It Is Written

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Series Code: IIW

Program Code: IIW001429A


01:30 ♪[Theme music]♪
01:49 ♪[Music]♪ [Lightning sounds]
02:08 JB: I'm John Bradshaw. This is It Is Written.
02:11 Thanks for joining me. Peter was a wealthy tailor who
02:14 lived in 12th century France. By all accounts he wasn't a very
02:18 religious man early in his life, but when he became a Christian
02:22 his life took a very dangerous course, because Peter dared
02:27 oppose the most powerful man in all of Europe.
02:32 A man who had put to death many people like Peter before.
02:36 And Peter's story opens up to us a fascinating Bible prophecy.
02:48 I'm in Worms, Germany, the very place where the famous German
02:52 reformer, Martin Luther, took a bold and courageous stand
02:57 against a corrupt medieval church which demanded that he
03:01 renounce his belief in salvation by grace.
03:05 It was just 150 yards or so behind where I'm now sitting
03:08 that Martin Luther squared off against that medieval church
03:12 and he spoke boldly declaring these words:
03:16 "I cannot and will not recant anything.
03:20 For to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.
03:25 Here I stand. I can do no other,
03:28 so help me God." Luther's courageous faith
03:32 enabled the Protestant Reformation to sweep across
03:35 Germany and Europe, forever changing
03:38 the face of Christianity.
03:42 It is also here in Worms that you find another much larger
03:45 monument to Luther. Here you see him as the central
03:48 figure, and those who assisted in the Reformation surround him.
03:53 One of these men is Peter Waldo, a wealthy merchant
03:58 turned preacher. Peter's story
04:00 and that of his followers is amazing,
04:03 but it's one that's almost forgotten
04:05 by the modern Christian church. While this monument places Waldo
04:10 and Luther close to each other, in real life
04:13 this was not the case. In fact, Waldo and Luther
04:16 never met, because Peter Waldo lived
04:19 more than 300 years before Luther.
04:24 But it was Waldo's legacy that reached across the centuries to
04:27 influence Luther and other Reformers to faithfully stand
04:31 for the true gospel.
04:35 Peter was living in Lyon, in France,
04:37 when he gave his life to Jesus and began reading the Bible.
04:41 His determination to live by the Bible alone put him in direct
04:45 conflict with the most powerful man in Europe, the pope of Rome.
04:52 Twelfth-century Europe was dominated by popes and the
04:55 priests and kings loyal to them. It was also a time when the
04:59 church strayed far from the simple gospel.
05:03 Prophecy had predicted this, in Daniel and Revelation.
05:07 Daniel 7 verse 25: "He shall speak pompous words
05:11 against the most high, shall persecute the saints
05:14 of the most high, and shall intend to change
05:17 times and law. Then the saints shall be given
05:20 into his hand for a time and times and half a time."
05:27 Peter and his followers saw this departure from Bible truth and
05:31 they began to show from the Bible that many of the church's
05:34 teachings were not found in Scripture, and in fact were
05:38 positively harmful to people. They correctly pointed out that
05:42 the teaching of purgatory is not in Scripture.
05:45 They also rejected the veneration of saints.
05:48 They challenged the Mass, and the Catholic church's
05:51 authority as being the sole determiner
05:53 of truth and salvation. Peter ultimately found himself
05:58 here at the Vatican in 1179, in a meeting with
06:02 Pope Alexander III. Along with one of his disciples,
06:06 Peter had to defend his beliefs; beliefs that ultimately would
06:10 condemn at the Third Lateran Council later that year.
06:16 And then a few years later, in 1184,
06:18 Peter and his followers were excommunicated
06:21 from the church. Finally, at the Fourth Lateran
06:24 Council in 1215, the Waldensians,
06:28 as they later became known, were declared to be heretics.
06:34 This put the Waldensians in a very dangerous predicament.
06:37 They were conscience bound to follow the teachings of Jesus
06:41 as found in the Bible, but the Roman church,
06:44 aided by the strong arm of the state, made it impossible
06:48 for them to do this without risking torture and even death.
06:52 And this threat was very real. Just a few years before,
06:56 in the year 1211, the church had begun persecuting
06:59 the Waldensians when she burned more than 80 of them to death.
07:05 As the fires of persecution were lit,
07:07 a unique Bible prophecy came to life,
07:11 helping the Waldensians survive a period of intense persecution.
07:18 These rugged mountains became their hiding place during long
07:20 centuries of persecution. The Roman church of that era
07:25 sought through every possible method to destroy this people's
07:29 loyal obedience to Scripture. But God had His hand
07:33 on His faithful servants. In fact, Bible prophecy
07:37 predicted the precise way God would protect them from their
07:40 persecutors. We read it in Revelation 12:14:
07:45 "But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she
07:49 might fly into the wilderness to her place where she is nourished
07:53 for a time and times and half a time from the presence
07:57 of the serpent. So that serpent spewed water out
08:00 of his mouth like a flood after the woman that he might cause
08:03 her to be carried away by the flood.
08:06 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth
08:10 and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out
08:13 of his mouth." You see, in a very real way,
08:17 the earth helped the woman, the church,
08:19 as she was being persecuted. Those Waldensian Christians
08:23 refused to compromise their faith in God's Word
08:25 even in the face of death. And so the earth helped the
08:29 woman. They fled to the place that God
08:32 had prepared for them. Here in the recesses
08:35 of these grand mountains, in their valleys,
08:38 peaks and caves the Waldensians were free
08:41 to worship God according to the Scriptures,
08:44 where no pope or priest could menace them.
08:47 I'll have more in just a moment.
08:52 ♪ [Gentle Melody] ♪ >: In Matthew 4:4, the Word of
08:55 God says: "It is written. Man shall not live by bread
08:59 alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
09:03 "Every Word" is a one-minute Bible-based daily devotional
09:07 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw and designed especially
09:10 for busy people like you. Look for "Every Word"
09:13 on selected networks or watch it online every day on our website,
09:17 ItIsWritten.com. Receive a daily spiritual boost.
09:21 Watch "Every Word." You'll be glad you did.
09:24 Here's a sample: ♪ [Uplifting rhythm] ♪
09:35 JB: Thanks for stopping by. Here's a Bible verse that spells
09:38 out the reality of growing in faith in God.
09:40 Malachi 3:3 says: "And he shall purify the sons
09:43 of Levi and purge them as gold and silver
09:46 that they may offer unto the Lord an offering
09:48 in righteousness." Do you want to know the
09:50 uncomfortable truth? We need purifying.
09:54 That's often why difficulties come our way, because God knows
09:56 we need them to refine us. Few people enjoy trials,
10:00 but the truth is trials are often the best thing
10:02 that can happen to us because they refine us.
10:04 They drive us to God in prayer. They help us see our spiritual
10:07 weak points and they encourage us to grow and learn new habits
10:10 and attitudes. No, I'm not campaigning for more
10:14 trials in my life. But when we see that we need God
10:17 to purify us, we'll react differently when trials come.
10:22 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written.
10:24 Let's live today by every word.
10:28 ♪ [Melancholic tune] ♪
10:36 JB: This is It Is Written, and I'm John Bradshaw.
10:38 Thanks for joining me. The Waldensian Christians
10:41 weren't content to keep the gospel to themselves in their
10:44 mountain retreats here in northern Italy.
10:48 They understood how the church's superstitious teachings were
10:51 destroying people's lives, and even worse how they were
10:54 destroying people's hope of eternal life.
10:58 They saw multitudes of people across Europe struggling
11:01 under false teachings. They saw people trying to
11:04 achieve salvation by relying on their own works,
11:07 afflicting their bodies through wearisome pilgrimages,
11:12 health-destroying fasts, painful penances,
11:16 and even self-imposed tortures. People living in the Dark Ages
11:20 were emotionally burdened, laboring under the misconception
11:24 that the God of heaven is a hateful, vengeful God who
11:28 inflicts the most awful punishments upon people
11:31 for the least infractions of the church's rules.
11:35 The Waldensians longed to see their fellow human beings
11:37 understand the true gospel of Jesus Christ and enjoy the peace
11:41 that comes from that, so beautifully explained
11:44 in these words from the Apostle Paul.
11:47 Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9 says:
11:50 "For by grace you have been saved through faith
11:53 and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God,
11:57 not of works lest anyone should boast."
12:01 Hundreds of years before Martin Luther discovered this truth,
12:05 the Waldensians were living it. They knew the blessing of
12:09 relying on God's grace and goodness and Jesus' perfect life
12:14 for salvation and not on their own good works.
12:18 Just like it says in Romans chapter 3.
12:21 Romans 3, 10-12: "There is none righteous,
12:26 no not one. They have all turned aside.
12:29 They have together become unprofitable.
12:32 There is none who does good, no not one."
12:36 The Bible is very clear that our own good works
12:40 can never save us. In fact, Isaiah wrote that
12:43 our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
12:47 The only way we can hope to go from unrighteousness to
12:49 righteousness is by accepting that we are sinners and by
12:52 believing that God loves us just as we are.
12:57 Jesus came into this world to die for us
13:00 and pay the penalty for our sins while we were sinners.
13:05 And there's nothing we can do to earn the favor of God.
13:09 We can respond to the favor of God,
13:11 but we can never earn it.
13:15 "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ
13:18 died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man
13:23 will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare
13:26 to die. But God demonstrates His own
13:30 love toward us in that while we were still sinners,
13:34 Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8.
13:41 It was for the purpose of sharing this wonderful news of
13:44 salvation that the Waldensian believers established little
13:47 schools such as this one. Here they trained their pastors
13:51 and sent them out as missionaries
13:53 to the rest of Europe. The school was known as the
13:57 College of the Barbs and it's still remote, even today,
14:00 hidden way back up here in the mountains.
14:03 And even though it was built centuries ago, its stone walls
14:07 still stand as a witness of the unshakable faith these people
14:11 had in Jesus and the Bible.
14:21 The word "barb" meant uncle, which is what the Waldensians
14:25 used to call their pastors. Uncle.
14:28 Now, this was in stark contrast to the practice of
14:30 the Roman church, which would refer to its
14:32 priests as "father," something the Waldensians
14:36 understood to be condemned by what Jesus said in
14:39 Matthew 23 in verse 9, when He said,
14:43 "And call no man your father upon the earth.
14:46 For one is your Father, which is in heaven."
14:50 ♪ [nostalgic melody] ♪
15:02 Here, the young Waldensian pastors would train under the
15:05 more experienced barbs. They would study Scripture
15:08 around this table, and since the printing press had not yet been
15:12 invented they hand copied the Bible and translated it
15:17 into the common language. Then they would go out from this
15:21 place, disguised as peddlers and merchants.
15:24 Some went as students to the universities, for three years
15:27 serving as missionaries. They traveled throughout Europe
15:31 with their hand-copied Scriptures hidden in the linings
15:34 of their clothes or in their bags.
15:36 Very carefully they would share portions of Scripture with
15:39 people they thought were receptive.
15:42 Often, they would secretly leave a portion of Scripture for
15:46 someone to find, and that little fragment of Scripture
15:49 would beam a glorious light into the darkened hearts
15:52 and lives of people who had been so long kept in bondage.
15:58 ♪ [disconcerting drone] ♪ Wherever they went,
16:02 they left a revival behind them. Now, this angered the priests,
16:06 who lost their superstitious stranglehold on the people.
16:11 And if the Waldensian pastor was caught, he knew his fate.
16:15 First, he'd be tortured in an attempt to get information
16:19 about where his people lived. And then, he'd be killed
16:25 in the most painful of ways.
16:31 Over a period of several hundred years,
16:34 those loyal to the popes of Rome invaded these peaceful valleys.
16:38 The Waldensians were hunted like wild animals;
16:42 men, women, even children
16:45 were ruthlessly murdered. No one was spared.
16:49 During these times, the Waldensians moved higher
16:52 up these valleys, often hiding in caves
16:55 like the cave behind me. In fact, hiding in the cave
16:59 behind me. It was here that the Waldensians
17:03 fled. Here they hid.
17:05 Here they worshiped. Here they prayed.
17:09 And all too often, tragically, here they died.
17:15 It was in this very cave and other caves just like it
17:19 throughout this area that the Waldensian believers hid as
17:24 their persecutors sought to find them.
17:28 Maybe the cave could hold 100 people,
17:30 perhaps a few more. But not many more.
17:33 You can imagine them huddled together, waiting in faith for
17:37 the persecution time to pass. They certainly weren't here
17:42 because it was comfortable. It's cold in here, and damp.
17:48 The walls are damp. There's water dripping down
17:51 constantly from above. Underfoot it's just dirt.
17:56 What isn't dirt is stone or rocks.
18:00 The ceiling is high up there, the stone ceiling arching
18:03 over us. It's a lot like a cathedral
18:07 in here.
18:13 Many were not able to escape the savagery of their persecutors.
18:18 History records that this group of people stood up against some
18:22 of the worst persecutions any human beings have ever endured,
18:27 and they did so for hundreds and hundreds of years.
18:32 And all because of their biblical faith in Jesus.
18:37 [Chorus] ♪ Faith of our fathers, ♪
18:40 living still In spite of dungeon,
18:46 fire and sword, O how our hearts
18:52 beat high with joy Whene'er we hear that glorious
19:00 word! Faith of our fathers!
19:05 holy faith! We will be true to thee
19:12 till death. Our fathers,
19:18 chained in prisons dark, Were still in heart
19:25 and conscience free; How sweet would be
19:31 their children's fate, If they, like them,
19:37 could die for Thee. Faith of our fathers!
19:44 holy faith! We will be true
19:49 to thee till death. Faith of our fathers,
19:58 we will love Both friend and foe
20:04 in all our strife, And preach thee, too,
20:10 as love knows how By kindly words
20:16 and virtuous life. Faith of our fathers!
20:23 holy faith! We will be true,
20:29 we will be true, We will be true to thee
20:39 till death!
20:47 ♪[Music]♪ [Thunder sounds]
20:58 ♪ [Melody of Hope] ♪ JB: In the 1520s and '30s,
21:09 the Waldensians decided to investigate the stories they'd
21:12 been hearing about Christians from Germany and other places,
21:16 who were returning to the Bible and were rejecting the
21:19 traditions of Rome. So, some of their pastors
21:23 traveled north into Switzerland and Germany
21:26 and met with the Reformers. They shared with the Protestant
21:29 leaders about their ancient faith and their long, dark night
21:33 of persecution. Both parties were shocked.
21:38 The Reformers, because they had no idea there was a people who
21:42 had been able to resist Rome's tyranny, and the Waldensians to
21:47 discover that they were not alone, that there were others
21:50 who also believed the gospel of salvation by grace.
21:57 On October 12, 1532, Protestant leaders from across Europe came
22:03 here to the Waldensian valleys and met with the spiritual
22:07 leaders of the Waldenses during a six-day Bible conference in
22:12 the little village of Chamforan. This monument memorializes this
22:17 historic event, when the church in the wilderness, so long in
22:21 hiding, joined with the Reformation; a Reformation that
22:25 would take its faith from the Bible, the Bible alone.
22:36 One of their agreements was that the Waldenses would help the
22:39 Reformed churches translate the Bible.
22:42 So, the ancient manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments that
22:46 the Waldenses had preserved for centuries were now translated
22:50 into French, and the worldly poor Waldenses took up an
22:54 offering from their meager resources to pay for its
22:57 printing. In this way, the Waldenses gave
23:01 the light of truth to the rest of Europe.
23:06 You see, these faithful believers understood something
23:09 that we need to be reminded of today.
23:12 True, saving faith cannot be possessed outside the Bible.
23:17 Church, traditions, and forms can only take a person so far.
23:22 Religious ceremonies and customs do not save a person.
23:26 Real, saving faith: the type of faith that's able to withstand
23:30 the fires of persecution; the sort of faith
23:33 that Jesus said will lead to eternal life,
23:36 is found in the Word of God. The Apostle Paul said
23:41 in Romans 10 and verse 17: "So then faith comes by hearing,
23:46 and hearing by the word of God."
23:49 That's why it's so vital that we come to the Bible and get to
23:53 know it for ourselves. It's more important than I can
23:57 stress that we take the time necessary to read God's Word,
24:01 to study God's Word, and hear His voice speaking
24:04 to us individually. And God will do that
24:07 in the Bible. If it's peace you need,
24:11 you need look no further than the holy Scriptures.
24:13 If you're looking for love, you'll find the One who loves
24:17 the most, in God's Word. If you're looking for
24:21 freedom from guilt and forgiveness from sin,
24:24 you can read about Calvary and God's perfect plan of
24:27 forgiveness: a plan He devised especially for you.
24:34 The Bible contains everything that we need for life and love
24:40 and hope and faith. And the Waldensians
24:44 understood that.
24:52 Your Father God, Your Creator
24:54 and originator is also the God of the future.
24:57 In His ability to tell us what is still ahead, God reminds us
25:00 of His sovereignty and power over all things.
25:03 To help us trust Him, God has provided amazing evidence of His
25:07 reliability, and the reliability of His Word.
25:11 Today, I'd like to send you a booklet that demonstrates how
25:13 God foretold world events with absolute accuracy thousands of
25:17 years in advance. This booklet is called, "Can God
25:20 be Trusted?" and it's absolutely FREE.
25:23 Just call 1 (800) 253-3000 and ask for "Can God be Trusted."
25:29 If the line's busy, please keep on trying.
25:32 Or write to us at It Is Written, P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN
25:37 37401. we'll mail a free copy to your
25:40 address in North America. It Is Written is a faith-based
25:44 ministry and your support makes it possible for us to share
25:48 God's good news with the world. Your tax-deductible gift can be
25:52 sent to the address on your screen, or through our website
25:55 at ItIsWritten.com. Thank you for your continued
25:59 prayerful support. Again, our toll-free number is
26:02 1 (800) 253-3000, and our web address isItIsWritten.com.
26:11 [soft piano music] Peter Waldo
26:20 and his fellow Waldensians are the hidden heroes
26:22 of the Reformation. They remained faithful to God
26:26 throughout one of the darkest periods of persecution
26:28 in all of history. That's why it's so incredibly
26:31 appropriate that Martin Luther and Peter Waldo are united here
26:36 on this monument in Worms, Germany,
26:38 even though they were separated by 350 years
26:42 of history. You see, they both understood
26:45 that the Bible, and the Bible alone,
26:48 is the basis of our faith. Some of these men and women
26:53 depicted here at this monument died for their faith
26:56 in Jesus Christ. It might not be
27:00 that God is calling you to die for Him today,
27:04 but it's certainly true that God is calling you
27:07 to live for Him today. Can you do that?
27:11 Can you make that decision? That decision that the Bible,
27:14 the Word of God, will be the foundation
27:16 for your life. That the God of the Bible,
27:19 the creator of the Bible, can create in you a new heart.
27:23 That the Savior of the Bible can take away your sins and give you
27:28 heaven's forgiveness in the place of your guilt.
27:32 Can you make the decision today that faith in God will be the
27:37 cornerstone of your life and that you will allow
27:39 the power of God into your life to make you what you
27:44 could never make yourself and to keep you in a way
27:47 that you could never yourself. These believed in the power
27:51 of the Word of God, and you can experience
27:54 the power of the Word of God today.
27:57 Let's pray together now. Our Father in heaven, thank You
28:02 for the example given us by these great heroes of the faith,
28:06 some of the hidden heroes. We perhaps don't really
28:10 appreciate what others before us have done to deliver to us
28:14 access to the Word of God, freedom to worship,
28:18 and the privilege of knowing You.
28:20 Lord, while in this world the vast majority of us have the
28:24 freedom to read what we want to read and worship
28:26 how we want to worship. I pray that guided by Your
28:29 Spirit we wouldn't squander that opportunity, but lead us to know
28:33 Jesus the Savior truly, according to the Bible.
28:36 Give us the freedom that the Bible promises us,
28:39 that we can walk not in darkness but in Your marvelous light.
28:44 We look forward to the day when Jesus is going to return.
28:47 I pray that day would be soon. We look forward to eternity
28:51 with You. And we thank You for this
28:53 promise, for this great hope, and we pray in Jesus' name.
28:57 Amen.
29:01 ♪ [heartfelt melody] ♪
29:16 Thanks for joining me today. I look forward to seeing you
29:18 again next time. Until then, remember,
29:22 It Is Written: man shall not live
29:24 by bread alone but by every word
29:28 that proceeds from the mouth of God.
29:31 ♪[It Is Written theme]♪


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Revised 2017-08-22