1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,200 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,880 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:10,800 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:14,560 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:16,560 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,640 Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,080 obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:27,400 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,560 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,400 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,800 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,440 and Holy Spirit, forever. Amen. 13 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,680 Brothers and sisters in Christ, we will continue our study of 14 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,800 the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles of our Lord Jesus 15 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,720 Christ. We concluded chapter 15 just a 16 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,600 review ended with Saint Paul and Barnabas departing from each 17 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,240 other because of Saint John Mark. 18 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,440 This is the evangelist John Mark. 19 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:25,880 Mark was his second name. So his first name was actually 20 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,560 John. So because of John Mark, there 21 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:33,840 was a, a disagreement and Paul didn't want to take him back on 22 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:39,080 his mission and ministry with Barnabas because he had left 23 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,920 them previously. And as Marie Shoudad writes in 24 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,120 his commentaries and says that because he, that is John Mark 25 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,000 did not wish that faith in Christ should be delivered to 26 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,280 the Gentiles without the observance of the law. 27 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,400 So he wanted them to be circumcised as well, the 28 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,240 Gentiles. And when he saw that the letter, 29 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,040 the letter that was written from the apostles that they should 30 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,880 receive the faith without observing the law. 31 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,880 So at first he was adamant that no, they should be circumcised. 32 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,440 It was all about circumcision. But when the apostles then 33 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:17,480 decreed that no, they do not need to absorb observe the law, 34 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,560 he's he wanted to again to be taken back and be a part of the 35 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,040 work that they were working. Now Baron Abbas being kind as 36 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:32,080 seen in chapter 15, forgave John Mark and you know one was 37 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,360 willing to take him back. But Saint Paul, because John 38 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:40,800 Mark longed to meditate for the accuracy he wanted to see 39 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:47,240 exactly what the teachings were thought that no, he's not he's 40 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:52,160 not ready or he's not fitting to come with us to on this journey 41 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,760 of preaching the word and spreading the the the gospel. 42 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:01,360 And because he saw him as being very light hearted with these 43 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,040 with these situations. And you know, at one minute he's 44 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,640 saying no. And then quickly he, he then 45 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:11,480 reverted back to accepting it. And that's why he thought, no, 46 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,600 it's best that we don't because we don't want any hindrance in 47 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,000 the work that we're doing. However, however, and I believe 48 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:20,560 this was divinely inspired as well. 49 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,440 And we, we ascertained that they didn't depart or separate in 50 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,080 enmity. There was no animosity. 51 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,720 There was no hatred. Because in the 2nd letter of 52 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,640 Saint Paul to Timothy, whom we're going to be introduced to 53 00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:39,120 today, the second letter to Saint Timothy, Saint Paul writes 54 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:43,320 in chapter 4, verse 11, and states that Paul that states 55 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,120 that John Mark was useful for him and his ministry. 56 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,920 So there was no animosity. It was just a, a, a thought. 57 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:55,680 It was just a, a suggestion or an understanding of how to 58 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,120 continue the ministry. And this indicating that 59 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:03,720 Barnabas's efforts when Paul commenced John Mark, it shows 60 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,720 that Barnabas, Barnabas's efforts in training John Mark 61 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,040 was successful. He took him with him and he was 62 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,080 successful and it became beneficial to Paul. 63 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,399 So what was good for the geese was good for the gender. 64 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,000 Gender. He was good for the gender. 65 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,040 When I say gender, John, what's good for the geese is good for 66 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,320 the gender he was. He was beneficial for Barnabas 67 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,800 and then became beneficial for Paul as well. 68 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,280 And all because, you know, they just had different different 69 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:34,800 understandings and different thoughts about this. 70 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:36,960 But the work of Christ continued. 71 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,040 And Saint Paul and St. Selas are kind of working their 72 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,960 way out of Antioch to the surrounding regions. 73 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:50,320 And Barnabas and John Mark go to Cyprus to go and visit those 74 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,240 churches that were already established. 75 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,840 And Saint Paul continues with his mission. 76 00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:57,520 And we're going to continue reading What Happens with Saint 77 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:02,440 Paul, Chapter 16. Then he there is Saint Paul 78 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,560 arrived at the city. Now he's by himself. 79 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,840 Saint Paul's by himself. Then he arrived at the city of 80 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,840 Derby and Lystra. There was there a disciple whose 81 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:17,240 name was Timotheus. Timotheus or Timothy, the son of 82 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,760 Jewess, convert. She was a Jewess. 83 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,560 That means a woman, a female Jew. 84 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:29,120 His mother was a female Jew. She was a convert, but his 85 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:34,880 father was and Aramian, he was a Gentile and all the disciples as 86 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,640 Lystra at Lystra. Now all the disciples or in the 87 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,760 Shuta version, the brothers meaning the church. 88 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,200 These are the church he's talking about now. 89 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,680 He's talking about those who believed, who are faithful, 90 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,560 except the Jesus Christ were baptized. 91 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:54,280 All the faithful or the disciples at Lystra and Iconium 92 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,120 gave good testimony concerning him, concerning Timothy. 93 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:03,640 Paul wanted to take this man with him, so he took him and 94 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:09,800 something strange now, and he circumcised him because of the 95 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:14,280 Jews who are in that region. For they all knew that his 96 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:17,400 father was a Aramian or a Gentile. 97 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,040 And as they went through the cities, they preached and 98 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:23,680 taught. Listen to this, listen to this 99 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,800 verse. Those who frown upon Apostol, 100 00:06:27,280 --> 00:06:30,400 the apostolicity of the church, listen very carefully. 101 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,400 It's from the Bible, it's from the Scriptures, Acts chapter 16, 102 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,240 verse four. And as they, that is, Paul and 103 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,920 Timothy, went through the cities, they preached and taught 104 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:48,760 the people to obey the decrees which the apostles and elders 105 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:58,560 had written to Jerusalem, not which the Bible or Jesus praise 106 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:03,800 his name, no, which the apostles and the elders had written at 107 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:05,680 Jerusalem. And so the churches were 108 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:10,560 established in the faith, and increased in number daily in the 109 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,560 faith which faith? The one faith, the holy 110 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:18,560 Apostolic Catholic faith of the Church. 111 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,120 That's not what we're going to talk about. 112 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,120 Every now and then these verses come up and we need to reiterate 113 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,080 and mention because there's still people, brothers and 114 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,680 sisters, that debate about a church being an Apostolic 115 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:35,000 Church, OK, and being built upon the foundation of the apostles. 116 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,960 What an amazing man this Saint Paul is, right? 117 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,040 Remember in chapter 15, he fought so many battles against 118 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:48,880 circumcision and to the Gentiles, into the Galatians and 119 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,240 to Ephesians is going to talk about this. 120 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,360 What use has circumcision got for you now? 121 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,880 What is the benefit of circumcision? 122 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:03,520 But in the early stage of his ministry, he's now circumcising. 123 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,520 He fought tooth and nail, and he will fight tooth and nail. 124 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:12,200 And he didn't give up and won't give up as we read the 125 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:17,880 scriptures until he had made and carried his point, until it was 126 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:23,560 firm and confirmed that no circumcision is of no benefit 127 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:29,600 for salvation. Yes, once the decision was 128 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:36,840 confirmed, we see now his his circumcising his disciple. 129 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:42,280 And he himself did it. You know, in in other verses he 130 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,720 says that I haven't baptized too many people, a few families 131 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:47,560 here. And we see that Saint Paul 132 00:08:47,560 --> 00:08:49,360 baptizes Timothy. Why? 133 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:55,360 Because he wanted Timothy and his companion as his companion 134 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:56,160 first. He wanted him. 135 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,880 He wants to take him with him and he want to take him to the 136 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,440 Jews. It was because of the Jews 137 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:05,800 there. This is why he circumcised him. 138 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:11,760 You see, they, the Jews, would not have tolerated or listened 139 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:20,960 or adhered to Timothy preaching the word who was uncircumcised. 140 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,600 His dad was a gentile and would wouldn't have been circumcised. 141 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,360 That's why he circumcises him. Nothing could have been wiser 142 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:32,440 than what he did now. So in all things we see that 143 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,640 Saint Paul look to what was advantageous. 144 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:39,480 And a verse is coming to mind now. 145 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,000 And maybe some of you are already quoting it in their 146 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:43,920 minds, in their hearts, or to one another. 147 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:49,440 And in hindsight, after reading this verse, Saint Paul's message 148 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:54,200 to 1 Corinthian verse Chapter 9, verse 20 becomes very clear. 149 00:09:54,400 --> 00:10:01,600 And I was with a Jew as a Jew, that I may gain the Jews not to 150 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:05,920 confirm that the law is still standing and we might abide by 151 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:06,600 them. No, no, no. 152 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:10,080 Just to convert the Jews. He did nothing at all. 153 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:14,560 According to his own preference or according to his own choice, 154 00:10:14,560 --> 00:10:17,040 No. And what was the result, 155 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,600 Beloved? Look at his success. 156 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,080 He's circumcised to take away circumcision. 157 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,200 Amazing. He circumcises Timothy so that 158 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,760 he can go and preach to the Jews and to preach to the Jews that 159 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:31,680 hey, I am circumcised. I'm one of you now. 160 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:36,280 But let me tell you, circumcision is not to, is is to 161 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:40,320 no avail after Jesus Christ for salvation. 162 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,600 No. Well, why did you circumcise? 163 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,680 So that you could accept me, so that I could become one of you. 164 00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:50,800 I'm one of you now, and I'm one of you telling you that we don't 165 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,480 need to boast about circumcision. 166 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:56,800 That is not what we need to uphold because it's been 167 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:02,120 fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And also, beloved again, the 168 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,360 wisdom and prudence of Saint Paul. 169 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,120 St. Paul did not forsake Moses. 170 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:10,200 He didn't want to be seen as someone who's forsaking Moses. 171 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:16,720 Paul's act and his decision in these things was not to give 172 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:24,480 others the impression that though by observing the the 173 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:29,680 observings of the salvation or by observing the the Mosaic law 174 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:33,480 and of the old, they have an effect of salvation. 175 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:35,480 No, no, no, he didn't want to do that. 176 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,200 What he wanted to do was to win them over. 177 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:44,360 But he stood firm and to be also seen that he's not against the 178 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:49,120 Mosaic law, He's not against God and the law. 179 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,400 This is what Jesus was being accused of. 180 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,600 He is breaking the Mosaic law. He is not adhering. 181 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,640 He is teaching a, a, a country to the Mosaic law. 182 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:03,600 And Jesus didn't do that because there was a motive. 183 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,880 He wanted to be with them, to gain them at Saint Paul, St. 184 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,280 Perth, Saint Paul quoting in one Corinthian 920. 185 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:14,160 Saint Paul is following the footsteps of his master. 186 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:18,320 Hence imitate me as I imitate Christ. 187 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,280 His motive was to prevent, prevent people from believing 188 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:29,480 that he is condemning Mosaic Law, and he certainly didn't 189 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,480 want to. Definitely the message was not 190 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:39,240 that through the observance of the laws of Moses, there is 191 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:45,280 salvation, no, but at the same time he wanted to show that what 192 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:49,600 was in the old and the Mosaic law and the Old Testament and 193 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:54,400 the the the law of the flesh as as Saint Paul writes, it was a 194 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:59,560 shadow of the things to come. So I'm doing the doing this now 195 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,480 to show you that I'm not against Moses, but to show you that what 196 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,640 this, what happened now was a shadow of what is going to come, 197 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,080 where you will be baptized now, where the Gentiles will only 198 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,400 need to be baptized because word was out that he is forsaking 199 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:19,720 Moses just as there was an accusation on Jesus Christ. 200 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:25,880 And this would by all means not be wrong. 201 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:31,760 For those who believed in Jesus Christ, this was not wrong to 202 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:33,360 do. For those who believed in Jesus 203 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:40,880 Christ, it was for their own benefit to forsake him who 204 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:47,400 prophesied of Christ, to forsake Moses who prophesied Christ. 205 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:55,320 If he hated, if he was despising Moses, teaching against the law 206 00:13:55,320 --> 00:14:03,080 of Moses that it was, it was abolished and it had no, you 207 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,680 know, no benefit whatsoever, but being a shadow of what was to 208 00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:11,840 come, then he was going against him whom Christ said. 209 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:17,000 If you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he 210 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:21,680 wrote for me. John 54647 But they couldn't see 211 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:23,280 this. That's why they crucified Jesus 212 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,680 Christ. It was only an excuse and this 213 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,320 excuse was also being put on Saint Paul. 214 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,320 Hence he has some issues when he goes to some churches and he's 215 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:39,360 being persecuted. He was it's he's, he's adhering 216 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:42,800 to his Lord's commandment in Matthew chapter 5, verse 41, 217 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:47,040 whoever compels you to go one mile with him, go with him 2 218 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:53,400 miles again. He circumcised to do away with 219 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,880 circumcision, just like the prodigal son. 220 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,800 The parable of the prodigal son, the father who is God allowed 221 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,880 the son to go. The father could have said, no, 222 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,840 you're not getting a cent. You know you're going to stay 223 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,600 here. You want to go, go and start for 224 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:10,920 yourself. Start from scratch. 225 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:13,600 I'm not giving you anything. Go, go and live your life 226 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,760 starting from scratch. That would have been very 227 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:19,080 difficult and the Son would have remained in the house, but the 228 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,760 Father allowed the Son to go see. 229 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:27,240 The Father let the Son to go. He, he let him go to bring him 230 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,520 back one more time. And this is the Father, this is 231 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:32,600 God. The Father is God. 232 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,880 God lets us go. Sometimes God allows us to go 233 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,200 through pain and suffering to bring us back to him one more 234 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:46,600 time in a contrite spirit and being strengthened to withstand 235 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,840 any precious that we go through, especially in life. 236 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:54,000 And I, we've always said this and this must be reiterated. 237 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:59,720 If you're going through any, any struggles at this moment, if you 238 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:03,440 are going through any pain and suffering and you're crying out 239 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,600 to the Lord, why had you let me go? 240 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,400 Why did you allow me to go through this? 241 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,440 Why? Well, it's to bring you back and 242 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,960 to bring you back even stronger. There are testimonies out there, 243 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,280 beloved. There are testimonies of those 244 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:23,960 who, who, who in life took a very, very, the, the most 245 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:28,800 extreme incorrect and wrong turn in life ended up, ended up 246 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:33,080 wasting their lives in prison behind bars for many years. 247 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,200 And I believe the parents or the mother would have been praying. 248 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:42,880 Why, Lord, why did you let my son go to this extent to end up 249 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,640 where he is? But then, you know, when they 250 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,440 come out and they do their time, their lives have changed. 251 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:56,240 They so treasure and honor and value freedom, freedom. 252 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,080 So Saint Paul is doing this so that he could win them over, 253 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,840 give him a little bit and take a lot more. 254 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,400 Jesus did this Matthew chapter 17, verse 27. 255 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:14,760 But lest we give offence to them when it came to paying taxes, 256 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,720 and he asked Simon and said, Simon, who pays taxes? 257 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,280 The children or the strangers? No, the children don't pay 258 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:25,160 taxes. Well, here I am. 259 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,160 I stand here, I'm the creator of heaven and earth. 260 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,960 But so that we don't give offence, so that we don't give 261 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:32,800 offence to them and we can win them over. 262 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,080 Go and do your fishing, you know, put your fishing skills 263 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:41,040 into into practice. Bring the bring the two coin and 264 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:47,960 pay for you and I Why? Because Christ wanted to bring 265 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:52,360 them over to him. Why did Saint Paul circumcise? 266 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:57,640 Not to go against the decree of the apostles. 267 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:01,520 No, no, to win them over. And this was the early days of 268 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:03,600 the Church, beloved. First decade. 269 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:09,120 It wasn't as it is today. People have heard about Jesus 270 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:11,920 Christ. You know, those who even mock 271 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,120 Jesus Christ. May the Lord have mercy on their 272 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:19,720 souls on this earth and at Judgement Day. 273 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:27,280 Those who cuss Jesus Christ, those who deny Jesus Christ, 274 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:33,840 those who want to do away with Jesus Christ, those who want to 275 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:38,360 completely wipe away the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 276 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:44,760 Even then, even when you speak to those people, beloved, they 277 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:48,360 know, because when they say, when they're mocking Jesus 278 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:52,800 Christ, it means that they indirectly, foolishly, 279 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:56,480 ignorantly are confessing that there is the Lord Jesus Christ. 280 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,880 Because when you say you're Jesus also, there is a Jesus. 281 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,080 He's my Jesus. OK, so there is a Jesus. 282 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,240 Let me let's talk about this Jesus Christ. 283 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:11,400 I'm not here to condemn you. I'm here to bring you over to 284 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,320 Jesus Christ. Those who deny him when you deny 285 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:17,680 something, that that thing is there. 286 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:23,920 You know, the atheists I read once, I'm not sure where I, I 287 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:27,560 saw this, don't claim that there is no God because if an atheist 288 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:31,880 says there is no God, no, no, I'm sorry if an atheist says I 289 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:36,560 don't believe in God. The atheist would say, you know, 290 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,160 he, he's inclining that there is a God, but I don't believe it. 291 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:44,400 So they say there is no God. There is no God, but there is a 292 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,760 God we know. Praise and glory be to his name. 293 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:52,960 Just the just by by saying that there is no God, there is a 294 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,320 concept of God and God is not material, beloved. 295 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:02,200 No, God is spirit, God is power, God is mind. 296 00:20:02,360 --> 00:20:05,720 When you even say so, you're trying to get away with it, but 297 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:07,960 you're not. You're still in the same hole. 298 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,400 There is a God where you're saying there is no God. 299 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,320 There is a concept of God, so you're saying there is not. 300 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:20,120 I'm saying there is. Let's now communicate and win 301 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:24,320 over. Win over the enemies, win over, 302 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:26,800 win over the opponents of Christianity. 303 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,520 And this is what they would have faced, beloved. 304 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,000 That's why Saint Paul was persecuted so much. 305 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:39,040 That's why the apostles were all persecuted and executed, all of 306 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:43,520 them except John. That's why they, they, you know, 307 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,480 the Church of Christ is known, the Church of martyrs, and it's 308 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,640 in particular the Assyrian Church of the East is known by 309 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,120 the martyred church. Why? 310 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,960 Because they went and they they laid their life to preach Jesus 311 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,000 Christ. Even if they weren't preaching, 312 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:07,160 when they were being beheaded, persecuted, burnt, skinned 313 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,720 alive, there was a proclamation there. 314 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,720 They didn't denounce the Lord Jesus Christ. 315 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,880 They actually confirmed that there is Jesus. 316 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,360 You know, you read some of the histories of the Saints of our 317 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:25,440 Lord, and I encourage you to read the histories, the 318 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,360 biographies of the Saints. Those who were persecuting the 319 00:21:29,360 --> 00:21:34,000 persecutor, the person who was chopping their heads off came to 320 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:39,080 an understanding, a realization that there must be a God for 321 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:43,640 these people to so joyfully walk to their their death. 322 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:50,800 There must be a God. And you do it, you give you 323 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:55,200 become with them to gain them, not meaning you start beheading 324 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,800 people so that you can gain the the one who's beheading someone. 325 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:02,120 No, no, this is a great, great lesson we learned first from 326 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:04,960 Christ praising glory be to his name and his apostles. 327 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:09,160 Let me read verse 4 again. And as they went through the 328 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:12,720 cities, they preached and taught the people to obey. 329 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:17,880 And the decrees which the apostles and elders had written 330 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:21,400 at Jerusalem. We learned from these apostles, 331 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,480 not only from their writings, not only from their preachings 332 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,920 and their proclamations. We learned from their lifestyle, 333 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,560 their prudence, prudency, their wisdom. 334 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:38,480 How do I speak to someone who does not know Christ? 335 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:45,120 How do I introduce Jesus to one who is denying Jesus? 336 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:51,320 How do I preach Christ to one who is mocking and belittle? 337 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:54,400 In Christ we have to be wise and prudent. 338 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,040 I see a brother. When was the last time I was I 339 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,200 saw this brother on as in Modesto. 340 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:09,320 I can't remember the Oh, it was Claws and and Briggs more. 341 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:14,440 The brother is carrying a Bible in his hand and he's preaching, 342 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:20,240 but we could not hear a word of his words #1 There's so much 343 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:25,120 traffic driving, going speeding, you know, trying to beat the, 344 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:29,800 the amber and the red light #2 you're in your car by the time 345 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:33,440 you wind down your window and he's so far away and you're 346 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,720 listening. And I, I had to stop and say, 347 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,320 brother, God bless you. But no one is hearing you. 348 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,160 No one's hearing you. All they can see is you got this 349 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,040 book in your hand and your hands being waved and you're, no one 350 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:49,120 can hear you. So what is the benefit there? 351 00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:53,080 And I'm not believing in God. Bless him. 352 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,040 You know, maybe God will work in some mysterious way through his 353 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,120 brother. But we need to be prudent. 354 00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:04,600 We need to be wise as to how we preach when we preach. 355 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:11,840 Jesus chose fishers of men. He chose fishers of men. 356 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:14,480 I'm sorry. He chose fishers. 357 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:23,240 He shows fishing Syada fisherman and he called them to be fishers 358 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:30,920 of men to put in practice what they used their expertise, their 359 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:36,720 wisdom, their knowledge, their tactique, their tactics on how 360 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:41,920 they would fish and draw fish to their lines and Nets to put that 361 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:47,600 in practice to how they would fish the souls of men to come to 362 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,960 the net, which is the church prudence this this message we 363 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:57,520 learn from these verses to be prudent, to be wise, to give a 364 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:03,160 little a little at times to gain a lot to be with people. 365 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:10,680 Go a mile, go 2 miles, but to bring him back many miles and 366 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:15,200 bring him back to Jesus Christ and there is only salvation. 367 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:20,760 What we read here, Paul is not mixing his priorities and he's 368 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:25,720 not, he hasn't got it wrong. He's not promoting the Mosaic or 369 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:27,720 the Old Testament, all circumcision. 370 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:33,040 No, he wants to gain them, gain them through that, to speak to 371 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,320 them, to be with them, and then to gain them one more time. 372 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,440 We see this when he goes to Corinth as well with all the 373 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,120 philosophers that he's speaking and he's talking about the the 374 00:25:42,120 --> 00:25:47,120 Pagan gods, the wisdom that he uses to bring souls to Jesus 375 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:52,560 Christ, where only at only through only is salvation 376 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:54,680 praising glory be to his name now and at all times and 377 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:55,560 forever. Amen. 378 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:25,720 We hope you enjoyed this week's message. 379 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:29,000 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 380 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,760 with your friends and family. For any future topics, 381 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,840 suggestions, or to give us detailed feedback, please visit 382 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:40,200 our link in the show notes. Linktr dot EE forward slash 383 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,200 double edged sword. Until next time, God bless you 384 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:43,440 all.