Choosing How We Respond

1 A MAN WAS VISITING A VERY WEALTHY FAMILY 2 • HE WAS NOT USED TO BEING WAITED ON • THIS LEAD TO A RATHER CONFUSING CONVERSATION WITH THE BUTLER AT BREAKFAST • TEA OR COFFEE? ASKED THE BUTLER 3 • "TEA, PLEASE,” • "CHINA, INDIA, OR CEYLON, SIR?" ASKED THE BUTLER. • "CHINA, PLEASE." • "LEMON, MILK, OR CREAM, SIR?" • "MILK, PLEASE," REPLIED THE MAN • "JERSEY, HEREFORD, OR SHORTHORN, SIR?" ASKED THE BUTLER. (PAUSE) • HAVING A CHOICE CAN BE GOOD BUT IT CAN ALSO BE ANNOYING • IN LIFE WE HAVE MANY CHOICES TO MAKE • SOMETIMES WE CAN BE OVERWHELMED BY CHOICES 4 • SOME CHOICES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS • WHAT KIND OF MILK TO HAVE IN OUR TEA IS NOT THAT CRITICAL A CHOICE • BUT HOW TO RESPOND WHEN WE ARE PERSECUTED IS A PRETTY BIG CHOICE TO MAKE 5 6 • AT SOME POINT WE MAY HAVE TO CHOOSE • HOW TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO GOD • WE NEED TO KNOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO RESPOND • WHEN PEOPLE ARE SO OPPOSED TO GOD 7 • THEY PERSECUTE ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS GOD • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK • AT SOME RESPONSES TO PERSECUTION IN THE EARLY CHURCH • TURN TO ACTS 8:1 • STEPHEN HAD JUST GIVEN AN AMAZING SPEECH TO THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL 8 • THEY HAD RESPONDED BY DRIVING HIM OUT OF THE CITY AND KILLING HIM • SAUL HAD WATCHED OVER THE COATS OF THOSE STONING STEVEN • STEPHEN HAD CRIED OUT; “LORD DO NOT HOLD THIS SIN AGAINST THEM” (PAUSE) ACTS 8:1–3 9 SAUL WAS IN HEARTY AGREEMENT WITH PUTTING HIM TO DEATH. AND ON THAT DAY A GREAT PERSECUTION BEGAN AGAINST THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM, 10 AND THEY WERE ALL SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE REGIONS OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA, EXCEPT THE APOSTLES. 11 SOME DEVOUT MEN BURIED STEPHEN, AND MADE LOUD LAMENTATION OVER HIM. BUT SAUL BEGAN RAVAGING THE CHURCH, ENTERING HOUSE AFTER HOUSE, AND DRAGGING OFF MEN AND WOMEN, HE WOULD PUT THEM IN PRISON. SOMETIMES PEOPLE CHOOSE TO OPPOSE GOD • SAUL IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING • “HEARTY AGREEMENT” • HE WAS NOT JUST OK WITH THEM KILLING STEPHEN • THIS WORD MEANS TO FIND SOMETHING PREFERABLE 12 13 • TO THINK OF IT AS A GOOD THING (PAUSE) • WE MAY FIND THIS IDEA APPALLING • THAT SOMEONE WOULD THINK • OF KILLING SOMEONE FOR SPEAKING GODS WORD AS A “GOOD THING” 14 • STEPHEN WAS THE FIRST ONE MARTYRED FOR CHRIST • KILLED BECAUSE HE PREACHED CHRIST AS SAVOIR • BUT HE WAS FAR FROM THE LAST • THROUGHOUT THE LAST 2000 YEARS MANY HAVE BEEN KILLED • FOR PREACHING CHRIST (PAUSE) • JESUS SPOKE ABOUT THIS MATTHEW 24:9 15 “THEN THEY WILL DELIVER YOU TO TRIBULATION, AND WILL KILL YOU, AND YOU WILL BE HATED BY ALL NATIONS BECAUSE OF MY NAME. 16 • IN PARTS OF THE WORLD THIS STILL HAPPENS TODAY • AND IN THOSE PLACES THERE ARE THOSE WHO THINK • THIS IS A GOOD THING, THEY ARE “IN HEARTY AGREEMENT” JUST LIKE SAUL WAS (PAUSE) • WHEN WE ENCOUNTER THIS WE HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE 17 SOMETIMES WE LEAVE, SOMETIMES WE STAY • PAUL’S AGREEMENT WITH STEPHEN’S EXECUTION LEADS TO PERSECUTION • “ON THAT DAY A GREAT PERSECUTION BEGAN AGAINST THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM,” • THERE IS A CONNECTION IN THE TEXT BETWEEN • STEPHEN’S DEATH AND THE BEGINNING OF THIS PERSECUTION • ON THE VERY SAME DAY STEPHEN WAS STONED TO DEATH • THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM BEGAN • AND PEOPLE HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE 18 19 • SOME LEFT JERUSALEM • “THEY WERE ALL SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE REGIONS OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA,” • THE ALL DOES NOT MEAN EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN LEFT JERUSALEM 20 • IT MEANS ALL WHO LEFT WERE SCATTERED • THIS IS NOT A BAD THING, SOMETIMES IT IS GOOD TO MOVE ON • CHRIST HAD TOLD THEM TO DO THIS ACTS 1:8 21 BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESSES BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND EVEN TO THE REMOTEST PART OF THE EARTH.” • THESE PERSECUTIONS WERE NOT CAUSED BY GOD • BUT THEY WERE PART OF THE PLAN • GOD USED THEM TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL TO ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA (PAUSE) 22 • TAKING THE GOSPEL SOMEPLACE ELSE IS A VALID RESPONSE TO PERSECUTION RIFF • BUT SO IS STAYING • DID YOU NOTICE IT SAID; “EXCEPT THE APOSTLES.” • THE APOSTLES STAYED IN JERUSALEM 23 24 • AND OTHERS ACCEPTED CHRIST AS SAVOIR • THE JERUSALEM CHURCH WAS NOT FINISHED YET • GOD’S PLAN INCLUDED THOSE WHO LEFT JERUSALEM AND THOSE WHO STAYED 25 • PERSECUTION MAY OCCUR WHEREVER WE ARE PREACHING GOD’S WORD • POSSIBLY EVEN RIGHT HERE IN MILLS COUNTY TEXAS • IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE PHYSICAL PERSECUTION LIKE WE SEE HERE • IT IS LIKELY THERE WILL BE LEGAL PERSECUTION AT SOME POINT 26 • WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN WE HAVE A CHOICE • WE CAN LEAVE AND TAKE THE GOSPEL SOMEPLACE ELSE • OR WE CAN STAY AND FACE THE CONSEQUENCES (PAUSE) 27 SOMETIMES WE TAKE RISKS SOMETIMES WE SUFFER • WHEN WE STAY IN A SITUATION FILLED WITH PERSECUTION • WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE SOME RISKS TO DO THE RIGHT THING • “SOME DEVOUT MEN BURIED STEPHEN,” 28 • THIS WAS A VERY RISKY THING TO DO • THE JEWS HAD STRICT RULES ABOUT BURYING PEOPLE • IF SOMEONE WAS EXECUTED FOR BLASPHEMY • THEY WERE NOT TO RECEIVE AN HONORABLE BURIAL (PAUSE) • WHEN IT SAYS HERE; “AND MADE LOUD LAMENTATION OVER HIM.” • THAT MEANS THEY GAVE HIM AN HONORABLE BURIAL • NOW THESE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHRISTIAN MEN • BUT THERE IS A REASON TO THINK THEY WERE NOT 29 30 • THE PHRASE “DEVOUT MEN” IS ONLY USED BY LUKE TO DESCRIBE • THOSE FOLLOWING THE JEWISH CUSTOMS • THAT MAKES THIS EVEN MORE RISKY FOR THEM (PAUSE) • SOMETIMES WHEN WE TAKE RISKS WE SUFFER • “BUT SAUL BEGAN RAVAGING THE CHURCH” • THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE KNOW THEY DID NOT ALL LEAVE • THERE ARE STILL SOME HERE AND SAUL IS ATTACKING THEM • THE WORD TRANSLATED “RAVAGING” 31 32 • ONLY APPEARS THIS ONE TIME IN THE BIBLE • IT IS A VERY VIOLENT WORD, IT IS USED TO DESCRIBE A WILD ANIMAL • A LION OR BEAR TEARING APART ITS PREY 33 • SAUL BURST INTO THE HOMES OF PEOPLE KNOWN TO BE CHRISTIAN • AND DRAGGED THEM OUT, BOTH THE MEN AND THE WOMEN • AND THREW THEM INTO PRISON • IF WE STAY WHERE PERSECUTION IS HAPPENING • WE NEED TO BE READY TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES 34 35 • WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO SUFFER • WE NEED TO KNOW GOD WILL ALWAYS USE THESE THINGS • TO MAKE US MORE SUITED TO SERVE HIM A FELLA VISITED AN ORANGE GROVE WHERE AN IRRIGATION PUMP HAD BROKEN DOWN. • IT WAS UNUSUALLY DRY AND SOME OF THE TREES WERE BEGINNING TO DIE FOR LACK OF WATER. • THE MAN WORKING THE ORCHARD THEN TOOK THE FELLA 36 37 • TO ANOTHER PART OF THE ORCHARD WHERE IRRIGATION WAS NOT USED. • "THESE TREES COULD GO WITHOUT RAIN FOR ANOTHER 2 WEEKS," HE SAID. • "YOU SEE, BECAUSE THEY FACE THE HARDSHIP OF NO IRRIGATION 38 • THEY HAVE SENT THEIR ROOTS DEEPER INTO THE SOIL IN SEARCH OF MOISTURE. • NOW THESE TREES ARE THE DEEPESTROOTED TREES IN THE AREA. • WHILE OTHERS IRRIGATED TREES ARE BEING SCORCHED BY THE SUN, • THESE ARE FINDING MOISTURE AT A GREATER DEPTH.” (PAUSE) 39 ROMANS 8:28 AND WE KNOW THAT GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. 40 • TOUGH TIMES PREPARE US TO SERVE • WHETHER WE GO OR STAY GOD CAN USE WHAT WE GO THROUGH • ONE OF THE WAYS GOD USES OUR SUFFERING IS WHEN WE PREACH THE GOSPEL (PAUSE) 41 ACTS 8:4 THEREFORE, THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SCATTERED WENT ABOUT PREACHING THE WORD. 42 NEVER CHOOSE TO BE SILENT IN PERSECUTION • THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT WORD AT THE START OF THIS VERSE • “THEREFORE” WHEN EVER WE SEE THIS WORD IN THE BIBLE 43 • WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE THEREFORE IS THERE FOR • IN THIS CASE IT TELLS US THE REASON THEY PREACHED THE WORD • THEY DID IT BECAUSE OF THE PERSECUTION • THERE WAS A GREAT PERSECUTION, THEREFORE THEY PREACHED • GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAFER TO KEEP QUIET 44 • BUT OUR SAFETY IS FOUND IN GOD NOT CIRCUMSTANCES • EVEN WHEN THE WORLD SAYS KEEP QUIET • GOD SAYS PREACH THE WORD • WE HAVE A LOT OF CHOICES • ONE OF THEM IS NOT SCILENCE 45 46 2 TIMOTHY 4:2 PREACH THE WORD; BE READY IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON; REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT, WITH GREAT PATIENCE AND INSTRUCTION. 47 • ON THE RUN, SCATTERED BY PERSECUTION SEEMS PRETTY OUTTA SEASON TO ME • WE NEED TO KEEP THIS IN MIND IN OUR DAILY LIVES • WE NEED TO PREACH THE WORD IN SEASON AND OUTTA SEASON • NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE OUR WHAT WE ARE DOING • IF GOD PROVIDES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE GOSPEL • WE NEED TO BE READY TO DO IT (PAUSE) 48 49 WE DO NOT HAVE THE CHOICE TO LEAVE THE GOSPEL BEHIND • WHILE SAUL IS RAVAGING THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM • THOSE THAT HAVE FLED THE PERSECUTION TAKE THE GOSPEL WITH THEM • SAUL AND THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP HOPED TO SQUASH CHRISTIANITY 50 • BUT ALL THEY HAVE DONE IS HELPED IN SPREADING IT • “THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SCATTERED WENT ABOUT PREACHING THE WORD.” • THE WORD SCATTERED IS LITERALLY THE WORD FOR SOWING SEED • WITHOUT MEANING TO SAUL HAS JUST 51 • CAST THE SEEDS OF THE GOSPEL ALL OVER JUDEA AND SAMARIA • IT WAS NOT THE APOSTLES THAT SPREAD THE WORD HERE • THEY ARE STILL IN JERUSALEM, THEY TAUGHT THE PEOPLE • AND NOW THE PEOPLE WERE SPREADING THE WORD 52 • THIS IS HOW GOD DESIGNED IT TO WORK (PAUSE) • THOSE WHO KNOW GOD’S WORD TEACH IT TO THOSE WHO TRUST IN CHRIST • THOSE WHO LEARN THE WORD GO • AND TAKE IT TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST • WE NEED TO BE SURE WE FOLLOW THIS MODEL • IF WE HAVE TRUSTED CHRIST 53 54 • WE NEED TO LEARN THE WORD • THEN WE NEED TO TAKE IT WITH US • WHERE EVER WE GO, TELL THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST • THE WORD AND ONLY THE WORD (PAUSE) 55 THE WORD NOTHING ELSE • DID YOU SEE HERE WHAT IT SAYS THEY PREACHED? • “PREACHING THE WORD” • THE WORD, THE WORD OF GOD, THE WORD OF THE GOSPEL • THEY COULD HAVE GONE OUT AND GIVEN POLITICAL SPEECHES 56 • ABOUT HOW BAD THE PERSECUTION WAS • THEY COULD HAVE SPREAD GOSSIP AND HATE ABOUT SAUL • THEY COULD HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING TO LEAVE JERUSALEM • BUT THEY PREACHED GOD’S WORD (PAUSE) • SOMETIMES WE HAVE THINGS WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT • THINGS WE THINK EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD KNOW • BUT GOD CALLS US TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORD • THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN 57 58 • OUR ETERNAL DESTINY, NOT POLITICS, OR GOSSIP OR OUR SUFFERING • WHEN GOD PROVIDES US THE CHANCE TO TELL SOMEONE SOMETHING • WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO STICK TO HIS WORD • SOMETIMES GOD PROVIDES THIS CHANCE BY ALLOWING LIFE 59 • TO GET A LITTLE ROUGH SO THAT WE WILL CARRY THE MESSAGE OUT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF A HUGE EAGLE'S NEST • HIGH IN THE BRANCHES OF A TREE OR IN THE CRAG OF A CLIFF, • FEW PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN A GLIMPSE INSIDE. 60 • WHEN A MOTHER EAGLE BUILDS HER NEST SHE STARTS • WITH THORNS, BROKEN BRANCHES, SHARP ROCKS, • AND OTHER ITEMS THAT SEEM ENTIRELY UNSUITABLE FOR THE PROJECT. • BUT THEN SHE LINES THE NEST WITH A THICK PADDING OF WOOL, 61 • FEATHERS, AND FUR FROM ANIMALS • MAKING IT SOFT AND COMFORTABLE FOR THE EGGS. • BY THE TIME THE GROWING BIRDS REACH FLYING AGE, • THE COMFORT OF THE NEST AND THE LUXURY OF 62 • FREE MEALS MAKE THEM QUITE RELUCTANT TO LEAVE. • THAT'S WHEN THE MOTHER EAGLE BEGINS "STIRRING UP THE NEST." • WITH HER STRONG TALONS SHE BEGINS PULLING UP THE THICK CARPET 63 • OF FUR AND FEATHERS, BRINGING THE SHARP ROCKS AND BRANCHES TO THE SURFACE. • AS MORE OF THE BEDDING GETS PLUCKED UP, • THE NEST BECOMES MORE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE YOUNG EAGLES. 64 • EVENTUALLY, THIS PROMPTS THE GROWING EAGLES • TO LEAVE THEIR ONCECOMFORTABLE ABODE AND MOVE ON. (PAUSE) • GOD ALLOWED JERUSALEM TO BECOME UNCOMFORTABLE ENOUGH 65 • THAT MANY SCATTERED AROUND JUDEA AND SAMARIA • TAKING THE GOSPEL WITH THEM • ONE OF THOSE WHO SCATTERED WAS PHILLIP 66 ACTS 8:5–8 PHILIP WENT DOWN TO THE CITY OF SAMARIA AND BEGAN PROCLAIMING CHRIST TO THEM. THE CROWDS WITH ONE ACCORD WERE GIVING ATTENTION TO WHAT WAS SAID BY PHILIP, AS THEY HEARD AND SAW THE SIGNS WHICH HE WAS PERFORMING. 67 FOR IN THE CASE OF MANY WHO HAD UNCLEAN SPIRITS, THEY WERE COMING OUT OF THEM SHOUTING WITH A LOUD VOICE; AND MANY WHO HAD BEEN PARALYZED AND LAME WERE HEALED. SO THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING IN THAT CITY. SOMETIMES WE ARE THE ONES CHOSEN TO PREACH THE WORD • THIS IS NOT PHILLIP THE APOSTLE, HE SAID IN JERUSALEM • THIS IS PHILLIP THE DEACON, THE ONE APPOINTED WITH STEPHEN 68 69 • HE HAD BEEN APPOINTED TO SERVE FOOD (PAUSE) • BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN HE IS NOT CALLED TO EVANGELIZE • WE MAY BE CALLED TO SERVE GOD IN SOME SPECIFIC WAY • BUT ALL OF US ARE CALLED TO TELL THE GOOD NEWS 70 MATTHEW 28:19 “GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS,, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, 71 • THE GO THEREFORE IS FOR ALL CHRISTIANS • NOT JUST THE ONES WHO LIKE TO, OR HAVE A TALENT AT IT • OR HAVE THE RIGHT TRAINING, 72 • OR WHATEVER EXCUSE WE WANT TO STICK IN THERE (PAUSE) • WE ALL HAVE A MESSAGE TO BRING • AND THERE MAYBE SOMEONE OUT THERE • THAT NEEDS TO HEAR IT FROM YOU • TO HEAR YOUR STORY OF COMING TO KNOW CHRIST (PAUSE) ALWAYS DISPLAY THE GOSPEL • SO, PHILIP WAS PREACHING IN A TOWN IN SAMARIA • THE TEXT SAYS THE CROWDS WERE; • “WITH ONE ACCORD WERE GIVING ATTENTION” 73 74 • IN ENGLISH IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY • WERE AGREEING WITH EACH OTHER • BUT IN THE GREEK IT IS MORE LIKE • THEY WERE AGREEING WITH PHILIP • DID YOU NOTICE WHY THEY WERE AGREEING? 75 • “THEY HEARD AND SAW THE SIGNS WHICH HE WAS PERFORMING.” • PEOPLE WERE HEALED, UNCLEAN SPRITS WERE CAST OUT • PARALYZED AND LAME WALKED • NO WONDER THEY WERE AGREEING WITH PHILIP (PAUSE) 76 • JUST LIKE PHILIP WE NEED TO DISPLAY SIGNS AND WONDERS • NO, I AM NOT SAYING WE NEED TO MAKE THE LAME WALK • OR CAST OUT UNCLEAN SPIRITS • THERE ARE OTHER KINDS OF SINGS AND WONDERS 77 • WE DISPLAY OUR SIGNS AND WONDERS IN A DIFFERENT WAY • WE DISPLAY OUR WONDERS WHEN WE LIVE LIKE JESUS • TRUST ME IT IS SIGN AND A WONDER FOR ME TO NOT BE WHO I WAS • THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT OF ANGER WAS CAST OUT OF ME 78 • THE AFFLICTION OF DEPRESSION WAS REMOVED FROM ME • ANY DAY I DO NOT THINK SPEAK OR ACT LIKE WHO I WAS BEFORE JESUS • IS A SIGN AND A WONDER 79 • WE DISPLAY THESE SIGNS AND WONDERS BY HOW WE LIVE • WE DISPLAY THIS WHEN WE GIVE OUR TESTIMONY(PAUSE) 80 CHARLES BRADLAUGH, AN AVOWED ATHEIST • ONCE CHALLENGED THE REV. H.P. HUGHES TO A DEBATE. • THE PREACHER, WHO WAS HEAD OF A RESCUE MISSION IN LONDON, ENGLAND, • ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE WITH THE CONDITION • THAT HE COULD BRING WITH HIM 100 MEN AND WOMEN • WHO WOULD TELL WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THEIR LIVES • SINCE TRUSTING CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR. • THEY WOULD BE PEOPLE WHO ONCE LIVED IN DEEP SIN, 81 • SOME FROM POVERTY-STRICKEN HOMES CAUSED BY THE VICES OF THEIR PARENTS. • HUGHES SAID THEY WOULD NOT ONLY TELL OF THEIR CONVERSION, • BUT WOULD SUBMIT TO CROSSEXAMINATION BY ANY WHO DOUBTED THEIR STORIES. 82 83 • FURTHERMORE, THE MINISTER INVITED HIS OPPONENT • TO BRING A GROUP OF NONBELIEVERS • WHO COULD TELL HOW THEY WERE HELPED BY THEIR LACK OF FAITH. • WHEN THE APPOINTED DAY ARRIVED, THE PREACHER CAME, • ACCOMPANIED BY 100 TRANSFORMED PERSONS. • BUT BRADLAUGH NEVER SHOWED UP. (PAUSE) 84 85 • THE RESULT? THE MEETING TURNED INTO A TESTIMONY TIME • AND MANY SINNERS WHO HAD GATHERED • TO HEAR THE SCHEDULED DEBATE WERE CONVERTED. • WHEN WE DISPLAY OUR SIGNS AND WONDERS THEY MAY RESPOND AND REJOICE. 86 CHRIST ALWAYS MAKES THE DIFFERENCE • WHILE JERUSALEM IS WAILING IN THE PERSECUTIONS OF SAUL • SAMARIA IS REJOICING IN THE PROCLAIMING OF PHILIP • THESE VERSES ARE ALL ABOUT THE CONTRASTS • SAUL IS IN AGREEMENT WITH STEPHEN’S DEATH • BUT THE DEVOUT MEN BURY STEPHEN AND LAMENT • SAUL RAVAGES THE CHURCH 87 88 • BUT THOSE WHO WERE SCATTERED PREACH THE WORD • PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM ARE DRAGGED OFF TO PRISON • PEOPLE IN SAMARIA ARE FREED FROM PARALYZATION AND UNCLEAN SPIRITS • PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM MADE A LOUD LAMENTATION • PEOPLE IN SAMARIA REJOICE • WHAT A VAST DIFFERENCE CHRIST IS IN THE WORLD (PAUSE) 89 90 • THE WORLD WITHOUT CHRIST IS RAVAGED AND LAMENTS • THE WORLD WITH CHRIST REJOICES AND IS HEALED • THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST REASONS • WE SHOULD BE BRING CHRIST TO THE WORLD 91 JUST LIKE THE FELLA TRYING TO GET SOME TEA • WE HAVE ALOTTA CHOICES TO MAKE IN THIS LIFE • ONE OF THE CHOICES WE ARE FACED WITH IS 92 • WHAT WE DO WHEN PEOPLE ATTACK THE FOLLOWERS OF GOD • DO WE STAY AND RISK THE CONSEQUENCES OR DO WE LEAVE? • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT IN EITHER CASE • GOD CAN USE OUR CHOICE TO FURTHER THE GOSPEL • IF WE STAY WE MAY FACE PERSECUTION • IF WE GO WE MUST TAKE THE GOSPEL WITH US • WE MUST PREACH GOD’S WORD AND NOTHING ELSE • WE MUST DISPLAY THE SIGNS AND WONDERS GOD HAS DONE IN US 93 94 • WE MUST DO THIS KNOWING • THE GOSPEL MESSAGE CHANGES THE WORLD FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT • FROM PERSECUTION TO REJOICING • THIS GOSPEL MESSAGE WE ARE TO TAKE WITH IS SIMPLE • THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES YOU AND WANTS…. 95