WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:01.679 Hey, everybody, we're the Bibble guys. 2 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:04.200 And if you're just tuning in recently, just know that 3 00:00:04.360 --> 00:00:06.440 we are showing a little bit of reruns for a 4 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:08.640 few months, and then we'll be back bigger and better 5 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:12.320 than ever on August thirty first, because behind the scenes 6 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:14.720 we're taking a hiatus to do some very important things. 7 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.399 Yeah, we're building building out a new studio and we've 8 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:21.399 got some new structure. Super excited about it. So August 9 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:24.359 thirty first, brand new content. But in the meantime, enjoy 10 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:25.480 some of our greatest hits. 11 00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:29.719 So, Jeff, you remember The Little Mermaid in nineteen eighty nine. Sure, 12 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:33.280 the first line in the movie, A storm's of ruin. 13 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:37.920 Okay, well that's actually what happens here, big shipwreck. It's 14 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:40.320 a mess. So he's Chris and I'm Jeff, and we're 15 00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:49.759 the Bible guys. 16 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:55.799 So Jeff Chris. Today we're going to be looking at 17 00:00:55.799 --> 00:00:56.359 mail bags. 18 00:00:56.399 --> 00:00:57.079 Oh those are fun. 19 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:59.719 I wish we had a little jingle that said mailbaggs. 20 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:04.200 That's right. Clues Yeah, well oh actually, yes, wow, maybe 21 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:05.400 that's why it was in my mind it might have 22 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:05.680 been it. 23 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:10.280 Yeah, yeah, yeah, So we watched Blues Clues. Uh uh, yeah, 24 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:12.680 and then with Steve, right, and then that new guy 25 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:13.359 just ruined that. 26 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:15.840 The new guy ruined it. Yeah, yeah, it's not his fault. 27 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:18.400 But it wasn't his fault. You're right, but Steve is 28 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:21.439 going to college. That Steve is going to college. 29 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:22.840 We all cried, we did. 30 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.879 Hey real, Wow, that was rare. Now, mail bags is 31 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:31.519 basically any question that comes in via email or posting 32 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:33.879 on the website, whatever it is. And so from Paul 33 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:37.840 H he says this, have you ever thought about inventing something? 34 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:40.920 If you have, Oh, what would it be and what 35 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:42.599 would the main purpose be? Yeah? 36 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:44.079 Well, hi, Paul H. 37 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:45.400 I know, right, what a great question. 38 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:49.000 That's a good question. It's cool man invent something. Well, 39 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.799 if I ever thought of inventing something, don't you think 40 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:51.719 I would have invented it? 41 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:54.480 Well, I mean not really. People have good ideas all 42 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:57.200 the time. I had. I had two good ideas that 43 00:01:57.239 --> 00:01:59.879 I talked that I actually talked about inventing all the time. 44 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:03.120 The first one was, and this was a long time ago. 45 00:02:03.239 --> 00:02:05.519 I'm talking like I was like twelve years old, thirteen 46 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:08.719 years old, I thought, why don't they make salt that's colored? 47 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:10.080 Because now they have pink salt. 48 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:12.879 And everything else, right, But like I think pink salt 49 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:13.560 always exists. 50 00:02:13.879 --> 00:02:16.439 I know, I know, but sometimes they do die like green, 51 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:18.800 you know, like red and green for Christmas or whatever. 52 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:22.360 But I always thought, like, sometimes you can't see the 53 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:24.520 salt on your food, so a lot of times I'll 54 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:26.599 pour them a hand and like sprinkling on the food. 55 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:27.520 Very clever. 56 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:30.439 So I thought that, And then the second one was like, 57 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:32.599 you know, when I was in my early twenties, back 58 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:35.680 before technology, you know, really sort of took off, right, 59 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:38.120 So I guess I guess I was in my late twenties, 60 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:40.439 and I actually I thought to myself, gosh, why don't 61 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:45.000 they do paperless receipts. Why don't the credit card people 62 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.400 get together? And then every time you use something, it 63 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:50.759 goes into like a storage somewhere and you could access 64 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.240 it instead of saving receipts. Wow, because I used to 65 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:56.520 save receipts. Well, now they do that sort of thing. Sure, right, yeah, yeah, 66 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.400 so I could have been very good kazillionaire. 67 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:02.000 Well I'm sure. Yeah, yes, well you missed it, man, 68 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:04.560 I wish maybe you missed your calling. I'm not really 69 00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:06.560 like an inventor guy. I never go around thinking, you know, 70 00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:09.120 what they should make or invent. I'm more of an innovator. 71 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:11.680 I take what's there and go, hey, they should move 72 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:14.120 this over, you know, two inches, it should be a 73 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:18.680 little brighter, whatever, this could be done better design in 74 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:21.360 strengths finders. Have you ever taken the strengths finders test? 75 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:24.159 So I have maximizer, which is one of those that 76 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:26.039 you just can't help it. You gotta turn the dial 77 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:28.400 two degrees over, you gotta flip the swede, you gotta right. 78 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:31.199 That's me. So I'm not really an inventor, but more 79 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:31.879 of an innovator. 80 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:36.719 Okay, Yeah, I've often thought about what it would be 81 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:38.879 like to invent something that'd be pretty cool. 82 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:39.479 Yeah. 83 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:42.199 So a friend up my street, Greg Granger, he lived 84 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:44.479 right up the street from me. In elementary school. His 85 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:49.840 father invented the anchor, the patent for the anchor that 86 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:54.520 the Navy uses. So he actually invented like a better anchor, 87 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.000 a better anchor, and patent it. And guess what, they 88 00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:00.840 got rich and sold their house and they now moved away. 89 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:04.719 Wow, so he is he is probably still benefiting from me. 90 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:07.560 So it works, man, It just takes one idea, one 91 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:08.159 good idea. 92 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:08.560 Yep. 93 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.599 Ye, Well, good, Chris. That was a good question, by 94 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:14.800 the way, Paul, I was really good, and it gave 95 00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:17.600 us some more insight into the wonder that is Chris. 96 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:20.720 Sarbu wonder that is Chris. That's how his brain works, man, Burt. 97 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:22.759 Reynolds said, that's just part of the wonderfulness of me. 98 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:26.279 Oh so now you're quitting yourself to Burt Reynolds. 99 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:29.160 No, no, hey, as long as it's young Burt Reynolds. 100 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:33.720 Okay, okay, Well, hey, so this this passage is a 101 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:37.000 neat passage. It's kind of a fun passage on one 102 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:39.800 side because it's it's almost like a movie moment, right 103 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:43.079 just it turns into just a mess. But here we go. 104 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:45.319 It says were chapter. 105 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:47.360 Yes, did we say that? 106 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:53.800 I was just saying it as you interrupted me. Yeah, 107 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:55.279 I'm pretty sure it came out of my mouth. 108 00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:59.480 Version wait wait wait wait, version ladies and gentlemen en. 109 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:03.079 Yes, yes, so as I was saying before I was 110 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:06.199 so rudely interrupted Acts Chapter twenty seven. We're just going 111 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:08.879 to read the first twenty six verses today. It says, 112 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:11.920 when the time came we set sail for Italy. Paul 113 00:05:11.959 --> 00:05:13.959 and several other prisoners were placing the custody of a 114 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:18.240 Roman soldier named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, 115 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:21.839 a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left 116 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:24.920 on a ship whose home port was someplace on the 117 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.199 northwest coast of the province of Asia. I don't even 118 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:31.800 know how to say that a drama team. You sure, 119 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:36.399 I don't know. It was scheduled to make several shops 120 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:38.399 at ports along the coast of the province for any 121 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:40.480 of our listeners from that town. We're sorry that I 122 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:43.680 couldn't pronounce it. The next day, when we docked inside 123 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:46.000 on Julius was very kind to Paul and let him 124 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:47.839 go a short a visit with friends so they could 125 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:50.560 provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, 126 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:53.040 we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep 127 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:55.879 the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus 128 00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:58.600 between the island and the mainland, keeping to the open sea. 129 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.560 We passed along the coast of Solicita in Amphilia, landing 130 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:06.160 in Myra in the province of Lycia. There the commanding 131 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:09.120 officer founded an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound 132 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:11.199 for Italy and he put us on board. We had 133 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:13.600 several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty, we 134 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.079 finally neared Sinaidas, but the wind was against us, so 135 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.480 we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast 136 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:23.920 island past the Cape of Salomony. We struggled along the 137 00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:26.879 coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at fair Havens, 138 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:30.120 near the town of Lasia. We had lost a lot 139 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:32.680 of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel 140 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:34.800 because it was so late in the fall, and Paul 141 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:38.279 spoke to the ship's officers about it. Men, he said, 142 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:40.800 I believe there's trouble ahead if we go on shipwreck, 143 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.560 loss of cargo, and dangered our lives as well. But 144 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:45.600 the officer in charge of prisoners listened more to the 145 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:48.199 ship's captain the owner, than the ball And since fair 146 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:51.120 Haven's was an exposed harbor a poor place to spend 147 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:52.959 the winter, most of the crew wanted to go on 148 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:56.560 to Phoenix, farther up the coast to Crete and spend 149 00:06:56.600 --> 00:06:59.000 the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only 150 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:02.680 a southwest to northwest exposure. I think that was before 151 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.720 it was in the desert. When a light wind began 152 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:08.759 blowing from the south. The sailors thought they could make it, 153 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:11.319 so they pulled up an anchor and sailed close to 154 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:13.439 the shore of Crete, but the weather changed abruptly in 155 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:17.759 a wind of typhoon strength called a nor'easter, burst across 156 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:20.160 the island and blew us out to sea. The sailors 157 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:22.480 couldn't turn the ship into the wind, so they gave 158 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:24.959 up and let it run before the gale. We sailed 159 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:27.600 along the sheltered side of a small island named Quada, 160 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:32.160 where the great difficulty we hosted, or where with great 161 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:36.439 difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. 162 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:39.079 Then the sailors bound ropes around the whull of the 163 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:41.560 ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven 164 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:44.839 across the sandbars assertis off the African coast, so they 165 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.720 lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were 166 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:50.639 driven before the wind. The next day, as guille force 167 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:53.519 winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing 168 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:56.240 the cargo overboard. The following day, they even took some 169 00:07:56.279 --> 00:07:58.800 of the ship's gear and threw it overboard. The terrible 170 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:01.199 storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and 171 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:04.360 the stars, until at last all hope was gone. Know 172 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.959 what had eaten for a long time. Finally Paul called 173 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:08.959 the crew together and said, men, you should have listened 174 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:11.079 to me in the first place and not left crete. 175 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:13.639 You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But 176 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:16.920 take courage. None of you will lose your lives, even 177 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:18.879 though the ship will go down. For last night, an 178 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:21.560 angel of the God to whom I belong and whom 179 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:24.839 I served, stood beside me, and he said, don't be afraid, Paul, 180 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:28.920 for you will surely stand trial before Caesar. What's more, 181 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:31.879 God and his goodness has granted safety to everyone's sailing 182 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:35.039 with you. So take courage, for I believe God it'll 183 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:37.320 be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked 184 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:41.440 on an island. There you go. What a mess, you know? 185 00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:44.240 This checker is one of the reasons why I actually 186 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:46.120 am glad that you are the one reading. 187 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:48.600 Oh all these words, I can't pronounce them. 188 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:49.639 I mean, they're just crazy. 189 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:52.360 They are real places. This is one of the beauties 190 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.600 of Luke's writing. And we've commented on this before. I 191 00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:57.000 remember Luke is writing the Book of Acts. As a 192 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:59.159 matter of fact, apparently he's on this boat ride with Paul, 193 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.919 which and he uses, Yeah, he says, we so Luke 194 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:08.360 is writing, and Luke is so precise, and this is 195 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:11.080 what's interesting. He tells you the exact places. When a 196 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:13.960 problem comes up, he provides a solution. So instead of 197 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:16.519 going out around, we went in between the islands. You know, 198 00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:18.960 it came to the point where it was the wrong 199 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:21.159 time of year. We were getting that bad time of 200 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:22.840 the year. When said that all the people who were 201 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:25.480 reading would have known these particulars, right, they would have 202 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:27.679 known these specific things, And it just gives a sense 203 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:32.879 of authenticity that you don't get in fiction. Right. It's 204 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:36.639 the precision is very important, and for Luke especially, And 205 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:40.600 so when he's that precise about islands and sailing weather 206 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:43.679 and where the best harbors were and the fact that 207 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:46.000 fair Haven's was an open harbor, not a great place 208 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:49.240 to winter, all those things. When he's that precise on 209 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:51.120 those things, then when I go back and look about 210 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:53.840 what he wrote about the resurrection, Yeah, as he mentions 211 00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:56.720 the witnesses of Christ, as he talks about Paul's miracles 212 00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:58.320 and the things that he did, it gives you so 213 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:02.600 much more confidence that Luke is is writing with authenticity 214 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:05.559 and accuracy, and that this story is rooted in time 215 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:08.480 and in place. It's not just some fictional thing. This 216 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:10.759 is rooted in a real time, in a real place, 217 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:12.039 in real circumstances. 218 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:16.480 Yeah. And it's interesting too because he said it's dangerous 219 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:20.519 to sail because it's so late in the fall. And 220 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:24.399 so what's great is is that we know that, you know, 221 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:27.559 it's very dangerous to sail back in those days with 222 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:30.679 an overcast because they didn't have a compass back then, right, 223 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.679 so they only use the stars to navigate. So if 224 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:35.840 you think about it, you know this took place, by 225 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.799 the way in October, and so you know, September was 226 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:43.960 actually pretty dangerous. November was treacherous. So this is right 227 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:46.639 sort of like right there in between, like we may 228 00:10:46.679 --> 00:10:48.039 get lucky, you know. 229 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:50.159 We want to shoot through in the last trip. 230 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.799 Yes, and if we're skilled sailors then we probably have 231 00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:55.519 you know, made this run before. You know, even though 232 00:10:55.559 --> 00:10:59.159 that it's it's pretty dangerous. So that's that's the context there, 233 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:01.679 because it's hard for us to believe that the stars 234 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:04.200 are anything more than just something to gaze at it now, 235 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:08.559 but back then it was essential for people navigating ships. 236 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:12.440 So so that's why it was dangerous. And I think 237 00:11:12.440 --> 00:11:17.360 it's also interesting that Paul had more of an insight 238 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:20.840 about the danger than the actual captain, did, you know. 239 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:23.200 And so it's it's believed, like my notes here, my 240 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:25.639 study notes say it could have been that God gave 241 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.559 him some insight and said, like, this is this is 242 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.000 going to be a dangerous trip. And so Paul, you know, 243 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:34.519 he was being held captive. He was in house arrest 244 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:38.960 and Julius was the name of the Roman guard assigned 245 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:42.399 to him, and they didn't really know Paul. Although Julius 246 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:46.639 begins his journey with Paul and spends two years, as 247 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:49.360 we're about to see, in this house arrest and actually 248 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:53.519 Julius gives Paul incredible leeway eventually and starts listening to him. 249 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:56.519 But at this point he really didn't know Paul, and 250 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:58.759 they I don't think that they understood just who it 251 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:02.039 was that was giving them advice, right, and so they said, oh, 252 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:04.759 who's this guy? Yeah, whatever, you know, because they're trying 253 00:12:04.759 --> 00:12:06.879 to get to Rome, because Paul appealed to Rome, right. 254 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:10.200 Yeah. Well, by verse twenty one, after the shipwreck happens, 255 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:14.080 or before the shipwreck, happens. But when it looks like 256 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:17.879 all hope is lost, Paul goes, listen, I told you so, right, 257 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:20.600 And it's not like you guys are jerks. It's just 258 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:23.480 saying listen, just to remind you. God has given me 259 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:26.080 some insight and you can trust that insight. It turns 260 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:27.919 out what God says is going to happen is going 261 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:30.519 to happen. And from that point on they really began 262 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:33.519 to pay closer attention to him. So there's a few 263 00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:37.679 interesting things in here. One and here's the big devotional component. 264 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:39.879 I think this is because we talked about this before. 265 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:44.399 When we're reading through Paul's epistles, the Letters to the Churches, 266 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:47.960 there's so much theology there. It just goes from theological concept, 267 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:53.200 theological concept and instruction insights, yeah, and how to live 268 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:55.440 as a follower of Jesus, all those kinds of things. 269 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:57.000 As you read through the Book of Acts, there's a 270 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.399 lot of just narrative like this. This is a narrative. 271 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:01.759 It's just a story. Year it's a story, and it's important. 272 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:05.080 God decided he wanted that story in the Bible. And 273 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.679 so there's times in the Bible where both Peter and 274 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:12.000 Paul mentioned that these stories were given to us. For example, 275 00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:14.600 So anytime you come across a large, large passage like 276 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:16.919 that and it's name and names of towns you can't 277 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:19.480 pronounce in telling you details that you're like, why is 278 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.840 the time? Is what you look for? Is? So what 279 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:25.240 is this an example to me? For what example should 280 00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:27.720 I be extracting there? And I think that the big 281 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:30.440 picture here is even if you're a saint, because we 282 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:32.919 call him Saint Paul, Now everybody who's a believer in 283 00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:34.720 Christ is a saint. But you know what I'm saying, 284 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:37.559 we tend to elevate Paul like he should get special 285 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:40.759 treatment from God. Even if you're Saint Paul. It's not 286 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:44.679 always smooth sailing, right, right, So we expect that when 287 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:48.200 we follow our Jesus, everything gets better and easier. But here, 288 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:51.360 for Paul, that's not what happened. Right. Nature still happens. 289 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:54.159 The things in the in the universe are still going forward. 290 00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:56.879 So a friend of mine, who is a counselor, who 291 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:00.000 used to counsel our staff of the church, used toore 292 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:03.559 cut Uh, his name is Jack, and he said, uh, 293 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:06.039 he said, listen, he goes, You're always going to have 294 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:08.320 a storm. He talked about the storms of life, and 295 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:11.720 here's what he said. He said, a major, major upsetting 296 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:16.120 and uprooting storm happens on the average statistically. This is actually, 297 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:19.240 you know, based on study, about every seven years there 298 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:21.720 is a in your life. In your life, there's a 299 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:25.799 life changing type of event that happens like every seven years. 300 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:32.200 The death of a parent, major breakup, yeah, move, moving. 301 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:34.960 Yep, all those things. And so he says, he goes, so, 302 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:37.559 chances are you're either just coming out of a storm, 303 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:41.840 or you're going into the storm, or you're in the storm. 304 00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:44.759 Right right, So think about that, and all of us 305 00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:46.120 want to be at that three and a half year 306 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.480 mark where where man, it's just smooth hailing. That's what 307 00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:52.639 we want. We long for those days. That's heaven, right right, 308 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:53.799 but we long for paradise. 309 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:56.039 Yeah yeah, so so, and I'm not sure you know. 310 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.519 And by the way, those are those are major events. 311 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:00.759 So that's not counting the little thing in our lives, 312 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:03.000 you know that. You know, Oh this lady at work, 313 00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:05.559 Oh she's just giving me the hardest time, and she's 314 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:07.440 she's going to be the death of me, you know 315 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:10.120 that kind of thing. So, so I think that that's 316 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:13.320 interesting because you know, we have to understand that we 317 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:15.879 need to prepare this in this walk, in this life 318 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.679 that God calls us her like like, I think that 319 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:20.519 most of life is having to deal with things that 320 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:21.240 we don't want to deal with. 321 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:25.399 Absolutely. So you know, Paul comes to the conclusion at 322 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:27.279 the end. He's not really saying I told you so, 323 00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:29.159 I told you so, like rubbing it in. He's just 324 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:31.200 trying to say, hey, listen, you can trust me when 325 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:33.879 I tell you these things because God's given me this insight. 326 00:15:34.440 --> 00:15:37.240 And this is one of the reasons why you invest 327 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:41.320 in faith, that you keep investing and growing faith comes 328 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:43.320 by hearing and hearing by the word of God, according 329 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:45.720 to the Book of Romans, and so we need to 330 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:47.879 spend time in God's word. It builds our faith. The 331 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:50.360 experiences in our life that we survive that we make 332 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:53.600 it through builds our faith. And so he's very confident 333 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.799 that God is going to bring them through the problem. Right. 334 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:57.480 He's not going, oh my, what are we going to do? 335 00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:59.840 Which he's not freaking out, he's not running around. He 336 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:03.519 kind of becomes a rock in the middle of all 337 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:06.480 of this stress. And he's saying, and then God gave 338 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.279 him confidence too. Right, the angel came and said, listen, 339 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.919 nobody's gonna die. It's gonna get rough. This is gonna 340 00:16:11.960 --> 00:16:17.159 be awful, right, so embrace it. But nobody's gonna die. 341 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:20.120 You're gonna survive this. And so if you knew a 342 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:23.720 bad thing was coming, but you know you're gonna survive, Okay, 343 00:16:23.960 --> 00:16:26.440 that's very different. Then you kind of just the Navy 344 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:29.440 seals say, embrace the suck. That's what they say. Right, 345 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:31.840 So it's gonna be bad. This is gonna be bad, 346 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:33.759 Just embrace it, go through it because you're gonna live 347 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:35.559 through it. Right, You're gonna push through. Your training is 348 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:38.200 gonna bring you this, bring through this. And it's kind 349 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:39.399 of the same thing here. I think that's what he's 350 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:41.600 trying to say, is it's not gonna be nice. It's 351 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:44.039 gonna be rough, but we're gonna make it. And it 352 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:46.519 gives you so much more confidence when you find out 353 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:48.120 you have cancer, when you find out you're gonna lose 354 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:50.080 your job, or when you can find out that there's 355 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:52.159 some kind of crisis that's happening in your life, to 356 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.080 go to be able to rely on the fact that 357 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:57.480 God's got this right, God's got it. We're gonna go 358 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:58.679 through it. But God's got it. 359 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:01.279 So if you, if you'll allow me and just to 360 00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:03.759 kind of beer with me through this example. I was 361 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:05.960 at physical therapy because I tore my rotator cuff on 362 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:08.720 my shoulder, and uh, this guy, you know, the guy 363 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:10.640 who owns the place, comes up and says, hey, he goes, 364 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:13.200 would you be up for dry needling? It will help 365 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:15.519 you with your pain? And I and I was like, hey, 366 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:17.880 what's dry needling? And he's like, it really helps, and 367 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:19.880 then he goes, are you afraid of needles? And even 368 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:23.279 though I needles, I said, no, I'm not afraid of needles. 369 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:25.200 No, I'm not afraid of Yeah. 370 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:28.039 So she comes out and and uh and she's like, oh, 371 00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:29.599 and by the way, I should have I should have 372 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:31.440 known because then he says to the lady who's going 373 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:33.319 to do it? He says, hey, he seems to be 374 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:33.839 up for it. 375 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:37.160 Oh yeah, yeah, anytime a doctor says he seems to 376 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:37.799 be up for something. 377 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:42.759 And I was like, yeah, buckle up because pressure's coming. 378 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.359 So anyway, so she takes up these needles. 379 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:50.000 Feel a little pressure, I'm good under pressure. 380 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:55.400 Pressure is the very definition of pain. So Anyway, the 381 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.599 point is is that he took she took needles, and 382 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:00.279 she starts sticking them like acupuncture and my shoulder what 383 00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:01.160 and when. 384 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:03.359 She stuck it in, she just stick them in the surface. 385 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:05.279 Well no, no, no, she goes, she goes, you're gonna 386 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:07.119 feel me drive it all the way down into the muscle. 387 00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:09.880 So she sticks me and then she like starts driving 388 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:12.279 it down and it felt like it went down three inches. 389 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:14.039 Did it feel like she was stabbing you? 390 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:17.559 I mean it was, you know, she was great. But 391 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:18.480 the point is is. 392 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:19.799 That you know, I didn't do anything. They just were 393 00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:20.920 back in the back room laughing. 394 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.559 Right. Well, it was. It was a weird sensation. And 395 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.160 then she goes, when I let go, you know, you 396 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:28.359 won't feel it, and she was right, like I felt 397 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:30.599 it was there, but it wasn't like painful anymore. Well, 398 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:32.599 she stabbed me five times in the fifth when I 399 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:35.079 jumped out of my chair, I was like, oh, She's like, 400 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:37.279 I'll use the thinner needle in the same place she 401 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:40.440