1 00:00:00,400 --> 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 --> 00:00:16,720 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 --> 00:00:27,560 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,720 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,560 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,880 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,640 and Holy Spirit, forever. Amen. 13 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,760 Chapter 16, Verse 31 And they said to him, that is Paul and 14 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,520 Selas believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and both you and your 15 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,600 household will be saved or live. And they spoke to him the word 16 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,760 of the Lord and all who were of his household. 17 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,920 And he took them at that hour of the night and washed their 18 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:27,000 wounds, and then was baptized or he was washed in that very hour. 19 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:32,040 And he and all his household. And when he had brought them up 20 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,160 into his house, he set food before them. 21 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,960 And he and all the members of his household rejoiced, 22 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:45,280 believing in God. Last episode we spoke about the 23 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,480 jailer who saw that there was a trembling and the the the doors 24 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:53,520 of the prisons were opened, took out his sword and he was about 25 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,520 to commit suicide. By the way, thrash it in his 26 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,640 heart because obviously he thought, well, you know what, I 27 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,960 might as well do it myself and get it over and done with with 28 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:09,639 as opposed to being tortured and executed by the magistrates. 29 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:17,040 So the jailer Saint Paul stops him, Saint Paul and Seles, they 30 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,280 both stop him and said, listen, don't, don't do that. 31 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:20,960 Wait, wait, don't do that. We're all here. 32 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:22,920 No one's gone. No one's gone. 33 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:24,400 We're all here. No one's escaped. 34 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,840 So your life, physical life is not in danger. 35 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,160 Your physical life is not in danger. 36 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,320 We're here. You can always close the the 37 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,400 doors and we'll stay here. But no, no. 38 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,640 But God had other plans. So what must I do to be saved or 39 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:42,640 to live? It was more like at that point, 40 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:45,800 I think what the jailer was asking is what must I do? 41 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,320 What can I do to escape execution and torture? 42 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,960 You know, it seemed that he had failed his job and he would have 43 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:54,840 been on death row basically, right? 44 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,800 Not so much. How can I be freed from the 45 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,400 bondage of the law of Moses or how can I enter eternal life? 46 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,320 Nothing about that, no. So we see here that his 47 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,560 understanding of salvation was temporal. 48 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:16,280 But we know having hindsight and we know and according to the the 49 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,480 teachings of the Church Fathers and the understanding of the 50 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:24,160 Church of the Scriptures, we know that the salvation we today 51 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,880 and Saint Paul and Selas perceive is not that of the 52 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,400 world. It's not temporal salvation or 53 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,400 life. It's not physical salvation or 54 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,240 life. It's not governmental 55 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,080 constitutional salvation or life, but it's eternal 56 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,520 salvation, eternal life, spiritual salvation, and 57 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:49,880 providential, an act of an act of divine economy or Providence, 58 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:55,520 which we know is of God. And we know and Saint Paul and 59 00:03:55,520 --> 00:04:00,240 Celis both knew that we don't fear those who kill the body 60 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,440 that are not able to kill the soul. 61 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:07,800 Rather we are afraid of those who can destroy or of him that 62 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:12,760 is God, who can destroy soul and body in Gehenna in hell. 63 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,959 Matthew 1028. Now before we get into Paul's 64 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:22,480 reply, who sets straight the concept of salvation, which 65 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:27,520 today's very much misunderstood when the church began and we're 66 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,120 reading the Acts of the Apostles. 67 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:34,400 And this is where we need to refer to to understand the 68 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:39,160 concept of salvation. Many people claim that they are 69 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,160 saved pertaining to eternal life. 70 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,840 They enter eternal life. Nothing's mentioned about 71 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,320 eternal life here. Are you saved? 72 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,920 Yes, I am. I'm going into eternal life 73 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,720 because Jesus did everything for me on the cross. 74 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,920 Yeah, but you need to do a few things as well. 75 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:01,400 Jesus gave us commandments. We need to fulfill commandments. 76 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,400 We need to fulfill those commandments, not just believe 77 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,520 in those commandments. You know, a great analogy is 78 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,360 this. You go to your physician, to 79 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,520 your local doctor, and he examines you and you speak to 80 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:13,440 him. That's prayer. 81 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:14,920 You know, the physician, that's prayer. 82 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,360 Our heavenly physician and the and the glorious physician is 83 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,320 Jesus Christ. You talk to him, you pray to 84 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,800 him, you know, confessing, We confess. 85 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,680 When you go to your physician, you need to confess. 86 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,800 OK, what have you been doing? You got to tell him what? 87 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,600 You've been drinking too much, smoking too much, whatever, 88 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,880 right? OK, well, you need to do this, 89 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,480 this and that. That's the Scripture when he's 90 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,200 talking to the physician, your physician gives you the, the, 91 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,880 the, the advice he's talking to you. 92 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,480 The scriptures give us advice as well. 93 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:50,960 And then that you know, what he, what the physician tells you is 94 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:55,000 not of his own accord. It's according to the right 95 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:56,560 practice. The, what do you call it? 96 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:02,400 The the ethical practice of medicine he can't say, oh, you 97 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:06,240 know, I think I, I, I feel no, no, no. 98 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:11,120 What the books tell him what, what science has has taught him 99 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,320 and what the Ethical practice of medicine, medicine, he will then 100 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:19,040 advise you and give you that spiritual, that spiritual 101 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,160 medicine. When you come to Jesus Christ, 102 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:26,920 the, the, the, the amazing and holy and pleasing physician, we 103 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,280 talk to him, we confess to him. He doesn't need us to confess to 104 00:06:30,280 --> 00:06:31,600 he knows exactly what we've done. 105 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,160 We confess to him, and he gives his instructions through the 106 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,760 Scriptures, and then he gives us the medicine of life, which is 107 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:37,920 the Holy Eucharist. Right. 108 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,240 See. So it's not just go to your 109 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:42,800 doctor, speak to him and walk out. 110 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,840 Oh, thank you, doctor. I totally believe in what you 111 00:06:46,840 --> 00:06:49,680 just said. And I totally believe that this 112 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,720 medicine you have prescribed me will heal me, but you don't take 113 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:53,600 it. What happens then? 114 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:54,720 It's flawed. And we're going to read 115 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:59,360 scripture about that, OK. And we're going to now see what 116 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,440 Saint Paul, how they set salvation, what it actually 117 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,600 means. Notice earlier a girl was 118 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,240 released from a spirit and what happened? 119 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,320 They were thrown in jail because they had freed her from the 120 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,600 demons. They had exposed the evil, but 121 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:18,080 here they're only showed. They only showed the door. 122 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:23,560 That's all with God. You don't need to ram the 123 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,640 message in people's hearts and minds. 124 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,520 You don't need to do that. You just need to preach the 125 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:34,760 gospel, not not hammer it in people's hearts and minds and 126 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:35,920 love. Just preach the gospel. 127 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:40,640 Simple. The gospel is the power and the 128 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:46,440 Saint Paul says Jesus is the power and the and the the wisdom 129 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:48,480 of God. Just preach the gospel, preach 130 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,800 Jesus Christ right. Yet God opens the doors of this 131 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,760 jailer's heart and we'll see not only his heart, he loosens those 132 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:00,360 double shackles, those chains, the physical and the spiritual 133 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:06,040 chain that had this jailer in, in the darkness of the law of 134 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,000 the Old Testament, right? Not that the law was bad, right? 135 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,800 But he was still, he was a Gentile, by the way, but you 136 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,040 know, paganism, right? He, there was a light, something 137 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,160 happened to this jailer and that light that was sparked was 138 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,840 kindled by God. He was moved to the point where 139 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,200 he rushes in and falls before them. 140 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:32,400 Wow, what a move. He didn't ask him what happened. 141 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,400 What did you do? What have you done? 142 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:35,799 Where is everyone? Is everyone here? 143 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,280 Roll call, everyone roll call. No, no, he didn't. 144 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:44,680 He asked what must I do to live or to be saved? 145 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,000 And what was Paul's answer? Believe. 146 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,760 Listen to this very carefully, word by word. 147 00:08:53,680 --> 00:09:00,680 Believe faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, no one else, no one 148 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:05,440 else, no one else. If I am the last person to 149 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:09,400 remain on earth, and if God permits me, this foolish, this 150 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:15,200 Sinner, this miserable, unworthy servant of God, the last person 151 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:19,680 to be standing on earth and to proclaim that no one comes to 152 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:25,120 the Father except through Jesus Christ, there is no salvation, 153 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:31,160 no life, and no eternal life except through Jesus Christ, I 154 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:32,560 will do it. You want to join me? 155 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,640 You want to join me, Do that. Proclaim it. 156 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,840 Don't worry about who says it and who's compromising it. 157 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:42,560 Which church leader, what color their cassocks are? 158 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:46,960 No, no, no, no. Believe in the Lord Jesus 159 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,160 Christ. Don't tell me Saint Paul didn't 160 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,440 know what he was talking about. Because we have AI now. 161 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,560 We had ChatGPT. Now. 162 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,040 Who cares? Who cares? 163 00:09:57,040 --> 00:09:59,960 Used for evil at times. Yeah, there's goodness in there. 164 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:01,720 All right. Paul. 165 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,160 St. Paul, the chosen vessel of God, 166 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:09,520 the chosen vessel of Jesus Christ, to whom Christ 167 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:17,120 personally appeared, demands believe faith in the Lord Jesus 168 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:21,080 Christ, no one else, and you will will not You're saved. 169 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:25,440 Are you saved? This just refutes it. 170 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:30,080 You know, sometimes I may come across disrespectful, Believe 171 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,280 me, I'm not being disrespectful, but sometimes there's a little 172 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,920 bit of ridiculousness in some of the words, some Christians or 173 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,880 the terminology we use, right? Are you saved? 174 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:42,680 Yes. I'm entering the Kingdom of 175 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:45,560 heaven. Oh, I didn't know you're greater 176 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:48,680 than Saint Paul who says and writes that whether he has 177 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:50,320 gained it or not, he doesn't know. 178 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,480 But listen, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will will 179 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,080 be saved. It's a future act, a future 180 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,400 state. You will be saved. 181 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:07,600 So right now believe and then he adds saying you and your 182 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:13,960 household right now when you read the the passage, there's 183 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,040 two households that it's alluding to. 1 is the jailers, 1 184 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:19,800 is the prisoners, all the prisoners. 185 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,800 He was the head of the prison. He was the head of that house, 186 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,320 that prison house, right? He was the head of that prison 187 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,200 house and also he was the head of his own family household, 188 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,560 right? So when Paul here is talking 189 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:34,360 about believe you and your household, he could be 190 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,720 pertaining to both the jailers there who are listening, who are 191 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:43,320 listening, the prisoners there and his personal family as well. 192 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,320 And why does he say if you believe, if he believes that all 193 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:51,320 the prisoners who may have been pagans as well and those who are 194 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,200 Jews as well who had believed that maybe they were in prison 195 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,680 because of their belief would then accept and be they would be 196 00:11:57,680 --> 00:12:01,520 encouraged even more who probably believed and baptized, 197 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,200 we're not told. And they would be encouraged 198 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,520 more to continue and to suffer for Christ. 199 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,560 And those who are from the Pagan faith would then come and 200 00:12:09,560 --> 00:12:11,360 believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 201 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,280 Why? Why if he believed his family 202 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,960 would have also been saved because the man is the head of 203 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,440 the woman extending to the children, to the family. 204 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,560 Relax, relax, my dear sisters, don't get your feathers ruffled. 205 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:30,360 Don't get your feathers ruffled. Keep calm and listen intently. 206 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,840 Yes, the man is the head of the woman. 207 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,400 And if you want to have a perfect explanation where it 208 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:42,480 puts it in that beautiful, divinely spiritual perspective, 209 00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:45,200 read 1 Corinthians 11/3. I'm not going to read it. 210 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,320 You read it. Go and read 1 Corinthians 11/3 211 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:53,200 and it's about God and Jesus Christ and the husband and the 212 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:59,160 wife or the man or the woman. Verse 32, Paul and Selas spoke 213 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,240 to them. What did they speak? 214 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,240 What did they say? Are we filled? 215 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,040 No, no, no. What did they do? 216 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,400 Did they open the Scriptures and they had a Bible studies with 217 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,480 them? They each gave them their Bibles 218 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:16,200 and said turn to Romans and Hebrews and Ephesians regarding 219 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,200 salvation. They weren't even written yet. 220 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,160 There's no books, there's no gospel. 221 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,320 There was no Bible. There was the gospel. 222 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,520 This is Jesus Christ. The words were of the 223 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:32,840 resurrection of our Lord, the Kingdom of heaven, and of a life 224 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,800 of devotion to Jesus Christ. That's what they were speaking. 225 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,040 And that Jesus was the fulfillment of all prophets. 226 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,160 That's what's they spoke. These are the words they spoke. 227 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:47,160 So when you speak to someone who doesn't know Jesus, who has no 228 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,480 is, has no relationship with the Christian faith, this is what 229 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:53,840 you need to don't talk to them about grace and and salvation 230 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:55,760 and the the Trinity, the Father's. 231 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,240 Just talk to them about Jesus being the fulfiller of the 232 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:02,520 prophets, evidence from the scriptures, he was resurrected, 233 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,120 evidence from the scriptures and history and the Kingdom of 234 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,120 heaven whom he has promised and a life of devotion. 235 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,040 We need to live a life of devotion with him. 236 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,400 These are very important words, beloved. 237 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,640 So they spoke the words of resurrection, of Kingdom of 238 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:21,480 heaven and the life of devotion to him and to all those who are 239 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,680 in his house, like the either the prisoners or his actual 240 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,000 family. And what does he do? 241 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:31,000 Verses 33 to 34 that night? Keep in mind that night he 242 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,600 washed them. That means he took them and he 243 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,520 washed them. He healed their wounds, He'd 244 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,920 clean their wounds and he was also washed. 245 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,200 He was baptized. Now when you see some versions 246 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:46,400 translating baptism was washed, I think they want to downplay 247 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:48,280 those who've translated. I'm not sure. 248 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,440 I don't want to, you know, I think just downplaying baptism 249 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,080 because many believe baptism has got no relationship with your 250 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,320 salvation. It's just a symbol. 251 00:14:56,400 --> 00:15:00,000 Well, no, no, he was baptized. Washed means baptized. 252 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:07,080 He himself was washed, baptized of his sins and then he fed them 253 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,160 and then he rejoiced. He took them to to his house and 254 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,880 then fed them and then he rejoiced and his family because 255 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:18,200 they believe. Now notice it was not when he 256 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:22,400 was told that he would be saved or leave if he believed that he 257 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:26,400 rejoiced. No, when Saint Paul and Selas 258 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,280 say just believe in you will be saved. 259 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:31,560 We don't read that. He rejoiced and said, 260 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,680 Hallelujah, I am saved. Now I am entering the Kingdom of 261 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,440 heaven. No, no, no, no Scriptures 262 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:39,840 quoting Scripture. I'm quoting. 263 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:42,680 I'm quoting to you scriptures, right? 264 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:48,320 It was not when he was told that he would be saved or live. 265 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:52,040 I keep saying live because you know the life of devotion that 266 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:53,520 they were preaching. That's life. 267 00:15:54,040 --> 00:16:01,520 Salvation from old from of the old but new life with Jesus 268 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:08,960 Christ salvation from the old covenant of the flesh wash that 269 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,400 have a part of that have a part of the fulfillment. 270 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:17,520 We fulfilled it in Jesus Christ. We have fulfilled the law 271 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:21,480 beloved, when we were crucified with Jesus Christ in baptism, we 272 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,920 fulfilled it. Now we have new life in the new 273 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,120 covenant, a spiritual life, a covenant of the Spirit with 274 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:35,640 Jesus Christ. So the joy came when he had 275 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:42,160 believed in God, right? They rejoiced because believing 276 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:47,520 in God, him and his family. And when are we told that he 277 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,800 believed in God? Or when was his faith in God 278 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:58,440 seen a living faith, a productive faith? 279 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:08,760 After he was baptized, after he received baptism, he received 280 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,800 the joy. Now yes, there are bells 281 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:14,880 ringing. I'm sure there are bells ringing 282 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:16,200 for those who read the scriptures. 283 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:18,640 If you don't feel any bells ringing, you don't read your 284 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:19,760 scriptures. Do that. 285 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:29,640 James chapter 2 verses 14 to 24. It's a, a long verse, a long 286 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,560 reading, but just bear with me. James chapter 2 verses 14 to 24, 287 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,560 What good is? And I, I feel people say, well, 288 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,520 he's going to quote that again. And you know, yeah, Scripture, 289 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,640 what am I? This is a Scripture quoting, 290 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:48,960 preaching, exposition on the Scriptures. 291 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,680 James chapter 2, verses 214 to 24. 292 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:57,360 What good is it, my brethren, if a man says I have faith and he 293 00:17:57,360 --> 00:18:01,520 does not have deeds, can his faith save him? 294 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:06,840 And if a brother or sister is naked and lacking daily food, 295 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,720 and any of you will say to them, go in peace and be warm and be 296 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:17,000 fooled, and he would not give them the bodily necessities, 297 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,880 what good is that? So also faith alone. 298 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:25,840 There's the key alone, alone. You know, the man had faith 299 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:30,080 because he believed alone. Faith alone without works is 300 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,480 dead for him. And if you don't, if, if there's 301 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:38,760 a dead faith, then means that faith does not have eternal life 302 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:40,640 because it's a dead faith, right? 303 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:45,520 So faith alone without works is dead for a man may say to you, 304 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,880 you and I have faith. I have works. 305 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,920 Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my 306 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:52,600 faith. By my works. 307 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,600 You believe that God is 1 great, you do well. 308 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:00,120 The demons also believe. The demons believe. 309 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:03,040 That means they have faith. So are they justified by faith? 310 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:05,080 So the demons will enter the Kingdom of heaven? 311 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,360 No, because their deeds are contrary to their faith, 312 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:12,560 contrary to to the commandments of who they tremble from. 313 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:16,480 And believe you do well. The demons also believe and 314 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,200 tremble. Are you willing to know a feeble 315 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,880 man that faith without works is dead? 316 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,680 Was not your father Abraham justified by works when he 317 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,120 offered up Isaac because he believed? 318 00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:31,960 And then he went to offer up with free will and, and, and 319 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:36,040 willfully OfferUp Isaac his son upon the altar? 320 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:40,840 Do you see that his faith upheld his deeds and by deeds his faith 321 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:44,760 was perfected and the scriptures were fulfilled which said 322 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:49,440 Abraham believed in God, Amen. And it was accounted to him for 323 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,800 righteousness because of what he did, because taking up Isaac, 324 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,200 and he was called the friend of God. 325 00:19:55,240 --> 00:20:01,800 You see that by works a man is justified at not by faith alone 326 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,120 alone. That means faith needs some. 327 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:08,400 There's a partner in faith. There are two partners in not 328 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:13,760 crime, in this glorious and gracious work, faith and deeds. 329 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,960 Nothing mentioned here about eternal life, by the way, 330 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:18,880 nothing mentioned about eternal life. 331 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:22,000 Why? Why do not they? 332 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:25,240 Saint Paul and Selah says you will enter the Kingdom of heaven 333 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:27,400 if you believe or if you're baptized. 334 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:31,400 Both. They rejoice because they 335 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,160 believed in God and their faith was justified. 336 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,680 Their faith was confirmed by their baptism. 337 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,360 Why wasn't eternal life still mentioned here? 338 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:42,560 Because there was a life ahead of them, right? 339 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,920 Because they were baptized into Christ's death, they were buried 340 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:51,480 with him in baptism into death. And as Jesus the Christ arose 341 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,480 from among the dead in the glory of his Father, in this way also 342 00:20:55,480 --> 00:21:02,000 they shall walk in a new life. Romans 634 There's a new life. 343 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,920 You need to walk. And walk means to live in that 344 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:06,760 new life. And to live you need to act. 345 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,080 I can't be sitting still and say I'm living. 346 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:10,400 No, you're not. You're motionless. 347 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,440 You're not moving. Living pertains to move, moving, 348 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,920 doing, acting. Romans six to three to four, 349 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,840 'cause they too were his creation who were created in 350 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:26,680 Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ. Pray anyway. 351 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,600 No, no, no, focus, Asha, focus, focus. 352 00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:34,520 They too were his creation who were created in Jesus the Christ 353 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:40,360 for good works, good works, those things which God had from 354 00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:44,760 the first prepared that he and his household should walk in 355 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:49,440 them. I've changed, but I'm just 356 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,320 relating this to the jailer. That's why I say he's in his 357 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,920 household should walk in them. So they were good works that 358 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,360 they need to work and walk in them. 359 00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:01,080 Ephesians 2 chapter verses 9 to 10. 360 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:04,400 Notice they didn't wait to they didn't wait. 361 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:10,920 They did this at night. He did this at night because 362 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:16,760 that was the acceptable time and that was the day of new life 363 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,800 salvation for them. It was the appointed time. 2 364 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,200 Corinthians 6, two. So what are you waiting for? 365 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:27,120 What are you waiting for? You've been baptized, great. 366 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:29,920 You believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, excellent. 367 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,960 You've been baptized, great. But what's your life reflecting, 368 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:35,680 beloved? What is it? 369 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:37,600 Where are you now with Jesus Christ? 370 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:40,120 Do you have demons? And we've spoken about those. 371 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:42,240 Do you have addictions? Do you have demons? 372 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:44,080 And we got it. We need to continue to do this. 373 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:45,960 And we're going to have some episodes in the Assyrian 374 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:49,200 language, talking to parents, to the parents. 375 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,160 And we have some English episodes talking to our youth, 376 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:57,800 talking to those newlywed, talking to those, talking to 377 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:03,440 everyone. We need to really, really speak 378 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:07,920 openly. We need to call the spade a 379 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:13,920 spade For those mothers who are living a life that is not 380 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:16,360 becoming of a mother, a Christian mother. 381 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:22,440 For those husbands that have no relationship with God except 382 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,360 that cross that is on their necks and that one time a year 383 00:23:26,360 --> 00:23:29,400 that they come to the church and have no relationship with the 384 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:31,680 Scriptures, with the Holy Word of God, nothing. 385 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,760 We need to talk to those parents when you talk to talk to them 386 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:39,440 about their children, just because they're in Sunday 387 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:41,040 school. Well, that's, that's a bit young 388 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,680 even then, you know, just because they're in Sunday school 389 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,360 and they they transition into the youth. 390 00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:49,560 Some are in the the, the church choirs and some are involved in 391 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:54,120 some, you know, a nationalistic political arena is great. 392 00:23:54,120 --> 00:23:57,720 I mean, to that perfect, right, perfect. 393 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,040 That's good, but that does not make them holy and pleasing 394 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:02,720 because we know what's happening. 395 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:04,760 We know what's happening behind the scenes. 396 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:08,160 We know what's happening when you have your own Instagram 397 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,400 account and only your friends can see because some of your 398 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:15,400 friends snitch on you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they do. 399 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,880 They do. And it's so disheartening. 400 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,560 So let me tell you this. What are you waiting for today? 401 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,040 What are you waiting for? I Do you have a demon? 402 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:27,760 Do you have an addiction? Are you Is your relationship 403 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:30,920 with God? It's just a relationship that is 404 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:35,360 by the the service of the lip Is it Do you have no relationship 405 00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:39,000 with Christ in regards to his scriptures in regards to his 406 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,240 holy church, his Holy Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ. 407 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:46,000 Just listening to the podcast of double edged sword. 408 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,560 I, but it's I won't say it's useless. 409 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:50,360 No, it's not. It's very beneficial. 410 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:52,640 Continue. They will be an appointed day 411 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:54,160 for you. There is an appointed day for 412 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:59,480 you and that is today, today, now, now pull over if you're 413 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,920 driving, if you're driving, pull over. 414 00:25:02,120 --> 00:25:05,520 If you're vacuuming, stop. If you're washing dishes, stop. 415 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,040 Pull over. Stop for one minute, 630 416 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,880 seconds, 30 seconds. And right now cry out to the 417 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:18,200 Lord and, and commit to beginning a life of returning 418 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:24,480 back to the Lord. Commit to a life that is devoted 419 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,640 to God. Beloved, let me tell you, what 420 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,440 the world has to offer is temporal. 421 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:36,000 Hamanun hamanun Walla Bella. They say Walla Bella in English, 422 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:40,440 right? Truly, truly, I say to you, what 423 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:45,400 is in the world is temporal. It will die, will go. 424 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:51,080 What remains is that faith and the deeds that we have possessed 425 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:53,680 in life. You believe in the Lord Jesus 426 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,360 Christ. Great, excellent doesn't make 427 00:25:57,360 --> 00:25:59,960 you a a candidate to the Kingdom of heaven yet No, no, no. 428 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:03,720 You got to continue fight the fight, fight the good fight. 429 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,160 Even Saint Paul for those who come and say to you, are you 430 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:07,560 saved? That means you're going to the 431 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,960 Kingdom of heaven. You say to them, away from me, 432 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,280 Satan, away from me, get away from me. 433 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,680 Yes, I am saved. I was baptized, I have a 434 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:18,120 participation. I've participated in the 435 00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:22,920 fulfillment of the old law in Jesus Christ, in his 436 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,680 crucifixion. I have participated and I have 437 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:31,000 gained new life in Jesus Christ. But right now, whether I have 438 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,200 gained it or not, echo what Saint Paul writes, whether I 439 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,120 have gained it or not, I do not know. 440 00:26:36,120 --> 00:26:41,360 One thing I know I'm a fool, I'm a weak, I stumble, I fall, I 441 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:46,920 sin, but I have redempt, I have forgiveness, I have cleansing in 442 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:48,880 the Church of my Lord Jesus Christ. 443 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:53,400 And I will continue to fight this fight until the Lord comes 444 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:58,920 and He will determine eternal life for me, not you and not 445 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:03,920 even myself, because I am standing now, but the 446 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:08,960 Scriptures, the Bible, only the Bible teaches me in one 447 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:12,760 Corinthians that though I am standing, I must be careful that 448 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:18,480 I do not fall. I do not fall because some 449 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,960 disciples fell, but they were reinstated. 450 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,120 Simon fell. He denied Jesus three times. 451 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,000 Jesus reinstated him three times. 452 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,080 Judas, if he hadn't hung himself, you know, now we got 453 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,680 hindsight. If he hadn't hung himself and 454 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:35,320 begged for forgiveness, he may have been forgiven. 455 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,920 He would have been forgiven. But this is hindsight now or if 456 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:40,520 and this that. No, it's been done. 457 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,600 OK, there's lessons to learn. So what are you waiting for? 458 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,720 What? In Psalm chapter 95, which is 459 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:52,840 cross referenced by Saint Paul in Hebrews 3, we are commanded 460 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:58,240 that today if we hear his voice. So my beloved brother and my 461 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,000 beloved sister who's parked on this. 462 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,520 I said 30 seconds, but it's been a while now. 463 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:05,600 I mean, if you're driving, my dear. 464 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:06,960 Yes, you, You. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 465 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,080 Don't look in the rear mirror. If you're driving, don't look at 466 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:11,800 yourself. No, no, I'm talking to you. 467 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,440 Those who are watching and those who are listening. 468 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:22,640 We've been commanded that today if you hear his voice in some 469 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:27,800 money from the Hebrews 3 today, if you hear his voice, are you 470 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,760 hardening your heart? Because we are told not to 471 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:35,560 harden our heart, not to look at our friends and what the world 472 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:43,040 portrays as good, 95% of what the world portrays good is evil. 473 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:49,000 95% of what the world is portraying evil is good. 474 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,800 Let me tell you that, you know, maybe I don't. 475 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:59,200 I'm not a Bureau of Statistics, but just for, for statistics to 476 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:04,080 say majority of what the world claims good is evil and vice 477 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,640 versa. Do not hearten your heart. 478 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:10,480 You want to put your joy, your temporal joy, your temporal 479 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:15,720 fulfillment of your sexual desire, of your glamour, of your 480 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:17,960 pride. You know that 10 minutes, that 481 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:22,640 15 minutes, that hours, that months that people brag about 482 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,520 you and send you love and woot, woot. 483 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:28,560 What a sexy picture. Oh, gorgeous honey. 484 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,240 That's, that's, that's a deception. 485 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,560 That is a lie. That is evil. 486 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:38,880 Do not harden your heart. Today the Lord is calling you to 487 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:42,000 first and foremost examine yourself, beloved. 488 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,560 Examine yourself. And then when you see those 489 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,360 deficiencies, don't make a judgment. 490 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:51,040 Don't ride yourself off. Now call me, call me. 491 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,240 Whatever you're lacking, whatever you're going through, 492 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,560 call me, send me a message. You may get my voicemail. 493 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,240 Leave me a message. It may take me a few days to 494 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:01,880 reach back, get it back, get back to you. 495 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:04,800 Do that. Write me a message on on 496 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,680 messenger text message in any way you can. 497 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:11,320 Contact me, contact, contact me. Do that. 498 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,800 Or even better still, better still, before you pick up the 499 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:17,680 phone and, and reach out to me, reach out to your, to your 500 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:23,280 spiritual counselor, be the priest or a shamash who has been 501 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,560 set as a counselor or an advisor. 502 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:29,600 Reach out to those and let's work together. 503 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:37,080 This is my nationalism, beloved. This is my spiritual Assyrian 504 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,760 nationalism. I don't fight for dirt, for 505 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,640 land. I have brothers and sisters who 506 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:51,400 are tirelessly and diligently advocating for that, and God 507 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:52,560 bless them. We pray for them. 508 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:58,120 I will reach out for a spiritual land for my Assyrian nation that 509 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:02,240 is the Kingdom of heaven, and we really need to reach out to our 510 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:07,560 people spiritually. And that through that, when our 511 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:11,800 people are living a life that is appeasing and pleasing to the 512 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:17,240 Lord, then the Lord will bless things that immeasurably, things 513 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:22,160 that we didn't even think of. And if one day we regain our 514 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,600 rights as human beings on this earth, praise and glory be to 515 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,240 His name. If not, I want to see my nation 516 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,760 in the Kingdom of heaven. I may not make it, but I want my 517 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,320 nation to enter the Kingdom of heaven, that heaven that is 518 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:39,920 being prepared for all the children of God through Jesus 519 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:41,920 Christ our Lord. Praise and glory be to His name. 520 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:43,720 Now and all times and forever, I'm in. 521 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:17,360 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 522 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:13,560 with your friends and family. We hope you enjoyed this week's 523 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:20,120 message. The For any future topic 524 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,240 suggestions or to give us detailed feedback, please visit 525 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:28,560 our link in the show notes. Linktr dot EE forward slash 526 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:30,920 double edged sword. Until next time.