Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001432A
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00:02 [inspiring anthem]
00:20 [bagpipe music] JB: This is It Is Written. 00:28 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me 00:31 in Scotland. [bagpipes cont.] 00:34 Bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster, 00:41 Scotch whiskey, Haggis, 00:45 the Lockerbie bombing: difficult to think about, 00:48 impossible to forget. Alexander Fleming, 00:52 the inventor of penicillin; Alexander Graham Bell, 00:56 the inventor of the telephone; Robert Louis Stevenson, 01:00 the author of books like Treasure Island. 01:04 Five and a half million people in an area the size of 01:07 South Carolina, at the north end of Great Britain. 01:12 Even though in 2014 the Scots voted on leaving Great Britain, 01:16 Scotland has been part of Great Britain for more than 01:18 300 years. 01:21 Scotland's colorful history is brilliantly adorned with kings 01:24 and queens and freedom fighters like Robert the Bruce, 01:28 who fought the English and who followed William Wallace, 01:31 the Scottish knight who has become known as Braveheart. 01:37 There were four King Malcolms, three King Alexanders, 01:39 seven James and a couple of Marys, one of them 01:42 "Bloody Mary." 01:46 And Christianity has played an enormous role in 01:49 Scotland's history. In fact, thousands of Scots were 01:53 martyred for their faith in God. But the person who had perhaps 01:58 the greatest impact on Scotland, both religiously and 02:01 politically, is John Knox. He was the founder of the 02:05 Presbyterian church and a key figure in the 02:08 Protestant Reformation. In fact, he's featured along 02:11 with John Calvin, William Farel, and Theodore Beza on 02:15 the Reformation Wall in Geneva, Switzerland. 02:19 John Knox was a giant of the Christian faith. 02:25 Scotland was once a hotbed of religious activity and 02:29 religious persecution, but today you'd never know. 02:34 Even though Edinburgh Cathedral or St. Giles Cathedral dominates 02:38 the skyline in Edinburgh, churches today are 02:42 poorly attended. Today, Scotland is an 02:46 extremely secular country. John Knox occupied the pulpit 02:51 here between July of 1559 until his death on November 24, 1572. 02:59 The Bible teachings Knox championed are the basis of 03:03 biblical Christianity today. It was Knox who famously prayed 03:07 to God and said, "Give me Scotland 03:10 ëere I die." It was clear that God heard 03:14 Knox's prayer. His ministry turned Scotland 03:17 upside down, and through what he accomplished here, John Knox 03:22 influenced the world. Knox was born east of Edinburgh 03:29 in the town of Haddington, in or around 1513. 03:34 His mother died when he was young and he went on to run the 03:37 family business with his brother, William. 03:41 But rather than work in agriculture or business, John 03:45 wanted an academic career. The most viable academic option 03:49 available was becoming a priest. He studied in Fife at the 03:54 University of St. Andrews, the third oldest university in 03:58 the English-speaking world. He began serving in the diocese 04:02 of St. Andrews in 1540 and, through tutoring the sons of a 04:07 Scottish noble, he was exposed to the teachings of the 04:10 Protestant Reformation at a time when the Reformation was 04:15 starting to shake all of Europe. Now, keep in mind why. 04:20 Remember the background. The Roman Catholic church was 04:22 the dominant church in Europe, and it had a profound influence 04:26 on the governments of many European countries. 04:29 Catholicism was the state religion in Scotland, so when 04:33 somebody like John Knox or Martin Luther or Ulrich Zwingli 04:36 came along, they weren't only opposing a church, but they were 04:41 standing in opposition to a government, to an entire 04:44 country. It took a lot of faith to be a 04:47 Bible-believing Christian in those days. 04:50 In fact, choosing to follow the Bible could cost a person their 04:54 life. And in John Knox's Scotland, and 04:58 throughout much of the rest of Europe, it often did. 05:04 [solemn piano chords] 05:11 In Scotland, at the time, the Roman Catholic church 05:13 owned half of the real estate and had an income 18 times 05:18 higher than that of the government. 05:20 Priests and bishops routinely bought their way into religious 05:24 office, and many of them lived openly immoral lives. 05:28 Cardinal David Beaton, who was the cardinal at St. Andrews 05:31 Cathedral in Knox's day, had a mistress and 10 children. 05:36 The need for reform was obvious. 05:40 [solemn music cont.] 05:49 It was the ministry of the Reformer, George Wishart, 05:52 who confirmed in the mind of John Knox the value and the 05:55 importance of Protestantism. Knox was Wishart's personal 05:59 assistant for a time, and he traveled with him on 06:02 speaking appointments. Wishart introduced to Scotland 06:05 the teachings of Zwingli and Calvin. 06:08 In 1545, Wishart was arrested for heresy. 06:12 Knox volunteered to follow Wishart into captivity, 06:16 but Wishart advised his personal assistant not to do so. 06:21 He said, "One is sufficient for a sacrifice." 06:26 In March of 1546, Wishart was hanged and burned at the stake 06:31 in St. Andrews by the immoral Cardinal Beaton for his 06:34 Bible-based beliefs. Knox was set on fire with a zeal 06:39 for the Word of God as Wishart's death set in motion a chain of 06:43 events that would change Knox's life. 06:47 I'll have more in just a moment. 06:50 [Music] 06:56 "Promises of Power" is our free offer for you today. 07:00 This little book is a collection of some of the most powerful 07:03 promises found in the Bible, and it's ideal for sharing with 07:07 somebody else who needs to be encouraged by the great promises 07:11 in the Bible. Now, to get your free copy, just 07:14 call 1(800) 253-3000 and ask for "Promises of Power." 07:20 There's no cost; there's no obligation; 07:22 it's absolutely free. You can call 24 hours a day. 07:26 Now, if the line's busy, please keep trying. 07:29 You can also request "Promises of Power" by 07:31 writing to: It Is Written, Box 6, Chattanooga, 07:35 Tennessee, 37401, and we'll mail a copy to your 07:40 address in North America. Now, please note: this free book 07:43 is limited to the supply on hand. 07:45 For immediate access, you can download a free electronic 07:48 version of the book "Promises of Power" 07:49 from our website, ItIsWritten.com. 07:53 Our toll-free number is (800) 253-3000, 07:58 and you'll find us online at ItIsWritten.com. 08:07 [Music] [waves gently lapping] 08:16 This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 08:19 Thanks for joining me in Scotland, the home of John Knox, 08:23 the founder of the Presbyterian church and one of the leading 08:27 figures of the Protestant Reformation. 08:30 John Knox's ministry transformed both the Scottish church and 08:34 government. But Knox very nearly didn't make 08:37 it to his role as a Reformer and influential church leader. 08:42 [music] [distant waves] 08:50 After George Wishart was executed due to his 08:52 Protestant beliefs, Cardinal Beaton, 08:55 the man who had Wishart executed, was himself 08:58 murdered, and St. Andrews castle, 09:00 which is right behind me, was taken over by his 09:03 murderers. One hundred fifty people sought 09:06 refuge inside the castle, including John Knox and the 09:10 boys he tutored. Knox was invited to preach 09:13 in St. Andrews castle, and after some hesitation 09:17 he accepted the invitation and then showed how the 09:20 Bible contradicted the teachings of the Roman 09:23 Catholic church. He spoke against the mass, and 09:27 he spoke against the false doctrine of purgatory, and he 09:30 showed how Daniel chapter 7 identified the Roman Catholic 09:33 Papacy as the little horn of Bible prophecy. 09:37 And it was here at St. Andrews castle, during his ministry, 09:41 that John Knox developed the two great themes that energized and 09:45 inspired the Protestant Reformation in Europe: the 09:48 teaching that the Bible was the sole rule of faith and practice 09:51 for the Christian believer and that justification came by faith 09:56 alone, both teachings that had been rejected by the Roman 10:00 Catholic church. 10:04 Before God would use Knox to his full effectiveness, Knox, 10:07 like Moses, would endure a wilderness experience; 10:12 a trying, difficult period where his faith in God was severely 10:17 tested. Knox's ministry in the castle in 10:20 St. Andrews was cut short when the French fleet arrived to help 10:25 the Scots evict the rebels. Knox and the others were taken 10:30 prisoner and became galley slaves on a ship in the French 10:33 navy. Thousands of Protestants endured 10:37 the same fate, chained to benches or oars, and forced by 10:42 officers wielding whips to row the ships, often all day long. 10:48 Once, when Knox was told to kiss a picture of the Virgin Mary, he 10:52 threw the picture into the water and said, "Let our Lady now save 10:56 herself. She is light enough; let her 11:00 learn to swim." Knox became desperately ill on 11:04 the ship and almost died, but after 19 months of slavery, he 11:08 was released in February of 1549. 11:11 He was free again at the age of 36. 11:15 God clearly had a plan for this man's life, a big plan. 11:22 He traveled back to England and served as a chaplain in the 11:24 service of King Edward VI, the son of Henry the VIII. 11:29 But after Edward's death, Edward's half-sister, 11:31 Mary Tudor, reinstated Catholicism as the state 11:34 religion in England. Hundreds of Protestants were 11:38 then burned at the stake, which is why that queen became known 11:41 as "Bloody Mary." 11:45 [dramatic score] But Knox eventually 11:49 returned to Scotland. He came to Edinburgh. 11:53 He would minister at St. Giles Cathedral, and there he would 11:57 tangle with Bloody Mary. 12:01 [ominous music] Now, keep this in mind 12:06 and imagine living in this kind of society. 12:09 Queen Mary's father, Henry the VIII, had split from the Church 12:12 of Rome. But under Mary, the English 12:15 church came back under Roman control, and persecution of 12:19 Protestants was cruel and fierce. 12:22 Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer were all executed by Bloody Mary. 12:26 Hundreds and hundreds of Protestants, who could afford to 12:29 do so, fled the country. Knox wrote scathing attacks 12:33 against Queen Mary, stating that she was a traitoress and a rebel 12:37 against God. He said that ordinary people had 12:39 the right to rebel against unjust leaders. 12:43 Now, Knox, who carried a sword when he accompanied Wishart, 12:47 said, "The sword of justice is God's, but if princes and rulers 12:51 fail to use it, others may." 12:55 [ominous score cont.] Knox was a firebrand. 13:00 He preached passionately against idolatry, just as Farel had done 13:04 in Geneva. As a result, altars and idols 13:07 were destroyed. Now, it's said that when Knox 13:10 began his sermons, he'd start by calmly reading from the 13:14 Scripture, then he'd apply the lessons of Scripture to the 13:17 current situations facing the lives of his hearers. 13:21 Knox would pound the pulpit as he preached, always lifting up 13:25 the importance of the Word of God at a time when it wasn't 13:28 fashionable to do so. On one occasion, Queen Mary said 13:32 to John Knox, "Ye interpret the Scriptures after one manner, and 13:36 they--that's the Roman Catholic church--interpret them after 13:39 another. Whom shall I believe, and who 13:41 shall be judge?" Knox answered by saying, "Ye 13:46 shall believe God, that plainly speaketh in His Word." 13:51 Now, it's said that that queen said that she feared John Knox's 13:55 prayers more than she feared all of the armies of Europe. 13:59 There's a chance that statement may even be truth. 14:02 I'll have more in just a moment. 14:05 [gentle melody] "Every Word" is a one-minute, 14:07 Bible-based daily devotional presented by Pastor John 14:10 Bradshaw, and designed especially for busy 14:13 people like you. Look for "Every Word" 14:16 on selected networks or watch it online every day 14:18 on our website, ItIsWritten.com. 14:22 [hopeful upbeat tune] 14:28 JB: Christianity isn't best measured by how much you 14:31 know about the Bible. It's best measured by how it 14:33 impacts your character. And that's best revealed 14:36 in a crisis. In Daniel, chapter 2, Daniel had 14:38 just learned he was about to be put to death for something he 14:40 had nothing to do with. And verse 14 says, 14:43 "Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch, 14:46 the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay 14:49 the wise men of Babylon." The man was there to kill him, 14:53 and Daniel was still able to answer the man with respect 14:55 and equanimity. Now, what does that say about 14:58 his experience with God? It was real, so real God was 15:02 able to trust him with the genuine gift of prophecy. 15:05 Daniel was the genuine article. Prophecy is given to us so that 15:08 we can be transformed into genuine believers, able to face 15:12 trials just like Daniel did in his moment of crisis. 15:17 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 15:19 Let's live today by every word. 15:23 Imagine being able to see and then--nothing. 15:28 Your vision is gone forever. Now, how would that affect 15:31 your life? Almost everything would change. 15:34 How much would you value being able to see again? 15:37 Being able to see is a precious gift from God, a gift that most 15:40 people take for granted. You can help It Is Written give 15:44 the gift of sight and open the eyes of the blind by being 15:47 part of Eyes for India. Just call (800) 253-3000. 15:53 You can also donate online at ItIsWritten.com. 15:56 There are 15 million blind 15:58 people in India, more than 15:59 any other country in the world, 16:01 and many of them could see 16:03 again if only they could have cataract surgery. 16:07 With your help, It Is Written will make that happen. 16:10 Will you please support Eyes for India? 16:13 You can give the gift of sight to someone who desperately 16:16 needs and wants to see. Please call (800) 253-3000 16:21 now to donate. Each cataract surgery restores 16:25 the precious gift of sight, and in many cases people who are 16:28 totally blind have their sight restored a hundred percent. 16:32 Imagine experiencing that. You can share that experience 16:36 again--waiting, hoping, praying 16:40 that they may be able to 16:41 receive their sight. 16:43 To share the gift of sight, 16:44 here's all you need to do: 16:46 simply call (800) 253-3000. 16:49 That's (800) 253-3000, 16:52 to donate and support 16:54 Eyes for India. 16:56 If you prefer, you can write 16:57 to It Is Written, Box 6, 17:00 Chattanooga, TN 37401. 17:04 You'll also find more 17:05 information about Eyes for India 17:07 online at ItIsWritten.com. 17:10 Help today. 17:11 Give the gift of sight. 17:13 You can be the difference 17:14 between someone spending the 17:15 rest of their life in darkness 17:17 or having the ability to see. 17:19 Eyes for India is doing the very 17:21 work Jesus did in opening the 17:23 eyes of the blind and in opening 17:25 hearts to the love of God. 17:28 Let them see again, and let them 17:30 experience the grace of God. 17:32 You could be the one who makes the difference between a life in 17:36 the dark and a life of vision. Eyes for India and 17:41 It Is Written, doing the work of Jesus 17:44 in opening eyes and hearts. Join us. 17:49 Just call (800) 253-3000 or write to P.O. Box 6, 17:54 Chattanooga, TN 37401, or visit www.ItIsWritten.com. 18:04 [soft piano chords] [whooshing] 18:19 on It Is Written. I'm in Scotland, the land of the 18:23 great Scottish Reformer, John Knox. 18:26 Millions of Christians around the world today trace their 18:29 spiritual roots back to this giant of faith. 18:33 Knox was influenced by key Protestant leaders from England, 18:37 Germany, France, and Switzerland at a time when the pendulum of 18:41 faith was swinging away from Catholicism towards a Protestant 18:45 faith that urged a personal relationship with the God 18:49 of heaven. Knox taught that the Bible alone 18:53 should be the basis of faith and practice. 18:56 He taught that the mass was an abomination, that Mary should 19:01 not be worshiped or honored, and that the bread and the wine used 19:05 in the Lord's Supper were simply symbols and were not the actual 19:09 body and blood of Jesus. He said those who adored 19:12 the bread and the wine were committing idolatry, and 19:15 Knox taught that salvation came only one way, 19:18 by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and 19:23 not by works or penances. Today the Bible still says in 19:29 Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9, "For by grace you have been 19:33 saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the 19:38 gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." 19:42 The Bible still teaches that people are to live by every word 19:47 that proceeds out of the mouth of God, Matthew 4 and verse 4. 19:52 The Bible still says, in John 3, verse 16, that "God so loved the 19:56 world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever 20:01 believeth in him should not perish but have 20:06 everlasting life." Knox's commitment to the Word 20:09 of God inspired others. In the 17th century, 20:13 after Knox's death, efforts were made to impose 20:17 a new liturgy on the Scottish church. 20:20 This gave rise to a group that became known as the Scottish 20:24 Covenanters, who ascribed to covenants designed to preserve 20:29 the Scottish Protestant nature of the church. 20:33 The Covenanters were furious that King Charles I intended 20:36 to introduce a form of church government, where the church 20:39 was governed by bishops rather than the presbytery, or 20:42 local church governance. Hundreds of pastors refused 20:46 to give their allegiance to a bishop. 20:49 Banished from their churches, they held church services in 20:52 the countryside, in defiance of the king. 20:56 Both those pastors and those who followed after them were 21:00 hunted down. Many were imprisoned. 21:03 Thousands were martyred. Hundreds were imprisoned here in 21:07 Greyfriar's churchyard, the very place where some years before 21:11 their grandparents had signed the covenant. 21:15 Many were sent as slaves to the Caribbean. 21:18 Two women were killed, after they were tied to stakes in 21:21 Solway Firth, and the tide rose up over them and drowned them. 21:28 [sound of bagpipes] Today, it's a different 21:39 Scotland. While Christianity dominates 21:42 the skyline here, it no longer dominates society. 21:47 Only about 50 percent of the population even identify 21:50 as Christian now. Membership in the Church of 21:53 Scotland is in freefall. Church attendance numbers 21:57 are low. Scotland is now a very 22:01 secular country. What would John Knox make 22:05 of that? His grave is now beneath a 22:08 parking lot in Parliament Square behind the cathedral. 22:12 Knox awaits the Resurrection. Someone else must rise up with 22:17 the same fire, praying "Give me Scotland 22:20 ere I die." [bagpipe music cont.] 22:25 [gentle piano melody] It's been 450 years or so 22:32 since John Knox died. He's remembered today as a titan 22:37 of the Reformation, a man who stood boldly for the Bible. 22:42 Though he incurred the wrath of monarchs and was opposed by the 22:46 might of the Catholic church, he fearlessly advanced 22:51 the Word of God. Evidently difficult times 22:54 called for straight talk. He said that Queen Mary, 22:58 Bloody Mary, was a rebel and a traitoress against 23:02 God. There's no doubt he was a flawed 23:06 figure, and he has his share of detractors today, but what 23:10 people can't speak against is Knox's commitment to God's Word. 23:14 In the 1500s, people were just emerging from the midnight 23:18 of the Dark Ages. But in spite of coming from an 23:22 era of spiritual destitution, Knox urged people into the 23:27 light of the Bible. Knox wasn't afraid to confront 23:31 tyranny in the church or the government, and that boldness 23:35 turned the hearts of people around the world away from 23:39 tradition and towards truth. Born in a small, obscure town, 23:45 19 months a slave on a ship, Knox might well have disappeared 23:52 from view. But with the Bible in his hand 23:55 and God's Spirit in his heart, his voice could be silenced 23:59 neither by church nor state, and he gave everything he had to the 24:04 one task that consumed his life: the honor of God and the 24:09 supremacy of God's Word. So, how is it with you? 24:16 Are the flames of faith burning bright, or are they flickering 24:21 and just burning dimly. John Knox was a man who allowed 24:26 simple faith to take hold of his life and as such God made him a 24:30 champion of truth, and today, champions of truth are needed. 24:36 Perhaps God won't use you on the same scale as He used 24:39 John Knox--maybe He will-- but what God does want to do 24:42 is make you a person of strong faith. 24:46 He wants you to be connected to Him, truly, so that when Jesus 24:50 returns He's going to take you to be forever with Him. 24:54 And that day is coming soon. [Music] 25:09 "Promises of Power" is our free offer for you today. 25:13 This little book is a collection of some of the most powerful 25:16 promises found in the Bible, and it's ideal for sharing with 25:20 somebody else who needs to be encouraged by the great promises 25:24 in the Bible. Now, to get your free copy, just 25:27 call 1(800) 253-3000 and ask for "Promises of Power." 25:32 There's no cost; there's no obligation; 25:35 it's absolutely free. You can call 24 hours a day. 25:38 Now, if the line's busy, please keep trying. 25:42 You can also request "Promises of Power" 25:45 by writing to It Is Written, Box 6, Chattanooga, 25:48 TN 37401, and we'll mail a copy to your address 25:53 in North America. Now, please note: this free book 25:55 is limited to the supply on hand. 25:57 For immediate access, you can download a free electronic 26:00 version of the book "Promises of Power" 26:02 from our website, ItIsWritten.com. 26:05 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry, and your support makes 26:09 it possible for us to share God's good news with the world. 26:13 Your tax deductible gift can be sent to the address on your 26:16 screen, or through our website at ItIsWritten.com. 26:20 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 26:22 Again, our toll-free number is (800) 253-3000, and our web 26:27 address is ItIsWritten.com. 26:35 Let's pray together. Our Father in heaven, 26:39 we thank You today for Jesus. We thank You for His Word. 26:43 I thank You for John Knox and other great men and women of 26:46 faith like him, who You used to bring the world out of darkness 26:53 and into the light of Bible truth. 26:57 We thank You that they offered to us then, and You offer to us 26:59 now, a faith based not on tradition, on man-made rights 27:05 and rituals, but on Your Word and on Your truth. 27:11 Fill us with Your Spirit that we would be people of truth, 27:14 people of the Bible, that our hearts would be 27:16 connected with Your heart. Friend, if that's your desire, 27:19 even as we pray right now, will you tell God. 27:22 I want to be filled with Your Spirit; 27:24 I want to be all Yours. Bless us, Lord. 27:27 Today we thank You, we thank You for Jesus, we thank You for 27:30 truth, we thank You for Your Word, and we pray in Jesus' 27:34 name. Amen. 27:37 [Music] 27:54 Thanks for joining me today. 27:56 I look forward to seeing you again next time. 27:58 Until then, remember: It is written, man shall not 28:01 live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds 28:06 from the mouth of God. 28:09 [hopeful anthem] |
Revised 2017-03-15