1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,280 Oh my soul, I'll worship your holy name. 2 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:21,920 The sun comes up, it's a new day dawn. 3 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:28,100 It's time to sing your song again. 4 00:00:28,540 --> 00:00:34,300 Whatever may pass and whatever lies behind you. 5 00:00:58,540 --> 00:01:28,520 Thank you. 6 00:01:28,540 --> 00:01:58,520 Thank you. 7 00:01:58,540 --> 00:02:28,520 Thank you. 8 00:11:58,540 --> 00:12:26,040 We're going to start our service today with a psalm of praise. 9 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,420 It's good to start the week off, I think, with that. 10 00:12:29,420 --> 00:12:33,480 J.I. Packer said, praising energizes and renews our prayer life. 11 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:39,620 And so when we praise the Lord, we're reminded of all the good things that he does for us, 12 00:12:39,620 --> 00:12:42,580 all the good things he continues to do for us. 13 00:12:42,580 --> 00:12:43,620 So we'll go ahead and stand. 14 00:12:43,620 --> 00:12:46,140 We're going to be reading Psalm 113. 15 00:12:46,140 --> 00:12:47,460 We're going to read the whole thing. 16 00:12:47,460 --> 00:12:52,240 And it's verses 1, 9, what? 17 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:56,040 It's only nine verses, so. 18 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,360 But, yeah, so let's go ahead and stand, and we'll read that together today. 19 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,920 And it begins, 20 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:09,560 Praise the Lord. Praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord. 21 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:15,320 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. 22 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:22,200 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised. 23 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:29,000 The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens. 24 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:38,080 Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? 25 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:44,280 He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 26 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:49,360 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. 27 00:13:49,580 --> 00:13:56,140 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. 28 00:13:56,140 --> 00:13:57,340 Praise the Lord. 29 00:13:57,340 --> 00:13:58,980 This is the word of the Lord. 30 00:13:58,980 --> 00:14:01,640 Let's pray. 31 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:06,240 God, we thank you for our time together today to worship you. 32 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:17,120 We thank you for the opportunity to praise you and to acknowledge that you are God and that you lift us up when we're down and you are always for us in this life. 33 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:23,020 And we just ask that you be with our service today and allow that to glorify you in Jesus' name. Amen. 34 00:14:23,020 --> 00:14:31,920 So to start out our time of praise and worship, we're going to be singing together Who You Say I Am. 35 00:14:41,860 --> 00:14:48,960 Who am I that the highest king would welcome me? 36 00:14:48,960 --> 00:15:01,580 I was lost, but he brought me, and oh, his love for me, oh, his love for me. 37 00:15:01,580 --> 00:15:09,780 Who the sun sets free, oh it's free indeed 38 00:15:09,780 --> 00:15:17,780 I'm a child of God, yes I am 39 00:15:17,780 --> 00:15:26,700 Free at last He has ransomed me, His grace runs deep 40 00:15:26,700 --> 00:15:31,880 While I was a slave to sin 41 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:35,280 Jesus died for me 42 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,860 Yes, He died for me 43 00:15:38,860 --> 00:15:43,000 Oh, the sun sets free 44 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,200 Oh, He's free in me 45 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,500 I'm a child of God 46 00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:55,520 Yes, I am 47 00:15:55,520 --> 00:16:04,280 In my Father's house, there's a place for me 48 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:11,960 I'm a child of God, yes I am 49 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:17,020 I am chosen, not forsaken 50 00:16:17,020 --> 00:16:21,720 I am who you say I am 51 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:28,720 You are free in me, not again, I am who you say I am. 52 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:37,520 Who the sun sets free, who is free in me. 53 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:45,380 I'm a child of God, yes I am. 54 00:16:46,480 --> 00:17:02,460 In my father's house, there's a place for me, I'm a child of God, yes I am. 55 00:17:02,460 --> 00:17:12,040 Now, can you go get me a bottle of water, please? 56 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:13,300 Thanks. 57 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:22,100 All right, to our prayer and share time, we are, yes, please bring it here. 58 00:17:22,100 --> 00:17:22,580 Thank you. 59 00:17:22,580 --> 00:17:24,520 Thank you for that. 60 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:25,100 All right. 61 00:17:25,100 --> 00:17:32,820 Russell's not here today, so I'll be taking over that part of it. 62 00:17:32,820 --> 00:17:37,200 But if you're watching online, there'll be a slide up on the screen with a phone number 63 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:43,200 to text if you have any prayer requests, please send those, and then we'll be able to pray 64 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:44,220 with you together on that. 65 00:17:44,380 --> 00:17:49,580 So, are you okay? 66 00:17:49,580 --> 00:17:50,920 Okay, sorry. 67 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,900 For those that are watching online, that's my kids. 68 00:17:53,900 --> 00:18:00,300 So, we're going to be praying together here, so we'll be muted here. 69 00:18:00,300 --> 00:18:04,320 So, just give us a few minutes after that, and then we'll be back to continue our worship today. 70 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,560 So, we're going to be singing together, Build My Life. 71 00:18:14,380 --> 00:18:44,360 Thank you. 72 00:18:44,380 --> 00:18:55,000 Jesus, the name above every other name 73 00:18:55,000 --> 00:19:01,780 Jesus, the only one who could ever save 74 00:19:01,780 --> 00:19:07,760 Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe 75 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:09,500 We live for you 76 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:13,000 Oh, we live for you 77 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:20,420 Holy, there is no one like you 78 00:19:20,420 --> 00:19:23,780 There is none beside you 79 00:19:23,780 --> 00:19:28,080 Open up my eyes in wonder 80 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,760 And show me who you are 81 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,060 And fill me with your heart 82 00:19:35,060 --> 00:19:42,640 And lead me in your love to those around me 83 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:47,520 Worthy of every song we could ever sing 84 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:54,040 Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring 85 00:19:54,040 --> 00:20:00,420 Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe 86 00:20:00,420 --> 00:20:02,440 We live for you 87 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:14,280 Jesus, the name above every other name 88 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:20,860 Jesus, the only one who could ever save 89 00:20:20,860 --> 00:20:26,980 Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe 90 00:20:26,980 --> 00:20:32,100 We live for you, oh we live for you 91 00:20:32,100 --> 00:20:39,120 Holy, there is no one like you 92 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:42,540 There is none beside you 93 00:20:42,540 --> 00:20:47,120 Open up my eyes in wonder 94 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:50,680 And show me who you are 95 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:54,020 And fill me with your heart 96 00:20:54,020 --> 00:21:00,880 And lead me in your love to those around me 97 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:07,980 I will build my life upon your love 98 00:21:07,980 --> 00:21:13,240 It is a firm foundation 99 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:21,040 I will put my trust in you alone 100 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:26,540 And I will not be shaken 101 00:21:26,540 --> 00:21:31,740 Holy, there is no one like you 102 00:21:31,740 --> 00:21:35,120 There is none beside you 103 00:21:35,120 --> 00:21:39,680 Open up my eyes in wonder 104 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:44,520 And show me who you are in me 105 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,720 With your heart and lead me 106 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:53,660 In your love to the world around me 107 00:21:56,540 --> 00:21:57,660 All right, you may be seated. 108 00:22:26,540 --> 00:22:37,320 Just a wonder, considerable, how much the hand I pray. 109 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:46,640 I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder. 110 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:55,420 The power of love, the universe is here. 111 00:22:56,540 --> 00:23:13,440 Yes, it's my Savior, my Savior, God, to me How great Thou art, how great Thou art 112 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:31,540 And since my soul was taken out to me, I'll bring that one, I'll bring that one. 113 00:23:31,540 --> 00:23:49,420 When through the waves and forest glades I wander, and in your heart, it seems to me in your dreams. 114 00:23:49,420 --> 00:24:06,420 When I look down, I look down to the ground to the ground. And in my heart, I just want to pray. 115 00:24:06,420 --> 00:24:15,800 It's my God, I want to say you've got to be 116 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:25,380 I'll pray, I'll pray, I'll pray 117 00:24:25,380 --> 00:24:33,940 It's my God, I want to say you've got to be 118 00:24:33,940 --> 00:25:03,920 I'm ready to go. 119 00:25:03,940 --> 00:25:18,940 Oh, my Lord, my Lord, my Savior, He led a prayer to take your love away. 120 00:25:19,940 --> 00:25:49,920 This is my step, my favorite heart to be. How great I love you. This is my step, my favorite heart to be. How great I love you. 121 00:25:49,940 --> 00:26:19,920 The baby does not know. When Christ is born, He will be raised in the world. When He is born, He will be raised in the world. When He is born, He will be raised in the world. 122 00:26:19,940 --> 00:26:22,640 And I'll praise you 123 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:27,240 And I'll hear you 124 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,740 And I'll hear you 125 00:26:29,740 --> 00:26:31,840 And I'll hear you 126 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:35,640 And this is my soul 127 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:40,040 And it's great to go to me 128 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,140 And I'll hear you 129 00:26:43,140 --> 00:26:45,840 And I'll hear you 130 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:47,640 And I'll praise you 131 00:26:47,640 --> 00:27:05,200 Oh, my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear. 132 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:47,620 Thank you. 133 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:59,120 I can hear not to love the same thing, but you are the only one that's in Jesus' name. 134 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:10,480 I can hear not to love the same thing, but I can hear not to love the same thing, but I can hear not to love the same thing. 135 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:40,460 Thank you. 136 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:55,480 May you all, may you allow, Lord as Lord, He is Lord, Lord as Lord. 137 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:40,460 Thank you. 138 00:29:40,480 --> 00:30:10,460 Thank you. 139 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:40,460 Thank you. 140 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:28,520 As we move into our time of communion, we're going to be singing Help the Father for us. 141 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:47,700 How deep the Father's love for us 142 00:32:47,700 --> 00:32:53,440 How vast beyond all measure 143 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:59,620 That He should give His only Son 144 00:32:59,620 --> 00:33:05,120 To make a wretch His treasure 145 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:11,520 How great the pain of searing loss 146 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:16,940 The Father turns His face away 147 00:33:16,940 --> 00:33:22,560 As wounds which mother chosen one 148 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:28,080 Bring many sons to glory 149 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:34,280 Behold the man upon a cross 150 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:40,160 My sin upon His shoulders 151 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:45,860 Ashamed I hear my mocking voice 152 00:33:45,860 --> 00:33:51,660 Call out among the scoffers 153 00:33:51,660 --> 00:33:57,240 It was my sin that held Him there 154 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:02,440 Until it was accomplished 155 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:08,460 His dying breath has brought me life 156 00:34:08,460 --> 00:34:13,340 I know that it is finished 157 00:34:13,340 --> 00:34:19,440 I will not boast in anything 158 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:24,860 No gifts, no power, no wisdom 159 00:34:24,860 --> 00:34:31,400 But I will boast in Jesus Christ 160 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:35,820 His death and resurrection 161 00:34:35,820 --> 00:34:42,620 Why should I gain from His reward 162 00:34:42,620 --> 00:34:48,160 I cannot give an answer 163 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:54,240 But this I know in all my heart 164 00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:59,080 His wounds have paid my ransom 165 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:23,240 I've been, over the past couple weeks, reading through the book of Exodus. 166 00:35:24,340 --> 00:35:29,620 And as I've been doing that, one of the things that continually stands out to me 167 00:35:29,620 --> 00:35:36,520 is God's provision for his people in the midst of sort of dark, difficult, desert times. 168 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:40,100 And so he brings them out of Egypt, and he brings them through the sea, 169 00:35:40,100 --> 00:35:42,800 and they're hungry in the wilderness, so he feeds them, 170 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:44,880 and they're thirsty in their wilderness, and he feeds them. 171 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,760 They don't like the food, so he feeds them something different, 172 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:52,000 and he cares, provides, and takes care of them through the wilderness. 173 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:59,100 In John the sixth chapter, Jesus is speaking to some religious leaders and they're wanting a sign. 174 00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:00,600 They're wanting some proof. 175 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:04,640 And Jesus says, they say, what kind of sign do you have? 176 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:05,920 And then they bring up Moses. 177 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:10,240 And they say, our fathers ate manna in the wilderness as it is written. 178 00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:13,300 He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 179 00:36:13,300 --> 00:36:15,200 And they say, we feel like we're in the wilderness. 180 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:16,200 We want some bread. 181 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:20,260 And if you're really sent by God, you can do what Moses did. 182 00:36:20,340 --> 00:36:23,640 You can provide for the people in the midst of the wilderness. 183 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:25,120 And so Jesus will say this. 184 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,360 Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, 185 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:31,460 it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, 186 00:36:31,460 --> 00:36:34,980 but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 187 00:36:34,980 --> 00:36:38,480 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven 188 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:40,060 and gives life to the world. 189 00:36:40,060 --> 00:36:43,320 And so he says, it's not Moses that provided for the people. 190 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:44,800 It was God himself. 191 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:48,420 And he said, he's sending some true bread, some better bread, 192 00:36:48,540 --> 00:36:50,340 something that will truly nourish you, 193 00:36:50,340 --> 00:36:52,160 and they look at Jesus and they say, 194 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:53,880 Sir, give us this bread always. 195 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,880 They say, this sounds great, never having to be hungry again. 196 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:58,200 We want that bread. 197 00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:01,700 And then Jesus says something startling and wonderful. 198 00:37:01,700 --> 00:37:05,580 Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. 199 00:37:05,580 --> 00:37:08,120 Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, 200 00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:11,140 and who believes in me shall never thirst. 201 00:37:11,140 --> 00:37:13,940 There are times, I think, in our lives 202 00:37:13,940 --> 00:37:17,380 where it feels like a little bit that we're in the wilderness, right? 203 00:37:17,620 --> 00:37:20,560 We're hungry, we're thirsty, we're tired. 204 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:22,940 Maybe we feel overwhelmed and alone. 205 00:37:22,940 --> 00:37:27,540 And one of the things that as Christians we need to be reminded of 206 00:37:27,540 --> 00:37:30,600 is that our nourishment and our strength and our hope 207 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:35,320 does not come from ourselves or from our abilities or from our goodness, 208 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:37,020 but it comes from God. 209 00:37:37,020 --> 00:37:40,300 And one of the purposes of the Lord's Supper 210 00:37:40,300 --> 00:37:44,180 is that it would direct our eyes and our hearts and our minds 211 00:37:44,180 --> 00:37:46,440 to Jesus and to the cross. 212 00:37:46,900 --> 00:37:53,820 That we would see the love that God has for us, that he sent his only son to save us from our sins. 213 00:37:53,820 --> 00:38:03,300 And to remind us that true satisfaction for our soul and true nourishment isn't found in the things in this life, but it's found in Christ. 214 00:38:03,300 --> 00:38:09,480 So what we're going to do is we'll pray and then we'll partake together, turning our eyes toward Jesus. 215 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:14,980 Father in heaven, thank you that you do satisfy the longing of our soul. 216 00:38:15,100 --> 00:38:18,740 And in this moment, as we break this bread and we drink this cup, 217 00:38:18,740 --> 00:38:23,280 may we remember the weight of the events that these represent. 218 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:27,920 That we may remember the sacrifice of your son on the cross 219 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:29,640 and his suffering on our behalf. 220 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:32,280 How he saves us from our sins. 221 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:35,360 How he has won the victory on our behalf. 222 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:36,440 How he gives us hope. 223 00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:39,960 And may you nourish our weary souls in this moment. 224 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:42,440 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 225 00:38:43,980 --> 00:38:47,500 Jesus will say, this is my body, which is for you. 226 00:38:47,500 --> 00:38:49,100 Do this in remembrance of me. 227 00:38:49,100 --> 00:38:50,340 Let's partake together. 228 00:38:50,340 --> 00:38:58,840 And then he will say, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. 229 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:02,900 Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. 230 00:39:02,900 --> 00:39:09,600 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, 231 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:13,320 you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 232 00:39:13,980 --> 00:39:20,960 We are going to be in Acts, the 17th chapter this morning. 233 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:24,680 Before we get there, let's go ahead and have another word of prayer. 234 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:32,420 Father in heaven, bless our time together as we look at this little church in this little town. 235 00:39:32,420 --> 00:39:37,860 Six short verses, but they contain some wonderful truth for us. 236 00:39:37,860 --> 00:39:42,300 So I ask that you would encourage us, that you would convict us, 237 00:39:42,780 --> 00:39:44,660 that you would help us, that you would change us. 238 00:39:44,660 --> 00:39:46,180 We thank you so much for Jesus. 239 00:39:46,180 --> 00:39:48,460 We thank you for grace and for hope. 240 00:39:48,460 --> 00:39:50,600 It's in your son's name we pray. Amen. 241 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:55,820 So, I don't remember how many years ago, 242 00:39:55,820 --> 00:39:58,340 but we were getting some new neighbors, 243 00:39:58,340 --> 00:40:01,340 and they had bought the house across the street, 244 00:40:01,340 --> 00:40:04,780 and they were in the middle of remodeling the house. 245 00:40:04,780 --> 00:40:07,900 And so, being nosy neighbors that we are, 246 00:40:07,900 --> 00:40:09,940 one of the things we would do as they were remodeling, 247 00:40:09,940 --> 00:40:12,240 we saw the building, we had to kind of peek through the windows 248 00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:14,520 as we were driving by or getting our mail. 249 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:19,580 And so finally, Rachel met one of the neighbors at the mailbox 250 00:40:19,580 --> 00:40:23,200 and just said, hey, can we come see inside your house, right? 251 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:27,380 Because sometimes you just need to open the door and look inside, right? 252 00:40:27,380 --> 00:40:33,000 What Luke is doing here in these six verses in Acts 17th chapter 253 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:37,180 is he's opening the door and he's letting us look inside at this little church. 254 00:40:37,180 --> 00:40:38,020 It's a quick glimpse. 255 00:40:38,020 --> 00:40:40,980 He doesn't give us a huge amount of details, 256 00:40:40,980 --> 00:40:47,340 But what he does is takes something wonderful, kind of opens the door, and says, take a look at this. 257 00:40:47,340 --> 00:40:52,180 So I'm going to go ahead and read our text, and then we'll just spend some time unpacking it. 258 00:40:52,180 --> 00:40:56,520 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. 259 00:40:56,520 --> 00:41:00,920 So they've come from Thessalonica, snuck out of the middle of the night, heading to Berea. 260 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,540 And when they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 261 00:41:03,540 --> 00:41:07,080 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica. 262 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:12,620 they received the word with all eagerness examining the Scriptures daily if these things were so 263 00:41:12,620 --> 00:41:18,440 many of them therefore believed with not a few greek women of high standing as well as men but 264 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:23,700 when the Jews from thessalonica heard that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at berea also 265 00:41:23,700 --> 00:41:29,740 they came thereto agitating and stirring up the crowns then the brothers immediately sent Paul 266 00:41:29,740 --> 00:41:35,440 off on his way to the sea but Silas and Timothy remained there those who conducted Paul brought 267 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:40,840 him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him 268 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:46,480 as soon as possible, they departed. So Luke opens the door, gives us a glimpse of this 269 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:52,280 Berean church. Not a long look, but it is an encouraging one. So I don't know if you've 270 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:57,220 ever felt really tired and frustrated, but I'm guessing probably all of us have. And 271 00:41:57,220 --> 00:42:01,820 I was thinking back, and when I left, graduated high school, and spent the summer, was getting 272 00:42:01,820 --> 00:42:06,680 ready to leave for college. My parents were in Colorado, and I was going to Missouri, and they 273 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:11,460 were going to meet me in Missouri on their way back home from Colorado. And so I got my car all 274 00:42:11,460 --> 00:42:16,900 packed up. And just like normal, it took like eight hours longer than I thought it would to 275 00:42:16,900 --> 00:42:20,960 pack up. So instead of leaving at like, you know, eight o'clock in the morning, it was like four in 276 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:24,580 the afternoon when I got ready to leave to drive to Missouri. I said, you know what, I'm going to 277 00:42:24,580 --> 00:42:28,960 drive a few hours, try to get all the way across New York State, and then I'm going to find a place 278 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:34,680 to stay and so i had been up all day been packing and you know it's all the the things getting ready 279 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:40,360 so i was already tired and so i drove and i drove and i drove i finally got to like eight o'clock at 280 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:45,540 night it's like i am so tired i'm gonna find a hotel so i you know back then uh you couldn't 281 00:42:45,540 --> 00:42:49,860 just pull something up on your smartphone or make a reservation so i saw the sign on the side of the 282 00:42:49,860 --> 00:42:53,720 road the list of the hotels and well that one looks like uh probably not going to get murdered 283 00:42:53,720 --> 00:42:58,880 if i stay there so i pulled in drove in went into the desk and i'd like a room like oh absolutely 284 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:03,540 uh can i have your identification your credit card so i i hand that to them they look at it 285 00:43:03,540 --> 00:43:08,980 and said sorry uh we don't rent rooms to anybody under 25 and so here i am a whole lot of miles 286 00:43:08,980 --> 00:43:13,900 from home a whole lot of miles from my destination and so i get back in the car and i drive to you 287 00:43:13,900 --> 00:43:18,420 know down the road a few more miles find another hotel went in sorry we don't rent rooms to anybody 288 00:43:18,420 --> 00:43:23,700 who's under 21 i think well we're heading in the right direction and so i drove and i drove 289 00:43:23,700 --> 00:43:29,640 try another hotel sorry we don't rent rooms and finally it's like 12 30 at night and i said i'm 290 00:43:29,640 --> 00:43:33,260 gonna try one more time and then i'm just gonna sleep in my car on the shoulder of the road 291 00:43:33,260 --> 00:43:40,180 and i pull into the hotel went in and they uh gave me a room uh thankfully didn't even look at my id 292 00:43:40,180 --> 00:43:45,020 so i i kind of had lowered my standards for what kind of hotel i was gonna stay in and i got a room 293 00:43:45,020 --> 00:43:50,280 and i just remember how tired and how frustrated i was right because it seemed like everything i 294 00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:57,000 tried to do, which is like, no. And life sometimes feels that way, right? We're going along and we're 295 00:43:57,000 --> 00:44:02,500 tired and we're frustrated. And then what happens? We get grumpy, we get angry, and all of these 296 00:44:02,500 --> 00:44:10,700 things begin to happen. In Acts chapter 16 and 17, what we find is Paul and Silas and Timothy, 297 00:44:10,700 --> 00:44:18,540 their missionary journey has gotten very difficult. In Philippi, after doing some wonderful things, 298 00:44:18,540 --> 00:44:22,680 they're dragged by a mob in the center of the city, brought before the magistrates. They rip 299 00:44:22,680 --> 00:44:27,440 off their clothes. They beat them. They tie them up, and they throw them in the darkest part 300 00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:33,820 of the jail. And the next morning, when the officials come to talk to them, you find out 301 00:44:33,820 --> 00:44:38,340 that the whole detention and punishment was illegal. And instead of apology, they say, 302 00:44:38,340 --> 00:44:43,080 get out of our city. And so they get out of the city, and they begin to walk, and they stop at 303 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:47,820 two towns, neither of which have a synagogue. And so they just keep going, and they walk like a 304 00:44:47,820 --> 00:44:54,520 hundred miles till they come to the town of Thessalonica. In Thessalonica, they show up for 305 00:44:54,520 --> 00:45:01,160 church or the synagogue, three Sabbaths in a row. And ultimately, at the end of those three Sabbaths, 306 00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:04,840 an angry mob storms the house where they think Paul, Silas, and Timothy are staying, 307 00:45:04,840 --> 00:45:10,220 drag the occupants of the house down to the center of the city. There's almost a riot, 308 00:45:10,220 --> 00:45:17,500 and Paul and Silas and Timothy end up sneaking out of town in the dead of night, 45 miles by foot, 309 00:45:17,820 --> 00:45:20,100 to the town of Berea. 310 00:45:20,100 --> 00:45:23,600 And so now they find themselves in this little town. 311 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:28,280 And if I was one of this small band of missionaries, 312 00:45:28,280 --> 00:45:31,420 I would feel extra small, right? 313 00:45:31,420 --> 00:45:34,200 Extra tired, extra frustrated. 314 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:35,720 You're doing some good things 315 00:45:35,720 --> 00:45:37,620 and the gospel's taking root in Philippi 316 00:45:37,620 --> 00:45:39,140 and an angry mob shows up. 317 00:45:39,140 --> 00:45:41,620 So you have to hike 100 miles 318 00:45:41,620 --> 00:45:43,080 and you get to Thessalonica 319 00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:44,820 and you start doing some good things 320 00:45:44,820 --> 00:45:46,200 and an angry mob shows up. 321 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:47,720 You got to sneak out in the middle of the night 322 00:45:47,720 --> 00:45:52,620 You have to feel like nothing is working, and you're tired, and you're frustrated. 323 00:45:52,620 --> 00:45:55,620 And we've all had those kind of days. 324 00:45:55,620 --> 00:46:00,720 And most of us, when those days happen, our attitude is not very good. 325 00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:05,400 So look what happens to Paul, Silas, and Timothy when they get to Berea. 326 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:09,740 Verse 10, when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 327 00:46:09,740 --> 00:46:14,720 Think about what they've encountered over the past several weeks or several months, right? 328 00:46:14,720 --> 00:46:18,200 They've traveled almost 150 miles on foot. 329 00:46:18,200 --> 00:46:21,700 They've faced down several angry mobs. 330 00:46:21,700 --> 00:46:26,320 They've been beaten, thrown in jail, had to sneak out of a town in the middle of the night. 331 00:46:26,320 --> 00:46:30,980 And immediately they get to this town and they don't say, you know what, I need a week off, right? 332 00:46:30,980 --> 00:46:34,360 I need to eat, I need to take a nap, I need to recharge. 333 00:46:34,360 --> 00:46:39,880 Immediately they go back to work preaching the good news of the gospel. 334 00:46:41,240 --> 00:46:48,080 Now my point with saying that is not for us to look at God and say, get back to work, sharing the good news of the gospel. 335 00:46:48,080 --> 00:47:01,460 My point is to look at Paul, Silas, and Timothy and point you to the fact that their strength and their ability to get back to work in the midst of this discouragement is not because they're strong, but because they serve a God who is strong. 336 00:47:01,460 --> 00:47:10,620 And my point is not to say, get back to work, but rather fix your eyes on the God who will give you the strength to do what you need to do. 337 00:47:11,060 --> 00:47:14,500 They have to be sustained by something other than their own strength. 338 00:47:14,500 --> 00:47:18,940 In a few weeks we'll see Paul moving into the town of Corinth 339 00:47:18,940 --> 00:47:21,960 and in 2 Corinthians he writes several letters to this church 340 00:47:21,960 --> 00:47:23,260 because they have all kinds of problems. 341 00:47:23,260 --> 00:47:26,800 But in 2 Corinthians he talks about some of the conflicts 342 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:28,380 and struggles that he's encountered. 343 00:47:28,380 --> 00:47:31,880 I just want to share with you what he says about those difficult times. 344 00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:34,860 He says this in 2 Corinthians chapter 1. 345 00:47:34,860 --> 00:47:37,580 We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, 346 00:47:37,580 --> 00:47:40,240 of the affliction that we experienced in Asia. 347 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:46,920 For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 348 00:47:46,920 --> 00:47:50,700 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. 349 00:47:50,700 --> 00:47:55,380 But that was to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. 350 00:47:55,380 --> 00:47:56,120 You hear what Paul says? 351 00:47:56,120 --> 00:47:58,840 He says it's not because we're strong or because we're good. 352 00:47:58,840 --> 00:48:03,440 He says it's because God is the one who gives us strength. 353 00:48:03,440 --> 00:48:05,420 He's the one that we rely on. 354 00:48:05,420 --> 00:48:08,040 In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, he'll say this. 355 00:48:08,360 --> 00:48:12,540 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim that anything is coming from us, 356 00:48:12,540 --> 00:48:15,440 but our sufficiency is from God, 357 00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:19,360 who made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant. 358 00:48:19,360 --> 00:48:24,060 Not the letter of the Spirit, for the letter killed, but the Spirit gives life. 359 00:48:24,060 --> 00:48:24,860 Do you hear what he says? 360 00:48:24,860 --> 00:48:28,660 He says it's not because we're strong and we're able to keep going in the midst of difficulty, 361 00:48:28,660 --> 00:48:32,240 but because God has encouraged us and strengthens us, 362 00:48:32,240 --> 00:48:35,360 and he is sufficient for the task that is ahead of us. 363 00:48:36,020 --> 00:48:39,140 And then in 2 Corinthians chapter 13, he's threatening the church saying, 364 00:48:39,140 --> 00:48:42,720 I'm going to come back, and if I have to, I'm going to knock some of your heads together 365 00:48:42,720 --> 00:48:44,220 because none of you are listening. 366 00:48:44,220 --> 00:48:47,080 And he'll say this, not because I'm strong, but he'll say, 367 00:48:47,080 --> 00:48:52,160 for he, speaking of Jesus, was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. 368 00:48:52,160 --> 00:48:59,780 For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you, we will live with him by the power of God. 369 00:48:59,780 --> 00:49:02,060 And what Paul is saying is that my strength isn't enough. 370 00:49:02,420 --> 00:49:06,760 If I was trying to deal with the events in Philippi by myself 371 00:49:06,760 --> 00:49:09,720 and having to hike all the way to Thessalonica 372 00:49:09,720 --> 00:49:11,560 and dealing with those discouragement 373 00:49:11,560 --> 00:49:13,420 and having to sneak out and hike to Berea, 374 00:49:13,420 --> 00:49:15,420 I wouldn't be able to do it. 375 00:49:15,420 --> 00:49:17,080 But God is sufficient. 376 00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:20,580 And you and I need to hear this message, 377 00:49:20,580 --> 00:49:24,300 especially in those moments where we feel like everything has been no 378 00:49:24,300 --> 00:49:26,500 and nothing is working and we're frustrated. 379 00:49:26,500 --> 00:49:28,700 And we're going, I can't do it. 380 00:49:28,700 --> 00:49:31,000 The answer's right, you can't, but God can. 381 00:49:31,580 --> 00:49:34,440 He is your strength, and He is your sufficiency, 382 00:49:34,440 --> 00:49:36,400 and He is your hope. 383 00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:39,980 And that's why Paul, Silas, and Timothy 384 00:49:39,980 --> 00:49:43,340 are able, in the midst of this discouraging scene of ministry, 385 00:49:43,340 --> 00:49:46,160 to get up first thing and head back 386 00:49:46,160 --> 00:49:49,280 to preach the good news of the Gospel. 387 00:49:49,280 --> 00:49:53,400 What's interesting is that the things in Berea 388 00:49:53,400 --> 00:49:55,700 go a little differently than Thessalonica. 389 00:49:55,700 --> 00:49:57,620 Listen to what happens. 390 00:49:59,540 --> 00:50:04,540 And some of them, I'm sorry, jumped a whole part. 391 00:50:04,540 --> 00:50:08,500 So when they get to Berea, they go into the synagogue and they preach. 392 00:50:08,500 --> 00:50:16,080 One of the things that happens is that this church has a very different reaction than Thessalonica. 393 00:50:16,080 --> 00:50:17,040 Look at verse 11. 394 00:50:17,040 --> 00:50:20,120 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, 395 00:50:20,120 --> 00:50:25,660 and they received the word with eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these were so. 396 00:50:26,380 --> 00:50:31,400 Many of them therefore believed, not with a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 397 00:50:31,400 --> 00:50:35,380 Now this verse is pretty familiar if you've been around the church very long. 398 00:50:35,380 --> 00:50:43,180 Specifically verse 11, that these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica 399 00:50:43,180 --> 00:50:49,900 because they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 400 00:50:50,500 --> 00:50:58,300 And by and large, I think maybe the church has addressed this verse not in 100% of a good way. 401 00:50:58,300 --> 00:51:03,860 And what I mean by that is that for many of us, this verse has been used to fuel our prong, right? 402 00:51:03,860 --> 00:51:13,620 We use this verse, right, those in Thessalonica were more noble as sort of a license to compare ourselves or look down on other Christians. 403 00:51:13,620 --> 00:51:16,460 And so we will look at this and we'll say, well, I'm more noble. 404 00:51:16,460 --> 00:51:19,160 I'm like the Bereans, not like the Thessalonians. 405 00:51:19,340 --> 00:51:20,400 I love the Bible. 406 00:51:20,400 --> 00:51:22,400 They don't care as much about the Bible as I do. 407 00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:24,980 And my church cares more about it than their church. 408 00:51:24,980 --> 00:51:30,420 And this is something that is sort of habitual in many churches, right? 409 00:51:30,420 --> 00:51:32,480 And we'll say, look, it's right here in the Bible. 410 00:51:32,480 --> 00:51:35,020 Those who study the Bible are better than those who don't. 411 00:51:35,020 --> 00:51:36,620 We're the real Christians. 412 00:51:36,620 --> 00:51:42,500 And what we're doing when we do that, when we use this verse as fuel for our pride, 413 00:51:42,500 --> 00:51:46,660 we're doing exactly the opposite of what Jesus prays for the church. 414 00:51:47,240 --> 00:51:49,500 So the night before Jesus goes to the garden, 415 00:51:49,500 --> 00:51:52,220 and the night before He's arrested and He's crucified, 416 00:51:52,220 --> 00:51:53,600 He prays for the church. 417 00:51:53,600 --> 00:51:56,800 And He prays not that we would be united and proud 418 00:51:56,800 --> 00:51:57,860 and putting each other down, 419 00:51:57,860 --> 00:52:00,440 but He prays that we would be one. 420 00:52:00,440 --> 00:52:05,240 This verse is not intended to be used to fuel our pride. 421 00:52:05,240 --> 00:52:07,400 And additionally, it's not even talking about church people. 422 00:52:07,400 --> 00:52:09,900 These people aren't Christians yet. 423 00:52:09,900 --> 00:52:12,960 This is not a verse comparing Christian A and Christian B, 424 00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:16,000 the Christians in Thessalonica and the Christians in Berea. 425 00:52:16,620 --> 00:52:20,340 This is comparing people who aren't Christians, 426 00:52:20,340 --> 00:52:22,060 who aren't Christians yet. 427 00:52:22,060 --> 00:52:23,780 In the synagogue in Thessalonica 428 00:52:23,780 --> 00:52:26,120 and the Jews in the synagogue of Berea, 429 00:52:26,120 --> 00:52:29,960 it's comparing two non-Christian responses to the gospel. 430 00:52:29,960 --> 00:52:34,120 One group sort of goes with their own pride 431 00:52:34,120 --> 00:52:34,820 and their own arrogance. 432 00:52:34,820 --> 00:52:39,800 The other group humbly engages with the word of God. 433 00:52:39,800 --> 00:52:44,160 So this verse is not intended to be fuel for our pride. 434 00:52:44,160 --> 00:52:46,480 The other way that we address the verse, 435 00:52:46,540 --> 00:52:52,440 it's not a bad way, but I think it's an incomplete way, is we simply look at this verse as a good 436 00:52:52,440 --> 00:52:57,000 example, right? So we look at this, we say, I want to be people who, we want to be people who eagerly 437 00:52:57,000 --> 00:53:02,600 dive into the Word of God, and that's wonderful, and that's good, but we're missing something in 438 00:53:02,600 --> 00:53:07,600 this verse when we do that. Have you ever wondered why there was such a difference in the reception 439 00:53:07,600 --> 00:53:12,340 of the gospel between Berea and Thessalonica? Let me read to you about the Berean Christians. 440 00:53:13,180 --> 00:53:18,940 Many of them therefore believed, and not a few Greek women of high standing, as well as men. 441 00:53:18,940 --> 00:53:21,480 And then, in Thessalonica, 442 00:53:21,480 --> 00:53:27,800 And some were persuaded in joining Paul and Silas, as did a great many of those devout Greeks, not a few of the leading women. 443 00:53:27,800 --> 00:53:32,580 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some of the wicked men of the rabble, 444 00:53:32,580 --> 00:53:34,780 they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar, 445 00:53:34,780 --> 00:53:39,580 attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out in the crown. 446 00:53:39,580 --> 00:53:45,000 So why so many in one town and a few in the other? 447 00:53:45,000 --> 00:53:47,560 Why sort of acceptance in one town? 448 00:53:47,560 --> 00:53:50,480 Why an angry mob in the other? 449 00:53:50,480 --> 00:53:53,860 And the simple answer is because of the word of God. 450 00:53:53,860 --> 00:53:59,580 Verse 12 says this, because many of them therefore believe. 451 00:53:59,580 --> 00:54:01,020 Why do they believe? 452 00:54:01,020 --> 00:54:06,560 Because they had honestly and humbly engaged with the word of God. 453 00:54:06,860 --> 00:54:11,660 The Word of God will strengthen you, will transform you, 454 00:54:11,660 --> 00:54:17,260 will change your heart as He works to transform your life. 455 00:54:17,260 --> 00:54:18,200 Hebrews says this, 456 00:54:18,200 --> 00:54:20,440 The Word of God is living and active. 457 00:54:20,440 --> 00:54:22,420 It's sharper than any two-edged sword piercing 458 00:54:22,420 --> 00:54:25,340 to the division of soul and spirit of joints and marrow 459 00:54:25,340 --> 00:54:28,600 and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 460 00:54:28,600 --> 00:54:32,500 This book is not just simply a book full of information 461 00:54:32,500 --> 00:54:35,660 and a bunch of different stories or a bunch of rules. 462 00:54:35,660 --> 00:54:39,620 This is a book that will transform the depth of your heart. 463 00:54:39,620 --> 00:54:42,160 And one of the reasons you see such a difference 464 00:54:42,160 --> 00:54:45,980 between the people who weren't believers in Thessalonica 465 00:54:45,980 --> 00:54:49,060 and the people who weren't believers in Berea 466 00:54:49,060 --> 00:54:54,060 is because one group humbly and honestly engaged with the Word of God. 467 00:54:54,060 --> 00:54:57,700 And so one of the things we see is we do see this wonderful example 468 00:54:57,700 --> 00:54:59,360 of diving into the Word of God. 469 00:54:59,360 --> 00:55:03,940 But more than that, we see the power of the Word of God to change lives. 470 00:55:04,600 --> 00:55:06,520 The Word of God transforms and saves. 471 00:55:06,520 --> 00:55:10,700 And so in the midst of this, what we find is conflict returns. 472 00:55:10,700 --> 00:55:16,220 Acts 17 and 13, when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the Word of God was proclaimed 473 00:55:16,220 --> 00:55:21,720 by Paul at Berea also, they came there to agitating and stirring up the crowds. 474 00:55:21,720 --> 00:55:25,560 And here's the thing, when there is spiritual growth, there will be spiritual opposition, 475 00:55:25,560 --> 00:55:25,960 right? 476 00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:31,800 When we start to work for the kingdom of God, when good things start to happen, that is 477 00:55:31,800 --> 00:55:33,180 when the enemy opposes us. 478 00:55:33,220 --> 00:55:37,500 He doesn't have any need to oppose us when we're simply sitting and doing nothing. 479 00:55:37,500 --> 00:55:41,880 But when we start to advance for the gospel in the strength that God provides, 480 00:55:41,880 --> 00:55:43,040 there will be opposition. 481 00:55:43,040 --> 00:55:47,560 And as Paul proclaims the word of God, these people from Thessalonica, 482 00:55:47,560 --> 00:55:52,680 and think about it, how much do you have to hate some guy to hike 45 miles one way 483 00:55:52,680 --> 00:55:56,160 to just try to get him beat up and thrown out of town, right? 484 00:55:56,160 --> 00:56:00,940 That's the level of opposition that they face. 485 00:56:02,420 --> 00:56:07,420 And so in Acts chapter 17, you get this glorious glimpse of this new community. 486 00:56:07,420 --> 00:56:13,260 We've seen how God encourages us in the midst of what seems like discouragement. 487 00:56:13,260 --> 00:56:17,240 We've seen how the Word of God changes and transforms people, brings them into the kingdom, 488 00:56:17,240 --> 00:56:22,060 and then opposition arises, and we get a glimpse of this little church in Berea. 489 00:56:22,060 --> 00:56:26,880 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, 490 00:56:26,880 --> 00:56:29,740 but Silas and Timothy remained there, 491 00:56:29,800 --> 00:56:32,540 and those who conduct Paul brought him as far as Athens, 492 00:56:32,540 --> 00:56:35,040 and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy 493 00:56:35,040 --> 00:56:37,940 to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. 494 00:56:37,940 --> 00:56:42,100 Now, that just sort of sounds like a transition to his next stop, 495 00:56:42,100 --> 00:56:44,520 but there is something wonderful that is happening here. 496 00:56:44,520 --> 00:56:47,540 They don't just say, hey, Paul, get out of town and head on your way. 497 00:56:47,540 --> 00:56:49,440 Then some of these members of the church, 498 00:56:49,440 --> 00:56:53,100 Timothy and Silas, stay behind to help this little church grow, 499 00:56:53,100 --> 00:56:57,020 and then a bunch of the guys in church gather around Paul, 500 00:56:57,180 --> 00:57:00,420 and they say, you're not going to walk on this road by yourself. 501 00:57:00,420 --> 00:57:04,360 And so they walk him to the sea, and they get on a boat with him, 502 00:57:04,360 --> 00:57:06,440 and they get him safely to Athens. 503 00:57:06,440 --> 00:57:09,880 And once he is safely established there, they go home. 504 00:57:09,880 --> 00:57:14,260 Now remember, this is not like today, where I can call my brother and say, 505 00:57:14,260 --> 00:57:17,320 hey, you want to run to Lowe's with me real quick, and we go and do that. 506 00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:21,520 These guys would have to leave behind their family for a period of time. 507 00:57:21,520 --> 00:57:23,500 They have to face danger on the road. 508 00:57:23,500 --> 00:57:24,920 They're going to face danger on the sea. 509 00:57:25,200 --> 00:57:29,240 They're going to have to pay for these things in a time when money is not prevalent. 510 00:57:29,240 --> 00:57:30,800 This is a sacrifice. 511 00:57:30,800 --> 00:57:33,500 But they look at the Apostle Paul and say, 512 00:57:33,500 --> 00:57:39,720 our brother in Christ will not face the dangers alone, but we will walk with him. 513 00:57:39,720 --> 00:57:42,780 And I love this picture of Christian community. 514 00:57:42,780 --> 00:57:43,600 It's one of my favorites. 515 00:57:43,600 --> 00:57:45,500 And I've shared this with you before. 516 00:57:45,500 --> 00:57:48,840 One of my favorite verses in Acts, and it's in Acts chapter 28. 517 00:57:48,840 --> 00:57:50,420 Paul is in chains. 518 00:57:50,420 --> 00:57:51,400 He's on his way to Rome. 519 00:57:51,400 --> 00:57:52,980 He's facing an uncertain future. 520 00:57:53,340 --> 00:57:55,880 He doesn't know what is going to happen to him. 521 00:57:55,880 --> 00:57:57,440 He may go, and he may die. 522 00:57:57,440 --> 00:58:00,060 And the Christians in Rome know he's coming. 523 00:58:00,060 --> 00:58:03,760 And here he's on the road to Rome, and Acts 28 says this, 524 00:58:03,760 --> 00:58:08,020 There we found brothers, and they invited us to stay with them for seven days. 525 00:58:08,020 --> 00:58:09,460 And we came to Rome. 526 00:58:09,460 --> 00:58:12,280 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, 527 00:58:12,280 --> 00:58:16,780 came out as far as the forum of atheists and three taverns to meet us. 528 00:58:16,780 --> 00:58:19,780 And on seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. 529 00:58:19,780 --> 00:58:22,860 Paul, in that moment, sounds like he was a little bit discouraged. 530 00:58:23,340 --> 00:58:25,260 And when the Christians hear that Paul is coming, 531 00:58:25,260 --> 00:58:27,420 they walk, not just a little bit, 532 00:58:27,420 --> 00:58:29,900 but miles and miles outside of the city. 533 00:58:29,900 --> 00:58:32,980 And they find Paul, and they surround him, 534 00:58:32,980 --> 00:58:34,820 and they walk into Rome together. 535 00:58:34,820 --> 00:58:38,040 And I love that picker of Christian community. 536 00:58:38,040 --> 00:58:39,660 And you see it in Berea. 537 00:58:39,660 --> 00:58:42,100 As Paul faces an uncertain future, 538 00:58:42,100 --> 00:58:44,300 how he travels, what's he going to find in Athens? 539 00:58:44,300 --> 00:58:47,260 The church comes around him and walks with him 540 00:58:47,260 --> 00:58:49,040 into that future. 541 00:58:49,040 --> 00:58:52,740 You see, the gospel creates a community of people 542 00:58:52,740 --> 00:58:56,120 who should walk together. 543 00:58:56,120 --> 00:58:58,900 So what happens to the Berean church? 544 00:58:58,900 --> 00:59:00,380 This is an interesting church 545 00:59:00,380 --> 00:59:02,800 because out of all the churches in the New Testament, 546 00:59:02,800 --> 00:59:04,940 some we know a little bit more about than others, 547 00:59:04,940 --> 00:59:06,600 but the Berean church, after this passage, 548 00:59:06,600 --> 00:59:07,580 is never mentioned again. 549 00:59:07,580 --> 00:59:10,400 We never hear about the Berean church. 550 00:59:10,400 --> 00:59:13,760 But what's interesting is we do get a glimpse 551 00:59:13,760 --> 00:59:15,980 of some of the Christians from Berea, 552 00:59:15,980 --> 00:59:17,720 specifically one. 553 00:59:19,800 --> 00:59:23,820 In Acts chapter 20, Paul is in trouble again. 554 00:59:23,820 --> 00:59:26,300 It seems to be his kind of way of doing business. 555 00:59:26,300 --> 00:59:28,680 He'll spend three months, and he'll say this, 556 00:59:28,680 --> 00:59:31,920 a plot was made against him by the Jews, 557 00:59:31,920 --> 00:59:33,500 and he was about to set sail for Syria, 558 00:59:33,500 --> 00:59:36,640 and he returned through Macedonia. 559 00:59:36,640 --> 00:59:41,400 Sopater, the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him. 560 00:59:41,400 --> 00:59:45,600 And some of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius of Derbe, 561 00:59:45,600 --> 00:59:48,380 Timothy and the Asians, Tychus, and Trophimus. 562 00:59:49,440 --> 00:59:53,240 And what you'll find is that Paul is facing a plot where some guys want to kill him. 563 00:59:53,240 --> 00:59:58,220 And so this guy from Berea, and the text doesn't say this, but my picture is this guy is like, 564 00:59:58,220 --> 01:00:00,640 they're going to kill Paul, they've got to get through me. 565 01:00:00,640 --> 01:00:03,740 And he shows up, tracks as Paul's bodyguard. 566 01:00:03,740 --> 01:00:07,440 And what's interesting, this other group of people is like, we'll just meet you at Troas. 567 01:00:07,440 --> 01:00:12,460 But Sobiter, he walks with Paul this whole way, kind of sort of, somebody's in trouble, 568 01:00:12,460 --> 01:00:14,740 he's like, hey, I'm going to go with you and make sure you're okay. 569 01:00:14,740 --> 01:00:17,040 And that's what this Berean does. 570 01:00:17,820 --> 01:00:23,580 interesting, there's a guy with a very similar name, possibly the very same guy mentioned in 571 01:00:23,580 --> 01:00:30,580 Romans 16, who had evidently made his way to Rome, had known the church and encouraged the church. 572 01:00:30,580 --> 01:00:34,440 So what you find, this little church that we just get these little six verses of 573 01:00:34,440 --> 01:00:41,140 continues to have an impact in a small way on the kingdom of God. And so many times we look at our 574 01:00:41,140 --> 01:00:46,900 smallness and say, what can I do? In this little church, it seems that one of the things they did 575 01:00:46,900 --> 01:00:49,920 as they stood by their brothers and sisters in Christ, 576 01:00:49,920 --> 01:00:52,860 especially in the face of danger. 577 01:00:52,860 --> 01:00:55,960 That one of the wonderful and most encouraging things 578 01:00:55,960 --> 01:00:59,240 to the church is when brothers in Christ 579 01:00:59,240 --> 01:01:01,600 and sisters in Christ, we stand together 580 01:01:01,600 --> 01:01:05,200 and we help one another and we encourage one another. 581 01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:06,400 Let's pray. 582 01:01:06,400 --> 01:01:10,860 Father, thank you for this testimony of this church 583 01:01:10,860 --> 01:01:13,620 that simply serves, that loves the Word, 584 01:01:13,620 --> 01:01:16,780 that loves your faith, that even when they face risk, 585 01:01:16,880 --> 01:01:19,200 They walk together into the unknown. 586 01:01:19,200 --> 01:01:23,160 Thank you for Jesus who enables us to do this. 587 01:01:23,160 --> 01:01:26,600 Help us in our lives to love your word, 588 01:01:26,600 --> 01:01:29,220 to be encouraged by your power, 589 01:01:29,220 --> 01:01:30,620 that you would be our sufficiency, 590 01:01:30,620 --> 01:01:32,840 and that we would walk with one another 591 01:01:32,840 --> 01:01:35,500 as we face the difficulties of this life. 592 01:01:35,500 --> 01:01:37,440 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 593 01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:43,160 Ultimately, the Berean church is able to do that 594 01:01:43,160 --> 01:01:46,320 because their eyes are fixed on Jesus. 595 01:01:46,440 --> 01:01:49,560 So we're going to go ahead and stand and sing Be Thou My Vision. 596 01:01:49,560 --> 01:02:09,480 Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. 597 01:02:09,480 --> 01:02:14,660 Nor be all else to me 598 01:02:14,660 --> 01:02:18,640 Save that Thou art 599 01:02:18,640 --> 01:02:23,180 Thou my best thought 600 01:02:23,180 --> 01:02:28,100 By day or by night 601 01:02:28,100 --> 01:02:31,640 Waking or sleeping 602 01:02:31,640 --> 01:02:36,120 Thy presence, my light 603 01:02:39,480 --> 01:03:01,260 Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word, I ever with Thee, and Thou with me, Lord. 604 01:03:01,260 --> 01:03:10,300 Thou my great Father, and I Thy true song. 605 01:03:10,300 --> 01:03:18,880 Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee, Lord. 606 01:03:27,400 --> 01:03:34,960 Riches I heap, O man's empty praise. 607 01:03:34,960 --> 01:03:43,880 Thou mine inheritance, now and always. 608 01:03:43,880 --> 01:03:52,560 Thou and Thou only, first in my heart. 609 01:03:54,000 --> 01:04:01,940 High King of heaven, my treasure now all. 610 01:04:01,940 --> 01:04:17,580 High King of heaven, my victory you are. 611 01:04:18,660 --> 01:04:26,680 May I reach heaven's joys, O bright hymn's sun. 612 01:04:26,680 --> 01:04:35,160 Hearts of my own heart, whatever before. 613 01:04:35,160 --> 01:04:44,720 Still be my vision, O ruler of God. 614 01:04:48,660 --> 01:04:56,500 We are thankful that you are here with us this morning, 615 01:04:56,500 --> 01:04:58,160 joining us here in person, 616 01:04:58,160 --> 01:05:02,140 or those of you who are joining us online. 617 01:05:02,140 --> 01:05:03,580 We are thankful for you. 618 01:05:03,580 --> 01:05:05,420 We'll be back here Wednesday night, 619 01:05:05,420 --> 01:05:09,180 continuing on, wrapping up 1 Thessalonians, 620 01:05:09,180 --> 01:05:13,280 the second chapter, moving into chapter 3, 621 01:05:13,280 --> 01:05:14,680 moving through that. 622 01:05:14,680 --> 01:05:18,060 But also Thursday, 1 p.m., the ladies' group 623 01:05:18,060 --> 01:05:21,660 will be here at the church meeting for Ladies' Bible Study. 624 01:05:21,660 --> 01:05:24,280 So that is this Thursday. 625 01:05:24,280 --> 01:05:27,300 Also, if you haven't signed up for our email list, 626 01:05:27,300 --> 01:05:28,480 I would encourage you to do that. 627 01:05:28,480 --> 01:05:30,240 We didn't send out an email this week 628 01:05:30,240 --> 01:05:35,480 because the service that provides our email list 629 01:05:35,480 --> 01:05:39,240 and provides our website and provides our live streaming 630 01:05:39,240 --> 01:05:42,300 had a major service outage for the last couple days, 631 01:05:42,300 --> 01:05:44,400 but they are back up and running. 632 01:05:44,400 --> 01:05:46,660 So if you have any trouble doing that, 633 01:05:46,660 --> 01:05:51,800 Just send me a message or shoot me an email, and I'll get you added to that as well. 634 01:05:51,800 --> 01:05:54,480 So we are going to have a word of prayer. 635 01:05:54,480 --> 01:05:57,680 We'll read a verse of Scripture, and then we will sing the doxology. 636 01:05:57,680 --> 01:06:00,340 Father in heaven, thank you for your church and for your people. 637 01:06:00,340 --> 01:06:03,140 Thank you for this warm place to meet. 638 01:06:03,140 --> 01:06:07,040 May we take the good news of the gospel out with us. 639 01:06:07,040 --> 01:06:10,900 May we walk together as brothers and sisters in Christ, seeking to encourage one another. 640 01:06:10,900 --> 01:06:13,060 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 641 01:06:13,060 --> 01:06:16,260 At the end of Hebrews, we find these words. 642 01:06:16,460 --> 01:06:20,840 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, 643 01:06:20,840 --> 01:06:23,520 the shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, 644 01:06:23,520 --> 01:06:27,360 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, 645 01:06:27,360 --> 01:06:31,540 working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, 646 01:06:31,540 --> 01:06:35,280 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 647 01:06:46,460 --> 01:06:49,680 From whom all blessings flow. 648 01:06:49,680 --> 01:06:54,860 Praise Him, all creatures here below. 649 01:06:54,860 --> 01:07:00,700 Praise Him, above ye heavenly hosts. 650 01:07:00,700 --> 01:07:06,340 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 651 01:07:16,460 --> 01:07:27,840 Thank you.