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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Into The Lion's Den (Part 1)

October 7, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - Into The Lion's Den (Part 1)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Death #Tragedy #Martyrs #Persecution #Hatred #Violence #Signs&Wonders #EndTimes #Witness/Witnessing #LightoftheWorld #Truth

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Into The Lion's Den (Part 1) | October 7, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: you know, we're witnessing something of a
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  • Crisis in our nation, something i never thought i would see:
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  • Expressions of antisemitism, hatred for the jewish people
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  • Coming from america, coming from the christian community,
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  • The conservative side of the ideological spectrum to a degree
  • 00:00:18.701 --> 00:00:22.105
  • And scope i've never seen before.
  • 00:00:22.105 --> 00:00:24.407
  • Well, it's important enough that i stopped and put
  • 00:00:24.407 --> 00:00:26.209
  • Together a book.
  • 00:00:26.209 --> 00:00:27.544
  • The title of it is "supporting israel: how far is too far?"
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  • It's an important concept.
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  • It isn't political.
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  • It's grounded in a biblical worldview.
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  • I think we need to understand our responsibilities to the
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  • Jewish people, to the modern state of israel,
  • 00:00:39.189 --> 00:00:41.891
  • Not from an ideological perspective,
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  • Not from the perspective of nation states,
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  • But as people of god.
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  • It's important, it's an important season.
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  • A lot of voices--you know, i know there's some fatigue with
  • 00:00:49.365 --> 00:00:52.035
  • The conflict in the middle east, but we can't afford to be
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  • Fatigued with our assignments to honor god and the
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  • Responsibilities that come with that.
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  • I believe the book will be a help to you.
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  • I believe it'll help you navigate the conversation with
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  • Your family and your friends.
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  • Enjoy the read.
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  • Allen: not a typical week.
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  • Not a typical week, and i thank you for being here.
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  • I truly do.
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  • At a time when it would perhaps have been easier to stay away, i
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  • Think one of the most important things you can do is present
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  • Yourself in public as a christ follower.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • And i don't say that trying to increase attendance numbers
  • 00:01:30.573 --> 00:01:35.044
  • Or--but i think when we see the events that we watched this week
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  • Unfold, it is beyond significant that we stand together in public
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  • Ways, that we rearrange our calendars, and our schedules,
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  • And our habits, and our patterns to be sure we identify
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  • With christ.
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  • I'll be just as transparent as i can.
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  • Today is more personal than normal for me.
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  • And if you'll allow me at the beginning just a personal remark
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  • Or two, charlie kirk was a friend.
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  • I've had the opportunity to sit with him, to do presentations
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  • With him, to share platforms with him.
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  • So, this week is different.
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  • He was a young man with a young family.
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  • He was a christian.
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  • He was involved in politics.
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  • He was not an elected politician.
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  • He didn't hold a government job.
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  • He was not a minister serving a congregation.
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  • He was simply a citizen and a christ follower.
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  • I don't believe either of those choices are wrong
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  • Or inappropriate.
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  • In fact, i believe they're necessary for our well-being.
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  • To be involved in our nation and the activities as citizens and
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  • To be very public with your faith, i believe are necessary
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  • Expressions and responsibilities for every one of us.
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  • People endeavoring to live in obedience to scripture and being
  • 00:02:56.192 --> 00:02:59.329
  • Involved in our culture to impact our world with our
  • 00:02:59.329 --> 00:03:01.931
  • Christian values is the assignment.
  • 00:03:01.931 --> 00:03:06.069
  • That is the assignment.
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  • I don't believe that charlie's efforts should be evaluated by
  • 00:03:10.073 --> 00:03:13.142
  • The issues of separation of church and state, which i've
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  • Read a great deal about this week.
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  • We cannot and we should not separate our civic
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  • Responsibilities from our faith.
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  • We are not an exclusively-- [congregation applauding]
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  • We are not an exclusively christian nation.
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  • We're not suggesting we are or we should be, but i do believe
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  • Our faith has a right and a place in the public square and
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  • The decisions that are made which govern us.
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  • Muslims, buddhists, agnostics, communists all have worldviews
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  • Which impact their civic behaviors.
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  • We don't want to banish christian perspectives from the
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  • Marketplace of ideas, and we will not be silent for those who
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  • Suggest we should.
  • 00:03:56.886 --> 00:04:03.593
  • You know, charlie's primary effort was with young people.
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  • That's how i got to know him first, college students.
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  • He would listen to students and share his beliefs and engage
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  • With them in a dialogue, a conversation, listening to their
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  • Opinion, share his.
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  • He was respectful of those who disagreed, even with those who
  • 00:04:17.073 --> 00:04:20.143
  • Would spew hatred at him with some really awful names.
  • 00:04:20.143 --> 00:04:23.980
  • There are many hours of video available on youtube and
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  • Elsewhere if you choose to listen to the discussions.
  • 00:04:26.616 --> 00:04:28.651
  • I have listened often and frequently.
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  • I have learned something from a 30-year old.
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  • You know, and i wouldn't be at all surprised if you listen for
  • 00:04:36.626 --> 00:04:38.995
  • A bit, you'll find something you disagree with.
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  • If you listen to me for very long, you'll find something you
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  • Disagree with.
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  • But if you'll listen longer, i think you'll find hours of
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  • Conversation which will encourage you and might
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  • Even--you might even learn something.
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  • Free speech and the freedom to assemble peacefully are really
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  • At the heart of what i think is in question.
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  • And we must not change our message because we're threatened
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  • Or bullied.
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  • We can't afford to do that.
  • 00:05:04.687 --> 00:05:07.290
  • Now, for those things, my opinion, charlie kirk was
  • 00:05:07.290 --> 00:05:10.293
  • Hunted and killed.
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  • I don't understand it to be a political assassination.
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  • We have a very diverse menu of political
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  • Perspectives in our nation.
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  • That's okay with me, i think it's pretty healthy.
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  • The leading candidate currently for mayor of new york city is a
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  • Gleeful communist.
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  • It's okay with me if that's their choice for governance in
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  • Their city, god bless them.
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  • That diverse spectrum is a part of what we--who we are as a
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  • People and has always been.
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  • I believe what brought the angst to charlie was his willingness
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  • To advocate clearly for biblical worldview, biblical perspectives
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  • On cultural issues like marriage and human sexuality.
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  • And the culture is increasingly intolerant of that.
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  • I sat for an interview a couple of days ago.
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  • It was very uncomfortable.
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  • I hadn't really thought about it until i sat down, but to say out
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  • Loud that charlie is a christian martyr in america in the 21st
  • 00:06:01.477 --> 00:06:06.082
  • Century, that's uncomfortable.
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  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:06:09.452 --> 00:06:13.556
  • You know, we have friends all over the world and we've
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  • Received phone calls.
  • 00:06:15.291 --> 00:06:16.626
  • Many of you know angus buchan.
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  • He's got a bucketful of grandsons.
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  • They're all teenagers now.
  • 00:06:19.495 --> 00:06:21.998
  • And they reached out at the end of the week and they said, "you
  • 00:06:21.998 --> 00:06:24.867
  • Know, we all--" they all listened to charlie,
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  • As so many young people have, and they said, "we can't
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  • Believe that this happened in america."
  • 00:06:30.072 --> 00:06:34.177
  • And i think a part of what we're all wrestling with as we grieve
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  • Charlie's life is beyond just his life, it's the circumstance
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  • In which we find ourselves.
  • 00:06:41.184 --> 00:06:43.252
  • Charlie was called a fascist, a nazi, a purveyor of hate, a
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  • Bigot, and a whole host of other things.
  • 00:06:46.722 --> 00:06:50.193
  • Those demanding that their viewpoints be tolerated were
  • 00:06:50.193 --> 00:06:54.297
  • Very aggressively intolerant of perspectives which differed from
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  • Their own.
  • 00:06:57.867 --> 00:07:00.403
  • And our response historically, for at least several years now,
  • 00:07:00.403 --> 00:07:04.006
  • Has been to be quiet and to step back.
  • 00:07:04.006 --> 00:07:07.109
  • I don't believe that has brought us greater safety and security.
  • 00:07:07.109 --> 00:07:11.180
  • And i don't think we should be angry.
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  • I certainly don't think we should be violent and
  • 00:07:12.748 --> 00:07:14.584
  • Belligerence isn't helpful, but we have to have the courage to
  • 00:07:14.584 --> 00:07:17.620
  • Advocate for what we believe.
  • 00:07:17.620 --> 00:07:26.696
  • You know, i think we--it's also noteworthy, we at least have to
  • 00:07:26.696 --> 00:07:29.565
  • Pay attention that much of the hate-filled rhetoric after the
  • 00:07:29.565 --> 00:07:34.670
  • Assassination has come from faculty administrations on
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  • School campuses.
  • 00:07:37.607 --> 00:07:39.709
  • I'm not saying it's been exclusively that nor has
  • 00:07:39.709 --> 00:07:42.078
  • Everyone participated, but it's happened with enough frequency,
  • 00:07:42.078 --> 00:07:45.615
  • With enough breadth from enough places that it is noteworthy,
  • 00:07:45.615 --> 00:07:49.519
  • It's unacceptable.
  • 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:51.621
  • Our universities are intended to be places for a free exchange of
  • 00:07:51.621 --> 00:07:55.958
  • Ideas, not uniformity of thought.
  • 00:07:55.958 --> 00:07:59.996
  • That's a season and a time in your life where you should be
  • 00:07:59.996 --> 00:08:02.365
  • Exposed to a variety of ideas and given the privilege of
  • 00:08:02.365 --> 00:08:05.334
  • Sorting those out.
  • 00:08:05.334 --> 00:08:06.869
  • Tragically, one of the things that has been exposed and it's
  • 00:08:06.869 --> 00:08:09.238
  • Become increasingly clear since covid is that our universities
  • 00:08:09.238 --> 00:08:12.508
  • In particular have become indoctrination centers.
  • 00:08:12.508 --> 00:08:16.112
  • And that has to change.
  • 00:08:16.112 --> 00:08:17.446
  • It's not okay.
  • 00:08:17.446 --> 00:08:24.520
  • You know, there's a lot of hand-wringing and a lot of angst
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  • And a lot of fear, and i don't think it's helpful.
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  • You know, what we have witnessed this week is not new to our
  • 00:08:30.026 --> 00:08:32.995
  • Nation, nor is it new to our faith.
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  • We haven't had to think about it much.
  • 00:08:37.567 --> 00:08:39.035
  • We kind of live in our little isolated bubbles planning our
  • 00:08:39.035 --> 00:08:41.437
  • Vacations, and that's not evil, but we have to live with the
  • 00:08:41.437 --> 00:08:44.574
  • Broader awareness if we intend for our children and
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  • Grandchildren to have freedom.
  • 00:08:46.842 --> 00:08:50.179
  • Martyrs are a part of our faith.
  • 00:08:50.179 --> 00:08:53.115
  • They have been historically, they are currently, and they
  • 00:08:53.115 --> 00:08:56.018
  • Will be until our king returns.
  • 00:08:56.018 --> 00:08:58.854
  • I can illustrate that from scripture and church history.
  • 00:08:58.854 --> 00:09:01.557
  • And isaiah, one of the most celebrated of the hebrew
  • 00:09:01.557 --> 00:09:06.228
  • Prophets, there's a book in our old testament, hebrew bible,
  • 00:09:06.228 --> 00:09:08.731
  • That bears his name.
  • 00:09:08.731 --> 00:09:10.099
  • It's some of the most beautiful language in all of scripture.
  • 00:09:10.099 --> 00:09:12.868
  • Do you know that isaiah was martyred, that he was ordered to
  • 00:09:12.868 --> 00:09:15.771
  • Be sawn in half by king manasseh?
  • 00:09:15.771 --> 00:09:20.710
  • And that he was ordered to be sawn in half because the king
  • 00:09:20.710 --> 00:09:24.614
  • And his advisors didn't like isaiah's message?
  • 00:09:24.614 --> 00:09:27.383
  • Not his theology, his perspective on culture and their
  • 00:09:27.383 --> 00:09:31.721
  • Variation from god's perspective, and isaiah called
  • 00:09:31.721 --> 00:09:35.124
  • Them to account, so they cut him in half.
  • 00:09:35.124 --> 00:09:40.730
  • This isn't just something we've recently awakened to.
  • 00:09:40.730 --> 00:09:43.833
  • In the new testament, some of you prefer that.
  • 00:09:43.833 --> 00:09:47.169
  • James in acts chapter 12 is arrested by king herod and he
  • 00:09:47.169 --> 00:09:53.142
  • Is beheaded.
  • 00:09:53.142 --> 00:09:55.478
  • And herod was politically aware enough, culturally sensitive
  • 00:09:55.478 --> 00:09:58.948
  • Enough that he noticed it garnered him greater public
  • 00:09:58.948 --> 00:10:02.685
  • Support, so he arrested peter, planning to murder him as well.
  • 00:10:02.685 --> 00:10:08.758
  • And god dispatched an angelic band who released peter from
  • 00:10:08.758 --> 00:10:11.961
  • Prison after several days after being held.
  • 00:10:11.961 --> 00:10:15.464
  • But peter was later martyred, crucified by the romans.
  • 00:10:15.464 --> 00:10:21.370
  • All of the apostles with the exception of john were murdered.
  • 00:10:21.370 --> 00:10:25.608
  • I've stood in the place on the east coast of india where
  • 00:10:25.608 --> 00:10:28.110
  • Thomas, doubting thomas-- doubting thomas made it
  • 00:10:28.110 --> 00:10:31.447
  • All the way to india with the message, folks.
  • 00:10:31.447 --> 00:10:35.017
  • At least by church tradition, he was killed by a spear.
  • 00:10:35.017 --> 00:10:39.121
  • The book of revelation, the last book of the new testament,
  • 00:10:39.121 --> 00:10:41.390
  • Reveals martyrdom will continue right through the end of the age
  • 00:10:41.390 --> 00:10:44.460
  • And the return of the king.
  • 00:10:44.460 --> 00:10:47.930
  • We've had a different kind of christianity.
  • 00:10:47.930 --> 00:10:49.699
  • We argue about the seat colors of the sanctuary, or when we
  • 00:10:49.699 --> 00:10:54.236
  • Take communion, or where we have to park, or whether the church
  • 00:10:54.236 --> 00:10:56.872
  • Is too big or too small.
  • 00:10:56.872 --> 00:10:58.607
  • We gotta get past goldilocks christianity.
  • 00:10:58.607 --> 00:11:01.577
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:11:01.577 --> 00:11:06.816
  • The mission of god's people through the hebrew bible and
  • 00:11:06.816 --> 00:11:10.286
  • Continuing through the new testament and church history is
  • 00:11:10.286 --> 00:11:12.788
  • To provide a living expression of faith to each generation.
  • 00:11:12.788 --> 00:11:16.892
  • That's our assignment when it's celebrated, when we're
  • 00:11:16.892 --> 00:11:19.328
  • Applauded, or if we're hated.
  • 00:11:19.328 --> 00:11:22.231
  • That's the assignment.
  • 00:11:22.231 --> 00:11:23.566
  • In fact, i want to ask you a question, and it's a
  • 00:11:23.566 --> 00:11:25.468
  • Personal question.
  • 00:11:25.468 --> 00:11:26.802
  • I don't want you to respond outwardly in any way, but let's
  • 00:11:26.802 --> 00:11:29.672
  • Just suppose they were to continue hunting christians,
  • 00:11:29.672 --> 00:11:33.709
  • Because that's what we have witnessed.
  • 00:11:33.709 --> 00:11:36.746
  • Let's suppose they continue hunting christians and they were
  • 00:11:36.746 --> 00:11:39.215
  • To target our communities.
  • 00:11:39.215 --> 00:11:46.055
  • They were to target your neighborhood or your place of
  • 00:11:46.055 --> 00:11:48.758
  • Employment, the hospital where you work, or the school where
  • 00:11:48.758 --> 00:11:51.160
  • You work, or the ball fields that you frequent.
  • 00:11:51.160 --> 00:11:56.198
  • Would you be a high profile enough target to imagine
  • 00:11:56.198 --> 00:12:01.036
  • Yourself to be vulnerable?
  • 00:12:01.036 --> 00:12:04.039
  • Do you understand the question?
  • 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:06.008
  • If the hunting of christians were to continue, and they came
  • 00:12:06.008 --> 00:12:09.011
  • Into your sphere of influence, would your faith be forward
  • 00:12:09.011 --> 00:12:13.616
  • Enough that those who know you and engage with you would be
  • 00:12:13.616 --> 00:12:17.119
  • Concerned that they think you're a high profile target?
  • 00:12:17.119 --> 00:12:23.092
  • I have a second question.
  • 00:12:23.092 --> 00:12:25.127
  • If the answer to that is no, when the lord returns, why do
  • 00:12:25.127 --> 00:12:32.234
  • You imagine he should look for you?
  • 00:12:32.234 --> 00:12:36.672
  • He said if we deny him before people, he'll deny us before
  • 00:12:36.672 --> 00:12:39.742
  • The father.
  • 00:12:39.742 --> 00:12:41.710
  • I don't want you to be weird or bizarre.
  • 00:12:41.710 --> 00:12:45.080
  • You know, i've told you on many, many occasions weird does not
  • 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:47.883
  • Make you spiritual, it just makes you weird.
  • 00:12:47.883 --> 00:12:53.455
  • But i do want us to understand that you can't be a covert
  • 00:12:53.455 --> 00:12:56.525
  • Christ follower.
  • 00:12:56.525 --> 00:12:58.627
  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
  • 00:12:58.694 --> 00:13:03.732
  • Allen: you know, how should we respond to the nation of israel
  • 00:13:04.967 --> 00:13:07.469
  • And the jewish people?
  • 00:13:07.469 --> 00:13:08.838
  • It's a complex question in today's world.
  • 00:13:08.838 --> 00:13:11.273
  • Well, i've written a book, "supporting israel: how far is
  • 00:13:11.273 --> 00:13:13.976
  • Too far?" to help us establish a biblical perspective on what has
  • 00:13:13.976 --> 00:13:18.514
  • Become a complex question in contemporary culture.
  • 00:13:18.514 --> 00:13:22.284
  • We don't wanna follow the guidance and the counsel of some
  • 00:13:22.284 --> 00:13:25.154
  • Of the elite universities in this nation.
  • 00:13:25.154 --> 00:13:27.823
  • We wanna form a perspective that's built from god's word.
  • 00:13:27.823 --> 00:13:30.392
  • If we'll do that, it'll bring his blessings to our lives.
  • 00:13:30.392 --> 00:13:33.762
  • Enjoy the book.
  • 00:13:33.762 --> 00:13:35.097
  • Female announcer: from the pages of scripture to the front lines
  • 00:13:35.097 --> 00:13:37.099
  • Of today's news, israel stands at the center of god's purposes.
  • 00:13:37.099 --> 00:13:41.537
  • Pastor allen's new booklet, "supporting israel: how far is
  • 00:13:41.537 --> 00:13:45.074
  • Too far?" offers a quick way to gain a biblical perspective on
  • 00:13:45.074 --> 00:13:48.477
  • Israel, why israel matters to god, and why it should matter
  • 00:13:48.477 --> 00:13:52.548
  • To us.
  • 00:13:52.548 --> 00:13:53.883
  • Request your copy with your gift of any amount today at
  • 00:13:53.883 --> 00:13:56.785
  • Allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:13:56.785 --> 00:14:02.291
  • Allen: the title for this lesson, if you've been following
  • 00:14:05.227 --> 00:14:07.062
  • Us over the last few sessions, i was in the midst of a series if
  • 00:14:07.062 --> 00:14:10.232
  • I'm gonna step out for this session.
  • 00:14:10.232 --> 00:14:12.668
  • In fact, the previous session last evening and today really
  • 00:14:12.668 --> 00:14:15.871
  • Are a boxed set.
  • 00:14:15.871 --> 00:14:17.840
  • If you didn't hear that, i would commend it to you.
  • 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.608
  • It'll help, but the title is "into the lion's den."
  • 00:14:19.608 --> 00:14:22.278
  • I've been using this analogy for a season.
  • 00:14:22.278 --> 00:14:24.179
  • I'd stepped away, but i want to come back.
  • 00:14:24.179 --> 00:14:25.881
  • The new testament presents us with two lions.
  • 00:14:25.881 --> 00:14:29.518
  • And it's very important, i think, to understand your
  • 00:14:29.518 --> 00:14:31.954
  • Alignment with them.
  • 00:14:31.954 --> 00:14:33.289
  • In 1 peter chapter 5, peter's writing and he said, "cast all
  • 00:14:33.289 --> 00:14:35.925
  • Your anxiety on him, on the lord, because he cares for you."
  • 00:14:35.925 --> 00:14:39.261
  • It's a really good point on a day like this, "cast all your
  • 00:14:39.261 --> 00:14:41.630
  • Anxiety on the lord, he cares for you."
  • 00:14:41.630 --> 00:14:44.500
  • Folks, we can't secure ourselves.
  • 00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:47.636
  • We can't secure ourselves economically, we can't secure
  • 00:14:47.636 --> 00:14:50.339
  • Ourselves nationally, we can't secure ourselves physically, we
  • 00:14:50.339 --> 00:14:53.475
  • Can't secure ourselves from sickness and disease.
  • 00:14:53.475 --> 00:14:56.312
  • Only god can watch over us.
  • 00:14:56.312 --> 00:14:59.148
  • You know, now we have some responsibilities for self-care
  • 00:14:59.148 --> 00:15:01.684
  • And self-awareness and those things, but ultimately, we cast
  • 00:15:01.684 --> 00:15:04.553
  • Our anxieties on the lord.
  • 00:15:04.553 --> 00:15:07.156
  • And so, that's my first invitation to you today.
  • 00:15:07.156 --> 00:15:08.991
  • We've already had communion, but whatever anxiety or fear or
  • 00:15:08.991 --> 00:15:12.194
  • Worry--if worrying would help, we would organize worry groups.
  • 00:15:12.194 --> 00:15:16.966
  • We would have them all over the country, little pockets of
  • 00:15:16.966 --> 00:15:19.335
  • People that just mail in this, "what are you worried about?
  • 00:15:19.335 --> 00:15:21.303
  • We'll worry with you.
  • 00:15:21.303 --> 00:15:23.806
  • We'll pace, we won't sleep, we'll have nervous stomachs,
  • 00:15:23.806 --> 00:15:26.642
  • We'll be anxious.
  • 00:15:26.642 --> 00:15:28.377
  • We'll be short with the people around us.
  • 00:15:28.377 --> 00:15:31.347
  • We're just worried."
  • 00:15:31.347 --> 00:15:33.315
  • But jesus said, "do not worry."
  • 00:15:33.315 --> 00:15:37.486
  • He said it doesn't help.
  • 00:15:37.486 --> 00:15:38.854
  • You can't make yourself taller, you can't add another day to
  • 00:15:38.854 --> 00:15:41.357
  • Your life.
  • 00:15:41.357 --> 00:15:44.026
  • Peter picks up the theme and he says, "cast all your anxiety on
  • 00:15:44.026 --> 00:15:47.396
  • Him because he cares for you."
  • 00:15:47.396 --> 00:15:51.500
  • Once years ago, it's been a while, i did a sermon and i
  • 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:54.136
  • Asked everybody to wad up their outline, to write on that all
  • 00:15:54.136 --> 00:15:57.806
  • The things they were worried about and to wad it up and then
  • 00:15:57.806 --> 00:16:00.409
  • Throw it at me.
  • 00:16:00.409 --> 00:16:02.778
  • And the room turned white with all the paper in the air.
  • 00:16:02.778 --> 00:16:07.349
  • That didn't feel like a good idea today.
  • 00:16:07.349 --> 00:16:13.422
  • But i do want to invite you to cast all your anxiety on him.
  • 00:16:13.422 --> 00:16:17.126
  • Look at the next phrase, "be self-controlled and alert.
  • 00:16:17.126 --> 00:16:19.294
  • Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
  • 00:16:19.294 --> 00:16:22.798
  • Looking for someone to devour."
  • 00:16:22.798 --> 00:16:25.801
  • Christians are famous for our word studies, and they'll step
  • 00:16:25.801 --> 00:16:28.804
  • Into that sentence and go, "peter didn't say that satan was
  • 00:16:28.804 --> 00:16:31.640
  • A roaring lion.
  • 00:16:31.640 --> 00:16:32.975
  • He said he was like a roaring lion."
  • 00:16:32.975 --> 00:16:34.743
  • Okay, you got me.
  • 00:16:34.743 --> 00:16:37.346
  • But he didn't say he was like a house cat.
  • 00:16:37.346 --> 00:16:41.784
  • He didn't say like he was like a cuddly new puppy.
  • 00:16:41.784 --> 00:16:45.154
  • He didn't say he was like a guppy.
  • 00:16:45.154 --> 00:16:48.524
  • He said he's a lot like a roaring lion and he's searching
  • 00:16:48.524 --> 00:16:52.861
  • For someone to devour.
  • 00:16:52.861 --> 00:16:54.229
  • Lions have no natural predators.
  • 00:16:54.229 --> 00:16:56.765
  • They're called the king of beasts because they don't fear
  • 00:16:56.765 --> 00:16:59.234
  • Any of the other creatures on the plain.
  • 00:16:59.234 --> 00:17:03.639
  • And he's using that analogy for satan.
  • 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:06.241
  • He said he prowls around unchallenged, unfettered,
  • 00:17:06.241 --> 00:17:12.114
  • Looking for someone to devour.
  • 00:17:12.114 --> 00:17:13.582
  • That's just a statement of fact.
  • 00:17:13.582 --> 00:17:15.884
  • But then he gives us a response.
  • 00:17:15.884 --> 00:17:17.853
  • He says, "resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you
  • 00:17:17.853 --> 00:17:20.556
  • Know that your brothers throughout the world are
  • 00:17:20.556 --> 00:17:22.157
  • Undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
  • 00:17:22.157 --> 00:17:24.760
  • Now, i'll confess something.
  • 00:17:24.760 --> 00:17:26.161
  • I've read that verse hundreds and hundreds of times, i've
  • 00:17:26.161 --> 00:17:28.664
  • Heard many sermons, i've preached many, and i have
  • 00:17:28.664 --> 00:17:31.934
  • Typically thought that the admonition of that passage when
  • 00:17:31.934 --> 00:17:35.070
  • He said, "resist him," was about the personal temptation in my
  • 00:17:35.070 --> 00:17:39.108
  • Life, resist those.
  • 00:17:39.108 --> 00:17:41.710
  • Resist the temptation to be unforgiving or angry or selfish
  • 00:17:41.710 --> 00:17:44.947
  • Or greedy or envious or immoral or whatever.
  • 00:17:44.947 --> 00:17:47.649
  • Resist satan when you face those personal temptations.
  • 00:17:47.649 --> 00:17:51.286
  • So, that was a very self-directed, very inward
  • 00:17:51.286 --> 00:17:54.423
  • Directed understanding.
  • 00:17:54.423 --> 00:17:56.859
  • And i'm not saying that's wrong, but i am suggesting it's very
  • 00:17:56.859 --> 00:18:00.095
  • Incomplete because in its context, peter said, "resist
  • 00:18:00.095 --> 00:18:03.398
  • Him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your
  • 00:18:03.398 --> 00:18:05.934
  • Brothers throughout the earth are undergoing the same kind
  • 00:18:05.934 --> 00:18:10.873
  • Of sufferings."
  • 00:18:10.873 --> 00:18:12.875
  • So, he's actually talking to us about suffering, persecution,
  • 00:18:12.875 --> 00:18:16.278
  • Violence, even.
  • 00:18:16.278 --> 00:18:18.780
  • And the direction we're giving is to resist him.
  • 00:18:18.780 --> 00:18:23.352
  • Not to hide from him, resist him.
  • 00:18:23.352 --> 00:18:26.822
  • I would submit to you as much as we have an assignment to resist
  • 00:18:26.822 --> 00:18:29.258
  • Those personal temptations, we have a biblical assignment to
  • 00:18:29.258 --> 00:18:32.594
  • Resist evil in our world.
  • 00:18:32.594 --> 00:18:39.768
  • And i believe that assignment belongs to all of us, why?
  • 00:18:39.768 --> 00:18:43.005
  • Because there's a lion prowling the earth.
  • 00:18:43.005 --> 00:18:44.706
  • Evil exists, folks.
  • 00:18:44.706 --> 00:18:47.176
  • Evil exists, and if you don't have a plan for how to resist
  • 00:18:47.176 --> 00:18:50.746
  • It, you are unprepared, you're ill-equipped, your christianity
  • 00:18:50.746 --> 00:18:54.316
  • Is not fully formed.
  • 00:18:54.316 --> 00:18:57.719
  • Jesus was tempted by satan.
  • 00:18:57.719 --> 00:18:59.254
  • Do you remember that after his baptism?
  • 00:18:59.254 --> 00:19:01.256
  • Holy spirit led him into the--this is not in your notes,
  • 00:19:01.256 --> 00:19:02.991
  • But it really is in the bible, just hang with me a minute.
  • 00:19:02.991 --> 00:19:05.360
  • I'll quit on time.
  • 00:19:05.360 --> 00:19:09.131
  • Led by the holy spirit into the wilderness where he's tempted by
  • 00:19:09.131 --> 00:19:11.700
  • Satan three separate episodes.
  • 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:14.336
  • He's fasted for 40 days, he's hungry, and satan says, "you've
  • 00:19:14.336 --> 00:19:17.906
  • Got the power to turn this bread into--the stones into bread."
  • 00:19:17.906 --> 00:19:23.145
  • But he begins the temptations by saying,
  • 00:19:23.145 --> 00:19:25.280
  • "if you're the son of god."
  • 00:19:25.280 --> 00:19:26.648
  • He recognizes that he has power and status and standing in the
  • 00:19:26.648 --> 00:19:30.686
  • Kingdom of god, but he's still calling into question who he is.
  • 00:19:30.686 --> 00:19:35.457
  • He comes to us in the same way.
  • 00:19:35.457 --> 00:19:39.027
  • But, you know, if the lord had responded to satan with coaching
  • 00:19:39.027 --> 00:19:44.032
  • From our current cultural settings, those dialogues would
  • 00:19:44.032 --> 00:19:49.004
  • Have been different.
  • 00:19:49.004 --> 00:19:51.673
  • You know, he would have said, "you know, satan, listen, i want
  • 00:19:51.673 --> 00:19:53.809
  • You to know i understand.
  • 00:19:53.809 --> 00:19:56.712
  • You were in heaven, i was in heaven.
  • 00:19:56.712 --> 00:19:59.414
  • I had a better spot than you had.
  • 00:19:59.414 --> 00:20:01.016
  • I understand you were jealous.
  • 00:20:01.016 --> 00:20:04.052
  • You know, it's unfortunate that you were jealous.
  • 00:20:04.052 --> 00:20:05.754
  • You had a lot of good things.
  • 00:20:05.754 --> 00:20:07.122
  • You were one of the most beautiful of all the
  • 00:20:07.122 --> 00:20:08.457
  • Created creatures.
  • 00:20:08.457 --> 00:20:09.791
  • Can't we just make peace?
  • 00:20:09.791 --> 00:20:13.028
  • You know, can't we just hug this out?"
  • 00:20:13.028 --> 00:20:18.900
  • Does that sound about right?
  • 00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:21.203
  • There there's no words of conciliation, there are no words
  • 00:20:21.203 --> 00:20:24.006
  • Of understanding, there are no--and i'm not trying to make
  • 00:20:24.006 --> 00:20:26.508
  • You belligerent, i'm trying to awaken you to
  • 00:20:26.508 --> 00:20:28.644
  • The reality of evil.
  • 00:20:28.644 --> 00:20:30.012
  • You don't negotiate with evil.
  • 00:20:30.012 --> 00:20:31.580
  • You don't bargain with evil.
  • 00:20:31.580 --> 00:20:34.016
  • Evil doesn't yield.
  • 00:20:34.016 --> 00:20:38.453
  • His instruction was, "get behind me.
  • 00:20:38.453 --> 00:20:40.222
  • You have no place here."
  • 00:20:40.222 --> 00:20:42.057
  • And when he's done, he's so exhausted that the angels came
  • 00:20:42.057 --> 00:20:44.693
  • And ministered to him, even to jesus.
  • 00:20:44.693 --> 00:20:47.262
  • We're no match for that lion of satan and his roars.
  • 00:20:47.262 --> 00:20:51.433
  • We're not gonna overcome him with our emotional determination
  • 00:20:51.433 --> 00:20:54.536
  • And our physical perseverance.
  • 00:20:54.536 --> 00:20:56.505
  • We need the help of god.
  • 00:20:56.505 --> 00:20:59.041
  • It's why the church is the only response to evil.
  • 00:20:59.041 --> 00:21:01.743
  • And i don't mean a congregation, i mean church with a capital c.
  • 00:21:01.743 --> 00:21:06.114
  • We're the only response to evil that works.
  • 00:21:06.114 --> 00:21:08.250
  • The other lion is in revelation chapter 5.
  • 00:21:08.250 --> 00:21:10.519
  • It's a very different setting.
  • 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:11.887
  • It's the throne room of god.
  • 00:21:11.887 --> 00:21:13.922
  • And john has this majestic vision of god's throne room and
  • 00:21:13.922 --> 00:21:16.758
  • All that's there.
  • 00:21:16.758 --> 00:21:18.727
  • And there's a book that's presented, a scroll that
  • 00:21:18.727 --> 00:21:20.896
  • Contains the message of the end of the age, how the world's
  • 00:21:20.896 --> 00:21:23.265
  • Gonna come to a conclusion in this present age, and john's
  • 00:21:23.265 --> 00:21:25.934
  • Very anxious to see the revelation.
  • 00:21:25.934 --> 00:21:28.337
  • And the message is given him that there's nobody there that
  • 00:21:28.337 --> 00:21:30.906
  • Has the authority to open the book, and john begins to weep.
  • 00:21:30.906 --> 00:21:33.675
  • He's upset, he's--
  • 00:21:33.675 --> 00:21:35.711
  • And then the message changes.
  • 00:21:35.711 --> 00:21:37.045
  • He said, "no, there is one here who can open it.
  • 00:21:37.045 --> 00:21:40.115
  • The lion of the tribe of judah has triumphed and he's worthy to
  • 00:21:40.115 --> 00:21:44.119
  • Open the book."
  • 00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:46.288
  • It's jesus.
  • 00:21:46.288 --> 00:21:47.923
  • The title that he's given in revelation 5 in the scene in the
  • 00:21:47.923 --> 00:21:51.793
  • Throne room of god is he's the lion of the tribe of judah,
  • 00:21:51.793 --> 00:21:55.797
  • That judah is one of the 12 tribes of israel.
  • 00:21:55.797 --> 00:21:58.467
  • It's the one from which we get the word jew.
  • 00:21:58.467 --> 00:22:01.670
  • So, it's worth noting that in the throne room of god at the
  • 00:22:01.670 --> 00:22:04.539
  • End of the age, jesus is still identified with the
  • 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:07.342
  • Jewish people.
  • 00:22:07.342 --> 00:22:10.379
  • And he opens the book.
  • 00:22:10.379 --> 00:22:12.714
  • So, what i'm gonna submit to you is that your life and mine is
  • 00:22:12.714 --> 00:22:15.550
  • Aligned with one of those two lions.
  • 00:22:15.550 --> 00:22:19.721
  • There's no third rail.
  • 00:22:19.721 --> 00:22:21.256
  • You can't do both.
  • 00:22:21.256 --> 00:22:23.725
  • We either have aligned ourselves, and our values, and
  • 00:22:23.725 --> 00:22:26.595
  • Our behaviors, and our objectives, and our goals with
  • 00:22:26.595 --> 00:22:30.365
  • The roar of satan and his kingdom or we have aligned
  • 00:22:30.365 --> 00:22:33.602
  • Ourselves with the lion of the tribe of judah.
  • 00:22:33.602 --> 00:22:37.372
  • And we have to choose.
  • 00:22:37.372 --> 00:22:39.508
  • And we wrestle with that, we struggle with that.
  • 00:22:39.508 --> 00:22:41.576
  • That's not a one-time decision.
  • 00:22:41.576 --> 00:22:42.978
  • Most of all of us have said at one time or another, "oh, i want
  • 00:22:42.978 --> 00:22:45.046
  • To be godly," and then we find ourselves being very ungodly,
  • 00:22:45.046 --> 00:22:50.385
  • Which--well, that's a part of the journey.
  • 00:22:50.385 --> 00:22:52.454
  • The appropriate response for a christ follower is repentance to
  • 00:22:52.454 --> 00:22:55.524
  • Say, "oh, i thought wrong, and therefore i behaved
  • 00:22:55.524 --> 00:22:58.627
  • Inappropriately, but i've changed my thoughts.
  • 00:22:58.627 --> 00:23:00.695
  • I no longer think that behavior is appropriate, so now i'll
  • 00:23:00.695 --> 00:23:03.665
  • Change my actions."
  • 00:23:03.665 --> 00:23:05.333
  • That is repentance, a change of thought and a change
  • 00:23:05.333 --> 00:23:07.602
  • Of behavior.
  • 00:23:07.602 --> 00:23:10.472
  • As i've walked through this week and the unfolding news and all
  • 00:23:10.472 --> 00:23:13.508
  • That's happened, i've arrived at a conclusion that we have a
  • 00:23:13.508 --> 00:23:17.712
  • Challenge amongst us in the christian community.
  • 00:23:17.712 --> 00:23:20.048
  • I've spent my adult life in the christian community, not a
  • 00:23:20.048 --> 00:23:22.484
  • Single denomination or expression, but across a pretty
  • 00:23:22.484 --> 00:23:25.921
  • Wide swath of that.
  • 00:23:25.921 --> 00:23:27.889
  • But a frequent phenomena is what i'm gonna label, in this season
  • 00:23:27.889 --> 00:23:30.959
  • At least, trans christians.
  • 00:23:30.959 --> 00:23:33.995
  • And i'm not talking about transgender persons or
  • 00:23:33.995 --> 00:23:36.465
  • Transsexual persons.
  • 00:23:36.465 --> 00:23:37.833
  • What i want to borrow that imagery, because it's very
  • 00:23:37.833 --> 00:23:39.768
  • Prevalent amongst us and very celebrated amongst us, a
  • 00:23:39.768 --> 00:23:42.904
  • Transgender person, we're told, can assert that their identity
  • 00:23:42.904 --> 00:23:46.274
  • Is fluid, that they can identify as a woman or a man,
  • 00:23:46.274 --> 00:23:52.013
  • Irrespective of their biology, right?
  • 00:23:52.013 --> 00:23:55.684
  • You've heard this, right?
  • 00:23:55.684 --> 00:23:57.052
  • I'm not, like, alone.
  • 00:23:57.052 --> 00:23:58.520
  • Pretty prevalent talking point these days.
  • 00:23:58.520 --> 00:24:00.121
  • It's even recognized by places like the ama and the--i mean,
  • 00:24:00.121 --> 00:24:04.259
  • Some crazy places.
  • 00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:06.595
  • But individuals that struggle with this, imagine that their
  • 00:24:06.595 --> 00:24:09.064
  • Choice is the determining factor.
  • 00:24:09.064 --> 00:24:12.267
  • What i feel, how i identify, not my biology, not my chromosomes,
  • 00:24:12.267 --> 00:24:17.439
  • Not every cell in my body.
  • 00:24:17.439 --> 00:24:18.807
  • I can choose.
  • 00:24:18.807 --> 00:24:22.077
  • It is fundamentally rebellious before god, even to the point
  • 00:24:22.077 --> 00:24:25.046
  • That biology won't cause us to yield.
  • 00:24:25.046 --> 00:24:30.118
  • And tragically, we live in a culture right now where the most
  • 00:24:30.118 --> 00:24:32.454
  • Vulnerable amongst us, those that are in the transitionary
  • 00:24:32.454 --> 00:24:34.990
  • Ages of their lives when they're just trying to figure out those
  • 00:24:34.990 --> 00:24:37.692
  • Things, have been targeted by some very powerful groups.
  • 00:24:37.692 --> 00:24:42.697
  • Well, i wanna borrow that image and bring it back to this notion
  • 00:24:42.697 --> 00:24:44.966
  • Of trans christians.
  • 00:24:44.966 --> 00:24:46.535
  • Trans christians, i'm not talking about your biology or
  • 00:24:46.535 --> 00:24:50.005
  • Your sexual identity.
  • 00:24:50.005 --> 00:24:51.339
  • Trans christians choose behaviors that are clearly
  • 00:24:51.339 --> 00:24:54.109
  • Prohibited by scripture, but then choose to affiliate with
  • 00:24:54.109 --> 00:24:56.745
  • The church or christians.
  • 00:24:56.745 --> 00:25:00.315
  • We're pretty fluid.
  • 00:25:00.315 --> 00:25:03.618
  • We can commit adultery and then sit in a church service and say,
  • 00:25:03.618 --> 00:25:06.922
  • "oh, i'm good to go."
  • 00:25:06.922 --> 00:25:10.258
  • We can be filled with greed, or envy, or lasciviousness, or
  • 00:25:10.258 --> 00:25:13.828
  • Practice all sorts of immorality, fornication.
  • 00:25:13.828 --> 00:25:16.331
  • We live together without the benefit of marriage, but we sit
  • 00:25:16.331 --> 00:25:19.034
  • In a church and raise our hands and we think, "oh no, i'm good."
  • 00:25:19.034 --> 00:25:24.306
  • And we move in and out of the christian faith with the same
  • 00:25:24.306 --> 00:25:27.542
  • Hubris that somebody says, "i can identify as male or female.
  • 00:25:27.542 --> 00:25:31.346
  • My physical biology is irrelevant."
  • 00:25:31.346 --> 00:25:35.250
  • Well, i don't believe our opinion on our standing with god
  • 00:25:35.250 --> 00:25:38.019
  • Is the issue.
  • 00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:40.288
  • God is sovereign and what part of the challenge we face as a
  • 00:25:40.288 --> 00:25:44.526
  • Church in this culture is where we yield to the sovereignty of
  • 00:25:44.526 --> 00:25:47.329
  • God and the authority of god.
  • 00:25:47.329 --> 00:25:48.930
  • It's not easy.
  • 00:25:48.930 --> 00:25:50.565
  • It's not simple.
  • 00:25:50.565 --> 00:25:51.900
  • We shouldn't pretend it's simple.
  • 00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:53.768
  • It's a free invitation to every person, but yielding ourselves
  • 00:25:53.768 --> 00:25:56.838
  • To godliness takes a determination and a willingness
  • 00:25:56.838 --> 00:26:00.008
  • To submit our wills to the will of god, and that does not
  • 00:26:00.008 --> 00:26:03.011
  • Come simply.
  • 00:26:03.011 --> 00:26:05.180
  • There are powerful voices inside of all of us that say, "i want
  • 00:26:05.180 --> 00:26:07.949
  • And i think and i feel that i wanna do what i want," and
  • 00:26:07.949 --> 00:26:10.852
  • Because we've had such a low commitment to the lord, we've
  • 00:26:10.852 --> 00:26:13.154
  • Just surfed right along with the trans christian movement.
  • 00:26:13.154 --> 00:26:17.726
  • We don't wanna be offensive.
  • 00:26:17.726 --> 00:26:19.094
  • Allen: you know, i used to believe that antisemitism was a
  • 00:26:20.629 --> 00:26:23.098
  • European problem or an issue in the islamic nations of the
  • 00:26:23.098 --> 00:26:26.735
  • World, but now we see it flourishing in our nation on
  • 00:26:26.735 --> 00:26:30.405
  • Elite college campuses, even amongst the political class and
  • 00:26:30.405 --> 00:26:34.175
  • Now on the conservative ideological spectrum.
  • 00:26:34.175 --> 00:26:37.912
  • It's troubling.
  • 00:26:37.912 --> 00:26:39.247
  • So, i wrote a book, "supporting israel: how far is too far?"
  • 00:26:39.247 --> 00:26:43.184
  • You know, i know we've all got a little battle fatigue with the
  • 00:26:43.184 --> 00:26:45.854
  • Constant conflicts in the middle east and beyond, but what we
  • 00:26:45.854 --> 00:26:49.190
  • Desperately need is a biblical perspective on how to navigate
  • 00:26:49.190 --> 00:26:52.861
  • What's unfolding in our world.
  • 00:26:52.861 --> 00:26:54.829
  • And i believe the word of god gives that to us with clarity.
  • 00:26:54.829 --> 00:26:58.433
  • So, we put this book together to help you find yourself in a
  • 00:26:58.433 --> 00:27:01.269
  • Place that will bring the blessings of god to your life.
  • 00:27:01.269 --> 00:27:04.272
  • I wanna pray that we'll have his wisdom.
  • 00:27:04.272 --> 00:27:06.541
  • Father, you said when we lack wisdom we could ask and that you
  • 00:27:06.541 --> 00:27:08.843
  • Would give it to us without criticism.
  • 00:27:08.843 --> 00:27:10.879
  • We want to stand with you in what you're accomplishing in the
  • 00:27:10.879 --> 00:27:13.181
  • Earth so that your purposes can come forth.
  • 00:27:13.181 --> 00:27:16.217
  • Holy spirit, give us the discernment we need
  • 00:27:16.217 --> 00:27:18.653
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:18.653 --> 00:27:20.655
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:20.655 --> 00:27:29.698