1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,840 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,720 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the light of the world 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,480 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,480 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,560 Sanctify our souls by Your truth, and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,040 obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,320 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,480 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,320 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,680 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,400 and Holy Spirit forever. Amen. 13 00:01:02,790 --> 00:01:06,160 Acts, chapter 13. The Book of Acts, the Book of 14 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,720 the beginning of the Church, the mission, missionary act of the 15 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,520 Church, the one holy and Apostolic and Catholic universal 16 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,920 Church. Thus far we have learned, and in 17 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,800 particular from last week's episode, that the Holy Spirit 18 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,280 talks to the apostles who were gathered for worship and 19 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,520 fasting. And we spoke about this. 20 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,880 We expanded and, and ascertained that this was during a 21 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:35,240 liturgical service. They were breaking the bread, 22 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,560 hence they were fasting and the Holy Spirit talks to the 23 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,280 apostles. Now, some might say how well it 24 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,480 could have been by a mysterious revelation. 25 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,440 You know, there are a lot of mysteries with the work of God 26 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,720 because he's thoughts are not our thoughts or our thoughts are 27 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,280 not his thoughts and his ways are not our ways by a mysterious 28 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,400 revelation or by means of those who are worthy of it. 29 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,440 Maybe someone actually spoke. The Spirit moved them to speak, 30 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,080 just like the Spirit moved Zechariah, John the Baptist's 31 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:12,000 father, to speak. And the Holy Spirit commands 32 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:20,040 that both soul and baranoa or Baraba Baranaba. 33 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:26,320 I'm sorry, were to be set apart to minister to the souls of the 34 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:30,280 Gentiles for for salvation. This is what Paul will say in 35 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:32,000 Galatians and we're going to read about that. 36 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,600 But there's a question here. Wasn't Saul already called from 37 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:40,600 heaven? Wasn't he baptized by Hananiah? 38 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:45,640 And then from his baptism, that's where he becomes a 39 00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:49,040 Christian, right? So Paul's call from heaven is 40 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,360 being baptized. He's a Christian. 41 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,080 Why? Let's go back even further. 42 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,400 Why must he have been baptized when he was called from heaven? 43 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,680 He's called from above. Well, he was called from above 44 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,400 to be set apart, to be sanctified. 45 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,720 It was called. And remember last week we spoke 46 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:18,160 that the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity, worked in the calling 47 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,160 of Saint Paul. So he was called to be set 48 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:25,960 apart, to be sanctified in baptism, to receive firstly the 49 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:30,080 adoption of sonship, to be a child of God, to be buried with 50 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,680 Christ in baptism so that he would walk in the newness of 51 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:35,520 life. Romans chapter 6, verse 4. 52 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,520 These are His own words, to be sanctified and purified by the 53 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,240 washing of the water and the Word, not the washing of the 54 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:47,160 water of the Word. As some versions and translation 55 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:52,760 have been deliberately maybe mistranslated, we'll leave that 56 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,960 to the righteous judgment of God to be sanctified and purified by 57 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,520 the washing of the water, baptism and the Word, which is 58 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:04,280 the Holy Scriptures and the Word of God Himself, Jesus Christ. 59 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:10,080 Ephesians 526 to be set free to be saved from the bondage of the 60 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,960 law according to Galatians chapter 5 verse one and first 61 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:18,320 Peter chapter 3 verse 21. And here we read he was chosen 62 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:23,880 to receive the rank of the priesthood, called sanctified 63 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:28,560 and chosen to receive the rank, the order, the daughter of the 64 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:33,320 priesthood according to the command of the Spirit. 65 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,360 Now that's fine. Yes, that's the work of the Holy 66 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,040 Spirit, that's the work of God. It's complete. 67 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,480 It's got to be complete. It's fulfilled, it's finished. 68 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,720 God has done it. The Holy Trinity has worked in 69 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,760 this man's life in his beginning, in his calling to his 70 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:53,440 ministry and he's sending on off for his ministry. 71 00:04:53,520 --> 00:05:01,680 But how? How beloved, we read that after 72 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:07,160 they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they 73 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:12,320 sent them away. They laid their hands on them. 74 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:17,160 The Apostolic hands they laid, they didn't call the whole 75 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:24,800 congregation and then and then set this soul and barn bar on in 76 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,720 the middle and everyone to pray and to raise their hands and to 77 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,520 invoke the Holy Spirit. No, no, no. 78 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:37,400 The disciples laid their hands on Paul and on Saint Paul. 79 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:41,120 We're talking about Saint Paul and he sends this Galatians 80 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,920 chapter 2, verse 9. And when they recognized the 81 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:49,880 grace that is given to me, that is, I was called from heaven. 82 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:55,080 When James and the apostles recognized this, they understood 83 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:56,560 this. They knew this. 84 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:02,320 James and Peter and John, those who were esteemed to be pillars, 85 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:09,640 gave me and Barnaba, Barnaba, Baranwa, Barnaba the right hand 86 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:14,760 of fellowship, because we are among the Gentiles and those are 87 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:19,320 among the circumcision. So Barnaba and Paul were to 88 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,880 preach to the Gentiles by the laying on of the hand. 89 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,760 Siam Ida. Why is it important to have this 90 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,760 recorded? Why did Saint Luke record this? 91 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,480 Saint John Chrysostom writes because the new ordination and 92 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:39,120 separation took place at this time, the laying on of the hand 93 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,440 by which they were made superior to those in the Church according 94 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,200 to the command of the Holy Spirit by which they were 95 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:51,720 ordained Apostles for the Gentiles Apostolic succession. 96 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,640 This continues. We don't find in the scriptures 97 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,000 that this has ended. No, in actual fact when we 98 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,080 continue to read the Acts of the Apostles, we see that the 99 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,960 apostles then were called bishops. 100 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:10,120 So the apostleship was then re titled what is in the Bishop. 101 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,520 The authority of the apostles was then passed on to the 102 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,440 bishops that are in the Church today, the hierarchies. 103 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,800 Hence, we believe in one holy Apostolic and Catholic Church. 104 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,080 You know when we read Numbers chapter 27, verses 18 to 21, 105 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:28,480 mind boggling, mind boggling. God tells Moses to choose 106 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:32,920 Joshua, who a man whom the Spirit is upon. 107 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,520 We've spoken about this. The Spirit is on him. 108 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,560 That means the Holy Spirit has one more time chosen this man 109 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,480 and then he is to be brought to Eliazar the priest and to be to 110 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,040 be stood before the congregation so that they could see him, 111 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,360 because now he's going to minister to them, right? 112 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:53,160 Praise God, this God has chosen, this is God telling him what to 113 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,640 do, God's instructions. And we do to this today when we 114 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,040 when there is an ordination, a consecration, he is stood before 115 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,320 the congregation and he pledges the oath of his office before 116 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,040 the congregation. And there are priests and 117 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:10,160 bishops and deacons. But the intriguing thing is this 118 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:16,040 Joshua whom upon whom the Spirit was, in whom the Spirit was and 119 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,800 could have been, it couldn't have been any other spirit than 120 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:21,680 the Holy Spirit, because it came from God. 121 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,360 Then God instructs Moses to lay his hand on him and give him his 122 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,880 authority. Why Lord, Why? 123 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,880 Why? Please someone answer me. 124 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:32,720 Someone call me, someone message me. 125 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:38,240 Why was there need for a ordinary man, a Sinner? 126 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:44,840 Why was there need for a man to to be a participant in the 127 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:50,600 calling and the election and the chosen and the setting apart of 128 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:57,640 another faithful? That is what we call God using 129 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:03,760 his creation for his work. And today it is still succeeding 130 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,440 in the Church, the laying on of the hands, the Apostolic 131 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:12,800 succession, verse 7, verse 6. And when they that is Barnabas 132 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,440 and Paul or Seoul, when they had travelled the whole island as 133 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:27,040 far as the city of Paphos Pathos or Paphos the Procon soul, whose 134 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:33,520 name was Sergius Paulus or Sergius Paul, who called for 135 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:38,880 soul and Barnabas and desired to hear from them the word of God. 136 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:44,600 This Sergius Paul was listening to their preaching and he 137 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:49,800 believed and the church fathers write that his last name he 138 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,200 changed to Paul because he was so admire. 139 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,640 He, he so admired the apostles and what they were preaching, 140 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,400 which is Jesus Christ. Remember preaching the word of 141 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,520 God, not a Bible in their hands. And opening to Luke chapter 1 142 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:05,760 Timothy chapter 1 Timothy chapter 2. 143 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,840 No, no, no, preaching the word of God, preaching Jesus Christ. 144 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,240 He admired that to the point where he changed his name to 145 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,600 Sergius Paul or Sergius Paul. See. 146 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:21,000 So today, today we too refer to ourselves in our faith, in our 147 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:26,640 doctrine, in our belief that we are Apostolic because we 148 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:31,760 admired, we admire, we believe, we stand firm on the teachings 149 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,200 and the doctrines and the believe in the faith passed down 150 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:39,880 by the apostles of the Lord. Now I do not say that I am 151 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,840 Janard Apostolic. Stephen, is Stephen Apostolic? 152 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,480 No, no, no. The Church, which is the body of 153 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:50,160 Christ, which has many members, are called Apostolic because we 154 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:55,320 too admire the teachings of the apostles, which was apostles, 155 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,760 which was given by Jesus Christ and passed down in the Church 156 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:03,840 until today. This was this man and he admired 157 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:06,120 and he wanted to continue to follow. 158 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:12,000 OK, but let's read who this man was associated with who became a 159 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:22,520 deterrent. But Barshuma, the sorcerer whose 160 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:28,920 name is interpreted Alimas withstood them seeking to turn 161 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,600 away the proconsul from the faith. 162 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,320 This was a leader of a of a region by the way. 163 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,120 He wanted to determine wanted to draw him away from the faith. 164 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:47,080 OK, and said, oh man, I'm sorry. Then soul chapter verse 9, Then 165 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:50,960 Saul, who is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, very 166 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,920 important, keep in mind, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at 167 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:58,840 him and said, O man, full of every kind of subtlety or deceit 168 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:03,760 and of all evil things, son of the devil, an enemy of all 169 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,560 righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways 170 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,040 of the Lord? Soul. 171 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,880 This is now Soul, whose name was called Paul and the Fathers 172 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:20,760 translate, interpret as obedient Saul or Saint Paul, who knows 173 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,960 himself to be the least of the apostles in one Corinthians 174 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:29,840 chapter 15 verse 9. Saul, who maybe saw himself to 175 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:36,520 be the last and the most humble, the unworthy, yet called by God 176 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,360 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, chosen by the Holy 177 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,560 Spirit and giving the authority by the power of the Holy Spirit, 178 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:50,000 yet in order to praise the grace of God that was given to him. 179 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,880 This calling to praise it, not to glorify himself. 180 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,120 No Vainglory. We saw what happened to Herod. 181 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:00,320 Vainglory. No, no, no, to give glory to God 182 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,920 for the grace that was bestowed upon him for His calling. 183 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:09,760 We see that in his ministry, He frequently was battling and 184 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:14,080 courageously, undeterred, vigorously. 185 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,800 He was against the proud and the arrogant and those who relied on 186 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,000 their own works. This man must have been so 187 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,840 proud. He was a sorcerer. 188 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,680 Witchcraft, you know, he's probably making money and 189 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:28,800 fooling people. And people knew him. 190 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,520 It was renowned. Oh, you should go to this man, 191 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,040 Alimus. He's he does great sorcery. 192 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:38,640 You know he did he did something and and and I saw it 193 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,800 eyewitnesses by the power of Satan, obviously, yes, like 194 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:46,560 today we have those who read cups the clairvoyance repent, O 195 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:55,440 clairvoyance don't fool, don't deceit, don't limit God's don't 196 00:13:55,440 --> 00:14:02,400 limit God in a little what is it called that glass globe in a 197 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,240 little glass globe. You can't limit God's work. 198 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:10,760 Don't limit God's work and God's understanding in in tarot. 199 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,560 I think it's like tarot cards. Don't limit that. 200 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:18,800 Don't limit God's work and man's life and destiny in a little 201 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:23,000 coffee cup. And it's always the same. 202 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:27,880 It's always the same cliche. Oh, you are so down and you're 203 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:30,720 sad and life, of course everyone's down and everyone's 204 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:32,480 sad. Life is dragging everyone down. 205 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,480 The economy isn't helping. Of course everyone's going 206 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,600 through this. Oh, you will go on a journey one 207 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,080 day. Everyone goes on a journey. 208 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:44,480 I visit, Well, I can't now, but I visit Australia on a yearly 209 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:45,520 basis. Annually. 210 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:47,600 I used to. Everyone travels. 211 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,160 Oh, and, and have you noticed? Oh, I see a woman with long 212 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:52,800 hair. Oh, that's, it's either a 213 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,000 mother-in-law. If there is something good about 214 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,000 it, it's my mother. But a woman with long hair is 215 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:00,680 frowning. Oh, that's my mother-in-law. 216 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:02,240 That's got to be my mother-in-law. 217 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,600 This is foolish. This is ridiculous. 218 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:13,320 And we too courageously, vigorously must stand against 219 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:16,120 that, beloved, because we are the children of God as well. 220 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:22,520 We see that the grace of God was truly seen in Saint Paul, 221 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:28,320 obvious in Saint Paul, because of the zeal he had, because 222 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:32,600 because of the fervor he had to correct those who were in the 223 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:34,880 wrong. He spoke bile boldly. 224 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:37,560 He's going to speak boldly. And he did. 225 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:43,040 And he continues to speak boldly before all his opponents. 226 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:48,080 Why, Because of the grace of God that he had received undeterred 227 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,120 in any way. He was undeterred. 228 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:54,720 He didn't let his past daunting. He didn't pull to one side and 229 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:56,840 say, you know what? These people may bring out my 230 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:58,280 past. I was a murderer. 231 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,040 I would persecute the the Church of God. 232 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,680 No, no, he didn't do that. He wasn't intimidated by his 233 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:09,280 past and how others would use that in opposition to him. 234 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:13,480 Don't be intimidated by your past if you have now repented. 235 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:17,720 If you are a repented Christian, you are a Christian from 236 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:19,920 baptism. Don't let anyone else teach you 237 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,640 otherwise. No, being baptized you are 238 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:27,880 clothed with Christ, but you weren't a obedient Christian. 239 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,880 You weren't a a a committed Christian. 240 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,280 You weren't committed to the Scriptures, to the church. 241 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:38,760 But when you repented, you become a repented son of God 242 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:42,240 because the prodigal son was still called a son. 243 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,520 He didn't lose the sonship when he came back, he was still a 244 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:48,080 son. Yet he humbly and modestly said, 245 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:52,240 I'm not worthy to be your son. I tell me as his servant, Don't 246 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:53,960 be intimidated what people will say to you. 247 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:58,720 But wouldn't you, didn't you? Wasn't you? 248 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,680 You know I knew you. Don't worry about that. 249 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,400 Because when you come to Christ, you receive that newness. 250 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:09,640 You've been reformed, you've been rejuvenated, you've been 251 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:13,240 reconditioned one more time. And Paul was not intimidated. 252 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:19,839 Don't be intimidated if you are a repented God fearing God, 253 00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:25,359 abiding, obedient to God, a lover of God, a lover of the 254 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,720 Scriptures. Don't be intimidated to also 255 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,720 send vigorously against those who are in the wrong but in 256 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,040 love. We're going to talk about that. 257 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,480 So he was called, He was chosen, He was set apart by the Holy 258 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:38,800 Spirit. That's it. 259 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,960 You too. You and I, beloved from the womb 260 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,240 to the tomb are God's handiwork. Stop for a second. 261 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:48,160 Give away. If you're cleaning and you're 262 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:49,840 washing dishes, stop for a second. 263 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:57,560 Listen to this we are God's handiwork you, yes, even though 264 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:01,080 you're not a practical practicing Christian, even 265 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:05,520 though you have slid, you're not walking the walk of Christ and 266 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:07,600 you're listening to this. You've been introduced to this 267 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,920 podcast. This is your first listening to 268 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,120 the podcast. Listen, my dear brother and 269 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:15,080 sister, you are a handiwork of God. 270 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,560 Handiwork. God didn't just, God didn't just 271 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,680 speak your kind into existence. He actually took dirt and he 272 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:27,000 moulded, He fashioned us. We are His handiwork and we are 273 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:28,240 his handiwork. Yes. 274 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,160 For what? For good works and deeds, not 275 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:35,200 just faith, Not just believe. For good works and deeds 276 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,040 prepared by God from the beginning in which we should 277 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:40,720 walk. Ephesians 210 according to Saint 278 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:48,560 Paul's instructions and we read in in Psalm chapter, Psalm 139, 279 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:54,120 verse 13 because he has prepared our kidneys and he has carried 280 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:57,680 us from the womb of our mothers. You are his handiwork. 281 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:01,480 It wasn't when you were a sparkle in your father's eye and 282 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,640 mum and dad said, Hey, let's practice what the birds and the 283 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,560 bees. No, no, no, that they they are a 284 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:13,240 a participant in that in that glorious gift of God. 285 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,400 But it is God who institutes so you too. 286 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:20,720 Don't be reluctant. So again, Saint Paul called by 287 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:27,280 grace, basically gives gives it to this man to reprove him, not 288 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,640 vengeance. It is not in vengeance. 289 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,720 It's not so that he wants to punish him and belittle him and 290 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:37,040 he wants to totally destroy him. No, look at what he said. 291 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:42,160 Oh, you full of all deceit. Why all deceit? 292 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,160 Because the man was playing the part of a hypocrite. 293 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,240 He was fully in deceit. He was a deceiver. 294 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,920 Why? He adhered to Sergius. 295 00:19:53,360 --> 00:19:58,040 He loved Sergius. He was Sergius's servant or or 296 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,360 you know, obedient to Sergeant, but wanted to cause harm by 297 00:20:02,360 --> 00:20:05,040 deterring him from drawing to God. 298 00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:11,720 Beloved. Those who genuinely, truly, 299 00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:18,400 honestly love us, those who genuinely, truly and honestly 300 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,200 want the best for us will never take us away from God. 301 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,200 As a matter of fact, they will draw us closer to God. 302 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:31,160 He calls him Son of the Devil. Why? 303 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:33,600 Because he was doing the devil's work. 304 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,200 Go back to Genesis chapter 3, verse 4 is a deceiver. 305 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,520 What did Satan say to Eve? Surely you will not die. 306 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:43,640 You will become like gods, and you'll know good and evil. 307 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,800 A deceiver. And this man was trying to deter 308 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:52,240 surges from the truth, but he wanted to bring him back to his 309 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,360 wickedness. He says that he is an enemy of 310 00:20:55,360 --> 00:20:58,440 righteousness. Of course, what the apostles 311 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:03,480 were preaching, it was complete righteousness. 312 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:10,640 What the apostles have handed down, Jesus gave as a depository 313 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:15,560 to the apostles He deposited in that church which is called 314 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,200 holy. An Apostolic and universal 315 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:25,200 church was righteousness. And to date, those churches that 316 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,800 adhere to the teachings of the apostles, those churches that 317 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:34,520 continue to live within the framework and the life of the 318 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:41,680 church, have enemies because they are practicing 319 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:45,480 righteousness. And also this could have been 320 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:47,000 the manner of the life of this man. 321 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,800 He was a deceiver. He was a fraudster. 322 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:55,960 Now again, it was not out of anger that he spoke, no, not out 323 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,320 of spite, because Luke says in the beginning he was filled with 324 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,480 the Holy Spirit. That is he was, he was moved by 325 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,400 the Holy Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit will rebuke, 326 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:11,160 will admonish, but not to destroy, but rather to bring 327 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:16,200 back to repentance. So when he says, let's continue, 328 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,400 I'm sorry. And he says, and now the hand of 329 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:21,920 the Lord is against you, and you shall be blind, and shall not 330 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,560 see the sun for a time. And in that very hour there fell 331 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:31,040 on him a a mist and darkness, and he went about seeking 332 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:36,880 someone to lead him by the hand. And when the proconsul saw what 333 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,680 had happened, he was amazed and believed the teaching of the 334 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:45,480 Lord. Notice he said, not I, the hand 335 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:51,160 of the Lord shall be upon you to show that this is not my 336 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:55,360 vengeance. And I say this in love, like 337 00:22:55,360 --> 00:22:57,760 saying, not me, but the hand of God. 338 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:02,760 So when we admonish, when we rebuke, we must be clear that 339 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:05,720 this is not me. This is the word of God 340 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,800 rebuking. This is the word of God calling. 341 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,920 This is the word of Word of God drawing you from darkness into 342 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:16,040 light. And he was hoping for a 343 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:17,920 conversion, just as his own conversion. 344 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:21,520 Remember in Acts 9. Now when when he converted, he 345 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:24,080 saw a light, there was a light that shone around him. 346 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:28,200 Obviously this man had no light, but yet the same thing happened 347 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:29,520 to him. He was blinded. 348 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:35,040 Thou thou shalt be blind, he's saying not seeing the sun for a 349 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:39,400 season or a for a particular time for only a short period of 350 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,360 time. Why to give him the hope of 351 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:43,640 repentance because that's the same thing that happened to 352 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,480 Saint Paul's soul. So experience in life can also 353 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:51,320 be is very significant to be used when we want to draw 354 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:53,440 someone back to God. You know, I went there. 355 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,160 I was there yes, I was a gambler. 356 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,320 I wasn't an alcoholic. I was an adulterer. 357 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,160 I was a fornicator. I was evil. 358 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:07,320 I I was wicked, I was immoral, I had pride, I wanted glamour and 359 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,640 beauty, but they're all null and void. 360 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,120 But I want to tell you that how I converted. 361 00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:16,080 I'm going to pray the same for you. 362 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:21,840 It may even hurt at times. It may seem like a punishment, 363 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:27,440 but a loving punishment. Beloved, though, we must love 364 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:32,080 our enemies and we definitely love our friends and family and 365 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:39,040 relatives, but at times it may be deemed necessary to ask God's 366 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:43,360 severe awakening. You know, when some parents have 367 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:48,280 issues with their child, problem children that are constantly, 368 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,640 you know, in trouble with the law, always a brush with the law 369 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:56,800 and the society. And the law has given them ample 370 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:02,400 of chances and the society and the law has tried to reconcile, 371 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,360 but that child or that person is not repenting. 372 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:10,600 Well, maybe jail at times is best. 373 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,800 It may sound harsh. Mothers can't accept this. 374 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,760 Mothers cannot accept their children being in jail, 375 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:22,800 regardless of how much heartache and and and headache that have 376 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:28,040 been they've been causing. But at times it's not always 377 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:30,200 that bad because there are a lot of people that have been 378 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,280 rehabilitated after coming in. Now, I know today's prison 379 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,320 system and yeah, yeah, that's that's another story. 380 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:41,400 But when you know, when the concept of prison and, and you 381 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:47,320 know, shackles and you know imprisonment came into being, 382 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,160 when God had that in mind, it wasn't to punish, it was to 383 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,400 bring back, to repent, to reconcile. 384 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:58,840 So sometimes, yes, not in vengeance, not in punishment, 385 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:05,760 not to totally destroy someone, no, no, but that that severe act 386 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,400 of God would bring that person back to repentance. 1 387 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:14,480 Corinthians 55 Remember those who are taking on their father's 388 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,240 wives as their wives, their stepmothers. 389 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:20,720 They were marrying their stepmothers. 390 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,040 What a Saint Paul saying one Corinthians 55 commit the body 391 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,120 of such a man to Satan. Wow, that's harsh. 392 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,600 Not as a punishment, but he says so that the soul will be saved 393 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:34,640 by the spirit. Deliver this one to Satan for 394 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:38,160 the destruction of the body, the destruction of the desires and 395 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:42,960 wickedness and immorality of the flesh, that he may live in the 396 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,120 Spirit. So this is what we see, beloved, 397 00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:49,720 and this is what we learn. Having the authority, having the 398 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:55,360 authority they've vested by, by the Holy Spirit, by the choosing 399 00:26:55,360 --> 00:26:58,600 of the Holy Spirit and the laying on of the hand of the 400 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:00,400 apostles, the Apostolic succession. 401 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:03,600 Saint Paul goes out now and speaks boldly. 402 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,120 We've been called, we've been chosen. 403 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:11,520 We are the children of God. Only when we have repented, then 404 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,360 we can bring people to repentance. 405 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:19,320 When we have taken out the plunk out of our own eye, then those 406 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,200 who see will say, please take this little speck out of my own 407 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:25,840 eye. And I, as I posted on Facebook 408 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,560 and I think it's on, it's on the double edged sword. 409 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:34,040 Others can be effects. Others can be spiritually 410 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:39,760 affected by you when you have been, when, when they witness a 411 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:45,600 spiritual effect on you, and all for the glory of our Lord God 412 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:47,920 prays between His name now and at all times and forever. 413 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:15,960 We hope you enjoyed this week's message. 414 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:19,200 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 415 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,560 with your friends and family. For any future topic suggestions 416 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:26,000 or to give us detailed feedback, please visit our link in the 417 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:30,400 show notes. Linktr dot EE forward slash 418 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,360 double edged sword. Until next time, God bless you 419 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:33,640 all.