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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Luke - Reigniting Your Passion For Christ

November 25, 2024 | S24:E4802

Robert Jeffress - Luke - Reigniting Your Passion For Christ
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Faith #Author #Gospel #Passion #Religion #BibleHistory #Truth #WordofGod #inActive #Dr.RobertJeffress #RobertJeffress #Cross #Discipleship #Luke1

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Luke - Reigniting Your Passion For Christ | November 25, 2024
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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  • Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory" with
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  • Dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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  • And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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  • You've chosen an exciting day to join us, because today we're
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  • Beginning a study in the gospel of luke titled "reigniting your
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  • Passion for christ."
  • 00:00:26.416 --> 00:00:28.284
  • At some point, just about every christian starts to feel a bit
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  • Stagnant in their walk with god and i believe the best way to
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  • Jump-start your christian life is to study the words, actions,
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  • And attitudes of jesus himself.
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  • Are you ready to dive in?
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  • My message is titled "reigniting your passion for christ" on
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  • Today's edition of "pathway to victory."
  • 00:00:48.638 --> 00:00:52.509
  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ who can satisfy my soul like you? ♪
  • 00:00:57.247 --> 00:01:15.098
  • ♪ who on earth could comfort me and love me like you do? ♪
  • 00:01:15.098 --> 00:01:23.406
  • ♪ who could ever be more faithful to you? ♪
  • 00:01:23.406 --> 00:01:31.181
  • ♪ i will trust in you, ♪
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  • ♪ yes, i will trust in you, my god. ♪
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  • ♪ who can satisfy my soul like you? ♪
  • 00:01:43.092 --> 00:01:50.934
  • ♪ and who on earth could comfort me, ♪
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  • ♪ oh, and love me like you do? ♪
  • 00:01:54.404 --> 00:01:59.576
  • ♪ who could ever be more faithful to you? ♪
  • 00:01:59.576 --> 00:02:07.217
  • ♪ i will trust in you, ♪
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  • ♪ oh, i will trust in you, my god. ♪
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  • ♪ there is a fountain who is the king. ♪
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  • ♪ victorious warrior and lord of everything. ♪
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  • ♪ my rock, my shelter, my very own. ♪
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  • ♪ blessed redeemer ♪
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  • ♪ who reigns upon the throne. ♪
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  • ♪ there is a fountain who is the king. ♪
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  • ♪ victorious warrior and lord of everything. ♪
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  • ♪ my rock, my shelter, my very own. ♪
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  • ♪ blessed redeemer who reigns upon ♪
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  • ♪ the throne. ♪♪
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Announcer: the celebration of jesus's birth each christmas
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  • Marks the moment when god's radiant hope entered our world.
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  • And jesus calls us to share this light with others.
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  • You can help pierce the darkness with the light of god's word
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  • Through the "pathway to victory, light the darkness
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  • Matching challenge."
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  • Since 1996, "pathway to victory" has been boldly sharing the
  • 00:04:00.697 --> 00:04:04.500
  • Gospel of jesus christ and your gift, doubled in impact, will be
  • 00:04:04.500 --> 00:04:08.204
  • Used to proclaim god's truth here in america and around
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  • The world.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: one writer describes the impact of the life of jesus
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  • Christ on the world this way:
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  • "along with two thieves, jesus was executed by the authorities
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  • About 2,000 years ago.
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  • Yet today, from countless paintings, statues, and
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  • Buildings from literature and history, from personality and
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  • Institution, from profanity, popular songs, and entertainment
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  • Media, from confession and controversy, from legend and
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  • Ritual, jesus stands quietly at the center of the contemporary
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  • World as he himself predicted.
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  • He so graced the ugly instrument on which he died that the cross
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  • Has become the most widely exhibited and recognized symbol
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  • On earth."
  • 00:05:09.065 --> 00:05:11.634
  • You know, it's easy for our christian faith to go stale.
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  • It's easy to say the right words, go through the right
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  • Motions, while still having a cold heart toward god.
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  • One thing that causes our christian faith to become
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  • Stagnant is we forget that christianity is not about a set
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  • Of ideas, it's about a real person:
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  • The most important person in all of human history,
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  • The person of jesus christ who came from heaven to earth, not
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  • Only to provide a way for us to escape hell after we died, he
  • 00:05:47.503 --> 00:05:53.576
  • Came to show us a better way of living before we die.
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  • Yet we often forget that.
  • 00:05:58.514 --> 00:06:00.983
  • You know, i have found that there is nothing that
  • 00:06:00.983 --> 00:06:03.419
  • Rejuvenates our christian life any more than getting back in
  • 00:06:03.419 --> 00:06:08.758
  • Touch with the person of jesus christ by carefully observing
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  • His examples of how to live, by studying his words, by mimicking
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  • His actions, attitudes, and affections.
  • 00:06:19.502 --> 00:06:23.072
  • And that is our goal in this new series we're beginning today.
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  • Today, we are launching a verse-by-verse study of the most
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  • Detailed account of the life and ministry of jesus christ.
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  • It's found in the gospel of luke, and we're entitling this
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  • Series "reigniting your spiritual passion for christ."
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  • And we're going to begin looking today at verses 1 through 4 of
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  • Luke chapter 1.
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  • Now, this gospel is not only about a person,
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  • It is also written by a real life person.
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  • We call him luke.
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  • Now, interestingly, he's never identified as the author of this
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  • Book or the sequel to luke, which is the book of acts.
  • 00:07:05.381 --> 00:07:09.919
  • Nevertheless, church history tells us it was luke who wrote
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  • This book.
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  • Luke was a gentile physician.
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  • He was a faithful friend and fellow worker along with the
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  • Apostle paul.
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  • And the bible only mentions luke three times.
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  • First of all, you see on your outline there, and follow along
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  • With us, in colossians 4:14, paul refers to luke as the
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  • Beloved physician.
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  • Then in philemon 24, there's only one chapter so we say
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  • Philemon verse 24, paul refers to luke as "my fellow worker."
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  • We don't know exactly how they got together, but after they
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  • Both were saved they became fellow workers and
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  • Missionaries together.
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  • That's the second mention of luke is found in philemon verse
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  • 24, where he is called the fellow worker with paul.
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  • The final mention of luke in the bible is in 2 timothy 4, verses
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  • 9 through 11.
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  • Paul was in prison awaiting his execution and remember what he
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  • Wrote to timothy, chapter 4 verses 9 to 11, "make every
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  • Effort to come to me soon.
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  • For demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me
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  • And gone to thessalonica.
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  • Crescens has gone to galatia, titus to dalmatia.
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  • Only luke is with me.
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  • Pick up mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me
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  • For service."
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  • Luke was a faithful friend till the very end.
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  • That is luke, the author of this gospel.
  • 00:08:38.541 --> 00:08:42.144
  • Now let's look at the audience for a moment.
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  • Unlike the three other gospels, luke has written to a specific
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  • Individual and we find him named in luke 1 verses 3 and 4.
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  • Look at this, back at luke 1, verses 3 and 4.
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  • "it seemed fitting for me as well, having
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  • Investigated everything carefully from the beginning,
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  • To write it out for you in consecutive order,
  • 00:09:04.033 --> 00:09:07.436
  • Most excellent theophilus; so that you might know the exact
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  • Truth about the things you have been taught."
  • 00:09:12.742 --> 00:09:15.411
  • This gospel was written to a man named theophilus.
  • 00:09:15.411 --> 00:09:18.781
  • Now, theophilus, "theos" means god; "philus," love.
  • 00:09:18.781 --> 00:09:22.585
  • Literally means a "lover of god."
  • 00:09:22.585 --> 00:09:26.489
  • Now some people have supposed, "well, this was just a literary
  • 00:09:26.489 --> 00:09:28.858
  • Device luke used.
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  • He's writing it to anybody who loves god.
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  • It's just a literary device."
  • 00:09:33.229 --> 00:09:35.031
  • No, i think this is a real person and the reason is, notice
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  • The way he refers to theophilus as "most excellent."
  • 00:09:38.234 --> 00:09:42.271
  • This says this is a person of great stature.
  • 00:09:42.271 --> 00:09:46.175
  • In fact, you'll see that luke also uses this phrase to
  • 00:09:46.175 --> 00:09:49.111
  • Describe felix, the roman governor of judea in acts 24,
  • 00:09:49.111 --> 00:09:53.783
  • And his successor, festus, in acts 26.
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  • He's talking about a real person.
  • 00:09:56.752 --> 00:09:59.155
  • Again, it's speculation who theophilus was.
  • 00:09:59.155 --> 00:10:02.224
  • Perhaps he had been luke's master and luke, after he was
  • 00:10:02.224 --> 00:10:07.363
  • Converted, led his former master to faith in christ as well.
  • 00:10:07.363 --> 00:10:11.934
  • Whoever he was, he was a wealthy gentile.
  • 00:10:11.934 --> 00:10:15.171
  • He was a convert to christianity already and luke wrote his
  • 00:10:15.171 --> 00:10:19.642
  • Gospel not to show him how to be saved, but how to live after he
  • 00:10:19.642 --> 00:10:25.681
  • Was saved.
  • 00:10:25.681 --> 00:10:27.049
  • Persecution was beginning to descend upon believers.
  • 00:10:27.049 --> 00:10:29.952
  • Perhaps theophilus was starting to waver in his commitment to
  • 00:10:29.952 --> 00:10:34.156
  • Jesus christ, and so luke is reminding him of what it means
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  • To be a disciple of christ.
  • 00:10:38.094 --> 00:10:39.829
  • As we're gonna see in a minute, this is a pervasive theme
  • 00:10:39.829 --> 00:10:42.465
  • Of luke.
  • 00:10:42.465 --> 00:10:43.833
  • It's not about how to be saved, it's how to live as a disciple
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  • After we are saved.
  • 00:10:46.669 --> 00:10:49.305
  • That is the audience to whom this was written, theophilus.
  • 00:10:49.305 --> 00:10:52.942
  • Now, that leads to a third consideration, and that is,
  • 00:10:52.942 --> 00:10:56.278
  • "what makes this gospel unique?"
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  • I wanna talk about two characteristics of this gospel
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  • Of luke.
  • 00:11:02.818 --> 00:11:04.186
  • First of all, luke is carefully researched.
  • 00:11:04.186 --> 00:11:08.124
  • Now, unlike matthew and john, luke was not an eyewitness to
  • 00:11:08.124 --> 00:11:14.396
  • The events of jesus's life.
  • 00:11:14.396 --> 00:11:16.565
  • But that doesn't mean luke's account is not reliable.
  • 00:11:16.565 --> 00:11:19.702
  • It is very, very reliable.
  • 00:11:19.702 --> 00:11:21.904
  • It is carefully researched.
  • 00:11:21.904 --> 00:11:24.073
  • Look again at luke 1, verses 1 to 4: "inasmuch as many have
  • 00:11:24.073 --> 00:11:29.345
  • Undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among
  • 00:11:29.345 --> 00:11:32.615
  • Us," in other words, there are other gospels out there.
  • 00:11:32.615 --> 00:11:35.417
  • There are already gospels out there.
  • 00:11:35.417 --> 00:11:37.453
  • But he goes on to say, "just as those who from the beginning
  • 00:11:37.453 --> 00:11:41.290
  • Were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them
  • 00:11:41.290 --> 00:11:45.227
  • Down to us, it seemed fitting for me as well, having
  • 00:11:45.227 --> 00:11:49.064
  • Investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to
  • 00:11:49.064 --> 00:11:53.836
  • Write it out for you in consecutive order, o most
  • 00:11:53.836 --> 00:11:56.472
  • Excellent theophilus."
  • 00:11:56.472 --> 00:11:57.840
  • I want you to notice the three sources of luke's information
  • 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:02.178
  • That we're gonna study in this gospel.
  • 00:12:02.178 --> 00:12:04.613
  • First of all, he consulted eyewitnesses.
  • 00:12:04.613 --> 00:12:07.850
  • Notice that in verse 2, he talked to eyewitnesses.
  • 00:12:07.850 --> 00:12:11.320
  • This greek word translated, "eyewitnesses," is the same word
  • 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:15.324
  • From which we get our english word "autopsy."
  • 00:12:15.324 --> 00:12:18.961
  • You know what an autopsy means?
  • 00:12:18.961 --> 00:12:20.429
  • It means to see with one's own eyes.
  • 00:12:20.429 --> 00:12:24.233
  • And so luke interviewed eyewitnesses who saw these
  • 00:12:24.233 --> 00:12:27.670
  • Miraculous things about the life of jesus christ.
  • 00:12:27.670 --> 00:12:30.639
  • Not only that, he consulted servants of the word who have
  • 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:35.010
  • Handed them down to us.
  • 00:12:35.010 --> 00:12:36.412
  • That is, those who had already written down accounts of the
  • 00:12:36.412 --> 00:12:39.815
  • Lord jesus christ's life.
  • 00:12:39.815 --> 00:12:41.750
  • Not only is luke carefully researched, but secondly, it is
  • 00:12:41.750 --> 00:12:45.754
  • Extremely detailed.
  • 00:12:45.754 --> 00:12:48.157
  • It's extremely detailed.
  • 00:12:48.157 --> 00:12:50.192
  • Now, you would expect that from a doctor, wouldn't you?
  • 00:12:50.192 --> 00:12:52.695
  • To go for the minute details.
  • 00:12:52.695 --> 00:12:54.997
  • Let me give you an illustration of how detailed luke's
  • 00:12:54.997 --> 00:12:57.833
  • Gospel is.
  • 00:12:57.833 --> 00:13:00.202
  • Take the appearance of john the baptist.
  • 00:13:00.202 --> 00:13:02.571
  • When john the baptist appeared on the scene.
  • 00:13:02.571 --> 00:13:04.473
  • Now, mark's gospel says it this way:
  • 00:13:04.473 --> 00:13:06.842
  • Quote, "john the baptist appeared in the
  • 00:13:06.842 --> 00:13:09.745
  • Wilderness," period.
  • 00:13:09.745 --> 00:13:12.648
  • That's a pretty quick and to the point account, isn't it?
  • 00:13:12.648 --> 00:13:15.317
  • John the baptist appeared in the wilderness.
  • 00:13:15.317 --> 00:13:17.820
  • Now look how luke describes it
  • 00:13:17.820 --> 00:13:19.622
  • In luke 3, verses 1 to 2: "now in the fifteenth year of the
  • 00:13:19.622 --> 00:13:24.226
  • Reign of tiberius caesar, when pontius pilate was governor of
  • 00:13:24.226 --> 00:13:27.963
  • Judea, and herod was tetrarch of galilee, and his brother philip
  • 00:13:27.963 --> 00:13:31.934
  • Was tetrarch of the region of ituraea and trachonitis, and
  • 00:13:31.934 --> 00:13:34.803
  • Lysanias was tetrarch of abilene,
  • 00:13:34.803 --> 00:13:37.473
  • In the high priesthood of annas and caiaphas, the word of god
  • 00:13:37.473 --> 00:13:41.677
  • Came to john, the son of zacharias, in the wilderness."
  • 00:13:41.677 --> 00:13:46.215
  • Now, that's detail, isn't it?
  • 00:13:46.215 --> 00:13:49.051
  • You know, that kind of detail ought to give every one of us
  • 00:13:49.051 --> 00:13:52.721
  • Great confidence in the trustworthiness of the bible.
  • 00:13:52.721 --> 00:13:57.393
  • As one writer said, "christianity is a religion that
  • 00:13:57.393 --> 00:14:01.563
  • Is built upon facts."
  • 00:14:01.563 --> 00:14:05.367
  • That's why the apostle peter, in his final years, wrote these
  • 00:14:05.367 --> 00:14:08.938
  • Words in 2 peter 1:16: "for we did not follow cleverly devised
  • 00:14:08.938 --> 00:14:14.643
  • Tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our lord
  • 00:14:14.643 --> 00:14:19.214
  • Jesus christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty."
  • 00:14:19.214 --> 00:14:26.155
  • And that leads to a fourth consideration, the purpose in
  • 00:14:26.155 --> 00:14:29.358
  • The writing of luke's gospel.
  • 00:14:29.358 --> 00:14:31.460
  • Just imagine for a moment, dr. luke was going to submit his
  • 00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:34.530
  • Account of jesus's life for publication.
  • 00:14:34.530 --> 00:14:37.766
  • The publisher would probably wanna know, "well, luke, we've
  • 00:14:37.766 --> 00:14:40.202
  • Got matthew, we've got mark, we've got john, why do we need
  • 00:14:40.202 --> 00:14:44.707
  • Another account of the life of jesus christ?"
  • 00:14:44.707 --> 00:14:47.276
  • In fact, in luke 1:1, luke himself confesses, "there are
  • 00:14:47.276 --> 00:14:50.012
  • Many other accounts out there."
  • 00:14:50.012 --> 00:14:52.081
  • Well, here's what makes luke's gospel unique.
  • 00:14:52.081 --> 00:14:54.583
  • You know, matthew was one of the disciples and he wrote from a
  • 00:14:54.583 --> 00:14:59.021
  • Jewish perspective.
  • 00:14:59.021 --> 00:15:00.656
  • In fact, that's why you find more old testament quotations in
  • 00:15:00.656 --> 00:15:03.292
  • Matthew than any other gospel.
  • 00:15:03.292 --> 00:15:04.727
  • He was writing to the jews to say jesus really is the
  • 00:15:04.727 --> 00:15:07.896
  • Fulfillment of all of the messianic promises.
  • 00:15:07.896 --> 00:15:11.133
  • You look at mark's gospel, it's completely different in the
  • 00:15:11.133 --> 00:15:14.036
  • Sense that it's written very quickly.
  • 00:15:14.036 --> 00:15:16.071
  • It reads more like a newspaper than it does a book.
  • 00:15:16.071 --> 00:15:19.808
  • Then you look at john's gospel, it's not synoptic.
  • 00:15:19.808 --> 00:15:24.046
  • It doesn't take a chronological view of the life of
  • 00:15:24.046 --> 00:15:28.784
  • Jesus christ.
  • 00:15:28.784 --> 00:15:30.152
  • John's gospel is theological.
  • 00:15:30.152 --> 00:15:31.987
  • It's built around seven miracles of jesus to show that jesus was
  • 00:15:31.987 --> 00:15:36.692
  • In fact the son of god.
  • 00:15:36.692 --> 00:15:38.694
  • But luke is different because luke is the most detailed
  • 00:15:38.694 --> 00:15:42.865
  • Account of all of the gospels.
  • 00:15:42.865 --> 00:15:44.800
  • It contains information about jesus's life, his teachings, his
  • 00:15:44.800 --> 00:15:48.404
  • Ministry, that none of the other gospels include.
  • 00:15:48.404 --> 00:15:51.774
  • And you find three unique themes in the gospel of luke.
  • 00:15:51.774 --> 00:15:56.011
  • Write them down.
  • 00:15:56.011 --> 00:15:57.679
  • The first emphasis in luke is on the humanity of jesus christ,
  • 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:02.451
  • The humanity of jesus.
  • 00:16:02.451 --> 00:16:04.353
  • Now, again, matthew has, as his theme, the messiahship of jesus.
  • 00:16:04.353 --> 00:16:10.025
  • Jesus was the long-awaited messiah.
  • 00:16:10.025 --> 00:16:12.461
  • Mark's emphasis is on the servanthood of jesus christ.
  • 00:16:12.461 --> 00:16:18.033
  • John's emphasis is on the deity of jesus christ.
  • 00:16:18.033 --> 00:16:22.704
  • But luke talks about the humanity of jesus christ.
  • 00:16:22.704 --> 00:16:28.043
  • Let me show you how luke emphasizes the humanity
  • 00:16:28.043 --> 00:16:31.080
  • Of christ.
  • 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:32.414
  • We see it in the opening account of jesus's birth.
  • 00:16:32.414 --> 00:16:34.483
  • Luke gives us the most detailed account of the birth of
  • 00:16:34.483 --> 00:16:38.153
  • Jesus christ.
  • 00:16:38.153 --> 00:16:39.521
  • Wouldn't you expect that from a doctor?
  • 00:16:39.521 --> 00:16:40.989
  • They wanna know how this baby got here.
  • 00:16:40.989 --> 00:16:42.825
  • That's why he has such a detailed account of the birth
  • 00:16:42.825 --> 00:16:45.594
  • Of jesus.
  • 00:16:45.594 --> 00:16:46.929
  • He also gives us an account of jesus--not just spiritual, but
  • 00:16:46.929 --> 00:16:49.665
  • His moral and emo--his personal and physical and
  • 00:16:49.665 --> 00:16:53.602
  • Emotional development.
  • 00:16:53.602 --> 00:16:55.137
  • In luke 2:52, we find this word, "and jesus kept increasing
  • 00:16:55.137 --> 00:16:59.475
  • In wisdom and stature, and in favor with god and men."
  • 00:16:59.475 --> 00:17:05.447
  • It's also only in this gospel that we find the story of his
  • 00:17:05.447 --> 00:17:10.085
  • Dedication in the temple and his experience as a 12 year old when
  • 00:17:10.085 --> 00:17:13.755
  • He amazed the teachers of the temple in luke chapter 2, and
  • 00:17:13.755 --> 00:17:17.759
  • It's luke the doctor who gives us the most detailed description
  • 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:23.098
  • Of the physical suffering jesus experienced on the cross.
  • 00:17:23.098 --> 00:17:27.136
  • You don't find a more detailed explanation of the crucifixion
  • 00:17:27.136 --> 00:17:31.373
  • Than you find in luke 23.
  • 00:17:31.373 --> 00:17:33.175
  • As you read that, you can almost hear the clanging of the hammer
  • 00:17:33.175 --> 00:17:37.246
  • As it drove those spikes into jesus's arms and his feet.
  • 00:17:37.246 --> 00:17:42.084
  • That's what you find in luke: the humanity of christ.
  • 00:17:42.084 --> 00:17:47.055
  • A second theme in the gospel of luke is the program of god.
  • 00:17:47.055 --> 00:17:51.760
  • As you read through jesus's life, you realize he was a man
  • 00:17:51.760 --> 00:17:54.863
  • On a mission.
  • 00:17:54.863 --> 00:17:56.198
  • Nothing happened by circumstance in his life.
  • 00:17:56.198 --> 00:17:59.201
  • It was all a part of the plan.
  • 00:17:59.201 --> 00:18:01.170
  • In luke 19:10, jesus said about himself, "for the son of man has
  • 00:18:01.170 --> 00:18:05.207
  • Come to seek and to save that which was lost."
  • 00:18:05.207 --> 00:18:09.845
  • Jesus's death wasn't some horrible, accidental, terrible
  • 00:18:09.845 --> 00:18:13.282
  • Thing that happened.
  • 00:18:13.282 --> 00:18:14.616
  • Jesus's death wasn't the result of a bunch of bad men ending
  • 00:18:14.616 --> 00:18:19.288
  • Jesus's life prematurely.
  • 00:18:19.288 --> 00:18:20.956
  • No, this was all part of god's plan.
  • 00:18:20.956 --> 00:18:23.992
  • Now, remember i said this was written to gentiles?
  • 00:18:23.992 --> 00:18:26.428
  • That's one reason i like luke, because it's written to people
  • 00:18:26.428 --> 00:18:28.697
  • Like you and me, non-jews.
  • 00:18:28.697 --> 00:18:30.666
  • Somebody said, "luke is the gospel of the underdog."
  • 00:18:30.666 --> 00:18:35.204
  • That's what you find in luke's gospel, the program of god.
  • 00:18:35.204 --> 00:18:40.943
  • And the third thing that you find in this gospel is the
  • 00:18:40.943 --> 00:18:44.213
  • Perseverance of christians, the perseverance of christians.
  • 00:18:44.213 --> 00:18:47.816
  • Again, luke is not about how to be saved, it's about how to live
  • 00:18:47.816 --> 00:18:51.687
  • After we are saved.
  • 00:18:51.687 --> 00:18:54.389
  • Over and over again, in luke, jesus said, "a true disciple is
  • 00:18:54.389 --> 00:18:58.060
  • Not somebody who intellectually believes the right things about
  • 00:18:58.060 --> 00:19:01.196
  • Me, it is someone who follows me, who imitates my life."
  • 00:19:01.196 --> 00:19:07.202
  • And that brings me to the last consideration today.
  • 00:19:07.202 --> 00:19:10.505
  • Why are we studying the gospel of luke?
  • 00:19:10.505 --> 00:19:12.941
  • Why luke, why now, in our church?
  • 00:19:12.941 --> 00:19:16.612
  • You know, just as, hopefully, you go to the doctor for a
  • 00:19:16.612 --> 00:19:20.249
  • Physical checkup to know how your body is doing, every now
  • 00:19:20.249 --> 00:19:24.386
  • And then we need to take time to do a spiritual checkup to see
  • 00:19:24.386 --> 00:19:28.724
  • How our spiritual life is.
  • 00:19:28.724 --> 00:19:32.261
  • If dr. luke were to place his stethoscope against your heart,
  • 00:19:32.261 --> 00:19:37.599
  • Your spiritual life, the real you, what would he discover
  • 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:42.471
  • About the condition of your relationship with god?
  • 00:19:42.471 --> 00:19:46.742
  • In fact, what standard would he use to know whether you're close
  • 00:19:46.742 --> 00:19:50.012
  • To god or far away from god?
  • 00:19:50.012 --> 00:19:53.081
  • Well, the standard to measure your spiritual health is
  • 00:19:53.081 --> 00:19:55.550
  • Actually found in the passage we just read a few moments ago in
  • 00:19:55.550 --> 00:19:59.254
  • Ephesians chapter 4, verses 13 and 15.
  • 00:19:59.254 --> 00:20:03.725
  • "until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the
  • 00:20:03.725 --> 00:20:06.962
  • Knowledge of the son of god, to a mature man, to the measure of
  • 00:20:06.962 --> 00:20:13.602
  • The stature which belongs to the fullness of christ, but speaking
  • 00:20:13.602 --> 00:20:19.274
  • The truth in love, we're to grow up in all aspects into him, who
  • 00:20:19.274 --> 00:20:22.811
  • Is the head, even christ."
  • 00:20:22.811 --> 00:20:24.346
  • You know, the standard by which god uses to measure the
  • 00:20:24.346 --> 00:20:27.516
  • Condition of your spiritual life?
  • 00:20:27.516 --> 00:20:28.984
  • The standard is jesus christ himself.
  • 00:20:28.984 --> 00:20:32.421
  • How closely do you resemble jesus?
  • 00:20:32.421 --> 00:20:35.290
  • Someone said it this way,
  • 00:20:35.290 --> 00:20:37.826
  • Here's what it means to be a disciple, "to be a disciple
  • 00:20:37.826 --> 00:20:41.563
  • Means for me to live my life as jesus would live my life if he
  • 00:20:41.563 --> 00:20:50.005
  • Were i."
  • 00:20:50.005 --> 00:20:51.807
  • This idea of being a disciple is not optional.
  • 00:20:51.807 --> 00:20:56.978
  • I want to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, the greatest heresy
  • 00:20:56.978 --> 00:21:01.149
  • That has entered the church of jesus christ today.
  • 00:21:01.149 --> 00:21:04.252
  • It's the heresy that you can become a christian, know that
  • 00:21:04.252 --> 00:21:08.123
  • You're gonna go to heaven when you die, and yet not have one
  • 00:21:08.123 --> 00:21:11.893
  • Single change in your life as a result of that.
  • 00:21:11.893 --> 00:21:15.397
  • That is heresy.
  • 00:21:15.397 --> 00:21:17.766
  • That is absolutely wrong.
  • 00:21:17.766 --> 00:21:20.135
  • That is what james calls a dead, non-existent faith.
  • 00:21:20.135 --> 00:21:25.006
  • No wonder the church is so weak and anemic today.
  • 00:21:25.006 --> 00:21:28.710
  • It's not in spite of what we're teaching, it's because of what
  • 00:21:28.710 --> 00:21:31.613
  • We're teaching.
  • 00:21:31.613 --> 00:21:32.981
  • No wonder the rate of adultery and divorce is exactly the same
  • 00:21:32.981 --> 00:21:37.219
  • Among christians as it is among non-christians.
  • 00:21:37.219 --> 00:21:40.789
  • Why is it?
  • 00:21:40.789 --> 00:21:42.124
  • We are teaching this heresy that salvation is essential,
  • 00:21:42.124 --> 00:21:47.095
  • Discipleship is optional.
  • 00:21:47.095 --> 00:21:50.399
  • No, no, no, no.
  • 00:21:50.399 --> 00:21:53.368
  • Again, james says "where there is no fruit, there is no faith."
  • 00:21:53.368 --> 00:22:00.642
  • Faith without works is a dead, non-existent faith.
  • 00:22:00.642 --> 00:22:05.380
  • Or as jesus said, "why do you call me lord if you do not do
  • 00:22:05.380 --> 00:22:10.852
  • What i do?"
  • 00:22:10.852 --> 00:22:12.954
  • 1 john chapter 2, verse 6, john describes what it means to be
  • 00:22:12.954 --> 00:22:18.560
  • A christian.
  • 00:22:18.560 --> 00:22:19.928
  • He says, "whoever claims to live in god must walk as jesus did."
  • 00:22:19.928 --> 00:22:29.971
  • Discipleship is not optional, it is essential.
  • 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:35.744
  • Well, how do you pull that off?
  • 00:22:35.744 --> 00:22:38.713
  • How do you walk as jesus did?
  • 00:22:38.713 --> 00:22:42.150
  • How do you live every day in submission to god's will?
  • 00:22:42.150 --> 00:22:47.222
  • How do you adopt god's priorities as your priorities?
  • 00:22:47.222 --> 00:22:51.960
  • How do you keep yourself from being entangled in material
  • 00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:55.497
  • Wealth and possessions?
  • 00:22:55.497 --> 00:22:58.066
  • How do you live with a peace of mind regardless of what is
  • 00:22:58.066 --> 00:23:01.269
  • Happening around you?
  • 00:23:01.269 --> 00:23:04.506
  • The best way to pull that off is to look and examine carefully
  • 00:23:04.506 --> 00:23:09.544
  • The only person who has pulled that off.
  • 00:23:09.544 --> 00:23:11.680
  • His name is jesus christ.
  • 00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:14.449
  • And over the weeks and months ahead, we're going to do that.
  • 00:23:14.449 --> 00:23:17.085
  • We're going to carefully examine jesus's attitudes, his
  • 00:23:17.085 --> 00:23:21.323
  • Affections, his actions, so that we can walk as jesus walked.
  • 00:23:21.323 --> 00:23:27.496
  • And in doing so, i believe god is going to reignite your
  • 00:23:27.496 --> 00:23:32.601
  • Passion for christ.
  • 00:23:32.601 --> 00:23:35.837
  • Jeffress: we're just getting started in this fascinating
  • 00:23:40.008 --> 00:23:42.644
  • Study from the gospel of luke, and i hope you'll join us for
  • 00:23:42.644 --> 00:23:45.947
  • Each message in this teaching series as we rekindle our
  • 00:23:45.947 --> 00:23:49.751
  • Passion for christ during this christmas season.
  • 00:23:49.751 --> 00:23:53.288
  • Now, just before we close today's program, i wanna tell
  • 00:23:53.288 --> 00:23:56.658
  • You about the exciting matching challenge that's beginning
  • 00:23:56.658 --> 00:24:00.395
  • This week.
  • 00:24:00.395 --> 00:24:01.763
  • The theme is "light the darkness," and from now through
  • 00:24:01.763 --> 00:24:05.100
  • December 31, every dollar you give the "pathway to victory"
  • 00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:09.237
  • Will be automatically matched, and therefore doubled in
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  • Its impact.
  • 00:24:12.474 --> 00:24:13.808
  • That means your gift of $100 becomes $200.
  • 00:24:13.808 --> 00:24:17.712
  • A $500 gift becomes $1,000, a $5,000 gift becomes $10,000.
  • 00:24:17.712 --> 00:24:25.387
  • I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity, because i know
  • 00:24:25.387 --> 00:24:29.524
  • God will use your generosity to shine his light in the darkest
  • 00:24:29.524 --> 00:24:34.229
  • Corners of the world.
  • 00:24:34.229 --> 00:24:35.764
  • Thank you for supporting the ministry of "pathway to victory"
  • 00:24:35.764 --> 00:24:39.167
  • So that others can see and embrace the true light of the
  • 00:24:39.167 --> 00:24:43.038
  • World, jesus our savior.
  • 00:24:43.038 --> 00:24:46.007
  • Now stay right there, i'll be back with more in just a moment.
  • 00:24:46.007 --> 00:24:50.545
  • Announcer: the one thing god wants more than anything else in
  • 00:24:52.213 --> 00:24:54.849
  • This world is time with you.
  • 00:24:54.849 --> 00:24:57.419
  • Make god your priority by spending quality time in his
  • 00:24:57.419 --> 00:25:00.555
  • Word with the brand new 2025 "pathway to victory"
  • 00:25:00.555 --> 00:25:03.925
  • Daily devotional.
  • 00:25:03.925 --> 00:25:05.260
  • This year's devotional has a beautiful navy blue leather
  • 00:25:05.260 --> 00:25:07.796
  • Cover with inlaid brown and gold foil accents.
  • 00:25:07.796 --> 00:25:10.465
  • And now with larger print, the 260 practical insights from
  • 00:25:10.465 --> 00:25:14.436
  • Dr. robert jeffress are easier to read.
  • 00:25:14.436 --> 00:25:16.571
  • This stunning 532 page devotional makes an ideal
  • 00:25:16.571 --> 00:25:20.008
  • Christmas gift for loved ones who want to grow in their
  • 00:25:20.008 --> 00:25:22.444
  • Faith too.
  • 00:25:22.444 --> 00:25:23.778
  • Jeffress: of all the ways god could have revealed himself to
  • 00:25:23.778 --> 00:25:26.314
  • Us, he chose to do it through the written word.
  • 00:25:26.314 --> 00:25:29.851
  • And that's why it's so important for you and for me to set aside
  • 00:25:29.851 --> 00:25:33.021
  • Regular time to read the word of god.
  • 00:25:33.021 --> 00:25:36.691
  • Announcer: every season carries an uplifting theme.
  • 00:25:36.691 --> 00:25:39.594
  • Begin the new year by exploring god's will for your life.
  • 00:25:39.594 --> 00:25:44.132
  • In spring and summer, grow stronger in christ with insights
  • 00:25:44.132 --> 00:25:47.068
  • From colossians, and in the fall and winter, embrace the father
  • 00:25:47.068 --> 00:25:50.905
  • Who loves you with inspirational readings based on the parable of
  • 00:25:50.905 --> 00:25:54.342
  • The prodigal son.
  • 00:25:54.342 --> 00:25:56.177
  • When the day to day problems of life feel overwhelming, take a
  • 00:25:56.177 --> 00:25:59.581
  • Moment to anchor yourself in the calming truth of god's word with
  • 00:25:59.581 --> 00:26:03.051
  • The brand new 2025 "pathway to victory" daily devotional.
  • 00:26:03.051 --> 00:26:07.255
  • Your gift of support not only provides you with this
  • 00:26:07.255 --> 00:26:10.025
  • Life-giving resource, it empowers us to spread the
  • 00:26:10.025 --> 00:26:13.061
  • Hope-filled message of jesus christ, as well.
  • 00:26:13.061 --> 00:26:15.864
  • Thank you for supporting the ministry of "pathway
  • 00:26:15.864 --> 00:26:18.800
  • To victory."
  • 00:26:18.800 --> 00:26:23.938
  • Jeffress: as we see from these three unique themes, the gospel
  • 00:26:24.005 --> 00:26:27.876
  • Of luke is truly like none other and i encourage you to join us
  • 00:26:27.876 --> 00:26:31.846
  • For the remainder of this year as we study this remarkable
  • 00:26:31.846 --> 00:26:35.483
  • Book, because nothing will rejuvenate your christian faith
  • 00:26:35.483 --> 00:26:39.087
  • Any more than getting back in touch with jesus christ.
  • 00:26:39.087 --> 00:26:43.658
  • Well, when it comes to christmas, most people think
  • 00:26:43.658 --> 00:26:46.561
  • About mary, joseph, and the baby jesus laying in a manger, but
  • 00:26:46.561 --> 00:26:51.666
  • They often forget about the other child who was born around
  • 00:26:51.666 --> 00:26:55.303
  • The same time.
  • 00:26:55.303 --> 00:26:56.671
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:26:56.671 --> 00:26:59.841
  • Series "reigniting your passion for christ."
  • 00:26:59.841 --> 00:27:05.013
  • Jeffress: usually, god--have you found this out?
  • 00:27:05.013 --> 00:27:06.915
  • God usually waits until the very last moment, when our backs are
  • 00:27:06.915 --> 00:27:10.885
  • Up against the wall, to intervene on our behalf.
  • 00:27:10.885 --> 00:27:13.788
  • Because when he does, then there's no doubt who really
  • 00:27:13.788 --> 00:27:17.325
  • Performed the miracle.
  • 00:27:17.325 --> 00:27:19.494
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the message
  • 00:27:19.561 --> 00:27:22.731
  • "touched by an angel," here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:27:22.731 --> 00:27:22.731