1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,160 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,840 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,760 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the light of the world 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,520 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by Your law and 5 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:16,520 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,600 Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,240 obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:27,560 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,720 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,560 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,920 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:40,080 --> 00:01:05,000 and Holy Spirit, forever. A Blessed feast of the Blessed, 13 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,440 holy Feast of the Ascension of our Lord and our Savior Jesus 14 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,280 Christ to heaven. Last Thursday we celebrated that 15 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,120 feast, either Solaka or the Ascension. 16 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:20,600 Yesterday was the first Sunday of after the Ascension and we 17 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:25,920 have well from last Thursday we have 10 days for the Sunday of 18 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,680 the Pentecost. Everything is in order and we 19 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,520 revisit every year we visit these. 20 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,600 We revisit these feasts and commemorations and the Gospel 21 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,480 readings during the Liturgy of Our Lord or the Liturgy of the 22 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:45,160 Church or the Divine Liturgy of the Mainly the Holy Qurbana. 23 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,960 You know, it's amazing how the church is set and, and, and this 24 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,920 order that has been set by the, the divine order, by the 25 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,480 divinely inspired apostles and fathers of the Church that every 26 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:03,280 year we commemorate the birth, the life, the ministry, the, the 27 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:07,840 preaching, the miracles and the signs of our Lord and Savior, 28 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,240 Jesus Christ, his passion, his crucifixion, his death, his 29 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:17,040 burial, his resurrection and his ascension and the descent of the 30 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,000 Holy Spirit that he promised every year. 31 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,520 It's a love story that we need to, you know, revisit every 32 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,000 year. You know, most of you may have 33 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,600 noticed, I mean, when you're watching television, The 34 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,040 Shawshank Redemption, is that what it's called, Stephen? 35 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,640 You know, that's a very popular film. 36 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:35,880 Like when when you see it on Netflix and you see the program, 37 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,920 when you go into a program, you see that when it's being viewed, 38 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:41,680 there's, you know, every hour or every two hours. 39 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,760 I'm not sure how long it is. It's that same program, that 40 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,080 same or you have good times. Remember good times. 41 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:53,240 JJ Dynamite or you have MASH you know when they're when they are 42 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,120 screened or when they're televised. 43 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,520 It's one of one episode after the other right and every now 44 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,720 and then they just they do that. So to keep, you know to remind 45 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,160 us nostalgia go back to the 70s or was it the 80s, what have 46 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,920 you. It's even greater with the, with 47 00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:11,080 the church beloved in the scriptures and the and the 48 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:15,720 powers of Jesus Christ. In one year, we, we revisit the 49 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:20,240 life of Jesus Christ and we even go back before his birth in 50 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,920 flesh. So it's a story that we revisit 51 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:28,440 and we retell and we re worship and we re comprehend. 52 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:33,600 And we, you know, we, we, we think about and we try to, you 53 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:38,000 know, parallel our life, our walk with that Jesus Christ that 54 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:43,080 walked the earth 2025 years ago. Praise and glory be to his name 55 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,320 last as they we read the conclusion of the Gospel of 56 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:52,680 Saint Luke, who's talking about Christ being ascended, ascending 57 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,520 into heaven. But before he left the earth, 58 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,680 beloved, before Jesus left the earth, he did something. 59 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,360 And then it continues in the book of Acts because Saint Luke 60 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,600 has written the book of Acts before he did something. 61 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,560 You know, we don't read in the Gospels that Jesus actually, 62 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,400 well, yes, the the Last Supper, but we, we knew after his 63 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,000 resurrection, we don't read that he ate with them. 64 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,160 Now when they were on the river of Tiberius and you know, the 65 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,760 catching of the fish, the 153, the fish was prepared, the coal 66 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,760 was there, the bread was there. But we don't read that Jesus 67 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:27,200 ate. And obviously they would have 68 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,680 eaten, but it wasn't, it wasn't announced or it wasn't 69 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,000 mentioned. However, in Luke chapter 24, we 70 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,560 actually specifically read that Jesus ate fish and honey 71 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,640 honeycomb, and he specifically asks them, what do you have to 72 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:45,520 eat? Because, you know, they thought 73 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,680 they're seeing a, a, a spirit. So again, he showed his hands, 74 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,760 he showed the holes, the places of the nails and the spear. 75 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,400 And, but even further evidence for all of us, not just for the 76 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,480 disciples. You know, this was the, the 77 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,040 evidence of the disciples. This was the testimony of the 78 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,440 disciples, and their testimony was confirmed by the shedding of 79 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,120 their blood, that He is resurrected. 80 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:14,360 He is resurrected in a glorified body, which had bones and flesh, 81 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,400 as He said, and He actually ate before us. 82 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,120 And now we're going to wait for another few days and celebrate 83 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:26,320 the, the dissension of the Holy Spirit. 84 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,560 And we read now, now we read that testimony in the book of 85 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,080 Acts, the testimony of those apostles and the disciples who 86 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:38,400 witness, who saw Jesus before their eyes, eating and drinking 87 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,920 and, and, you know, talking to them. 88 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,000 And it wasn't a, a vision. It wasn't just a, a ghost. 89 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,000 It was actually Jesus Christ. Now we are into that history the 90 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,040 the, the testimony and the preaching of those people who 91 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:57,000 saw these Jesus Christ and the beginning of that church that 92 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:02,520 Jesus established and the focal reason for the establishment of 93 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,880 his church was to preach the gospel that is Jesus Christ. 94 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:12,760 Keep in mind always one keynote when you read the scriptures. 95 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,440 When Jesus was on earth, he didn't have a Bible in his hand 96 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,360 per SE. When the apostles went to 97 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,200 preach, they were preaching the gospel. 98 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,920 The gospel means Jesus Christ, the ministry of Jesus Christ. 99 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,840 In actual fact, we can even narrow it down to the death and 100 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:36,120 the the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus 101 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,400 Christ resurrected. This is what Saint Paul was 102 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,240 speaking about in this chapter 13, that Jesus was resurrected. 103 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,560 They saw him. Now, when they went to preach, 104 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:51,480 there was no Bible. They weren't preaching. 105 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,520 Read your Bible, what the Bible says. 106 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,440 No, they didn't. When they referred to 107 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:01,320 Scriptures, they were referring to the five books of Moses, the 108 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,000 Torah, Pentateuch, Septuagint, right. 109 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:11,840 There was no written gospel Came 100 maybe, yeah, 100 plus years 110 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,320 after that. They were preaching what they 111 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:21,400 saw, what they heard and what was told by them, beloved, what 112 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,920 the oral tradition was, what was said during those that were 113 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,720 after the resurrection of our Lord and our Savior of Jesus 114 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,320 Christ. Just the recap, we're up to 115 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,320 verse 50, I believe Saint Paul continues with his preaching the 116 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:39,240 Jews, seeing that a a great crowd of Jews themselves and 117 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,640 Gentiles were following Saint Paul and Barnabas. 118 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,440 Now they weren't following them, their person. 119 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,240 No, they were following the gospel that was being preached. 120 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,360 They were following Jesus Christ because they were preaching 121 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,520 Jesus. Now, the Jews were a little 122 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,760 ticked off. You know, their feathers, as 123 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:03,160 they say, were ruffled. They began to oppose Paul's word 124 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,400 and even blasphemy, probably swearing at them. 125 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,320 What's happening on the university campuses around the 126 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,200 world, in the United States, where you have Christians, 127 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,240 according to their constitutional right, preaching 128 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:26,560 Jesus Christ, preaching the morality of Christianity, and 129 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:31,640 you have Barbarians. And I know, you know, it baffles 130 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,280 me. You know, when you go to school 131 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,640 or college or university, you go to learn today, you go to 132 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:42,720 universities to protest, to carry on, to be barbaric, right? 133 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,120 So when some approach these Christian brothers and sisters 134 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:50,160 and they talk to them about Jesus Christ, they approach with 135 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:56,440 the F word, they start swearing, cussing, derogatory words, and 136 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,200 they become physical, they become abusive. 137 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:00,760 They don't want to hear the word. 138 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:07,920 This was going on probably the 3rd or 4th or 4th within the 139 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,720 first decade beloved of Christianity. 140 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,640 This was happening. They began to oppose and they 141 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,040 began to blasphemy at the same time. 142 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,400 And that's what's happening today when you speak to someone 143 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,120 about Jesus Christ and only about Jesus Christ. 144 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,960 I was watching a video on on Facebook. 145 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,320 I think it was or was it YouTube, a comedian. 146 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:33,280 I don't know, I don't I'm not really interested too much in 147 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,040 his name. Apparently a kid, a comedian, 148 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:39,680 one of his acts was to joke about Jesus Christ, to make a 149 00:09:39,680 --> 00:09:44,400 mockery of our Lord, now Savior Jesus Christ, the King of kings 150 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:48,560 and the Lord of Lords. Say Amin and type Amin, please. 151 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:50,200 Thank you. Steven. 152 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:56,280 He's posed a question by the Christian who was interviewing 153 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,320 him. He said would you go to Saudi 154 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,840 Arabia and joke about Muhammad? He started flushing. 155 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,960 He went red and he's saying in a Syrian Ranger appealer, you 156 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:06,960 know, he was his colors were changing. 157 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,400 He didn't answer that question. He didn't say yes, I would or 158 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,840 no, I wouldn't. I mean, even if he would have 159 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,400 said no, I dare not do it. Oh, well, we'd say, well, there 160 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:15,720 you go, you know? Yeah. 161 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,720 But it's OK for you to stand there and make a mockery of my 162 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,040 Lord. And am I and my Savior Jesus 163 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:22,800 Christ. Well, your mockery, you will 164 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,560 have to one day pay for it unless you repent. 165 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,280 You're blaspheming the Holy Spirit. 166 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,240 This is what's happening. And now this is what's happening 167 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:35,480 today and will continue to happen and even intensified even 168 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:40,240 greater by 10 times. Maybe it will happen, beloved, 169 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,880 but let's not lose heart because the disciples were going to hear 170 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,240 they didn't lose heart. Saint Paul didn't lose heart. 171 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:49,720 He wasn't discouraged. Let's not because you know what? 172 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:56,440 It was happening 2000 and 22,000 and 40 years ago, No, 2015 years 173 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:01,400 ago, give away 10, you know -10 from was it 2 we're in 225 174 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,480 years, 2015 years ago it was happening. 175 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,440 No, no, actually it happened when Jesus was on earth. 176 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,640 They blasphemed him while he was on earth. 177 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:16,680 OK, but yet they killed him and he was resurrected in your face. 178 00:11:16,680 --> 00:11:19,800 He was resurrected in your country. 179 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,280 He was resurrected. Your tomb in your country is 180 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,920 empty. He's resurrected and those who 181 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,560 saw him resurrected alive, He ate before them. 182 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:35,560 As I said, they sealed their testimony not with bribery, not 183 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:39,040 with foolishness, by the shedding of their blood. 184 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:43,240 Their blood was shed. They sealed the resurrection 185 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:45,760 with the shedding of their blood. 186 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:50,080 And yet he was still mocked. You know, Jesus said, if they've 187 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:55,520 done this with the dry, what do you call Reed? 188 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:58,080 What are they going to with a with a wet Reed? 189 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,720 What are they going to do with a dried fragile read? 190 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,400 And this is what's happening. But Saint Paul and Barnabas kept 191 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,520 their cool. They were cool and actually gave 192 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,440 them a little credit to the Jews. 193 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:16,960 In verse 46, Saint Paul says Saint Paul and Barnabas said to 194 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,080 them boldly, both of them speaking, It was necessary that 195 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:24,560 the word of God should be spoken to you publicly. 196 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:26,920 First. You are the chosen people, the 197 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:31,320 Messiah came through you. But then this is the rebuking. 198 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:37,760 This is now the you know. Prior to that it was grace and 199 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,600 mercy. Now it's judgment and 200 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:46,680 condemnation, but because you and I emphasize you, my beloved 201 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,320 Calvinist brothers and sisters, listen to this. 202 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:57,480 But you, not God, you drive it away from you determine or you 203 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,920 decide against yourself that you are unworthy. 204 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:05,000 You determine that you are unworthy of eternal life. 205 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,520 Behold, we turn to the Gentiles. Not God has predestined you not 206 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,240 to receive the gospel so that you will forfeit eternal life. 207 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:17,200 No, you did you because you have free will. 208 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,240 And yes, it was predestined. Eternal life was there through 209 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,480 Jesus Christ from the beginning of the world. 210 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,960 Eternal life was in God's wisdom and power. 211 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:28,560 It was already prepared. It's there. 212 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,840 It was preordained, but you chose not to enter. 213 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:36,640 See, there's free will and they and they quote prophecy. 214 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:41,720 Isaiah 49, six. I have set you as a light to the 215 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,280 Gentiles. So we're going to now go and 216 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:52,320 preach to the Gentiles because you chose not to accept then the 217 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:58,920 Gentiles rejoicing, glorifying God that they were appointed. 218 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:05,840 They were appointed because they, not God caused them to. 219 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,400 They chose to accept what was the appointment. 220 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,840 The appointment was the eternal life, the great. 221 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,160 You have been saved by grace. That means God has done it for 222 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:17,600 you. It's already pre done, it's 223 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,880 finished, it's done. You don't need to do anything, 224 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:24,520 but it's up to you to choose that grace or not. 225 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:29,960 They chose to accept the gospel. They determined, They decided 226 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:35,120 against themselves that they are worthy of eternal life because 227 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:39,160 of them accepting the gospel of our Jesus Christ. 228 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:44,200 How simple is that, beloved? How ridiculous is it to say that 229 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:49,080 God gives birth or God creates, you know, you know, in your 230 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,640 mother's womb you've been knitted by God, obviously one 231 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:53,920 Samuel, right? But you know what? 232 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,600 While you are in that womb, God's already determined you're 233 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,000 going to go to hell. You're going to go to hell. 234 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:05,800 Well, then, so why are we debating abortion then? 235 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,920 Can I say that? Can I ask that, Steven, if God 236 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,400 is already determined, he is determined now, for knowing is 237 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:17,960 different from determining, right? 238 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:20,600 Predestiny, for knowing predestining. 239 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:22,200 It's two different, different things. 240 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,480 God knowing what that child will be, but that child doesn't. 241 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,320 That child knows nothing, right? But no, God is already 242 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,840 foreordained that that child's going to go to hell. 243 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,160 Yeah, he wasn't saved. That's why. 244 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,040 How ridiculous is that? How ridiculous? 245 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:40,760 And there's plenty of other verses in the Scriptures that 246 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,640 totally ridicule and refute that understanding. 247 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:49,120 Let's keep going. Verse 49 and the word of the 248 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:51,680 Lord was published throughout all the Regent. 249 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:53,760 That means it kept preach. It was preach. 250 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,600 You know, I always say one man's loss is another man's gain. 251 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,640 One man's, what is it? Trash is another man's treasure, 252 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:06,240 right? But the Jews incited the chief 253 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:11,880 men of the city and the rich woman who worshipped God with 254 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:17,200 them so that they stirred up a persecution against Paul and 255 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:21,520 Barnabas and expelled them beyond their borders. 256 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,840 Who are the leaders of the city? They were Roman authority, 257 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:26,200 obviously. All right. 258 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,680 They're still ruling in Jerusalem. 259 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,120 You know, this takes us back, beloved. 260 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,920 Think about it. They use the rulers as they use 261 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:40,240 pilot. But let's let's let's more 262 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:44,000 concentrate on they use some rich women, right as it say, 263 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:48,640 yeah, they inside rich woman, renowned rich woman. 264 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:53,560 There's a strategy there. Something must be coming to mind 265 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:55,200 now. Woman, woman. 266 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:56,720 What were these people preaching? 267 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:00,480 They're preaching gospel. They're preaching eternal life. 268 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:06,520 They're preaching salvation. And the enemy wants to close 269 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:12,119 that door, wants to destroy that path for mankind to be. 270 00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:16,160 Or does this go back to the Garden of Eden? 271 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:23,200 Let's think about it. It was a strategy by the Jews to 272 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:28,720 have the Romans quash disturbances and uproars and 273 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,200 keep peace. So they want they made uproars. 274 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,120 So for the Romans to keep peace, they would have gotten rid of of 275 00:17:35,120 --> 00:17:38,880 those people who've been who've been accused of causing the 276 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:40,920 uproar. They would go as far as even 277 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:46,360 executing people. Remember Pilate? 278 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:52,240 What happened to Pilate? Twice he said, I find no guilt. 279 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:56,120 He's done nothing for me to warrant a death penalty. 280 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,240 I can't. It's not right. 281 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:02,760 But because they started the more screaming and because he 282 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:07,440 was concerned about an uproar, he said, OK, we'll take him. 283 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,160 You do what you want. I'm washing my hands from the 284 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,840 blood of these men. And the Jewish, the Jewish 285 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:20,000 priests and the crowd cried out and said, his blood may his 286 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,640 blood. That means the guilt of his 287 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:27,480 innocence may be upon us and our children. 288 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:37,080 The blood of his innocence may be upon us and our children. 289 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:41,720 Now to wipe that away, that curse, you need to then go back 290 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:45,480 and believe in that precious victorious blood of our Lord and 291 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:49,520 now Savior Jesus Christ to wipe away this curse that you brought 292 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,400 upon yourselves. How simple is it? 293 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:57,200 How simple is that right? Honorable Richmond. 294 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,960 Now they were rich, honorable woman, but they weren't faithful 295 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:05,120 because we don't read that they went against the apostles being 296 00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:09,080 expelled from the city. No, that you know, the Father's 297 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:11,120 right. They were Greek Jewish woman 298 00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:14,880 most probably. And they started stirring up, in 299 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:24,000 fact, in fact, the opposing Jews being so evil, they became 300 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:29,200 imitators of the supreme evil demon Satan. 301 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:35,960 They became actually demons themselves, transgressions 302 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,480 themselves. They endeavoured through a 303 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:42,920 woman. Yes, Yes, you're absolutely 304 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:44,480 right, Eve. Yeah. 305 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:49,840 They endeavoured through a woman to close the humanity, to close 306 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:53,280 the door in the way of salvation, in eternal life, in 307 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,440 the face of humanity. Who did this, beloved? 308 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:01,040 Who does this remind you of? Where does that draw your 309 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:05,360 thoughts? Yes, just as the one that Satan 310 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:12,400 closed paradise to men, to humanity through Eve, they were 311 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,920 expelled and there was an Angel that was set as a God so no man 312 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,480 could enter. But until the proper time, until 313 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:26,280 a certain time, so too these people use woman. 314 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:33,360 Wow, great analogy drawn by the church fathers. 315 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:37,920 I forgot which one it was by the way, but it was the you know, 316 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:41,600 the paradise through Eve was only closed for a certain time. 317 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:46,440 Until when? Yes, until the divine Jesus 318 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:52,600 Christ, our Lord, our God, our King, our Savior, our our life 319 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,320 giver and the forgiver of our sins say Amen. 320 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:02,320 Thank you Stephen until the divine Jesus opens it again for 321 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:08,680 the believers in his name and also allows them to enter their 322 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:13,640 and the first of whom was the thief through his blood. 323 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,920 We read through his blood last Thursday was the ascension. 324 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,720 Jesus ascended into heaven in humanity. 325 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:27,640 He took us up to heaven and he set us at the right hand of 326 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:32,080 power and majesty our humanity when we celebrate the the feast 327 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,240 of the ascension. It's my ascension as well that I 328 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:41,080 will go to the Lord Jesus Christ if I remain faithful to the 329 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:45,800 gospel and I will enter will those who have died until now, 330 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:50,320 those who have been faithful to the Lord God, loving, gospel, 331 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:54,240 abiding, God knows that they will be remanded. 332 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:58,440 They will be kept in paradise and that that you know, some of 333 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:00,160 the fathers say that they're having a taste. 334 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,120 They're already tasting the goodness to come. 335 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:08,160 But those evil people who oppose the Lord Jesus Christ and his 336 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:12,880 gospel and his church and his apostles who die unrepented? 337 00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:16,200 Judgment is for the Lord, yes, but the Scriptures say they will 338 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:21,120 be held in show, tasting, having a taste, a glimpse of the 339 00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:23,800 torment that is awaiting them when the Lord returns. 340 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:28,160 Now when Jesus took the thief to paradise, did they go to sleep? 341 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,880 All the Saints are asleep. You can't ask and you can't pray 342 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,800 along with a St. They're all asleep. 343 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,800 Well, was Titus on the right, the thief on the right? 344 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,160 So Jesus took him to Paradise, put him in bed, tucked him in, 345 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,120 gave him his little teddy bear and said go to sleep now, Titus, 346 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:48,400 until you wake. No, no, obviously not. 347 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:50,720 We don't read that. He went to sleep. 348 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,120 What about Lazarus, who was in the bosom of Abraham, which was 349 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:59,280 in comfort, and the rich man who was in torment? 350 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,600 They're alive. They talk unless they're sleep 351 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:03,840 talking. Were they sleep talking? 352 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:10,920 What about Elijah and Moses, seen conversing with Jesus on 353 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,080 the Mount of Tabor on the transfiguration of our Lord? 354 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,880 Were they sleep talking? What about those whose whose 355 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:21,640 blood in the book, in the Book of Revelation, those whose blood 356 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:23,400 was shed for the lamb, crying out? 357 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,640 How long were they sleep talking? 358 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:29,840 No, no, they're not sleeping. That is why we mingle our 359 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,080 prayers. We join our prayers by the 360 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,080 prayers of the Saints of our Lord, who are alive, who are 361 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:41,000 beseeching the Lord on our behalf, who is the mediator 362 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,920 between God the Father and us. Praise and glory be to His name. 363 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:53,960 Verse 50 51 Sorry. And as they went out, they shook 364 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,720 off the dust of their feet upon them, and they came to the city 365 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:02,320 of Iconium. So that's very popular. 366 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,880 I mean, you know, we've we've read this as an instruction 367 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:10,080 shaking the dust of their feet here they used the most fearful 368 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:15,800 and alarming sign Jesus Christ ordered them to do Matthew 1014 369 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:20,520 in Mark 611. If they, if any, do not listen 370 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:25,080 to these, those who oppose the gospel, be it personal, be it a 371 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:32,000 family or a neighborhood or a city or a county or a a state or 372 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,920 a country, if any do not receive you, shake off the dust from 373 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:41,360 your feet. So you're not receiving the 374 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,520 gospel. The feet, the dust of the feet 375 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:49,600 of the apostles who preach the gospel has been shaken and it's 376 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,920 upon you. But that is not the alarming, 377 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:57,080 most alarming. And the the apostles didn't do 378 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:59,000 this lightly. They just didn't want to do this 379 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,720 and say, ha, ha, we're going to do what Jesus said. 380 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,760 Oh, Jesus said to do says, you know, God just told me to do 381 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:06,840 this. No, no, no, they actually did 382 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:13,760 it, not in wrath nor in reaction, but they were obedient 383 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,920 to the gospel and believing to the promises of Christ what they 384 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,760 were being driven away. Now that actually is not the 385 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:26,000 most alarming and fearful factor of Christ's commandment, but 386 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,360 more so, beloved, listen to this. 387 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:35,440 Those who reject the gospel and the dust of the gospel and the 388 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:42,760 feet of those who are preaching the gospel truthfully is upon 389 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,960 you. This is the alarming thing in 390 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:52,200 verse 15. Hold on to your seats, Jesus 391 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:56,560 says and truly I say now when Jesus says truly in the word in 392 00:25:56,560 --> 00:26:01,360 the Aramaic is I mean, yes, yes, I say to you, it will be 393 00:26:01,360 --> 00:26:05,680 tranquil in the day of judgement for the land of Sodom and 394 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:07,080 Gomorrah. He's not talking about the dirt, 395 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:08,560 the land. He's talking about the Sodomites 396 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:12,840 and the Gomorrahites who are engaged in LGBTQ homosexuality 397 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,360 and, and evil, morality, immorality, everything 398 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:21,680 heterosexual, homosexual, whatever it was, they were 399 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,120 engaged in immorality. Look what Jesus says and those 400 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:29,200 who do not accept the gospel. And truly, I say to you, it will 401 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,600 be tranquil in the day of judgment for the land of Sodom 402 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:37,480 and Gomorrah compared to that city, to that person, to that 403 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:41,720 county, to that, you know, country. 404 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,080 Unless there's repentance, beloved, there's always 405 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:47,680 repentance. We must, when we talk judgment, 406 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,800 we must always, always mention a time of repentance. 407 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:55,840 There is a time of repentance to come back and receive the gospel 408 00:26:55,920 --> 00:27:01,080 one more time. Just as I said, those who you 409 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,200 know claimed the curse upon themselves. 410 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:08,720 May the blood of Jesus Christ who was innocent the the the 411 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,960 guilt of that blood be upon us and upon our children. 412 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:16,920 It is until until they believe in the blood of Jesus Christ 413 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,720 that was shed on the cross, then that curse will be. 414 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:25,560 What if, if not if they continue and leave this world with that 415 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:27,760 curse? It's just as these Jews, you 416 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:29,080 brought this curse upon yourself. 417 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:33,600 You deemed yourself unworthy. Well, the Lord will say this is 418 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,760 your free will. And by the way, you know, let me 419 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:41,600 give you an understanding of how God judges, judges people to 420 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,760 hell. One of the fathers writes it so 421 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:45,920 beautifully. You know, sometimes, you know, 422 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:49,120 we preach it in a way it doesn't really justify it. 423 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:52,560 You know, is it because of our zeal, what have you? 424 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:54,760 It's like as if God's this and you're going to hell. 425 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:56,920 Get out of here. I don't want to know you right 426 00:27:57,160 --> 00:27:58,120 yet. Maybe Jesus. 427 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:03,440 Jesus mentions away from me evil doers, that the fathers write 428 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:07,000 this, that even when Jesus mentions these words, he is 429 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:11,840 telling you and I that because you chose out of your free will 430 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:18,600 to forfeit eternal life, to forfeit being eternally in the 431 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:25,160 presence of God, basking in the bliss of the Lord Jesus Christ, 432 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:29,840 being partakers in the holiness and the presence and the beauty 433 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,760 and the tranquility of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth. 434 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,920 How do we have participation through the Scriptures, 435 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,240 throughout prayers, throughout fasting, Most importantly, 436 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:43,720 beloved, most importantly through the Holy Eucharist, the 437 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:46,160 sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, Urbana Qadisha. 438 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:52,000 When you read those who are on Amaros chapter 23 of Luke or 24 439 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,880 or the first half of 24, they were on the road to Amaros. 440 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,440 Those two disciples, they didn't know Jesus started talking to 441 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:58,720 them. He started teaching to them from 442 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:03,080 the, from the, the prophets and Moses and they still did not and 443 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:05,960 Jesus, they still did not open their minds. 444 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,640 Their minds were still not open. They still didn't know Jesus 445 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:11,800 Christ. When did they actually know 446 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,680 Jesus Christ? When the, when they, you know, 447 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:18,640 encouraged him and and begged him to come and dine with us And 448 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:20,800 he did and he took bread and broke it. 449 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:25,120 That's when their eyes were open and that's when they knew this 450 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,800 is Jesus. See the partition participation 451 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,240 in the Holy Eucharist obviously in a meet and right way, you 452 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:36,360 know, repented and contrite spirit, right not Saturday out 453 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,120 there doing your stuff and your immorality and Sunday in church. 454 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:41,520 You know, it's a I'm going to take it. 455 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:43,080 No, no, no, no. All right. 456 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:46,840 So when you have that relationship, you have that 457 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:56,120 relationship with Jesus Christ, you then are in paradise, as I 458 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:58,400 was saying. Now what happens with those that 459 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:03,320 when the Lord returns and have had no relationship with Jesus 460 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:09,080 Christ, they chose to stand totally away and continuously 461 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,560 reject Christ through his, you know, his gospel, his church, 462 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:16,160 his sacraments. He will say to them, one of the 463 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,600 fathers writes. He will say to them, my dear, 464 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:23,560 you chose for yourself through the free will that I granted 465 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:25,760 you. Everything was prepared by 466 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:27,600 grace. I prepared everything for you. 467 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:30,200 You didn't do anything. It was by my grace, but you 468 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:34,600 chose to stand afar. I will now not bring you to me. 469 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:39,800 I will let you remain in that choice of standing afar. 470 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,920 You will remain afar. You will remain distant from me. 471 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:47,920 And that is hell, beloved. It's like God saying, if I now 472 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,000 bring you, I don't want to force you to come to me. 473 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:53,400 You chose not to come to me. I'll still honor your free will 474 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:55,600 and you can remain distant from me. 475 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:57,160 No, I don't. We don't want to hear that. 476 00:30:57,560 --> 00:30:59,280 We don't want to hear that. That's why we need to pray for 477 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:01,960 those who don't know the Lord and they know that haven't 478 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:03,480 accepted the the gospel. Why? 479 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:08,240 Because they did not receive God the Son, God the Father, God the 480 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:12,040 Holy Spirit, and they did not receive the apostles. 481 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:15,960 Matthew 1040 Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever 482 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,640 receives me receives him who sent me. 483 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,760 In no way did this hurt the disciples. 484 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:26,000 On the contrary, all the more they did and continued to preach 485 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:27,560 the word. They continued to preach the 486 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:32,680 word and the verse 52 and the disciples were filled with joy 487 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,360 and with the Holy Spirit. Of course, it was the Holy 488 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:39,080 Spirit that had chosen them and commanded that they be set apart 489 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:41,720 for this mission. This this makes the disciples 490 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:46,080 even more courageous to go out boldly and to preach the Lord 491 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:52,560 Jesus Christ and to die to shed their blood for the one and only 492 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:56,280 the Son of God, the Lord God Jesus Christ, praising glory be 493 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:58,720 to His name now and at all times and forever. 494 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:28,840 Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's 495 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:31,160 message. Please don't forget to rate and 496 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:33,880 review this podcast and share with your friends and family. 497 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,600 For any future topic suggestions or to give us detailed feedback, 498 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,160 please visit our link in the show notes. 499 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:44,840 Linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword. 500 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:47,080 Until next time, God bless you all.