Dr. Jack Graham's mission is to glorify God by introducing Jesus Christ to as Lord to all people.
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Power Point with Jack Graham | Jack Graham - Courageous Christians | February 15, 2026
- ♪♪♪
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- There is no person that god cannot save!
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- There is no promise that god will not keep!
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- There is nothing that our god cannot do!
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- Begin finding the book of acts and go ahead and get to chapter
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- 5, which you'll find our text in just a moment. but before we
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- Get to our text and the story that is in front of us... you
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- Say, "i thought this lesson was about 1 peter. i thought it was
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- 1 peter." well, i'm going ... i'm going to take us back a
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- Little bit, after the gospels and how peter was transformed
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- From the denier of christ. he totally failed the lord and
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- Denied the lord. and yet jesus, after the resurrection restored
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- Him. and peter, ultimately full of the holy spirit, became the
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- Preacher at pentecost and the church was born, and the
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- Veritable leader of the church in its earliest days. so i want
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- To back up from 1 peter to when peter was first getting started
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- In the work and the witness of the gospel.
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- Now at the outset, i want to say that the church exists for
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- The mission and the message of jesus christ, and to advance
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- The kingdom of god around the world. so let me say that
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- Again. if you're a note-taker, and i would encourage you
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- Always to take notes when you hear a sermon or write in the
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- Margins of your bible. but the church exists, again, for the
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- Message and the mission of jesus christ, and to advance
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- The kingdom of god around the world. and we don't have to
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- Wonder what is the message and what is the mission.
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- And then it's the mission of jesus. and we don't have to
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- Ask, what is the mission of jesus because jesus told us in
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- The gospel of luke that his mission is to seek and to save
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- The lost. he said, that's why i came. god left heaven and came
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- To earth, born through the portals of a virgin's womb,
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- Lived a perfect life, died on the cross as our redeemer, our
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- Savior. was in the tomb for three days, rose again the
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- Third day, ascended. he is enthroned above all and he's
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- Coming again. all of that for this purpose, for this passion,
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- And that is to seek and to save the lost.
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- And everyone... you say, what does it mean to be lost?
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- Everyone is lost apart from jesus because people are
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- Looking for god. they want to know. and so often... and we
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- See it in our generation... people don't know which
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- Direction to go. and yet, i'm seeing a new openness, a
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- Renewed openness, because people are so without hope. and
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- You know, we as christians, we're... we're hope dealers.
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- Not dope dealers. we are hope dealers. and hope is the sure
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- Confidence that our future is with him. it's not wishful
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- Thinking. it's not just blind optimism. but it's the certain
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- Confidence that the word of god is true and that jesus is lord,
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- And that his hope is for all who will come to him. so
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- There's the mission.
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- When jesus gathered his disciples, these apostles,
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- After the resurrection, he breathed on them the holy
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- Spirit, and then said to them, “as the father sent me, so
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- (what? you know that verse?) so send i you.” “as the father
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- Sent me, i am now sending you full of the holy spirit.” and
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- Acts, chapter 1, verse 8 says, “you shall be witnesses unto
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- Me.” again, the words of jesus. this is the fifth time recorded
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- In the new testament from the 4 gospels to now, the book of
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- Acts, our great commission, which unfortunately has become
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- The great omission for so many churches and so many christians.
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- But he said, “you shall be witnesses under me, after the
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- Holy spirit has come upon you, you will be my witnesses in
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- Jerusalem (right where they were), and then judea, samaria
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- (in the regions around them. and then he said) to the ends
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- Of the earth.”
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- And so the same commission is our commission. his commission
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- Is our commission, and that is to reach our neighbors, and the
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- Nations with the gospel of christ. and we're living in a
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- Generation that it's possible to do this. we are a global
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- Church due to the value of technology, and we're preaching
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- Right now online. we're live and our programs go all around
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- The world. we can, in our generation, through our mission
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- Partnerships and all the things. this is a generation
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- That can fulfill the great commission in our lifetime. i
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- Truly believe this! if we will do what god has told us to do
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- And stay on the mission.
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- Sometimes churches get sidetracked on side streets and
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- Cul-de-sacs, rather than keeping the main thing, the
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- Main thing. and so evangelism, which is preaching the good
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- News of jesus, and missions... telling the world, starting
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- With where you are. evangelism and missions is not just a part
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- Of who we are or what we do. it's not just something over
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- Here along with other things. it is what we do! it is who we
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- Are! the church exists for evangelism and missions as fire
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- Exists for burning! we are his church and we are on mission
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- For him.
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- So when the church was born here in the book of acts... and
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- That's what you have in the book of acts. following up the
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- Gospels after the resurrection, you see what happens next when
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- The church is birthed and begins to reach the world with
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- The gospel. we're told in the seventeenth chapter of acts...
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- They were accused. "you have turned the world upside down."
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- Just a small band of believers, following jesus, full of the
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- Holy spirit. they began with just a few, first disciples and
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- Then 120 in an upper room. and then when the spirit of god
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- Came upon them, after they prayed together, the spirit of
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- God arrived just on time. the promise is kept as always, and
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- They began to preach the gospel.
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- And on the very first day the church was born, peter
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- Preached. this is the same peter who lied in the presence
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- Of a little girl, that he even knew the lord. this is the same
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- Man who cursed and blasphemed god, same man who denied jesus.
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- But now he's changed; he's transformed.
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- He's empowered by the living lord.
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- And he stands up and he preaches and he gives an invitation.
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- ♪♪♪
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- In a time of rage, anxiety, uncertainty, chaos. it is
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- Absolutely essential that we go to the source of all truth and
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- That is god's word. the bible. during intense persecution in
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- The early days of the church, the apostle peter wrote a
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- Letter all about hope and encouragement, encouraging
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- Believers and giving hope to christians who were navigating
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- A world that was dead set against them. this is a message
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- That speaks directly to christians in every generation,
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- Including our own.
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- [announcer] drawing from peter's letter, doctor jack
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- Graham's latest book speaks to the challenges every believer
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- Faces. how do we live faithfully for christ in a
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- Hostile world? today, we want to equip you with jack graham's
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- New book, “living hope in a hostile world” as our thank you
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- For your continued support of powerpoint ministries. simply
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- Text feb that's f-e-b to 59789. use the qr code on the screen,
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- Or visit jack.graham.org.
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- [jack graham] this is not a book about hype. it's a book
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- About hope. it's not positive thinking. it is biblical truth.
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- It's the living hope, the kind of hope that anchors your soul
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- When storms rage and that holds you when you can barely hold
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- On. this is the hope that never fades because it's a living
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- Hope. this book is for every believer in the midst of life's
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- Greatest challenges, and it will encourage you that there
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- Is real, lasting living hope that is found in christ and
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- Christ alone.
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- ♪♪♪
- 00:09:06.268 --> 00:09:11.040
- And then, if you'll just slide down, scroll down in that same
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- Chapter 2 of acts, and down in verse 47, it tells us that as
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- They were worshiping together, being together, praising god,
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- Having favor with all the people, watch what it says in
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- Verse 47: “and the lord added to their number day by day
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- Those who were being saved.”
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- So you see what's happening here? now people are coming to
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- Jesus, getting saved, which means that all of our sins are
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- Forgiven. we're saved from sin. it means that jesus, the living
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- Lord, lives in us. he's alive in us. it means that we now
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- Have a hope in heaven. we're as sure for heaven as if we were
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- Already there. not because of what we do or could do, but
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- What christ has done for us. that's what it means to be
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- Saved, to be born again. jesus said, “you must be born again.”
- 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:07.329
- This life transformation is so great. it's like a brand-new
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- Life.
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- So now this is happening every single day through the ministry
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- And the mission of the church. why? they were on message and
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- They were on mission. and they were bold and courageous and
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- Doing that in the face of great opposition. the opposition of
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- The religious establishment, the opposition of the roman
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- Government. and yet the church is unstoppable because jesus
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- Said, “i will build my church, and the gates of hell will not
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- Prevail against it.” you can't stop the living church of jesus
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- Christ. you just can't.
- 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:44.600
- So now you've got 3000 plus everybody... everyday people
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- Coming to jesus. and then in chapter 3, you have one man, a
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- Lame man who's gloriously healed after 38 years, being
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- Born this way. he's on his feet, dancing, leaping,
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- Praising god! reminds me to say, in the midst of all these
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- Crowds, of all these people that are being counted, it's
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- Never about the crowd; it's always about the one.
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- If you just keep going, over in acts, chapter 4 and verse 4...
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- Look what happens in acts chapter 4, verse 4: "but many
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- Of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the
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- Men came to be about 5000." now this is in addition to the 3000
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- Earlier. it says 5000 more men! and you have to believe that
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- There were women and children who came to christ. maybe on
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- Both occasions. they only counted the men for some
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- Reason, as recorded here. but by now you've got another 5000,
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- 3000, 8000... people coming to christ every day. you've got
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- 10,000 plus people, coming to jesus.
- 00:11:49.832 --> 00:11:53.869
- Down in verse 12, by the way, is a great verse you should
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- Mark in your bible. peter's preaching and he said... this
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- Is chapter 4, verse 12: "and there is salvation in no one
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- Else, for there is no other name under heaven given among
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- Men by which you must be saved." jesus is not the best
- 00:12:06.115 --> 00:12:09.652
- Way to heaven; he's the only way to heaven! he said, "i am
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- The way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the
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- Father but by me." and now if you say that today in this
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- Multi-cultural, religious experience, you are a bigot,
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- You are a religious freak. but that's what jesus said.
- 00:12:22.898 --> 00:12:27.703
- But look in chapter 5 now, and verse 14. here's another great
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- Verse about the growth, the life and the growth of the
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- Church. "and more than ever... (ha!) more than ever believers
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- Were added to the lord, multitudes of both men and
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- Women." now, i guess they just stopped counting. but now it's
- 00:12:43.586 --> 00:12:46.856
- Multitudes... multitudes of people are coming to jesus.
- 00:12:46.856 --> 00:12:53.729
- Why? because they were on message and they were on
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- Mission to preach christ and him crucified, risen, and
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- Coming again.
- 00:13:00.035 --> 00:13:02.404
- And then over in chapter 6 and verse 7, it says: "and the word
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- Of god continued to increase (and that word there is to
- 00:13:08.010 --> 00:13:12.047
- Multiply. we've moved from addition to multiplication.)
- 00:13:12.047 --> 00:13:15.084
- And the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in
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- Jerusalem. and a great many of the priests..." even the
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- Religious priest of that day, who are so opposed to christ,
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- Were coming to faith in jesus. they became obedient to the
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- Truth. and i could take you right on through the book of
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- Acts and give you similar scriptures. but there were tens
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- Of thousands of people coming to faith in jesus in the first
- 00:13:34.603 --> 00:13:38.974
- Months of the existence of the church.
- 00:13:38.974 --> 00:13:43.279
- And then they took it from jerusalem to the ends of the
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- Earth. and we're the recipients of this and our generation
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- Because we have heard the gospel now ourselves. it's a
- 00:13:50.653 --> 00:13:53.622
- Miracle. it's one of the great evidences of the resurrection,
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- That these despondent, defeated apostles... disciples they
- 00:13:57.860 --> 00:14:02.031
- Thought it was all over when jesus died on the cross.
- 00:14:02.031 --> 00:14:04.366
- They've seen the risen lord. they now know that he's alive,
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- He's alive, he's alive! they are restored. they're preaching
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- The gospel. god adds to their number. they're scattered
- 00:14:10.572 --> 00:14:13.242
- Everywhere now, preaching the gospel. they tried to persecute
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- Them and shut them out and shut them down. but that was like
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- Stomping on fire. it just spread the fires of evangelism,
- 00:14:18.547 --> 00:14:22.184
- Missions to the ends of the earth. they go, go, go in
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- Jesus' name. and this is what god has called us to do.
- 00:14:25.587 --> 00:14:29.391
- And now to our text, because the way happened, i think is
- 00:14:29.391 --> 00:14:34.863
- Best taught in these verses in chapter 5 and verse 28. are you
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- There with me? say yes. all right.
- 00:14:41.203 --> 00:14:45.307
- Peter and john are arrested for preaching the gospel. they're
- 00:14:45.307 --> 00:14:49.478
- Put in jail; they're beaten. they're told never to speak the
- 00:14:49.478 --> 00:14:53.315
- Name of jesus again. can you imagine telling these guys not
- 00:14:53.315 --> 00:14:56.118
- Talk about jesus when they knew he was alive? they said, "we
- 00:14:56.118 --> 00:14:59.421
- Cannot help but speak of the things we've seen and heard." -
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- That's what we're about to read—saying: "we strictly
- 00:15:02.524 --> 00:15:05.527
- Charge you not to teach in the name... this name (they
- 00:15:05.527 --> 00:15:09.698
- Wouldn't even say his name. said, "don't speak his name!")
- 00:15:09.698 --> 00:15:15.137
- "yet you have filled jerusalem with your teaching." (what
- 00:15:15.137 --> 00:15:21.110
- Teaching? the teaching of the resurrection... the teaching of
- 00:15:21.110 --> 00:15:23.846
- The gospel.) and you intend to bring this man's blood upon our
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- Heads?"
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- How disrespectful, how blasphemous! they wouldn't even
- 00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:34.656
- Say his name - “this name”, “this man's blood” they must
- 00:15:34.656 --> 00:15:39.695
- Have been preaching the blood of jesus christ. of course,
- 00:15:39.695 --> 00:15:42.765
- They were preaching the cross, the blood and the power of god.
- 00:15:42.765 --> 00:15:46.368
- There's power in his name. there's power in the blood of
- 00:15:46.368 --> 00:15:50.272
- Jesus.
- 00:15:50.272 --> 00:15:51.507
- So what did the disciples do? did they cower and say, "oh
- 00:15:51.507 --> 00:15:54.610
- Excuse me. we didn't mean to. we didn't mean to offend you?"
- 00:15:54.610 --> 00:15:59.915
- No, they said... peter (now bold) "...and the apostles...
- 00:15:59.915 --> 00:16:04.520
- (they all answered), "we must obey god and not man... obey
- 00:16:04.520 --> 00:16:10.659
- God and not man!"
- 00:16:10.659 --> 00:16:11.894
- Are we doing this? god says to witness? are we obeying him?
- 00:16:11.894 --> 00:16:15.831
- God says to pray. are we obeying him? or do we live to
- 00:16:15.831 --> 00:16:19.435
- Please man? that's one of the biggest challenges of our
- 00:16:19.435 --> 00:16:22.404
- Generation. we have too many christians, starting with some
- 00:16:22.404 --> 00:16:26.775
- In pulpits who are so weak they don't want to offend anybody,
- 00:16:26.775 --> 00:16:31.046
- And yet they're offending god. we've become woke and weak in
- 00:16:31.046 --> 00:16:36.018
- The church because we're not longer preaching the gospel
- 00:16:36.018 --> 00:16:39.188
- With boldness and clarity and conviction.
- 00:16:39.188 --> 00:16:42.691
- Not these guys! these guys stood in the face of the most
- 00:16:42.691 --> 00:16:46.161
- Extreme persecution and the most extreme kind of
- 00:16:46.161 --> 00:16:50.099
- Opposition, and they said, “we're not going to obey you
- 00:16:50.099 --> 00:16:54.036
- Because our job is to obey god.” and this is our job as
- 00:16:54.036 --> 00:16:58.107
- Well. verse 30 says, “the god of our fathers raised jesus,
- 00:16:58.107 --> 00:17:04.146
- Whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.”
- 00:17:04.146 --> 00:17:10.385
- Who killed jesus? you say, “well, the jews did.” no. they
- 00:17:10.385 --> 00:17:14.556
- Were a part of it. “the romans did it.” no, they, yes, they
- 00:17:14.556 --> 00:17:18.760
- Were a part of it. but we were also there because our sins
- 00:17:18.760 --> 00:17:23.999
- Were there. who crucified jesus? god laid our sins upon
- 00:17:23.999 --> 00:17:30.606
- Him. we put him on the cross. he died willingly, lovingly,
- 00:17:30.606 --> 00:17:35.410
- For you and for me.
- 00:17:35.410 --> 00:17:37.412
- But notice what peter says. he's bold. verse 31: "god
- 00:17:37.412 --> 00:17:42.117
- Exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior, to give
- 00:17:42.117 --> 00:17:46.788
- Repentance to israel and forgiveness of sins." you want
- 00:17:46.788 --> 00:17:51.894
- To be forgiven of all your sins? then turn from your
- 00:17:51.894 --> 00:17:55.230
- Sins... that's repentance... and trust in christ, in christ
- 00:17:55.230 --> 00:17:58.033
- Alone who died for you and rose again, who will save you. i
- 00:17:58.033 --> 00:18:02.237
- Like to say i'm just a nobody trying to tell everybody about
- 00:18:02.237 --> 00:18:06.141
- A somebody who will save anybody who will come to christ.
- 00:18:06.141 --> 00:18:11.914
- And then i love verse 32, and we'll stop there. it says: "and
- 00:18:11.914 --> 00:18:14.917
- We are witnesses to these things." you know what a
- 00:18:14.917 --> 00:18:18.520
- Witness is? a witness just simply tells what he/she has
- 00:18:18.520 --> 00:18:24.560
- Seen or heard. if you go on a deposition... if you go on
- 00:18:24.560 --> 00:18:27.462
- Trial, you're asked questions. you're just expected to be a
- 00:18:27.462 --> 00:18:30.966
- True witness and to say what you've seen and what you've
- 00:18:30.966 --> 00:18:34.369
- Heard. and as a person who is a follower of jesus, this is what
- 00:18:34.369 --> 00:18:38.340
- A witness is. we simply tell what we've seen and what we've
- 00:18:38.340 --> 00:18:42.544
- Heard.
- 00:18:42.544 --> 00:18:43.845
- Could it be that so many never speak of jesus
- 00:18:43.845 --> 00:18:46.715
- Because they haven't seen a lot or heard a lot? if you
- 00:18:46.715 --> 00:18:49.484
- Want to be an effective witness for the gospel, you need to
- 00:18:49.484 --> 00:18:51.887
- Pray and ask god to move in your heart. spend time with
- 00:18:51.887 --> 00:18:54.423
- Jesus every day. grow in your faith and you will be sharing
- 00:18:54.423 --> 00:18:58.560
- Your faith because god's spirit will move. and it says in verse
- 00:18:58.560 --> 00:19:02.297
- 32, back to verse 32, these... we are witnesses.
- 00:19:02.297 --> 00:19:05.934
- I love the definition of witnessing given by a man named
- 00:19:05.934 --> 00:19:10.272
- Bill bright. he was the founder of campus crusade for christ,
- 00:19:10.272 --> 00:19:12.941
- Now known as cru. great organization back in the day,
- 00:19:12.941 --> 00:19:15.911
- And he gave this definition. this is worth writing down if
- 00:19:15.911 --> 00:19:18.981
- You're note-taking, and that is: “witnessing is sharing
- 00:19:18.981 --> 00:19:22.584
- Jesus christ in the power of the holy spirit and leaving the
- 00:19:22.584 --> 00:19:26.521
- Results to god.” i love that! all we do is to tell people
- 00:19:26.521 --> 00:19:33.262
- What we've seen and what we've heard.
- 00:19:33.262 --> 00:19:36.298
- Even the apostle paul, the brilliant mind...greatest
- 00:19:36.298 --> 00:19:39.735
- Christian who ever lived in estimation. he was ... he was
- 00:19:39.735 --> 00:19:42.904
- So very smart and wise. and yet when he would go and share the
- 00:19:42.904 --> 00:19:47.609
- Gospel, he would always lead with his testimony. he'd say,
- 00:19:47.609 --> 00:19:53.015
- "i met jesus on the damascus road and he changed my life."
- 00:19:53.015 --> 00:19:57.286
- This is what a witness does. a witness says this is what
- 00:19:57.286 --> 00:20:01.690
- Christ has done for me. and if christ has changed your life,
- 00:20:01.690 --> 00:20:06.561
- Tell this good news. it's too good to keep.
- 00:20:06.561 --> 00:20:10.766
- There is a story in the old testament. it's back in the
- 00:20:10.766 --> 00:20:17.272
- Story of elisha in 2 kings. it's tucked away there. it's a
- 00:20:17.272 --> 00:20:22.077
- Story you may not have thought about in a while, if you've
- 00:20:22.077 --> 00:20:24.780
- Even heard it. but it's about four lepers who are sitting at
- 00:20:24.780 --> 00:20:27.949
- The gates of samaria during a siege in the day of elisha,
- 00:20:27.949 --> 00:20:32.587
- [clears throat] and the city had been ransacked and
- 00:20:32.587 --> 00:20:34.356
- Destroyed; and people were gone. and these four lepers
- 00:20:34.356 --> 00:20:37.092
- Were just left there, diseased and dying.
- 00:20:37.092 --> 00:20:40.429
- And so they're faced with a decision, and they say, "why do
- 00:20:40.429 --> 00:20:44.499
- We sit here and die? what are we waiting for?" and they
- 00:20:44.499 --> 00:20:48.003
- Walked into the town that was deserted. and they entered the
- 00:20:48.003 --> 00:20:51.306
- Tents and the businesses of the town, and there they found
- 00:20:51.306 --> 00:20:54.943
- Drink and... and food, and there was silver and there was
- 00:20:54.943 --> 00:20:59.047
- Gold and there was clothing. and what did these four, dying
- 00:20:59.047 --> 00:21:02.551
- Men do? they took this stuff, and they gathered it up and
- 00:21:02.551 --> 00:21:07.656
- Walked out, and they hid it where no one else could get it.
- 00:21:07.656 --> 00:21:14.029
- But later their conscience began to bother them. and they
- 00:21:14.029 --> 00:21:18.800
- Say in the ninth verse of 2 kings 7, they said to each and
- 00:21:18.800 --> 00:21:23.605
- Every one... one another, "we are not doing right. this day
- 00:21:23.605 --> 00:21:30.612
- Is a day of good news, and we remain silent. if we wait till
- 00:21:30.612 --> 00:21:39.321
- Morning light, some punishment will come upon us. and now
- 00:21:39.321 --> 00:21:43.892
- Therefore, come; let us go and tell the king's household."
- 00:21:43.892 --> 00:21:48.897
- And i looked at that story and listen to what happened here.
- 00:21:48.897 --> 00:21:51.533
- And i think that... that summarizes too many christians
- 00:21:51.533 --> 00:21:57.639
- Who live in a day of good news- the good news of jesus christ!
- 00:21:57.639 --> 00:22:03.378
- And yet we're sitting on it, or we're keeping it to ourselves.
- 00:22:03.378 --> 00:22:07.816
- We have the good news, and too many christians are more
- 00:22:07.816 --> 00:22:10.752
- Interested in keeping the faith than giving it away!
- 00:22:10.752 --> 00:22:13.822
- Now, i'm all for guarding the gospel, protecting the faith
- 00:22:13.822 --> 00:22:16.525
- And conserving truths and... and being protective of
- 00:22:16.525 --> 00:22:20.462
- Everything we have, but this isn't the church. the church
- 00:22:20.462 --> 00:22:22.831
- Doesn't huddle up and hide stuff. no. we go with the
- 00:22:22.831 --> 00:22:26.368
- Gospel of jesus christ! we tell the world! let's go!
- 00:22:26.368 --> 00:22:31.306
- Back up, while we're there, to chapter 4, verse 20. an angel
- 00:22:31.306 --> 00:22:37.646
- Is getting peter and john out of jail. god sends an angel to
- 00:22:37.646 --> 00:22:41.950
- Break them out. supernatural thing happened. and there are
- 00:22:41.950 --> 00:22:45.387
- Angels active today. did you know that? there are angels in
- 00:22:45.387 --> 00:22:50.225
- This room because angels desire to look upon the worship of
- 00:22:50.225 --> 00:22:55.797
- Christians. angels are powerful spiritual beings. so god sent
- 00:22:55.797 --> 00:22:59.768
- An angel to open the prison door and to get peter and john
- 00:22:59.768 --> 00:23:03.972
- Out.
- 00:23:03.972 --> 00:23:05.474
- Verse 19 says, "during the night an angel of the lord
- 00:23:05.474 --> 00:23:07.976
- Opened the prison doors and brought them out." and what was
- 00:23:07.976 --> 00:23:10.645
- The message of the angel? [clears throat] the message of
- 00:23:10.645 --> 00:23:13.548
- The angel, verse 20: "go... (there's that word again) go
- 00:23:13.548 --> 00:23:19.187
- And stand in the temple... (that is, right back where you
- 00:23:19.187 --> 00:23:22.157
- Got busted the last time) ...and speak to the people all
- 00:23:22.157 --> 00:23:26.495
- The words of this life." what a beautiful description of what
- 00:23:26.495 --> 00:23:32.434
- Christian faith is. it's life... life! jesus is life as
- 00:23:32.434 --> 00:23:37.772
- We've been saying. so go and stand; take your stand boldly
- 00:23:37.772 --> 00:23:44.946
- And courageously and speak to all the people the words of
- 00:23:44.946 --> 00:23:49.251
- This life.
- 00:23:49.251 --> 00:23:51.219
- So we don't just simply go and stand there, and say nothing.
- 00:23:51.219 --> 00:23:57.726
- Sometimes we get the idea, well, you know what? i just use
- 00:23:57.726 --> 00:24:00.161
- My influence and my life kind of speaks of my witness. well,
- 00:24:00.161 --> 00:24:06.167
- Your life certainly speaks of your witness and gives you an
- 00:24:06.167 --> 00:24:08.403
- Opportunity to witness. but, i mean, how dare i think that my
- 00:24:08.403 --> 00:24:11.873
- Life could bring anybody to jesus? it's not my testimony,
- 00:24:11.873 --> 00:24:17.445
- It's christ. and so it's not my influence. i have an influence
- 00:24:17.445 --> 00:24:22.150
- And so do you. but it's speaking.
- 00:24:22.150 --> 00:24:25.320
- We can't be sinfully silent. they say silence is golden;
- 00:24:25.320 --> 00:24:30.091
- Sometimes it's just plain yellow. we're to speak the
- 00:24:30.091 --> 00:24:36.898
- Words of this life. start with your testimony. get with jesus.
- 00:24:36.898 --> 00:24:40.769
- Ask him to give you your five, or your one or your two;
- 00:24:40.769 --> 00:24:43.605
- However many god may put on your heart.
- 00:24:43.605 --> 00:24:46.308
- And then go as he has commanded you. pray and obey, and let god
- 00:24:46.308 --> 00:24:51.212
- Use you to speaks words of life. “give a reason (peter
- 00:24:51.212 --> 00:24:55.750
- Said in 1 peter 3:15) for the hope that is in you.” if you do
- 00:24:55.750 --> 00:25:01.356
- Live with jesus, it just could be that someone is going to
- 00:25:01.356 --> 00:25:03.725
- Look at you and say, “what's about you that's so different?
- 00:25:03.725 --> 00:25:07.963
- What have you got that i don't got?” and you can tell them
- 00:25:07.963 --> 00:25:12.934
- About jesus and the hope. so that's go and tell and we're
- 00:25:12.934 --> 00:25:15.971
- All to go and tell.
- 00:25:15.971 --> 00:25:17.606
- But there's another kind of evangelism and that's a "come
- 00:25:17.606 --> 00:25:21.076
- And see... come and see." and there's not a one of us who
- 00:25:21.076 --> 00:25:26.214
- Love jesus in this room, who cannot say to people, come and
- 00:25:26.214 --> 00:25:29.718
- See what the lord has done in our lives. come and come to my
- 00:25:29.718 --> 00:25:33.054
- Church. come and be with us. just see for yourself. check it
- 00:25:33.054 --> 00:25:37.993
- Out. come and see. and you know if a person comes here, they're
- 00:25:37.993 --> 00:25:45.233
- Going to hear the good news of jesus, and you're going to have
- 00:25:45.233 --> 00:25:48.603
- A great hand in bringing them to christ. "go and tell" and
- 00:25:48.603 --> 00:25:54.142
- "come and see".
- 00:25:54.142 --> 00:25:55.443
- But we can't retreat from people. we can't just huddle up
- 00:25:55.443 --> 00:25:58.546
- In holy huddles as a church and wait for the second coming. no.
- 00:25:58.546 --> 00:26:02.717
- In the meantime, jesus said, “occupy until i come.” take
- 00:26:02.717 --> 00:26:06.021
- Care of my business until i come again.
- 00:26:06.021 --> 00:26:10.825
- And so, church, wonderful church, let's be courageous and
- 00:26:10.825 --> 00:26:15.263
- Clear in who we are and what we're about. again, many of you
- 00:26:15.263 --> 00:26:20.035
- May not have been in a church like this one in the past, that
- 00:26:20.035 --> 00:26:23.405
- Is so boldly aggressive in sharing the gospel; so
- 00:26:23.405 --> 00:26:28.443
- Committed. you know, we exist for people who aren't here yet.
- 00:26:28.443 --> 00:26:32.247
- You say, “well, pastor, it's already kind of crowded.” well
- 00:26:32.247 --> 00:26:36.985
- Our job is not done until the last person within the reach of
- 00:26:36.985 --> 00:26:40.221
- Our voice and our vision comes to faith in christ. amen? not
- 00:26:40.221 --> 00:26:44.793
- One. and so we just keep going. we'll let god take care of the
- 00:26:44.793 --> 00:26:48.029
- Rest. [clears his throat]
- 00:26:48.029 --> 00:26:51.900
- And god will use you. don insult god by saying he can't
- 00:26:51.900 --> 00:26:55.403
- Use me. "well, you know, the preachers can do it; the
- 00:26:55.403 --> 00:26:58.807
- Professionals can do it; missionaries can do it; the
- 00:26:58.807 --> 00:27:00.842
- Trained can do it." no, you can do it regardless. you have
- 00:27:00.842 --> 00:27:04.279
- God's holy spirit. you have god's word. you have god's
- 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:07.982
- Church backing you up, and you can go and tell and you can
- 00:27:07.982 --> 00:27:11.453
- Come... and say, come and see for yourself, and god will work
- 00:27:11.453 --> 00:27:15.090
- Through you and your witness. amen?
- 00:27:15.090 --> 00:27:18.593
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:18.593 --> 00:27:18.593