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 --> 00:00:06,200 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the. 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,720 Everlasting mercies which? Sent you to us, O Christ, the 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,880 light of the world and the life of all. 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,080 Give us wisdom by your law, and enlighten our. 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,920 Impulses by your knowledge. Sanctify our souls by Your 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,760 truth, and grant that we may be obedient to Your words and may 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,200 fulfil Your commandments at every hour, O You who enlightens 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,840 the rational with the knowledge of Your greatness. 10 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,680 Do enlight O my. Lord, our thoughts that we may 11 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,080 meditate upon Your holy and divine Scriptures at all times, 12 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:42,400 O Lord of all, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, forever Amen. 13 00:01:03,330 --> 00:01:05,570 Don't fret, I know the background is different, the 14 00:01:05,570 --> 00:01:09,280 scene is different. All thanks to my brother, the 15 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:14,320 producer of the Double Edged Sword episodes of the Double 16 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:17,680 Edged Sword podcast, Stephen. Stephen, I hope we meet your 17 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,720 expectation. You've been sending texts to my 18 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,880 brother Danny and Beniel, and you don't want this type of a 19 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,160 microphone. You don't want that type of it 20 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:26,200 is what it is. OK. 21 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,280 Just glorify God. And here we are. 22 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:33,360 We're at the Saint Andrews St. Yes, Saint Andrews Church in 23 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,440 Glenview, the Saint Andrews Church of the Assyrian Church of 24 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,520 the East in Glenview. I I thank my brother Archdeacon 25 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:46,320 George or Givargis Tuma, who very gladly opened the the not 26 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,440 not literally, but permitted us to come and present our programs 27 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,240 at the altar of Saint Andrews. They made the blessings of this 28 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,120 altar. May the blessings and the care 29 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,720 and the love of the altar come out to you and vivify everyone 30 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:05,000 that is listening to this program where we're at Acts 31 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,880 chapter 15 and we left at verse 29. 32 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,520 So we saw there was an issue in Antioch and the issue was the 33 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,120 problem was that very briefly that those who are being 34 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,320 baptized from the Gentiles, the Pagan Gentiles and the Gentiles 35 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,360 who are almost crossing over to Judaism and they were being 36 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,800 baptized, receiving the Holy Spirit had faith in Jesus 37 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,000 Christ. But then there was something 38 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:33,360 that was or being enforced or, or was trying to be enforced on 39 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,600 was that they needed to be also circumcised. 40 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,800 Some people came from Judea and said you need to be circumcised 41 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,640 because this is what God has commanded in the in the Old 42 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:47,400 Testament. And that's in Genesis Chapter 7. 43 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:53,280 Then a few representatives, St. Paul, Barnabas, and a few of the 44 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,520 church members went to Jerusalem to try to sort this out. 45 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,920 Then the, the apostles were there, obviously Saint James, 46 00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:02,440 St. Peter was there, Saint John was 47 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:03,720 there. We don't hear Saint John 48 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,360 speaking much, but Saint Peter and Saint James were there. 49 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,440 And again, they met with the church and they not only applied 50 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,640 to the the Scriptures, to the Old Testament, but they also 51 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:15,040 appealed. I'm sorry they didn't only 52 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,680 appeal to the to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, they more 53 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,240 so appealed to the Holy Spirit and the experience Saint Peter 54 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:27,640 had with the the conversion and baptism of Cornelius in Acts 55 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:30,400 chapter 10. I believe so the the decision 56 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,600 was made that no, we will not put any burdens on these people. 57 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,320 Again, this is very important, very important. 58 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:41,080 They didn't adhere to solar scriptura because if they did, 59 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,000 then they would have had to come back and say, no, God has said 60 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,360 it in Genesis Chapter 7, or is it chapter 10? 61 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,200 And it must be. We must adhere to that. 62 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,680 It's in the Scripture. They appealed to the work of the 63 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,160 Holy Spirit and the experience of Saint Peter with the Holy 64 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:56,880 Spirit. And then they made the decisions 65 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,200 that no, we will not put this burden on them. 66 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:00,920 They don't need to be circumcised. 67 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,360 That was of the old covenant which Jesus fulfilled. 68 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,640 Field didn't abolish. Christ didn't abolish the Old 69 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,440 Testament. Let's not blaspheme because he 70 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,520 himself says I did not come to abolish, but fulfill and set us 71 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,720 on the right path and a new path, which is new life in Jesus 72 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:19,800 Christ. So then they sent Peter and 73 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:23,200 Barnabas with a few people from the church and some profits to 74 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,840 go out there with a letter to explain to the church. 75 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:29,960 Now this is amazing because this is how the church basically 76 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,160 works today. If not must work. 77 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,000 This is how the church must operate when it comes to making 78 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,720 decisions that pertain to the salvation of the faithful. 79 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,480 I'm not talking about the financial, you know, issues and 80 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,400 the, and the building and the properties. 81 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,360 No, no, no, I'm talking about the salvation, the crease and 82 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:54,000 decisions that will be made which will affect and have have 83 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,880 a binding to the salvation of the faithful who have already 84 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,520 believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. 85 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,120 So let's read what happens when these people go back to Antioch 86 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,280 with the letter and to give them the good news or the great news. 87 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,480 Acts chapter 15, verse 30. And you know the Bible they've 88 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:16,880 given me is I think -5 font, but bear with me please. 89 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,800 It's very small font. Acts chapter 15. 90 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,640 And that's already being used as an excuse now, right? 91 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:27,880 Acts chapter 15, verse 30. So when they were sent off, they 92 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,880 came to Antioch. And when they had gathered the 93 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:34,280 multitude together, they delivered the letter. 94 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:35,560 What did we learn? What? 95 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:41,440 And this happened, let's say 2023 years ago, 2022 years ago. 96 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,440 What what, what do we learn from this and how is it related to 97 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,600 today? Well, first and foremost we read 98 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:53,720 the that the parishes there, the cities, that the churches were 99 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:58,240 already established, were in unison because Jerusalem. 100 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,600 In Jerusalem the decree was given and the church received. 101 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:08,000 Then Saint Paul and Barnabas went back to Antioch and they 102 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:11,760 gave the decree with the letter will see that that was received. 103 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:16,200 And then Saint Paul and Barnabas go and visit every other city 104 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,520 where they have already gone and preached and established the 105 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:24,200 church to give them the decree. So the churches were all in 106 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:28,000 unison. They were in one mind and one 107 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:34,080 order, Pasa liturgy. So we're not going to, you know, 108 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:37,560 come across where the church in Antioch said, well, no, you know 109 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:38,880 what? We're not going to do this. 110 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:42,080 We don't accept this because our demographics is different. 111 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,320 Our people are different than Jerusalem. 112 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,480 You know, Christ was in Jerusalem and he was crucified 113 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:49,160 in Jerusalem. It's a little bit different. 114 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:50,840 No, no, they did not say that, beloved. 115 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:54,120 And a lot of a lot of the faithful and the members of the 116 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,720 church, in particular the Church of the East, always have these 117 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,600 questions at times. Why is it different from one 118 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,920 parish to the other parish? Well, it shouldn't be different. 119 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,520 We've dropped the ball. Let's admit again, let's call a 120 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,440 spade a spade a spade. Say that how it is. 121 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,720 We've dropped the ball. You know, here's an example in 122 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,720 the Assyrian section. And I said a member of the choir 123 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,720 of one parish would visit another parish. 124 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,760 But the choir group of that parish do not accept anyone 125 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,320 else. Not because of any spite. 126 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,320 No, because, you know, we practice and we have our own way 127 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,040 of singing. Well, that's not how it should 128 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:34,280 be. There should be 1 melody, one 129 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,400 rhythm, right? And one conducting. 130 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,480 That's it. We shouldn't be singing 131 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,520 different melodies and different rhythms. 132 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:48,040 For example, Howard Noorane. Oh, the fiery ones has always 133 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,920 been Howard Noorane. And if I go to a Paris and say, 134 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,600 well, we don't sing it because we sing it in a different way, 135 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,600 well, that shouldn't be like that unless, unless there is a a 136 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,400 new melody that has been accepted by the church, has been 137 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,600 accepted by the hierarchies of the church. 138 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,600 And that new melody is then imposed and implemented in every 139 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:10,800 parish. Now this is a minute example, 140 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,200 but there are other things. The deacons sometimes the 141 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,680 deacons deacons visit another parish and when they're in the 142 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:21,760 altar, they begin to sing one Deacon, one parish will say 143 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,520 Salishla, Mama, let us pray. Peace be with us. 144 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,560 And the Deacon from another parish Will Salish and then 145 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,160 you'll stop. Why should it be that way? 146 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,240 And again, these are these are minute. 147 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:38,240 Whether we say it one way or the other way, the Holy Eucharist, 148 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,440 the bread and wine are sanctified and become the body 149 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,320 and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 150 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,000 But there are other significant and I don't want to give too 151 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,040 many examples, other significant differences that we see, 152 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:54,440 especially in particular when it comes to faith and doctrine. 153 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,520 If my brother Dan would come and ask me about a specific doctrine 154 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:06,720 in the church and I I don't rely and appeal to my philosophy 155 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,520 because it's not about what I think, how I feel, how I 156 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:16,640 preserve, how I understand. No, when I explain to my brother 157 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:20,320 Dan that according to the church, the framework of the 158 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,040 church, the life of the church, the understanding of the church 159 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,040 fathers, the apostles, the liturgy and the faith, the dogma 160 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:32,440 and the doctrine, This is why or this is the meaning or this is 161 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,360 the interpretation. Now, when Dan then goes to 162 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,680 another priest and the other priest says, well, you know 163 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:38,440 what? Yeah, that's right. 164 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:40,280 But I don't believe I feel it's that way. 165 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:44,520 There's contention there. Dan's going to be confused. 166 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:46,360 Dan's not going to leave the church. 167 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:47,960 I know that because he's got to get married soon. 168 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:51,360 So he has to stay in the church. But someone coming from outside 169 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:55,960 of Christendom will say, well, listen, you guys have you guys 170 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,840 do not agree with one another and you claim that the Holy 171 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,000 Spirit is revealed to you and you claim that the Holy Spirit 172 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,920 has revealed to you. So is the Holy Holy Spirit 173 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:11,080 deceiving or parted in understanding on will See this 174 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:15,880 is what happens outside of Christendom When, when when the 175 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:22,880 Apostolic churches would teach and accept that baptism, baptism 176 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:26,160 is required for salvation from the Scriptures. 177 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:28,200 It's even in the Scriptures. St. 178 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:29,880 Peter says now baptism that saves you. 179 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:31,280 I don't want to go too much into that. 180 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,560 It's for salvation. And then our brothers and 181 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:36,440 sisters from the Protestant church will say, no, no, it's 182 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,720 just a symbol has nothing to do with your salvation. 183 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,880 Than the agnostics who are trying to who's interested in in 184 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,200 Christianity or the atheist will say, well, listen, can you guys 185 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,120 go and agree to something? Because what do I do now? 186 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:52,240 Now do I get baptized or do I choose not to because it's only 187 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,480 a symbol? OK, That's why we have the 188 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,600 45,000 different denominations of Christianity or 189 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,160 denominations. I'm sorry, but when we go back 190 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,440 to the essence, it's very important the book of I 191 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,560 encourage you to read the book of Acts. 192 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,720 I encourage my brother priest to preach the book of Acts. 193 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:14,080 That is the essence of the church. 194 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,120 Jesus didn't come while he was ascending into heaven. 195 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,200 Praise and glory be to his name. Distribute books of Bibles and 196 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,320 say don't read this and work out your own salvation when saying, 197 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,560 oh, now when Saint Paul says that it's not that, go and work 198 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:28,960 out your own say how to be saved. 199 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,840 No, no, no, your salvation is already the way of the salvation 200 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:33,360 has been said. You don't work it out. 201 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,440 How are you going to now adhere to that, to that way of 202 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,680 salvation? I've always mentioned Christ 203 00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:42,720 didn't leave a vicar. Christ didn't leave the Bible, 204 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,680 He left the Holy Spirit. Hence the disciples appealed to 205 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:49,680 the Holy Spirit. But we've got to be careful 206 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,320 because the Holy Spirit is not split in its understanding and 207 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,120 will and mind. No, because if that's the case, 208 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,040 we're talking about God. Well then our God has cleanse 209 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,000 me. Our Lord is a weak God because 210 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:02,920 he has double standards. No, he does not. 211 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,440 And we see that from the get go. The churches were in unison one 212 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,960 Corinthians 1440. But let everything be done with 213 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,360 decorum, secular beauty, and with order. 214 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,640 There's one order. Christ set one order when He 215 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,920 established His church and then He taught His disciples for 40 216 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:25,560 days. He was on the on earth. 217 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:28,240 Beloved, what was Christ doing for 40 days? 218 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,160 He continued to teach his disciples. 219 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:36,760 Now most of those conversations during the 40 days that Christ 220 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,040 was on earth are not recorded, but doesn't mean that they're 221 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,480 not important. Maybe we see like just for 222 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:51,480 example, that accepting baptism as a sacrament or is a sacrament 223 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,640 and we need it for our salvation, that that may have 224 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,560 been what Christ had taught him when he was with them for 40 225 00:12:57,560 --> 00:12:59,720 days. And then they came and started 226 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,640 establishing these set rules and order. 227 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:07,680 They set an order, Paksa liturgy order, because our God is a God 228 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:11,640 of order, beloved. So they came out and they read 229 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:19,520 the letter to the Church, one Corinthians 110 before I go 230 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,320 there, but I request of you, my brethren, in the name of the 231 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,800 Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you would have one speech. 232 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,680 So when again, going back to the Gnostic or the atheist or the 233 00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:33,800 Muslim or the Buddhist or the Vishnu or the Bhagwan, whoever 234 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,400 are interested in Christianity, when that person approaches me 235 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,000 and I say to him, you need to have faith in the Lord Jesus 236 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,000 Christ, Accept Him as your Lord and your Lord Savior and 237 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:48,080 denounce every evil faith, denounce Satan, denounce every 238 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:49,800 other faith that is outside of Christendom. 239 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,240 And then you must be baptized and your baptism must be 240 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,840 performed or officiated by a presbyter or a priest. 241 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:00,000 And you, you go on and on. And then that person says, OK, 242 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,520 you know what, let me shop around. 243 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,480 I want to still see what, what, what this other building says. 244 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,640 And this person walks into that building and he hears the same 245 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:09,720 thing. He must hear the same thing 246 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:14,720 because that's how the Church was built, upon the appeal of 247 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:18,200 the Holy Spirit, upon the direction of the Holy Spirit, 248 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:22,760 and upon the foundation of the apostles. 249 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,720 O Saint Paul, you blaspheme custody. 250 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,400 How dare you tell me that we've been built upon the foundation 251 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,040 of the apostles? Well, it's in the Bible. 252 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:33,920 Solar scriptura. It's in the Bible. 253 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,640 OK, You don't agree with it. close the Bible and put it 254 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,000 aside. Don't read it because there is 255 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,000 an error in there. No, but Saint Paul knew exactly 256 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,320 what to say. Now I know these, these, these 257 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,640 new philosophies coming out now within the prison. 258 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,720 Well, you know what? Saint Paul made it so difficult. 259 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,040 No, he didn't. No, he didn't. 260 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,400 He made it right because Christ appeared to Saint Paul. 261 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:58,560 St. Paul received the same Holy 262 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:04,280 Spirit, and in Galatians 29HE29 he received the right hand of 263 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:08,280 the fellowship, giving him authority to go and set these 264 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:14,240 boundaries, one speech, and that there would be no divisions 265 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:17,560 among you, that you would be perfected in one mind and one 266 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:22,560 conscience, one mind. But unfortunately, Satan the 267 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:30,160 enemy, Satan the deceiver, crept into the church through people 268 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:35,080 who were boastful, through people who were ignorant, 269 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,960 arrogant haters. Look at the history of the 270 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,080 church haters. He crept in there and he started 271 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:46,400 causing all these divisions. I believe if we had stuck to the 272 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,320 book of Acts, which wasn't written by then, Oh no, yes, he 273 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:50,800 was. Because the councils happened, 274 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:51,800 that's where the divisions happened. 275 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,120 We wouldn't have had these splits. 276 00:15:54,880 --> 00:16:01,000 Verse 31, when they had read it, they rejoiced over its 277 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,040 encouragement. So the church has heard it. 278 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,680 They rejoiced. That must be ringing bells 279 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,520 again, bell ringing, bell ringing. 280 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:17,800 What is when you rejoice? What must you have to rejoice 281 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:22,240 over something that is true and encouraging and that is love. 282 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,240 One of the attributes of love is this one Corinthians, 1 283 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,760 Corinthians 13. Love rejoices not in not in 284 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:35,320 evil, but rejoices in truth. Why does Saint Paul write? 285 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:39,800 Love rejoices not in evil, but rejoices in truth. 286 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,680 Why not but rejoices in good truth? 287 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,520 This was truth. It was handed down from the 288 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,360 apostles by the authority vested in them. 289 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:54,840 They handed down the the decree. It was truth and it felt 290 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,920 encouraging. Now when we read, we continue to 291 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,160 read. The church in Antioch didn't 292 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:02,720 respond. Say, well, you know what? 293 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:05,280 No, this is different. We can't. 294 00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:09,079 As some people say, what worked in Jerusalem may not work in 295 00:17:09,079 --> 00:17:11,880 Antioch. No, Christ of yesterday, today, 296 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:16,200 forever Christ of Glenview is the same Christ of Turlock. 297 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:20,119 Praise and glory be to his name. Christ is forever and ever 298 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:24,839 unchangeable, unfathomable, unspeakable truth. 299 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,319 So when they received it, it was truth. 300 00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:31,080 Where did it come from? It came from Jerusalem, OK, 301 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,120 Saint Paul and St. Barnabas, they couldn't have 302 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:37,600 complained and say, no, no, no, you guys, you guys were 303 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,400 enforcing this on us. It's it's, it's I'm sorry you 304 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,400 guys were against it. Well, how do we know that this 305 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,760 is this is the truth, that it really came from Jerusalem and 306 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,680 it was all in unison. Well, they had the letter and 307 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:53,400 then they had those people. They, they were sent with some 308 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:54,640 of the prophets. And we're going to talk about 309 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,920 what the prophets were. Some of the prophets came 310 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,320 testimonies that this is the truth and they all rejoice and 311 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,640 accepted it. And this is what happens. 312 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,920 A very quick example, and I gave it a few episodes ago. 313 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:10,040 When we have an issue within our community, within the church 314 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:15,240 community, when a priest has an issue with some, some, you know, 315 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:20,040 issues pertaining to, you know, baptism, marriage, whatever it 316 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:25,720 may be, and the faithful who are the church, the faithful have 317 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,240 recommendations. You know, it's very hard for us 318 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,880 to why don't, why doesn't the church decree that we can do 319 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,800 such and such in this manner, what have you? 320 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:40,120 So the parish priest, my beloved Archdeacon George, will take 321 00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:43,640 that concern to the diocese and Bishop St. 322 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:48,520 Marpolis, Benjamin, and then all the parish priests will bring 323 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,960 their suggestions and then they will sift through them. 324 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,120 You know, this is this doesn't need to go to the Sinner, this 325 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:55,240 is internal. This is, we will fix that. 326 00:18:55,240 --> 00:19:00,240 This is diocesan level. And whatever is Synod level, 327 00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:03,760 then the Bishop will go and present it in the Synod and then 328 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:07,360 they will make a decree, OK, listening to all the arguments 329 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,320 and all the concerns. And then the Synod who have 330 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:14,440 been, who have prayed and fastened and referred to the 331 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:18,320 Scriptures and the canons of the Lord and, and the history and 332 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,760 the life of the Church will come to a decree. 333 00:19:21,360 --> 00:19:25,640 And when the Bishop comes and says this is the decree, no one 334 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:27,320 has the right to say, well, I don't agree with that. 335 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:32,720 That's not how the church works. That's why we have 45,000 336 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,840 denominations. Because I left the Church of the 337 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:40,280 East, I went to a Reformed Church, and then I didn't agree 338 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,680 with this. And then I left that Reformed 339 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:46,240 Church and did another reformation and a reformation of 340 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,800 the Reformation of the Reformation 45,000 reformations 341 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,640 because it doesn't sit right with me. 342 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,200 That's not what these people did in the early church. 343 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,440 And you can't write the early church off because they were 344 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:00,560 there. This is this is the fourth year 345 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,040 after Christ had ascended into heaven. 346 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:07,200 So they had it right. But again, the enemy crept in 347 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:09,720 and devoured. And here we are today. 348 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,240 And we should pray for the unity of the Church, the unity of the 349 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:19,760 church, not to just accept. For you, no, you can't just 350 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:25,680 accept to unite because you have principles you have you have the 351 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,760 truth. You can't compromise truth. 352 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,600 What is the truth? Go back and read the scriptures. 353 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,840 Go back and see what the church has been practicing for 2025 354 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,880 years. We have to go back and adhere to 355 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,160 the truth. Yeah, I'll be, you know, wishful 356 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:45,800 thinking in your dreams. Well, when the Lord returns, I 357 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,080 think it's in the book of Revelations where he's the 358 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,800 candlesticks or the candle Arbor as he's shaking. 359 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,720 These are the churches. He's going to just shake those 360 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,120 who are in authority and leadership and say you 361 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:01,280 compromised and you just had no respect for the truth and you 362 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:04,960 just get you sold the truth. Sometimes we're selling that 363 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:11,920 truth, but we should verse 32 actually so small. 364 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:17,560 Where are we 1532? There we go now Judas and Selas 365 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:22,320 themselves being prophets also exhorted and strengthened the 366 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,560 brethren with many words. Notice what the prophets did. 367 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:27,920 The prophets didn't only prophecy. 368 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:33,000 Prophecy is not only telling people or prophesying what's 369 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:34,800 going to happen in two years time and again. 370 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,720 Today's the 23rd. The rapture was supposed to 371 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,360 happen today. Here I am. 372 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,200 I don't know. Did you guys witness anyone 373 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,320 being taken away? No, you know, these are, these 374 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,160 are the, the heretics that 'cause these divisions, one of 375 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,760 the 45,000 of the denominations claiming that today the 3020 376 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:59,800 third rapture is going to happen because the equation minus plus 377 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:04,120 divide times bracket, square, square root shows that September 378 00:22:04,120 --> 00:22:05,960 23rd. And you know, all but they're 379 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:09,360 quoting scripture. They're they're looking at 380 00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:11,320 scripture and they're quoting Scripture. 381 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,640 Well, they misquoted the scripture because I'm still 382 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:14,920 here. Now, if it's going to happen 383 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,960 within the next, you know, before the day is over, well, 384 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:20,440 glory to God, but I don't think so. 385 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,840 I don't believe so I don't, I truly don't believe. 386 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:31,360 When I hear these, these these predictions, I totally ignore 387 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:32,920 and please don't send them to me. 388 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,440 Robbie, what do you think of this? 389 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,160 Honestly, I'll admit, I don't even open it. 390 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,720 I don't even reply to you because I don't want to waste my 391 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:41,920 time. I don't want to waste my time. 392 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:46,120 When the Lord returns and it's not going to be any rapture, but 393 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:48,960 when the Lord returns, we will know it's the Lord. 394 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,080 Truly, we will know it's the Lord because what did what does 395 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,360 Jesus say? You will see in the sign of the 396 00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:56,640 Son of Man in the sky, that is the cross. 397 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,600 So if the cross appears in Bethlehem or in the Middle East, 398 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,360 we will see it from here. We'll know when the Lord 399 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:05,720 returns, beloved, we'll know. We'll know. 400 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,920 The trumpets that are blowing are the Lords, not tankers. 401 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:14,080 Tankers are blowing in the in the in the shipping dock. 402 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:16,560 Oh, it's, do you hear that sound? 403 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,440 Trumpets are blowing. Jesus is coming. 404 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:23,080 No, no, no. My sheep know my voice, they 405 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,840 strengthen them. They prophesied, meaning they 406 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:27,880 continue to talk to them in the faith. 407 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:31,240 And This is why Paul says in one Corinthians 14, five, I wish 408 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:35,400 that all of you might speak in languages, not tongues, 409 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,680 languages, but all the more that you may prophecy. 410 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,160 That means strengthen and establish people in the faith, 411 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:42,760 encourage one another in the faith. 412 00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:46,360 For he who prophesizes is greater than he who speaks in 413 00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:48,800 languages. Not bubble jubbling, No, no, no, 414 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:51,960 no, no, no in languages unless he translate. 415 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,680 But if he translate, he edifies the church. 416 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:58,960 But more so I want you to establish one another in the 417 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:05,040 faith and to conclude verses 33 to 35 and after they had stayed 418 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:09,480 there for a for a time, they were sent back with greetings 419 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,520 from the brethren to the apostles back to Jerusalem. 420 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,280 However, it seemed good to seal us to remain there. 421 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,160 Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch teaching and 422 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,640 preaching the word of the Lord with many others also. 423 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:25,760 So they remained there, encouraged them. 424 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:30,520 They continued to treat to teach the word of the Lord, not the 425 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:31,840 Bible. The Bible wasn't written there. 426 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,680 Jesus Christ, the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. 427 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,200 So you see there was an issue in the church. 428 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,840 The church was, was persecuted. We see how they, how they 429 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,360 handled that. Now there was an internal issue 430 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:51,200 and how they solve that issue all by the guidance and 431 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,280 appealing to the Holy Spirit. Praise and glory be to His name, 432 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:55,720 now and at all times and forever. 433 00:25:21,740 --> 00:25:23,740 We hope you enjoyed this week's message. 434 00:25:23,820 --> 00:25:27,020 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 435 00:25:27,020 --> 00:25:30,340 with your friends and family. For any future topic suggestions 436 00:25:30,340 --> 00:25:33,780 or to give us detailed feedback, please visit our link in the 437 00:25:33,780 --> 00:25:38,220 show notes. Linktr dot EE forward slash 438 00:25:38,260 --> 00:25:41,180 double edged sword. Until next time, God bless you 439 00:25:41,220 --> 00:25:41,460 all.