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Dangerous Testimony: In the open

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Acts 16:11–15 11 After we put out to sea from Troas, we sailed straight to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. 12 From there we went to Philippi, which is a leading city in that part of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for a number of days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate alongside the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and began to talk to the women who had gathered there. 14 A woman named Lydia, who worshipped God, was listening. She was a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira. The Lord opened her heart to pay close attention to what Paul was saying. 15 When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. St. John reminds you, “ This then is [God’s] command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and that we love one another just as he commanded us. Amen. (1 John 3:18) While in the
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Dangerous Testimony: To the Flock

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Acts 20:28–32 28 “Always keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves, who will not spare the flock, will come in among you. 30 Even from your own group men will rise up, twisting the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore be always on the alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, I never stopped warning each one of you with tears. 32 “And now I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which has power to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” “Always keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.” Amen. While Paul was on his third missionary tour through Greece and Asia Minor, he was preaching s
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Dangerous Testimony: Before Authorities

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Acts 26:19–29 19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 Rather, I first told those in Damascus and Jerusalem about it, and then throughout the entire country of Judea and also the Gentiles. I told them that they should repent and turn to God, while also doing works that are consistent with repentance. 21 These are the reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 “But I have had help from God right up to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great. I am saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would happen, 23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.” 24 While Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you insane.” 25 But Paul replied, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but I am clearly speaking words that are true
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Jesus has strong feelings about Holy Communion.

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Mark 14:12-26 Absalom started a revolt against his father, King David. The prince schmoozed Israelite noblemen and soldiers until he had enough support to claim the kingship. David had to run for his life. An ugly civil war broke out. It ended with a woodland battle where Absalom got caught in a tree and one of David’s officers, Joab, killed him.   Although the end of a civil war should’ve put David in a good mood, it did the opposite. He started wailing and moaning for his dead son. He went up to his room and let out such loud groans that his victorious soldiers had to sneak back into the city as if they just lost a battle. The citizens in the streets could hear David carrying on with a nearly hysterical fit that made them all hushed with shame. Finally, the same officer who’d finished off Absalom confronted David and gave the king a scolding. “Snap out of it,” Joab basically said. “You’re acting like you care more about the people who wanted you dead and as if you hate the people
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Reasons to hate Jesus: He demands praise.

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Luke 19:28-40 28 After Jesus had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead, 30 saying, “Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”   32 Those who were sent ahead went and found things just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”   34 They said, “The Lord needs it.”   35 Then they brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their robes on the colt and set Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their robes on the road. 37 As he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully, with a loud voice, for all the miracles they had s
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What if …?

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1 Corinthians 15:12-22 12 Now if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how is it that some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is pointless, and your faith is pointless too. 15 Then we are even guilty of giving false testimony about God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if it were true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then it also follows that those who fell asleep in Christ perished. 19 If our hope in Christ applies only to this life, we are the most pitiful people of all. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came by a man, the resu
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