1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast and I wanted to 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 1: thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: Hope it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: to see Gods moving in your life. Enjoy the message. Well, 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: if you don't know me, I'm Holly Ferdick, and I'm 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: so glad to be worshiping with you here this morning. Welcome, 8 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: Welcome at all of our locations. Lisa Harper is here. 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: How many of you would agree that we've had some 10 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 1: really great preachers this weekend bringing the Word of God 11 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: speaking to us. I'm so thankful that we come to 12 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 1: our church where every week we know that we can 13 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: show up if we could just get here, God's going 14 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: to speak and today is no exception. Lisa Harper is 15 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: back to the Elevation stage for a second time, first 16 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: time as a guest. Second time is family. So we're 17 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: excited to have our family back with us here this weekend. 18 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: Her daughter is here, Missy. They have come all the 19 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 1: way from the country of Tennessee and Lisa is She's 20 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: going to bring an incredible message. I already heard it 21 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: one time last night, and I'm excited for you to 22 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: hear it. She is an incredibly gifted Bible teacher, preacher, author, 23 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: and she's also one of the funniest people I know, 24 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: So you're in for a real treat. She travels the world, 25 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: and I'm so excited to have her here with us 26 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: today on the elevation stage. Will you help me welcome 27 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: Lisa Harper. Thank you, Alick. I really, oh, please to them, please, 28 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: to them, thank you. I cannot overstay. What an honor 29 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: it is to be here. This is my second time, 30 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: and Holly graciously invited me to be with some of 31 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: the women in the two years ago. And every time 32 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: I get to be at Elevation, I just weep during worship. 33 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: And it's not just that I'm in Apausal and my 34 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: emotions are kicked up. It's that the presence of God 35 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: is so pangule in this place, and I'm just undone 36 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: to get to be here, very undeserving of the platform, 37 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: but so grateful to get to be here, and then 38 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: to get to be here on Baptism Sunday that just 39 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: slaved me, just slayed me. I love that you do 40 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: it in the house. I love that it's a family 41 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 1: meeting instead of formal and removed. I got to baptize 42 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: my little girl in the Jordan River. Two months ago. 43 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: We were going to Israel and Missy told me she 44 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: wants to be baptized. She's nine, and I said, baby, 45 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: that'd be great. And what I hadn't taken into consideration 46 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: is we came to Israel from Australia, and so we 47 00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: got there a day and a half after the group 48 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: we were with, and we missed the normal baptismal site, 49 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: which some of you have been to Israel. It's on 50 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: the northern shore of the Sea of Galley and it's 51 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: beautiful and you've got the white robes and the water's clear, 52 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: and it's real picturesque. It's a really great and so 53 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: worthy moment. And we missed that baptism site. When we 54 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: got there, it was the southern part of the Jordan, 55 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: and that's where there's a lot of agricultural runoff and 56 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: just a teensy bit of sewage and the water's really brown. 57 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: That historically is where John baptized Jesus. That's historically where 58 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: the Israelites went into Canaan, and that's historically where Elijah 59 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: went up to be with Jesus. So it's a really 60 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: cool biblical site, but it's really trashy as far as 61 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: the water. But I was like, we're in Israel, and 62 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: she said the Jordan, and this is the Jordan, and 63 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: miss he was like, no, ma'am, And I was like, oh, yes, ma'am. 64 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: And so I kind of had to shover a little 65 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: bit and I'll show the next group make sure because 66 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: it's just comical. I think there will be therapy in 67 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: light of this baptism. But I told her, maybe this 68 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: is like one of the most amazing points in your life, 69 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: because it's when you recognize that you go down as 70 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: an old person, you come up alive to a whole 71 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: new troop. I said outwardly, it's just a sign of 72 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: this inward miracle. It's incredible. So to get to be 73 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:24,799 Speaker 1: here and see that if I had half a brain, 74 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: I just pray and we'd be done and we don't 75 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 1: go to Denny's. But I've never been accused of having 76 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: half a brain. And so we are going to dive 77 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: into a story in the Book of Acts this morning 78 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: because I've watched a lot of the pastors you've had 79 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: come in this summer. It was just undone by Pastor 80 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: Stevens message on when the battle chooses you, And then 81 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: I watch Roberts and I watched Pastor Daniels, and I 82 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: feel like there's this theme God has been weaving through Elevation, Epham, 83 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: all the other locations of spiritual maturity in the summer 84 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: of be all in for the sake of the Gospel. 85 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: So I want to stay in that theme. But in 86 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 1: order for me to stay there, I need y'all to 87 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: help me. So reach out and touch somebody. Gentlemen, if 88 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: you feel weird holding hands with a guy you don't know, 89 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: you can just awkwardly piky grip. But we're just gonna 90 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: and y'all don't have to be that pentecostal. Y'all have 91 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: to reach across the aisles. That's too hard this early 92 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,559 Speaker 1: in the morning. But let's pray to that end. Let's 93 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 1: pray that God will have his way in this place, 94 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: that He will actually illuminate our hearts and minds that 95 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: will become more fully alive to the Gospel, to the 96 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 1: call He has in our lives. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, 97 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: Jesus King Jesus. This Jesus the Lamb who was slain, 98 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: the author and the prefector of our faith, A Lilia, 99 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: the valley, the Alpha and the Omega, wonderful counselor Almighty God. 100 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: This Jesus the Christ, our Messiah, Jesus. Thank you that 101 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: when you ascend it into heaven to sit at the 102 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: right hand of God Almighty, you didn't leave us as orphans. 103 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: Thank you that you left us your spirit and this 104 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 1: love letter called the Bible. Would we pray that you 105 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: would just have your way through your spirit in this 106 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 1: place and all the locations, and all the family rooms 107 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: and the coffee shops and the places where Ephams are 108 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: meeting all over the globe. Lord Jesus, have your way 109 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: in your spirit, that we would see you more clearly, 110 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 1: that we would be undone by the Gospel, That just 111 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: like these friends of ours that got baptized, that there 112 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: would be a washing this morning some of the things 113 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: that have been buried or numb in our hearts, that 114 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: we would feel brand new and just be alive to 115 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: the Gospel. So, Jesus, we can't accomplish this on our own. 116 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,919 Speaker 1: We recognize we're desperate for your spirit. We pray for 117 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 1: your spirit. We pray you would accomplish this by your 118 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: power and authority and for your purposes. Lord Jesus, we 119 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,799 Speaker 1: asked this, and all of God's sons and daughters said Amen. 120 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: Before we dive into the text, I want to tell 121 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: you a story that happened recently to illuminate where we're headed. 122 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: And it has to do with motorcycles. So I should 123 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: probably qualify this because I know a lot of church 124 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: people don't like motorcycles. But I grew up half Baptist. 125 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: Mom was Baptist, dad was Pentecostal, and so the prodigal 126 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: in me has always wanted a reason to wear black 127 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: leather pants. And I grew up riding motorcycles, dirt bikes. 128 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: My dad had a ranch, and then when I turned forty, 129 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: I made this little patch. I am still single, never 130 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: been married. My husband won't stop to ask for directions. 131 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: But at forty I had a plan, and I decided 132 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: if I didn't get a husband that year, because it's 133 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: a pivotal year, you know, forty, and you start to 134 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: lose your metabolism, so I needed something positive. I decided 135 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: if I didn't get a husband. I was going to 136 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: get a Harley Davidson, and so that was my first 137 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: big bike and I've been riding ever since and wearing 138 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: leather pants, even though it often sounds like ducks are 139 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: being killed when I wear leather pants. But when I 140 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: brought Missy, my daughter home from Haiti through the miracle 141 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: of adoption, I thought, you know what, I don't feel 142 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: good about putting Missy on the back of two wheels 143 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: just because of other drivers and distractions. I just there's 144 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: inherent risk in motorcycles. So I thought, I don't feel comfortable. 145 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: I'm not going to ride anymore with her on a bike. 146 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: But it really bummed her out because motorcycles are the 147 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: main form of transportation in Haiti, and so she would 148 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: see the bike every time we walk through the garage 149 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: and she'd go, Moto Moto, Mama moto. And I thought, 150 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: you know, I don't feel comfortable putting on her on 151 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: a hog but maybe I could get a bike that 152 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: is a little safer, and so I found online through Craigslist. 153 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: Always scares me that I'm going to meet a murderer, 154 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: but I actually met a really nice guy in Chicago 155 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: who was selling a Honda gold Wing with a Dauntless 156 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: side car, and so for you motorcycle people actually have 157 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: a PreO. Yeah, so I bought that because you know, 158 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: it's three wheels, you can see us come in. It's 159 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: obviously safer than two wheels. And we had a blast 160 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: on this bike. I did the whole weird thing. I 161 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: don't do all the you know, matching mommy and me 162 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: outfits because I'm just too old and that's too sad 163 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: for Missy. But we did do matching leathers, and I mean, 164 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: we just we had so much fun with it until 165 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: one day we were riding the bike. I live in 166 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 1: the Boonies, about twenty miles south of Nashville, Tennessee, and 167 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: this blue Ford truck flying a rebel flag in the 168 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 1: back drove up beside us and threw coke cans at 169 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: us and yelled expletives. Because where I live in Nashville, Tennessee, 170 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: some people do not think straight headed mamas should have 171 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: curly headed kids. And I prepared for that when I 172 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: was bringing Missy home from Haiti as well as I 173 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: could spent a lot of shoe money on therapists. His 174 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: specialized in transracial adoption. I got the Chris Rock Hair 175 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 1: Special and actually didn't just rent it. I have the DVD. 176 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I did everything I knew to prepare for this. 177 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: There's a good Win, isn't it Autumn? That's like one 178 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: of the best movies ever. I mean, don't rent it 179 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: and send Hollymen emails because there's a few little exciting 180 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: words that aren't in the Bible and that DVD. But anyway, 181 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: it's great about kind of this whole microcosm of hair. 182 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: So I did everything I could to prepare, but I 183 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 1: was not prepared for some of the vitriol that has 184 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: come our way, and so I was really stunned when 185 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: these guys threw coke cans and yelled explotives. It went 186 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: right over Missy's head. She didn't even realize it was 187 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: directed at the fact that I have straight hair and 188 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: she has curly hair. But then a couple of weeks later, 189 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: we were back on the bike in the same area 190 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 1: on this country road, Carter's Creek Pike south of Nashville, 191 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: and I saw my rearview mirror the same truck, and 192 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 1: so I kind of tensed up because I thought, uh, oh, 193 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: we're out here on this country road. It's just Missy 194 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: and me in this motorcycle. We're totally exposed. And sure enough, 195 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: these guys in the blue truck up the ante and 196 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: they pulled up right next to us. I had slowed 197 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: down considerably, and they began yelling really unkind things, including 198 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: the inward and then the driver edged the truck into 199 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:27,079 Speaker 1: my lane and forced me off the road. And it 200 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: was scary. We were fine, we weren't hurt, but it 201 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: was really alarming. And I thought, you know what, I've 202 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: got to explain this to Missy now, because it didn't 203 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: go over her head this time. So I went straight 204 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 1: home and sat her down and I said, hey, baby, 205 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: I want to explain to you what just happened when 206 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: those guys yelled such ugly things to us and forced 207 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: us off the road. And she was like, Mama, why 208 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 1: did they do that? And I said, well, maybe some 209 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: people have really little lives, and they choose to surround 210 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: themselves with people who are just like them and look 211 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: like them, and talk like them and think like them. 212 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: And I said, sometimes their lives are so small that 213 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: their hearts get small because their hearts don't have room 214 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: to grow. And I said sometimes people with really little 215 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: hearts are really dangerous. And I said, so, baby, I 216 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: want to talk to you about what we do when 217 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: we're around people who have really little hearts, like those 218 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: guys in the truck. I said, you know what we 219 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 1: need to do. And where I was going to go 220 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: is I was going to talk about being alert. I 221 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: was going to talk about just always kind of having 222 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: your antenna up when you're in a place where you 223 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 1: don't see a whole lot of faces that may look 224 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: like your face, how you just have to be aware, 225 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 1: not to be bitter or resentful, but just to be aware. 226 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: And so I said, do you know what we need 227 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: to do, baby, and she goes, oh, yes, ma'am. We 228 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: need to help them have bigger hearts. And I was 229 00:12:54,440 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 1: just because that wasn't where I was going. But once again, 230 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: it's like the Holy Spirit used my kid to go, 231 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,719 Speaker 1: let me teach you something here, Lisa, and what he's 232 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: been teaching me through the last few years through the 233 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 1: conduit of my child are two truths that I think 234 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,319 Speaker 1: are where God has elevation. Because y'all are growing up, 235 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: you know, Valentine is three years. A lot of y'all 236 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: have been together for fifteen years. You've got people who've 237 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: been running hard towards Jesus for a long time, and 238 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 1: I feel like y'all are about to go into fifth gear. 239 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: You're maturing spiritually. And here's the two truths that God 240 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: is teaching me through Missy that I feel like are 241 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: pertinent to all of us, especially in light of where 242 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: y'all have been this summer. The first one is that 243 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:51,440 Speaker 1: being light is not a prerequisite for being loving. Being light, 244 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: being popular, being accepted, has nothing to do with sharing 245 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 1: the love of Christ. The second thing I feel like 246 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: I'm learning is as apostles of Christ, as Ambassador's new covenant, 247 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: as men and women who have been undone by His mercy, 248 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: it's incumbent upon us to love hard, even when it's 249 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: to love hard, even when it's hard, that we don't 250 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: demand reciprocity from culture. There's this misnomer I feel like 251 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: in American evangelical circles nowadays, that we have to have 252 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: power and acceptance in order to really express the Gospel. 253 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: And I'm like, that's not biblically defensible. Know where in 254 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: Bible do you in the Bible do you see that 255 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: Christianity that our faith in Christ is dependent upon political 256 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: power or being accepted. Actually, usually it's contrary to that. 257 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: Usually the gospel, the people who share the gospel in 258 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 1: scripture our ancestors. Usually they were oppressed, and it was 259 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: that oppression, that opposite and opposition that actually stirred their 260 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:01,119 Speaker 1: spiritual fervor. They actually kind of rot to the occasion 261 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: when culture oppressed them. That's part of spiritual maturity. It's 262 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: loving hard when it's hard. Doesn't matter if your preferred 263 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: political candidate is in office. It doesn't matter if people 264 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: like your Twitter feed. It doesn't matter if people at 265 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: your work think that you're really all that. None of 266 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: that matters. What matters is while we were still sinners, 267 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: he lavish mercy and affection on us. And we should 268 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: be so undone by what sent us under the water 269 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: that we can't help but share the Gospel with people 270 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: around us. I was on a plane recently, and I've 271 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: got where I hate flying and I do it all 272 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: the time, and I was excited because it was a 273 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: short flight, so I knew that I wouldn't have to 274 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: suffer for long. And they had just announced the boarding 275 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: door was closing, and the only empty seat on the 276 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: whole plane was between me and the guy next to 277 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: me reading the Wall Street Journal, and I was like, yes, 278 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: because I can't see it, but I'm convinced there's a 279 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: tattoo on my forehead that says, if you are a 280 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: very very large man with very very poor hygiene, please 281 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: sit next to me, and please take my arm rest 282 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: as your own. Because that happens every time. And so 283 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: it's like score, Finally I have a flight where I 284 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: have a little room and I can stretch out. Right. 285 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: As they were closing the door, this woman gets on 286 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: the plane and so I look at her with kind 287 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: of a Christian dirty look. So it's really, come on. 288 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I thought I was going to have the 289 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: seat empty. I don't have the gift of mercy like Holly. 290 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: But this woman comes on and she's just kind of smiling. 291 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: You can tell she's a talker from fifty feet and 292 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: I don't talk on planes. I mean, I don't want 293 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: to share the four Spiritual Laws. I want to read 294 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: a deep theological journal like People magazine or the Pottery 295 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: Barn Catalog, and I just want to have my space. 296 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: And so this woman gets into my space and she's 297 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: real perky and I thought, honey, I'm a lot older 298 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: than you, and I am not going to make eye 299 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: contact because I've learned and if you make eye contact 300 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 1: on planes and that's just please, let's have a conversation. 301 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: So I'm nope, not doing it. I'm older than you, 302 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: and so I kind of nodded, like an almost Christian 303 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: wood and then I turned my attention back to Brad 304 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: and Angelina. And then the flight attendant came through and 305 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: started taking our drink orders, and both of us at 306 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 1: the same time ordered ginger Ale. I'm like ginger Ale, 307 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: but for whatever reason, I always ordered ginger Ale on 308 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,959 Speaker 1: planes because she's a Bible teacher. You can't get them Margerita, 309 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,959 Speaker 1: so I have to get Gendrell. Anyway, this girl and 310 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: I both get ginger Ale. And when we said ginger Al, 311 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 1: she went and I went, and I was like, oh God, 312 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: got broke mine rule. We just bonded over ginger Ale. 313 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: And the minute we made eye contact, she went, Hey, 314 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,640 Speaker 1: my name's Heather, and I was like, of course it is, 315 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: and so we started to talk. Mostly she talked, and 316 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: I just kind of nodded, and I thought, you know, 317 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,640 Speaker 1: my quiet alone with the Lord and people is ruined. 318 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: And then they made the announced because it was a 319 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 1: short flight, we were about to land in Atlanta. She 320 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: got real serious when they said we were going to 321 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: be landing in a few minutes. And she turned to 322 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: me and she said, Lisa, may I ask you a 323 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,959 Speaker 1: personal question? And I said, well, sure, I don't mean 324 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: you can absolutely ask me a personal questions. She went, 325 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: do you know Jesus? And I said I do, I 326 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: actually do know Jesus. And y'all, the look of disappointment 327 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 1: that crossed her face was just so precious that I 328 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: real quickly went but not very well, not very well. 329 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: And so she's spent the whole rest of the flight 330 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,400 Speaker 1: witnessing to me and just encouraging me and the importance 331 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 1: of getting a small group and prayer and you know, 332 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 1: spending time in God's word. And I was just like, 333 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: that sounds awesome. And so we land in Atlanta and 334 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: she said, you know, before we separate, would you mind 335 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: if I lay on you and pray? And I was like, no, 336 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: that'd be awesome. And so we get off the plane 337 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 1: and she stands in the gate area, lays hands on 338 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: me and prays a prayer that I really needed, and 339 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: she walked away, never knowing that I was actually going 340 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,719 Speaker 1: to teach at a conference and was a Bible teacher, 341 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: and I thought, you know, she just couldn't help it. 342 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 1: She couldn't not share the hope that lies within her. Y'all, 343 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: if our lossness, if our lossness would inform our love, 344 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: if we would remember what He's saved us from, we'd 345 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: all be a little bit more like Heather, would be 346 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: compelled to share the hope that lies within us, even 347 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: when it's hard, even when it's awkward. And that's what 348 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: we see in Acts. And y'all know this story, this 349 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: story happens immediately after the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ. 350 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: Y'all know that after he was resurrected, he spent forty 351 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: days in his redeemed restored shouldn't say redeemed, He didn't 352 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: need to be redeemed, but his restored body, and here 353 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 1: on earth before he ascended into heaven is the right 354 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: hand of God, the Father. And in those forty days 355 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: he had one hundred corroborated encounters with people, and the 356 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: very last encounter he has before he goes to mediate 357 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: for us in glory is right here in Acts, chapter 358 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,719 Speaker 1: one verse eight, It says, so when they had come together, 359 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,639 Speaker 1: these are this motley crew of Christians at this point 360 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: their number people theologians differ, but it's somewhere around one 361 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: hundred and ten, very very small group. At this point, 362 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: when they had come together, they asked him, They asked, Jesus, Lord, 363 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 364 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 1: And he said to him, and it is not for 365 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: you to know the time or the seasons the Father 366 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: has fixed by his own authority. Interesting, they're saying, will 367 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 1: it get easier, is what they're saying. They're saying, will 368 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: you assume an earthly throne so we don't have to 369 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: be oppressed anymore? Because at this point we're sticking out 370 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: like hot dog vendors at a vegan festival. I mean, 371 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: everybody hates us. Our kids are being beaten up on 372 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: the way home from school, we're being murdered, we're being marginalized. 373 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 1: And so at this point, are you going to occupy 374 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,360 Speaker 1: a literal throne so the going gets a little bit 375 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: easier for us? And he says, no, it's not going 376 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: to get easier for you. He says, but you will 377 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 1: receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 378 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and an 379 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: all Judea, in Samaria, and to the end of the earth. 380 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: And when he had said these things, as they were 381 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 1: looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud took 382 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: him out of their sight. Luke who wrote the Acts 383 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: of the Apostles. As a matter of fact, he wrote 384 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: the Gospel of Luke and Acts together, so they're like 385 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: star wars and the Empire strikes back. So if you 386 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: are one of those saints who's in the habit of 387 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 1: reading through the Bible in a year, when you get 388 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 1: to the end of Luke's Gospel, vault over John, come 389 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: back for John later, but goes straight to the Acts 390 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: of the Apostles because the literary symmetry there is just amazing. 391 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: He's a great storyteller. But what he tells is now 392 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:08,199 Speaker 1: is there is this indicative statement from Jesus to his 393 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: followers that they will receive power and there's no qualification here, 394 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:18,719 Speaker 1: and the power comes from the speaker. It is this 395 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:23,639 Speaker 1: really strong in the Greek imperative. It actually means in 396 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: the original phraseology phraseology to grasp or to seize. And 397 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: again the initiative lies with a speaker, not with a Here. 398 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:35,640 Speaker 1: What I'm trying to say is this is an irrevocable call. 399 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,400 Speaker 1: Doesn't matter if you're a healthy eight or a wobbly 400 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: three with a carbon addicted wing. Like me. When you 401 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 1: said Pastor Steven didn't eat buns, I was like, I 402 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: got his buns right here. I mean, God, Lee, that 403 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: sounded terrible. I mean, I will eat the bread he 404 00:22:55,880 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: doesn't eat. Lord have mercy, Holly. That was awful as 405 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: not what I meant. Obviously, this is not scripted. I 406 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: hope you did not pay much for your ticket this morning. Anyway. 407 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: I don't think Jesus would have called himself the bread 408 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: of life if we were supposed to be all paleo 409 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: and stuff. That's what I was trying to say. But 410 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: this call he gives his followers. You will receive power, 411 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: you will be my witnesses. It wasn't dependent on personality type, 412 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: didn't depend on what you were on Enneagram, whether you're 413 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: an extrovert or an introvert. It didn't depend on your past. 414 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: We'll get into more of that in a minute. It's 415 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: irrevocable if you've put your hope in Jesus, whether your 416 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 1: parents were Pentecostal and your comfortable jumping keys, or this 417 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: is your first time in a gathering of faith, or 418 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: you're in an epham in a bar because you're just 419 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: not so sure about these crazy Christians. If you've put 420 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: your hope in Jesus, you will receive power, and you 421 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 1: will share the hope that lies within you. It's an 422 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: irrevocable Paul. Of course, we mature in boldness in the 423 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 1: way we share the Gospel. But if you put your 424 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: hope in Jesus at some point there's a little heather 425 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: in you. At some point, you can't not share the 426 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 1: hope that's within you. What we see in the Book 427 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 1: of IXes, they share it even when it's hard. They're 428 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: not just on a plane next to a grumpy frequent 429 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: flyer who isn't very friendly initially. They're actually being murdered 430 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: and martyred for their audacious claim that Jesus actually connects 431 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: them with Jehovah, that it's not based on keeping six 432 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,199 Speaker 1: hundred and thirteen Torah laws, that it's actually based on 433 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: recognizing your neediness, that you can't keep the law, that 434 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: you can't make it by yourself, that you are desperate 435 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 1: for a savior, and for preaching that they're getting killed. 436 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: Flip over to AX eight because one of the most 437 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 1: gruesome martyrdoms that's actually out in the Book of Acts 438 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 1: is Stephen's death. I don't know if Stephen's parents named 439 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 1: him after this Stephen, but if they did, it would 440 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 1: have been a good naming. Stephen was stoned to death 441 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: for telling his Jewish friends, y'all, it's about Jesus. It's 442 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: not about the law. He loves you so much that 443 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 1: he came and he laid his life down for you. 444 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: And for that sermon, a mob rallied around Stephen with 445 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: stones and they literally, not figuratively, literally stoned him to 446 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: death and from a front of his friends and family, 447 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: big rocks, landscape kind of rocks, and they threw them 448 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: at Stephen until he died of physical death, I mean, 449 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: gruesome kind of death. And the guy who supervised this 450 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 1: murder is the guy who goes on to after he 451 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: encounters Christ to write two thirds of the New Testament. 452 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:00,719 Speaker 1: It's one of the reasons I tell you your past 453 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 1: does not dictate your future. Your past doesn't even limit 454 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: how God is going to use you. Because at the 455 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: very beginning of VACS. Pete is the one who preached 456 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: the first two evangelical sermons wherein eight thousand people got saved. 457 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: This was less than two months after Pete threw Jesus 458 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: under the bus and vehemently and vulgarly denied that he 459 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 1: even knew the Christ. Y'all may know him as Peter, 460 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: but I like to call him Pete because I know 461 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: him Peter, who, by all human accounts had completely completely 462 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: sabotaged his own future as a spiritual leader. Pete is 463 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: the one that Jesus said, and now I'm going to 464 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:44,439 Speaker 1: call you a rock, and I'm going to place the 465 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: New Testament Church on your frail shoulders. Paul, who right 466 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 1: here is approving the execution of Stephen, because this is 467 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,640 Speaker 1: before God blinds him on the road to Costco, it says, 468 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:58,159 Speaker 1: and Saul, because that was his BC name. And Saul 469 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: approved of his execution Acts Chapter eight, verse one. And 470 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 1: there arose on that day a great persecution against the 471 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: Church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the 472 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:11,239 Speaker 1: regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Develop Men 473 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: buried Steve, and it made a great lamentation over him. 474 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: But Saul was ravaging. Original word there in the Greek, 475 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: which is what the New Testament was written in initially 476 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: Greek and Aramaic, that word ravaging means to destroy with 477 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 1: an intent to kill. So again, this wasn't They're not 478 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: dismissing him on Twitter. I mean, this isn't. Well, they 479 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: were mean to me and they blocked my call. That's 480 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: not what this is. This is they are intent to 481 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: destroy me and my family. That's what's happening in first 482 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:46,640 Speaker 1: century Judea, that area in Israel. But Paul was ravaging, 483 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: trying to kill the church and entering house after house 484 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:53,720 Speaker 1: he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now, 485 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 1: humanly speaking, what even therapists would probably tell us would 486 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: be wise at this point to do is to kind 487 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,919 Speaker 1: of tone it down a notch. You know, when when 488 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,200 Speaker 1: they turned the heat up, it's best to just kind 489 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 1: of kind of back up a step or two, Like, 490 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,880 Speaker 1: don't be so vocal, don't be so loud, just kind 491 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,239 Speaker 1: of go on the download a little while, you know, 492 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 1: don't keep any receipts or anything, but just be real careful. 493 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 1: I did that for all of you under forty. I'm 494 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:23,959 Speaker 1: real proud I know the word receipt. Obviously it went 495 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: over like the two guys in rapper gear. But anyway, 496 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 1: humanly speaking, it would have made sense for these early 497 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: Christians who are being marginalized and murdered, to just back 498 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: the bus up until the environment was a little more 499 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: open to evangelism. And y'all, that is the exact opposite 500 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: of what they did. They didn't meet the miracle. They 501 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: couldn't not share the hope of the gospel, and they 502 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: shared it in really tough places. Because after Steven is murdered, Philip, 503 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: one of his best friends, goes to Samaria. He doesn't 504 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: go to an easy place. He doesn't go to you know, 505 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 1: outskirts of Charlotte and stay in a really nice hotel 506 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: and get a massage and have a stake before he 507 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: shares the gospel. He goes to enemy territory and shares 508 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 1: the gospel. It says the gospel. They're so undone by 509 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: this story that God loves us so much that he 510 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: sin has only begotten son that it says many gods saved, 511 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: and it says there was much joy in that city. 512 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: Verse eight. Now, if I was Philip and I had 513 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 1: been that faithful, I would feel like I have earned 514 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 1: myself a frappuccino, and you know, spa visit Manny Petty. 515 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: I've earned something because I was really faithful. When the 516 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 1: going got tough, he doesn't stop there. He actually turns 517 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: up the heat of his own testimony because he goes 518 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 1: from sharing in Samaria. What he does next, y'all, is 519 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: just shocking. If you understand the context of this second 520 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: half of the first century culture. It says in verse 521 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: twenty six of chapter eight, Now an angel Lord said 522 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 1: to phil rise and go towards the south on the 523 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 1: road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaiza. This is 524 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: a desert place. And he rose and when and there 525 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: was an Ethiopi and a eunuch, a court official of Candice, 526 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: Queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all 527 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,479 Speaker 1: her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and 528 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: was returning seated in his chariot, and he was reading 529 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 1: the prophet Isaiah. And the spirit Epiriclet said to Philip, 530 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 1: go over and join this chariot. Now, if you read 531 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 1: between the lines of those verses, the angel tells Philip, 532 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: I want you to go in the middle of the day. 533 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: Phraseology there at the beginning of verse twenty six is 534 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: I want you to go in the heat of the day. 535 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: I want you to go at the most uncomfortable time 536 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 1: of day. I told you all we were just in Israel. 537 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 1: If you've ever been to the Middle East in the 538 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 1: middle of the day, that's like when your spanks stick 539 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: to your body. Gentlemen, you don't need to know what 540 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: spanks are. What you do need to know is when 541 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 1: we take them off. It's dangerous because it's like putting 542 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 1: a butter knife to a biscuit candy. So y'all need 543 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 1: to be careful. Wife's wearing spaint. She needed to give 544 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 1: her some privacy. He sees healing those puppies off. But anyway, 545 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: it's a super uncomfortable time of day, and he says, 546 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: I want you to go at the most uncomfortable time 547 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: of day. Then I want you to take the route 548 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 1: that goes from Jerusalem to Gaiz. Though we just did 549 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: this on the tour bus. It's like not even a 550 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: secondary route, it's a tertiary route. In our culture, it 551 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 1: would be a dirt road, kind of tumbleweed strown kind 552 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 1: of place. Weird place to scatter divine seed. So he says, 553 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: I want you to go on the heat of the day. 554 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 1: I want you to take an uncomfortable route, and I 555 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: want you to go to a unit. Now, I don't 556 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 1: know how many of you have been studying Deuteron me 557 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 1: twenty three much in your quiet times. But in Deuteronomy 558 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: twenty three, in the ceremonial law, Jews were taught that 559 00:31:56,520 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 1: a eunuch a man who was born without all of 560 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: his equipment, that unix were not allowed to fully participate 561 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: in worship. Now, what was common in this culture is 562 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 1: that little boys from poor families would actually be castrated, 563 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: and wealthy families would then hire these little boys because 564 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: they assumed if a male was made a unich by 565 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 1: surgical options, that it would make them more submissive. That's 566 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: what we do nowadays, sometimes to cows with two horses. 567 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: It makes them a little easier to tame. It's I 568 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: won't get into that for peta, but anyway, I can't 569 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 1: imagine as a little boy having that happen to you. 570 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: And that's likely what happened to this unit. And because 571 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 1: of what had been done to this man, he's not 572 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 1: allowed to come to church, not allowed to worship according 573 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: to the ceremonial law. So Philip, who's seen his best 574 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:01,200 Speaker 1: friend gets stoned, goes to the Samarians, the arch enemies 575 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: of God, and pulls a heather shares the hope that 576 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: lies within him, and then he gets saved. And he 577 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: doesn't stop there. He goes at a really uncomfortable time, 578 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,000 Speaker 1: down a really uncomfortable road to a man that everybody 579 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: else has marginalized and ostracized and ignored. And you know 580 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 1: how he goes The slaves me. Spirit of God says, 581 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 1: will you go? And he's like, good night God. I 582 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: mean I've been really faithful already, and this is really hard, 583 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:32,000 Speaker 1: Like I need to go back to my E group 584 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 1: and I need to like have some margins because I 585 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: am three and I work too hard. That's not how 586 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 1: he responds. Instead, when the spirit of God says I 587 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: want you to go at a really uncomfortable time, down 588 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 1: a really difficult road to a man nobody else will 589 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,880 Speaker 1: even acknowledge exists, you know how he responds. He runs 590 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 1: and he ran and he ran. Just want you to 591 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: think about your own life and just look over this summer. 592 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:05,240 Speaker 1: So let's just say from memorial day to now? When 593 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: have you figuratively run towards somebody in your life to 594 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,400 Speaker 1: share the gospel? And I mean anybody could be somebody 595 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 1: you like, could be somebody you really enjoy being around. 596 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: When's the last time that your heart was so excited 597 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:21,279 Speaker 1: about sharing the hope that lies within you that you 598 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:25,760 Speaker 1: ran to someone to share Jesus, to talk about Jesus, 599 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:28,880 Speaker 1: to say I just can't not tell you about the 600 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 1: way He saved me. Now, let's take it a step further. 601 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,800 Speaker 1: When's the last time you ran to someone nobody else 602 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: was running to. When's the last time you ran to 603 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 1: somebody whose marginalized, stigmatize, somebody who does not at all 604 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: agree with you politically. I'm in seminary in Denver, and 605 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: I'm the dumbest person in the doctoral program. But there's 606 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 1: a few things I'm able to hang on to. And 607 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:55,400 Speaker 1: one of them is what one of my professors said recently. 608 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: I told Holly last night. It has just flayed me 609 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:02,920 Speaker 1: this season. He says thing I can't understand. Brilliant man. 610 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: He's on the translatory team for the NIV, fluent in 611 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:09,320 Speaker 1: Greek and Hebrew, but he dumbs things down enough to 612 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 1: where I can get it. And he said this, if 613 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: it doesn't preach in Sudan, it shouldn't preach in America. 614 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 1: And I just went, it doesn't preach in Sudan, it 615 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:27,200 Speaker 1: shouldn't preach in Charlotte. If it doesn't preach in the 616 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:30,280 Speaker 1: neighborhood you're not comfortable to, it shouldn't preach in yours. 617 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 1: When's the last time you ran to somebody who doesn't 618 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 1: think like you, doesn't look like you, maybe doesn't even 619 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: like you. Philip ran, Yeah, if we're growing in maturity, 620 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,680 Speaker 1: growing in our awareness of what a miracle is, that 621 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:50,360 Speaker 1: God who breathed the universe into existence actually delights in 622 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:53,280 Speaker 1: a song of Solomon four nine says with one glance, 623 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 1: one glance of your eyes, you captured my heart. You 624 00:35:57,440 --> 00:36:00,200 Speaker 1: know I didn't believe that for years. I grew up 625 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: really really broken, broken family, a lot of abuse. When 626 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: I was a baby, I used to rock myself so 627 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 1: hard back and forth in the crib that my crib 628 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 1: would jump out of the casters and they were dense 629 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: in the drywall on either side of the little room 630 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,760 Speaker 1: I was kept in. A therapist told me years later, Lisa, 631 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: you know that wasn't just because you were a wiggly kid. 632 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:23,920 Speaker 1: It's because you were self nurturing. With all the chaos. 633 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,279 Speaker 1: After my dad left us, there was a lot of 634 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: sexual abuse. After that, there was more sexual abuse. I 635 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:35,279 Speaker 1: was so stinking broken in my twenties and thirties. I 636 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: knew Jesus. I'd come to Jesus in a church much 637 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:41,520 Speaker 1: like Elevation. I knew Jesus. But here's what I thought. 638 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: I thought Jesus delivered me because he felt sorry for me. 639 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:48,080 Speaker 1: I didn't think he delighted it. I thought there is 640 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:52,560 Speaker 1: no stinking way a god like that could actually delight 641 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 1: and a damaged girl like me. As God has lifted 642 00:36:57,040 --> 00:37:01,000 Speaker 1: the layers of shame off me and become more and 643 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 1: more understanding of my own lostness before I encountered the Christ, 644 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:11,480 Speaker 1: I can't help fit sheer luck to other people. It 645 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 1: doesn't matter if they like me or not. It doesn't 646 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: matter if they're a Republican or a Democrat, or black 647 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:23,160 Speaker 1: or yellow or purple or spotted, or Southern or Northern, 648 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:29,000 Speaker 1: or African or Haitian. They're my family. They're my brothers 649 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:34,880 Speaker 1: and sisters in my goo yet in my gooday. Every 650 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:38,440 Speaker 1: single person we relate with there's the image of God. 651 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:41,240 Speaker 1: Missy and I had the privilege of going to South 652 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:45,799 Speaker 1: Africa two months ago, and when we went, we were 653 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:48,360 Speaker 1: going with Hillsong Church I love very much. I know 654 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 1: y'all love Hillsong And we were going to a conference 655 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:53,840 Speaker 1: in Cape Town and I asked the people I was 656 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 1: with if I could go to Google left To and 657 00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: Google left To is a township that is on the 658 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:05,359 Speaker 1: outskirts of Cape Town. It actually was formed by South 659 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: Africans who are from rural tribes who came to work 660 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,799 Speaker 1: in Cape Town and they wouldn't let them live in 661 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:15,240 Speaker 1: Cape Town because of their skin colors, so they ostracized 662 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:18,600 Speaker 1: them to this little two and a half square mile 663 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:22,760 Speaker 1: area that became a township of goog left To and 664 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:25,680 Speaker 1: a lot, a lot, a lot of violence happened there 665 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:29,880 Speaker 1: during the regime of apartheid when they segregated people based 666 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 1: on how much melanin they have in their skin. And 667 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:36,480 Speaker 1: I love the ministry of Nelson Mandela, and I'd read 668 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:39,480 Speaker 1: a lot about the history of South Africa. I'd read 669 00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:43,759 Speaker 1: about how in nineteen eighty six, seven young men from 670 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:47,600 Speaker 1: goog left To who are anti apartheid activists, were murdered 671 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:51,960 Speaker 1: by Cape Town police, ambushed and murdered. And then not 672 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:57,160 Speaker 1: long after that, right in all the turmoil after apartheid 673 00:38:57,280 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 1: was defeated, a young white woman, Amy Beale, from Stanford, 674 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 1: American woman, was in google at Too, and she was 675 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:11,439 Speaker 1: murdered and white slurs were uttered by the mob when 676 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:18,319 Speaker 1: four boys murdered her. They they pardoned the policemen who 677 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:22,680 Speaker 1: killed those seven precious boys in googlet to, which we 678 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 1: still see things like that happening now, and so you 679 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,520 Speaker 1: don't want amy Beal's family chose to do to the 680 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:32,319 Speaker 1: Four Easts and Google Too, who had killed their daughter. 681 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:37,279 Speaker 1: They pardoned them, and now two of those they had 682 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:40,680 Speaker 1: been boys, now their men. They worked for the nonprofit 683 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:45,320 Speaker 1: that amy Beal's parents started in her memory. And so 684 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 1: I said, I just want to go there. I want 685 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:49,839 Speaker 1: to go be in a place where there's been such 686 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:54,799 Speaker 1: violence but yet the whope of restoration. And they were like, please, sorry, 687 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 1: are you sure? And I said no, no, no, I 688 00:39:56,560 --> 00:39:58,399 Speaker 1: want I want to go to Googs. I really want 689 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:00,880 Speaker 1: to go to Googs. And so we got to worship 690 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:05,120 Speaker 1: at Hillsong Has, a church they planted in google Attoo. 691 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:10,120 Speaker 1: It's ninety eight point six percent Black African and considered 692 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:14,680 Speaker 1: the fifteenth most violent place in the world. Really wonderful, 693 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:19,160 Speaker 1: very exciting place. And I went with Missy and I 694 00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:21,480 Speaker 1: had the privilege of sharing the gospel and church that 695 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:23,480 Speaker 1: morning a boy one hundred, one hundred and fifty people, 696 00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:26,160 Speaker 1: and there was one woman I could tell the entire 697 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:30,279 Speaker 1: service who was not pleased with me, and I thought, 698 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:32,040 Speaker 1: I'm not sure what I've said. It may just be 699 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:34,800 Speaker 1: the virtue the fact that I don't have enough melan 700 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 1: in my skin. But I thought, I'm going to talk 701 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:40,040 Speaker 1: to her after service, and I'm just going to try 702 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 1: to get to know her. So after service, I went 703 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:45,520 Speaker 1: and sat next to this beautiful woman and I said, Hi, 704 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:48,800 Speaker 1: my name's Lisa, and she said, yes, I know. And 705 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:54,000 Speaker 1: I said, your countenance reflects that I've either done something 706 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:57,600 Speaker 1: that offended you or there is animosity between you and me. 707 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:01,879 Speaker 1: And she said, I just can't figure out why you're here, 708 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:07,640 Speaker 1: just can't figure out why you would come here. And 709 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:12,160 Speaker 1: I said, well, that's my daughter right there. I said. 710 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:16,520 Speaker 1: She's Haitian, which means her DNA is from West Africa. 711 00:41:17,719 --> 00:41:21,040 Speaker 1: So the way I figure it is your family to me. 712 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 1: And then I said Hey, Missy, come here baby. Now, 713 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:28,600 Speaker 1: if y'all exploit my kid, I'll cut you. But I 714 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:31,759 Speaker 1: can exploit her on behalf of the gospel. And so 715 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:35,440 Speaker 1: I said, come here, baby, and I said, Missy, this 716 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:40,480 Speaker 1: is your auntie. And Missy goes okay, and she hugs 717 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:42,759 Speaker 1: this woman and then immediately said do you have gum 718 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:47,759 Speaker 1: in your purse? Auntie? And as my child ran away, 719 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:50,600 Speaker 1: this woman just began to weep, and she said, I've 720 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:55,120 Speaker 1: never had somebody like you embrace somebody like me. How 721 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:58,680 Speaker 1: isn't it time we change the way Christians are perceived? 722 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:06,919 Speaker 1: Isn't it time you love hard even meets hard. Isn't 723 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:12,240 Speaker 1: it time we run to the unlikely and the margin lines. 724 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:17,480 Speaker 1: Aren't you ready to rest a little more? Because we 725 00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:22,640 Speaker 1: just can't not share the hope that lies within us? 726 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:26,719 Speaker 1: Would you put your hand as JJ comes up? Would 727 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:29,719 Speaker 1: you just put your hand on that beautiful image bar 728 00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:33,000 Speaker 1: next to you, that man, that woman, that kid, And 729 00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:36,319 Speaker 1: as JJ comes up to close us, would you pray 730 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:39,120 Speaker 1: for them? If you aren't comfortable praying out loud, that's 731 00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:42,520 Speaker 1: totally cool, But would you just briefly pray Lord quicken 732 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:46,880 Speaker 1: their heart, give them the grace it takes to love hard, 733 00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:50,560 Speaker 1: even when it is hard to remember their own lostness, 734 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:54,120 Speaker 1: to remember the love you lavished on them while they 735 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:57,440 Speaker 1: were still sinners. Oh Lord, let there be an awakening 736 00:42:57,560 --> 00:43:00,960 Speaker 1: in this place, a quickening in this place, a revival 737 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:04,560 Speaker 1: that starts with all of us, because we run to 738 00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:07,399 Speaker 1: the people that God has placed around us to share 739 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:11,719 Speaker 1: the hope that lies within us. Thank you for joining us. 740 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:14,520 Speaker 1: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 741 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:18,080 Speaker 1: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 742 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:21,000 Speaker 1: You can click the link in the description to give now, 743 00:43:21,640 --> 00:43:25,480 Speaker 1: or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information 744 00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:29,160 Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You 745 00:43:29,239 --> 00:43:31,239 Speaker 1: can share it with your friends. You can click the 746 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:33,560 Speaker 1: share button, take a screenshot and share it on your 747 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:36,560 Speaker 1: social stories and tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again 748 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:37,719 Speaker 1: for listening. God bless you.