John Dickson is a Professor at Wheaton College, where he holds the Jean Kvamme Distinguished Chair. Prior to this, John served as a pastor in his home country of Australia. He is a speaker and author, and has served with the Centre for Public Christianity.
This message was given at the 2024 CGN International Conference, where the theme was, "Hope, Suffering and Glory: Studies in the Book of 1 Peter."
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[00:00:00] Welcome to the CGN Podcast. My name is Nick Cady and on this episode we have another message for you from the CGN International Conference which took place this past summer in Southern California. The theme of this year's conference was Hope, Suffering and Glory, Studies in the Book of 1 Peter.
[00:00:17] This next message was taught by John Dickson. John is a professor at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He also has served as a pastor and he served for many years with the Center for Public Christianity as a speaker and author.
[00:00:32] This episode is also available as video for those watching on a podcast app that supports video. We hope you'll be blessed by this message.
[00:00:40] John Dickson Well the feeling is entirely mutual Brian. I find all Americans hospitable, cheerful and friendly, especially to foreigners, you know, with funny accents.
[00:01:10] But with Brian, you know, he's one of those people I just clicked with instantly so it's a privilege.
[00:01:15] And also a privilege that he asked me to speak on this passage because this passage means a lot to me as someone who's trying to communicate Christ to a very skeptical public.
[00:01:27] Until I moved to Wheaton College just 18 months ago, I spent virtually all my life in this photo.
[00:01:43] Trying to communicate to this little part of post-Christendom, Sydney, Australia.
[00:01:51] Apart from my years wandering as a musician, virtually everything I've done is in this photo.
[00:01:57] I've lived a very narrow life, you might say.
[00:02:00] I learnt to swim on this beach at the front of the photo.
[00:02:05] I went to school up the hill.
[00:02:08] I was converted at a friend's home in my late teens, just there.
[00:02:13] I did my university studies and my PhD and taught ancient history at Macquarie University for some years before moving to Sydney University.
[00:02:23] And somewhere in there, I started working for the Centre for Public Christianity,
[00:02:27] which is a bunch of scholar communicators trying to promote Jesus in a very post-Christian setting.
[00:02:34] I was also for 10 years a pastor in a local church and, surprise, surprise, that local church is also in that photo.
[00:02:42] There I have.
[00:02:43] I've lived a very sheltered life before moving to Wheaton.
[00:02:48] But in 2008, while I was working for the Centre for Public Christianity,
[00:02:52] I was involved in a major debate that changed my way of thinking about Christianity in the public square,
[00:03:04] especially in a kind of post-Christian environment.
[00:03:07] The motion under discussion in this debate was, we'd be better off without religion.
[00:03:13] And although we don't like the word religion, the main religion under discussion was clearly Christianity.
[00:03:19] There were three professors on one side arguing against the motion that we'd be better off without Christianity,
[00:03:26] and three professors arguing for the motion.
[00:03:29] There were about a thousand people in the auditorium,
[00:03:32] but the high-stakes nature of this was that it was also broadcast live on our ABC,
[00:03:38] the national broadcaster, I guess like NPR or something.
[00:03:42] And they took an entrance poll to ask the thousand people whether they already agreed we'd be better off without Christianity.
[00:03:51] And then after the debate, they took an exit poll to see if there'd been any movement.
[00:03:55] And I'm embarrassed to say we overwhelmingly lost both the entrance poll and the exit poll.
[00:04:04] This particular group of Australians thought we would be better off without the Christian faith.
[00:04:10] And I came away that night with a thought, clarified,
[00:04:17] that had been bubbling in the back of my mind for some time.
[00:04:20] Whereas it used to be common for people to complain about Christianity,
[00:04:26] that it was too moral, too restrictive, too holy.
[00:04:31] Now, at least where I come from, it's just as common, if not more common,
[00:04:36] to hear people say, no, no, no, the problem with Christianity is that it's bad,
[00:04:41] it's wicked, it's damaging, hateful, and so on.
[00:04:47] It's quite a turnaround.
[00:04:49] And you know, there's some interesting international data suggesting Australia is not alone.
[00:04:55] Ipsos Poll in 2017 asked 20 countries,
[00:05:01] do you think religion does more harm than good?
[00:05:03] And Belgium came out number one.
[00:05:06] I guess number one worst view of religion,
[00:05:09] with 68% of people agreeing religion does more harm than good.
[00:05:14] And Australia came in equal second with Germany and Spain.
[00:05:17] But look at America, equal tenth, with about four in ten Americans
[00:05:27] thinking that religion does more harm than good.
[00:05:30] Now, I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new.
[00:05:33] I'm sure that in your context, you have noticed in the last 10 to 20 years,
[00:05:39] it's getting hotter.
[00:05:41] It's getting hotter and harder to be an open Christian.
[00:05:47] In some ways.
[00:05:49] And in this pressured setting, it seems to me there are at least four temptations
[00:05:57] we in ministry face when we're in a context where we feel the pressure from the world.
[00:06:05] The first temptation is to catastrophize.
[00:06:08] That is to take what I've said and just run with all the negative data.
[00:06:12] And there are indeed sociologists in America and where I come from in Australia,
[00:06:19] who spend most of their time talking about the bad news of how secular America is,
[00:06:24] how secular Australia is, how people don't want anything to do with the church,
[00:06:27] how, you know, all the various generations are dropping out of church.
[00:06:31] And they sort of have their whole career telling Christians how bad it is for them.
[00:06:37] And just like you can't turn away from a car crash on a highway,
[00:06:41] we all invite them to speak and tell us how bad things are and get depressed together.
[00:06:46] Catastrophizing, though, isn't godly.
[00:06:50] Because it downplays the grace and power of God.
[00:06:55] God can do anything.
[00:06:57] We don't catastrophize.
[00:06:59] But the interesting thing is catastrophizing can give rise to the second temptation,
[00:07:03] and that is to compromise.
[00:07:05] We know that the world out there likes some bit of Christianity
[00:07:10] and dislikes other bits of Christianity.
[00:07:12] And so what we do is we downplay the bits they don't like.
[00:07:15] Or we change them even and just emphasize the bits that they do like.
[00:07:21] And I think of this like the kid in the playground who's really insecure
[00:07:24] and is sort of saying, pick me, pick me, I'm cool.
[00:07:28] We try to be the cool kids in the playground by compromise.
[00:07:33] The third temptation is to retreat.
[00:07:36] And I guess this is not so much compromise as a tactical decision to be quiet,
[00:07:46] to not annoy people.
[00:07:48] We so get the impression that we are annoying to the non-Christian public
[00:07:52] that we decide not to be so present.
[00:07:57] We retreat.
[00:07:58] And I guess the image is that of a monastery.
[00:08:02] Faithful, serving, loving.
[00:08:05] But great big doors that you've got to get through and that we can hide behind.
[00:08:11] There's an equal and opposite temptation.
[00:08:13] The fourth temptation is to attack.
[00:08:15] This is the Christian leader who wants to reclaim the Christian heritage of Australia or America.
[00:08:26] Who wants to wind back things to yesteryear.
[00:08:30] Who wants to change legislation.
[00:08:32] And the model here is of a prophet rebuking Israel.
[00:08:36] And so this Christian leader wants to attack the world in its unbelief.
[00:08:43] As if the world is like a covenant member and I'm like a prophet to Israel.
[00:08:48] As if America or Australia are just backsliding Christians instead of, now, pagans in the Areopagus in Athens.
[00:08:58] These four temptations seem to me to be real.
[00:09:02] And if any group in church history must have felt the temptation to catastrophize, compromise, retreat or attack.
[00:09:14] It's the Christians to whom Peter wrote.
[00:09:18] In the AD 60s.
[00:09:22] In Pontus and Bithynia.
[00:09:25] In northwestern Turkey.
[00:09:27] Because Peter tells us that in this period they were going through a fiery trial.
[00:09:34] We don't know the details.
[00:09:36] But we know it involves slander, public shaming and the like.
[00:09:41] And in 1 Peter 4.12.
[00:09:44] Paul, Peter rather, calls it a burning.
[00:09:47] You're going through a burning.
[00:09:51] We know how bad it got for these people.
[00:09:55] Something Peter didn't know.
[00:09:57] Roll forward just a few decades.
[00:09:59] And the fiery trial became a full-blown persecution.
[00:10:05] We know this from pagan evidence we have.
[00:10:09] Pliny the Younger was the governor, the Roman governor of Pontus and Bithynia.
[00:10:15] And he takes to the governorship in 1.12.
[00:10:20] Just a generation after Peter.
[00:10:22] And he kills Christians en masse.
[00:10:28] I imagine actually it's the children of the people to whom Peter wrote.
[00:10:35] And we have a letter Pliny wrote to Emperor Tresan about the Christians.
[00:10:39] And it's marvelous, haunting, horrible evidence of Roman attitudes to Christians.
[00:10:49] I dismissed any who denied that they were Christians.
[00:10:53] When they had repeated after me a formula, calling upon our gods and made offerings of wine and incense to your statue, O Emperor.
[00:11:02] And furthermore had reviled the name of Christ.
[00:11:04] None of which things, I understand, any genuine Christian can be induced to do.
[00:11:09] I ask them in person if they are Christians.
[00:11:11] And if they admit it, I repeat the question a second and third time.
[00:11:15] With a warning of the punishments awaiting them, if they persist, I order them to be led away for execution.
[00:11:22] For whatever the nature of their admission, I am convinced that their stubbornness and unshakable obstinacy ought not to go unpunished.
[00:11:35] 1 Peter was written to this exact region in the lead-up to this catastrophe.
[00:11:42] The temptation to catastrophize, compromise, retreat or even attack must have been great.
[00:11:52] But instead, what does Peter tell them?
[00:11:56] This is my privilege tonight.
[00:12:01] To explain what Peter tells them.
[00:12:06] Let me read 1 Peter 3.
[00:12:09] Starting at verse 8.
[00:12:15] Finally, all of you, be like-minded.
[00:12:20] Be sympathetic.
[00:12:22] Love one another.
[00:12:24] Be compassionate and humble.
[00:12:27] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.
[00:12:33] On the contrary, repay evil with blessing.
[00:12:38] Because to this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing.
[00:12:45] For whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.
[00:12:52] They must turn from evil and do good.
[00:12:54] They must seek peace and pursue it.
[00:12:57] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.
[00:13:02] But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
[00:13:07] Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
[00:13:12] But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.
[00:13:19] Do not fear their threats.
[00:13:21] Do not be frightened.
[00:13:24] But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord.
[00:13:30] Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
[00:13:39] But do this with gentleness and respect.
[00:13:43] Keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
[00:13:55] For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good rather than evil.
[00:14:02] For Christ also suffered once for sins.
[00:14:05] The righteous for the unrighteous.
[00:14:08] To bring you to God.
[00:14:10] He was put to death in the body.
[00:14:13] But made alive in his spirit.
[00:14:19] No catastrophizing.
[00:14:24] No compromising.
[00:14:27] Certainly no retreat.
[00:14:31] And no attack.
[00:14:34] What does the apostle beg of the Christians going through a burning?
[00:14:42] I think he asks for two things.
[00:14:45] And these are the two things I want to explore in the text tonight.
[00:14:49] A cheerful confidence to stand up for Christ.
[00:14:53] To everyone, always.
[00:14:57] Coupled with a cheerful humility to lose well when we must.
[00:15:06] Can I take these in turn?
[00:15:09] A cheerful confidence to stand up for Christ.
[00:15:14] I love Peter's words.
[00:15:16] In the midst of this fiery ordeal, he nonetheless says,
[00:15:22] always be prepared to give an answer to everyone.
[00:15:26] You might have thought he'd say, look, strategically speaking,
[00:15:29] we should just withdraw a little bit.
[00:15:32] Like we're really annoying the Romans at the moment.
[00:15:34] So strategically, we should just withdraw just a little bit.
[00:15:37] Just for a little time.
[00:15:38] Just for a time.
[00:15:39] Until we're not annoying.
[00:15:40] And then we'll come back out.
[00:15:41] No.
[00:15:43] Always.
[00:15:45] Everyone.
[00:15:46] Isn't that interesting?
[00:15:49] And what I find particularly interesting
[00:15:52] is that the apostle Paul,
[00:15:54] in speaking to the Christians just down the road in Colossae,
[00:15:58] said almost exactly the same thing.
[00:16:01] I got a sneaky feeling that Peter and Paul got together one day
[00:16:06] and said, let's make sure we tell our people,
[00:16:09] always be ready to answer everyone.
[00:16:11] Because here's what he says to the Christians down the road.
[00:16:14] This is Paul.
[00:16:15] Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders.
[00:16:17] Make the most of every opportunity.
[00:16:18] Let your conversation be always full of grace,
[00:16:22] season with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
[00:16:27] Always answer everyone exactly what Peter says.
[00:16:31] Always answer everyone.
[00:16:37] There's no retreat.
[00:16:39] And what I love about this
[00:16:42] is that Peter doesn't just command this confidence.
[00:16:45] And in a sense, you're pastors, right?
[00:16:47] So you know you can't tell people,
[00:16:49] be confident.
[00:16:51] Like, okay, I'll try.
[00:16:54] No.
[00:16:55] You've got to give them a rationale for confidence.
[00:16:59] And Peter does this beautifully in saying to them,
[00:17:04] set apart Christ as Lord in your heart.
[00:17:06] Or in the NIV, revere Christ as Lord.
[00:17:11] The source of cheerful confidence
[00:17:14] is nothing other than a reverence for Christ as supreme.
[00:17:20] See, when you know he is supreme,
[00:17:22] the scary people right here down on earth aren't so scary.
[00:17:27] That's the logic.
[00:17:29] And actually, Peter affirms the highest Christology in this verse.
[00:17:36] I know I'm with Bible nerds today,
[00:17:38] so let's get a little bit Bible nerdy.
[00:17:40] There's this awesome little intertextual thing
[00:17:42] between the Old and New Testament
[00:17:43] that Peter does here,
[00:17:45] and it's clearly deliberate.
[00:17:47] In those words of verses 14 and 15,
[00:17:51] do not fear their threats,
[00:17:52] do not be frightened,
[00:17:53] but in your hearts,
[00:17:53] revere Christ as Lord.
[00:17:54] He is clearly rephrasing Isaiah 8, 12.
[00:17:59] Do not fear what they fear,
[00:18:01] do not dread it.
[00:18:02] The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy.
[00:18:05] And you might look at that and go,
[00:18:06] it's almost the same,
[00:18:07] but it's not quite.
[00:18:08] But here's the cool thing.
[00:18:10] In the Greek version of the Old Testament,
[00:18:13] the Septuagint that Peter is using
[00:18:15] throughout the letter of 1 Peter,
[00:18:17] the wording is exactly the same.
[00:18:19] This key phrase in Peter,
[00:18:22] revere Christ as Lord,
[00:18:23] and the phrase in Isaiah,
[00:18:25] regard the Lord as holy,
[00:18:26] is exactly the same.
[00:18:29] Kurion hagiaceti.
[00:18:32] Kurion hagiaceti.
[00:18:34] Exactly the same.
[00:18:35] Now, why is this worth noting?
[00:18:38] Because in Isaiah,
[00:18:40] it is Yahweh the Lord God
[00:18:43] that you are to revere in your heart.
[00:18:46] And in Peter,
[00:18:48] it's Jesus the Lord.
[00:18:50] Peter has taken an Old Testament passage
[00:18:53] about the sovereignty of the one true God,
[00:18:57] and he's applied it to Jesus the Messiah.
[00:18:59] Boom!
[00:19:00] This is the highest Christology imaginable.
[00:19:03] And the point is,
[00:19:05] when you know who is the true Lord,
[00:19:08] all the other petty lords won't be so scary.
[00:19:12] That's what this is.
[00:19:15] And the logic, actually,
[00:19:18] is even clearer in the original grammar,
[00:19:21] this logic between knowing who Christ really is
[00:19:24] and being willing to speak up for Him,
[00:19:27] because it's one sentence in the original.
[00:19:29] It is literally,
[00:19:30] in your hearts revere Christ as Lord,
[00:19:33] not full stop,
[00:19:34] but comma,
[00:19:35] always being prepared to give an answer.
[00:19:38] And the reason that's worth noting
[00:19:39] is because there's an intimate connection
[00:19:41] between revering Christ as Lord
[00:19:43] and speaking up for Him.
[00:19:48] There are all sorts of reasons
[00:19:50] our people are shy about the Christian faith.
[00:19:55] Some of them have intellectual doubts themselves.
[00:19:59] Some of them just have insecure personalities.
[00:20:03] Some of them are just worried
[00:20:05] that their mates at work or whatever
[00:20:07] will ask them one of the tricky questions
[00:20:08] they don't have an answer for.
[00:20:13] But the antidote to all Christian shyness
[00:20:18] is a renewed vision
[00:20:20] that Jesus Christ is Lord and God over all things.
[00:20:27] The way to inspire our people
[00:20:30] to stand up and speak up
[00:20:34] is not to command them.
[00:20:38] It is to so thrill them
[00:20:40] with the majesty of Jesus Christ
[00:20:43] that always being ready to give an answer
[00:20:45] to everyone will be second nature
[00:20:48] because they don't fear the people here on the ground.
[00:20:51] They revere the one
[00:20:53] who is at the right hand of the Father.
[00:20:55] We have to inspire our people to know
[00:21:00] that Jesus owns the room.
[00:21:04] Every room.
[00:21:05] Not just this safe room
[00:21:06] but the room where they go to work.
[00:21:10] The university lecture hall.
[00:21:12] The TV studios.
[00:21:16] Everywhere.
[00:21:18] Jesus owns the room.
[00:21:22] Always be prepared
[00:21:23] because Christ is Lord.
[00:21:28] If you want to see your people
[00:21:29] inspired in evangelism
[00:21:32] you must lift up Jesus
[00:21:35] so that nothing else is scary.
[00:21:41] Cheerful confidence.
[00:21:43] To stand up.
[00:21:46] But here's the interesting thing.
[00:21:48] Right alongside
[00:21:49] this theme of cheerful confidence
[00:21:52] to stand up for Christ
[00:21:53] always to everyone.
[00:21:54] Right alongside it
[00:21:55] is the other theme
[00:21:56] that Peter strikes here.
[00:21:58] Cheerful humility
[00:22:01] to lose well
[00:22:03] when we must.
[00:22:07] Now you might think
[00:22:08] hang on
[00:22:08] but if you're really confident
[00:22:11] won't you never take losses?
[00:22:14] You know
[00:22:14] if you're like really confident
[00:22:16] Jesus is Lord
[00:22:17] won't you punch back
[00:22:18] as hard as you receive?
[00:22:21] I want to suggest
[00:22:23] no.
[00:22:28] Because actually
[00:22:29] the punching back thing
[00:22:31] often comes out of insecurity.
[00:22:33] Right?
[00:22:33] Right.
[00:22:34] And every teacher
[00:22:36] in the building here
[00:22:37] anyone who's worked
[00:22:38] in a school
[00:22:39] will know
[00:22:40] that the school bully
[00:22:42] is often the most insecure kid.
[00:22:46] Because bully behaviour
[00:22:48] is kind of compensation
[00:22:50] for the insecurities
[00:22:51] the kid has.
[00:22:52] Very often.
[00:22:55] It's a bully church
[00:22:56] that feels it needs
[00:22:57] to punch back
[00:22:58] as hard as it receives.
[00:23:00] A truly confident church
[00:23:02] one that knows
[00:23:07] that Christ
[00:23:08] the crucified
[00:23:09] is Lord
[00:23:11] and God
[00:23:11] can afford to lose.
[00:23:16] Knowing that we've already won
[00:23:18] real confidence
[00:23:21] allows you to be
[00:23:23] a terrific loser.
[00:23:25] And there is no
[00:23:27] punching back
[00:23:29] here in this passage.
[00:23:32] Peter
[00:23:32] urges these people
[00:23:34] to have a cheerful
[00:23:35] humility
[00:23:35] to lose well.
[00:23:36] Look at all the ways
[00:23:37] he does it.
[00:23:37] We will repay
[00:23:40] evil
[00:23:40] with blessing.
[00:23:44] I mean
[00:23:45] that is
[00:23:45] virtually the opposite
[00:23:46] of punching back.
[00:23:47] Isn't it?
[00:23:49] we will
[00:23:50] suffer
[00:23:51] for what is right.
[00:23:54] And we'll do so
[00:23:56] knowing
[00:23:58] we're blessed.
[00:23:59] Think about this.
[00:24:00] When people
[00:24:01] hate on us
[00:24:02] when people
[00:24:03] say all kinds
[00:24:04] of evil things
[00:24:05] in public
[00:24:05] about us
[00:24:06] do you stop
[00:24:07] and think
[00:24:08] wow I'm blessed.
[00:24:10] But this is what
[00:24:11] Peter says
[00:24:12] we're meant to do.
[00:24:13] And more than that
[00:24:14] when we do
[00:24:16] set apart
[00:24:17] Christ as Lord
[00:24:18] in our heart
[00:24:18] and we get ready
[00:24:19] to answer
[00:24:20] everyone
[00:24:21] always
[00:24:22] look what Peter
[00:24:22] immediately says
[00:24:24] we are to do it
[00:24:25] with gentleness
[00:24:26] and respect.
[00:24:27] Wow.
[00:24:32] Even when people
[00:24:34] speak maliciously
[00:24:35] against us
[00:24:36] even when they
[00:24:37] slander us
[00:24:39] we bless
[00:24:41] because we're
[00:24:41] blessed.
[00:24:42] We're gentle
[00:24:43] and respectful
[00:24:44] always
[00:24:45] always
[00:24:46] always
[00:24:47] and this is
[00:24:48] the virtual
[00:24:49] definition
[00:24:49] of the good
[00:24:50] loser
[00:24:50] don't you think?
[00:24:52] And of course
[00:24:53] where did Peter
[00:24:53] get this?
[00:24:56] Yeah I mean
[00:24:56] the Sunday
[00:24:57] school answer
[00:24:58] is correct
[00:24:58] Jesus.
[00:25:00] I mean he
[00:25:00] clearly got it
[00:25:01] directly from
[00:25:01] the Sermon on
[00:25:02] the Mount
[00:25:04] and the Sermon
[00:25:05] on the Plain
[00:25:06] because Peter
[00:25:06] was there
[00:25:07] all the time.
[00:25:08] Peter heard
[00:25:08] blessed are you
[00:25:09] when people
[00:25:10] insult you.
[00:25:11] Huh.
[00:25:11] That sounds
[00:25:11] very much
[00:25:12] like 1 Peter 3.
[00:25:13] Persecute you
[00:25:13] and say all
[00:25:14] kinds of evil
[00:25:15] against you
[00:25:15] because of me.
[00:25:16] Or in Luke 6
[00:25:18] love your
[00:25:19] enemies
[00:25:20] good to those
[00:25:20] who hate you
[00:25:21] bless those
[00:25:22] who curse you
[00:25:22] pray for those
[00:25:23] who mistreat
[00:25:25] you.
[00:25:26] Here's my point
[00:25:27] Jesus
[00:25:28] is the source
[00:25:29] and the model
[00:25:30] of the good
[00:25:31] loser.
[00:25:34] I don't mean
[00:25:34] any disrespect
[00:25:35] to the Lord
[00:25:36] in saying this
[00:25:36] he was a
[00:25:37] fabulous loser.
[00:25:40] He could bless
[00:25:41] those who
[00:25:42] cursed him.
[00:25:43] He could
[00:25:44] beg for their
[00:25:45] forgiveness.
[00:25:46] The whole
[00:25:58] arc of Jesus
[00:25:59] life
[00:26:00] is contained
[00:26:01] in this teaching.
[00:26:02] teaching.
[00:26:05] This teaching
[00:26:06] of blessing
[00:26:07] our persecutors
[00:26:08] isn't
[00:26:08] like an
[00:26:10] arbitrary
[00:26:10] ethic
[00:26:11] suspended
[00:26:11] in space
[00:26:12] it's actually
[00:26:13] rooted
[00:26:13] in Jesus
[00:26:15] actual
[00:26:16] life
[00:26:17] death
[00:26:17] and resurrection.
[00:26:19] And Peter
[00:26:20] makes this point
[00:26:20] in our very
[00:26:22] passage
[00:26:22] in the next
[00:26:23] line
[00:26:23] no sooner
[00:26:24] has he said
[00:26:25] you're gentle
[00:26:26] and respectful
[00:26:27] when people
[00:26:27] slander you
[00:26:28] you suffer
[00:26:29] for doing
[00:26:29] good
[00:26:30] he says
[00:26:30] for
[00:26:31] verse 18
[00:26:32] Christ
[00:26:32] also
[00:26:33] suffered
[00:26:34] Christ
[00:26:35] is the
[00:26:35] model
[00:26:36] he was
[00:26:39] put to
[00:26:39] death
[00:26:39] in the
[00:26:40] body
[00:26:40] but
[00:26:41] are
[00:26:41] made
[00:26:41] alive
[00:26:41] in
[00:26:42] the
[00:26:43] spirit
[00:26:45] and he
[00:26:46] makes
[00:26:46] exactly
[00:26:47] the same
[00:26:47] point
[00:26:48] in the
[00:26:48] next
[00:26:48] chapter
[00:26:49] in the
[00:26:49] fiery
[00:26:50] ordeal
[00:26:50] passage
[00:26:51] don't be
[00:26:52] surprised
[00:26:53] at the
[00:26:53] fiery
[00:26:53] ordeal
[00:26:54] that's
[00:26:54] come
[00:26:54] upon
[00:26:55] you
[00:26:55] to
[00:26:55] test
[00:26:55] you
[00:26:55] as
[00:26:55] though
[00:26:55] something
[00:26:56] strange
[00:26:56] were
[00:26:56] happening
[00:26:56] to you
[00:26:57] but rejoice
[00:26:58] in as
[00:26:58] much
[00:26:58] as you
[00:26:59] participate
[00:26:59] in the
[00:27:00] sufferings
[00:27:00] of
[00:27:01] Christ
[00:27:01] so that
[00:27:02] you may
[00:27:02] be
[00:27:03] overjoyed
[00:27:03] when his
[00:27:04] glory
[00:27:04] is revealed
[00:27:05] the point
[00:27:06] that he's
[00:27:06] making
[00:27:07] here
[00:27:07] is that
[00:27:08] what enables
[00:27:09] us to
[00:27:09] be good
[00:27:09] losers
[00:27:11] is nothing
[00:27:12] other than
[00:27:12] the gospel
[00:27:13] of Jesus
[00:27:14] death
[00:27:15] and resurrection
[00:27:15] his
[00:27:17] suffering
[00:27:17] and glory
[00:27:19] see
[00:27:20] the gospel
[00:27:21] isn't just
[00:27:21] the content
[00:27:24] it's the
[00:27:25] mode
[00:27:26] the death
[00:27:27] and resurrection
[00:27:28] isn't just
[00:27:28] the thing
[00:27:29] we're to
[00:27:30] say
[00:27:30] it is
[00:27:31] the thing
[00:27:31] we are
[00:27:32] to embody
[00:27:32] in saying
[00:27:33] it
[00:27:34] we participate
[00:27:35] in his
[00:27:36] sufferings
[00:27:36] knowing
[00:27:38] that we
[00:27:39] are the
[00:27:40] death
[00:27:40] and resurrection
[00:27:40] people
[00:27:44] we are the
[00:27:45] death
[00:27:45] and resurrection
[00:27:46] people
[00:27:50] it's not
[00:27:51] just a
[00:27:51] doctrine
[00:27:53] it's a
[00:27:53] way of
[00:27:54] being
[00:27:55] it's a
[00:27:56] way of
[00:27:56] doing
[00:27:56] mission
[00:27:56] the great
[00:28:01] 19th
[00:28:02] century
[00:28:02] atheist
[00:28:03] frederick
[00:28:04] nietzsche
[00:28:06] actually
[00:28:07] saw things
[00:28:08] completely
[00:28:10] the
[00:28:11] opposite
[00:28:11] of this
[00:28:13] he wrote
[00:28:14] rather a lot
[00:28:14] about
[00:28:15] Christianity
[00:28:15] because he
[00:28:15] wasn't a
[00:28:16] huge fan
[00:28:16] and he
[00:28:20] explained
[00:28:20] the
[00:28:21] Christian
[00:28:21] propensity
[00:28:22] to be
[00:28:23] humble
[00:28:24] and
[00:28:25] loving
[00:28:26] and
[00:28:28] compassionate
[00:28:28] and
[00:28:30] turning the
[00:28:31] other cheek
[00:28:31] and all
[00:28:32] those weak
[00:28:33] things
[00:28:33] he put it
[00:28:34] down to
[00:28:34] what he
[00:28:34] called
[00:28:35] a
[00:28:35] slave
[00:28:36] morality
[00:28:37] what he
[00:28:40] meant
[00:28:40] was
[00:28:41] if you
[00:28:42] beat
[00:28:42] a dog
[00:28:43] down
[00:28:43] enough
[00:28:44] the dog
[00:28:45] will be
[00:28:45] submissive
[00:28:46] and he
[00:28:46] said
[00:28:47] that's
[00:28:47] what the
[00:28:47] early
[00:28:47] Christians
[00:28:48] were
[00:28:48] they
[00:28:48] were
[00:28:48] such
[00:28:48] losers
[00:28:49] so
[00:28:51] beaten
[00:28:51] down
[00:28:52] they
[00:28:52] adopted
[00:28:52] a
[00:28:53] slave
[00:28:53] morality
[00:28:54] of
[00:28:57] weakness
[00:28:58] of
[00:28:59] losing
[00:29:00] okay
[00:29:03] it's
[00:29:03] a
[00:29:03] really
[00:29:03] compelling
[00:29:04] psychosocial
[00:29:05] theory
[00:29:06] its
[00:29:06] only
[00:29:10] evidence
[00:29:10] because
[00:29:11] the
[00:29:11] historical
[00:29:12] evidence
[00:29:12] is
[00:29:13] overwhelmingly
[00:29:13] the
[00:29:14] case
[00:29:14] that
[00:29:15] the
[00:29:15] Christians
[00:29:15] actually
[00:29:16] in this
[00:29:17] early
[00:29:17] period
[00:29:17] walked
[00:29:18] around
[00:29:18] like
[00:29:18] they'd
[00:29:19] already
[00:29:19] won
[00:29:20] they had
[00:29:21] the
[00:29:21] opposite
[00:29:21] of a
[00:29:22] losers
[00:29:23] mentality
[00:29:24] they thought
[00:29:24] they'd
[00:29:25] won
[00:29:25] and that's
[00:29:25] why
[00:29:25] they were
[00:29:26] such
[00:29:26] good
[00:29:26] losers
[00:29:27] the
[00:29:28] wellspring
[00:29:28] of their
[00:29:29] ethic
[00:29:29] of
[00:29:29] humility
[00:29:29] was
[00:29:30] nothing
[00:29:30] other
[00:29:31] than
[00:29:31] the
[00:29:31] death
[00:29:31] and
[00:29:31] resurrection
[00:29:32] of
[00:29:32] Jesus
[00:29:32] knowing
[00:29:33] that
[00:29:33] it
[00:29:33] was
[00:29:34] going
[00:29:34] to
[00:29:34] be
[00:29:34] their
[00:29:34] story
[00:29:35] too
[00:29:35] death
[00:29:35] and
[00:29:35] resurrection
[00:29:37] now
[00:29:37] this
[00:29:37] is
[00:29:37] true
[00:29:38] eschatologically
[00:29:39] of course
[00:29:40] no matter
[00:29:41] what happens
[00:29:41] to us
[00:29:41] now
[00:29:42] we will
[00:29:42] be
[00:29:42] raised
[00:29:43] with
[00:29:43] Christ
[00:29:44] in
[00:29:44] glory
[00:29:45] and
[00:29:45] we've
[00:29:45] already
[00:29:45] seen
[00:29:45] that
[00:29:46] passage
[00:29:46] in
[00:29:47] 1 Peter
[00:29:47] 4
[00:29:47] you may
[00:29:49] be
[00:29:49] overjoyed
[00:29:50] when
[00:29:50] his
[00:29:50] glory
[00:29:51] is
[00:29:51] revealed
[00:29:51] so
[00:29:52] there's
[00:29:52] a
[00:29:52] sense
[00:29:52] in
[00:29:52] which
[00:29:52] no
[00:29:53] matter
[00:29:53] how
[00:29:54] bad
[00:29:54] it
[00:29:54] is
[00:29:56] we
[00:29:56] know
[00:29:56] that
[00:29:57] the
[00:29:57] resurrection
[00:29:57] will
[00:29:57] make
[00:29:58] all
[00:29:58] things
[00:29:58] well
[00:29:58] and
[00:29:59] all
[00:29:59] manner
[00:29:59] of
[00:29:59] things
[00:30:00] well
[00:30:02] but
[00:30:03] the
[00:30:03] interesting
[00:30:03] thing
[00:30:03] is
[00:30:04] throughout
[00:30:04] 1 Peter
[00:30:04] Peter
[00:30:05] actually
[00:30:05] says
[00:30:06] there'll
[00:30:11] as you
[00:30:12] lose
[00:30:15] so
[00:30:16] he
[00:30:16] says
[00:30:17] in the
[00:30:18] passage
[00:30:18] that
[00:30:18] we're
[00:30:18] studying
[00:30:19] that
[00:30:20] if
[00:30:20] we're
[00:30:20] gentle
[00:30:20] and
[00:30:20] respectful
[00:30:21] if
[00:30:21] we're
[00:30:21] good
[00:30:21] losers
[00:30:22] we
[00:30:22] will
[00:30:22] what
[00:30:23] shame
[00:30:24] our
[00:30:24] slanderers
[00:30:25] that's
[00:30:26] a little
[00:30:26] bit
[00:30:26] of
[00:30:26] winning
[00:30:30] in
[00:30:30] the
[00:30:31] passage
[00:30:31] we
[00:30:32] heard
[00:30:32] wasn't
[00:30:32] that
[00:30:32] a
[00:30:32] gorgeous
[00:30:33] talk
[00:30:33] the
[00:30:34] double
[00:30:34] act
[00:30:34] this
[00:30:35] morning
[00:30:35] I'm
[00:30:35] sorry
[00:30:35] I've
[00:30:35] forgotten
[00:30:36] their
[00:30:36] names
[00:30:37] who
[00:30:37] did
[00:30:37] 1 Peter
[00:30:38] 3
[00:30:38] and
[00:30:38] the
[00:30:38] discussion
[00:30:39] of
[00:30:39] the
[00:30:39] wife
[00:30:40] I
[00:30:40] loved
[00:30:40] it
[00:30:41] but
[00:30:41] in
[00:30:42] that
[00:30:42] passage
[00:30:42] wives
[00:30:43] are
[00:30:43] told
[00:30:44] they're
[00:30:44] going
[00:30:44] to
[00:30:44] do
[00:30:45] a
[00:30:45] little
[00:30:45] bit
[00:30:45] of
[00:30:45] winning
[00:30:47] through
[00:30:47] humility
[00:30:49] yeah
[00:30:50] they're
[00:30:50] going
[00:30:50] to
[00:30:50] win
[00:30:50] their
[00:30:51] pagan
[00:30:51] husbands
[00:30:52] to
[00:30:52] the
[00:30:52] Lord
[00:30:54] and
[00:30:55] back
[00:30:55] earlier
[00:30:55] in
[00:30:56] 1 Peter
[00:30:57] 2
[00:30:58] even
[00:30:58] the
[00:30:59] accusers
[00:31:00] will
[00:31:00] see
[00:31:01] our
[00:31:01] good
[00:31:01] deeds
[00:31:45] promise
[00:31:45] not
[00:31:45] to
[00:31:45] turn
[00:31:45] this
[00:31:45] into
[00:31:46] a
[00:31:46] history
[00:31:46] lecture
[00:31:46] which
[00:31:47] is
[00:31:47] my
[00:31:47] default
[00:31:48] mode
[00:31:48] but
[00:31:48] I
[00:31:49] have
[00:31:49] to
[00:31:49] tell
[00:31:49] you
[00:31:49] about
[00:31:50] lactantius
[00:31:51] you may
[00:31:51] never
[00:31:52] have
[00:31:52] heard
[00:31:52] of
[00:31:52] lactantius
[00:31:53] at
[00:31:53] the
[00:31:53] end
[00:31:54] of
[00:31:54] the
[00:31:54] third
[00:31:54] century
[00:31:54] he
[00:31:55] was
[00:31:55] a
[00:31:56] Christian
[00:31:56] academic
[00:31:57] working
[00:31:58] in
[00:31:58] the
[00:31:58] secular
[00:31:59] academy
[00:31:59] of
[00:32:00] Nicomedia
[00:32:01] he
[00:32:01] was
[00:32:02] a
[00:32:02] professor
[00:32:02] of
[00:32:02] rhetoric
[00:32:03] teaching
[00:32:03] people
[00:32:04] how to
[00:32:04] give
[00:32:04] speeches
[00:32:05] in
[00:32:05] court
[00:32:05] and
[00:32:05] politics
[00:32:06] and
[00:32:06] so
[00:32:06] on
[00:32:06] but
[00:32:06] in
[00:32:06] the
[00:32:07] great
[00:32:07] persecution
[00:32:08] that
[00:32:08] broke
[00:32:08] out
[00:32:08] in
[00:32:09] 303
[00:32:10] historians
[00:32:11] today
[00:32:11] still
[00:32:12] call
[00:32:12] it
[00:32:12] the
[00:32:13] great
[00:32:13] persecution
[00:32:14] went
[00:32:15] for
[00:32:15] eight
[00:32:15] years
[00:32:15] and
[00:32:15] thousands
[00:32:16] upon
[00:32:16] thousands
[00:32:17] of
[00:32:17] Christians
[00:32:17] were
[00:32:18] killed
[00:32:20] lactantius
[00:32:21] immediately
[00:32:21] lost
[00:32:22] his
[00:32:22] job
[00:32:22] because
[00:32:22] all
[00:32:22] Christian
[00:32:23] academics
[00:32:25] were
[00:32:25] let
[00:32:26] go
[00:32:26] and
[00:32:27] then
[00:32:27] they
[00:32:27] were
[00:32:27] hunted
[00:32:28] down
[00:32:28] and
[00:32:28] lactantius
[00:32:30] fled
[00:32:30] went
[00:32:31] into
[00:32:31] hiding
[00:32:31] but
[00:32:32] wrote
[00:32:32] a
[00:32:32] book
[00:32:33] to
[00:32:33] his
[00:32:33] pagan
[00:32:34] buddies
[00:32:35] and
[00:32:35] I
[00:32:36] want
[00:32:36] to
[00:32:36] read
[00:32:36] you
[00:32:36] just
[00:32:36] a
[00:32:36] couple
[00:32:37] of
[00:32:37] passages
[00:32:37] from
[00:32:38] it
[00:32:38] so
[00:32:38] this
[00:32:38] is
[00:32:38] in
[00:32:39] the
[00:32:39] worst
[00:32:39] period
[00:32:40] of
[00:32:40] persecution
[00:32:40] probably
[00:32:41] in
[00:32:41] all
[00:32:41] of
[00:32:42] church
[00:32:42] history
[00:32:42] and
[00:32:45] I
[00:32:45] want
[00:32:45] you
[00:32:45] to
[00:32:45] see
[00:32:46] can
[00:32:48] you
[00:32:49] hear
[00:32:49] the
[00:32:49] beaten
[00:32:50] down
[00:32:50] dog
[00:32:50] in
[00:32:51] this
[00:32:51] passage
[00:32:52] do
[00:32:54] the
[00:32:54] Roman
[00:32:55] authorities
[00:32:55] try
[00:32:56] to
[00:32:56] compel
[00:32:56] us
[00:33:01] not
[00:33:01] at
[00:33:01] all
[00:33:02] they
[00:33:02] use
[00:33:03] violence
[00:33:03] and
[00:33:04] torture
[00:33:04] but
[00:33:05] worship
[00:33:06] cannot
[00:33:06] be
[00:33:07] forced
[00:33:07] it
[00:33:08] is
[00:33:08] something
[00:33:08] to
[00:33:09] be
[00:33:09] achieved
[00:33:09] by
[00:33:09] talk
[00:33:10] rather
[00:33:10] than
[00:33:10] blows
[00:33:11] if
[00:33:12] their
[00:33:12] reasoning
[00:33:12] is
[00:33:13] sound
[00:33:13] let
[00:33:13] them
[00:33:14] argue
[00:33:14] it
[00:33:15] if
[00:33:16] they
[00:33:16] have
[00:33:16] any
[00:33:16] confidence
[00:33:16] in
[00:33:17] their
[00:33:17] truth
[00:33:17] let
[00:33:18] them
[00:33:18] teach
[00:33:18] it
[00:33:18] to
[00:33:19] us
[00:33:19] let
[00:33:19] them
[00:33:20] engage
[00:33:20] in
[00:33:20] debate
[00:33:21] of
[00:33:21] some
[00:33:21] such
[00:33:21] sort
[00:33:22] with
[00:33:22] us
[00:33:23] religion
[00:33:23] must
[00:33:24] be
[00:33:24] defended
[00:33:25] not
[00:33:25] by
[00:33:25] killing
[00:33:26] but
[00:33:27] by
[00:33:27] dying
[00:33:28] not
[00:33:29] by
[00:33:29] violence
[00:33:30] but
[00:33:31] by
[00:33:31] endurance
[00:33:33] is
[00:33:33] that
[00:33:33] a
[00:33:33] beaten
[00:33:34] down
[00:33:34] dog
[00:33:35] no
[00:33:36] this
[00:33:36] is
[00:33:36] someone
[00:33:37] who's
[00:33:37] so
[00:33:37] filled
[00:33:38] with
[00:33:38] the
[00:33:38] death
[00:33:38] and
[00:33:38] resurrection
[00:33:39] he's
[00:33:39] like
[00:33:39] come
[00:33:40] on
[00:33:40] I'll
[00:33:41] take
[00:33:41] you
[00:33:41] on
[00:33:41] in
[00:33:42] debate
[00:33:42] he
[00:33:47] knows
[00:33:47] he's
[00:33:47] won
[00:33:48] and
[00:33:48] there's
[00:33:48] a
[00:33:49] really
[00:33:49] cool
[00:33:49] passage
[00:33:49] that
[00:33:49] comes
[00:33:50] forgive
[00:33:50] me
[00:33:51] it
[00:33:51] comes
[00:33:51] a
[00:33:51] little
[00:33:52] bit
[00:33:52] later
[00:33:52] in
[00:33:52] the
[00:33:52] same
[00:33:52] book
[00:33:53] where
[00:33:54] he
[00:33:54] talks
[00:33:54] about
[00:33:54] persecution
[00:33:54] and
[00:33:55] he
[00:33:55] says
[00:33:55] when
[00:33:57] we're
[00:33:57] being
[00:33:57] killed
[00:33:58] you
[00:33:58] know
[00:33:58] more
[00:33:59] people
[00:33:59] are
[00:33:59] becoming
[00:34:00] Christians
[00:34:02] because
[00:34:03] when
[00:34:03] we
[00:34:03] lose
[00:34:03] we
[00:34:03] rise
[00:34:04] this
[00:34:05] is
[00:34:05] what
[00:34:05] he
[00:34:05] says
[00:34:05] I
[00:34:05] have
[00:34:06] to
[00:34:06] read
[00:34:06] this
[00:34:06] to
[00:34:06] you
[00:34:06] okay
[00:34:07] there
[00:34:08] is
[00:34:08] a
[00:34:08] reason
[00:34:08] God
[00:34:09] lets
[00:34:09] persecution
[00:34:10] come
[00:34:10] upon
[00:34:10] us
[00:34:11] it
[00:34:12] increases
[00:34:12] the
[00:34:12] number
[00:34:12] of
[00:34:13] God's
[00:34:13] people
[00:34:14] and
[00:34:14] it
[00:34:14] is
[00:34:14] not
[00:34:14] difficult
[00:34:15] to
[00:34:15] show
[00:34:15] why
[00:34:16] some
[00:34:16] people
[00:34:17] want
[00:34:17] to
[00:34:17] know
[00:34:17] what
[00:34:18] that
[00:34:18] good
[00:34:18] is
[00:34:19] which
[00:34:19] is
[00:34:19] defended
[00:34:20] even
[00:34:20] unto
[00:34:21] death
[00:34:21] and
[00:34:22] which
[00:34:22] is
[00:34:22] preferred
[00:34:23] to
[00:34:23] all
[00:34:23] the
[00:34:24] happy
[00:34:24] precious
[00:34:24] things
[00:34:25] there
[00:34:25] are
[00:34:25] in
[00:34:26] this
[00:34:26] life
[00:34:26] and
[00:34:27] other
[00:34:28] people
[00:34:28] standing
[00:34:28] by
[00:34:29] hear
[00:34:30] us
[00:34:30] amidst
[00:34:31] the
[00:34:31] torches
[00:34:31] say
[00:34:32] that
[00:34:33] we
[00:34:33] do
[00:34:33] not
[00:34:34] sacrifice
[00:34:35] to
[00:34:35] stones
[00:34:36] shaped
[00:34:36] by
[00:34:36] human
[00:34:36] hands
[00:34:37] but
[00:34:37] to
[00:34:37] a
[00:34:37] living
[00:34:38] God
[00:34:38] who
[00:34:39] is
[00:34:39] in
[00:34:39] heaven
[00:34:39] many
[00:34:40] come
[00:34:54] resist
[00:34:54] telling
[00:34:55] you
[00:34:55] that
[00:34:55] we
[00:34:55] know
[00:34:56] that
[00:34:56] this
[00:34:56] was
[00:34:56] also
[00:34:57] true
[00:34:58] in
[00:34:58] Pontus
[00:34:58] and
[00:34:59] Bithynia
[00:35:00] I
[00:35:01] told
[00:35:01] you
[00:35:01] at
[00:35:01] the
[00:35:01] outset
[00:35:03] that
[00:35:03] Pliny
[00:35:04] in
[00:35:04] 112
[00:35:04] was
[00:35:05] killing
[00:35:05] Christians
[00:35:06] left
[00:35:06] right
[00:35:06] and
[00:35:06] centre
[00:35:08] and
[00:35:08] he
[00:35:08] writes
[00:35:09] to
[00:35:09] empretration
[00:35:09] this
[00:35:10] is
[00:35:10] about
[00:35:11] 50
[00:35:11] years
[00:35:12] after
[00:35:13] Peter
[00:35:15] when
[00:35:16] Peter
[00:35:16] wrote
[00:35:16] to
[00:35:17] Pontus
[00:35:17] and
[00:35:17] Bithynia
[00:35:18] Christians
[00:35:18] could
[00:35:19] only
[00:35:19] have
[00:35:19] been
[00:35:20] in
[00:35:20] the
[00:35:20] hundreds
[00:35:21] in
[00:35:22] the
[00:35:22] 60s
[00:35:22] AD
[00:35:23] they
[00:35:23] could
[00:35:23] only
[00:35:23] have
[00:35:23] been
[00:35:24] in
[00:35:24] the
[00:35:24] hundreds
[00:35:24] and
[00:35:25] that
[00:35:26] persecution
[00:35:26] just
[00:35:26] got
[00:35:27] hotter
[00:35:27] and
[00:35:28] hotter
[00:35:28] and
[00:35:28] hotter
[00:35:29] and
[00:35:29] hotter
[00:35:30] and
[00:35:30] hotter
[00:35:30] but
[00:35:40] this
[00:35:41] is
[00:35:41] what
[00:35:41] Pliny
[00:35:41] says
[00:35:42] I
[00:35:44] have
[00:35:44] postponed
[00:35:45] any
[00:35:45] further
[00:35:46] examination
[00:35:46] and
[00:35:46] hastened
[00:35:47] to
[00:35:47] consult
[00:35:48] you
[00:35:48] empretration
[00:35:49] the
[00:35:49] question
[00:35:50] seems
[00:35:50] to
[00:35:50] me
[00:35:50] worthy
[00:35:51] of
[00:35:51] your
[00:35:51] consideration
[00:35:52] especially
[00:35:53] in
[00:35:53] view
[00:35:53] of
[00:35:54] the
[00:35:54] number
[00:35:54] of
[00:35:55] persons
[00:35:55] endangered
[00:35:56] for
[00:35:57] a
[00:35:57] great
[00:35:58] many
[00:35:58] individuals
[00:35:59] of
[00:36:00] every
[00:36:00] age
[00:36:01] and
[00:36:02] class
[00:36:02] both
[00:36:03] men
[00:36:03] and
[00:36:04] women
[00:36:04] are
[00:36:05] being
[00:36:05] brought
[00:36:05] to
[00:36:05] trial
[00:36:06] as
[00:36:06] Christians
[00:36:06] and
[00:36:07] this
[00:36:07] is
[00:36:08] likely
[00:36:08] to
[00:36:08] continue
[00:36:09] it
[00:36:09] is
[00:36:09] not
[00:36:10] only
[00:36:10] the
[00:36:10] towns
[00:36:10] but
[00:36:11] the
[00:36:11] villages
[00:36:12] and
[00:36:12] rural
[00:36:13] districts
[00:36:13] too
[00:36:13] which
[00:36:14] are
[00:36:14] infected
[00:36:15] through
[00:36:15] contact
[00:36:16] with
[00:36:16] this
[00:36:16] wretched
[00:36:16] cult
[00:36:17] the
[00:36:19] Christians
[00:36:20] are
[00:36:20] taking
[00:36:20] over
[00:36:21] so
[00:36:24] I
[00:36:24] need
[00:36:24] to
[00:36:24] persecute
[00:36:25] them
[00:36:27] which
[00:36:28] means
[00:36:28] they
[00:36:28] really
[00:36:28] will
[00:36:29] take
[00:36:29] over
[00:36:29] because
[00:36:32] they're
[00:36:32] the
[00:36:32] death
[00:36:32] and
[00:36:33] resurrection
[00:36:33] people
[00:36:35] my
[00:36:36] point
[00:36:36] Peter's
[00:36:37] point
[00:36:37] is
[00:36:38] that
[00:36:38] we
[00:36:39] can
[00:36:39] lose
[00:36:39] all
[00:36:40] sorts
[00:36:40] of
[00:36:40] things
[00:36:40] socially
[00:36:42] physically
[00:36:43] politically
[00:36:44] and
[00:36:50] because
[00:36:50] when
[00:36:50] we
[00:36:51] look
[00:36:51] like
[00:36:52] the
[00:36:52] gospel
[00:36:52] we
[00:36:52] preach
[00:36:53] God
[00:36:57] brings
[00:36:57] resurrection
[00:37:01] on a
[00:37:02] much
[00:37:02] smaller
[00:37:03] scale
[00:37:03] I
[00:37:04] have
[00:37:04] seen
[00:37:04] this
[00:37:04] to
[00:37:04] be
[00:37:05] true
[00:37:05] in
[00:37:05] my
[00:37:05] own
[00:37:05] ministry
[00:37:06] some
[00:37:11] years
[00:37:12] ago
[00:37:13] one
[00:37:13] of
[00:37:13] my
[00:37:13] books
[00:37:15] was
[00:37:16] banned
[00:37:16] by
[00:37:17] the
[00:37:18] government
[00:37:18] in
[00:37:18] Australia
[00:37:20] it
[00:37:21] had
[00:37:21] been
[00:37:21] a
[00:37:21] textbook
[00:37:21] for
[00:37:22] more
[00:37:22] than
[00:37:22] a
[00:37:22] decade
[00:37:22] in
[00:37:23] schools
[00:37:23] it's
[00:37:23] a
[00:37:24] little
[00:37:24] kind
[00:37:24] of
[00:37:26] social
[00:37:27] spiritual
[00:37:29] critique
[00:37:29] of
[00:37:30] culture
[00:37:31] and
[00:37:32] the
[00:37:32] opening
[00:37:32] chapter
[00:37:32] is
[00:37:33] all
[00:37:33] about
[00:37:33] sex
[00:37:34] the
[00:37:35] next
[00:37:35] chapter
[00:37:35] is
[00:37:35] about
[00:37:36] fashion
[00:37:36] and
[00:37:37] it
[00:37:37] goes
[00:37:37] through
[00:37:37] science
[00:37:38] and
[00:37:38] suffering
[00:37:38] and
[00:37:38] so
[00:37:39] on
[00:37:39] it's
[00:37:39] been
[00:37:39] used
[00:37:39] in
[00:37:39] schools
[00:37:40] and
[00:37:40] it's
[00:37:41] been
[00:37:41] great
[00:37:41] fun
[00:37:41] but
[00:37:42] some
[00:37:42] atheists
[00:37:43] were
[00:37:44] really
[00:37:45] annoyed
[00:37:45] that
[00:37:45] this
[00:37:46] book
[00:37:46] is
[00:37:46] being
[00:37:46] used
[00:37:46] in
[00:37:46] state
[00:37:47] schools
[00:37:47] so
[00:37:48] they
[00:37:49] wrote
[00:37:49] a
[00:37:49] report
[00:37:49] about
[00:37:50] my
[00:37:50] little
[00:37:50] book
[00:37:50] and
[00:37:51] sent
[00:37:51] it
[00:37:51] to
[00:37:51] the
[00:37:51] government
[00:37:52] and
[00:37:53] what
[00:37:53] they
[00:37:53] said
[00:37:53] was
[00:37:56] advocates
[00:37:59] restraint
[00:38:01] in a
[00:38:01] hookup
[00:38:02] culture
[00:38:03] and
[00:38:04] this
[00:38:04] will
[00:38:04] be
[00:38:04] damaging
[00:38:05] to
[00:38:05] the
[00:38:05] kiddies
[00:38:05] and
[00:38:09] the
[00:38:09] government
[00:38:10] banned
[00:38:10] the
[00:38:10] book
[00:38:12] all
[00:38:12] headmasters
[00:38:13] of
[00:38:14] schools
[00:38:15] in
[00:38:15] New
[00:38:15] South
[00:38:15] Wales
[00:38:16] got
[00:38:16] the
[00:38:17] note
[00:38:17] one
[00:38:17] day
[00:38:18] no
[00:38:19] more
[00:38:19] this
[00:38:19] book
[00:38:19] when
[00:38:22] I
[00:38:22] got
[00:38:22] the
[00:38:22] message
[00:38:23] I
[00:38:24] learnt
[00:38:24] through
[00:38:24] the
[00:38:24] media
[00:38:26] it
[00:38:27] was
[00:38:27] so
[00:38:28] embarrassing
[00:38:29] I
[00:38:30] was
[00:38:30] doing
[00:38:30] a
[00:38:30] lot
[00:38:30] of
[00:38:31] public
[00:38:31] work
[00:38:31] in
[00:38:31] Sydney
[00:38:31] at
[00:38:32] the
[00:38:32] time
[00:38:33] and
[00:38:34] this
[00:38:35] was
[00:38:35] really
[00:38:35] embarrassing
[00:38:36] because
[00:38:36] this
[00:38:36] atheist
[00:38:36] group
[00:38:37] made
[00:38:37] me
[00:38:38] in
[00:38:38] the
[00:38:38] book
[00:38:38] look
[00:38:38] really
[00:38:39] bad
[00:38:39] I
[00:38:42] had
[00:38:42] to
[00:38:42] do
[00:38:42] radio
[00:38:43] interviews
[00:38:43] and
[00:38:43] TV
[00:38:44] interviews
[00:38:44] and
[00:38:44] print
[00:38:47] and
[00:38:47] I
[00:38:48] remember
[00:38:48] one
[00:38:48] time
[00:38:49] I
[00:38:50] was
[00:38:50] to
[00:38:51] speak
[00:38:51] on
[00:38:51] the
[00:38:51] AVC
[00:38:52] which
[00:38:52] is
[00:38:52] a bit
[00:38:54] like
[00:38:54] NPR
[00:38:54] except
[00:38:55] more
[00:38:55] people
[00:38:55] listen
[00:38:55] to
[00:38:56] it
[00:39:01] and
[00:39:01] my
[00:39:02] friends
[00:39:02] said
[00:39:03] to
[00:39:03] me
[00:39:03] this
[00:39:03] was
[00:39:04] classic
[00:39:04] they
[00:39:05] said
[00:39:05] John
[00:39:05] you
[00:39:06] know
[00:39:06] how
[00:39:06] you're
[00:39:06] always
[00:39:06] talking
[00:39:07] about
[00:39:07] losing
[00:39:08] well
[00:39:09] this
[00:39:10] would
[00:39:10] be
[00:39:10] a
[00:39:10] good
[00:39:10] time
[00:39:11] to
[00:39:11] take
[00:39:11] your
[00:39:12] own
[00:39:12] medicine
[00:39:13] so
[00:39:14] quite
[00:39:14] against
[00:39:14] my
[00:39:15] own
[00:39:15] personality
[00:39:15] I
[00:39:15] got
[00:39:16] on
[00:39:16] the
[00:39:16] phone
[00:39:16] I
[00:39:17] talked
[00:39:17] with
[00:39:17] a
[00:39:17] journalist
[00:39:17] and
[00:39:35] I
[00:39:35] hung
[00:39:35] up
[00:39:35] from
[00:39:35] the
[00:39:36] interview
[00:39:36] it
[00:39:36] went
[00:39:36] okay
[00:39:37] five
[00:39:38] minutes
[00:39:38] later
[00:39:38] I
[00:39:39] got
[00:39:39] a
[00:39:39] call
[00:39:39] from
[00:39:40] an
[00:39:40] unknown
[00:39:40] number
[00:39:40] it
[00:39:43] was
[00:39:43] the
[00:39:43] education
[00:39:44] secretary
[00:39:46] who'd
[00:39:46] heard
[00:39:47] me
[00:39:48] on the
[00:39:48] radio
[00:39:49] on the
[00:39:49] national
[00:39:49] broadcaster
[00:39:50] and his
[00:39:51] first words
[00:39:51] were
[00:39:53] thanks
[00:39:53] for not
[00:39:54] bashing
[00:39:54] us
[00:39:56] would
[00:39:57] you
[00:39:57] like
[00:39:57] to
[00:39:57] come
[00:39:57] into
[00:39:58] my
[00:39:58] office
[00:39:58] and
[00:39:58] we'll
[00:39:58] talk
[00:39:59] about
[00:39:59] it
[00:39:59] further
[00:40:01] whoa
[00:40:01] I
[00:40:02] said
[00:40:02] yes
[00:40:02] couple
[00:40:03] of days
[00:40:03] later
[00:40:03] I
[00:40:03] was
[00:40:03] in
[00:40:04] his
[00:40:04] office
[00:40:05] maybe
[00:40:05] for
[00:40:06] half
[00:40:06] an
[00:40:06] hour
[00:40:06] we
[00:40:06] talked
[00:40:06] about
[00:40:07] the
[00:40:07] problems
[00:40:07] around
[00:40:08] the
[00:40:08] book
[00:40:08] and
[00:40:08] so
[00:40:09] on
[00:40:09] but
[00:40:09] he
[00:40:10] said
[00:40:10] to
[00:40:10] me
[00:40:10] in
[00:40:11] the
[00:40:11] intervening
[00:40:11] days
[00:40:12] I
[00:40:12] read
[00:40:13] your
[00:40:13] book
[00:40:14] he
[00:40:14] hadn't
[00:40:15] read
[00:40:15] it
[00:40:15] up to
[00:40:15] that
[00:40:15] point
[00:40:15] he
[00:40:15] let
[00:40:16] his
[00:40:16] advisors
[00:40:16] make
[00:40:17] the
[00:40:17] decision
[00:40:17] he
[00:40:18] said
[00:40:18] I
[00:40:18] really
[00:40:18] like
[00:40:18] the
[00:40:19] book
[00:40:19] I
[00:40:19] hope
[00:40:19] my
[00:40:20] teenagers
[00:40:20] read
[00:40:20] it
[00:40:20] but
[00:40:24] after
[00:40:24] that
[00:40:24] half
[00:40:24] hour
[00:40:25] we
[00:40:26] then
[00:40:26] just
[00:40:26] for
[00:40:26] the
[00:40:26] next
[00:40:27] half
[00:40:27] hour
[00:40:28] talked
[00:40:29] about
[00:40:29] Jesus
[00:40:30] and
[00:40:30] how
[00:40:31] fascinated
[00:40:31] he
[00:40:41] I
[00:40:41] met
[00:40:41] with
[00:40:41] him
[00:40:42] five
[00:40:42] times
[00:40:43] and
[00:40:44] we
[00:40:44] were
[00:40:44] talking
[00:40:44] about
[00:40:45] Jesus
[00:40:45] almost
[00:40:46] all
[00:40:46] of
[00:40:47] that
[00:40:47] time
[00:40:47] I
[00:40:49] won't
[00:40:49] go
[00:40:50] into
[00:40:50] any
[00:40:50] further
[00:40:50] details
[00:40:51] because
[00:40:51] he's
[00:40:51] a
[00:40:51] very
[00:40:51] public
[00:40:52] figure
[00:40:54] but
[00:40:54] I
[00:40:55] thought
[00:40:55] to
[00:40:55] myself
[00:40:55] wow
[00:40:56] that
[00:40:57] painful
[00:40:58] loss
[00:41:00] was
[00:41:00] actually
[00:41:00] a
[00:41:01] wonderful
[00:41:01] win
[00:41:01] for
[00:41:01] the
[00:41:01] gospel
[00:41:03] how
[00:41:03] could
[00:41:03] I
[00:41:03] have
[00:41:04] ever
[00:41:04] brought
[00:41:04] the
[00:41:05] gospel
[00:41:05] to
[00:41:06] the
[00:41:06] secretary
[00:41:06] for
[00:41:06] education
[00:41:08] without
[00:41:08] this
[00:41:11] there's
[00:41:13] even
[00:41:14] a
[00:41:14] happy
[00:41:14] addendum
[00:41:15] to
[00:41:15] this
[00:41:15] debate
[00:41:16] that
[00:41:16] we
[00:41:16] spectacularly
[00:41:17] lost
[00:41:18] yes
[00:41:19] we
[00:41:19] lost
[00:41:19] the
[00:41:19] entrance
[00:41:20] poll
[00:41:20] yes
[00:41:20] we
[00:41:20] lost
[00:41:21] the
[00:41:21] exit
[00:41:21] poll
[00:41:21] but
[00:41:22] interestingly
[00:41:22] on the
[00:41:23] night
[00:41:23] one
[00:41:23] of
[00:41:23] the
[00:41:23] professors
[00:41:24] on
[00:41:25] our
[00:41:25] side
[00:41:25] arguing
[00:41:27] that
[00:41:27] religion
[00:41:28] generally
[00:41:28] has
[00:41:29] some
[00:41:29] social
[00:41:30] value
[00:41:31] was a
[00:41:32] Jewish
[00:41:32] professor
[00:41:33] professor
[00:41:33] of
[00:41:33] Jewish
[00:41:34] studies
[00:41:34] at
[00:41:34] Sydney
[00:41:35] University
[00:41:35] which
[00:41:36] is our
[00:41:36] oldest
[00:41:37] and most
[00:41:37] prestigious
[00:41:37] university
[00:41:38] in
[00:41:39] Australia
[00:41:39] founded
[00:41:40] in
[00:41:40] 1850
[00:41:41] 60
[00:41:42] thousand
[00:41:43] students
[00:41:44] university
[00:41:46] and we
[00:41:47] defended
[00:41:47] Judaism
[00:41:48] on the
[00:41:49] night
[00:41:49] the
[00:41:49] history
[00:41:50] of
[00:41:50] Judaism
[00:41:50] just as
[00:41:51] much
[00:41:51] as
[00:41:51] we
[00:41:51] did
[00:41:51] Christianity
[00:41:52] and we
[00:41:53] got on
[00:41:53] really
[00:41:53] well
[00:41:54] with this
[00:41:54] professor
[00:41:55] of
[00:41:55] Jewish
[00:41:55] studies
[00:41:55] and a
[00:41:56] few
[00:41:56] weeks
[00:41:56] later
[00:41:57] she
[00:41:57] called
[00:41:58] and she
[00:41:59] said
[00:41:59] John
[00:41:59] would you
[00:42:00] like to
[00:42:00] come to
[00:42:00] Sydney
[00:42:01] uni
[00:42:01] and give
[00:42:02] a talk
[00:42:03] on
[00:42:04] Jesus
[00:42:05] from the
[00:42:06] Jewish
[00:42:06] perspective
[00:42:09] I
[00:42:09] said
[00:42:10] yes
[00:42:11] I
[00:42:11] can
[00:42:11] do
[00:42:11] that
[00:42:14] the
[00:42:14] lecture
[00:42:15] went
[00:42:15] really
[00:42:15] well
[00:42:16] a couple
[00:42:17] of weeks
[00:42:17] later
[00:42:17] she
[00:42:18] said
[00:42:18] John
[00:42:18] I know
[00:42:19] this sounds
[00:42:19] weird
[00:42:19] but would
[00:42:20] you be
[00:42:20] willing
[00:42:21] to write
[00:42:22] design
[00:42:22] and then
[00:42:23] teach
[00:42:23] an entire
[00:42:24] course on
[00:42:25] the life
[00:42:25] of Jesus
[00:42:25] for Sydney
[00:42:26] University
[00:42:29] which I
[00:42:29] did for
[00:42:30] the next
[00:42:30] 10 years
[00:42:33] in one of
[00:42:34] the biggest
[00:42:34] most prestigious
[00:42:36] progressive
[00:42:38] secular
[00:42:38] universities
[00:42:39] in my
[00:42:39] country
[00:42:42] we had
[00:42:42] students
[00:42:43] studying
[00:42:43] the life
[00:42:44] of Jesus
[00:42:46] all
[00:42:46] all
[00:42:47] from a
[00:42:47] loss
[00:42:48] all
[00:42:49] from
[00:42:49] what
[00:42:49] was
[00:42:50] very
[00:42:50] painful
[00:42:50] and I
[00:42:52] offer
[00:42:52] this
[00:42:52] really
[00:42:53] as
[00:42:53] like
[00:42:54] a
[00:42:54] parable
[00:42:54] I
[00:42:55] could
[00:42:55] give
[00:42:55] you
[00:42:55] many
[00:42:56] many
[00:42:56] different
[00:42:56] stories
[00:42:57] but
[00:42:57] just
[00:42:57] a
[00:42:57] parable
[00:42:58] of
[00:42:58] the
[00:42:58] simple
[00:42:59] truth
[00:43:01] that
[00:43:02] when
[00:43:02] we're
[00:43:02] under
[00:43:03] pressure
[00:43:03] what
[00:43:04] the
[00:43:05] Lord
[00:43:05] requires
[00:43:06] of
[00:43:06] us
[00:43:07] is
[00:43:16] and
[00:43:17] a
[00:43:18] cheerful
[00:43:18] humility
[00:43:19] to
[00:43:20] lose
[00:43:20] well
[00:43:21] when
[00:43:21] we
[00:43:22] must
[00:43:22] knowing
[00:43:23] that
[00:43:24] the
[00:43:24] father
[00:43:25] can
[00:43:26] take
[00:43:26] painful
[00:43:27] losses
[00:43:27] and
[00:43:28] raise
[00:43:29] them
[00:43:29] to
[00:43:30] glorious
[00:43:30] gospel
[00:43:32] winds
[00:43:32] Lord
[00:43:39] may
[00:43:39] this
[00:43:39] be
[00:43:40] true
[00:43:40] some
[00:43:42] of us
[00:43:42] may
[00:43:43] be
[00:43:43] going
[00:43:43] through
[00:43:44] terrible
[00:43:44] times
[00:43:45] right now
[00:43:46] feeling
[00:43:47] like
[00:43:48] we're
[00:43:48] just
[00:43:48] losing
[00:43:49] Lord
[00:43:50] please
[00:43:50] in our
[00:43:51] weakness
[00:43:51] in our
[00:43:53] participation
[00:43:53] in the
[00:43:54] sufferings
[00:43:55] of
[00:43:55] Christ
[00:43:56] we
[00:43:57] ask
[00:43:57] that
[00:43:57] you
[00:43:58] lift
[00:43:58] us
[00:43:58] up
[00:43:58] that
[00:44:00] you
[00:44:00] help
[00:44:00] us
[00:44:00] to
[00:44:00] hope
[00:44:01] in
[00:44:01] future
[00:44:02] glory
[00:44:02] but
[00:44:03] we
[00:44:03] dare
[00:44:04] to
[00:44:04] pray
[00:44:04] that
[00:44:04] by
[00:44:05] your
[00:44:05] spirit
[00:44:06] we
[00:44:07] might
[00:44:07] see
[00:44:08] gospel
[00:44:08] winds
[00:44:09] here
[00:44:09] and
[00:44:09] now
[00:44:09] that
[00:44:10] you
[00:44:22] beg
[00:44:22] you
[00:44:23] to
[00:44:23] do
[00:44:23] this
[00:44:24] father
[00:44:24] in
[00:44:24] the
[00:44:24] power
[00:44:25] of
[00:44:25] your
[00:44:26] spirit
[00:44:26] in
[00:44:27] the
[00:44:27] name
[00:44:27] of
[00:44:27] the
[00:44:28] crucified
[00:44:28] and
[00:44:29] risen
[00:44:29] one
[00:44:30] Jesus
[00:44:31] amen
[00:44:32] thanks
[00:44:41] for listening
[00:44:42] to this
[00:44:42] episode
[00:44:43] of the
[00:44:43] cgn
[00:44:43] podcast
[00:44:44] episodes
[00:44:45] are
[00:44:45] released
[00:44:45] every
[00:44:46] two
[00:44:46] weeks
[00:44:46] so
[00:44:46] make
[00:44:47] sure
[00:44:47] to
[00:44:47] subscribe
[00:44:47] to
[00:44:48] the
[00:44:48] podcast
[00:44:48] so
[00:44:49] you'll
[00:44:49] be
[00:44:49] notified
[00:44:49] when
[00:44:50] new
[00:44:50] episodes
[00:44:50] are
[00:44:50] released
[00:44:51] in
[00:44:51] upcoming
[00:44:52] episodes
[00:44:52] we'll
[00:44:53] have
[00:44:53] more
[00:44:53] messages
[00:44:53] from
[00:44:54] the
[00:44:54] conference
[00:44:54] as
[00:44:55] well
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