Dudley Rutherford - A Word of Encouragement (Part 1)

March 31, 2026 | 27:29

Pastor Dudley Rutherford seeks to "lift up the name of Jesus across the country and the world through uncompromising biblical teaching."

#Encouragement #Bible #Church #SpiritualGrowth #SeekGod #Study #Community #Resurrection #Gospel #DudleyRutherford

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| Dudley Rutherford - A Word of Encouragement (Part 1) | March 31, 2026

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♪♪♪
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Pastor dudley rutherford: and the number one antidote,
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The number one antidote for depression
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Is not found in a pill.
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It is not found in another doctor's visit.
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The number one antidote for depression
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And discouragement can be discovered simply
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By coming to the lord's house on a weekly basis
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And opening up god's word and studying to see
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What god's will is for our life.
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♪♪♪
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Kayla francis: hello, i'm kayla francis,
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And thank you for joining me
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On "lift up jesus" with pastor dudley rutherford.
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Do you know what really takes your christian life
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To the next level?
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It's not just reading the bible or listening to
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Christian teaching; it's doing it on a regular basis.
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That's why being here every week
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And hearing these messages is so important.
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And today my father, pastor dudley rutherford,
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Has a teaching that will give you new insight
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On god's word.
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So take a quick moment and grab your bible, a pen,
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And your notes, and let's begin our lesson.
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♪♪♪
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Pastor dudley: this is my 38th, my 38th easter message
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Here at the church.
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And it's the same story every year.
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But there's always a challenge to tell it in a different way
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That you've never explained it before.
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How many of you know what i'm talking about?
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And so i was just studying the bible.
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I wasn't preparing for a sermon.
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I was just reading the bible, just on my own time,
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And i came across a passage in acts chapter 13.
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And i'm reading this text and i'm going,
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"dudley, you are an idiot for never ever
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Preaching on easter from this text.
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This text for easter is amazing."
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And so today i'm gonna preach a sermon called,
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"a word of encouragement."
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I want you to look around the room here.
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I wanna see a show of hands.
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How many of you are here today, there is something going on
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In your life and you came to church today
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And you're hoping for just a word of encouragement?
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Raise your hand if that's you.
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You need a word of encouragement.
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Well, you came to the right place
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At the right time for the right message.
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All right, so here we go.
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Acts chapter 13.
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Never preached from this text before on an easter.
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Paul, everybody say "paul."
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Paul is on his first of four different
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Missionary journeys.
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He goes on four journeys.
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This is the first of the four, and the bible says
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That as he's traveling,
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This is acts 13, verse 13 and 14, that he comes
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To a city called pisidian antioch,
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And we'll just call it antioch.
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And when he gets to the city, antioch, on the sabbath,
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Everybody say "sabbath."
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On the sabbath, the bible says they entered into a "synagogue."
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And what did they do? they just sat down.
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Now, there was nothing unusual about this because
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For the apostle paul,
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This was a weekly occurrence, much like
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Many people here today.
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There are many people here, they're here every single week.
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We gather together and it's the sabbath
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Or it's the weekend.
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It's the first day of the week and what do we do
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When we get here?
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We came in here and what did we do?
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We just sat down.
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Nothing unusual.
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I actually have a photograph
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Of what a first century synagogue looked like.
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Now this was back before-- they didn't have
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Air conditioning back in those days
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And they didn't have padded chairs.
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Can someone say amen?
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Now it didn't matter where paul was, what journey,
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What traveling, what city.
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He always went to the local synagogue if it was the sabbath.
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I actually have a list of cities here.
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I've looked all these up this week.
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You can look them up yourselves.
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In acts chapter 9, verse 20, the bible says
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He's in a city called damascus,
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And when he gets to damascus,
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He goes to the local synagogue.
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In acts chapter 13, he's in a city called cyprus.
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So what does he do when he goes to cyprus?
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The bible makes it very, very specific
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That he gets there,
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He goes to the local synagogue.
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In acts chapter 14, he's in a city called iconium.
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What does he do when he goes to iconium?
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He goes to the local synagogue.
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You get to acts chapter 17.
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He's traveling.
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He goes to thessalonica.
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He goes to berea.
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He goes to athens, then he goes over to corinth,
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And then he goes to ephesus.
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And in every one of those scriptures,
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It says that he went to the local synagogue.
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So in our text in acts chapter 13,
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Where is he at?
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He's in antioch.
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What day is it? it's the sabbath.
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Where'd he go?
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No question, he went to the local synagogue.
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It was his normal custom.
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Now, question, what did they do
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When they went to the synagogue every single sabbath?
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Well, they did the things that we normally do here.
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They basically gathered to worship god.
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That's why they gathered, to worship god.
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But secondly, they met to study the scriptures.
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Now they didn't have the new testament
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Like you and i have the new testament.
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All they had was the old testament.
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It's the same old testament that we have,
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But they met on a weekly basis
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To worship god and to study the old testament.
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So we come to verse 15 in our text.
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It says after they were reading from the law and the prophets,
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Because that's why they were there,
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To study those scriptures,
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After they were finished reading the law and what the prophets
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Had said, the synagogue rulers sent word to paul.
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He's just sitting out there in the audience.
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And they said, "brother paul, if you have a message
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Of encouragement for the people, please speak."
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Now they knew who this guy was.
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His reputation preceded him.
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This was the guy they knew who he was because he was
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The number one person that was out persecuting christians,
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Killing christians, destroying the church,
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Until one day he himself became a christian.
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And then he spent the rest of his life
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Trying to talk people into becoming christians. and so he's just sitting out there,
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And they're studying the scriptures.
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There's a tap on the shoulder, and they ask him,
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"brother paul, do you have a word of encouragement
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For the people?
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If so, please speak."
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I want you to write this down.
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Do you realize that for the past 2000 years,
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That people throughout all the centuries
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Have always needed encouragement?
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It's not just you, it's not just me,
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It's not just our day and our culture,
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In our day and age.
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That for the last 2000 years, it didn't matter
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What time period you lived in,
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That people have always gone through difficult times
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And people have always needed
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Just a word of encouragement.
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You know that.
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You could take a look down the row of where
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You're seated there.
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I don't even mind if you look at who's sitting next to you.
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But did you know there are people all over this room
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That this moment are dealing
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With a life-threatening health issue?
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And they came to church, and they're not worried
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About all the things you're worried about.
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They're worried literally for their own physical health,
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And they just need a word of encouragement.
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There are people here in this room who recently
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Have lost a loved one.
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There are people here today who are having
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A hard time at work.
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There are people here today having a hard time finding work.
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There are people here today who have a son or a daughter,
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And that son or daughter have become a prodigal son
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And a prodigal daughter,
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And they--they're here today and just praying that somehow
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That child will come back to faith.
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You know there are people here today, someone has wronged you,
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And you're here and you're struggling
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With a thing called forgiveness.
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Of course, there are people here today
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Struggling with addictions.
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Addictions are like a vice grip that get a hold of you
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And they won't let go of you.
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We have people that are battling these addictions, and of course,
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There's all kinds of people having relationship problems
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In their homes and in their marriages.
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I have read that the number one health issue in america,
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The number one health issue in america,
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Is depression and anxiety.
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And there are literally, if you look back over time,
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There have been millions of prescriptions
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That have been written for the symptoms of depression.
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And the number one antidote, the number one antidote
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For depression, is not found in a pill.
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It is not found in another doctor's visit.
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The number one antidote for depression
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And discouragement can be discovered
00:09:38.830 --> 00:09:41.900
Simply by coming to the lord's house
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On a weekly basis and opening up god's word
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And studying to see what god's will is for our life.
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It really is chicken soup for the soul.
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It's a compass to guide you through any storm.
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It's a well that never runs dry.
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It's the only book that when you read it,
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Doesn't matter when you read it,
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It's the only book that when you're reading it,
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That the author of the book is right there with you,
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Helping you understand what you're reading.
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Oh, you've come to the right place
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At the right time to hear the right message.
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Paul's just sitting out in the synagogue.
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They're studying the scriptures.
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There's a tap on the shoulder.
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They say, "paul, if you have a word of encouragement,
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Would you please speak?"
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And verse 16, he stands up. what does that mean?
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He must have a word of encouragement.
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And so he stands up.
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And the bible says that he motions with his hands.
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And he says, "men of israel and you gentiles
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Who worship god."
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I find it very interesting that even
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Back in the first century synagogue,
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There were jews and gentiles sitting side by side,
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Worshiping god.
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And then he says, "everybody listen to me.
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Listen up."
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Have you ever met anybody that before they say
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Anything to you
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They say, "hey, listen, listen, listen to me, listen to me,
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Listen, listen, listen, hey, shh, shh, listen to me,
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Listen to me."
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Why do we say that?
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Why do people say, "hey, hey, hey, hey hey,
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Listen to me, listen to me"?
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Because of what you're about to say is so important,
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We really want you to hear it.
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So they've asked him for a word of encouragement.
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So he stands up, he says, "okay, okay, okay, listen to me,
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Listen to me."
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Here comes the word of encouragement,
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And for the next dozen or so verses,
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Write this down, paul,
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Here's his word of encouragement,
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He points to jesus as the promised messiah.
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The promised messiah.
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Now, for all you history buffs out there,
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The first thing that he does when he starts to talk,
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He gives a history lesson, and he goes back
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1000 years or so, and he talks about
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The history of israel.
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He doesn't tell them anything they don't know.
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They've studied these scriptures their entire lives,
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And he goes all the way back when israel
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Was in bondage to pharaoh and to the egyptian people,
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And they were down there for over 400 years as slaves.
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And then god raised up a man named moses
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To deliver them out of egypt,
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And they entered into what's called the promised land.
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And then he talks about the period where israel
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Was ruled by judges,
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And then he goes into a section of scripture
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Where he talks about israel is being ruled by the kings,
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And there's one king who was considered
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The greatest king in israel's history,
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And that was king david.
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And then he says these words in verse 23:
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"from this man's descendants," which is david's,
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He said, "god has brought to the nation of israel
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The savior jesus, as he," what?
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"as he promised."
00:13:13.711 --> 00:13:15.880
He's saying, you want a real word of encouragement?
00:13:15.880 --> 00:13:19.517
All these scriptures that we have been studying
00:13:19.517 --> 00:13:22.554
All our lives about one day a savior will arrive,
00:13:22.554 --> 00:13:27.225
About one day how a redeemer
00:13:27.225 --> 00:13:29.527
Will finally arrive, about how one day a messiah
00:13:29.527 --> 00:13:33.698
Will finally arrive, paul says, guess what?
00:13:33.698 --> 00:13:37.468
He's arrived just as god has promised.
00:13:37.468 --> 00:13:40.538
Jesus is that messiah.
00:13:40.538 --> 00:13:43.141
And he didn't just fulfill two or three
00:13:43.141 --> 00:13:46.044
Biblical prophecies.
00:13:46.044 --> 00:13:47.445
He didn't just fulfill 20 or 30 biblical prophecies.
00:13:47.445 --> 00:13:51.349
Write this down.
00:13:51.349 --> 00:13:52.684
Jesus fulfilled over 300 biblical prophecies
00:13:52.684 --> 00:13:58.122
That they had studied over and over and over again.
00:13:58.122 --> 00:14:02.360
I have a list of ten of them.
00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:05.830
I don't have time to share all 300 of them.
00:14:05.830 --> 00:14:09.300
Can somebody say, "thank you, pastor?
00:14:09.300 --> 00:14:11.135
Thank you, pastor.
00:14:11.135 --> 00:14:12.470
Thank you, thank you," come on.
00:14:12.470 --> 00:14:14.305
You're welcome. you're welcome.
00:14:14.305 --> 00:14:15.673
I'm trying to help you out here.
00:14:15.673 --> 00:14:17.976
But this is just an example of the 10 of the 300.
00:14:17.976 --> 00:14:22.513
The bible says in genesis 3 that the messiah
00:14:22.513 --> 00:14:24.749
Will be born of a woman.
00:14:24.749 --> 00:14:27.185
The bible tells us in micah chapter 5, verse 2,
00:14:27.185 --> 00:14:29.921
That when the messiah comes,
00:14:29.921 --> 00:14:31.589
That he will be born in a town called bethlehem.
00:14:31.589 --> 00:14:34.926
Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14, it says that when
00:14:34.926 --> 00:14:37.462
The messiah arrives, that he will be
00:14:37.462 --> 00:14:39.364
Born of a virgin.
00:14:39.364 --> 00:14:40.698
We know her name to be mary.
00:14:40.698 --> 00:14:42.700
In genesis chapter 49, it says the messiah
00:14:42.700 --> 00:14:45.103
Will come from the tribe of judah.
00:14:45.103 --> 00:14:47.772
The bible says, if you've ever read psalm chapter 78,
00:14:47.772 --> 00:14:50.441
As you read through that,
00:14:50.441 --> 00:14:51.776
It says that when the messiah comes,
00:14:51.776 --> 00:14:53.111
That he will teach in a way-- it uses the word
00:14:53.111 --> 00:14:55.713
That he will teach in parables.
00:14:55.713 --> 00:14:57.916
In isaiah chapter 9, it says that when he begins
00:14:57.916 --> 00:15:00.451
His ministry, it will be in an area that is known as galilee.
00:15:00.451 --> 00:15:04.055
In isaiah chapter 11, it says that when he arrives,
00:15:04.055 --> 00:15:06.891
That his ministry will be for both jews and gentiles.
00:15:06.891 --> 00:15:09.961
Isaiah chapter 40, it says that when he arrives,
00:15:09.961 --> 00:15:12.897
It will be preceded by a forerunner.
00:15:12.897 --> 00:15:15.199
Of course, we know who that is. that's john the baptist.
00:15:15.199 --> 00:15:17.568
Isaiah chapter 53, it says that he will, when he gets here,
00:15:17.568 --> 00:15:20.905
He will be despised and rejected.
00:15:20.905 --> 00:15:22.840
And in daniel chapter 7, it says that his throne
00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:25.209
Will last forever.
00:15:25.209 --> 00:15:26.544
That's just a glimpse of some of the prophecies
00:15:26.544 --> 00:15:28.246
That he fulfilled.
00:15:28.246 --> 00:15:30.048
Now you all remember j. john.
00:15:30.048 --> 00:15:31.382
J. john's been here several times.
00:15:31.382 --> 00:15:33.318
He's the evangelist from the uk.
00:15:33.318 --> 00:15:35.920
He looks like mr. bean, but he's a cross between
00:15:35.920 --> 00:15:41.359
Mr. bean and billy graham
00:15:41.359 --> 00:15:42.994
Because he's an evangelist and he's been here
00:15:42.994 --> 00:15:44.495
Several times.
00:15:44.495 --> 00:15:45.830
How many of you remember j. john and you love j. john?
00:15:45.830 --> 00:15:48.299
I--j. john tells this story and i love this story.
00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:51.502
He's witnessing to a jewish rabbi.
00:15:51.502 --> 00:15:55.306
And he says to the rabbi, he says, "rabbi,
00:15:55.306 --> 00:15:57.275
Why don't you and i just read the prophecy.
00:15:57.275 --> 00:16:02.580
We won't talk about them.
00:16:02.580 --> 00:16:03.915
Let's just read them."
00:16:03.915 --> 00:16:05.883
And he goes, "i'll read one and then you read the next.
00:16:05.883 --> 00:16:08.753
Then i'll read one and you read the next.
00:16:08.753 --> 00:16:11.656
I'll read one and you read the next.
00:16:11.656 --> 00:16:14.826
And let's just read all 300 of them."
00:16:14.826 --> 00:16:17.228
And the rabbi agreed.
00:16:17.228 --> 00:16:19.630
And so j. john starts, and you can google these.
00:16:19.630 --> 00:16:22.166
Any of you, you know how to google, just get online.
00:16:22.166 --> 00:16:24.635
It's just like, "what are the 300 prophecies of jesus,"
00:16:24.635 --> 00:16:27.305
And you can read them yourself.
00:16:27.305 --> 00:16:30.241
So they start to read these prophecies,
00:16:30.241 --> 00:16:33.911
And when they get finished reading
00:16:33.911 --> 00:16:35.246
The entire list, j. john in his uk accent,
00:16:35.246 --> 00:16:38.516
He turns to the rabbi, and he goes,
00:16:38.516 --> 00:16:40.451
"rabbi, does that remind you of anybody?"
00:16:40.451 --> 00:16:49.394
Well, of course it does.
00:16:49.394 --> 00:16:52.030
Paul says that everything we've been reading,
00:16:52.030 --> 00:16:54.932
And everything we've been studying all these years,
00:16:54.932 --> 00:16:58.269
In all these sabbaths, in all these synagogues
00:16:58.269 --> 00:17:01.572
Has all been fulfilled in the life of one person
00:17:01.572 --> 00:17:05.309
Named jesus christ.
00:17:05.309 --> 00:17:06.978
And then he says, including the prophecies
00:17:06.978 --> 00:17:11.516
Concerning his execution.
00:17:11.516 --> 00:17:16.621
Paul emphasizes that.
00:17:16.621 --> 00:17:19.323
And the reason paul emphasizes that is in that day,
00:17:19.323 --> 00:17:24.262
In that time, it was very, very difficult
00:17:24.262 --> 00:17:26.831
For a jewish person to believe that a messiah
00:17:26.831 --> 00:17:30.568
Would be crucified on a cross like a criminal.
00:17:30.568 --> 00:17:36.174
Because in their mind they believed that if a messiah
00:17:36.174 --> 00:17:40.645
Ever arrived, a true messiah,
00:17:40.645 --> 00:17:44.182
A true deliverer, that the messiah would lead them
00:17:44.182 --> 00:17:48.186
In defeating the romans
00:17:48.186 --> 00:17:51.789
Who were in control at that time.
00:17:51.789 --> 00:17:55.326
And so paul tells them, look at verse 27.
00:17:55.326 --> 00:17:59.597
He says to the synagogue, he goes,
00:17:59.597 --> 00:18:02.567
"the people who lived in jerusalem
00:18:02.567 --> 00:18:04.035
And their rulers, they did not recognize jesus."
00:18:04.035 --> 00:18:08.539
And you say, "how's that possible?"
00:18:08.539 --> 00:18:09.874
Well, the same way some of you read the bible
00:18:09.874 --> 00:18:11.242
And you don't understand it.
00:18:11.242 --> 00:18:13.945
He said that "people living there and the rulers,
00:18:13.945 --> 00:18:16.247
They did not recognize jesus."
00:18:16.247 --> 00:18:18.116
And then he says this: "yet, even when they condemned him,"
00:18:18.116 --> 00:18:22.220
When they rejected him, when they nailed him
00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:26.524
To that cross,
00:18:26.524 --> 00:18:29.427
"they were fulfilling the words of the prophets that are
00:18:29.427 --> 00:18:33.998
Read here in this synagogue every single sabbath."
00:18:33.998 --> 00:18:38.536
You say, "what prophecies are those?"
00:18:38.536 --> 00:18:40.138
Well, there's many in the bible.
00:18:40.138 --> 00:18:42.707
Here's five of them.
00:18:42.707 --> 00:18:44.675
Psalm 22, it says the messiah arrives.
00:18:44.675 --> 00:18:46.777
It says they will divide his clothes among them,
00:18:46.777 --> 00:18:50.615
And they will gamble for their garments.
00:18:50.615 --> 00:18:54.819
Psalm 22:7 it says: "all who see me will mock me.
00:18:54.819 --> 00:18:58.055
They will hurl insults at me."
00:18:58.055 --> 00:18:59.924
Jesus fulfilled that prophecy.
00:18:59.924 --> 00:19:01.692
Isaiah chapter 53, verse 5 says that the messiah
00:19:01.692 --> 00:19:05.396
Will be pierced for our transgressions.
00:19:05.396 --> 00:19:07.965
He will be crushed for our iniquities.
00:19:07.965 --> 00:19:11.402
Isaiah 53:7, this was written 700 years
00:19:11.402 --> 00:19:15.173
Before it actually took place.
00:19:15.173 --> 00:19:16.674
It says that the messiah will be led like a lamb
00:19:16.674 --> 00:19:18.576
To the slaughter.
00:19:18.576 --> 00:19:20.044
As a sheep before its shearers is silent,
00:19:20.044 --> 00:19:22.246
So he did not open his mouth.
00:19:22.246 --> 00:19:25.082
And isaiah 53:10 says that his life will be
00:19:25.082 --> 00:19:28.452
An offering for sin.
00:19:28.452 --> 00:19:31.923
Paul says, "listen to me. listen up.
00:19:31.923 --> 00:19:36.627
You want a word of encouragement?
00:19:36.627 --> 00:19:39.430
Jesus is the promised messiah.
00:19:39.430 --> 00:19:42.333
He fulfills the very scriptures that are read in this synagogue
00:19:42.333 --> 00:19:46.304
Every single sabbath."
00:19:46.304 --> 00:19:48.639
And when you logically, logically start to
00:19:48.639 --> 00:19:51.943
Piece together that one person fulfilled all 300 prophecies,
00:19:51.943 --> 00:19:58.549
You have to ask yourself this question:
00:19:58.549 --> 00:20:00.218
What are the odds? what are the odds of that?
00:20:00.218 --> 00:20:05.356
Down the road here, there's a college
00:20:05.356 --> 00:20:06.824
Called westmont college.
00:20:06.824 --> 00:20:09.093
And years ago there was a professor there by the name
00:20:09.093 --> 00:20:11.162
Of peter stone.
00:20:11.162 --> 00:20:13.064
And he was a mathematician.
00:20:13.064 --> 00:20:15.333
And he figured out and did some calculations
00:20:15.333 --> 00:20:17.368
About what are the odds of someone
00:20:17.368 --> 00:20:20.037
Fulfilling these prophecies, not 300 of them.
00:20:20.037 --> 00:20:23.774
He looked at just eight of them.
00:20:23.774 --> 00:20:26.444
What are the odds of one man fulfilling just 8
00:20:26.444 --> 00:20:29.213
Of those 300 prophecies?
00:20:29.213 --> 00:20:31.182
♪♪♪
00:20:32.483 --> 00:20:34.652
Kayla: as i said at the beginning,
00:20:34.652 --> 00:20:36.187
It's listening to the preaching and teaching
00:20:36.187 --> 00:20:38.389
From god's word on a regular basis
00:20:38.389 --> 00:20:41.058
That makes such a powerful difference
00:20:41.058 --> 00:20:42.994
In your life.
00:20:42.994 --> 00:20:44.362
So plan to be here next week, same place, same time,
00:20:44.362 --> 00:20:47.331
And please call or text a loved one,
00:20:47.331 --> 00:20:49.734
And invite them to join us.
00:20:49.734 --> 00:20:51.235
I believe you both will be blessed and encouraged
00:20:51.235 --> 00:20:54.372
By the message.
00:20:54.372 --> 00:20:55.706
And remember, if you're in the southern california area,
00:20:55.706 --> 00:20:58.009
We'd love to meet you on a sunday morning
00:20:58.009 --> 00:21:00.444
Here at shepherd church.
00:21:00.444 --> 00:21:02.013
It's an amazing community that will have a powerful
00:21:02.013 --> 00:21:05.182
And positive impact on your life.
00:21:05.182 --> 00:21:07.551
And don't forget, your monthly financial support
00:21:07.551 --> 00:21:10.254
Makes such a difference as we buy television airtime
00:21:10.254 --> 00:21:12.990
So that millions of people around the world
00:21:12.990 --> 00:21:15.626
Will be transformed by this message of god's grace.
00:21:15.626 --> 00:21:19.797
Would you help us?
00:21:19.797 --> 00:21:21.332
Just reach out and let us know
00:21:21.332 --> 00:21:22.667
That you believe in this message
00:21:22.667 --> 00:21:24.602
And you want to help us make a difference.
00:21:24.602 --> 00:21:27.238
I'll see you next week and in the meantime,
00:21:27.238 --> 00:21:29.206
Wherever you're going and whatever you're doing,
00:21:29.206 --> 00:21:31.409
Don't forget to always lift up jesus.
00:21:31.409 --> 00:21:35.079
♪♪♪
00:21:36.213 --> 00:21:39.550
Ilene luteren: my name is ilene, and i live in the netherlands.
00:21:39.550 --> 00:21:42.286
♪♪♪
00:21:42.286 --> 00:21:48.759
Ilene: i was born and raised there.
00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:50.861
I was raised in a catholic church,
00:21:50.861 --> 00:21:53.097
And we always went there as a family.
00:21:53.097 --> 00:21:55.366
I was baptized in catholic church
00:21:55.366 --> 00:21:57.435
When i was three months old.
00:21:57.435 --> 00:21:59.837
I went on youtube and found shepherd.
00:21:59.837 --> 00:22:03.107
So, i started watching, and it was different
00:22:03.107 --> 00:22:05.042
Than i was used to, because catholic church
00:22:05.042 --> 00:22:07.178
Is a little different than shepherd is.
00:22:07.178 --> 00:22:09.613
I got used to it pretty quickly and started talking
00:22:09.613 --> 00:22:12.016
With a pastor, and we emailed back and forth
00:22:12.016 --> 00:22:15.386
For a couple of months.
00:22:15.386 --> 00:22:17.321
I decided to read the bible in a year,
00:22:17.321 --> 00:22:20.257
Because pastor dudley was quoting scripture too,
00:22:20.257 --> 00:22:22.860
And i didn't always know what he was talking about,
00:22:22.860 --> 00:22:25.529
Because they didn't read those parts in our church.
00:22:25.529 --> 00:22:28.833
Pastor dudley: and the moment, the moment you surrender to god,
00:22:28.833 --> 00:22:32.670
You get down on your knees, and you surrender to god,
00:22:32.670 --> 00:22:35.873
Jeremiah 31 says that those that come
00:22:35.873 --> 00:22:38.843
To the lord, the lord says, "i will forgive
00:22:38.843 --> 00:22:41.312
Their wickedness,
00:22:41.312 --> 00:22:42.880
And i will remember their sins no more."
00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:44.882
God can't even remember your sins.
00:22:44.882 --> 00:22:49.186
Ilene: so, i read the whole bible,
00:22:52.923 --> 00:22:54.759
And during that year in 2020, they also did a lot
00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:58.496
Of online meetings, like, after the message,
00:22:58.496 --> 00:23:01.065
Conversations with the pastor,
00:23:01.065 --> 00:23:03.234
And renew mental health ministry,
00:23:03.234 --> 00:23:05.603
And bloom, and anchor support groups.
00:23:05.603 --> 00:23:07.905
And i joined a lot of those,
00:23:07.905 --> 00:23:10.875
Because i felt like i wanted to know more.
00:23:10.875 --> 00:23:13.210
So, at one point a friend of mine told me
00:23:13.210 --> 00:23:15.746
That i should join a life group,
00:23:15.746 --> 00:23:17.448
But i first didn't know if that would work,
00:23:17.448 --> 00:23:19.717
Because i live so far away.
00:23:19.717 --> 00:23:22.520
But since they had a lot of online meetings,
00:23:22.520 --> 00:23:24.722
I thought i might as well give it a try.
00:23:24.722 --> 00:23:27.057
So i did.
00:23:27.057 --> 00:23:28.793
Female: and it reminds me of what both you,
00:23:28.793 --> 00:23:30.361
Jeff and derek, were saying, of being literally
00:23:30.361 --> 00:23:33.164
Where you are planted for a reason.
00:23:33.164 --> 00:23:36.100
Your specific calling, whatever that may be,
00:23:36.100 --> 00:23:38.769
Is here, and to bring more people
00:23:38.769 --> 00:23:40.805
Into the kingdom of god.
00:23:40.805 --> 00:23:42.773
Ilene: people shared personal stories,
00:23:42.773 --> 00:23:44.341
And felt good to be in that meeting.
00:23:44.341 --> 00:23:47.211
So, i joined again, and january 21,
00:23:47.211 --> 00:23:51.415
I started my own life group.
00:23:51.415 --> 00:23:53.551
Met a lot of people in there too.
00:23:53.551 --> 00:23:55.953
At once, i had people from toronto in there,
00:23:55.953 --> 00:23:57.922
Nigeria, india, california, virginia, the netherlands.
00:23:57.922 --> 00:24:03.227
I got to know more and more people
00:24:03.227 --> 00:24:04.862
Because people introduce you to more people,
00:24:04.862 --> 00:24:07.264
And i made great friends over time.
00:24:07.264 --> 00:24:10.768
And at one point i decided that i wanted
00:24:10.768 --> 00:24:13.103
To be at shepherd in person.
00:24:13.103 --> 00:24:16.907
So, for this summer i decided to come over here,
00:24:18.442 --> 00:24:21.145
And it's been amazing so far.
00:24:21.145 --> 00:24:23.514
I met everyone that i already met online,
00:24:23.514 --> 00:24:26.150
Even got the opportunity to be on a worship team,
00:24:26.150 --> 00:24:28.619
Which was amazing.
00:24:28.619 --> 00:24:32.122
♪ and i believe, i believe, i'll see you do it again ♪
00:24:32.122 --> 00:24:37.862
Ilene: i got baptized last sunday,
00:24:37.862 --> 00:24:39.997
And it's been amazing.
00:24:39.997 --> 00:24:41.899
Like, it started in october 2019
00:24:41.899 --> 00:24:43.901
And met so many wonderful people.
00:24:43.901 --> 00:24:46.070
I met a lot of new friends, and i felt god's presence
00:24:46.070 --> 00:24:50.307
In a way i never did before.
00:24:50.307 --> 00:24:51.775
That kind of started in april 21.
00:24:51.775 --> 00:24:53.744
I woke up one day and somehow
00:24:53.744 --> 00:24:55.613
Everything felt different.
00:24:55.613 --> 00:24:57.047
It's been really amazing,
00:24:57.047 --> 00:24:58.382
And i'm really grateful to be here,
00:24:58.382 --> 00:24:59.717
And i feel really blessed.
00:24:59.717 --> 00:25:01.252
♪♪♪
00:25:01.252 --> 00:25:15.900
Pastor dudley: hey, it's pastor dudley,
00:25:17.968 --> 00:25:19.436
And i wanna thank you so much for tuning in today.
00:25:19.436 --> 00:25:22.406
You know that i love to preach, i love the word of god,
00:25:22.406 --> 00:25:25.676
And i love lifting up the name of jesus christ.
00:25:25.676 --> 00:25:29.413
And this program, it's called "lift up jesus,"
00:25:29.413 --> 00:25:33.384
And that's why we exist-- up lift up jesus
00:25:33.384 --> 00:25:36.053
Because we know he will draw all people unto himself.
00:25:36.053 --> 00:25:39.790
We need people like you who watch week after week,
00:25:39.790 --> 00:25:43.227
Who give, offer financial support,
00:25:43.227 --> 00:25:46.030
Who pray for us that makes all of this possible.
00:25:46.030 --> 00:25:49.800
I just wanna encourage you to call us on the number
00:25:49.800 --> 00:25:52.903
On the screen or go to our website.
00:25:52.903 --> 00:25:55.105
We would appreciate any gift,
00:25:55.105 --> 00:25:57.074
Any amount of support you could give us,
00:25:57.074 --> 00:25:59.476
And remember that we'll take every dollar
00:25:59.476 --> 00:26:01.478
And use that to lift up jesus, that the world might believe.
00:26:01.478 --> 00:26:05.883
God bless each and every one of you,
00:26:05.883 --> 00:26:08.018
And remember, whatever you're doing,
00:26:08.018 --> 00:26:09.353
Don't forget to always lift up jesus.
00:26:09.353 --> 00:26:15.559
Announcer: research proves that it's the regular hearing
00:26:19.797 --> 00:26:22.232
And teaching of the word of god that takes our christian life
00:26:22.232 --> 00:26:25.436
To a new level.
00:26:25.436 --> 00:26:26.804
That's why we invite you to meet dudley rutherford every week
00:26:26.804 --> 00:26:29.640
On this station for another powerful message
00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:32.509
Straight from the bible.
00:26:32.509 --> 00:26:34.044
You can also visit liftupjesus.com to sign up
00:26:34.044 --> 00:26:37.081
For our monthly email devotional,
00:26:37.081 --> 00:26:39.316
Discover pastor dudley's books and other resources,
00:26:39.316 --> 00:26:42.653
And see our national tv and radio schedule.
00:26:42.653 --> 00:26:45.789
And don't hesitate to reach out on the phone or online.
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Pastor dudley has a passion and vision
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To reach more people with a message of hope
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And if you'd like to partner with us to touch the world,
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We'd love to hear from you.
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Your financial gift will do so much to help us
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Impact the nations for christ.
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And if you're ever in the southern california area,
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We invite you to visit us at shepherd church
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Here in los angeles.
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It's an amazing experience you'll never forget.
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Until next time, remember to always lift up jesus.
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♪♪♪
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...
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Dudley Rutherford - A Word of Encouragement (Part 1)

March 31, 2026 | 27:29

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