1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,280 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,280 --> 00:00:07,000 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,920 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,640 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,680 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,720 Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,200 obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,520 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,680 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,520 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,880 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:40,040 --> 00:01:02,000 and Holy Spirit, forever. We're going to go ahead and 13 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,120 continue with Acts chapter 14. Just the recap. 14 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:07,800 As always. Welcome everyone. 15 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:13,840 We read off the Genesis jealousy and indignant Jews in chapter 13 16 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:18,240 at Antioch. The jealousy and indignant Jews 17 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,480 were trying to stir up the Roman city leaders and some renowned 18 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:28,120 rich, unfaithful women to have the apostles dismissed from the 19 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,600 city. And as we said, it was a 20 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:38,120 strategy by the Jews to have the Romans quash disturbances and 21 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,440 uproars, right, to keep peace. So though they would have gone 22 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,960 and said, listen, these people are causing uproars and they're 23 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:45,560 they're they're disturbing the peace. 24 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,320 You need to do something. And for the Roman city leaders 25 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,920 to contain the peace they would to go to any measures, even 26 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,000 execute people, just as did they did with Christ. 27 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,280 Pontius Pilate, who didn't want the stir up of the the city. 28 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,440 He he then surrendered Jesus into the hands of the Romans to 29 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,080 be to be tortured and to be crucified. 30 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:14,080 And and we we understood and we ascertained they that they 31 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:20,440 imitate imitated the snake Satan who threw a woman Eve closed 32 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,280 paradise to all mankind. This is what I this was the 33 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,600 repercussion of the breaking of the disobedience of the first 34 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,360 people, Adam and Eve, Eve first, then Adam. 35 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,840 So paradise was closed to mankind through, you know, the 36 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:42,720 woman who then who then in turn deceived her husband basically. 37 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,960 But it was only for a period of time until Jesus opens it again 38 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,560 for the believers in his name and all who Allah, you know, 39 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,920 believed in him and accepted him and were baptized in his name. 40 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:57,800 And he allowed them to enter again. 41 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,680 And the first being Titus, the thief on the right hand side, 42 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:06,680 The Jews being snakes in character, they too used women 43 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,840 too close to humanity, the way of salvation, the preaching of 44 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:12,560 the gospel which is Jesus Christ. 45 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,720 And in no way did this hurt the disciples. 46 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:21,240 No, On the contrary, all the more did they continue in the 47 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,280 Word. In verse 50, we read that they 48 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:28,120 shook off the dust from their feet and went to Iconium. 49 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,520 They continued to preach, but there was a time where they 50 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,360 actually said to the Jews, listen, it was, it was made, it 51 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:38,080 was right for us to preach to you first, but you have deemed 52 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:39,840 yourself unworthy of eternal life. 53 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,680 We're now going to preach to the Gentiles. 54 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:48,200 And they went as a testimony of their labor, the dust being the 55 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,480 testimony of their labor according to Matthew chapter 10, 56 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,480 verse 14 and Mark chapter 6, verse 11. 57 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,000 But we said that that wasn't the alarming thing. 58 00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:01,440 But verse 15 is the one that we need to really, you know, ponder 59 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,520 on in where Jesus says. And truly I say to you, it will 60 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,680 be tranquil in the day of judgment for the land of 61 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,920 Solomon, Gomorrah compared to that city. 62 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:15,680 So it was a, a testimony of their labor that they went 63 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:17,720 there, they preached, but they weren't received. 64 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,959 And if they continued not receiving Jesus Christ, well 65 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:24,800 then the Lord will return and you know, the final judgment 66 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,240 will be done by him. Why? 67 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,120 Because they didn't receive God the Father, God the Son, God the 68 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,840 Holy Spirit, and they didn't receive the apostles. 69 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,800 Matthew chapter 10 verse 40. Now they could have, they could 70 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,480 have complained about the, the, the apostles or you're too harsh 71 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,000 and you know, we don't understand what you're saying, 72 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,200 for example, but we we want to continue to hear that. 73 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,080 No, they didn't want to hear it as at all and they didn't want 74 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:49,600 to hear it from the apostles as well. 75 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,160 Matthew 10, chapter 40. Whoever receives you receives me 76 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,920 and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 77 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:03,000 Hence thus the the dust of your shoes, and you know, shake off 78 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,120 the dust of your shoes and leave them to me when I return, Jesus 79 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,520 says. And in no way did this hurt the 80 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,360 disciples. On the contrary, all the more 81 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:16,120 they did continue in the Word. They continued preaching the 82 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:20,600 Word going from Antioch, Pisidia to Iconium. 83 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,840 Now that was 85 miles in distance. 84 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:29,000 So they left Antioch and went 85 miles to this city. 85 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:33,800 And that this this didn't take an hour or two hours, 85 miles, 86 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,160 probably 2 1/2 hours in a car. Steven Tesla. 87 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:42,400 Yeah. And 2 1/2 hours, maybe 3 hours. 88 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,440 This would have taken the months to reach this city. 89 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,520 But they went because they had the zeal to preach the word of 90 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,080 God. This is 1 and 2. 91 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,600 And Paul and Barnabas entered into the Jewish synagogue. 92 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,560 See, they go into the into the city. 93 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,400 The they, they enter Iconium and they go straight to the 94 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,160 synagogue. They went into the Jewish 95 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,720 synagogue and addressed the people in such a manner that a 96 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,800 great many of the Jews and of Greeks believed. 97 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,520 See, they were all we read in, in, in the life of Jesus Christ. 98 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,960 He was constantly and continually going to the 99 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,000 synagogue. Why? 100 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,200 Because it was the place of worship. 101 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,320 This is where they would come and read from the Torah. 102 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:38,000 This is where they would come and they would offer their their 103 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,520 sacrifices according to God's commandments. 104 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,120 And Jesus who fulfilled, fulfilled, fulfilled, fulfilled, 105 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,360 not abolished, fulfilled. All the law did the same. 106 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,160 Now these people were doing the same because at that time there 107 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,080 was no Jewish faith and Christian faith. 108 00:06:54,400 --> 00:07:00,040 There were Jews and Gentiles. The word Christians is not even 109 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:04,360 is not evident here. But there was the Jewish faith 110 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,240 where the where those who believed in Jesus Christ would 111 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:11,240 continue but then preach the gospel meaning preach and preach 112 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:15,360 Jesus, not preach the Bible. There was no Bible per SE. 113 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,480 Beloved, the first you know, writings of the scriptures are 114 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,880 the Corinthians. The one Corinthians is in the 115 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,960 year 50. The Gospels were written in the 116 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,800 year a hundred, 130. There was no Bible per SE, but 117 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,440 they were preaching Jesus, meaning the gospel, meaning 118 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:37,640 Jesus Christ. So they continued to preach and 119 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:40,560 when they did, look at what happened. 120 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:45,760 But the Jews again see the Church is a persecuted church. 121 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,800 So where there is persecutions in a church and not comfort 122 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:53,360 zones, no, no, when there is persecutions in a church, that 123 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,720 church is right. Hence, hence, let me tell you, 124 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:04,240 the late Pope John Paul, when he met the His Holiness, the late 125 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:09,440 Mardenka, he actually mentioned that this is a persecuted 126 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:14,000 Church, the Church of Martyrs, the Church of the East. 127 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,800 Yes, because it is built on persecution. 128 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,800 Jesus was persecuted and he washed and cleansed his Church 129 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:24,920 through his blood. While he was being persecuted, 130 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,320 while he was crucified, he washed his church through his 131 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:28,520 blood. And we are washed through the 132 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,320 the waters of baptism, of the sacrament of baptism. 133 00:08:33,799 --> 00:08:37,039 So they began. The Jews who would not listen 134 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:42,880 stood up, the Gentiles to oppress the brethren to oppress 135 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,600 them, the Christians. Do you feel a prophecy coming 136 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:52,880 along Psalm 21? Why do the nations clamour or 137 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,840 appeal and people's device plan in vain? 138 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,880 This is what it was about. And yes, they started the 139 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,440 nations and even the Jews. They started to stir up the city 140 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,200 and be against them now. Meanwhile, Paul continued to 141 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,320 refer to his fellow Jews as his brethren, just as Jesus did, 142 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,720 because he knew those who believed would become saved, 143 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,120 would become saved from the Mosaic law, would become saved 144 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:26,040 from the evil, from their sins, and would be living in Christ 145 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,880 for eternal life. Jesus we read in Psalm chapter 146 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,120 22, verse 22, speaking for Christ, being a Jew. 147 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,160 Christ was a Jew. I will declare your name to my 148 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,040 brothers. Brothers. 149 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,080 Yes, because he was a Jew. That's why Paul says I'm ready 150 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:45,760 to be a curse for Israel to live now do you think that Paul 151 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,400 wanted to be cursed and not to see Christ and eternal life 152 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,120 because of the Jews? No, it's a it's a a testimony of 153 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:59,480 the love that I will go to any extent for my brethren for the 154 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,400 Jews to believe and to live in Christ. 155 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:08,440 I, Father Genard Lazar of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian 156 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:13,560 Church of the East of the great Assyrian nation, I will go to 157 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:20,000 any extent to preach, to teach, to rebuke, to correct, to 158 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:25,200 encourage my people to my Assyrian people so that they may 159 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,080 enter the Kingdom of heaven. The Italians should do the same, 160 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,640 the Greek should do the same. The Russians should do the same. 161 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,280 Now, I don't want to not end up in heaven. 162 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,640 No, that's not what I'm saying. But I will go to any extent. 163 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,480 I will receive spittles in my face, just like my Lord did. 164 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,840 I'm not worthy, by the way. I will receive ridicule. 165 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:55,240 I will receive all types of condemnation or rejection so 166 00:10:55,240 --> 00:11:00,560 that my people would be saved and saved in the truth, the 167 00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:04,280 truth of the Scriptures and the truth of the one holy Apostolic 168 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,200 Church. That's the mentality we should 169 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,400 have, beloved. That's the mentality. 170 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:14,280 Parents, should you know? We say, we say in Assyrian they 171 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,920 refrain from food, for example. It's it's an analogy, it's an 172 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:23,000 allegory that we we refrain from food so that we can supply for 173 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:24,480 our children. Yes, that's good. 174 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,080 OK, great. Our children need nourishment, 175 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,760 but refrain from our free will, from our joy, from our evil 176 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,720 desires, so that our children can grow in the holiness that 177 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,320 we've been called to refrain from that. 178 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,120 That's what we need to do. Look at the prophecy. 179 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,360 I will declare your name to my brothers. 180 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,280 He still called them, calls them brothers, beloved. 181 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:49,040 And this is what Saint Paul continued. 182 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,320 That's why He was persecuted, so that his people, along with 183 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,360 others, could believe and be saved and live in Christ. 184 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,480 So they remained there for a long time and spoke boldly 185 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,960 concerning the Lord. And He that is the Lord gave 186 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:07,240 them testimony to the word of His grace by means of signs, not 187 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:12,440 miracles, signs and wonders or powers which He performed by 188 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,040 their hands. When we are in faith, beloved, 189 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,040 don't look for signs and miracles. 190 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:20,800 We don't need miracles. We don't need miracles. 191 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:26,800 Don't send me. You don't need to send these 192 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,240 posts. If you type, I mean, your life 193 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,520 will change, you will receive a great job and you will see six 194 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,880 figures. Rebuke that in the name of 195 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,200 Jesus. Don't share it and don't tag me 196 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:40,760 in it. That's a command. 197 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,040 Don't tag me in these ridiculous and false testimonies. 198 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:51,760 No, Christ didn't promise a a healthy and prosperous and rich 199 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,520 life. Why do I have to tape type? 200 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:57,480 Amen. For the Lord to bestow his grace 201 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:01,120 and mercy and his gifts upon me. No, beloved, don't be fooled. 202 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,440 Don't be fooled. Delete them. 203 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,400 I let me tell you what I do, beloved, I just, you know, the 204 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,640 three dots or the four dots, I go down and say hide all from 205 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:12,880 this. Christ is our Lord. 206 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:17,600 Christ is your Lord. Don't portray Christ to be a 207 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:21,840 magician, Hasley. Don't portray Christ to be a 208 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:26,320 magician. No powers, miracles were 209 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,040 performed, were shown for people to believe. 210 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:31,320 Once they believed that there was no reason. 211 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,480 And let me tell you, what are these powers now? 212 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:37,280 Firstly, beloved, why didn't the apostles go away at this point? 213 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:43,400 So they as they did before, Why? Because they weren't attacked. 214 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,480 They're only opposed, right? They weren't attacked. 215 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:49,960 There was no harm. There was no danger to their 216 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,360 life. They remained for a long time 217 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,120 speaking boldly. There is the power. 218 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:57,640 You know, the heavens didn't open up. 219 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,080 There wasn't any thunders and storms. 220 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,800 And, you know, a light shining down from heaven on to them. 221 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:08,280 Or Paul hovering in the air to show that he is a St. 222 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,960 No, no, no. The signs were this number one. 223 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,720 Their boldness, their steadfastness. 224 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,200 Remember these people, beloved, we're ordinary men. 225 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,320 Yes, Paul was very learned of the of the law. 226 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:26,840 But also remember that it was the Holy Spirit who chose them. 227 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,840 He gave them the power. Just that steadfastness, you 228 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,920 know, sometimes steadfastness, sometimes we look for powers and 229 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:38,480 miracles to prove my faith. No, maybe the miracle, the power 230 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,560 is that right now you're reading the Scripture because you didn't 231 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,120 before, or you're attending church more often, or you're 232 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,080 confessing your faith more often, or you're feeling guilt 233 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,480 and conviction through your conscience more often. 234 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:55,600 That's a miracle. That's a power. 235 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,760 That's a sign that the Lord is saying to you, keep going. 236 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,760 That's me. That's me present in your life 237 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,400 because I love you. Saint Paul writes to the 238 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,880 Ephesians. While we were sinners, God 239 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,920 performed what he did for us. He loves all beloved. 240 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:14,720 He loves the sinners. He hates the sin. 241 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,880 He loves them to, you know that he gets disappointed. 242 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,520 Yeah. The sinners grieve the Holy 243 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,200 Spirit of God. They do. 244 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,040 But the love that he has for them is that he's waiting for 245 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:31,480 them to return so that he could forgive them and reinstate them 246 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,000 one more time. So sometimes we look too much 247 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:36,680 into. I want to see a mirror. 248 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:40,200 I want to see a sign. I want to know if if if I'm 249 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:44,720 doing this right. Just do it one day when the Lord 250 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:48,120 wants to reveal to you through your conscience, through the 251 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,760 scriptures, through your parents, through your best 252 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,760 friends, through your school mates and and you know at work 253 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,040 colleagues. One day the Lord will reveal to 254 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,520 you. So the signs were this 255 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:03,640 steadfastness, fastness themselves, the boldness and and 256 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,320 more so was that people were being converted. 257 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:11,160 They were believing the you know, the the conversion of the 258 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:15,880 hearers of their words. They were preaching no thunders 259 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,600 and bright lights and fire and brimstone. 260 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:24,360 Definitely no beloved was five, and they were menaced by both 261 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:28,600 the Gentiles and the Jews and with their leaders who wanted to 262 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,760 disgrace them and have them stoned. 263 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,960 Now there is the time, the alarming time. 264 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:41,040 This is the time to flee. This is the time to flee to 265 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,920 avoid the cessation of the preaching of the Word. 266 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,200 Because if they were stoned to death, who would preach to them? 267 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:49,760 Who would continue to preach to them? 268 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:51,560 Who would then go to another city? 269 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:52,920 They're going to go to another city. 270 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,680 I think it's in this Leonia. Yeah. 271 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,840 There there be cities of Leonia. Who would go there. 272 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:05,280 No, it's not odd, beloved, that the Saints flee from those 273 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:10,319 intending to attack them, most assuredly fleeing from the 274 00:17:10,319 --> 00:17:13,960 possibility of martyrdom even when time comes. 275 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,400 They became martyrs, of course, but now it wasn't time. 276 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:21,920 Matthew 1023. And when they persecute you in 277 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,640 one city, flee to another. Now, by no means is Jesus 278 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:29,800 telling them to be cowards. No, he's telling them not to be 279 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:34,960 casting themselves into dangerous and you know, 280 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:36,960 situations and not to die at once. 281 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,200 Now remember when they brought Jesus to the top of the hill, 282 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:44,160 They brought him to the Cliff of the hill and they wanted to toss 283 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:48,160 him because he made himself to be as God, equal to God, right? 284 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,560 Was Jesus Christie, cleanse me, O Lord, for saying this, just 285 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,000 for understanding. Say, was Jesus a coward? 286 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:59,480 No, time hadn't come. He went among them and no one 287 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,800 knew. But when time came in the Garden 288 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,600 of Gethsemane, he even said to them, You come out to me with 289 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,640 torches and clubs as a thief. I'm not a thug. 290 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:12,040 I'm no criminal, right? I was with you all this time. 291 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,080 Three years you did not touch me. 292 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,400 You couldn't. But now it's time. 293 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:21,960 Now it is time for me to lay my life, not for death to take my 294 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:26,360 life, for me to delay my life. Praise and glory be to His name. 295 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:28,280 Why, beloved? Simple. 296 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:33,320 That would be a loss to those who otherwise will benefit from 297 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,000 the teaching of this. It would have been a loss for 298 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,240 those. So they left, and you'll see 299 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:40,680 that they will. Yes, they will now leave and go 300 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,600 to another city, but they will continue. 301 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:48,760 And again, not that you not that they merely told them to move. 302 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,760 If they would have said listen, stop talking, they would have 303 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,480 continued to preach. If they would have said, listen, 304 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,200 don't preach yet they would have continued to preach. 305 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:03,120 But when persecution, assault, physical assault was brewing and 306 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:07,840 indicating then they left because they didn't want to be 307 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:10,520 cut down. They would didn't want to be 308 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,760 taken away from preaching the Gospel vowel of Jesus Christ. 309 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:15,640 And that's what we need to be. You know, now I'm talking about, 310 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,360 I see all these videos of our, you know, those who go out and 311 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:22,320 they're preaching and you know, and sometimes, I'm sorry to say, 312 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,560 sometimes they're being the, the cause of people to blasphemy the 313 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:29,960 name of Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the Bible does it 314 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:31,960 say, go in the streets and ask people that they believe in 315 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,200 Jesus. Do you know Jesus? 316 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:38,560 Do you believe in Jesus? I'll give you $100 if you quote 317 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:42,600 me as a scripture verse. Why do you have to reward people 318 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:47,400 to you know, it's all about likes and and subscriptions, 319 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:48,560 isn't it? Yeah. 320 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:54,920 See how Satan manipulates and his own devious ways this his 321 00:19:54,920 --> 00:20:00,760 own his own, you know, you know, tricks and he's he's. 322 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,760 Deceptions how we he, he shows us that yes, we're doing the 323 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,040 word of God, but really we're not. 324 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,640 We're causing more harm. Why should I go and offer people 325 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:18,840 money if they quote Scripture? We're in the Bible, we're in the 326 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,880 Holy Scriptures. Do the apostles go into these 327 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:26,120 cities and say, quote me what Moses wrote in Deuteronomy? 328 00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:28,320 They don't do that. So why should we do that, 329 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,000 beloved? Let's not water down 330 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,880 Christianity. Let's give it when time comes. 331 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,840 Remember, yes, we're quick to claim, Oh no one comes to God, 332 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,960 except no one comes to Jesus except whom God brings. 333 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,680 So God chooses them. So then why are you going there 334 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:48,120 and bashing these people? Why are you? 335 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:53,280 Why are you owe a Facebook page? Jesus Christ is Lord sending me 336 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,720 a post telling me that if I share and type Amen, I will 337 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:01,160 receive. This is blasphemy and maybe you 338 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:04,480 know the enemies behind that. No, you know what you do. 339 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:08,840 Let me give you an advice. Those who receive these link. 340 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,600 What is a chain emails and chain the post. 341 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,400 Just click on the three or four dots and click where it says 342 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:21,720 hide all from Jesus is my Lord. And don't don't be no, you're 343 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:23,960 not blaspheming. No, no, no, actually you're 344 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:25,800 doing something great. Stop it. 345 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:30,240 Don't share it and let me let me give you a give me a a a a a 346 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,320 command. Please don't share with don't 347 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,280 tag me. I don't, I, I untag myself by 348 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,960 the way, that's not Christianity, beloved. 349 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:43,920 And not everyone is being called to preach because some are going 350 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,440 out there to preach and the enemies are asking them 351 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,480 questions and they don't know how to answer. 352 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,000 So what happens then? Then they come in the in the 353 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,640 comfort of their room where there's no one to, you know, 354 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:59,040 rebuttal or ask questions. Oh, you know, this man said to 355 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:01,720 me, but there's why didn't you, why didn't you correct the 356 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,400 person there? And then you're quoting 357 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,360 Scripture incorrectly. Not all of being called to 358 00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:12,560 preach, beloved St. Paul writes, are all preachers. 359 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,600 And if they don't preach, how can they be sent? 360 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,880 If they don't, how can they preach if they are not sent? 361 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,760 When he talks about faith comes from hearing the word, by the 362 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:23,120 way, doesn't say reading the word. 363 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:24,840 Faith comes from hearing the word. 364 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,360 So just because you read the scriptures, it doesn't mean you 365 00:22:28,360 --> 00:22:32,280 go down New York City and Manhattan and start, you know, 366 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:37,240 pasting, pasteurizing people. No, no, first and foremost, live 367 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:41,320 the world and when the Lord wants to use you, be ready. 368 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,360 Saint Augustine said. Preach the Bible and if 369 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:51,120 necessary, use words. I've been called to preach. 370 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,800 This is my vocation, and I received that authority in the 371 00:22:55,800 --> 00:23:02,920 Church, the One Holy Apostolic Catholic Universal Church. 372 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,280 I've been ordained. I'm an ordained priest, not an 373 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,280 ordained minister. I'm not a pastor. 374 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:15,040 I'm an ordained priest and I have the authority passed down 375 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,520 on me from the laying on of the hand from the apostles of Christ 376 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,960 to preach, not to interpret scriptures, not to interpret 377 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,160 scriptures. I have no authority to interpret 378 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,120 scriptures because the Scriptures have been interpreted 379 00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:31,760 by the Fathers and the Scriptures have been lived in 380 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,560 the church, in the framework of the Church, in the life of the 381 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:38,000 church being guarded and moved by the Holy Spirit. 382 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:44,560 I can preach you, my brother, I've not been called. 383 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:50,920 So let's not all think that once I read a chapter or a book of 384 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,080 the Bible, I need to go out and to preach. 385 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,000 No, that's not what the Bible says. 386 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,680 Beloved, when the Lord's talking about preaching, he commissioned 387 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,920 his disciples. Go out to his disciples every 388 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,480 time you read these commissions. And Jesus said to his disciples, 389 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:11,440 and Jesus said to his disciples, he was talking to his disciples, 390 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:16,800 to the apostles. That's why they did not deter. 391 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,880 They weren't deterred. They went and continued to 392 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,440 preach. And they preached because they 393 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:27,320 were called to preach, beloved. And when danger was brewing, 394 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,320 they were wise enough to leave the city according to the 395 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,360 commandment of Jesus Christ and to go to another city and 396 00:24:33,360 --> 00:24:38,360 continue to preach the gospel because the Holy Spirit had set 397 00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:42,920 them apart to preach the holy, the holy Gospel. 398 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:46,080 Praise and glory be to the name of our Lord and now Savior Jesus 399 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,360 Christ, now and that all times and forever. 400 00:24:49,000 --> 00:25:18,560 Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's 401 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:20,880 message. Please don't forget to rate and 402 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,640 review this podcast and share with your friends and family. 403 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,360 For any future topic suggestions or to give us detailed feedback, 404 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:29,920 please visit our link in the show notes. 405 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:34,600 Linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword. 406 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:36,840 Until next time, God bless you all.