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 --> 00:00:07,040 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,920 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,680 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:14,680 --> 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 --> 00:00:24,240 obedient to your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:26,360 every hour. O you. 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,040 Who 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 --> 00:01:04,720 Forever is a dead faith. 14 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:09,840 Faith confirms and complete is completed, is confirmed, is 15 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,600 completed, is fulfilled by our deeds. 16 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,080 This is what we spoke about last episode. 17 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:22,120 Faith confirmed and completed by deeds which precede the faith 18 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,480 that a baptism, what have you in a life of devotion to Christ. 19 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,160 And we quoted James chapter 2 verses 14 to 24. 20 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,320 We ascertained that the term or the words, you know, beloved, 21 00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:38,880 the 2 words and I I had a post on post on post book on 22 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,240 Facebook. Faith alone. 23 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,760 These two words faith alone appear only once in the Holy 24 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:50,080 Scriptures. Faith alone, they appear only 25 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,440 once in the Holy Scriptures. And even there it is indicating 26 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,160 that faith alone is not sufficient for justification 27 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:04,360 made righteous or to be saved. And we we read James chapter 2 28 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:09,440 verse 24 where he writes, you see that by works a man is 29 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:13,840 justified and not from faith alone. 30 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,240 That's the only verse in the Scriptures that these two words, 31 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:24,400 faith alone appear. Our beloved brothers and sisters 32 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,320 from the Protestant churches like to quote Ephesians chapter 33 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,040 2, verse 8. For it is by the by His grace 34 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,560 that we have been saved through faith. 35 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:38,000 Let me read it again. Did you pick that up? 36 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:43,480 For it is by His grace I'm going to talk about that, that we have 37 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:49,320 been saved through faith, not faith alone, the word faith 38 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:53,720 alone, the 2 words faith alone don't appear there, it's just 39 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,000 through faith. But James when he quotes faith 40 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:02,080 alone is telling us that by works a man is justified and not 41 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,360 from faith alone, right? Not meaning only works without 42 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,760 faith and not meaning faith without works. 43 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:14,400 Now also salvation, you know, again, many understands it, but 44 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:18,240 salvation, just putting it simply, is a gift of God's 45 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:24,480 grace, the gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which was given 46 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:29,400 to us as a pledge. So salvation is a gift of God's 47 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:34,720 grace and we receive, we become a part, we become a candidate of 48 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:40,520 this salvation by faith, by faith in Jesus Christ and 49 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,320 through Jesus Christ. Now that's not an immediate 50 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,240 entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. 51 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,760 So please, I ask this question, please clarify. 52 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:56,840 So when someone is asking me, am I saved, are they asking me if I 53 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:58,720 will enter the Kingdom of heaven? 54 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:05,160 Am I saved? Or does that mean is it alluding 55 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,120 that I am do will I enter the Kingdom of Heaven? 56 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:15,480 Because salvation is a is a alive, a continued life. 57 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:22,840 It's a continuous life lived through repentance, A life of 58 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:27,640 repentance, obedience, perseverance, communion with 59 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,280 Jesus Christ, fellowship with the the grace of our Lord Jesus 60 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:34,640 Christ and the love of God the Father and Father and the 61 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:44,080 fellowship of the Holy Spirit. It's a continued fellowship with 62 00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:47,640 the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 63 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:52,600 We need to know we need to know this when someone you know 64 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,920 possessed this possesses this or or or confronts us with this 65 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,880 question, Have you been saved? I think the correct answers 66 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:03,400 according to the teaching of the Church and the fathers and the 67 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:07,120 tradition of the Church and the understanding of the Holy 68 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:12,400 Apostolic Universal Church. Is this when one confronts you 69 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,080 with this question, presents you with this question, are you 70 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:16,840 saved? I think our answer should be, 71 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:23,600 well, I have been saved from sin and separation from God, which 72 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:30,040 was the repercussion of the dam and the damage of sin. 73 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:35,080 The repercussion, the cause, the outcome and the damage of sin 74 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:40,920 was of disobedience obviously was sin and separation from God. 75 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,000 Romans chapter 5 verses 18. The first part of that verse 76 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:50,200 Saint Paul writes because of the offence of the one that is Adam, 77 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:56,240 there was a guilty verdict to all the children of men, a 78 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:58,680 guilty verdict to all children of men. 79 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:04,640 So, you know, the guilty verdict was separation, sin, corruption 80 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,040 from God. So I have been saved from that. 81 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:11,480 Why? How? 82 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:16,400 My faith, first and foremost, not what I did. 83 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:22,080 Not because I offered meal for the commemoration of Saint Mary. 84 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:27,720 I've been saved from that. No, not because I paid jizya. 85 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,280 No, I didn't do that. That that's nothing. 86 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,720 That's that's invalid. What is it vain? 87 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,920 Not because I became a good person. 88 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:45,560 No, no, no, I had faith, I believed and I received the Lord 89 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,880 Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. 90 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:58,720 All right, one side note, just because man sinned and there was 91 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:03,040 a separation, was that a direct go to hell? 92 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:10,440 So when Adam sinned and God gave him the the the punishment, did 93 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:14,080 he say you are going to go to hell? 94 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,800 No, God started working on the reinstatement of Adam one more 95 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,760 time. So too, just because you have 96 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:23,680 faith doesn't mean you're going to heaven. 97 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:29,840 No, it's, it's a salvation, a taking care of a dealing with an 98 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,560 atonement through Jesus Christ of that separation. 99 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,440 But hey, there's a life of devotion, OK? 100 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,960 He was headed there. Man may have been headed to 101 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:46,240 hell, but God started working through his prophets to bring 102 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,160 back this man one more time and that all was completed through 103 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,720 Jesus Christ. So I have been saved through my 104 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:58,720 faith and confession of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 105 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:03,320 That's why we say in the ceremony of marriage blessings 106 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:11,560 of marriages for you know that those who the marriage union of 107 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:16,760 a the true marriage union of a Christian, which is those who 108 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,080 have I'm just paraphrasing confess the Lord and Savior 109 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:24,920 Jesus Christ and have been baptized in him in Jesus Christ, 110 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,760 my faith in Jesus Christ. Why? 111 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:33,520 Because of the righteousness of the one with a uppercase. 0 A 112 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,080 capital, O which is Jesus Christ, there shall be the 113 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,799 victory of life to all the children of men, which means to 114 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:43,960 all men Benainasha. So yeah, I have been saved 115 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,680 because I've believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, accepted him 116 00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:53,320 and confessed him. But I am now also continued 117 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:59,040 continuing and I've continued to be saved through the ongoing 118 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:05,360 sanctification, repentance and participation in that new life 119 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,920 that I received in the Church, that new life of Jesus Christ 120 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,920 that I live received in the Church and her sacraments. 121 00:09:14,680 --> 00:09:20,320 You see the, the paying the debt to the original scene happens in 122 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,800 baptism itself. In baptism itself, you've been 123 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,440 put to death with Christ so that you have a participation in 124 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,000 Christ's crucifixion and suffering. 125 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,320 You've been put to death. You're born and you then through 126 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,560 chrismation, through the laying on of the priest's hand, Not 127 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:40,840 Pastor Smith and Pastor Agatha. No, no, no. 128 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,400 The priest's hand, laying on of the priest's hand. 129 00:09:44,560 --> 00:09:48,240 And you have now been confirmed and have received the Holy 130 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:53,720 Spirit, the pledge, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the pledge you 131 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:59,480 have received, right? And then if you continue and 132 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:03,920 remain faithful and alive again of repentance. 133 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,040 Why am I saying repentance? Because we will continue to sin 134 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:08,920 and fall. But we have repentance. 135 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,080 We have the faith of repentance, the hope of repentance in Jesus 136 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,080 Christ through His blood, through the Church, the Holy 137 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:20,360 Eucharist, if we remain faithful to Him till the end, beloved. 138 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:23,520 And then I will be safe when he returns. 139 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:31,120 So I am safe, I'm being saved, and I will be saved if I 140 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,320 continue to remain. So you can't claim that I 141 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,720 believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, your Savior entering the 142 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:40,880 Kingdom of heaven. That's why Saint Paul writes to 143 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:46,120 Jude that those who use the grace of God as a license to 144 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,040 sin. I've been saved. 145 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:53,600 I can do whatever I want. Great for this discussion. 146 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,200 Let let me, let me present this question. 147 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,080 I keep saying possessive. Let me present this question. 148 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:07,120 If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you've been saved and 149 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,640 you will enter the Kingdom of heaven regardless of what you 150 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:14,440 do. Well, if you commit suicide, God 151 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,280 forbid, God forbid. And if you do have suicidal 152 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,560 thoughts, I encourage you to seek professional advice. 153 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,760 If you commit suicide, God forbid, then that means you're 154 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:31,920 into the Kingdom of heaven. So why aren't Christians killing 155 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,040 themselves? Why aren't Christians committing 156 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:36,280 suicide? Because we know that. 157 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,040 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, we can't do that. 158 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:40,720 Why? But you believe you've been 159 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:42,080 saved? No, no, no. 160 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:45,640 We have to live a life devoted to Jesus Christ, meaning we do 161 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,680 not take life, period. Not getting into any politics. 162 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,400 I don't need to. It's ridiculous getting into 163 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:57,240 these politics justification of taking life, No, whether at 164 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:01,600 conception or at the age of 150 gazillion, right. 165 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,640 Life and the source of life is Jesus Christ. 166 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,720 He will give and he will take. That's why he said I have 167 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,360 authority to lay down myself, my life, and I have authority to 168 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,200 take it. Christ has given you the life. 169 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,880 Christ will take it, not you. OK, So if that's the case, well, 170 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:18,840 why aren't we doing this? Because it's ridiculous. 171 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:21,080 It's ridiculous. It's not biblical. 172 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,320 So we shall be saved if we remain faithful. 173 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,480 And this is what the jailer possessed after believing he 174 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:33,520 washed the apostles wounds and was baptized himself along with 175 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:37,680 the entire household and lived alive, devoted to Jesus Christ. 176 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:40,600 How he invited them to his house and then he rejoiced. 177 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:44,280 They shared a meal together being and glorified Jesus. 178 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,720 And this guy, this jailer was a Roman official, by the way. 179 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,440 OK, let's pick it up from verse 35. 180 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,760 And we're going to conclude Acts chapter 16 today. 181 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:55,200 Thank the Lord. It's been how many months? 182 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,600 Stephen? Stephen always makes a note of 183 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,360 these and he's rolling his eyes. Yeah, well, take longer, 184 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:06,400 Stephen, chapter verse 35, Acts chapter 16, verse 35 in the 185 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,240 morning, because what happened with the, the the power and the 186 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,480 miracle in in the prison was at night. 187 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:18,560 In the morning the soldiers sent the lectors, the the Lecter, the 188 00:13:18,560 --> 00:13:23,320 lecters to tell the prison warden or the magistrate to 189 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,680 release those men because they saw what happened. 190 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:31,920 And when the keeper of the prison heard this, he went in 191 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:37,920 and told Paul saying the soldiers have sent orders to 192 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:41,440 release you now, therefore depart and go in peace. 193 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:47,480 But Paul wasn't satisfied. But Paul said to him, not having 194 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:55,480 committed any offence, they flogged us Romans citizens. 195 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,000 Paul's becoming a little nationalistic now, a little 196 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:04,360 political, not They flogged us Roman citizens in the presence 197 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,200 of the people and they cast us into prison. 198 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:11,280 And now do they let us out secretly? 199 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:17,120 No, no, verily, let them calm themselves and take us out. 200 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:22,360 And the lectors went and told the magistrates these words 201 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:28,120 which were told to them. And when they heard this, this 202 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,960 font is amazing, I think it's font -5. 203 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:36,440 When they heard that Paul said Paul and Silas were Roman 204 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,680 citizens, they were afraid and they came to them and urged them 205 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,080 to get out, go out and depart from the city. 206 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:46,920 And they went out of the prison and entered in the into the 207 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:53,240 House of Lydia, where they saw the brethren and confronted them 208 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,360 and departed. I promise I'm going to get a 209 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,680 larger font. In any case, you see what Saint 210 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,680 Paul is doing, beloved? He's taking his illegal 211 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,960 imprisonment. He's not taking it lightly. 212 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,640 He wants to prove a point. He wants to make his point. 213 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:10,400 He didn't want anything more than this, right? 214 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,200 The magistrate probably had not heard about of what happened in 215 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,080 the in the prison overnight. So the, you know, they, they 216 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,760 send these an order that you know what, release them now, 217 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:23,960 right. Sometimes, beloved the 218 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:26,320 government officials, they play ignorance. 219 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:30,080 Well, sometimes they're ignorant to what's happening. 220 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:37,680 Grass root, you know, in the streets, in the suburbs, right. 221 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:42,600 I remember Saddam Hussein's trial during one of his trials 222 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,200 where they were, you know, telling him of all the 223 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:49,720 atrocities that had been and all the, all the evil that was done 224 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,360 on the citizens of Iraq. He claimed that I didn't know. 225 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,320 I didn't, I didn't know everything. 226 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,320 You expect me to have heard everything and known everything, 227 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,960 You know, playing ignorant. Well, given the benefit of the 228 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,880 doubt, sometimes they don't know what they didn't know. 229 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:08,560 But very important is that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 230 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:15,200 See, a country is to be loyal to its citizens. 231 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,640 They are the children, the sons and daughters. 232 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,400 A church is loyal and always provides for her children, 233 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,160 always provides for her children. 234 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:31,440 A church does not provide some of the provisions of her 235 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,520 children. I won't go too much into it. 236 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:38,440 We can in another day. A church doesn't provide all of 237 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,840 her provisions. That is for the children to one 238 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:48,760 who is outside of the church. Yet the Church will is always 239 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:56,440 ready and prepared to receive new souls into the flock when 240 00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:01,920 they have had faith, believed in the head of the Church which is 241 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:07,319 Jesus Christ, confessed him to be the Lord and Savior OK, and 242 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:11,640 have been baptized into Christ. They then become the citizens of 243 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:16,040 the Church, citizens of the heavenly earth, and then they 244 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,599 are, we say in the liturgy of Holy Baptism, they are members 245 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:23,880 of the mysteries of Christ, right? 246 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:29,000 So these people did wrong to their citizens. 247 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:34,200 They were Roman citizens and the Roman government did their 248 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,360 citizens, their sons. They did them wrong. 249 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:40,560 That's why Paul ruffles their feathers. 250 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,320 He ruffles their feathers. He didn't want anything, but he 251 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:48,000 want to say, listen, this is how evil you are right now. 252 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,240 We may be citizens of the heavenly land, heavenly 253 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:52,600 citizenship. We all have. 254 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:57,000 You know, when you receive your heavenly citizenship is when. 255 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:03,480 Isn't it amazing how earthly citizenship is so, so similar to 256 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,000 heavenly citizenship? This is secular. 257 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,880 This is spiritual. To be a citizen of the United 258 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,040 States of America or any other country, you have to know the 259 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:20,200 rules, know the constitution, you have to, you know, be able 260 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:25,160 to speak the language sometimes you have to be familiar with the 261 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,240 history of that country because you want to be a, a part of this 262 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:29,960 country. So what do you do you go 263 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:31,880 through? I know in Australia there's no 264 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,840 questions, there's no test. You don't go through a test. 265 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:35,880 But in America you have to go through that test. 266 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,880 You know, they give you 100 questions and they ask you 10 I 267 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,480 think, right? I remember when I went for my 268 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:44,240 citizenship, he only asked me 3 questions, and half the time he 269 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:46,360 wasn't even listening to me. I could have said anything, 270 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:49,240 like, what is the First Amendment? 271 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,280 Yeah, 3 cheeseburgers and one fries. 272 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:54,520 He would have said, yeah, that's right. 273 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,080 Thank God I was blessed. Right. 274 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:03,200 Once you do that and once you pledge allegiance to the 275 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,480 Constitution, to the flag, to the laws of that country, you 276 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,480 become a citizen. That means you have every rights 277 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,000 that this country has for her children. 278 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,200 Same too as in the in citizenship in the church. 279 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:21,160 You need to confess, you need to know the Lord Jesus Christ, you 280 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:25,600 need to have an understanding of the one true God and his Son 281 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:29,760 Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit and his Holy Church. 282 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:34,920 Once you have learned that and you are ready to accept going 283 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,280 back to the US citizenship, you can't say, well, you know what, 284 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,640 I'm not going to uphold the, the, the Constitution. 285 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:42,840 Well, you can't be a citizen. You can't come back and say, 286 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,400 listen, I believe in the Father, but I don't believe that through 287 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,880 going through the Father is only through Jesus Christ. 288 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,000 Well, I'm sorry, you cannot be a citizen of the church. 289 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:55,200 We continue to teach you, we continue to discipline, and we 290 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:59,600 continue to catechize you once that person is ready to make 291 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,640 that proclamation. Before the priests, the deacons 292 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,320 and the faithful, that I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, 293 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,960 Maker of all things, visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus 294 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,760 Christ. And then proclaims the Nicene 295 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:15,800 Creed. And then the ceremony. 296 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:19,600 The ceremony is when the person is baptized as well, right? 297 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,720 So although we have a heavenly citizenship, we also are 298 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,120 citizens of the earth. We live under the authority of 299 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:33,840 the land and according to the scriptures, we must be subject 300 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,960 to the authority of the great, for there is no authority that 301 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,560 is not from saying God. Now don't tell me. 302 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,920 Oh, so God is telling us that we can murder, we can kill, we can 303 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,840 change our, our, you know, our, our sex. 304 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,360 We can do what? No, no, God doesn't say that. 305 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:54,400 The scriptures are very clear on that. 306 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:59,640 Very clear on marriage, on family, on, you know, piety, on 307 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,400 virtues. Very be clear what the Bible is 308 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:08,160 telling us that the concept of authority is from God. 309 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,720 When when God chose Moses to take out his people from 310 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,640 slavery, he gave him authority. That authority. 311 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:16,520 Moses dropped the ball, didn't he? 312 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,400 He stroke on the the rock. It was angry and he hit the rock 313 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,840 twice. I said, well, you know what? 314 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,480 No, it's not the authority. It's Moses being a human being, 315 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,840 right? So the authorities from God. 316 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:33,560 So we also have to be careful, have a spirit of discernment. 317 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,400 What is from God coming from the authorities? 318 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,320 What it's not, what's not from God. 319 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,920 We will die. We'll go to the grave not 320 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,400 adhering to what is not from God. 321 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:46,680 We'll do that. That's why our forefathers are 322 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,560 martyrs. They did not denounce Jesus 323 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,240 Christ and they did not pay the jizya. 324 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,400 They didn't want to do that. They said, no, we're not paying 325 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,200 jizya. We're not denouncing Jesus 326 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,880 Christ. Now please use your sword. 327 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:03,760 Now get it over and done with. I'm sorry to take it lightly. 328 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,360 It's not something to be taken lightly, but do it. 329 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:10,640 That was because no, no, no, they, they respect it. 330 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:12,800 We will live in peace. You know, the, the, the 331 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,400 Assyrians, especially the Christian, the Assyrians, 332 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,760 Assyrian Christians that are all over the world, especially in 333 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,240 the Islamic countries have lived in peace. 334 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:27,440 We've been law abiding citizens. But when time has come for our 335 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:33,160 spiritual and religious rights, I'm not going too much into our 336 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:35,760 humanitarian rights. That's another issue as well, 337 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:39,280 not to be taken lightly. But religious rights, No, no, 338 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,560 we're not going to do that. We'll burn your churches. 339 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:43,680 We'll go ahead. Go ahead. 340 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,280 Please send me to the Kingdom of Heaven, Right? 341 00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:50,320 So authorities from God and those authorities who are from 342 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,920 God are under order. Romans 13, one, Jesus himself. 343 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,240 What did He say to Pilate in John chapter 19 verse 11 when he 344 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,240 was judging Him? You have no power at all over me 345 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,480 unless it has been given to you from above. 346 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,040 This is not your authority. God has given you this authority 347 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,960 and this is going to happen. Therefore, whoever has delivered 348 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,720 me to you has greater sin than yours. 349 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:16,440 And during the diaconate litany for the feasts, the Deacon 350 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:21,520 proclaims for kings, rulers, judges, and all in authority 351 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:27,120 that they may govern with justice and righteousness, which 352 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:29,360 is very lacking today, very lacking. 353 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:34,800 But we pray for it. We pray so knowing that we are 354 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,560 knowing that they were Roman citizens, Paul and sealers and 355 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:43,360 weren't offered a fair trial. The magistrate trembles. 356 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:47,760 You know, a simple ruffle some feathers to show them how evil 357 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,200 they are. So they start all please, you 358 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,360 know, can you please go with sorry, like just don't make too 359 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:55,880 much noise. Like just just go, go, go and 360 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:59,560 they depart. We say in in Persian Saturday. 361 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:03,440 They didn't they didn't they didn't you know they didn't lock 362 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,160 horns with them. They departed. 363 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:08,360 Why? It wasn't in obedience to the 364 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:14,440 magistrates, but they rushed to work for preaching. 365 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,760 Why were they stiff necked? Were they thick skinned? 366 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,960 Were they doing it in spite and stubbornness? 367 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:27,880 No, it was because the city had been sufficiently benefited by 368 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,040 the miracles, the powers, the casting of the demon from the 369 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,560 young lady in in Acts 15. What happened in the prison? 370 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:38,720 Maybe people heard it, so they started to become asked 371 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,960 questions again. What shall we do to be saved? 372 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,680 And Paul said just believe and probably would have been 373 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,520 baptizing. It was necessary that they don't 374 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,080 lock horns. You know, sometimes don't lock 375 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,320 horns. This is this is this is what we 376 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,960 need to be be cautious of my beloved brothers and sisters. 377 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:04,720 Yes, it pains us. It truly breaks our heart to see 378 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:10,120 that the world, the governments, are so distanced and distancing 379 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:13,920 themselves from the truth of God and the holiness of God and the 380 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:18,360 sanctity of life. It hurts us, but we should not 381 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:22,800 focus on that too much. We should continue to preach, we 382 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:27,480 should continue to tell people that the Lord and Saviour Jesus 383 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:32,520 Christ is not affected by this. He will still return to judge 384 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:37,680 the dead and the living. It was necessary for for them to 385 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,360 go and remain no longer. It was a follow up, beloved, 386 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,240 follow up is very important. You know, you're talking to a 387 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:49,240 friend and you know, not not over overwhelming. 388 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:52,680 Let's not be overwhelming and scare people away from Christ, 389 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,320 right? Let's just just give God the 390 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,840 opportunity, not give God it is God's timing. 391 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,000 Let's wait for God's timing, but follow through. 392 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,840 This is what the church does. This is what the church must do. 393 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,120 Saint Paul writes it in Acts 15, chapter 36. 394 00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:13,240 He says, and after some days, Paul, this is Luke writing by 395 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:18,080 Luke is writing, yeah, Paul and Barnaba, they were still 396 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:20,520 together before they departed over Mark. 397 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,880 Paul said to Barnaba, let us just return and visit the 398 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:29,760 brethren who are in every city in which we preach the word of 399 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,200 God and see how they are doing. Follow up. 400 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,920 That's what the children. That's why the Bishop of a 401 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:40,800 Diocese of parishes, we could call it the Bishop of parishes, 402 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:45,640 the overseer of parishes. I I saw on on on Facebook he's 403 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:49,520 Grace Mark Paulus, Bishop of Eastern USA, right Stephen 404 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:54,160 Eastern USA yes is visiting Detroit. 405 00:26:54,440 --> 00:27:02,840 You know, he visits other parish parishes in his in his diocese. 406 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:06,120 Why to make sure he's following up to make sure that the church 407 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:08,840 is providing for the for the the flock. 408 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,640 The church is not in any specific need. 409 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:17,000 The clergy and the deacons, the clergy are all in unison. 410 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:20,120 And you know, it's a, it's a follow up, just what I suppose. 411 00:27:20,120 --> 00:27:25,760 And also to part the blessing of the paternal blessings as a 412 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:30,000 leader, as the overseer to, to encourage the, the faithful, the 413 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,120 flock to continue. God bless. 414 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:36,760 You know, sometimes a Bishop will visit a parish who've just 415 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:40,600 recently have launched a program or have completed a project. 416 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,120 What does the, the Bishop say? God bless you. 417 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:47,000 We are so proud of you. You are supporting the church. 418 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,120 You're always, you know, attending the church. 419 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:54,040 You're always in unity with the church and the priesthood and 420 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,680 continue. If this is a follow up and this 421 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:00,600 is what Paul did and they rushed to do that didn't wait and lock 422 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:06,960 horns with evil authorities. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 24 to 423 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:10,040 25. Paul again commands this and let 424 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:14,080 us pray, pay attention to one another in the encouragement of 425 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:18,280 love and of good works. And we should not be forsaking 426 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:24,000 our meetings, those who don't attend church at least on the 427 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:28,320 Sundays, because oh, my toe was aching. 428 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:35,040 Because oh, I hit my toe on the chair last night and I couldn't 429 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:37,080 come. That's just excuses. 430 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:43,040 Do not forsake your meetings as is the custom for each person, 431 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:47,480 but plead with one another all the more as long as you see the 432 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,200 day drawing near. You know, in fellowship. 433 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,200 This is what we do. And I've said it and I will say 434 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:55,040 it. I will be an advocate for this. 435 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,440 Steven, this is a campaign we're going to start. 436 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:03,880 Let's not call it the Breakfast Tanta because when I hear Tanta 437 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:06,080 is prepared, there has to be food. 438 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:13,360 I have to receive food, I have to eat and be filled with food. 439 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,920 But we should refer to it as fellowship. 440 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:22,040 Ahuta, please join fellowship. Even if it's One Cup of coffee 441 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,920 and 1/3 of a doughnut, Krispy Kremes or what else is there? 442 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,800 Whatever, 1/3 of a doughnut, that's plenty. 443 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,280 That's not for me to to full in food. 444 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,640 Full be filled in food. That's for me to break my fast. 445 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,480 And then I go and talk to, you know, as I said in a serious 446 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:44,720 section, you know, we we complain about youth. 447 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,720 Oh, we have too many clicks. Yeah, You know what, Basmagan at 448 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,040 Ourhokhan? Yeah, thanks to your 4th. 449 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,720 Your parents, they have cliques as well. 450 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:56,840 When they come to church, do you look, you look around to see 451 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:00,280 where am I going to sit with my friends and my family and my 452 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:01,760 relatives? No, go and sit with someone 453 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:03,600 else, even if you don't know that person. 454 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:07,880 And don't go and sit there and, and, and, and gossip youth, 455 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:12,000 don't just hang around one another and pull out your phone 456 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,320 from behind your pocket because you've been honoured all, all 457 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:18,800 during the service. Some of you when you leave to go 458 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:20,640 to the bathroom, you're not going to the bathroom because I 459 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:24,000 don't know how someone can go 6 times to a bathroom unless they 460 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:25,360 have some issues. That's fine. 461 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:27,960 No, you want to go and check your, your texts, right? 462 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:29,440 You want to go and call your friend? 463 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:30,840 You want to go and post something? 464 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,320 You want to go into the bathrooms and and take a 465 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,280 picture, a selfie of yourself and post it during service? 466 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:42,040 Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. 467 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,080 No. Go and find someone. 468 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,240 Someone who's new and someone who's not. 469 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:47,840 You go and sit and talk to that person. 470 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:49,000 You know what? Don't gossip. 471 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:50,760 Hey, why? You break up your banner. 472 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:52,600 May your oblation be blessed upon you. 473 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:54,040 What did you think of the Father? 474 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:56,680 The priest's sermon, You know? No, it was great. 475 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:58,720 You know, it was moving. Oh, I haven't seen you. 476 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:02,560 You know, can this is the first time. 477 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:04,480 Hey, we have youth. Hey, we have the ladies 478 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:06,080 committee. Hey, we have Sunday school. 479 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,320 Hey, we have choir. Would you like to help? 480 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,040 Would you like to serve? We don't have that Libbe Litlan 481 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:14,160 Aruja. We don't have that spirit. 482 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,840 We don't, but we should. And the church should encourage 483 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:25,360 and emphasize that spirit of love and fellowship and follow 484 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:29,760 up beloved Galatians 6 two and bear the burdens of one another, 485 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:33,600 for it is the way you fulfill the law of Jesus Christ. 486 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,360 Someone is sick in the family. You've heard the priest asking 487 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:40,440 for praise for someone who's ill and the parents and the friends 488 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,000 that they go up and say, hey, Leah, you know what, I'm here 489 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:44,840 with you. I'll continue to pray for you. 490 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:47,280 If there is anything I you need, I'm in. 491 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:52,080 I'm here for you. I'm speaking in Assyrian and I 492 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:55,360 know you know why. Why are these things strange? 493 00:31:56,160 --> 00:32:00,760 Why are these things like, so unreal and unrealistic, You 494 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,680 know, like they're so unreal? No, you're unreal. 495 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,720 You're not a real Christian. Let me tell you that. 496 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,720 You're a fake Christian if you think these things are unreal. 497 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:14,240 Proverbs 2717. Iron sharpens iron, and a man 498 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,200 sharpens the person of his neighbor. 499 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,560 Let's do that. Follow up, encourage one 500 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:20,520 another. This is what Paul and Silas did. 501 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,880 They went to the House of Lydia. She had recently converted. 502 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:28,160 They wanted to follow up so that Christ would be glorified at all 503 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:30,600 times, praising glory be to his name now and at all times and 504 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,280 forever. Amen. 505 00:33:00,390 --> 00:33:02,390 We hope you enjoyed this week's message. 506 00:33:02,430 --> 00:33:05,590 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 507 00:33:05,590 --> 00:33:08,990 with your friends and family. For any future topic suggestions 508 00:33:08,990 --> 00:33:12,470 or to give us detailed feedback, please visit our link in the 509 00:33:12,470 --> 00:33:16,870 show notes. Linktr dot EE forward slash 510 00:33:16,950 --> 00:33:19,830 double edged sword. Until next time, God bless you 511 00:33:19,870 --> 00:33:19,950 all.