1 00:00:02,752 --> 00:00:05,755 Acts 4:13-31 2 00:00:06,723 --> 00:00:09,392 Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John 3 00:00:09,392 --> 00:00:12,395 and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, 4 00:00:12,395 --> 00:00:16,516 they were astonished and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 5 00:00:16,549 --> 00:00:20,070 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, 6 00:00:20,070 --> 00:00:22,355 they had nothing to say in opposition. 7 00:00:22,355 --> 00:00:25,442 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, 8 00:00:25,442 --> 00:00:29,429 they conferred with one another, saying, what shall we do with these men? 9 00:00:29,479 --> 00:00:33,283 For that a notable sign has been performed through them, as evident 10 00:00:33,283 --> 00:00:36,953 to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 11 00:00:36,953 --> 00:00:40,273 But in order that it may spread no further among the people. 12 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,360 Let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. 13 00:00:44,394 --> 00:00:48,431 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all 14 00:00:48,431 --> 00:00:50,033 in the name of Jesus. 15 00:00:50,033 --> 00:00:54,070 But Peter and John answered them, whether it is right in the sight of God 16 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,590 to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge. 17 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,677 For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. 18 00:01:00,677 --> 00:01:03,847 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go. 19 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:05,882 Finding no way to punish them. 20 00:01:05,882 --> 00:01:09,953 But because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened, 21 00:01:10,270 --> 00:01:15,041 for the man on whom the sign of healing was performed was more than 40 years old. 22 00:01:15,191 --> 00:01:18,428 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported 23 00:01:18,428 --> 00:01:21,014 what the chief priests and the elders had said to them, 24 00:01:21,014 --> 00:01:25,201 and when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God, and said, 25 00:01:25,268 --> 00:01:26,069 sovereign Lord, 26 00:01:26,069 --> 00:01:29,155 who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them, 27 00:01:29,155 --> 00:01:33,676 who through the mouth of our father David your servant, said By the Holy Spirit, 28 00:01:33,710 --> 00:01:37,313 why did the Gentiles rage and the people's plot in vain? 29 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,517 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered 30 00:01:40,517 --> 00:01:43,553 together against the Lord and against his anointed. 31 00:01:43,636 --> 00:01:46,356 For truly in this city there were gathered together 32 00:01:46,356 --> 00:01:49,492 against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 33 00:01:49,509 --> 00:01:54,481 Both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 34 00:01:54,597 --> 00:01:58,601 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 35 00:01:58,668 --> 00:02:02,555 And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to continue 36 00:02:02,555 --> 00:02:06,309 to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand. 37 00:02:06,359 --> 00:02:07,510 The heel and signs 38 00:02:07,510 --> 00:02:10,897 and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. 39 00:02:10,914 --> 00:02:14,067 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered 40 00:02:14,067 --> 00:02:16,553 together was shaken, and they were all filled 41 00:02:16,553 --> 00:02:20,507 with the Holy Spirit, and continued to speak the Word of God with boldness. 42 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:24,194 Well, welcome to 43 00:02:24,194 --> 00:02:27,197 the weekend here at Christ Community Chapel. 44 00:02:27,197 --> 00:02:27,914 My name is Zach, 45 00:02:27,914 --> 00:02:31,668 I'm one of the pastors here and we are so glad we get to be part of your weekend. 46 00:02:31,668 --> 00:02:34,871 Hey, if you're watching this on video on Sunday, it's because I'm out in the tent. 47 00:02:34,921 --> 00:02:39,993 Thank you so much for being here and making us part of your weekends. 48 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,913 We are in week three of our ten week fall sermon series, 49 00:02:43,913 --> 00:02:46,032 going through the book of Acts. 50 00:02:46,032 --> 00:02:50,720 We're calling it Room For More, and the reason for that is pretty simple. 51 00:02:50,837 --> 00:02:52,872 We're going to see two things in the book of Acts. 52 00:02:52,872 --> 00:02:55,875 One is God is in the habit 53 00:02:55,909 --> 00:03:00,113 of always making room for more more people. 54 00:03:00,396 --> 00:03:03,399 In the opening chapter of the book of Acts, there are about 100 55 00:03:03,433 --> 00:03:08,121 Christians there in an upper room waiting for what comes next. 56 00:03:08,188 --> 00:03:10,807 Peter will preach in Acts two. The Holy Spirit will fall. 57 00:03:10,807 --> 00:03:14,711 We looked at this last week and the church will grow from 100 to 3000. 58 00:03:14,761 --> 00:03:18,431 In this chapter, it'll go from 3000 to 5000. 59 00:03:18,481 --> 00:03:21,918 That that reflects God's heart to increase, 60 00:03:21,951 --> 00:03:26,155 increasingly reach more people, to make room for more people. 61 00:03:26,272 --> 00:03:29,158 But the other thing we'll see as we read the book of Acts 62 00:03:29,158 --> 00:03:34,430 is that you and I need to make room and not room for more people, although, 63 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,434 sure, but room for for expecting more from God. 64 00:03:38,468 --> 00:03:41,721 You read the book of acts and God is doing incredible things 65 00:03:41,721 --> 00:03:45,508 time and time again as part of his mission to reach people. 66 00:03:45,508 --> 00:03:49,479 And I think somewhere along the way, most churches have just kind of resigned 67 00:03:49,479 --> 00:03:55,068 themselves to a very kind of nominal experience of the movement of God. 68 00:03:55,068 --> 00:03:56,236 But the book of acts 69 00:03:56,236 --> 00:03:59,989 calls us to something greater, something deeper, something bigger. 70 00:03:59,989 --> 00:04:05,762 To believe that God can move and wants to move and to raise our expectations. 71 00:04:05,762 --> 00:04:09,949 And most weeks in this sermon series, whoever's up here 72 00:04:09,949 --> 00:04:11,868 will be trying to excite you 73 00:04:11,868 --> 00:04:15,955 to that vision, to make room for more people, to make room in your head 74 00:04:15,955 --> 00:04:19,442 and in your heart for a bigger understanding of God. 75 00:04:19,442 --> 00:04:22,161 I say most weeks because not this one. 76 00:04:22,161 --> 00:04:23,913 This one is a little different, because what 77 00:04:23,913 --> 00:04:29,636 we're going to learn this week is that making room for more will result. 78 00:04:29,669 --> 00:04:32,672 Believe it or not, in conflict, 79 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,959 in controversy, in opposition. 80 00:04:35,959 --> 00:04:40,663 Here in acts chapter four is the first time the apostles will be arrested. 81 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,682 Next five they'll be beaten. 82 00:04:42,682 --> 00:04:45,001 In acts six and seven a man will die. 83 00:04:45,001 --> 00:04:48,321 In acts chapter eight, the church will be scattered. 84 00:04:48,354 --> 00:04:49,922 Opposition controversy. 85 00:04:49,922 --> 00:04:55,478 Conflict is going to be part of any person or any church's experience. 86 00:04:55,478 --> 00:04:59,315 If they desire to join God in making room for more, 87 00:04:59,432 --> 00:05:02,669 let me show you that in three points I'm going to use as an outline. 88 00:05:02,669 --> 00:05:03,403 Very simple. 89 00:05:03,403 --> 00:05:08,107 And they go like this I want to show you violence is inevitable. 90 00:05:08,992 --> 00:05:14,113 Not all fights are the same, but God won't waste any of them, all right? 91 00:05:14,147 --> 00:05:15,348 Violence is inevitable. 92 00:05:15,348 --> 00:05:18,751 Not all fights are the same, and God won't waste any of them. 93 00:05:18,868 --> 00:05:19,919 Let me start with the first one. 94 00:05:19,919 --> 00:05:22,238 Violence is inevitable. 95 00:05:22,238 --> 00:05:23,122 You know this. 96 00:05:23,122 --> 00:05:27,193 People, for the most part, don't like change. 97 00:05:27,593 --> 00:05:28,311 People just. 98 00:05:28,311 --> 00:05:29,395 They don't like change. 99 00:05:29,395 --> 00:05:34,550 I love change, but at 43 years old, I've realized that's because I'm weird. 100 00:05:34,550 --> 00:05:37,520 I am the weird one. Most people don't like change. 101 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,790 Like when I go out of town for a week, I will sometimes ask 102 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:44,711 our facilities team to rearrange my office so that it's different. 103 00:05:44,711 --> 00:05:48,147 When I come back, I get bored easily and they'll say, well, how do you want it? 104 00:05:48,147 --> 00:05:50,083 And I'll say, I don't care, just surprise me, 105 00:05:50,083 --> 00:05:52,668 I like change, most people are not like that. 106 00:05:52,668 --> 00:05:54,754 I understand that at least I should say. 107 00:05:54,754 --> 00:05:56,472 I'm trying to understand that 108 00:05:56,472 --> 00:05:59,759 most people don't like change, but no one likes change. 109 00:05:59,759 --> 00:06:05,314 When the reason things have to change is because you did something wrong, 110 00:06:05,631 --> 00:06:10,470 even I, I love change, but not like if I go home tonight and I walk in 111 00:06:10,470 --> 00:06:14,640 and my wife says these dreaded words, we have to talk, 112 00:06:15,591 --> 00:06:18,227 that will mean something needs to change. 113 00:06:18,227 --> 00:06:21,080 And the reason something will need to change 114 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:22,749 is because I've done something wrong. 115 00:06:22,749 --> 00:06:25,635 And I can just tell you that's change I'm against. 116 00:06:25,635 --> 00:06:28,588 I'm against, okay, even people who like change 117 00:06:28,588 --> 00:06:31,040 don't want things to change because we did something wrong. 118 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:35,395 The reason I say that is because if you think about it that way, it shouldn't 119 00:06:35,395 --> 00:06:41,234 surprise you that just about everywhere the message of Jesus is preached. 120 00:06:41,317 --> 00:06:46,322 People sometimes respond angrily or respond in a negative way, 121 00:06:46,322 --> 00:06:50,643 because the message of Jesus begins with this. 122 00:06:50,676 --> 00:06:54,480 Things need to change and it's our fault. 123 00:06:55,131 --> 00:06:56,949 I mean, the message of Christianity, 124 00:06:56,949 --> 00:07:01,070 the message of the gospel of the Bible, is that we are broken people 125 00:07:01,270 --> 00:07:06,042 living in a broken world with a broken relationship with God. 126 00:07:06,275 --> 00:07:11,831 Things need to change and those things are broken because of us. 127 00:07:12,231 --> 00:07:14,233 We're the ones who have broken them. 128 00:07:14,233 --> 00:07:15,118 And so yes, 129 00:07:15,118 --> 00:07:19,238 the gospel of Jesus gets to some really good places about the forgiveness 130 00:07:19,238 --> 00:07:22,675 that's available through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 131 00:07:22,675 --> 00:07:27,079 But you only get that if you're willing to sit through the stuff 132 00:07:27,079 --> 00:07:32,351 about change and the stuff about it being our fault, no one likes that. 133 00:07:32,401 --> 00:07:35,555 You know, the Greek philosopher Plato, in his famous 134 00:07:35,588 --> 00:07:38,591 allegory of the cave, describes this in a really great way. 135 00:07:38,641 --> 00:07:41,994 Talks about like 3 or 4 guys that live in a cave. 136 00:07:42,395 --> 00:07:44,113 They've always lived in the cave. 137 00:07:44,113 --> 00:07:45,348 They've never been outside of the game. 138 00:07:45,348 --> 00:07:47,233 They're chained to the wall, and all they know 139 00:07:47,233 --> 00:07:51,521 of the world outside are some shadows that are kind of dancing on the wall. 140 00:07:51,521 --> 00:07:53,840 And you might say, well, well, how were they born there? 141 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:55,758 And it's not the point. It's a fictional story. 142 00:07:55,758 --> 00:07:57,360 All right, let that go. All right. 143 00:07:57,360 --> 00:07:59,512 They live in the cave, and one day, one of the guys 144 00:07:59,512 --> 00:08:03,316 somehow gets loose and he goes out of the cave into the larger world, 145 00:08:03,316 --> 00:08:06,402 and he realizes, oh, my goodness, there's a whole world out here. 146 00:08:06,402 --> 00:08:10,590 And what we're watching on the walls is just shadows of this world. 147 00:08:10,590 --> 00:08:12,074 And he comes back into the cave 148 00:08:12,074 --> 00:08:15,111 and he says, these guys, you're never going to believe this. 149 00:08:15,111 --> 00:08:16,829 This is just a cave. 150 00:08:16,829 --> 00:08:18,748 And there's a whole world out there. 151 00:08:18,748 --> 00:08:20,950 And what we see on the wall are just shadows. 152 00:08:20,950 --> 00:08:24,437 And Plato says, the guys will get so angry with him 153 00:08:24,437 --> 00:08:28,474 that they'll try to get loose, not to leave the cave, but to murder him. 154 00:08:29,592 --> 00:08:32,595 Because Plato says, we don't want to be wrong. 155 00:08:32,712 --> 00:08:34,630 We don't want the status quo challenge. 156 00:08:34,630 --> 00:08:37,633 We don't want our worldview turned around. 157 00:08:37,750 --> 00:08:40,786 What we're going to see time and time again in the book of acts is because 158 00:08:40,786 --> 00:08:45,157 the gospel message is a message of change. 159 00:08:45,274 --> 00:08:49,629 It is a message of personal responsibility, is a message 160 00:08:49,795 --> 00:08:51,514 of worldview shift. 161 00:08:51,514 --> 00:08:53,916 People will respond negatively. 162 00:08:53,916 --> 00:08:57,203 In fact, in this passage, Peter is going to be arrested, 163 00:08:57,203 --> 00:08:58,554 Peter and John are arrested. 164 00:08:58,554 --> 00:09:00,756 And you know what their crime was. 165 00:09:00,756 --> 00:09:03,309 I don't know if you could pick it up when the story was being read in acts 166 00:09:03,309 --> 00:09:06,195 chapter three, verses one through nine, you can read about their crime. 167 00:09:06,195 --> 00:09:09,148 Do you know what it was? It's going to blow your mind. They healed a guy. 168 00:09:10,199 --> 00:09:10,750 That's right. 169 00:09:10,750 --> 00:09:14,003 There was a beggar and the beggar said, can I get some money? 170 00:09:14,003 --> 00:09:17,123 And Peter said, I don't have any money, but I'll tell you what I do have. 171 00:09:17,156 --> 00:09:19,508 He said, in the name of Jesus, get up and walk. 172 00:09:19,508 --> 00:09:20,960 And the guy gets up and walks 173 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,030 and everybody freaks out, and that gets them arrested. 174 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:24,880 You know why? 175 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:26,832 Because everybody was doing just fine. 176 00:09:26,832 --> 00:09:30,987 And their preconceived notions about who God was and what religion was 177 00:09:31,037 --> 00:09:32,471 and what life should look like. 178 00:09:32,471 --> 00:09:33,673 But when a guy gets healed, 179 00:09:33,673 --> 00:09:36,676 you have to rethink some things, and they didn't want to do it. 180 00:09:37,193 --> 00:09:41,597 I'm saying this to say this what the Book of Acts is teaching us 181 00:09:41,597 --> 00:09:48,187 is that if we get serious about making room for more, we should expect conflict. 182 00:09:48,237 --> 00:09:51,040 We should expect expect controversy. 183 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,759 We should expect a fight. 184 00:09:53,759 --> 00:09:56,395 Jesus said this, by the way, I'm not just saying this. 185 00:09:56,395 --> 00:09:59,315 John chapter 15. Here's what Jesus says. It'll be on the screen. 186 00:09:59,315 --> 00:10:02,318 He said, if the world hates you, 187 00:10:02,318 --> 00:10:04,954 know that it has hated me before. 188 00:10:04,954 --> 00:10:05,838 It hated you. 189 00:10:05,838 --> 00:10:09,875 Listen, if you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. 190 00:10:09,875 --> 00:10:12,028 But because you're not of the world. 191 00:10:12,028 --> 00:10:14,080 But I chose you out of the world. 192 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:15,598 Therefore the world hates you. 193 00:10:15,598 --> 00:10:20,953 Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. 194 00:10:20,953 --> 00:10:25,157 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 195 00:10:25,191 --> 00:10:28,711 Jesus says they're going to crucify me. 196 00:10:28,711 --> 00:10:30,713 They're not always going to like you. 197 00:10:30,713 --> 00:10:34,400 We preach a message of change. 198 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,435 The Apostle Paul understood this. 199 00:10:36,435 --> 00:10:39,555 He traveled all over the known world to different cities, different cultures, 200 00:10:39,555 --> 00:10:40,323 different languages. 201 00:10:40,323 --> 00:10:43,509 You know what the one universal of his experience was? 202 00:10:43,592 --> 00:10:44,994 He found a controversy, 203 00:10:44,994 --> 00:10:48,080 a conflict of fight everywhere he went in Second Corinthians. 204 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,282 Here's how he describes his ministry. Listen to this. 205 00:10:50,282 --> 00:10:51,717 This is how he describes his career. 206 00:10:51,717 --> 00:10:58,441 He says this five times I received at the hands of the Jews the 40 lashes less one. 207 00:10:58,758 --> 00:11:01,277 Three times I was beaten with rods. 208 00:11:01,277 --> 00:11:05,231 Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked a night and a day. 209 00:11:05,231 --> 00:11:10,236 I was adrift at sea on frequent journeys in danger from rivers, danger 210 00:11:10,236 --> 00:11:14,240 from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles. 211 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:15,274 Danger in the city. 212 00:11:15,274 --> 00:11:17,626 Danger in the wilderness. Danger at sea. 213 00:11:17,626 --> 00:11:21,831 Danger from false brothers in toil and hardship through many a sleepless 214 00:11:21,831 --> 00:11:26,118 night in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 215 00:11:26,152 --> 00:11:29,271 I mean, other than that great career, great career. 216 00:11:29,321 --> 00:11:30,723 You see my point? 217 00:11:30,723 --> 00:11:34,710 Jesus says, we preach a message of change. 218 00:11:34,910 --> 00:11:36,278 They're not going to like it. 219 00:11:36,278 --> 00:11:41,317 Paul says, everywhere I went with this message of change, they didn't like it. 220 00:11:41,317 --> 00:11:43,402 And I'm just telling you this because I'm saying, 221 00:11:43,402 --> 00:11:46,839 as we make room for more, make room for more people, make room for a bigger 222 00:11:46,839 --> 00:11:51,360 understanding of God, there's going to be conflict that comes. 223 00:11:52,194 --> 00:11:55,281 It's going to come for you on an individual that you get serious 224 00:11:55,281 --> 00:11:56,282 about your faith. 225 00:11:56,282 --> 00:11:59,235 Not everyone in your family is going to like it. 226 00:11:59,235 --> 00:12:02,755 You're going to want to talk about Jesus, and they're going to tell you to shut up. 227 00:12:03,189 --> 00:12:05,875 You're going to want to get serious about living your life 228 00:12:05,875 --> 00:12:07,393 in a way that is countercultural. 229 00:12:07,393 --> 00:12:09,195 And they're going to say, you're bothering people. 230 00:12:09,195 --> 00:12:12,882 You're going to raise your kids to be different than the culture, 231 00:12:12,882 --> 00:12:15,634 and they're going to say, you're over zealous. 232 00:12:15,634 --> 00:12:16,669 You get the point. 233 00:12:16,669 --> 00:12:19,238 It's just going to happen. 234 00:12:19,238 --> 00:12:22,508 And I know that's not a great sales pitch for making room for more. 235 00:12:22,508 --> 00:12:25,478 But as your pastor, part of my job is to prepare you. 236 00:12:25,478 --> 00:12:28,798 Conflict, controversy and a fight are coming. 237 00:12:28,798 --> 00:12:29,749 They're coming. 238 00:12:29,749 --> 00:12:32,752 But by the way, that doesn't mean 239 00:12:33,002 --> 00:12:35,721 we're doing anything wrong. 240 00:12:35,721 --> 00:12:37,273 They healed a guy, 241 00:12:38,357 --> 00:12:40,843 they healed a guy, and it came anyways. 242 00:12:40,843 --> 00:12:42,711 And let me just be very real for you. 243 00:12:42,711 --> 00:12:45,147 It's going to come for us as a church. 244 00:12:45,147 --> 00:12:47,716 I don't want our church to be in the news for bad reasons. 245 00:12:47,716 --> 00:12:52,438 I don't want to be put on blast on social media, but it's inevitable. 246 00:12:52,755 --> 00:12:56,158 If we make room for more, it's inevitable. 247 00:12:56,275 --> 00:12:57,510 People are going to be. 248 00:12:57,510 --> 00:12:59,512 By the way, Peter's arrested. Peter and John are arrested. 249 00:12:59,512 --> 00:13:02,314 When I say that you think the government that that's actually not true. 250 00:13:02,314 --> 00:13:05,201 They were arrested by religious people back then. 251 00:13:05,201 --> 00:13:08,954 The lines were blurry and God help us, religious people could arrest people. 252 00:13:08,954 --> 00:13:10,673 That's never good, right? 253 00:13:10,673 --> 00:13:12,358 But that's what was happening. 254 00:13:12,358 --> 00:13:13,359 Here's what's going to happen. 255 00:13:13,359 --> 00:13:15,361 We make room for more, more people. 256 00:13:15,361 --> 00:13:18,347 Or I'm just being very real with you, more people, or for God to do more. 257 00:13:18,347 --> 00:13:20,916 And we're going to get attacked by other churches. 258 00:13:22,551 --> 00:13:24,470 You may already hear people, I can't. 259 00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:25,988 Why do you go there? 260 00:13:25,988 --> 00:13:26,188 You know, 261 00:13:26,188 --> 00:13:27,189 we put a banner 262 00:13:27,189 --> 00:13:30,793 outside the church once that said sleeping on Sundays and come on Thursdays 263 00:13:31,110 --> 00:13:33,629 because we're just aiming at families that are busy on the weekends. 264 00:13:33,629 --> 00:13:35,548 We're telling them, listen, if you want to meet God, 265 00:13:35,548 --> 00:13:37,516 you don't have to give up your weekend. 266 00:13:37,516 --> 00:13:40,402 And people got upset about it. 267 00:13:40,402 --> 00:13:41,554 So we're making room for more. 268 00:13:41,554 --> 00:13:43,956 But the more people who come, the more God does. 269 00:13:43,956 --> 00:13:45,641 People are going to go, what's that mean for us? 270 00:13:45,641 --> 00:13:47,393 If we don't see that, why aren't we? 271 00:13:47,393 --> 00:13:50,396 Seeing a do a healing service, people say, I don't know, should you be doing that? 272 00:13:50,429 --> 00:13:53,432 I don't know, they heal the guy in acts three. 273 00:13:53,999 --> 00:13:55,401 You see my point? 274 00:13:55,401 --> 00:13:56,151 You see my point. 275 00:13:56,151 --> 00:13:59,355 What I'm saying to you is this conflict 276 00:13:59,355 --> 00:14:03,392 and controversy are not an indicator that we're not getting it right. 277 00:14:04,109 --> 00:14:05,394 Sometimes. 278 00:14:05,394 --> 00:14:11,000 Sometimes it's an indicator you're right at the center of what God is doing. 279 00:14:11,867 --> 00:14:13,636 Now. We got to be careful, okay? 280 00:14:13,636 --> 00:14:15,988 And some of you are freaking out right now. Okay. 281 00:14:15,988 --> 00:14:17,556 Let me nuance this, okay? 282 00:14:17,556 --> 00:14:19,909 Because not all conflict is equal. 283 00:14:19,909 --> 00:14:23,145 Didn't I say my second point was not all fights are the same? 284 00:14:23,162 --> 00:14:25,030 You remember I said that not all fights are the same? 285 00:14:25,030 --> 00:14:28,517 Because of course there is a way of going overboard with this, right? 286 00:14:28,634 --> 00:14:31,637 You could say, well, shoot, if they want to fight, bring it. 287 00:14:31,670 --> 00:14:33,122 You can go looking for a fight. 288 00:14:33,122 --> 00:14:36,442 You can go looking for conflict, go looking for controversy. 289 00:14:36,442 --> 00:14:38,510 But that's not what we're talking about. 290 00:14:38,510 --> 00:14:39,879 There are some Christians 291 00:14:39,879 --> 00:14:43,399 who love participating in what they call the culture wars. 292 00:14:43,682 --> 00:14:46,151 They want to put everybody on blast on social media. 293 00:14:46,151 --> 00:14:48,871 They want to yell and scream at every party. 294 00:14:48,871 --> 00:14:52,474 They take it as a virtue when they don't get invited to the family gathering. 295 00:14:52,508 --> 00:14:54,760 Like, look at us, we're warriors for Jesus. 296 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:55,794 That's not what I'm talking about. 297 00:14:55,794 --> 00:14:59,481 Listen, here's what the apostle Paul says in Ephesians chapter four verse 15. 298 00:14:59,481 --> 00:15:00,115 Love this verse. 299 00:15:00,115 --> 00:15:01,834 It'll be on the screen. Here's what he says. 300 00:15:01,834 --> 00:15:03,519 Speak rather. Listen. 301 00:15:03,519 --> 00:15:08,107 I'm just going to read the first part, speaking the truth in love. 302 00:15:08,390 --> 00:15:09,875 This is how I visualize it. 303 00:15:09,875 --> 00:15:11,677 It's like Paul saying, you're in one hand, 304 00:15:11,677 --> 00:15:14,880 you're holding on to a rope, and that rope is connected to truth. 305 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:15,948 And in the other hand, 306 00:15:15,948 --> 00:15:19,001 you're holding on to a rope, and that rope is connected to love. 307 00:15:19,001 --> 00:15:21,987 And sometimes holding on to both ropes will stretch you, 308 00:15:21,987 --> 00:15:23,989 he says, but you can't let go of either one. 309 00:15:24,957 --> 00:15:26,358 You can't let go of either one. 310 00:15:26,358 --> 00:15:28,711 If some people read this speaking the truth of love, 311 00:15:28,711 --> 00:15:32,798 and here's what they read speaking the truth instead of love. 312 00:15:33,315 --> 00:15:34,917 But that's not what he said. 313 00:15:34,917 --> 00:15:37,753 If you let go of love, if people don't like you 314 00:15:37,753 --> 00:15:40,873 because you're fighting all the time, you're not a warrior for Jesus. 315 00:15:40,873 --> 00:15:44,109 I say this with all pastoral sincerity you're a jerk. 316 00:15:47,796 --> 00:15:49,882 That's not the same thing. 317 00:15:49,882 --> 00:15:54,353 But listen, just as you can't hold on to truth and let go of love, listen. 318 00:15:54,403 --> 00:15:55,521 You can't let go. 319 00:15:55,521 --> 00:15:58,507 Hold on to love and let go of truth either. 320 00:15:59,642 --> 00:16:01,510 Because it matters. 321 00:16:01,510 --> 00:16:03,562 Look, not all conflicts are the same. 322 00:16:03,562 --> 00:16:04,713 Sure, but. 323 00:16:04,713 --> 00:16:10,119 But what Peter is doing in this passage is he is not pursuing conflict. 324 00:16:10,152 --> 00:16:11,320 Look, Paulson it this way. 325 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:12,755 Romans chapter 12, verse 18. 326 00:16:12,755 --> 00:16:14,273 It'll be on the screen. Here's what it says. 327 00:16:14,273 --> 00:16:18,077 Listen, if possible, so far 328 00:16:18,077 --> 00:16:21,513 as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 329 00:16:21,513 --> 00:16:22,631 Do you see what he's saying? 330 00:16:22,631 --> 00:16:25,834 He says, if it's up to you, choose peace. 331 00:16:25,918 --> 00:16:27,069 But what's he saying? 332 00:16:27,069 --> 00:16:28,921 It's not always up to you. 333 00:16:28,921 --> 00:16:31,874 Peter didn't get up that morning and said, I'm going to pick a fight. 334 00:16:31,874 --> 00:16:36,562 John's not holding the phone and Peter goes, get this on Instagram, okay? 335 00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:39,832 This is not an online influencer causing problems. 336 00:16:39,882 --> 00:16:42,918 Peter prays for a guy and that guy gets healed. 337 00:16:42,918 --> 00:16:44,403 Peter, listen to me church. 338 00:16:44,403 --> 00:16:46,071 Peter didn't get up seeking a fight. 339 00:16:46,071 --> 00:16:50,359 He got up seeking obedience and the fight found him. 340 00:16:51,510 --> 00:16:53,112 That's different. 341 00:16:53,112 --> 00:16:55,798 God has called us to do some things right. 342 00:16:55,798 --> 00:16:56,598 This is what Peter says. 343 00:16:56,598 --> 00:16:59,118 Look at what he says in acts four, acts four and 19 through 20. 344 00:16:59,118 --> 00:17:00,269 I love this, he says, 345 00:17:00,269 --> 00:17:04,156 but Peter and John answered them, whether it is right in the sight of God 346 00:17:04,189 --> 00:17:08,227 to listen to you than to God, you must judge. 347 00:17:08,227 --> 00:17:11,430 For we cannot but speak what we have seen and heard. 348 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,482 He's like, listen, if we gotta fight, that's up to you. 349 00:17:13,482 --> 00:17:16,919 We're not going to stop talking about Jesus. 350 00:17:16,952 --> 00:17:19,521 Friends, God has called us to some things. 351 00:17:19,521 --> 00:17:21,640 This is why we do it. Thursday night service. 352 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,242 This is why we do a healing service. 353 00:17:23,242 --> 00:17:27,396 Listen, if the best place to reach people is Wednesday morning at 10:00, guess what 354 00:17:27,429 --> 00:17:28,680 service is next? 355 00:17:30,082 --> 00:17:30,999 Because that's 356 00:17:30,999 --> 00:17:34,002 God has told us, you know what was supposed to reach people. 357 00:17:34,002 --> 00:17:35,554 God is supposed to make disciples. 358 00:17:35,554 --> 00:17:36,438 How do you make disciples? 359 00:17:36,438 --> 00:17:38,874 You say, the way we're living is crazy. 360 00:17:38,874 --> 00:17:41,360 Don't live that way. Live this way. 361 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:46,198 God's told us to raise our kids in a culture that is bent on turning them 362 00:17:46,198 --> 00:17:50,235 away from God and filling their heads with all kinds of nonsense. 363 00:17:50,269 --> 00:17:54,156 God has called us to seek justice, to push back against oppression. 364 00:17:54,156 --> 00:17:58,077 We don't want to fight, but we will do those things 365 00:17:58,277 --> 00:18:01,313 even if a fight comes. 366 00:18:01,914 --> 00:18:04,433 Are you ready for that? 367 00:18:04,433 --> 00:18:06,235 We're not looking for a fight. We're looking for obedience. 368 00:18:06,235 --> 00:18:09,922 But we're not going to run either, isn't the point I'm making 369 00:18:10,155 --> 00:18:11,473 my nine year old son, Graham. 370 00:18:11,473 --> 00:18:13,642 You've heard me talk about any plays. Football, right? 371 00:18:13,642 --> 00:18:17,112 My wife and I give him two very different talks about fighting. 372 00:18:17,830 --> 00:18:18,280 Okay? 373 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,283 She says to him, Graham, no fighting. 374 00:18:21,517 --> 00:18:22,918 That's a good talk. 375 00:18:22,918 --> 00:18:24,720 Here's what she means. Here's what she means. 376 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,189 Graham. Don't use anger to solve problems. 377 00:18:27,189 --> 00:18:28,507 Absolutely agree. 378 00:18:28,507 --> 00:18:30,876 She she says, Graham, don't bully other kids. 379 00:18:30,876 --> 00:18:31,960 That's totally agree. 380 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,113 He's big kid. Football player. Totally agree. 381 00:18:34,113 --> 00:18:37,716 Then when she leaves the room, I give him a different talk about fighting. 382 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,587 And what I say to him is, Graham, don't let another kid get bullied. 383 00:18:42,638 --> 00:18:43,188 You're a big kid. 384 00:18:43,188 --> 00:18:44,072 You're a football player. 385 00:18:44,072 --> 00:18:47,192 You step up, kids getting bullied, you step up, tell him to stop. 386 00:18:47,242 --> 00:18:50,512 If he doesn't stop, make sure he stops. 387 00:18:51,363 --> 00:18:53,148 I tell him, Graham, you got a seven year old sister. 388 00:18:53,148 --> 00:18:56,118 Any kid threatens your seven year old sister, you make you tell him to stop. 389 00:18:56,118 --> 00:18:57,603 He doesn't stop. 390 00:18:57,603 --> 00:19:00,038 You make him stop and say, Graham, there are two rules of fighting. 391 00:19:00,038 --> 00:19:02,508 Don't get in a fight and don't lose. 392 00:19:02,508 --> 00:19:04,193 Those are my two rules of fighting. 393 00:19:04,193 --> 00:19:06,195 And I felt really good about that speech. 394 00:19:06,195 --> 00:19:07,362 Until a couple weeks later. 395 00:19:07,362 --> 00:19:10,315 Amy and Graham came home a little early from a birthday party, 396 00:19:10,315 --> 00:19:12,835 and Graham's and Amy said, do you know why we left? 397 00:19:12,835 --> 00:19:15,270 Your son was choking another kid out on the trampoline. 398 00:19:16,755 --> 00:19:18,157 And I said, Graham, tell me more. 399 00:19:18,157 --> 00:19:20,559 And he said, well, dad, there was a kid jumping on the trampoline. 400 00:19:20,559 --> 00:19:22,594 He's jumping too high. Little kids are getting hurt. 401 00:19:22,594 --> 00:19:23,712 I told him to stop. 402 00:19:23,712 --> 00:19:25,147 Then he jumped even higher. 403 00:19:25,147 --> 00:19:27,599 My sister got hurt and so I made him stop. 404 00:19:27,599 --> 00:19:31,203 And I'm like, how do I high five him without Amy 405 00:19:31,203 --> 00:19:34,473 seeing like, you know, 406 00:19:35,841 --> 00:19:37,075 what are we clear is not a joke. 407 00:19:37,075 --> 00:19:38,076 One week later, 408 00:19:38,076 --> 00:19:41,113 like any good dad, I hide in the bathroom when one of my teenage daughters 409 00:19:41,113 --> 00:19:43,282 is coming home from school and she comes in the door. 410 00:19:43,282 --> 00:19:46,602 I jump out and scare, and she loses her mind 411 00:19:46,602 --> 00:19:49,788 and he comes running down the stairs, jumps on the kitchen 412 00:19:49,788 --> 00:19:53,392 island, comes across the island, tears in his eyes and punches me. 413 00:19:53,842 --> 00:19:56,361 And I'm like, dude, what are you doing? 414 00:19:56,361 --> 00:19:58,280 He's like, you're hurting my sister. 415 00:20:01,350 --> 00:20:02,751 Listen, this is what I'm saying. 416 00:20:02,751 --> 00:20:05,120 This is what I'm saying. 417 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:08,123 You don't get out of bed in the morning looking for a fight, 418 00:20:08,557 --> 00:20:11,560 but you don't call evil good. 419 00:20:14,479 --> 00:20:17,482 You don't call crazy and delusional normal. 420 00:20:19,868 --> 00:20:22,070 And you tell them that Jesus is the Son of God. 421 00:20:22,070 --> 00:20:25,474 And the only way to have a relationship with God. 422 00:20:27,109 --> 00:20:29,194 Now, let me ask you a question. 423 00:20:29,194 --> 00:20:32,197 What's your tendency with conflict? 424 00:20:34,349 --> 00:20:35,267 Do you, do you 425 00:20:35,267 --> 00:20:38,270 do you get up in the morning seeking a fight? 426 00:20:39,671 --> 00:20:42,708 Are you so bent on everyone being happy and everyone 427 00:20:42,708 --> 00:20:46,628 getting along that maybe lean towards cowardice? 428 00:20:47,813 --> 00:20:51,033 Listen, I want to show you that although not all fights are equal, 429 00:20:51,033 --> 00:20:52,034 here's my third point. 430 00:20:52,034 --> 00:20:54,469 God doesn't waste any of them. 431 00:20:54,469 --> 00:20:57,556 Did you know, Peter, over the course of his 432 00:20:57,556 --> 00:21:00,559 life, has every one of those responses to conflict? 433 00:21:00,642 --> 00:21:02,878 Like you remember the night Jesus is arrested, 434 00:21:02,878 --> 00:21:04,279 the guards are coming to get Jesus. 435 00:21:04,279 --> 00:21:07,199 Peter draws his sword and he cuts off the guy's ear. 436 00:21:07,199 --> 00:21:08,400 Do you remember this? Let me tell you something. 437 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,069 Nobody aims for the ear, okay? 438 00:21:11,069 --> 00:21:13,672 He was trying to split the guy's head open. Right? 439 00:21:13,672 --> 00:21:16,508 First of all, who gave Peter a sword? That's what I want to know. 440 00:21:16,508 --> 00:21:18,877 Who? Who? You got to frisk Peter, right? 441 00:21:18,877 --> 00:21:20,996 You got to check it. But Jesus says, listen. 442 00:21:20,996 --> 00:21:23,348 Peter's response is, they want to fight. 443 00:21:23,348 --> 00:21:26,151 Bring it. I'm here to fight. 444 00:21:26,151 --> 00:21:29,588 The next time Peter is a confronted with conflict, a little girl says to him, 445 00:21:29,588 --> 00:21:31,523 weren't you with Jesus? 446 00:21:31,523 --> 00:21:34,793 And like a coward, he curses at her and says, no, I wasn't. 447 00:21:34,793 --> 00:21:36,795 He shrinks back. 448 00:21:36,795 --> 00:21:42,467 But what's interesting is that Jesus uses both of those things to grow him. 449 00:21:42,834 --> 00:21:46,438 Peter pulls a sword and he cuts off the guy's ear, and Jesus heals the ear 450 00:21:46,438 --> 00:21:49,308 and he says, Peter, what are you doing? We didn't come to fight. 451 00:21:50,592 --> 00:21:51,593 We didn't come to fight. 452 00:21:51,593 --> 00:21:54,162 That's not who we are. That's not what we're about. 453 00:21:54,162 --> 00:21:55,747 What are you doing with a sword? 454 00:21:55,747 --> 00:21:57,799 I came to die. I came to give my life. 455 00:21:57,799 --> 00:22:00,319 I came to forgive. I came to the people. 456 00:22:00,319 --> 00:22:02,988 Could be included. Listen, some of you need to hear this. 457 00:22:02,988 --> 00:22:06,675 God is going to continue to let you lose friends and family members 458 00:22:06,675 --> 00:22:10,362 until you realize you are not a righteous warrior. 459 00:22:10,395 --> 00:22:13,198 You need repentance. 460 00:22:13,198 --> 00:22:15,000 You get out of the morning in a bed in the morning 461 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,003 looking for a fight that is not who our Savior is, 462 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,123 and that is not who you should be. 463 00:22:21,123 --> 00:22:23,792 How many people will you have to lose before you realize it? 464 00:22:23,792 --> 00:22:27,996 Don't you dare take this sermon and justify being a jerk. 465 00:22:28,997 --> 00:22:30,916 But others of you listen. 466 00:22:30,916 --> 00:22:32,918 Peter denies Jesus he's a coward. 467 00:22:32,918 --> 00:22:34,403 You know what Jesus says to him when he sees him? 468 00:22:34,403 --> 00:22:36,521 He says, Peter, Peter, look at me. 469 00:22:36,521 --> 00:22:39,674 Feed my sheep. Do you know what he's saying? 470 00:22:39,708 --> 00:22:43,678 Peter, get in the game. 471 00:22:44,513 --> 00:22:46,515 Participate. 472 00:22:46,515 --> 00:22:48,083 Listen, I'm telling you something. 473 00:22:48,083 --> 00:22:51,520 Do not let them fill your kids heads with nonsense. 474 00:22:52,587 --> 00:22:57,509 Do not apologize for living a life that is counter to the culture. 475 00:22:57,559 --> 00:23:02,314 Don't you ever stop telling people that Jesus Christ is the only way 476 00:23:02,314 --> 00:23:03,398 to have a relationship with God. 477 00:23:03,398 --> 00:23:04,316 But he's the but. 478 00:23:04,316 --> 00:23:07,202 He's available to anyone and everyone who looks. 479 00:23:07,202 --> 00:23:11,390 Don't you dare apologize for speaking out against lies 480 00:23:11,390 --> 00:23:16,762 and speaking out against evil that isn't looking for a fight that's being obedient. 481 00:23:16,762 --> 00:23:21,116 Some of us in the name of being kind, we've become cowards. 482 00:23:22,067 --> 00:23:23,635 And when the evil people 483 00:23:23,635 --> 00:23:26,788 are the only ones doing the talking, what fills the air? 484 00:23:29,307 --> 00:23:32,277 But what's cool about Peter is he grows. 485 00:23:32,277 --> 00:23:33,995 He grows. 486 00:23:33,995 --> 00:23:38,033 This time he recognizes, and this is what he says instead. 487 00:23:38,033 --> 00:23:39,067 He doesn't pull the sword. 488 00:23:39,067 --> 00:23:41,353 He doesn't shrink like a coward. Here's what he says. 489 00:23:41,353 --> 00:23:43,238 Acts chapter 429 to 31. 490 00:23:43,238 --> 00:23:45,757 Listen to what he prays, he says, and now, Lord, 491 00:23:45,757 --> 00:23:50,112 look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to continue 492 00:23:50,112 --> 00:23:55,717 to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal. 493 00:23:55,717 --> 00:23:59,438 And signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy 494 00:23:59,438 --> 00:24:00,639 servant Jesus. 495 00:24:00,639 --> 00:24:03,792 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered 496 00:24:03,792 --> 00:24:07,195 together was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, 497 00:24:07,195 --> 00:24:10,282 and they continued to speak the Word of God with boldness. 498 00:24:10,282 --> 00:24:11,516 You know what God was saying? 499 00:24:11,516 --> 00:24:14,469 Keep going, keep going. 500 00:24:14,469 --> 00:24:15,987 This is my mission. 501 00:24:15,987 --> 00:24:17,989 You've got my power. 502 00:24:17,989 --> 00:24:20,909 You do it in my name, friends. 503 00:24:20,909 --> 00:24:23,912 You see, they want to reach people. 504 00:24:24,713 --> 00:24:26,998 They believe healing is a way for that to happen. 505 00:24:26,998 --> 00:24:30,552 And they say, God, if you don't show up, we're cooked. 506 00:24:31,069 --> 00:24:34,039 That's exactly what we're saying here. 507 00:24:34,039 --> 00:24:36,558 Conflict, controversy, social media. 508 00:24:36,558 --> 00:24:39,995 Listen, I don't want people to ask you why you go to church here. 509 00:24:39,995 --> 00:24:42,597 I don't want you to have to listen to people whisper about your church. 510 00:24:42,597 --> 00:24:45,917 But we're not going to stop making room for more 511 00:24:45,917 --> 00:24:48,920 just because of conflict and controversy. 512 00:24:49,237 --> 00:24:50,155 We're going to get up in the morning. 513 00:24:50,155 --> 00:24:52,040 We're going to seek obedience. 514 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:53,909 We hope that leads to peace. 515 00:24:53,909 --> 00:24:55,160 But if it doesn't, 516 00:24:56,228 --> 00:24:57,395 we're going to be faithful. 517 00:24:57,395 --> 00:25:01,316 Because, by the way, listen to this isn't the center of our faith 518 00:25:01,316 --> 00:25:04,269 the fact that God uses conflict. 519 00:25:04,269 --> 00:25:07,272 Jesus didn't seek a fight, did he? 520 00:25:07,522 --> 00:25:08,990 But they murdered him. 521 00:25:08,990 --> 00:25:10,642 We murdered him. 522 00:25:10,642 --> 00:25:14,112 We didn't want to hear his message of change, but God didn't waste that. 523 00:25:14,162 --> 00:25:17,749 He used it to forgive us from our sins. 524 00:25:18,149 --> 00:25:19,751 Conflict and controversy. 525 00:25:19,751 --> 00:25:24,272 Opposition, a fight, even violence is not a sign that we've got it wrong. 526 00:25:24,272 --> 00:25:28,043 It's not a sign that we took a wrong turn, that God isn't with us. 527 00:25:28,043 --> 00:25:31,997 It may just be a sign we're at the very center of what he's doing. 528 00:25:31,997 --> 00:25:34,516 What we pray to God is God. Give us courage. 529 00:25:34,516 --> 00:25:35,750 God, shake the room. 530 00:25:35,750 --> 00:25:37,602 Fill us with your Holy Spirit. 531 00:25:37,602 --> 00:25:40,355 God, show us that you are with us. 532 00:25:40,355 --> 00:25:43,792 And if you're with us, we'll keep going. 533 00:25:44,242 --> 00:25:47,028 Room for more, room for more people. 534 00:25:47,028 --> 00:25:50,749 Room for a bigger vision of God will mean opposition. 535 00:25:52,033 --> 00:25:55,353 Will you keep going? 536 00:25:55,987 --> 00:25:59,758 Let me pray for you, father God, thank you so much for everyone here. 537 00:25:59,758 --> 00:26:00,508 I know in this room 538 00:26:00,508 --> 00:26:03,995 there are people who have all different kinds of responses to conflicts. 539 00:26:03,995 --> 00:26:05,747 Some of us are jerks. 540 00:26:05,747 --> 00:26:08,149 God in your holy with your power of your Holy Spirit 541 00:26:08,149 --> 00:26:11,152 right now, would you be leading us to repentance? 542 00:26:11,553 --> 00:26:13,555 Would we be thinking of all the people we've got a call, 543 00:26:13,555 --> 00:26:16,191 all the people we've got a text, all the apologies of 544 00:26:16,191 --> 00:26:18,510 I thought I was serving Jesus, but I wasn't. 545 00:26:18,510 --> 00:26:19,628 I was just picking a fight. 546 00:26:19,628 --> 00:26:22,631 I was Peter with the sword. 547 00:26:22,881 --> 00:26:26,117 Well, God, would you heal their families like you healed that man's ear? 548 00:26:27,552 --> 00:26:29,554 God. Others of us, 549 00:26:29,554 --> 00:26:32,557 in the name of kindness, we've become cowards. 550 00:26:32,707 --> 00:26:34,075 We've looked the other way. 551 00:26:34,075 --> 00:26:35,794 We've kept our mouths shut. 552 00:26:37,512 --> 00:26:40,198 We've ignored what's happening around us. 553 00:26:40,198 --> 00:26:42,717 God, would you lead us to courage like Peter? 554 00:26:42,717 --> 00:26:45,353 Would you whisper to us, feed my sheep. 555 00:26:45,353 --> 00:26:48,356 Get in the game. Participate in my mission. 556 00:26:48,390 --> 00:26:49,274 Obey me. 557 00:26:49,274 --> 00:26:50,442 Be with me. 558 00:26:50,442 --> 00:26:54,229 God, would you lead former cowards to become 559 00:26:54,229 --> 00:26:58,483 courageous leaders like he did with Peter and God? 560 00:26:58,483 --> 00:27:01,987 Would you perpetually shake the room 561 00:27:02,237 --> 00:27:05,040 so that we know that you are with us in the name of Jesus? 562 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:10,762 We pray that we would have the courage in the face of opposition for your glory. 563 00:27:10,762 --> 00:27:14,349 And we pray God for the salvation of those 564 00:27:14,349 --> 00:27:17,352 who at one time opposed us. 565 00:27:17,352 --> 00:27:19,838 In Jesus name we pray. Amen.