1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,320 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:07,000 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,920 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,640 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,680 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,760 Sanctify our souls by Your truth, and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,200 obedient to your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,520 every hour. O you who? 9 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,040 Enlightens the rational with the knowledge of Your greatness. 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,600 Do enlight, O my Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate 11 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,720 upon Your holy and divine Scriptures at all times, O Lord 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,920 of all, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. 13 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,640 Forever. Amen. 14 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:05,280 Acts chapter 15 Everything seems hunky Dory at the church. 15 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,280 In Antioch in last, in the last episode. 16 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,120 We we concluded that the the church was informed of the 17 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,240 decree and. The decree in regards. 18 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,920 To the Gentiles being. Circumcised and they. 19 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:22,520 All rejoiced cause there was love, there was unity, and most 20 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,600 importantly, there was adherence to the authority of the 21 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,840 apostles, what the apostles that create the church in Antioch 22 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,760 received. We concluded that there must be 23 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:37,680 unity, beloved, when it comes to truth, not just unity, 24 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,920 intolerance while compromising the truth. 25 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,560 No, no, no, we don't compromise the truth. 26 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:45,800 No, no, no, there's always unity. 27 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:50,840 When you want to make peace, you need to, you need to find the 28 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,880 truth and then work towards that truth. 29 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:02,640 Because if there is no unity influenced by the truth that 30 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,920 unity is only. Going to be temporal. 31 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,160 And who is truth? Jesus Christ. 32 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:14,520 OK, you know Israel and and Palestine are trying to find 33 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,520 peace. You know all these countries, 34 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:25,440 Russia and and Croatia, sorry, Russia and Ukraine, Ukraine, 35 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,800 Russia and Ukraine, you know, peace, peace. 36 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,880 Everyone's talking about peace. Peace does not come from one 37 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,840 person. The person who wants to 38 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:39,200 influence peace and bring peace must have be in, must be 39 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,720 influenced by the truth, which is the Prince of Peace, that is 40 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:50,360 Jesus Christ. So where unity is sought, it can 41 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:56,880 only come when truth prevails. And in the church, truth was not 42 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:01,120 compromised. Again, not just unity in 43 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,600 tolerance while compromising the truth. 44 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,600 No, no, no. When you compromise truth, 45 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,240 you're trying to tolerate one another. 46 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,400 That will only be temporal, beloved. 47 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:17,680 Hence, when we recite the statement of our faith that I 48 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:22,920 see in Creed, the priest proclaims or intones in the 49 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:26,320 truth. Therefore, which is undivided? 50 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,280 Who is truth? Is Jesus Christ. 51 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,920 And where was the depository of this truth? 52 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:37,560 In the Church? Which Church? 53 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:43,360 The Apostolic Church, The apostles in the truth, 54 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,720 therefore, which is undivided? And we say we proclaim and we 55 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:51,480 believe in the one holy and Apostolic and Catholic universal 56 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:56,080 Church, undivided truth. Beloved, now there's going to be 57 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,120 some contention. Life's not always hunky Dory. 58 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,000 It's never been hunky Dory within the church from the 59 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,960 first, from the get go. This is 4 years. 60 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,960 This is the fourth year, beloved, the 4th year after the 61 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,640 ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, praise be to his 62 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,720 name, to heaven. And there's already going to be 63 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:17,600 contention. We're going to read Saint Paul 64 00:04:18,079 --> 00:04:21,040 and St. Barnabas, the BFFS, the best 65 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:26,200 friends, the missionary, the the the partners in missionary. 66 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,800 There's going to be a contention, but the contentions 67 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:34,640 are not always negative and bad. Beloved, let's read verse 36, 68 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,000 chapter 15, Acts of the Apostles, verse 36. 69 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,920 And some days after Paul said to Barnabas, let us return and 70 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,320 visit the brethren in every city where we have preached the word 71 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:53,120 of God and see how they do. This is a follow up to go and 72 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,840 see how they're going because remember, there are many times, 73 00:04:55,840 --> 00:04:58,880 especially in the church in Galatia, Saint Paul writes and 74 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:03,360 says who one more time told you that you, let me paraphrase it, 75 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,040 who came in and crept in and told you that you're going to 76 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,400 need to go back to the law again and the you know, the observance 77 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,240 of the law. Who told you that you've been 78 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,840 released from that. You're not under that bondage 79 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:15,520 anymore. So there was an update because 80 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,720 it was again, it was only teething process. 81 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,360 The church beloved. So they need to continue to 82 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,600 update to follow. They went to other cities to 83 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:29,960 visit the churches to update them on the newly decreed stance 84 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:36,840 on circumcision of the Gentiles. They visited the brethren in 85 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:41,320 cities that they preached. They were following up to update 86 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:46,400 other cities to to see how they were going with their faith, to 87 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:50,920 encourage them even more to mourn with them, to rejoice with 88 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:56,720 them, to rebuke them, to rebuke them, to upset them, to cause 89 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:02,080 them to mourn, to cause them to weep because they had gone back 90 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:08,800 to their to their old self after being revived a new life with 91 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:12,120 Jesus Christ. To encourage them. 92 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,600 As I said, as Paul instructs himself in one Thessalonians 93 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:19,520 chapter 5, verse 11. Therefore comfort one another 94 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:24,720 and edify, console one another, encourage one another. 95 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,200 So let's go back, He's saying to Barnabas, let's go back and 96 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,440 visit all these other churches. And hence he goes to some 97 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,880 churches, He visits them, visits them a few times coring 98 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,480 Galatians and to see how they're going, how they're doing. 99 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,600 Follow up is great beloved, when you talk to someone about the 100 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,560 Lord Jesus Christ and you have you've you've attracted his 101 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,040 attention and that person is interested, it's good to follow 102 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,520 up to continue to encourage that person. 103 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,680 When someone is down and you encourage that person and that 104 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,160 person is uplifted a little, the hope is regained. 105 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,080 It's good to follow up. It's good to follow up with one 106 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:05,360 another. That's why we text one. 107 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,040 Hey, how you going? Long time no see. 108 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:08,200 What's been? What's happening? 109 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:09,880 Right. We text one another. 110 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,240 That's why sometimes I reach out to you. 111 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,400 Hey, Steven, I'm seeing you at church. 112 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:15,920 Is everything OK? Follow up. 113 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:16,920 Yeah. Robbie, I'm sorry. 114 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,000 I've just been busy at work. OK, well, you need to set some 115 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:21,160 time for church. For God. 116 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,280 Don't forget, right? Yes. 117 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,600 We lack that. Of course we lack that. 118 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,200 Now, some of you may say, well, Robbie, you haven't texted me 119 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:29,600 for three years. I've been at church. 120 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,560 You're absolutely right, right? You're absolutely right. 121 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,240 But you know why we need to pray to the Lord of the vineyard? 122 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,080 So that he wouldn't bring workers in the vineyard, right. 123 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:42,560 We're short handed, as they say, but no excuse. 124 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,960 I try my best each time. I remember some, hey, I haven't 125 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:47,280 seen this person for a long time. 126 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,880 I should call. I should text at least. 127 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,360 Is everything OK? It's follow up because we need 128 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,920 to encourage one another, just as iron sharpens iron. 129 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,680 That's what Saint Paul suggested, Barnabas that they 130 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,480 should do to go back and revisit to keep them in the loop, to 131 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:10,680 give them this decree of the apostles, verses 37 and 38. 132 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,000 Now Barnabas wanted to take John. 133 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,640 This is where it's going to actually get a little 134 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,120 contentious. Now, Barnabas wanted to take 135 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,200 John. And you know, this John is John 136 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,320 Mark, right? I'm sure you know Mark, the 137 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,200 Gospel of Mark, the Mark the Evangelist. 138 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,360 Mark was his last name, his surname. 139 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:33,880 It was actually John, John, Mark. 140 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,840 I had a friend in primary school, or was it high school? 141 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:39,360 St. John's Park High School. 142 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:42,039 Yes, Saint John Pass. St. 143 00:08:42,039 --> 00:08:44,039 John's Park High School. John Mark. 144 00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:48,400 Was his name Alabach. I pray that he's doing well. 145 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,840 But Paul, sorry. Now Barnabas wanted to take John 146 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:54,880 Mark, who was also oh, there it is. 147 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,360 I jumped the gun, who was also called Mark, but Paul was 148 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,680 unwilling to take him with them because he had that is John Mark 149 00:09:02,680 --> 00:09:07,800 had left them when they were in Pamphylia and had not gone with 150 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:12,520 them. Oh, we have a problem here. 151 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:19,080 Now let's see what happens. First of all, did they not agree 152 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:24,680 because and from the disagreement there was enmity 153 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,120 and animosity and hatred Because they're going to depart. 154 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:28,800 They're going to depart from one another. 155 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:30,160 Each one's going to go their own way. 156 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:31,840 Saint Paul's going to go his way. 157 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,120 Barnabas is going to go his own way. 158 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,120 Now, do you think they departed? Do you believe that they 159 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:42,040 departed and separated in enmity, in animosity, hatred? 160 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,200 Not at all, not at all. You know, with this contention, 161 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:53,920 Mark left Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary 162 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,880 journey when they arrived in Purga and Pamphylia. 163 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,000 We read this in chapter 13. You go and read I'm not going to 164 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,120 go back and and revisit Acts chapter 13. 165 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:05,640 You'll read this that he departed. 166 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:10,800 He left them, at which point he returned to Jerusalem. 167 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,520 Now the Bible doesn't give the explicit reason, but thank God 168 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,360 for the writings of the Church Fathers and the commentaries of 169 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,080 the Church Fathers. The Bible doesn't say why, but 170 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,800 the Church Fathers do. Marishuddhat writes this because 171 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,520 he did not wish that This is why John Mark left them. 172 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:37,960 So there was another contention between John, Mark and Paul and 173 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:42,400 Barnabas because he did not wish that faith in Christ should be 174 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,000 delivered to the Gentiles without the observance of the 175 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,440 law. So he was in the same mindset at 176 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,880 those as those who were in the church in in Antioch and the the 177 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:58,840 Pharisees who were Christians that the Gentiles should not be 178 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:04,760 given the gospel or the Gentiles should not be delivered to the 179 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,120 faith of Christ without the observance of the law, that is 180 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,960 circumcision. But when he saw the letters were 181 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:16,320 written from the apostles that they should receive the faith 182 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:21,600 without the observance of the law, he sought again to take 183 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:27,360 part with them in the work. So Barnabas, Barnabas that went 184 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:32,320 out to see John Mark after he had explained to him that this 185 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,320 is the case. It has been decreed because 186 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:41,520 Simon had this vision. We, we, we, we relied, we 187 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:45,200 appealed to the work of the Holy Spirit, not only the Scriptures, 188 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:49,360 and we came to this agreement, the apostles game to this degree 189 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,960 that the Gentiles should not have to absorb the law to be 190 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:59,000 accepted in Christianity. And Barnabas being kind, as we 191 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,640 see he, he forgives him of all these things. 192 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,880 And this is what Marie Shoudet writes. 193 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:10,040 But Paul, because he longed and meditated for the accuracy of 194 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,320 the teaching, thought that he was not fit for this work on 195 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,200 account of the light heartedness of his mind. 196 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:23,400 So what Paul is saying, because he didn't understand, he 197 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:28,960 couldn't see, he couldn't accept, and he was light hearted 198 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,520 in mind. He was very, let's call it very 199 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,000 stubborn in mind. Well, because of that, we should 200 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,160 not bring him along to this ministry because he may cause 201 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,880 other contingents. But see, this is the good cop 202 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:44,600 and bad cop. Paul says no. 203 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,240 Barnabas says yes. And this is good for both 204 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,480 because when you see the good cop and the bad cop, when the 205 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:54,800 good cop is hammering the suspect and the bad cop is 206 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:59,720 sympathizing with the suspect, both intention is so that the 207 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:05,680 truth has been told and the perpetrator, the guilty party be 208 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:11,280 be caught and be sentenced and the law to be punished according 209 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,920 to the law. So Saint Paul saying no and 210 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,280 Barnabas saying yes, this is great. 211 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:21,000 We're going to see now is going to be beneficial for Saint 212 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,040 Mark's. So at times in the church, 213 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,800 beloved, when there's disagreements, don't just leave 214 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:30,760 the church. This is a cry out to the old, 215 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,920 not a yeah, a cry out. A shout out to all those who 216 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,320 left the Assyrian Church over the East. 217 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:38,680 Why? Why? 218 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,560 Because the Church did not know salvation. 219 00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:43,360 Of course I've been preaching it. 220 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,440 For 15 years. The Church has been preaching 221 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,240 it. We don't know grace. 222 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:52,040 We know grace so, so well that we call it the mercifulness of 223 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,560 grace. We even know the mercifulness of 224 00:13:54,560 --> 00:13:58,760 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ because we don't adhere 225 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:02,600 to once saved, always saved. Of course, Paul in Philippians 226 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:07,000 chapter 2 didn't adhere to once saved, always saved when he's in 227 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,120 prison and he says, and he says whether I have gained it or not, 228 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,760 I do not know. So Paul didn't know he was 229 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,920 saved, but didn't even know he was always saved. 230 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,040 He probably didn't know even know he was saved. 231 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:22,120 That's why you left the church. Oh, because there was too much 232 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:23,920 politics and there was too much. Yeah. 233 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,760 These are circumstances. Well, there was a circumstance 234 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,920 where John Mark left them because he thought, no, this is 235 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,600 not right. We need to adhere and enforce 236 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,360 the absorbance observance of the law. 237 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:39,760 And he left. But now we see that he's coming 238 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:41,600 back. And through this argument and 239 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,000 contention, he's going to come back. 240 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,840 So come back, come back and tell me what you disagree with the 241 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:49,720 church. Why you why you were you 242 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,080 standing apart from the church that you were you were born in 243 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,840 spiritually Come, let's dialogue. 244 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:02,880 But however, the truth will never ever be compromised. 245 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,480 We will not compromise the truth. 246 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,400 When we come to the truth, we need to accept the truth. 247 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:14,520 Beloved Mariah Shroudat goes on to say this also being from 248 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:20,280 grace in order that by means of their separation they should 249 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,720 consummate a double work. And we're going to read what 250 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,160 he's talking about because he's he's talking about the whole the 251 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,680 all the verses that when they separated, it was great so that 252 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:37,600 22 works were being done. One was to admonish and to teach 253 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:44,640 John Mark, and the other was to not comprise, to sympathize and 254 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:48,480 teach and bring back one more time to admonish Mark and to 255 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,640 teach him at the same time. Now these things are natural, 256 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:56,480 beloved, if Jesus warns in Matthew chapter 18, verse 7, it 257 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,360 is a necessary. Why? 258 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:04,160 Because man is wicked. It is necessary that offences, 259 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,160 stumbling blocks and scandals will come. 260 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:12,280 It is necessary, it is a wicked world, man is weak. 261 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:17,640 If stumbling blocks and offenses and scandals are necessary to 262 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,040 come. How much more contentions and 263 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:25,360 arguments even within the Church of God because there is 264 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:33,480 imperfection in a perfect body, imperfection which is the man 265 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,560 imperfect in a perfect body with this which is the the Church of 266 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:43,560 Jesus Christ. Beloved, if Satan caused chaos 267 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:49,120 in the family of God in the Garden, how much more is he 268 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:54,800 striving to cause even greater chaos in the Church of God here 269 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,160 on earth? Let me say it again, if Satan 270 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:04,640 caused chaos in the family of God in the Garden of Eden, how 271 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:10,480 much more has he intensifying and striving even more to cause 272 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:15,200 even greater chaos in the Church of God here on earth? 273 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:21,359 However, we see that through this contention, they were smart 274 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:25,680 enough, they were spiritual enough, they were holy enough to 275 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:30,360 not allow it to go beyond. They didn't depart or separate 276 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,120 in enmity, animosity, and hatred. 277 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:38,600 Beloved, why do I say this? It sounds like it. 278 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,720 It, it, it reads like it, right? No. 279 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:49,400 In the Second Epistle of Saint Paul to Timothy to Timothy 411 280 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:56,360 you read it, Paul states that John Mark was useful to him in 281 00:17:56,360 --> 00:18:00,040 his ministry. So Barnabas has gone and reached 282 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:04,560 out to Saint Mark and taught him and explained to him that the 283 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:08,200 disciples decreed because of 123 and four. 284 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:13,560 John Mark then was not stubborn and didn't say, well, I don't 285 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:17,240 feel well, I don't think No, he accepted it. 286 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,400 And then he became even more useful, I'll add, to the 287 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,680 ministry of Christ with Saint Paul. 288 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:28,080 So there was no animosity. There was only two ways of 289 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:33,880 understanding and two thoughts of how John Mark was to be 290 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,880 admonished, but yet again to be gained one more time. 291 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:43,240 And he writes the Gospel of Mark and this indicates that 292 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:49,320 Barnabas's efforts in training John Mark was successful and 293 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,560 beneficial to Saint Paul. St. 294 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:58,680 John Chrysostom writes this, he writes that I think according to 295 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:02,360 Saint John Chrysostom, and this makes sense since I this is what 296 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:05,600 they're saying to one another. You know, Saint John Chrysostom 297 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:08,840 is speaking on their behalf. He's saying this is what they 298 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,640 were saying. Since I wish to put you. 299 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,200 I'm sorry, we since I wish to, but you don't. 300 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,960 Barnabas, I want to take Saint Mark, but you don't. 301 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:24,200 So let's keep that in mind. Since I wish to, but you don't. 302 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:28,760 Let us distribute the places so that we should not fight. 303 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,520 This is this is wisdom. This is holiness. 304 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:37,600 We're arguing it's OK, I want to, but you don't want to. 305 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,560 Well, then you know what? Let's split. 306 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:43,480 This is the this is the advice we give husbands and wives, 307 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,960 those who have issues within their families, their marriages. 308 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:48,440 You're having difficulty in your marriage. 309 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:53,200 Those who are listening, maybe, maybe you are experiencing great 310 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,600 difficulties in your marriage. It's not the end of the world. 311 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:01,560 Because if it is necessary for stumbling blocks to come, how 312 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,080 much more? Your disagreement? 313 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:08,240 You're not seeing eye to eye. That's OK because you are human 314 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,480 beings. Don't throw in the towel 315 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,800 quickly. No, don't be a wuss. 316 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,480 This is what I'm going to say. Don't be a wuss and throw in the 317 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,560 towel quickly. No, no, no, since you don't see 318 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:20,760 eye to eye. This is why the church 319 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:27,520 recommends separate. Separate pollution and Prushun 320 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:31,680 doesn't mean go and see your attorney and start writing up 321 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:33,840 your divorce documents. Don't do that. 322 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:36,080 Don't do that. That's a sin. 323 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:42,680 Prushun separate doesn't mean that you go out there and you 324 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:48,000 try your Downers to put down your ex-wife or your ex-husband. 325 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,920 That's not separation. Separation doesn't mean, my dear 326 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,000 brother, that you hang out with your friends, you go out and you 327 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,520 enjoy yourself. You pick up girls and you get 328 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,280 drunk and you do drugs. That doesn't mean that's not 329 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:04,440 separation that the church encourages and and vice versa. 330 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,960 My dear sister, separation doesn't mean that you start 331 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,840 shortening the skirt and the top and take pictures with your 332 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,120 duck, duck lips, whatever it's called, so that you can. 333 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,440 No separation means you go your way. 334 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,960 Let him go his way. You go go to your parents house. 335 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,520 You go back to your parents. Oh, I'm old enough to be. 336 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,240 No, no, if you're old enough, you wouldn't have these issues. 337 00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:33,480 I remember I had a a marriage session, counseling session and 338 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,800 it was the the grooms to be second marriage. 339 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,800 And he had his leg up on his knee and he was, you know, 340 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:42,920 slumping back. And each time I was telling him 341 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,160 something, he goes, yeah, yeah, I know, I know this, I know 342 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:47,600 this, I know this, you know, and I said, you know what marriage 343 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:49,200 is. Yeah, yeah, I know this honors. 344 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,080 So I was sitting back and then I thought, you know, I was praying 345 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,280 for for one more time that he would say. 346 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,120 And he said, and rightly so, he said. 347 00:21:56,120 --> 00:21:57,120 I said, you know, he said, yeah, I know. 348 00:21:57,120 --> 00:21:58,160 I said, you know what, you don't know? 349 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,280 Because if you knew, this wouldn't be your second 350 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:07,120 marriage, right? Separation means go back, have 351 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:12,360 some time together alone with the same intent. 352 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,440 Barnabas and Saint Paul separated with the same intent 353 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,120 to bring back Saint Mark and to continue to preach the Gospel. 354 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,960 Separate with the same intent. That one day you want to come 355 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,880 back again. One day, one month, one year, 356 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,000 doesn't matter. You're still husband and wife. 357 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,720 Just because you're not living under the same, you know, a roof 358 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,160 and you're not sharing the same bed. 359 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:41,120 You are still husband and wife separate and come back together. 360 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,640 Now, during that time, what the church needs to do is what St. 361 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,600 Barnabas and Paul wanted to do is go and see all the other 362 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:49,720 churches so that they would follow up. 363 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:51,720 Follow up. Hello, Madam. 364 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,600 Sir, you know how you feeling? Do you have a change of heart? 365 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,720 You know, do you have you, have you had some time to think about 366 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,040 it? And you know, yes, you know what 367 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,040 I'll be, you know, maybe I am a little bit stubborn, but you 368 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,560 know, she's got to change and da da da DA1234 in the church 369 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:10,240 through the grace of God, by the power of our Lord and our savvy 370 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,680 Jesus Christ, when the intent is the same, no compromising the 371 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:19,560 truth, then you see that just as Saint Mark John Mark came back 372 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:25,960 to the ministry and Saint Paul was was used him and became 373 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,200 beneficial for Saint Paul. That's what's going to happen to 374 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,760 the marriage as well. Therefore Saint John Chrysostom 375 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,800 Kings continues. Therefore, it was because they 376 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:38,640 yielded, they conceded to each other that they parted. 377 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,760 So when again, let's go back to the example of the husband and 378 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,640 wife who are having issues. You know you're conceding to one 379 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,480 another. So both concede, not one 380 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:50,680 conceding, no, both conceding and you're saying let's part for 381 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,440 a little while. For Barnabas wanted Paul to 382 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,480 succeed and so withdrew. Likewise, Paul wanted Barnabas 383 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:02,800 to prevail and he to withdrew. So I want you to have some time 384 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,280 for yourself and to think over. Let me and you give me some time 385 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:11,000 to think over where our problems are so that we can one day come 386 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:12,800 back to how what a beautiful equation. 387 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:15,800 You know, we're learning from this not just about the church, 388 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,960 but we're going, but we're in the family now, marriage. 389 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,800 These are great examples. That's why we say read the 390 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,400 scriptures, read the scriptures, read the Holy Scriptures. 391 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,560 It has to be a daily reading of the Holy Scriptures because it's 392 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,360 an answer to all your troubles and all your problems and all 393 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:37,320 your worries. Verse 40 But Paul chose Sealas 394 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:42,560 and departed, being commanded by the brethren to the grace of God 395 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:49,680 so so that they would continue the preaching, so that the 396 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:54,160 missionary work would not be altered because of one person or 397 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,400 because of 1 disagreement. Paul, it says chose Selas. 398 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,840 He was the prophet. Now prophet doesn't mean he was 399 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:05,280 prophesying, meaning he preached as well and departed being 400 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,080 commanded by the brothers. So the brothers said, you know, 401 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:12,360 you take Selas, you go see the church was helping as well. 402 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:14,800 OK, we see there's a disagreement. 403 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:19,960 Barnabas, you take John Mark, you go, you take Selas, go. 404 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:25,200 And they, they commanded them and entrusted them to the grace 405 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:30,080 of the Lord, because the intent was unity, just as there was 406 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,520 unity in the church. And they accepted the decree 407 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:34,600 without any arguments. There's unity. 408 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,120 They wanted to continue in the unity. 409 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:41,800 And Selas was a, a wonderful man, a very great man. 410 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:44,960 You know, he was also preaching. He, he accompanied them from 411 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:50,040 Jerusalem to Antioch to deliver the decree and verse 41 we read 412 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,360 and he travelled through Syria and Cecilia establishing 413 00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:55,480 churches. That is Saint Paul. 414 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:59,760 You'll see now Saint Luke continue with Paul's mission. 415 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:04,440 Not that because Saint Luke disagrees and he didn't want to 416 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,120 write about Barnabas anymore. No, because we're going to get a 417 00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:09,280 mention of these people again one more time. 418 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,400 But he's starting to follow the footsteps and the missionary 419 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:19,320 work of Saint Paul and St. Selas Selas and their work in 420 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:22,120 Antioch, they and the surrounding regions. 421 00:26:22,120 --> 00:26:25,800 And we see that Barnabas and John Mark, they go to Cyprus and 422 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:29,440 go and visit those churches. So they were all, they were all 423 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,520 visiting the churches. Now when you continue to read, 424 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:38,800 we won't read and find that Paul was talking smack about Barnabas 425 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:43,240 in in one parish and Barnabas was talking smack about Paul in 426 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,400 No, they continue to preach the Gospel. 427 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,600 And then again we read in Second Timothy, Saint John. 428 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:55,320 Mark had a change of heart, accepted the decree in a loving 429 00:26:55,320 --> 00:27:00,440 manner, where he then again becomes fruitful and useful for 430 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:04,040 the ministry of Saint Paul, which is the mission work of the 431 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,200 one Lord Jesus Christ. Praise and glory be to His name 432 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,560 now that all times and forever. Amen. 433 00:27:37,300 --> 00:27:39,300 We hope you enjoyed this week's message. 434 00:27:39,340 --> 00:27:42,540 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 435 00:27:42,540 --> 00:27:46,020 with your friends and family for any future topic suggestions are 436 00:27:46,020 --> 00:27:49,340 to give us detailed feedback, please visit our link in the 437 00:27:49,340 --> 00:27:54,780 show notes linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword. 438 00:27:55,260 --> 00:27:57,020 Until next time, God bless you all.