Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Unstoppable Power

June 2, 2025 | S25:E262

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Unstoppable Power | June 2, 2025

♪ music ♪
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[announcer] from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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With dr. robert jeffress.
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Hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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After christ ascended into heaven, the apostles were faced
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With a seemingly impossible task, to take the gospel
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Of jesus christ to the ends of the earth.
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And in the book of acts, we discover
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How the first christians overcame the hostility
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And opposition that stood in their way.
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Today i'm going to provide historical context
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For their story as we begin a brand-new study together.
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My message is titled "unstoppable power"
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On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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[announcer] jesus declared, "you are the salt of the earth
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And the light of the world."
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With so much darkness creeping into our schools
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And communities, now is the time to answer that calling.
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Become the salt and light the world desperately needs
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Through the pathway to victory
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Salt & light matching challenge.
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Your gift today doubled in ministry impact
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Will empower pathway to victory to proclaim the gospel
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And stand for biblical truth.
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Push back and hold strong against moral decline
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By joining the salt & light matching challenge.
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♪ music ♪
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Unstoppable.
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That's a word that reminds me of a movie
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That came out a few years ago, "the darkest hour,"
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That chronicled winston churchill's first month in office
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As the prime minister of england.
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Churchill was facing opposition from every direction.
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The nazis were sweeping across europe
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Threatening to dominate the world.
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The nazis had succeeded in cornering the british army
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On the island or the beaches of dunkirk, france.
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And you'll remember that in spite of that opposition,
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Winston churchill developed the ingenious plan
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Known as operation dynamo in which he rescued
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Those cornered british forces.
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It was a resounding success.
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A few days later, churchill addressed the house of commons,
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Not only celebrating the victory they had just experienced,
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But predicting that more battles would come
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In the days and years ahead.
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And in those immortal words, churchill said,
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"we shall not flag or fail.
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We shall go on to the end.
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We shall fight in france.
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We shall fight on the seas and on the oceans.
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We shall fight with growing confidence
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And growing strength in the air.
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We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.
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We shall fight on the beaches.
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We shall fight on the landing grounds.
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We shall fight in the fields and in the streets.
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We shall fight in the hills.
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We shall never surrender."
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That is exactly the same spirit
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That is behind the last word in the last chapter
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Of the book of acts.
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Acts 28:30, the writer says,
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"and paul stayed two full years in his own rented quarters
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And was welcoming all who came to him,
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Preaching the kingdom of god and teaching
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Concerning the lord jesus christ
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With all openness, unhindered."
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That word translated unhindered, akolutos,
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Is only used here, only place in the greek new testament.
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It's a word that means without restraint.
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Some translations say and translate it, unstoppable.
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Paul and the early church continued to preach the gospel.
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They were unstoppable.
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Why?
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Because they faced no opposition?
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Is everything calm now, or are they sailing
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On smooth oceans?
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No, not at all.
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In the book of acts, you see the increasing opposition
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That the church faced, and yet that opposition
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Was no match for the power of jesus christ,
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The power that jesus had alluded to when he said,
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"upon this rock i shall build my church,
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And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
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That is the story of the book of acts
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About how the church of jesus christ was birthed
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And then began to grow explosively
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In spite of the hellacious hostility they faced
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As christians in the first century.
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And in many ways the story of acts, the story
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Of the first century church, is the story
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Of our church in the 21st century.
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It's similar in two ways.
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First of all, we face the same kind of growing opposition
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In the 21st century
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As those first century christians experienced.
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We're going to see in the days ahead
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That in the first century
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The persecution didn't come all at once.
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It intensified.
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It grew incrementally
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Until christians were thrown into prison and beheaded,
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And that is going to be our study in the book of acts.
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The same holy spirit
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Who empowered those first century christians
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Empowers us today, and that's why individually
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And together we have nothing to fear.
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Now, whenever i begin a study of a book of a bible,
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I always begin with an overview.
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Getting an overview sometimes helps you understand
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What you're going to be studying in the weeks ahead.
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I was looking at a picture just recently
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Of me when i was seven years old.
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It was a picture taken with my mom
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And dad on the observation deck of empire state building,
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Which at that time was the tallest building in the world.
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You remember king kong climbed up it.
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The empire state building,
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And i'll never forget that day, it was my first trip
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To new york city, and my dad on that observation deck
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Pointed out how the city was laid out.
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He pointed up to the north, so that's uptown.
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And then he pointed to downtown, and we were in midtown,
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And then he pointed over to the east river,
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Which was on the east,
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And then the hudson river on the west.
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And he gave me an overview of the city.
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Interestingly, within about five years, when i was 12 or 13,
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Whenever our family would go back to new york,
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I was the family navigator.
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I was in charge of getting us around the city
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Because i understood it.
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I remembered that overview i was given that made it easier
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To navigate the different streets on the ground level.
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Well, it's the same way
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With an overview of the book of acts.
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When we look at the book of acts,
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Get the big picture like we're going to do
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For the few minutes we have today,
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It helps us navigate the individual chapters and verses.
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So first of all, let's start out with the title
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Of the book itself.
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You say, "well, that's pretty easy.
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It's called acts."
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Remember, none of the titles
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Of the bible books were given by god.
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They were added later on.
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Different people gave their opinion of the right title.
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Some bibles say the acts of the apostles.
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Well, that's okay.
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The only problem is there's really only a couple
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Of apostles mentioned in the book
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And a couple of their acts, so that doesn't seem complete.
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Other people say, "well, it's the acts
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Of the holy spirit," and it's true.
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The holy spirit is central in the book of acts.
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The holy spirit may be not central in a lot of churches.
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You don't hear the holy spirit talked about a lot today,
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But he's real and he is central in the book of acts,
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And we see many of his miraculous works,
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But interestingly, rarely does the holy spirit
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Work by himself.
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He works through people.
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You know, if i see a boiling pot of water i want to pick up
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And i have a glove over there, i can say
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All i want to to that glove,
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"pick up the pot," it won't do it.
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I have to put my hand inside the glove.
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If you ask who's picking up the pot,
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Is it the glove or your hand?
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Well, it's both.
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It's my hand in the glove.
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It's the same way with how god works through us.
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God could do anything he wants to,
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But he has chosen to empower us to do his work.
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It is god in us.
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And so i think the best title for this book is the acts
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Of the holy spirit through god's people.
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You hear more and more people say, "well, people,
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Christians today don't want to be preached to."
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They don't want a lecture.
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They don't want a sermon.
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They don't want to be preached to.
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They want to dialogue and they want to share with one another
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And be a part of one another's lives.
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They don't want to sit down and listen to a sermon.
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Now, there's a place for sharing
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And interacting with other believers.
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We shouldn't spend all of our time in a pew
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Looking at the back of each other's heads.
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That's not the only thing we do.
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When you find what the early church did
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In acts 2:42, it says,
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"and they gave themselves to the apostles' teaching,
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Doctrine, to the breaking of bread, the lord's supper,
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To fellowship, and to prayer."
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I love the definition of fellowship.
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Two fellows in the same ship.
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The idea is, people who are sharing similar experiences,
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They encourage one another, they rebuke one another,
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They become a part of one another's lives.
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That's an important function of the church,
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But it is no substitute from the proclamation
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Of god's word.
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That's the way the early church grew numerically
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And spiritually, was by god-ordained men
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Presenting the gospel of jesus christ in the church, and men
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And women in other settings presenting the gospel
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And the teachings of god's word.
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1 corinthians 1:21 says, "it was through the foolishness
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Of preaching that people were saved."
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And you see that throughout the book of acts.
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Now, let's say a word about the author of the book.
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You say again, "well, it's luke."
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Well, it never mentions luke in the book itself,
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So how do we know luke actually wrote the book of acts?
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Well, in acts 1:1, notice this.
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It says, "the first account i composed, theophilus,
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About all that jesus began to do."
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Whoever wrote this said,
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"you remember in my first book, theophilus."
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Now, theophilus was the name of a man.
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The word theos, god, philus, love.
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His name meant lover of god.
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Apparently, the person this writer is writing to
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Was a gentile who nevertheless loved the god of israel
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And was interested in knowing more about him,
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How to have a relationship with him.
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And so the first account that was written
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Was the gospel of luke.
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How do i know that?
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When i turn to luke 1:3-4, the writer says,
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"it seemed fitting for me as well,
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Having investigated everything carefully from the beginning,
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To write it out for you in consecutive order,
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Most excellent theophilus."
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There's that name again.
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So luke, the gospel, and acts are tied together.
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Acts is a continuation of luke.
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Luke is about the founder
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Of the christian faith, jesus christ, and his work.
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Acts is about the founding
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Of the church of jesus christ that included jews
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And gentiles alike.
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One other way we know this was probably luke,
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And tradition says it was luke,
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Is what people call the shift
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From the they passages to the we passages.
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For example, in acts 16, we have a record
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Of paul's second missionary journey,
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When he got stuck at troas, wanted to go on into bithynia,
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But he was prevented by the spirit of jesus from doing so.
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And notice in acts 16 verses six and eight,
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It says, "they," underline they, "passed through the frigean
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And galatian region and came down to troas."
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And then in verse 10 of acts 16:10 it says,
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"and when paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought
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To go into macedonia, concluding that god had called us,
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He called us, not them, but us to preach the gospel."
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Apparently this is where the author of acts actually joined
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And became a part of the story himself.
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And this was luke joining paul
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And his companions to finish the second missionary journey.
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Let me say a word about the date.
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Again you may wonder, who cares about the date of this book?
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You'll see why it's important in just a moment.
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This book occurs over a 30-year period of time.
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It starts with the ascension of jesus,
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As we'll see next week, and it ends probably in 62 ad
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When paul was under house arrest in rome,
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Free to preach the gospel, but he was under house arrest,
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Wondering what nero would say and dispose of his case.
00:13:20.122 --> 00:13:24.093
And so there's about a 30-year period of time
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Between 32, 33 ad and 62 ad.
00:13:28.530 --> 00:13:32.167
The fact that nero,
00:13:32.167 --> 00:13:34.103
The evil roman emperor, began his worldwide persecution
00:13:34.103 --> 00:13:37.640
Of christians in 64 means it was written before that
00:13:37.640 --> 00:13:40.910
Because acts doesn't mention that worldwide persecution
00:13:40.910 --> 00:13:44.113
Or the destruction of the jerusalem temple in 70 ad.
00:13:44.113 --> 00:13:47.816
Now you say, "pastor, again, why is that important?"
00:13:47.816 --> 00:13:50.819
This is so important.
00:13:50.819 --> 00:13:52.554
Throughout the book, luke,
00:13:52.554 --> 00:13:55.090
Who is a great historian as well as a doctor,
00:13:55.090 --> 00:13:58.560
He's very careful to mention people
00:13:58.560 --> 00:14:01.063
And places, events and places that correspond
00:14:01.063 --> 00:14:06.302
To known history and geography.
00:14:06.936 --> 00:14:09.638
You find that in his gospel account and in acts.
00:14:09.638 --> 00:14:12.341
He's very meticulous about precision.
00:14:12.341 --> 00:14:15.477
For example, in acts chapter 12, he records the death
00:14:15.477 --> 00:14:19.982
Of king herod agrippa.
00:14:19.982 --> 00:14:21.984
Some people started shouting at herod agrippa,
00:14:22.952 --> 00:14:25.354
Claiming that he was a god not a man.
00:14:25.354 --> 00:14:28.457
And luke says, because herod didn't correct them
00:14:28.457 --> 00:14:31.460
And give the glory to god, acts 12:23,
00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:34.863
"an angel of the lord struck herod
00:14:34.863 --> 00:14:37.566
Because he did not give god the glory,
00:14:37.566 --> 00:14:39.768
And he was eaten by worms and he died."
00:14:39.768 --> 00:14:45.274
Anytime somebody says something good
00:14:46.075 --> 00:14:47.910
About the first baptist church of dallas
00:14:47.910 --> 00:14:50.346
And good things that are happening here, i'm very quick
00:14:50.346 --> 00:14:53.649
To point people to god.
00:14:53.649 --> 00:14:56.185
First of all, i'm scared to death
00:14:56.185 --> 00:14:57.419
About being eaten alive by worms.
00:14:57.419 --> 00:14:59.822
But secondly and equally more so
00:14:59.822 --> 00:15:03.125
Because it's true, any good
00:15:03.125 --> 00:15:05.194
And great thing that happens to you and me
00:15:05.194 --> 00:15:07.229
Is all because of the power and goodness of god.
00:15:07.229 --> 00:15:11.266
And that's what herod didn't understand.
00:15:11.266 --> 00:15:14.103
Now, that took place in 44 ad
00:15:14.103 --> 00:15:17.373
And it corresponds to what we know in secular history.
00:15:17.373 --> 00:15:20.175
The historian josephus wrote,
00:15:20.175 --> 00:15:23.312
"herod's flatterers cried out one from one place
00:15:23.312 --> 00:15:26.815
And another from another that he was god.
00:15:26.815 --> 00:15:29.051
Upon this the king did neither rebuke them
00:15:29.051 --> 00:15:31.253
Nor reject their impious flattery.
00:15:31.253 --> 00:15:33.589
A severe pain rose in his belly
00:15:33.589 --> 00:15:36.058
And began in the most violent manner."
00:15:36.058 --> 00:15:38.360
And josephus goes on to say that agrippa suffered
00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:41.163
For five days with severe abdominal pain
00:15:41.163 --> 00:15:45.534
Until he died.
00:15:45.534 --> 00:15:47.002
Now, what's interesting, i said luke was a historian.
00:15:47.002 --> 00:15:51.006
There's a man named sir william ramsay.
00:15:51.874 --> 00:15:53.509
He lived from 1851 to 1939.
00:15:53.509 --> 00:15:56.545
He was one of the world's
00:15:56.545 --> 00:15:58.414
Foremost historians and archeologists.
00:15:58.414 --> 00:16:00.749
He was also an unbeliever.
00:16:00.749 --> 00:16:02.718
He'd spent several years detailing
00:16:02.718 --> 00:16:05.220
All the historical errors in the bible.
00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:09.191
He discovered that luke was absolutely right.
00:16:10.125 --> 00:16:14.029
In fact, what he discovered led him to become a christian
00:16:14.029 --> 00:16:18.233
And he wrote a book entitled "luke, the beloved physician."
00:16:18.233 --> 00:16:21.937
And in that volume he said luke
00:16:21.937 --> 00:16:24.106
Was a trustworthy writer of history.
00:16:24.106 --> 00:16:27.342
He was a trustworthy,
00:16:27.342 --> 00:16:28.644
And luke's history is unsurpassed in accuracy.
00:16:28.644 --> 00:16:33.482
You know what that tells us?
00:16:33.482 --> 00:16:35.684
First of all, the story of the early church is real,
00:16:35.684 --> 00:16:40.722
Both the gospel account of jesus and the early church.
00:16:40.722 --> 00:16:43.725
It's real.
00:16:43.725 --> 00:16:44.860
It's not a fable or it's not a myth.
00:16:44.860 --> 00:16:48.464
It's tied to real history that can be verified.
00:16:48.464 --> 00:16:51.934
It's tied to actual geographical locations.
00:16:51.934 --> 00:16:55.571
That makes this different,
00:16:55.571 --> 00:16:56.939
The bible different than any other religious book.
00:16:56.939 --> 00:17:00.175
You look at books like the quran
00:17:00.175 --> 00:17:03.245
Or the book of mormon, there is no fulfilled prophecy
00:17:03.245 --> 00:17:07.749
In any of those books that can be pointed to.
00:17:07.749 --> 00:17:10.385
There's no historical incidents that it can be tied to.
00:17:10.385 --> 00:17:14.389
Why is that?
00:17:14.389 --> 00:17:15.224
It's all made up.
00:17:15.224 --> 00:17:16.959
Those books are complete frauds.
00:17:16.959 --> 00:17:19.895
Mohammed says in the seventh century,
00:17:20.662 --> 00:17:22.831
He was out in the desert when the angel gabriel appeared
00:17:22.831 --> 00:17:26.835
To him and gave him this revelation.
00:17:26.835 --> 00:17:30.205
I don't know what mohammed experienced.
00:17:30.205 --> 00:17:32.207
He may have had a heat stroke or an acid trip,
00:17:32.207 --> 00:17:35.244
But it wasn't a revelation from god.
00:17:35.244 --> 00:17:38.313
The angel gabriel did not appear to mohammed.
00:17:38.313 --> 00:17:41.984
It's a lie.
00:17:41.984 --> 00:17:43.819
Joseph smith, the founder of mormonism,
00:17:43.819 --> 00:17:46.355
Says the angel of moroni came to him
00:17:46.355 --> 00:17:48.757
And gave him the golden tablets
00:17:48.757 --> 00:17:50.359
That nobody can find anywhere.
00:17:50.359 --> 00:17:51.660
But that's what happened.
00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:53.395
Joseph smith was a religious fraud.
00:17:54.129 --> 00:17:56.265
He was a charlatan.
00:17:56.265 --> 00:17:57.299
He was a huckster.
00:17:57.299 --> 00:17:58.300
That's all he was.
00:17:58.300 --> 00:17:59.601
You say, "pastor, well, i'm offended you would say something
00:18:00.769 --> 00:18:03.105
Like that about somebody else's religion."
00:18:03.105 --> 00:18:05.174
Well, i'm offended that two men would lead people straight
00:18:05.174 --> 00:18:07.809
Into hell because of their deception.
00:18:07.809 --> 00:18:10.579
I'm offended by that.
00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:12.414
(audience applauds)
00:18:12.414 --> 00:18:13.649
And guess what.
00:18:13.649 --> 00:18:14.816
So is the apostle paul in the bible.
00:18:15.617 --> 00:18:17.486
Remember what paul said in galatians one?
00:18:17.486 --> 00:18:19.788
He said, "if any man comes to you
00:18:19.788 --> 00:18:22.824
And preaches another gospel, let that person be a cursed."
00:18:22.824 --> 00:18:27.462
"even if he says an angel of the lord came
00:18:27.462 --> 00:18:30.832
And gave me a different gospel," galatians one,
00:18:30.832 --> 00:18:33.302
"let that person go to hell."
00:18:33.302 --> 00:18:36.371
That's what paul said.
00:18:36.371 --> 00:18:37.606
Anathema, accursed.
00:18:37.606 --> 00:18:40.042
There is a deception out there by satan that seeks
00:18:41.076 --> 00:18:43.645
To lead people away from the only way
00:18:43.645 --> 00:18:46.148
To salvation, the lord jesus christ.
00:18:46.148 --> 00:18:49.284
But the bible is altogether different.
00:18:50.118 --> 00:18:52.621
In 2 peter one, the aged apostle peter,
00:18:52.621 --> 00:18:55.290
Before he died, said, "brethren, i want you to know
00:18:55.290 --> 00:18:57.960
That we did not follow cleverly devised fables
00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:00.929
When we made known to you the coming
00:19:00.929 --> 00:19:02.598
And the power of our lord ,for we were eyewitnesses
00:19:02.598 --> 00:19:05.734
To his majesty."
00:19:05.734 --> 00:19:08.270
Peter is saying, "we didn't sit in a room somewhere
00:19:08.270 --> 00:19:10.339
And conjure all this up.
00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:12.174
It's true.
00:19:12.174 --> 00:19:13.008
It happened."
00:19:13.008 --> 00:19:14.543
And the testimony of history and archeology bornes that out.
00:19:14.543 --> 00:19:19.081
The story of the early church is real.
00:19:19.081 --> 00:19:21.283
It's not fable.
00:19:21.283 --> 00:19:22.784
And also, it reminds us that god uses imperfect people
00:19:22.784 --> 00:19:25.921
For his purposes.
00:19:25.921 --> 00:19:27.389
You know another reason we know the bible's different
00:19:27.389 --> 00:19:29.491
Than any other religious text?
00:19:29.491 --> 00:19:31.126
In other religious texts
00:19:31.126 --> 00:19:32.427
And other mythologies, the central characters,
00:19:32.427 --> 00:19:36.031
The heroes have no flaw whatsoever.
00:19:36.031 --> 00:19:38.567
They're perfect.
00:19:38.567 --> 00:19:39.935
Nobody's like that.
00:19:39.935 --> 00:19:41.703
Acts is filled with imperfect men
00:19:42.437 --> 00:19:44.139
And women who committed their lives to sharing the message
00:19:44.139 --> 00:19:47.843
Of a perfect savior.
00:19:47.843 --> 00:19:50.078
My mom used to say, "the miracle of christianity
00:19:50.078 --> 00:19:53.448
Is that it survived the christians."
00:19:53.448 --> 00:19:56.285
Boy, you look around today.
00:19:56.885 --> 00:19:57.986
Isn't that the case?
00:19:57.986 --> 00:19:59.588
The case, the message is bigger than the messenger.
00:19:59.588 --> 00:20:02.591
It's about our perfect savior.
00:20:02.591 --> 00:20:04.626
That's what makes the bible different.
00:20:04.626 --> 00:20:07.095
Let me say you a word about the purpose of the book,
00:20:07.095 --> 00:20:09.531
And again, the best way to understand that is to contrast it
00:20:09.531 --> 00:20:12.434
To luke's gospel.
00:20:12.434 --> 00:20:14.569
The purpose of the gospel of luke was a history
00:20:14.569 --> 00:20:18.106
Of the founder of our faith and his finished work.
00:20:18.106 --> 00:20:21.443
That's what the gospel of luke is about.
00:20:21.443 --> 00:20:23.779
It's about the finished work of jesus.
00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:26.448
When he hung on the cross, he said, "it is finished.
00:20:26.448 --> 00:20:30.018
Tetelestai," paid in full.
00:20:30.018 --> 00:20:32.954
Love's redeeming work is done.
00:20:33.588 --> 00:20:37.793
There's nothing you can do to add
00:20:37.793 --> 00:20:39.394
To what christ has already done for you.
00:20:39.394 --> 00:20:41.763
He has paid the ultimate price.
00:20:41.763 --> 00:20:44.166
His work is finished on earth.
00:20:44.166 --> 00:20:47.302
But in contrast, in contrast,
00:20:47.936 --> 00:20:51.873
Look at the purpose of the book of acts.
00:20:51.873 --> 00:20:54.276
Luke was about the founder of our faith
00:20:54.276 --> 00:20:56.678
And his finished work.
00:20:56.678 --> 00:20:58.080
The purpose of acts is the history of the founding
00:20:58.080 --> 00:21:00.749
Of the church and the continuing work of god's people.
00:21:00.749 --> 00:21:04.820
Christ's work on earth is finished.
00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:06.888
Ours has just began, and it continues on and on and on.
00:21:06.888 --> 00:21:12.227
Now, i also have a word about the outline
00:21:13.095 --> 00:21:14.329
Of the book of acts.
00:21:14.329 --> 00:21:15.897
There are many ways you can outline the book of acts.
00:21:15.897 --> 00:21:18.233
One way is geographically, interestingly.
00:21:18.233 --> 00:21:21.403
Now when you look at luke's gospel, it's really a series
00:21:21.403 --> 00:21:24.506
Of constricting circles.
00:21:24.506 --> 00:21:26.908
Luke two, a decree went out to all the world,
00:21:26.908 --> 00:21:30.278
But then it narrows to nazareth, the growing up place
00:21:30.278 --> 00:21:34.616
Of jesus, and then it grows even more focused
00:21:34.616 --> 00:21:37.552
To his ministry in judea
00:21:37.552 --> 00:21:39.020
And samaria, until finally it zeroes in on the city
00:21:39.020 --> 00:21:43.091
Of jerusalem and christ's death and resurrection.
00:21:43.091 --> 00:21:45.861
You understand what i mean?
00:21:45.861 --> 00:21:47.162
It's constricting geographical circles.
00:21:47.162 --> 00:21:49.631
The book of acts is just the opposite.
00:21:49.631 --> 00:21:51.666
It is concentric circles.
00:21:51.666 --> 00:21:53.735
It starts with jerusalem
00:21:53.735 --> 00:21:55.637
And what happened there, the ascension of christ,
00:21:55.637 --> 00:21:58.707
And then it goes out, the gospel, to judea and samaria
00:21:58.707 --> 00:22:02.177
And then to the outermost parts of the earth.
00:22:02.177 --> 00:22:04.679
Now i want to close with this,
00:22:04.679 --> 00:22:06.415
And that is, what is the message of the book of acts
00:22:06.415 --> 00:22:10.185
And why should we study it today?
00:22:10.185 --> 00:22:12.421
The central message of acts is this.
00:22:12.421 --> 00:22:14.756
Now write this down.
00:22:14.756 --> 00:22:16.358
Under the direction and with the power of the holy spirit,
00:22:16.358 --> 00:22:20.962
The church expands and fulfills the commission of christ
00:22:20.962 --> 00:22:25.767
To be his witnesses throughout the world.
00:22:25.767 --> 00:22:29.704
Now, when i first sat down
00:22:29.704 --> 00:22:31.106
And wrote that out, i didn't write it that way.
00:22:31.106 --> 00:22:33.942
I put it in the past tense because acts is recorded history.
00:22:33.942 --> 00:22:38.613
I said, the church expanded
00:22:38.613 --> 00:22:40.882
And fulfilled the commission of christ,
00:22:40.882 --> 00:22:43.552
But then i exed that out.
00:22:43.552 --> 00:22:44.820
I said, "you know, that's just not true.
00:22:44.820 --> 00:22:46.588
It's not past tense.
00:22:46.588 --> 00:22:48.190
It's present tense."
00:22:48.190 --> 00:22:50.025
The work of the church continues.
00:22:50.025 --> 00:22:52.994
It's interesting that the gospel of luke,
00:22:52.994 --> 00:22:54.996
It has a very neat ending to it, reaches a climax.
00:22:54.996 --> 00:22:58.533
The ascension of jesus back into heaven, fade to black.
00:22:58.533 --> 00:23:02.704
Great way to end this story.
00:23:02.704 --> 00:23:05.006
But when you come to the book of acts,
00:23:05.006 --> 00:23:07.242
There's not a tidy wrap-up conclusion to it.
00:23:07.242 --> 00:23:11.446
It's incomplete.
00:23:11.446 --> 00:23:12.781
The last pages haven't been written yet,
00:23:12.781 --> 00:23:14.616
Because they are for you and for me to write.
00:23:14.616 --> 00:23:18.854
As messengers of the gospel of jesus christ,
00:23:19.754 --> 00:23:25.160
We the church move forward, unhindered and unstoppable.
00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:32.801
♪ music ♪
00:23:33.134 --> 00:23:37.973
We're just getting started in this study
00:23:37.973 --> 00:23:39.975
Called "unstoppable power," and i hope you'll join me
00:23:39.975 --> 00:23:43.278
For the entire series
00:23:43.278 --> 00:23:44.980
As we see how the holy spirit worked in the early church
00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:48.383
And how he is still working in the church today.
00:23:48.383 --> 00:23:52.287
Well, i'm excited to announce
00:23:52.287 --> 00:23:54.022
That we've just activated the pathway to victory
00:23:54.022 --> 00:23:57.125
Salt & light matching challenge.
00:23:57.125 --> 00:23:59.661
From now through july 6,
00:23:59.661 --> 00:24:01.663
Your gift will be matched and therefore doubled
00:24:01.663 --> 00:24:04.466
In impact until we reach the goal of $1 million.
00:24:04.466 --> 00:24:08.803
Together as partners in ministry,
00:24:08.803 --> 00:24:10.572
We can push back against the moral decline in our nation
00:24:10.572 --> 00:24:14.609
By boldly proclaiming the gospel
00:24:14.609 --> 00:24:17.345
And standing strong for biblical truth.
00:24:17.345 --> 00:24:20.415
We can fulfill christ's calling to be the salt of the earth
00:24:20.415 --> 00:24:24.119
And the light of the world.
00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:26.187
We can be a preserving influence
00:24:26.187 --> 00:24:28.156
And an illuminating presence in a culture
00:24:28.156 --> 00:24:30.926
That desperately needs jesus christ, the only hope
00:24:30.926 --> 00:24:34.896
For our nation and for our world.
00:24:34.896 --> 00:24:37.365
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
00:24:37.365 --> 00:24:40.569
Now stay right there.
00:24:40.569 --> 00:24:42.070
I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
00:24:42.070 --> 00:24:44.806
In just a moment.
00:24:44.806 --> 00:24:46.675
Is fear holding you back from sharing your faith?
00:24:47.709 --> 00:24:50.478
Millions of christians have the desire,
00:24:50.478 --> 00:24:52.581
But lack the courage to speak up.
00:24:52.581 --> 00:24:54.616
With god's holy spirit, you can become unstoppable.
00:24:54.616 --> 00:24:58.186
Our enemy hates for the church to grow, not just in numbers,
00:24:58.186 --> 00:25:02.123
But in it's influence for the gospel.
00:25:02.123 --> 00:25:04.559
And he will do everything he can to stop it.
00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:07.963
So we must do everything we can to stop him.
00:25:07.963 --> 00:25:11.433
In my faith-building book, "unstoppable power",
00:25:11.433 --> 00:25:14.703
You'll discover how to call upon the holy spirit
00:25:14.703 --> 00:25:17.439
To be your confidence in any situation.
00:25:17.439 --> 00:25:21.076
In his best-selling book, unstoppable power,
00:25:21.076 --> 00:25:23.878
Dr. robert jeffress reveals how you can boldy proclaim
00:25:23.878 --> 00:25:27.349
The gospel with the same confidence the apostles had.
00:25:27.349 --> 00:25:30.418
You're invited to request the book, unstoppable power,
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When you give a generous gift to the pathway to victory
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Salt and light matching challenge.
00:25:36.391 --> 00:25:38.426
And when your gift is $75 or more,
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You'll also receive the companion study guide,
00:25:41.296 --> 00:25:44.032
Along with the complete unstoppable power
00:25:44.032 --> 00:25:46.368
Teaching series on dvd video and audio disc.
00:25:46.368 --> 00:25:49.904
We face the same kind of growing opposition
00:25:49.904 --> 00:25:53.975
In the 21st century as those 1st century christians experienced.
00:25:53.975 --> 00:25:59.314
That opposition was no match for the power of jesus christ.
00:25:59.314 --> 00:26:03.685
Remember, your gift today will have twice the impact
00:26:03.685 --> 00:26:06.554
Thanks to the pathway to victory
00:26:06.554 --> 00:26:08.223
Salt and light matching challenge.
00:26:08.223 --> 00:26:10.158
Thank you for partnering with pathway to victory
00:26:10.158 --> 00:26:12.894
As we boldly proclaim the gospel in a world
00:26:12.894 --> 00:26:15.664
That has lost it's way.
00:26:15.664 --> 00:26:17.866
Luke knew that the story he recorded
00:26:18.667 --> 00:26:20.735
On paper wasn't finished
00:26:20.735 --> 00:26:22.704
And wouldn't be finished until jesus returns.
00:26:22.704 --> 00:26:26.041
In the meantime, you and i are called to continue the work
00:26:26.041 --> 00:26:29.477
That the apostles started, fueled by the unstoppable power
00:26:29.477 --> 00:26:33.882
Of the holy spirit.
00:26:33.882 --> 00:26:35.750
Well, before jesus ascended into heaven,
00:26:35.750 --> 00:26:38.153
He made two promises to his followers,
00:26:38.153 --> 00:26:41.356
And next time we're going to look at the promise
00:26:41.356 --> 00:26:43.625
That is yet to be kept and the promise
00:26:43.625 --> 00:26:46.261
That has already been fulfilled.
00:26:46.261 --> 00:26:48.697
Stay tuned for a preview
00:26:48.697 --> 00:26:50.231
Of what's coming up next in our series, "unstoppable power."
00:26:50.231 --> 00:26:54.969
Jesus told us that he's coming back to this earth one day
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To right every wrong, to establish his kingdom,
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To reward the righteous, to punish the unrighteous.
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He made that promise 2,000 years ago.
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He said, "behold, i am coming quickly,"
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And yet he hasn't come yet,
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And we wait and we wait and we wait.
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[announcer] set your dvr and join us next time
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For the message "the promise" here on "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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Robert Jeffress - Unstoppable Power

June 2, 2025 | S25:E262

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