Romanian Missionary. REMM - Traditional

October 6, 2019

Scripture referenced 8 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

1 Samuel 2:2 quoted after singing Holy Holy Holy: 'there is no one holy like the Lord, there is no one beside you, there is no rock like our God'

2 There is no one as holy as Yahweh, For there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.

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2 Timothy 1:12

quoted while singing: 'I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I'm persuaded he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day'

12 For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

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Acts 1:12-14

read aloud introducing Peter's message, the disciples gathered in the upper room constantly in prayer

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

13 When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

14 All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

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Acts 2

referenced by Peter describing Pentecost and people from all nations hearing the wonderful things of God

1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.

4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans?

8 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?

9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”

12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

15 For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.

16 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.

18 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

21 It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,

23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;

24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.

25 For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;

27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

28 You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

29 “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,

31 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay.

32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.

33 Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.

34 For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand,

35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”

40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

43 Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

44 All who believed were together, and had all things in common.

45 They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

46 Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

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Acts 3-4

referenced by Peter recounting the healing of the crippled man and Peter and John brought before the Sanhedrin

3:1 Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

3:2 A certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple.

3:3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy.

3:4 Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look at us.”

3:5 He listened to them, expecting to receive something from them.

3:6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

3:7 He took him by the right hand, and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.

3:8 Leaping up, he stood, and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

3:9 All the people saw him walking and praising God.

3:10 They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

3:11 As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

3:12 When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?

3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.

3:14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

3:15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses.

3:16 By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

3:17 “Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

3:18 But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

3:19 “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

3:20 and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before,

3:21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.

3:22 For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.

3:23 It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’

3:24 Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days.

3:25 You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘In your offspring will all the families of the earth be blessed.’

3:26 God, having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to you first to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your wickedness.”

4:1 As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,

4:2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

4:3 They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.

4:4 But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

4:5 In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.

4:6 Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.

4:7 When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

4:9 if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

4:10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.

4:11 He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’

4:12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”

4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

4:14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

4:16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it.

4:17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”

4:18 They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

4:19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,

4:20 for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”

4:21 When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that…

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Acts 5:34-39

referenced by Peter recounting Gamaliel's warning to the Sanhedrin not to fight against God

34 But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.

35 He said to them, “You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.

36 For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing.

37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

38 Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.

39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”

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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

quoted by the worship leader after Peter's message: 'Rejoice always and pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you'

16 Rejoice always.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.

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Romans 15:13

quoted as a blessing at the close: 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope'

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

Peter, a missionary from Romania with the Romanian Evangelical Medical Mission, brought the message this Sunday. Drawing from Acts 1, he traced the thread from the disciples praying together in the upper room to the spread of the gospel across the world, and set that alongside what he witnessed in Romania when communism collapsed in 1989. The two stories, separated by two thousand years, kept pointing to the same conclusion: the power behind it was never the people.

What was said

Peter opened with the disciples in the upper room. These were the same men who had fallen asleep while Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, the same men who ran when He was arrested. Peter himself had denied Jesus three times. And yet here they were, gathered and praying constantly. Jesus had told Peter before the denial that He had prayed for him, and that after he came back he would strengthen the others. Every person in that room, Peter said, was there only by the grace of Jesus, not by any merit of their own.

From that prayer came power. On Pentecost, Jews from Mesopotamia, Rome, Egypt, Libya and across the known world heard the wonderful things of God through this small, unlikely group. When Peter and John healed a crippled man at the temple gate in Jesus' name, and when they stood before the Sanhedrin, their answer was the same as it had been in the upper room: don't look at us. The council itself noted that these were unschooled, ordinary men, and yet they were bold in a way that had not been there before.

Gamaliel's warning to the Sanhedrin then became a kind of framework for the whole message. If this work comes from men, it will fall apart on its own. If it comes from God, you will not be able to stop it, and you had better not be found fighting against God. Peter applied that logic directly to what he had seen in Romania, where the communist government spent forty-five years trying to eliminate religion and did not know, he said, that they had started a war with God.

When communism collapsed in 1989, it fell like dominoes. Peter described how the presidents of Poland and Czechoslovakia each told journalists not to look at them as heroes, that the power had come from God, and that believers had been praying behind the Iron Curtain the whole time. In Romania, crowds knelt in city squares praying the Lord's Prayer. When the dictator was executed on Christmas Day, people shouted "God is with us." The revolution in Romania, Peter said, had an upper room behind it: a preacher who asked people to pray for a day when the gospel could be preached in stadiums, on radio, on television, while those around him whispered that they could not even go to church freely.

Peter then brought that history to bear on the work of the Romanian Evangelical Medical Mission and its connection to First B Jackson. Medical teams, including doctors from Wyoming, have gone to Nepal, Nigeria and beyond. College students who came to Romania to help Gypsy communities and orphans went home and became missionaries. Romanians themselves are now carrying the gospel to Papua New Guinea, South America, Africa and Asia. Peter said he never imagined a picture that large when the work began, and that is exactly the point: God had a broader plan than anyone in the room was praying for.

He closed by asking the church to keep praying. He noted that more Christians are being persecuted today than at any other point in two thousand years of Christian history, and that what is needed now is the same thing that was needed in the upper room: people joining together, staying in prayer, and trusting that the God who used failing, frightened disciples then can do the same work through ordinary people now.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

Peter opened by pointing out that the same disciples who fell asleep while Jesus prayed were later found praying constantly in the upper room. What do you think changed them, and what does that kind of shift look like in a person's life today?
Peter said that when Lech Walesa and Vaclav Havel were called heroes by journalists, they both deflected the credit and pointed to God. Why do you think that kind of response is so rare, and what makes it hard to do in our own lives?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Read the full transcript 4,721 words

Find in this transcript

0:00 Alright.

0:05 Good morning, everybody. You're probably thinking this looks a little different this morning. Well, we, the band is gonna fill in here to sing. It's not normally, we don't usually have a full band. We usually sing from the piano and worship from the piano and the hymn book.

0:21 But I am singing some hymns, so they will be, I think, recognizable. And, I really do invite you to to sing along with me. But would you stand and and we'll we'll start by singing holy holy holy, and, we'll warm up to the Lord this morning.

0:44 Alright. Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, Lord God

1:33 Alright. Verse two. Here we go. Alright. Verse three.

2:24 Let's sing this one out. Amen. Ain't that so true? From first Samuel, there is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one beside you.

3:25 There is no rock like our God. Indeed, there is not. He is holy. He is other. He is great.

3:31 That is why we sing to him. Let's sing, come thou found. Lord, we do bring our praises to you this morning because you are worthy. And, Lord, we are prone to wander. We are.

6:27 But I thank you, Lord, for, by your your loving kindness, you draw us in. You draw us into the fold. You are a good good shepherd, and we are grateful. Amen. Would you have a seat?

6:39 I've got just a few announcements that I'd like to put in front of you before we go forward. And Josh, would you just spin these and I'll do my best. Junior and senior high girls that they have met already. Forgive me if I stumble through these. I am not the announcements guy normally.

6:54 Okay? We'll keep moving here though. Youth group, that is tonight from five to seven. If you got kids, grandkids, you know of anybody? Middle school and high school youth group is Sundays from five to seven.

7:06 So know that that is there. Monday nights tomorrow, meal, music, message that starts at six. The food is great. The word is encouraging. I want you to know that you're invited if you'd ever like to check out Monday nights.

7:20 It really is for everybody. Okay? At the same time, Awana is happening right here in the circle. Kids are running around. Kids are here and there.

7:30 They're everywhere. They're taking in the word of God. They're storing it in their hearts. And could we just for a moment thank our volunteers for Owana? We are so grateful for our volunteers.

7:40 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Community Bible study, that is Wednesdays from nine to 11:30 right over here. I poked my head in there this week and saw a lot of smiles.

7:50 That is available. Another Bible study for girls this time. And if you know middle schoolers, that would like to be a part of this, this is at the whole grocer at 03:30 on Wednesdays. Precept studies, that is in motion right now. I won't say anymore on that.

8:12 Frontline appreciation, this one is important. I would like to put this in front of you. So next Sunday, there's gonna be a frontline appreciation and informal luncheon. So those who are already serving on frontline, also, could we have a hands if anybody is in a frontline person? Could we also thank them?

8:32 Such an important job. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Really.

8:37 And anyone that is an interested in becoming a frontline because we need more of you. It's a really important job here at First B, and that'll be next Sunday 12:30 in the Fellowship Hall. Don't let that scary picture scare you. Alright? That is to remind me today we are having two offers.

8:55 So we have a guest. His name is Peter. You get to hear from Peter later. He's from Romania. But what we're we do when we have missionaries is a lot of times we'll have two offerings.

9:05 One is just our general offering. We will do that one first. K? Just wanna give you a heads up before it happens. So one's the general often offering that happens first.

9:15 The second offering will be at the end, after Peter has spoken. So if you would like to give toward, REM, which is Romanian evangelical medical mission, you certainly can do that, but we want to provide that opportunity. So there there's a little something beforehand before it all happens. Everything else, please look in your bulletins. They work really hard in the office to to to inform us.

9:45 And so take a look to your your bulletin for anything else. And well, hello there. Why don't you stand up? Would you greet one another? Say hi to the people around you and then we'll bring you back in song.

11:03 Alright. We're gonna sing I know whom I've had believed.

11:07 I know not by God's wondrous grace to me, he had made known. No. Am worthy in Christ in love redeem before he is. But I know

13:57 You know, what I love about doing what we're doing right now is we get to sing the truths of scripture. That's what we're doing right now. For second Timothy, it says, I'm not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I'm persuaded he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. We we've just sung it, but we're singing the truths of scripture right now as we're gonna sing this one too. Not the laborers.

15:08 Not the laborers of my hands and fulfill my lost in man. Could my zeal nor respite know.

17:12 Amen. You can be seated. I would like to Let's see. We're gonna let me get my bearings here. Frontline team, this would be the first offering right here.

17:23 And, Steve, would you would you like to pray for that first offering?

17:27 You bet.

17:27 And then also, Frenchie, can I invite you up? Frenchie's gonna sing with us a little song, with his harmonica.

17:35 Come on up front line team as I pray. And Frenchie, get yourself ready.

17:40 Yeah.

17:40 I just wanna thank you for being a giving church, and we are a mission church. That means we don't just give to missions, but we have the mindset of missions. And we our goal, our passion is for that, all the world to hear and all the world to praise the Lord like we just did in those songs. And so good to sing those old hymns. So let's pray.

18:01 Lord Jesus, we are grateful grateful for your compassion, your love, your forgiveness, your salvation for us. We pray, Lord, that as we give, that you will take these funds, Lord, and that you will use them here, use them in Jackson, use them in Wyoming, in North America, and around the world. We pray, Lord, that you would, bring people to you. You would change lives, move people from death to life. Open our eyes, open our ears, open our hearts to you, Lord, that we might know you better and worship you more.

18:32 In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

18:38 Think about Jesus' words when he says, don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own, and let's be leaving our burdens.

19:29 If

21:37 Apologize to Carl. Carl, I free a curve there again. Sorry. That's alright. I jumped the gun earlier, but he was very gracious.

21:47 So we, as I said, are a mission church, and, so Peter and Anna are one of the missionaries that we support. They are from the homeland of mister Florine over here and Ferry and, Mundra. Yes. And Mandy. Excuse me.

22:04 And, so we're just grateful to have them here. And, we're looking forward to hearing from you and what you're what the Lord's doing there, but he's got a he's also got a word from the Lord for us. So I just wanna read for him from Acts chapter one and starting at verse 12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount Of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. And when they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.

22:37 Those present were Peter, John, James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas Bartholomew, and Matthew. James, son of Alphesians and Simon, the zealot, and Judas, the son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

23:05 Good morning. I remember with great joy the time that we had here with you when was last time here. Today you heard the word of God and how disciples went in the upper room and they start praying. And also, it was brothers there and his mother praying altogether. Just before the long line long time before that, same disciples fall asleep when Jesus was praying.

23:45 And Jesus came to them and say, pray. He went again to pray. He came back. Again, they were sleeping. And now and now they are praying and constantly praying.

24:02 And what happened? Jesus told them, stay here around Jerusalem and until Holy Spirit will come and you will have power, and you will be my witnesses here in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria, and to the edge of the earth. And what's happened on the Pentecost day, there is an Acts chapter two presented to us how Jews from all nation on the earth and people from Mesopotamia, people from Rome, people from Egypt, from Libya came to Jerusalem. Do you think today there is any power as united nation or a great leader to bring in Jerusalem and to hear what they heard wonderful things of God. So this small group, so people from Egypt, people from Mesopotamia, where that means Turkey, that means Iraq, that means Saudi Arabia.

25:18 People came to listen, to hear word of God. Wonderful things of God. Through whom? Through this small group that pray in upper room. Who are they?

25:34 They were in that room and if you look at them, Peter, why are here? You deserve to be here. You deserve to be a leader. You denied three times, name of Jesus. Why you are here?

25:52 Because you wept for your sins? Because what you have done is unthinkable. Your collapse was incredible. How that you are here? Peter can say, I'm here only by grace of God.

26:11 Only by grace of Jesus. He accepted me. And he told me before I collapsed, Peter, I pray for you and after, you will come back to your brothers and give strength to them. Isn't that a miracle that everyone, everyone there were just by grace of Jesus, not through their merit. For forty five years between us, it was that Berlin Wall, it was that iron curtain, and forty five years of communism in Romania.

26:56 After that collapse, here in The United States came president of Poland because in 1989, it was that huge event when communism collapsed and no one knew that this will happen. I never thought that this will happen. And suddenly this collapse and was like domino game and Poland start first and Hungary and after that country after country. And when president of Poland immediately after that collapse of communism came here, many journalists went to left Valenza and they said, president Valenza, you are the hero. You fought with communism and look what's happened.

27:44 And he said, don't look at me. The hero is God. The I was not I didn't have power. Now you look at these disciples. They, from here, went to several events happened, but one day they went to temple and was Peter and John and there was a crippled man there.

28:08 And the man was begging and when they look at Peter and John, Peter said, the gold and silver I don't have. But what I have I give to you. In name of Jesus, Walk. Now people, leaders, Sanhedrin, they learned about this. More people believed in God because now they will witness what happened with this man.

28:35 And they brought Peter and John and others in front, the leaders. And now they said, why you have done this? And then whose name you have done this? And Peter said, like after collapse of communism, Peter said, don't look at us that we have done this through our power. This man is healed because of in his name, because of his power and we are witness witnesses for him.

29:08 What amazing story. The sea collapse of communism and the sea leaders like president of Poland coming here, tell the journalist, don't look at me. It's not through my power. It's God's power. We pray behind Ira Cortin.

29:28 We pray there and Cortin collapsed. When president Havel of that time when they started was Czechoslovakia, now there are two Czech Republic and Slovakia. When he came here, same journalist came and said, are the hero. You have been prisoned and you resisted communism and look what's happened. You are the hero.

29:51 I'm not the hero. I'm not the hero. And disciples now when everybody look what they have done, said we are not the heroes. Everything was done on name of Jesus. We came from Romania.

30:13 And in Romania, after communism collapsed everywhere, the dictator of Romania said, but this will not happen. Never this will happen in Romania. But in Romania, we have what you heard here in the upper room. There was a preacher in Romania and a preacher, and we look at him, a preacher when the communist many times didn't allow us even in the churches to go. A preacher who came forward and preached this sermon, God bring that time and he asked all of us to pray.

30:49 Bring that time when we can preach on the stadium, when we can preach to radio, when we can preach a TV. And everybody whispered to each other, do you know they would not allow you even church to do that? How can you pray for the stadium? Do you know today that many preach in Romania on the stadium today? Because it was a prayer.

31:13 Because somebody was in upper room, invited others, joined with me to have a chain of prayer and look what's happened. We have the voice of the gospel in Romania, all over Romania. We have TV programs, Christian programs, was unthinkable for me, for many, for my generation. But it was an upper room. Now a disciple came, had been brought in front of the Sanhedrin and Sanhedrin, the leaders decided to put them to death, to kill them.

31:47 So that mission that just started now must be finished or it's over. So when they decided to kill them, they said a very respected man, Gamaliel, very respected by everybody, came forward and said, here, men of Israel, pay attention to what we intend to do to these people. Because not long time ago, a man who said, I am somebody, His name was Judas, came and many followers. He was killed. His followers was dispersed all over.

32:31 And not after that, another one came, Judas Galilean. He came many followers. He saw that somebody. He was killed. Many followers were killed.

32:48 And I will tell you one one thing now. Let these people go because if this mission, if this work is coming from man, will be destroyed. But if mission is coming from God, you will not be able to destroy this work. But I will tell you to not be careful to not fight against God. When communist came in power, one thing that the thing that they sought is how to eliminate, how to destroy religion.

33:28 They're have word of God in your homes, in your churches, everywhere. They didn't know they start a war against God. They didn't know that they start a war with God who when Sanhedrin saw disciples, they look at them and look at them and said, these are unschooled, ordinary men. How did they are so bold? Because not long time ago, they were locked they have they locked the doors.

34:05 They are trembling. They are so scared. And now they are so bold. They're ready to die. Because now they have Holy Spirit.

34:15 Now they have power. Now they have power to be witness for Jesus Christ. We are here, and I want to share with you several things. God help us in Romania. The hero of us, when secret police kill so many people in the marketplace, there was blood.

34:40 They fell on their knees, and they start after forty five years with Lord's prayer. In Timisara where revolution started, in Bucharest, in Arad City, in all these big cities of Romania to see Romanians on their knees, Lord, pray heavenly father. When dictator was overthrown and he was executed at Christmas day, people, they shouted, God is with us. God is with us. Now how can be we witness for Jesus Christ and say this happened?

35:18 To tell here in America, to tell in European Union, to tell to the edge of the earth, we are witness. Imagine when disciples spoke to people, they didn't make the invitation. They say, people from Egypt, we send you invitation. Come here to Jerusalem and you will go back and you will be a witness in Egypt. People from Libya, who can do that?

35:43 Holy Spirit brought all these people. One, like for me, it's a great honor to come here and to see Florin from Romania, to see Ferry from Romania, to see Mandy from Romania here in The United States. If I go in Chicago, you see Romanians. If you go in New York, you see Romanians. They are witness for Jesus Christ.

36:05 And for me, it's look who have this power to bring people? Recently, I got messages from young Romanians. They they work Papua, New Guinea, they bring word of God. Others send me messages from South America, other from from Africa, other from Asia. And I say, how was that possible?

36:30 We didn't cross even our border in Romania, and now you see all over the world. And they are witness for Jesus Christ. We are here to testify that, your support, your love for our mission for us, actually impacted so many people in Romania. And not only in Romania. We have medical teams, doctors, for including from his from Wyoming.

37:05 And I am so amazed when I got a message from one doctor who said, Peter, I am in Nepal. I am in Nigeria. I am, I have a doctor's team of doctors going to all these countries. Very hard to get there, do medical work. Do you know where this dream was born?

37:26 When we had been in the huge in your town and your house, when we prayed there, we have upper room and look now the doctors spread all over the world. I said, what powerful message. When we have students, colleges, college students from here, from America, and they came when we saw that we'll have impact upon Gypsy community, upon orphans, upon villages, upon politicians, upon public school, colleges. And when they come back, they came back and they send me messages and they said, Peter, do you know that I decided when I was Romania to be a missionary? And when you get all these messages from all over, they said, how this word was spread when we didn't talk in Romania about that.

38:18 We said, how we help Gypsy community? How we help orphan? How we help public school? We talk only about that. But God has a bigger plan, larger plan.

38:28 And I said, I never thought of this way. I never had such a broad picture about this. And when you think of the results, of the fruit, it was an upper room with all these disciples who said, why you are here, you Peter? You Thomas? Thomas, what what did you say that you cannot believe?

38:55 Only if you see his palm, his wounds, you only in that way, if you see with your eyes. If all disciple told you, we saw that he is the reason, you couldn't believe. Now why are here? I'm here only by his grace, And we are here by his grace. Romania is we have that collapse of walls because of his grace.

39:21 We have now God bless us to spread all over his message, and he gave us, and we need to say like disciples, don't look at us. If we try to find heroes in Romania, the heroes of revolution, then we'll fail. All the disciple in upper room, all they failed. All they they're all failures. Not a single one can say I didn't well, Jesus was alone when he was crucified.

39:51 All of them, you run away. And Jesus accepted them back. Jesus not only that, they said, you will be my witnesses. And our position as witness to come back and to say, I see. I saw Romanians in First Baptist Church.

40:12 If if you see, go back to the your country to bring that message that I saw Romanians all over. And, and praise God because they are shining. And praise God because they are witness. And this is, what disciples said. Don't look at us.

40:36 We are weak. We don't have power, but he has power in his name. So, we are here, and I want to give you a report about our organization, Romanian Evangelistic Medical Mission. Why is it called that Romanian Evangelistic Medical Mission? Because we saw that the collapse of communism, that bring the gospel word of God to Romanians, we call evangelistic, to bring medicine to Romanians because after collapse of, communism, even aspirin was missing, to bring Christian doctor here and to start with this mission.

41:18 But soon after that, I saw here in states, I saw in Romania. I saw images that I couldn't believe. Orphans, abandoned children, crawling on the floor naked, and said this is impossible. And some people said even Nazi didn't treat people like that. Why is this?

41:41 This is communism. And, I had that video. I don't know if we can show this video. There are four minutes. If is that possible, how was when we invited a TV crew from here and they were witness and we were witness, and how we started the mission with medical work, after that with orphanage, with Christian orphanage, and after that with Gypsy ministry.

42:08 We started a ministry among politician. Some people said, you cannot do that. I never was a member of any party in Romania or here. I never was a politician, but yet I spent a lot of time with including with president or former presidents of Romania, with prime minister to share, the bring a Bible and to give a Bible and to give to member of government or to chief of police. And we look at all of these and said, only God was who opened the door for incredible events that happened in Romania.

42:50 If is that possible to show that video, it's 1991, one year and something after a revolution. We have NBC branch in Iowa. And they presented every evening what see here. Yep, we can see. I was very impressed how they present in Iowa.

43:17 So they have a they have done a good job in Iowa presenting every night a news time about three minutes with our mission, how we started, and from here, we started our Christian orphan. From here, we started medical work, and they presented how we started all the ministries. We had a very good response response from Iowa. And what you saw here was legacy of communism. When they took care of everything of everybody.

43:52 I pray that God will use as witnesses to present what God has done for us in Romania and what other people came in power and say, we don't need God, and what they have done to Romania and to all these former communist country. Romania was called breadbasket of Europe. At end of communism, we were empty basket of Europe with so many orphan, with so many abandoned children. What we try to do now in Romania is to prevent, among other ministries, work hard with American teams to prevent abandonment of children going from village to village help them. We have a GAPA ministry.

44:35 And from you came to help hand in hand with us to help needy families. Last summer, my son-in-law, Alex, who is here, he started a project that four children. 24 in the Gypsy community. 24 children. 12 children.

44:56 He built a house together with, Americans, with teams, and he wants to continue this. And, this is how we try to continue the ministry in Romania through medical doctors, through teachers in public schools, through preachers, pastors, policemen, petitions, and to be witness for Jesus Christ. And you kept our upper room, and we try to have this chain of prayer and to thank you from bottom of our heart for your great health and to keep us in prayer because last summer, we started a prayer group, a college of prayer international, and we invited people from Russia, from Ukraine, from Former Yugoslavia to pray with us and to pray for Europe. You know that today, according to many statistics, there are more people with have freedom of religion. But we have more people persecuted today today today than any other in the history and two thousand year of Christianity.

46:09 We need to start upper room here, in Romania and Europe and to keep our hands because God who used disciples who failed first time, and they had been such such a powerful witness for Jesus Christ can do through us. Same work of witness for witnesses for Jesus Christ. Thank you for your support for Romania, for our ministry. We praise God for you, and deep from our heart, thank you for all we have done.

46:53 Thank you, Peter. I'd like to invite, our our frontline team to come forward again. This would be the the second offering. If you feel compelled to give, toward REM, you certainly can. And I'd like to invite Florine to, to play just a little bit here.

47:10 But a verse comes to mind as I hear from Peter, and it's from first Thessalonians. Rejoice al always and pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you, but it's that pray without ceasing. Prayer works. It always has and it always will.

47:30 And so I'd like to pray and give thanks here, and, will you join me, please? Lord, we do thank you for, the work that you have done all over the world. I thank you for specifically the work that you have done, in Romania, the work that you continue to do. I thank you for willing, willing servants just to say, send me. I'm I'm going.

47:53 I I wanna be there. I wanna be your hands and and feet there. I want to contribute. I want to pray. I want to help, And I thank you for, for those who have who've who've gone there physically, to to just share, to share, to be be hands, be feet, to be love.

48:15 But, Lord, we continue. The the work is ongoing. It always it always has been, and we ask that you would continue to work in in Romania with Rem. But, Lord, also work in us, Lord, that desire to continue to keep praying as it is very important. In Jesus' name, amen.

49:31 And, also, would you, stand and join me for one last song here, and we'll close with a there's power in the blood. There's power in prayer, but there is power in the blood of Jesus. Let me leave you this year. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace and believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope. Amen.

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