.
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I'm C.H.
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Spurgeon.
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I'm a Baptist preacher.
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In the 19th century.
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He's a preacher.
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In the big church.
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Still on.
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Elephant and Castle.
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A metropolitan tabernacle.
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And he was asked in 1857.
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To preach at a service.
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It was a national fast day.
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Of feasting and humiliation.
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For Britain.
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The UK was.
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Britain was having trouble.
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In the empire in India.
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And they wanted.
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The government to have a fast day.
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And Spurgeon was due.
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To preach at it.
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But it was going to be.
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In the Crystal Palace.
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In South London.
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Spurgeon had to go.
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The day before.
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Because they wanted.
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A test for acoustics.
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And the way they did it.
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They didn't have microphones.
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In those days.
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And the way Spurgeon did it.
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Is he announced his text.
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Saying it in different volumes.
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And different pitches.
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In the building.
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So they'd know where best.
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To put the pulpit.
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He hollered out.
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In a loud voice.
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John 1 verse 29.
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Behold the Lamb of God.
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Who takes away the sin of the world.
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Behold the Lamb of God.
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Who takes away the sin of the world.
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He'd go to another part of the building.
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And he would shout it out.
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So they could test the acoustics.
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And what happened.
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Was one of the workmen.
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Was working in.
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One of the galleries.
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Heard those words.
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And for some reason.
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Those words.
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As Spurgeon shouted them out.
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Went straight to his heart.
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And brought conviction of sin.
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He put his tools down.
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He went home.
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The workmen.
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Had a time of prayer.
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And spiritual struggle.
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And he began to see.
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That the Lamb of God.
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Was the one who could take away his sin.
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You wouldn't connect the two.
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Would you?
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You wouldn't think there'd be any connection.
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Between testing for sound.
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And acoustics.
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And someone coming into the kingdom of God.
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What have those two things got in common?
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But in the strange chemistry of the Holy Spirit.
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They do.
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So this text.
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You might think.
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What has this got to do with us?
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Why should I be concerned.
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That Saul of Tarsus.
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Is a chosen instrument.
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Because in verse 15.
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Jesus gives to Saul this message.
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To bear Jesus name before the Gentiles.
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And that's what you are.
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There are probably.
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Very few Jews.
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Here this morning.
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I can think of one.
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Those who are of Israelite descent.
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The vast majority of you.
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Are Gentiles.
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You're pagan.
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In your background.
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If I can say that.
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Originally.
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And that's why the conversion of Saul.
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Of Tarsus.
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On the Damascus Road.
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Matters to you.
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And it ought to be important to you.
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Because you see.
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In chapter 16.
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And verses 6 to 10.
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When Paul is on his second missionary journey.
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He's going west.
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And he wanted to go into the province of Asia.
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And the Lord Jesus wouldn't allow him to.
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So he turned north.
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And he was going to the area of Bithynia.
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And Jesus wouldn't allow him to go there.
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And so perhaps.
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In partial frustration.
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They turn west.
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And they go to the eastern sea.
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Of the eastern side of the Aegean Sea.
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And the city of Troas.
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And it's there.
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Isn't it?
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That Paul sees a vision.
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Of the Macedonian man saying.
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Come over and help us.
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And Paul took that.
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As the Lord's signal.
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And his group go over the Aegean Sea.
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And they walk into the city of Philippi.
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Why should you care about that?
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Because when Paul went from Troas.
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Across the Aegean Sea.
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And he walks down the Philippian high street.
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The gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Has come to Europe.
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And it was from there.
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That it would spread.
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To the entire western world.
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And that may not have happened at all.
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If he'd gone into Asia.
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Or if Jesus had allowed him.
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To go north into Bithynia.
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And so on.
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But instead.
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Jesus closed the doors.
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And he brought his chosen vessel.
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To go across the Aegean Sea.
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And walk down the streets of Philippi.
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So that the gospel could come to Europe.
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And eventually it would come to us.
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And so we can say.
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Can't we.
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In one sense.
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If the apostle Paul.
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Had not been Christ's chosen vessel.
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To bring the gospel.
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To non-Jews like us.
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We would never have heard.
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Or come quite likely.
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Within the reach of the gospel.
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And so when Jesus chooses his servant.
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In Acts 9.
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He has you and I in mind.
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And he has your need.
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And my need.
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To enter into the kingdom of God.
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By means of his premier witness.
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That is the program of Jesus.
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Let's lastly look at the servants of Jesus.
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The servants of Jesus.
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And you see that in verses 10 to 19.
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And then also in verses 26 to 28.
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There are two servants of Jesus there.
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Aren't there?
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And you've got Ananias and Barnabas.
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And as we said.
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We can understand.
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Can't we.
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How Ananias was just a bit reluctant.
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To go to Saul.
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But he goes.
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Nevertheless.
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And you know.
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When Ananias went to Saul.
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He entered into the house of Judas.
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On straight street.
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And he did a wonderful thing.
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Can you see.
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The wonderful thing he did.
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Look what he does in verse 17.
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This man.
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Who has been breathing out.
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Slaughter.
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And murder.
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And he says to him.
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Verse 17.
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Brother Saul.
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The Lord has sent me.
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Even Jesus.
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Who appeared to you.
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Brother Saul.
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See what he's saying.
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This persecutor of the church.
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This destroyer.
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Of Jesus disciples.
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Has now been brought.
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Into the kingdom of God.
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And has bowed the knee.
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To Jesus as Lord.
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And.
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He is a brother.
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Along with Ananias.
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And he's saying to Saul.
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By implication.
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Isn't it?
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You are not alone.
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You are not isolated.
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You are part of the family.
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You are part of the family of Jesus.
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And you are my brother in Christ.
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Brother Saul.
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What is Ananias doing?
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He was just.
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He was just.
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In the small manner.
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Of his words.
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Welcoming.
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One of Christ's servants.
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Into Christ's family.
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And letting him know.
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That he not only had a relationship.
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With the Lord.
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But when he came to know.
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Jesus as Lord.
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He had a relationship.
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With others.
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Who were his brothers and sisters.
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He did not stand alone.
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And Ananias.
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In his own way.
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Made Saul realize.
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That he was now.
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One of the family of Jesus.
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And welcomed him into it.
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And then you know.
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Verse 26 and following.
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Saul goes to Jerusalem.
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And they're all afraid.
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You can imagine.
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They're nervous.
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No one wants to trust him.
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He tries to join the disciples.
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But of course.
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They're a little bit nervous.
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What would you do?
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Would you trust a guy like this?
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We've seen devious people.
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Try and get into the church before.
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We know how they operate.
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Is he going to infiltrate our ranks?
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And then he'll turn us all in.
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And wipe us all out.
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Is that what he's doing now?
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We're not going to accept this guy.
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We know that people get converted.
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In order to get their papers.
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To get in amongst the people of God.
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We don't trust him.
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But Barnabas verse 27.
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Took him to the apostles.
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And told him how he'd seen the Lord on the road.
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And Barnabas was the one who took up his case.
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And got him accepted and trusted him.
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And he paved the way for the rest of the disciples in Jerusalem to accept all of Tarsus.
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And so here are two servants of Jesus.
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Who made another one.
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Who'd become a servant of Jesus.
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Welcome.
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In the fellowship of Jesus.
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So that he didn't stand alone.
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Ananias and Barnabas.
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Are kind of second string servants.
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In the New Testament.
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They're not the superstars.
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They're not the apostles.
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In fact we never hear of Ananias again.
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Except once.
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Maybe Paul refers to him later.
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But he just drops out of the scene.
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Barnabas is fairly prominent.
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But he's not an A-lister.
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He's not in the first 15.
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He's not in the 23.
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He's kind of a second string servant of Jesus.
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And that's good isn't it?
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Because that's what most of us are.
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And yet if it wasn't for Ananias.
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And it wasn't for Barnabas.
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In making sure that Jesus' chosen vessel.
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Saul was welcomed into the body of Christ.
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How different things may have turned out.
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That's a great lesson isn't it?
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That you don't have to be prominent.
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To give faithful service.
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In fact it is mostly the Ananias and the Barnabases.
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That Jesus seems to use.
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Most of us fall into the category.
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Of Ananias and Barnabas.
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People who might not know.
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Much.
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But are servants of Jesus.
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Who make other believers.
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Feel welcome.
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In the fellowship of Jesus.
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That's why it's always really encouraging.
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When I go to see somebody who's been ill.
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Or shut in.
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And Mrs. Ananias has been in to visit.
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Or just been on the phone.
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As somebody who doesn't blow any trumpets.
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They're just caring.
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And showing love.
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And visiting that person.
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Or when I go to visit someone in hospital.
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And I find that Mr. Barnabas has been there already.
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And they've read the Bible.
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And prayed with that person.
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It's wonderfully encouraging.
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And there's no criticism here.
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There's just that verse.
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Isn't there from 1 Thessalonians 4.
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We urge you brothers and sisters.
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To do so more and more.
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You see Jesus reveals himself.
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Through his servants.
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And you can see the likeness of Jesus.
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In the actions of Ananias and Barnabas.
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Who don't see great prominence for themselves.
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But seek to make another disciple of Jesus.
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Feel at home.
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And wanted.
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Among the church of Jesus.
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It's why the ministry of welcoming on a Sunday.
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Is such a wonderful ministry.
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It's true isn't it.
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That not everyone wants to feel at home.
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In the church of Jesus.
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That some people want to be left alone.
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Some people want to run away as quickly as they can.
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But our duty as a church family.
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Is to make them feel that they have brothers and sisters in Christ.
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Who care for them.
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And if you leave that up to the paid professionals to do it.
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Let me tell you.
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It'll never get done.
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Don't you love Acts 9.
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It starts with the violence of Jesus.
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And we end up seeing the gentleness of Jesus.
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In welcoming the apostle Paul.
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And you need to realise.
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That Jesus may not always be gentle.
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And if Jesus has made you a chosen vessel of his.
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You can be sure he's going to get you into the kingdom of God.
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And if you are resisting this morning.
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And you are not willing.
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He will bring you to the point.
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Where he will make you willing.
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Isn't that your story for many of you?
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And to overcome your resistance.
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He may have to execute.
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His violence.
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And so I just want to warn you.
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Jesus isn't always a gentleman.
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But he never does it to destroy you.
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Only to save you.
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Let's pray.
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Let's pray.
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Thank you.