It Is Written

Give Me Scotland

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

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Series Code: IIW

Program Code: IIW016119A


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,
00:53 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
01:19 300 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,
01:40 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
02:12 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.
02:26 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.
03:00 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
03:11 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
03:38 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
04:11 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
04:23 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
04:37 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.
04:51 In fact, choosing to follow the Bible could cost a person their
04:55 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
05:14 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.
05:37 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
06:00 assistant for a time, and he traveled with him on
06:03 speaking appointments. Wishart introduced to Scotland
06:06 the teachings of Zwingli and Calvin.
06:09 In 1545, Wishart was arrested for heresy.
06:12 Knox volunteered to follow Wishart into captivity,
06:17 but Wishart advised his personal assistant not to do so.
06:22 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
06:35 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.
06:48 I'll have more in just a moment.
06:50 [Music]
06:57 "Promises of Power" is our free offer for you today.
07:00 This little book is a collection of some of the most powerful
07:04 promises found in the Bible, and it's ideal for sharing with
07:08 somebody else who needs to be encouraged by the great promises
07:12 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;
07:23 it's absolutely free. You can call 24 hours a day.
07:27 Now, if the line's busy, please keep trying.
07:30 You can also request "Promises of Power" by
07:32 writing to: It Is Written, Box 6, Chattanooga,
07:36 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.
07:46 For immediate access, you can download a free electronic
07:48 version of the book "Promises of Power"
07:50 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]
08:17 This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
08:19 Thanks for joining me in Scotland, the home of John Knox,
08:24 the founder of the Presbyterian church and one of the leading
08:27 figures of the Protestant Reformation.
08:31 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]
08:51 After George Wishart was executed due to his
08:53 Protestant beliefs, Cardinal Beaton,
08:55 the man who had Wishart executed, was himself
08:58 murdered, and St. Andrews castle,
09:01 which is right behind me, was taken over by his
09:04 murderers. One hundred fifty people sought
09:07 refuge inside the castle, including John Knox and the
09:10 boys he tutored. Knox was invited to preach
09:14 in St. Andrews castle, and after some hesitation
09:17 he accepted the invitation and then showed how the
09:21 Bible contradicted the teachings of the Roman
09:24 Catholic church. He spoke against the mass, and
09:27 he spoke against the false doctrine of purgatory, and he
09:31 showed how Daniel chapter 7 identified the Roman Catholic
09:34 Papacy as the little horn of Bible prophecy.
09:38 And it was here at St. Andrews castle, during his ministry,
09:42 that John Knox developed the two great themes that energized and
09:45 inspired the Protestant Reformation in Europe: the
09:49 teaching that the Bible was the sole rule of faith and practice
09:52 for the Christian believer and that justification came by faith
09:56 alone, both teachings that had been rejected by the Roman
10:01 Catholic church.
10:04 Before God would use Knox to his full effectiveness, Knox,
10:08 like Moses, would endure a wilderness experience;
10:12 a trying, difficult period where his faith in God was severely
10:18 tested. Knox's ministry in the castle in
10:21 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
10:34 navy. Thousands of Protestants endured
10:37 the same fate, chained to benches or oars, and forced by
10:43 officers wielding whips to row the ships, often all day long.
10:49 Once, when Knox was told to kiss a picture of the Virgin Mary, he
10:53 threw the picture into the water and said, "Let our Lady now save
10:57 herself. She is light enough; let her
11:01 learn to swim." Knox became desperately ill on
11:05 the ship and almost died, but after 19 months of slavery, he
11:08 was released in February of 1549.
11:12 He was free again at the age of 36.
11:16 God clearly had a plan for this man's life, a big plan.
11:23 He traveled back to England and served as a chaplain in the
11:25 service of King Edward VI, the son of Henry the VIII.
11:29 But after Edward's death, Edward's half-sister,
11:32 Mary Tudor, reinstated Catholicism as the state
11:35 religion in England. Hundreds of Protestants were
11:39 then burned at the stake, which is why that queen became known
11:42 as "Bloody Mary."
11:46 [dramatic score] But Knox eventually
11:50 returned to Scotland. He came to Edinburgh.
11:54 He would minister at St. Giles Cathedral, and there he would
11:58 tangle with Bloody Mary.
12:02 [ominous music] Now, keep this in mind
12:07 and imagine living in this kind of society.
12:09 Queen Mary's father, Henry the VIII, had split from the Church
12:13 of Rome. But under Mary, the English
12:16 church came back under Roman control, and persecution of
12:20 Protestants was cruel and fierce.
12:23 Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer were all executed by Bloody Mary.
12:27 Hundreds and hundreds of Protestants, who could afford to
12:30 do so, fled the country. Knox wrote scathing attacks
12:34 against Queen Mary, stating that she was a traitoress and a rebel
12:38 against God. He said that ordinary people had
12:40 the right to rebel against unjust leaders.
12:44 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
12:52 fail to use it, others may."
12:56 [ominous score cont.] Knox was a firebrand.
13:01 He preached passionately against idolatry, just as Farel had done
13:04 in Geneva. As a result, altars and idols
13:08 were destroyed. Now, it's said that when Knox
13:11 began his sermons, he'd start by calmly reading from the
13:14 Scripture, then he'd apply the lessons of Scripture to the
13:18 current situations facing the lives of his hearers.
13:22 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
13:29 fashionable to do so. On one occasion, Queen Mary said
13:33 to John Knox, "Ye interpret the Scriptures after one manner, and
13:37 they--that's the Roman Catholic church--interpret them after
13:40 another. Whom shall I believe, and who
13:42 shall be judge?" Knox answered by saying, "Ye
13:47 shall believe God, that plainly speaketh in His Word."
13:52 Now, it's said that that queen said that she feared John Knox's
13:56 prayers more than she feared all of the armies of Europe.
14:00 There's a chance that statement may even be truth.
14:03 I'll have more in just a moment.
14:06 [gentle melody] "Every Word" is a one-minute,
14:08 Bible-based daily devotional presented by Pastor John
14:11 Bradshaw, and designed especially for busy
14:13 people like you. Look for "Every Word"
14:17 on selected networks or watch it online every day
14:19 on our website, ItIsWritten.com.
14:23 [hopeful upbeat tune]
14:29 JB: Christianity isn't best measured by how much you
14:32 know about the Bible. It's best measured by how it
14:34 impacts your character. And that's best revealed
14:37 in a crisis. In Daniel, chapter 2, Daniel had
14:39 just learned he was about to be put to death for something he
14:41 had nothing to do with. And verse 14 says,
14:44 "Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch,
14:47 the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay
14:50 the wise men of Babylon." The man was there to kill him,
14:54 and Daniel was still able to answer the man with respect
14:56 and equanimity. Now, what does that say about
14:59 his experience with God? It was real, so real God was
15:03 able to trust him with the genuine gift of prophecy.
15:06 Daniel was the genuine article. Prophecy is given to us so that
15:09 we can be transformed into genuine believers, able to face
15:13 trials just like Daniel did in his moment of crisis.
15:18 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written.
15:20 Let's live today by every word.
15:24 Imagine being able to see and then--nothing.
15:29 Your vision is gone forever. Now, how would that affect
15:33 your life? Almost everything would change.
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15:41 people take for granted. You can help It Is Written give
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15:57 There are 15 million blind people in India, more than
16:00 any other country in the world, and many of them could see
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17:24 eyes of the blind and in opening hearts to the love of God.
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18:05 [soft piano chords] [whooshing]
18:20 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written.
18:23 I'm in Scotland, the land of the great Scottish Reformer,
18:25 John Knox. Millions of Christians around
18:28 the world today trace their spiritual roots back to
18:31 this giant of faith. Knox was influenced by key
18:36 Protestant leaders from England, Germany, France, and Switzerland
18:40 at a time when the pendulum of faith was swinging away from
18:44 Catholicism towards a Protestant faith that urged a personal
18:48 relationship with the God of heaven.
18:52 Knox taught that the Bible alone should be the basis of faith
18:56 and practice. He taught that the mass was an
19:00 abomination, that Mary should not be worshiped or honored, and
19:04 that the bread and the wine used in the Lord's Supper were simply
19:08 symbols and were not the actual body and blood of Jesus.
19:12 He said those who adored the bread and the wine were
19:15 committing idolatry, and Knox taught that salvation
19:18 came only one way, by grace alone through faith
19:21 alone in Christ alone, and not by works or penances.
19:29 Today the Bible still says in Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9,
19:33 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
19:37 not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works,
19:41 lest any man should boast." The Bible still teaches that
19:46 people are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth
19:50 of God, Matthew 4 and verse 4. The Bible still says, in John 3,
19:55 verse 16, that "God so loved the world that he gave his only
20:00 begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
20:05 perish but have everlasting life."
20:09 Knox's commitment to the Word of God inspired others.
20:13 In the 17th century, after Knox's death,
20:16 efforts were made to impose a new liturgy on the Scottish
20:20 church. This gave rise to a group that
20:23 became known as the Scottish Covenanters, who ascribed to
20:27 covenants designed to preserve the Scottish Protestant nature
20:32 of the church. The Covenanters were furious
20:35 that King Charles I intended to introduce a form of church
20:38 government, where the church was governed by bishops rather
20:43 than the presbytery, or local church governance.
20:46 Hundreds of pastors refused to give their allegiance to
20:49 a bishop. Banished from their churches,
20:52 they held church services in the countryside, in defiance
20:55 of the king. Both those pastors and those who
20:59 followed after them were hunted down.
21:03 Many were imprisoned. Thousands were martyred.
21:07 Hundreds were imprisoned here in Greyfriar's churchyard, the very
21:10 place where some years before their grandparents had signed
21:15 the covenant. Many were sent as slaves
21:18 to the Caribbean. Two women were killed, after
21:20 they were tied to stakes in Solway Firth, and the tide rose
21:25 up over them and drowned them. [sound of bagpipes]
21:39 Today, it's a different Scotland.
21:41 While Christianity dominates the skyline here, it no longer
21:46 dominates society. Only about 50 percent of the
21:50 population even identify as Christian now.
21:53 Membership in the Church of Scotland is in freefall.
21:57 Church attendance numbers are low.
22:00 Scotland is now a very secular country.
22:05 What would John Knox make of that?
22:08 His grave is now beneath a parking lot in Parliament Square
22:11 behind the cathedral. Knox awaits the Resurrection.
22:16 Someone else must rise up with the same fire, praying
22:20 "Give me Scotland ere I die."
22:23 [bagpipe music cont.]
22:27 [gentle piano melody] It's been 450 years or so
22:34 since John Knox died. He's remembered today as a titan
22:38 of the Reformation, a man who stood boldly for the Bible.
22:44 Though he incurred the wrath of monarchs and was opposed by the
22:47 might of the Catholic church, he fearlessly advanced
22:52 the Word of God. Evidently difficult times
22:56 called for straight talk. He said that Queen Mary,
22:59 Bloody Mary, was a rebel and a traitoress against
23:04 God. There's no doubt he was a flawed
23:07 figure, and he has his share of detractors today, but what
23:11 people can't speak against is Knox's commitment to God's Word.
23:16 In the 1500s, people were just emerging from the midnight
23:20 of the Dark Ages. But in spite of coming from an
23:24 era of spiritual destitution, Knox urged people into the
23:28 light of the Bible. Knox wasn't afraid to confront
23:32 tyranny in the church or the government, and that boldness
23:36 turned the hearts of people around the world away from
23:40 tradition and towards truth. Born in a small, obscure town,
23:47 19 months a slave on a ship, Knox might well have disappeared
23:53 from view. But with the Bible in his hand
23:57 and God's Spirit in his heart, his voice could be silenced
24:00 neither by church nor state, and he gave everything he had to the
24:06 one task that consumed his life: the honor of God and the
24:11 supremacy of God's Word. So, how is it with you?
24:18 Are the flames of faith burning bright, or are they flickering
24:22 and just burning dimly. John Knox was a man who allowed
24:27 simple faith to take hold of his life and as such God made him a
24:32 champion of truth, and today, champions of truth are needed.
24:37 Perhaps God won't use you on the same scale as He used
24:40 John Knox--maybe He will-- but what God does want to do
24:44 is make you a person of strong faith.
24:48 He wants you to be connected to Him, truly, so that when Jesus
24:52 returns He's going to take you to be forever with Him.
24:56 And that day is coming soon. [Music]
25:11 "Promises of Power" is our free offer for you today.
25:14 This little book is a collection of some of the most powerful
25:18 promises found in the Bible, and it's ideal for sharing with
25:22 somebody else who needs to be encouraged by the great promises
25:25 in the Bible. Now, to get your free copy, just
25:29 call 1(800) 253-3000 and ask for "Promises of Power."
25:34 There's no cost; there's no obligation;
25:37 it's absolutely free. You can call 24 hours a day.
25:40 Now, if the line's busy, please keep trying.
25:44 You can also request "Promises of Power"
25:46 by writing to It Is Written, Box 6, Chattanooga,
25:50 TN 37401, and we'll mail a copy to your address
25:54 in North America. Now, please note: this free book
25:57 is limited to the supply on hand.
25:59 For immediate access, you can download a free electronic
26:02 version of the book "Promises of Power"
26:04 from our website, ItIsWritten.com.
26:07 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry, and your support makes
26:11 it possible for us to share God's good news with the world.
26:15 Your tax deductible gift can be sent to the address on your
26:17 screen, or through our website at ItIsWritten.com.
26:21 Thank you for your continued prayerful support.
26:24 Again, our toll-free number is (800) 253-3000, and our web
26:29 address is ItIsWritten.com.
26:37 Let's pray together. Our Father in heaven,
26:40 we thank You today for Jesus. We thank You for His Word.
26:44 I thank You for John Knox and other great men and women of
26:48 faith like him, who You used to bring the world out of darkness
26:55 and into the light of Bible truth.
26:58 We thank You that they offered to us then, and You offer to us
27:01 now, a faith based not on tradition, on man-made rights
27:07 and rituals, but on Your Word and on Your truth.
27:12 Fill us with Your Spirit that we would be people of truth,
27:15 people of the Bible, that our hearts would be
27:18 connected with Your heart. Friend, if that's your desire,
27:21 even as we pray right now, will you tell God.
27:24 I want to be filled with Your Spirit;
27:26 I want to be all Yours. Bless us, Lord.
27:29 Today we thank You, we thank You for Jesus, we thank You for
27:32 truth, we thank You for Your Word, and we pray in Jesus'
27:36 name. Amen.
27:39 [Music]
27:56 Thanks for joining me today.
27:58 I look forward to seeing you again next time.
28:00 Until then, remember: It is written, man shall not
28:03 live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds
28:08 from the mouth of God.
28:11 [hopeful anthem]


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Revised 2018-09-26