WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.640 Hey, guys, today we're gonna be talking about how to 2 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:03.520 find joy? 3 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:06.040 Do you want joy? I want joy? I love joy. 4 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:06.559 Let's go. 5 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:09.439 Yeah. So we're talking about how faith brings joy, and 6 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:12.519 in this case, Paul's talking about under trials and how 7 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:15.679 even trials and persecution can actually lead to joy. So 8 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:18.480 it's going to be interesting. So he's Kyle and I'm Chris, 9 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.120 and today we are the Bible. 10 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:20.480 Guys. 11 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:34.399 Man, I am so excited for today's episode. I think 12 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:36.119 we got some really good content today. 13 00:00:36.119 --> 00:00:37.359 But it also before we. 14 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:39.359 Even get into what we're going to read in the 15 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:41.560 scriptures today. Here, I actually want to play a quick game. 16 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:43.520 And many of you guys know this, but Chris is 17 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:47.240 a huge movie buff. In fact, I enjoy watching movies 18 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:49.039 and I thought I really was a movie guy until 19 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:51.079 I met Chris and I realized there's different levels to 20 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:51.600 this game. 21 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:54.799 That's funny. You know, so quotes so many scenes. He 22 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:55.399 knows it all. 23 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:57.600 By the way, just in case you're wondering what ends 24 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:00.759 up happening is is Desiree is our staff member who 25 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.320 makes these segments and she hands them to us and 26 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:07.040 we purposefully do not read them until this very moment 27 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:10.439 when we shoot. So I have not read this, and 28 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:12.959 I always feel the pressure because now you've just announced me. 29 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:15.760 Well, because this is not only you're good at movies, 30 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:18.159 but also this is kind of funny in general. I'm 31 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:20.000 going to give you a sentence description of a movie, 32 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:20.959 and it's a bad description. 33 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:22.000 How many? How many are there? 34 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:22.879 There's five of them? 35 00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:26.519 All right? If I get three, i'll be good, but 36 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:27.519 my goal. 37 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:28.879 Is to at least get four. Are you nervous now 38 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:30.359 because I hyped you up too much a little bit? 39 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:30.560 Yes? 40 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.040 Okay, well you're gonna do great. Okay, these are funny 41 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:35.640 bad descriptions. Okay, first one, this movie is about an 42 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:41.319 elderly man who uses balloons to kidnap a small boy. 43 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:43.599 Oh that's hilarious. 44 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:44.400 That's up. 45 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:48.959 Yep, I've never heard it that way before. 46 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:50.760 That's why it's great. It's the bad description. 47 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:52.879 It's like, you know, what's like, what's that movie about? 48 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:55.040 They try to describe you, and you're like, what, that's 49 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:56.040 not what that movie was about? 50 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:58.920 Okay, First of all, that is the creepiest. An elderly 51 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:02.239 man uses balloon You kidnap a small boy? Hey, little boy? 52 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:05.040 You want to that's terrible? All right, next one. 53 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:09.560 Yes, a broke man commits identity fraud so he can 54 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:11.479 manipulate a group of school children. 55 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:15.000 Holy cow, this. 56 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:18.319 Could be a broke man commits. 57 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:21.879 Identity fraud so he can manipulate a group of school children. 58 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:24.639 School children, so somebody lies. 59 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:25.439 Oh wait a minute. 60 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:28.039 Uh oh, I was gonna say kindergarten cop. But no 61 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:29.319 he's not. He's not a broke man. 62 00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:35.759 Uh came out, jack black or what is it? He's 63 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:38.439 a musician A school of rock. Yeah, buddy, that's it. 64 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:39.800 School of rock is not. 65 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:43.039 A good description, he said, school children, which was the 66 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:44.280 only thing that helped me out. 67 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.439 Yeah, there you go, Okay, here you go. This one. 68 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:47.479 I like this one. Okay. 69 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:51.520 Older sister ruins younger sister's chance to appear on television. 70 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:55.439 Older sister ruins younger sister's chance to appear on television. 71 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:57.159 Oh jeez, I'm not going to get this one. 72 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:57.879 It's a tough one. 73 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:02.280 Older sister ruins younger sister's chance. 74 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:03.360 To appear on television. 75 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:06.479 She ruins her chance. Why does she ruin her chance 76 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:08.479 to appear on television? You know what, I'm not going 77 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:09.439 to waste everybody's time. 78 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:13.560 What is it? Answers Hunger Games. It's just you wouldn't 79 00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:15.120 think like when you think of it, you're thinking like 80 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.199 a pot like a you know, volunteer. 81 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:21.719 Okay, yeah, American invades foreign land and kills the local 82 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:23.759 female leader over sparkly shoes. 83 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.120 Oh, sparkly shoes. Wizard of Oz. 84 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:31.919 American invades foreign land and kills the local female leader 85 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:32.800 over sparkley shoes. 86 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:36.080 Is so sorry you got three out of four. That's great. 87 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:39.319 By the way, that is really cleverly written, very funny. 88 00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:42.240 So I actually do not remember this this movie, so 89 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:43.520 you may not know this one. I think it's actually 90 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:43.919 pretty tough. 91 00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:44.960 We save the hardest for last. 92 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:46.520 Okay, so even if you get this wrong, it's okay. 93 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:49.240 But last one is man grows potatoes. 94 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:51.319 Period. That's it. 95 00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:53.800 Yeah, man, why would why would somebody say. 96 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:56.039 Man man grows potatoes? Man? 97 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:59.000 So his name's not man, so it must be mankind 98 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:00.000 grows potatoes. 99 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:05.439 Oh the Martian you do that? Yeah, that was the 100 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:06.439 main thing of the whole movie. 101 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:07.960 I don't know, man, I saw that movie and I 102 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:09.960 did this. I do not recall that part of it. 103 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:12.280 But wow, potatoes were the only thing that saved his life. 104 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:14.759 Okay, Wow, Okay, you got to look at that four 105 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:17.959 out of five. I told you he's great at this. Baby, 106 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:19.560 he's great with the movie stuff. So if you have 107 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:21.160 any you know, you see him around and ask him 108 00:04:21.160 --> 00:04:21.920 about his favorite movie. 109 00:04:21.959 --> 00:04:24.279 I'm sure I love you man Kind Grows Potatoes. 110 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:26.439 Yeah, that was. That was That's really cool. 111 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:27.120 That's right. Hey. 112 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.120 One thing we would love for you to do, if 113 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:30.360 you're watching on YouTube, go ahead and comment. Let us 114 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:33.439 know some thoughts about your favorite movie. Let us know 115 00:04:33.800 --> 00:04:37.839 some thoughts about Chris's his awareness of you know, just 116 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:41.480 movie trivia, anything, just anything you want to share with us, 117 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.319 go ahead and do that on YouTube at this time. 118 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:44.839 But today we'll be reading in Romans five. 119 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:46.600 You want to just share some quick context for anybody 120 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:48.439 who was not caught up with us. 121 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:48.759 Chris. 122 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:51.759 Yeah, so we're walking through the Book of Acts and uh, 123 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:55.160 and chronologically we're breaking whenever Paul decides to write a 124 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:58.680 letter chronologically throughout his life. In this case, he's writing 125 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.279 to Rome, and he he's never been there. He's writing 126 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:03.839 through the church in Rome, and so because he's never 127 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:06.160 been there, he's hoping to go there on his way 128 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:08.519 to Spain, he's going to stop at Rome. That's his goal. 129 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.199 But he is introducing himself in the letter. He doesn't 130 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:15.480 you know, we've sort of been through all of that. 131 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:18.279 But what he's doing is he's laying down his theology. 132 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:20.759 He's laying down what he stands for, what he wants 133 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:24.800 the church to understand about their faith, because this is 134 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:26.800 one of the very few churches where he has not 135 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:30.279 started it it actually started. It's mostly Jewish, but it 136 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:31.519 has some Gentiles in there too. 137 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.720 Yeah, and so we're talking about joy, like we mentioned earlier, 138 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:36.720 and how to find that joy. So, starting in verse one, 139 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:40.399 we're reading from the NLT version says, Therefore, since we 140 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:43.600 have been made right in God's sight by faith, we 141 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:46.439 have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ, our Lord, 142 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.399 has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has 143 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:52.240 brought us into this place of underserved privilege where we 144 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:55.720 now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to 145 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:59.079 sharing God's glory. We can rejoice too when we run 146 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:01.480 into problems and trial, for we know that they help 147 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:05.839 us develop endurance, and endurance develops strength of character, and 148 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.600 character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope 149 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:12.439 will not lead to disappointment, for we know how dearly 150 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:14.600 God loves us, because He has given us the Holy 151 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:17.319 Spirit to fill our hearts with love. When we were 152 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:20.319 utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and 153 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:23.519 died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be 154 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:26.759 willing to die for an upright person, though someone might 155 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:28.639 perhaps be willing to die for a person who was 156 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:31.959 especially good. But God showed his great love for us 157 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.680 by sending Christ to die for us while we were 158 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.480 still sinners. And since we have been made right in 159 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:40.279 God's sight by the blood of Christ, we will certainly 160 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.399 save us. He will certainly save us from God's condemnation. 161 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:46.160 For since our friendship with God is restored by the 162 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.519 death of his son, while we were still his enemies, 163 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:50.920 we will certainly be saved through the life of His son. 164 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:54.439 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship 165 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:57.759 with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us 166 00:06:57.800 --> 00:07:01.839 friends of God. Now I love this because the verses 167 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:04.040 we're kind of covering this week actually like what something 168 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:05.959 we would refer to as like a Roman's road, kind. 169 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:08.079 Of walking through the steps of salvation. 170 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:10.680 It's kind of the gospel that it's the good news 171 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:12.800 of Jesus and we kind of cover one of those 172 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:14.680 verses in here, but we'll probably get to that in 173 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:18.800 a second. But what stands out to you from these verses, Chris, Well. 174 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:21.839 Yeah, I would just say, first of all, the chapter 175 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:24.879 starts with the word there for, and you know, everybody 176 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:27.279 who has been around Bible reading knows that when you 177 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:29.079 see the word therefore, you have to ask the question, 178 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:31.480 what is it there for? Right? And it's there because 179 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:35.279 it is connected to his previous thought, because after all, 180 00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:38.160 Paul didn't have chapters and verses. We created those to 181 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:40.639 find you know, where we are in his letter. So 182 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:44.639 just remember that, like this sentence, this thought is directly 183 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:47.720 connected to the last one. So he's talking about you're 184 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:51.600 made righteous in God through faith, not by works, which 185 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:55.839 was yesterday's podcast. Even Abraham is the primary example. So 186 00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:59.600 he says, therefore, since we've been made right by in 187 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:02.639 God by faith, we have peace with God because of 188 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:05.279 what Jesus has done for us and because of our faith. 189 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:08.279 And then he starts going on, well, here's what I 190 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:11.800 here's what I love is he basically talks about the 191 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:15.759 same thing that the Book of James talks about. You know, remember, 192 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:17.720 remember the Book of James Chapter one, where it says, 193 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:21.600 count it all joy when you fall into trials and temptations, 194 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:24.720 because faith, when it completes its work, it brings about, 195 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:28.079 you know, patience, and patience when it's completed, you know. 196 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:29.480 So Paul is talking. 197 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:32.480 About the same kind of concept, and he says, when 198 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:36.799 you have problems in trials, they develop endurance, and endurance 199 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:42.000 developed strength of character, and character in our brings our 200 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:45.919 confidence of hope of salvation. And then this hope will 201 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:49.000 not lead us to disappointment, but it gives us joy. 202 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:52.159 So I think that that's really an interesting stepping stone. 203 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:54.519 It is, you know, so trials and temptation, which. 204 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:57.759 Almost seems like an oxymoron, right, like like it's like, hey, suffering, 205 00:08:57.799 --> 00:09:00.399 it's good, you know, right, we don't that way. 206 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.960 And it's the same thing that James passes. So let's 207 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:05.919 go all the way back to the fact that he's 208 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:10.120 really the subject of the matter is trials and. 209 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:11.799 In problems. 210 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:15.840 Problems in trials. Now, in this particular case, if you 211 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:18.720 followed Christ in the first century, you were under persecution. 212 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:22.240 The church was still under persecution, and so you know, Paul, 213 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:25.080 who was the chief persecutor, by the way, let's not 214 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:29.000 forget that, you know, he knows this more than anybody. 215 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.919 For those you know listeners who don't remember Acts Chapter 216 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:37.200 nine is when Paul was converted way back you know, jeez, 217 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:40.000 how many podcasts ago where he was actually a person 218 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:43.720 who was commissioned by the Sanhedrin and by Caiaphas himself, 219 00:09:43.720 --> 00:09:47.000 who committed Jesus to death, and he was actually writing 220 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:51.240 letters and giving Paul permission to, you know, put the 221 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:54.720 same practices in the city of Damascus that he had 222 00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:58.080 already put in place in Jerusalem by rounding up Christians. 223 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:01.320 And some people would even say killing Christians certainly, we know, 224 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:03.720 persecuting them, uh, you know in Rome to. 225 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:06.720 Like the type of the you know, the way they 226 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:08.240 were killing them was just gruesome. 227 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.639 Yes, yes, I mean the Colosseum, right, I've seen the 228 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:15.639 Colosseum in person. So anyway, bottom line is is, uh, 229 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:19.960 just understand the context in which these people are receiving it. 230 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:22.559 So we're talking about not the kind of trials and 231 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:25.519 persecutions that we have. We think of cos and persecutions 232 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:26.600 we think of first world problems. 233 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:27.799 Yeah, no, that's true. It's true. 234 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.039 When I read that, I was thinking that our view 235 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:33.399 in American twenty twenty three is so different than what 236 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:35.919 Paul was writing. People read this, this felt like like 237 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:38.200 a message of hope. Yeah, you know, because they're reading 238 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:40.039 their love. They can they can like they're there. They 239 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:43.039 understand the obstacles, they understand the challenges. I think we 240 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.159 read this, and you're right. First world problems are like, 241 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:47.799 you know, not enough people like my Facebook posts when 242 00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:50.039 I or well the ones people share this prayer your 243 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:52.120 Facebook you know post you know, as far as far 244 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:53.639 as like like our actual faith. 245 00:10:53.799 --> 00:10:54.080 Uh. 246 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:58.000 First problem, Yeah, I have too much dip from my chips. Yes, 247 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:00.759 and if I opened if more chips, I'll have too 248 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:04.320 much ships from a diplous. 249 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:06.200 Hey, here's a straw, suck it. 250 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:10.440 Up right, here's a bridge, just get over it. So hey, 251 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:13.480 so this you know what this reminds me of. So 252 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:15.720 let's just give our listeners a little bit of context. 253 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:18.480 You and I both have been to Cuba, yes, and 254 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:20.600 so you know, there's not too many places I think 255 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:21.759 that we've both been. 256 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:24.399 Uh you know and developed a witness stuff like that. 257 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:27.159 And developing countries. But Cuba you've been there as well. 258 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:29.279 And I got to tell you I actually went to 259 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:33.799 Cuba before the country opened. I actually went there under 260 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:38.159 religious visa where nobody was allowed. Americans were not allowed 261 00:11:38.200 --> 00:11:40.879 in Cuba, and that's the first time we went. So 262 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:43.240 when we were planning on going in, we had to 263 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:46.480 pretty much lie, right, We had to lie, which you know, 264 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:48.879 you know, it is what it is, right. 265 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.000 People people think it's worth it. 266 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:52.960 People people lied all the time in scripture for God's glory, right, 267 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.279 and so pretending to be something they weren't, you know, 268 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:58.639 fooling people, the enemies kind of thing. So anyway, under 269 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:02.320 this oppress of government of Fidel Castro, we we we 270 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:04.799 we were there to do certain things. So anyway, we 271 00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:08.080 went in there and I remember that we almost didn't 272 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:11.799 even get in the country. And then when we actually stayed, 273 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:13.960 we stayed at the Copo Cabana, you know, the. 274 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:17.240 Famous Yeah. 275 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:20.799 So, uh, there was a Copo Cabana in in uh 276 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:24.720 in the United States and that what's his name? Who 277 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:28.639 sang it? Oh, come on, Barry Manelone. So uh. Anyway, 278 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:32.559 but that was actually patterned after the Copa Cabana that 279 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:37.519 Americans experienced during the prohibition in Cuba. So this is 280 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.799 the original Copo Cabana. But anyway, this was a government 281 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:45.440 owned hotel, and the locals said, the reason why we're 282 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.639 putting you at this hotel is because when you get 283 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:51.000 through the country, when they ask you where are you staying, 284 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:54.039 if you say the Copa Cabana, they will feel relieved 285 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.960 like you're not here on some sort of a religious mission, 286 00:12:57.240 --> 00:13:00.440 because the Copa Cabana is a well known, uh government 287 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:05.919 owned hotel that actually has it's bugged. So you know, 288 00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:08.759 in America you can't bug somebody's hotel room. 289 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:11.480 No, right, you can't do that. Yeah, but the locals, 290 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:12.240 and I don't even. 291 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:14.039 Know if it's true because I actually looked for bugs, 292 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:16.080 actually was in my room and I was looking like, 293 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:16.519 is there a. 294 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:19.919 Camera, microphone, camera, a microphone? But I'm telling. 295 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:23.240 You that the locals just said absolutely, if you're in 296 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:27.039 the room, you cannot say the word Jesus. Wow, you 297 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:29.279 cannot say it. And so we got so comfortable after 298 00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:32.240 five days that my buddy Seth and I were in 299 00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:35.440 the room and we were doing interviews with Christians and 300 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:38.639 secret secretly and we were saying, oh, yeah, you know, 301 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:40.600 he was talking about Jesus. And all of a sudden, 302 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:44.120 Seth WOULDOK at me at these big eyes like changes changes. 303 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:46.559 Wow. Because and we did pass. 304 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:47.679 A room by the way where there was a bunch 305 00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:50.200 of cameras. It was like three hundred cameras, and we 306 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:52.279 barely glanced in this room at the hotel, and the 307 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:54.399 thought are there cameras in the rooms? Like what are 308 00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:59.200 these three hundred cameras? Anyway, bottom line is this, I'm 309 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:02.799 sharing this long story. When we were interviewing the Christians 310 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:06.200 in secret that we were we had the camera set 311 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.080 up in the middle of the street, and the locals 312 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:13.039 were telling me that people are paid to turn in Christians. 313 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:16.559 And so what happened was You're sitting there interviewing and 314 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:19.320 you're hearing somebody mention the word Jesus. And then this 315 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:23.039 little old lady who's like eighty years old, she's walking 316 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:26.320 by and she stops and she starts listening to the conversation. 317 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:29.519 And I'm just thinking she's a pastor, by sweet old lady. 318 00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:31.480 And then they all look at each other and said, okay, 319 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:32.279 pack it up, we got to go. 320 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:34.159 Pack it up. We got to go. And I was like, 321 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:35.480 what are you talking about? 322 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:37.919 And they said, they're going to turn us in because 323 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:40.919 they get money, because everybody's poor in Cuba. They're going 324 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.799 to turn us in, they're going to get paid, and 325 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:45.240 they're going to come arrest us. So we packed it 326 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:46.000 up and had to run. 327 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:47.679 Well, I had a situation we were I was there 328 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:50.559 in twenty nineteen with our young adult ministry, some people 329 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.240 from there, and you know, they told us that they said, hey, 330 00:14:53.320 --> 00:14:55.200 just you know, you have to be care like even volume, 331 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:58.279 be careful when you're like preaching. So myself and our 332 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:00.399 executive pastor where there were doing some train for the 333 00:15:00.440 --> 00:15:03.080 local leaders in the area, the church leaders they had, 334 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:04.759 and it was kind of going through some purpose driven 335 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.480 church stuff. Anyways, they said to us, like, there was 336 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:09.639 a guy who was our translator who was very on edge, 337 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:11.039 and it was interesting. He was making me on edge. 338 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:12.879 We're talking and he's kind of pacing the room, he's 339 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:14.799 kind of walking around a circle, he's looking out the windows, 340 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:17.120 is whatever. And I'm very aware that this guy, I mean, 341 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:19.159 I have ADHD. Anyways, I think we're both kind of 342 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:20.399 the same way. So I see him kind of walking 343 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:23.559 around the room scoping things out. And finally we get 344 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:25.759 done with that little session, he's like, hey, He's like, 345 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:27.200 just you know, there may be a time very soon 346 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:29.480 where we have to quickly pack it up and move upstairs. 347 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.240 And so we ended up having to do that because 348 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:33.159 what he said is there was just government officials walking 349 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:35.120 around and then he just had us. So in the 350 00:15:35.159 --> 00:15:37.039 next spot we go to, we moved to a different location, 351 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:39.240 same thing, there was a different like person. So it's 352 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:41.200 one of those things where you begin to realize that 353 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.720 we were going door to door and we're sharing our faith, 354 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:45.120 which is kind of what we were doing there is 355 00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:47.320 we're going and sharing our story, God's story and how 356 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:50.840 it can impact their story. And just seeing like the 357 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:53.399 people there, this was new news to them, right and 358 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:56.759 brand new news, this hope that could be found in Jesus, 359 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:59.919 and they had face trials, like real trial. 360 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:01.519 It's like you, I mean, they're living not in great 361 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:02.240 look at you know what I'm saying. 362 00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:05.759 They're growing up in a certain you know, political environment 363 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:08.399 that's not very advantageous. And I think that the hope 364 00:16:08.440 --> 00:16:11.080 of Jesus was legitimately like life changing for a lot 365 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:13.639 of people that I had talked to and experienced. And 366 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:15.919 that's why even like there's a verse actually that's in 367 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:17.360 here that's like one of the famous verses of this 368 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:20.039 section here it says while we were still sinners, Christ 369 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:20.639 died for us. 370 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:22.000 And Paul puts that in there. 371 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:24.559 I feel like, strategically right after talking about trials and 372 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:27.399 suffering and he's like, hey, you're going to face these 373 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:29.480 trials and it's going to produce these things. But also 374 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:32.840 while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. And 375 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.720 I just love that She's reminding that is where that unspeakable, 376 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:40.440 unshakable joy comes from, is remembering that one simple truth 377 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:42.679 that like, it wasn't before you got your stuff together. 378 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:44.759 It wasn't before you you know, made it all right, 379 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:46.799 before you got fixed up and cleaned up. No, it's 380 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:48.480 while you were still sinners. Christ is willing to go 381 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:49.960 and die for you. I just love that. 382 00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:53.159 I like how Paul said Christ died at the right 383 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:55.200 time for sinners, and he said most people will be 384 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:58.240 would would not be willing to die for an unjust person, 385 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:00.440 although someone might be able to die for a person 386 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:01.399 who's especially good. 387 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.519 So if you think about it, like, yeah, would you 388 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.000 die for your wife, would you die for your kids? 389 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:08.799 Right, But then if you're going to die for you know, 390 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:10.480 you're going to jump in front of the bus for 391 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:12.480 your wife or your kids, But you're going to jump 392 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.119 in front of the bus for somebody who is you know, 393 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:19.559 think of like the lowest. Uh, you know, the existence 394 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:22.039 of a life like that guy is just a scuzz 395 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:25.440 you know, whatever what he's done, who he is, he'll 396 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:27.519 never change, you know, the world'll be better without him. 397 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:30.079 That kind of thing, right, And who would jump in 398 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:32.279 front of the bus and push him out of the 399 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:35.240 way and give their own own life. That's sort of 400 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:38.759 the thought of what Paul's saying. Paul saying, Hey, someone 401 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:42.200