1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,840 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,720 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the light of the world 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,480 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,480 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,560 Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,040 obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,320 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,480 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,320 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,680 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,400 and Holy Spirit, forever. Amen. 13 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,840 The blessed Feast of the birth of our Lord and our Savior Jesus 14 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,680 Christ be upon you. We are still in that celebratory 15 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,800 and week and period of celebrating the birth of our 16 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:21,480 Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ until Monday the 6th, which is 17 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,760 the Holy Feast of the Epiphany, the Theophany or the appearance 18 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:30,360 of our Lord. And may the year 2025, I think 19 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,000 it's been a week. Now be blessed upon each and 20 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,760 everyone of you. And as I always say, this is the 21 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,920 best New Year's resolution. Thy will be done. 22 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,640 May the May, the Lord's will be done in everything. 23 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:52,760 Let's call a spade a spade. I don't want to rain on your 24 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,200 parade. I don't want to ruffle feathers, 25 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,920 rock foundation. But they will be death. 26 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,720 They will be suffering, there will be wars, there will be 27 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,600 persecutions because man has become more evil. 28 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:15,960 Man worships Satan rather than his creator. 29 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:22,320 But when we are in the will of God, whatever circumstance, 30 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,880 whatever situation, let God's will be done. 31 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,080 He is in control. Our Lord reigns from heaven 32 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:34,000 above. Our Lord is an awesome God. 33 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,760 He reigns from heaven above. I love that song. 34 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:42,400 He reigns from heaven above. God is not that. 35 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,640 God does not fret. He's not moved. 36 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,200 We read from the scriptures in the Gospel according to Saint 37 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:53,840 Mark, when Jesus was on the boat and the sea was rough and the 38 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,560 disciples became afraid and were frightened that they would die 39 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,960 and drown, They went up to Jesus and said, Lord, it's no time to 40 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,040 sleep now. Do you not see what what turmoil 41 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,480 we're in? He woke up and said, fear not, 42 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:13,280 stood at the edge of the boat. And I'm just, I'm trying to 43 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:18,160 imagine this and stretched out his hand and said, be still. 44 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:27,600 And the ocean was still. Jesus is not moved, Shaken by 45 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:32,720 the turmoil of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ sits on 46 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,000 his throne and he has power. He holds everything in his 47 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,760 hands. So let this ye be according to 48 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,000 his perfect will wherever He wants us, wants to take us, 49 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,120 wherever He leads us or allows us to go. 50 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,320 We just pray that the Lord's hand, guiding hand protecting 51 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:56,600 hand be upon us and upon all those who cry to His holy name. 52 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:02,840 I mean Acts chapter 13, verse 13. 53 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:08,440 We'll begin from verse 13 to 25. Just the recap, we read of the 54 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,960 courageous Saint Paul, unintimidated by his past, 55 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:20,720 rebuking Barshuma the sorcerer, not to take vengeance, not out 56 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:25,520 of spite, but to bring him to repentance, just as Jesus Christ 57 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:30,640 did to him, and in the same manner as Jesus called Saint 58 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,120 Paul to repentance or to conversion. 59 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,800 And what was that? It was blindness. 60 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:43,640 Blindness for a little while. We read in verse 11 that at that 61 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:50,680 very hour there fell on his, on him a mist and darkness, and he 62 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,240 went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 63 00:04:54,320 --> 00:05:00,320 This is Barshuma. And in verse 12 we read and when 64 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:07,120 the proconsul who is a governor of a a province in ancient Rome, 65 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:13,240 when he saw what had happened, he was amazed and believed the 66 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,560 teaching of the Lord, he became even more committed to the 67 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:22,760 teaching of the Lord by the words of Saint Paul and Barabbas 68 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,440 or bar. I always mention his name. 69 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,520 I, I remember, oh, Barnabbas, Barnabbas. 70 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:35,320 They say one man's loss is another man's gain. 71 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:41,040 But in this case, and in the case of repentance, one man's 72 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:46,240 gain through repentance may be another man's greater gain. 73 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:53,920 Let's read verses 13 to 25. Then Paul and Barnabas sailed 74 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:59,400 from the city of Paphos and came to Perga, a city in Pamphylia. 75 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:02,720 And John, that is John Mark. You know, John had two names. 76 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:06,360 John, Mark, that this is the, the, the evangelist. 77 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,160 John. Sorry, Mark, a name called by 78 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:15,320 his first name. And John separated from them and 79 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,120 went to Jerusalem. So John left them or John Mark 80 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:23,400 left them, but they left Perga and came to Antioch, a city in 81 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:27,160 Pisidia. And on the Sabbath, listen to 82 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:32,840 this on the Sabbath, on the Sabbath day, they went into the 83 00:06:32,840 --> 00:06:36,280 synagogue and sat down or they were going to go. 84 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:38,120 It was a it's going to be a showdown. 85 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,920 Let's continue. And after the reading of the law 86 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,560 and the prophets, the law and the prophets at some proclaim 87 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,360 that Jesus abolished. No, he didn't. 88 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,760 No, he didn't. Jesus did not abolish the law. 89 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:53,800 Jesus did not abolish the prophets. 90 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,920 If so, then Saint Paul is in error. 91 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:02,400 So they went to listen to the law and the prophets. 92 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:06,400 The elders of the synagogue sent to them saying, O men and 93 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,160 brethren, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, 94 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,080 speak. They called him to speak. 95 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,920 He didn't go there and ready with his Bible and ready to 96 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,240 pounce on these people as some do. 97 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,640 No, he didn't. He just went to listen because 98 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,080 the law and the prophets continued. 99 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:27,280 The law and the prophets continue today, beloved. 100 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,400 They continue to teach us that it is Jesus Christ. 101 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:36,840 Now that salvation is through Jesus Christ, when we talk about 102 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:42,240 Jesus Christ and we want to confirm and and prove and, and, 103 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:47,840 and, you know, emphasize that Jesus is the Savior of the world 104 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:49,760 and salvation stops as Jesus Christ. 105 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:54,280 We use the law and we use the prophets and after the reading 106 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,880 of the law and the prophets, the elders of the synagogue sent to 107 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,800 them saying, oh man, and brethren, if you have a word of 108 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,080 encouragement for the people, speak. 109 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,600 So Paul stood up and lifted his hands. 110 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:12,600 Wow, this man is so courageous. He was a murderer. 111 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,000 Remember, he was persecuting the Church of Christ. 112 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,640 But when he's called and chosen, wow, glory be to God. 113 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,760 So Paul stood up and lifting his hands, said, This is the first 114 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:29,160 time we're going to hear Saint Paul preach, O men of Israel, 115 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,600 and those of you who feed God, hear my words. 116 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:37,240 Hear my words, because he speaks the words of God. 117 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,919 The God of this people of Israel chose your forefathers and 118 00:08:42,919 --> 00:08:46,720 exalted and multiplied them when they dwelt as strangers in the 119 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,520 land of Egypt. And with a strong arm he brought 120 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,400 them out of it, and he fed them in the wilderness for 40 years. 121 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,560 He took care of them for 40 years, and he destroyed seven 122 00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:01,600 nations in the land of Canaan, and he gave them their land for 123 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:06,280 an inheritance. And for a period of 450 years he 124 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,280 gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 125 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,040 Then they asked for a king, a big mistake. 126 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:17,000 They asked for a king and gay, and God gave them Soul, the son 127 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:21,480 of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for a period of 40 128 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,600 years. And when in time God took soul 129 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,240 away because he was naughty as well, God took soul away. 130 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:33,760 He raised up to them David, to be their king, concerning whom 131 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,160 he testified saying, And this is God speaking. 132 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:41,240 I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart 133 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,920 to do my will. And this was the youngest of the 134 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,720 six brothers, The youngest. He was a shepherd, but God 135 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,040 wanted him to do his work because it was God doing it, not 136 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:56,000 David of this man's offspring. He's talking about David. 137 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,520 God has, according to his promise, raised to Israel a 138 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,600 Savior, Jesus. Now he's hitting the nail on the 139 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:06,960 head. Is that what that's saying? 140 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:11,840 Yeah, hit the nail on the head. Before who's coming, He goes 141 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,520 back again. He before who's coming. 142 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:16,640 He had sent John, that's John the Baptist, to preach the 143 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,320 baptism of repentance to the people of Israel. 144 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:23,120 And as John fulfilled his ministry, he said, Who do you 145 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,160 think I am? I am not he. 146 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,120 But behold, there comes one after me, our brother, the 147 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,080 Sabine, the Madigines. Listen to this, our friends, I 148 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,080 should say, listen to this. This is John the Baptist 149 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,440 speaking. I am not he. 150 00:10:38,560 --> 00:10:43,800 But behold, there comes one after me, the strings of whose 151 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:50,120 shoes I am not worthy to untie, because He is the true heavenly 152 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,320 Bridegroom. Praise and glory be to his name. 153 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,640 Now we see, let's stop there. We see that the unintimidated 154 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:03,240 Saint Paul the Apostle not only rebuking, but for the first time 155 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,480 now preaching so confidently, so confidently. 156 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:12,560 Remember, we spoke last week. Don't be intimidated by a past 157 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:20,920 notice that they Barnabas and and Saint Paul going to the 158 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:25,520 synagogue on the Sabbath. Was this an abomination? 159 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:27,400 We've discussed this, haven't we? 160 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:34,960 In the earlier years of the, of Christendom, when the church 161 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:39,040 began, when the Gospel was preached, when the word meaning 162 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:43,080 Jesus watch was preached, the apostles would still go on the 163 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:47,400 Sabbath to the synagogue and they would listen to the law, 164 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:49,120 they would listen to the prophets. 165 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,480 You know, during the, the Eucharistic service, the 166 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:53,960 liturgical service, there are two readings. 167 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,520 We usually just read 1. And I'm, I think if I'm not 168 00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:02,200 mistaken, Saint Mary's parish in Toronto, Canada, to date, read 169 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:05,760 both the readings of the law and of the prophets. 170 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,200 So they went to listen because they adhere to it. 171 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,000 They didn't abolish it. They didn't frown upon it. 172 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:16,920 It wasn't a dirty word. The law and the prophets are not 173 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,240 dirty words. No, Jesus spoke about them. 174 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,560 We're going to, we're going to show you some examples as well. 175 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:24,560 We're going to talk about some examples. 176 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:30,720 So they went to the synagogue to listen to the readings, to 177 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:35,400 partake in that liturgical service that happens today, 178 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:37,680 maybe. But now the Christians don't go 179 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:40,680 to the synagogues because the Christians have been expelled 180 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:42,440 from the synagogues. And thank God for that. 181 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:47,280 We go to church now they went to the on the Sabbath to the 182 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:52,360 synagogues to preach Christ the word that is Jesus Christ on the 183 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,880 Sabbath. Then those who believed in the 184 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:00,800 name of Jesus Christ, they would bring them and bury them, bury 185 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,920 those who believed with Christ in baptism. 186 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:09,520 Colossians chapter 2, verse 12, clothing them with Christ. 187 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:14,600 Galatians chapter 3, verses 26 to 27, and saving them from the 188 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,800 bondage of the law, which was weak in the flesh. 189 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,480 Romans chapter 8, verse three, I'm quoting Scripture. 190 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:26,640 But what they would do then they would then commune or they would 191 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:30,400 finally commune. These people, those who were 192 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:35,200 baptized, faithful in the body and the blood of Christ through 193 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,480 the Holy Eucharist in the upper room on the first day of the 194 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,920 week. I'm not going to say Sunday, 195 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:44,720 Sunday. If you break that down, it's 196 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:46,040 Sunday. It's a sunny day. 197 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,280 Well, sometimes it's pouring rain on a Sunday day, on a 198 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,240 Sunday. Let's use the original, original 199 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:57,360 Aramaic title, Chad Shabba. Those who are not Assyrians, 200 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:03,600 listen, say it Chad Bishabba. Chad means one Bishabba, means 201 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:05,440 of the week, first day of the week. 202 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:12,360 So until the 2nd century, I believe, or close to the 2nd 203 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,760 century, they were doing this. They were practicing this, going 204 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,880 to the synagogue on the on the Sabbath and then then going to 205 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:20,800 the upper room. And those who believed and were 206 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,840 baptized, partaking the Holy Eucharist until they were 207 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,840 expelled. And then they began to meet up 208 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,200 on the first day of the week. Still read the law, still read 209 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:34,800 the prophets which point to Jesus Christ, but then partake 210 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,120 in the Holy Script. Break the bread as well. 211 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,240 But notice how he starts preaching from the captivity. 212 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,480 Why? Well, number one, to remind them 213 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:50,120 using not just the history of the world, but using history, 214 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,360 the history of how God worked for mankind from the Old 215 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:58,920 Testament and they were quite familiar with they knew it. 216 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,720 So he's reminding them, Hey, I'm going to I'm going to speak 217 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,000 about what you already know. I'm going to preach to the 218 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,240 choir. You know this, but right at this 219 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:12,520 moment you are so stiff necked and and you are so stubborn. 220 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:18,920 You do not want to expect or accept he who fulfilled all your 221 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:24,040 law and all your profit. We learn, beloved, when we want 222 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:29,920 to preach religion, when we want to talk religion, we need to 223 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:33,960 begin with God. You know, people come to me and 224 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,440 I get messages. Which church is the true church? 225 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:41,080 I say, well, you know what? It's not one of those one or two 226 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,280 line answers. Do you know the history of the 227 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:49,040 world as God has worked? No. 228 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,520 Well, you know, we need to go back to the beginning. 229 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:56,080 We can't just come to the end. If we come to the end, it's 230 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:00,000 going to be a jigsaw puzzle without a picture to guide us to 231 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,560 put together. We need to go back to the 232 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,400 beginning. God. 233 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:08,440 There's a lot of understandings and philosophies and and 234 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:13,120 knowledges and feelings of God. We need to tackle that. 235 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:17,440 The supreme power there is AI don't believe in God, but I know 236 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,160 there's a supernatural and a supreme power of great. 237 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,040 Yeah, you're, you're you're one step ahead of those who just 238 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,200 don't believe. Like we're nothing like we're 239 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,160 zombies. We're just walking in this world 240 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,640 like we're robots, you know, moved around by some power. 241 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,280 No, no, no, no. There is a power and that is 242 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:34,520 God. Let's talk about that. 243 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:38,360 Let's come to a conclusion first that there is God. 244 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,800 We believe in one God, the Father Almighty. 245 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,400 When we've come to an understanding, an agreement, 246 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,440 when we've ascertained there is one God could take us weeks, 247 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:55,480 months, years, through the scriptures, through nature 248 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,680 itself, then we must begin the next step. 249 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:03,800 The next phase is how do we have a relationship with this God? 250 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:08,160 Because there are so many ways, so many people that claim that 251 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,920 through them there is a relationship with Allah and a 252 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,319 God. We need to come down and 253 00:17:14,319 --> 00:17:19,800 ascertain that no, no, no, no, no, no, no, this true one true 254 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:25,800 God is only known and accepted and fathomed. 255 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,560 I mean, we can't fathom God, but we have an understanding through 256 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,520 Jesus Christ because he was human. 257 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:38,240 God, the word, they saw him, they touched him, and this why? 258 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:42,200 And if you ask why we say, well, this Jesus Christ has set it 259 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:49,120 straight and no man, no leader of any, no author of any other 260 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:53,480 faith has dared to speak what Jesus spoke about himself. 261 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,520 You know why not? Because he was mighty, He was 262 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,320 powerful, He was a custody, He was a magician, He could put 263 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:01,080 people to death. No, no, no, because he was true. 264 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,200 It was true. John chapter 14, verse 6. 265 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,600 He is the way to God. That's what he claims. 266 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:14,120 And I mean, he is the only way. Listen to me, it doesn't concern 267 00:18:14,120 --> 00:18:16,000 me. If you're not going to listen to 268 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,200 this podcast anymore, I'm sorry. It doesn't concern. 269 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,600 It's not about numbers. How many views do we get? 270 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:22,920 How many listeners? You know what? 271 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:26,040 That one listener is a soul. That one listener could be God 272 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,240 bringing that one listener to hear the message of God. 273 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,520 It's not about numbers. It's not about likes and clicks. 274 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:34,800 How many views? We have millions of views so 275 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:36,840 that we can make money. It's not about making money. 276 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:40,880 It's about the truth. There is only one way to God and 277 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,440 that is Jesus Christ. Praise me to his name. 278 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:53,280 He's the truth, he said. He is truly Word Incarnate, God 279 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:54,880 Incarnate. He is God. 280 00:18:55,480 --> 00:19:02,800 What he spoke was, is, and will eternally and into eternity be 281 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:04,200 true. No one has claimed this, 282 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:05,200 beloved. No one. 283 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,800 Muhammad didn't. Buddha didn't. 284 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:13,000 Gandhi didn't. Vishnu didn't. 285 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:15,240 I'm trying to remember all these. 286 00:19:15,360 --> 00:19:17,920 Think of all these other authors of faith. 287 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:22,560 No one claimed this. No, actually, they all allude to 288 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,560 Jesus Christ. Jesus doesn't even speak about 289 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:26,400 these people. And by the way, my beloved 290 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,120 friends, my beloved Muslim friends, when Jesus says one who 291 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:32,960 comes after me, it's speaking about the Holy Spirit. 292 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:34,960 Why? Because he says he is in you and 293 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,040 Muhammad is not in me. Thank God he's not in me. 294 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:39,360 I don't think Muhammad is in anyone. 295 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,000 Muhammad is dead. He's talking about the Holy 296 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:47,200 Spirit that is in you, meaning the spirit that has drawn you to 297 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,040 me. And you're going to receive him 298 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,240 in fullness. So his words are true, unlike 299 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:56,400 some of the ridiculous words and philosophies and and and 300 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:00,080 prophecies that were spoken by the rulers of other faiths. 301 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:06,520 And He is truly the way to eternal life through Him. 302 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:13,080 By him and with him. Now I won't go further into the 303 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:16,360 true way of worship and relationship with Jesus Christ, 304 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:18,880 which means directly relationship with God, because 305 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,000 then we go into the churches. We'll do that on another 306 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:27,000 episode. In verse 23, we notice Saint 307 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:32,440 Paul very diligently and very wisely led by the Holy Spirit. 308 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:37,400 Obviously, we must always mention and and understand and 309 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,960 and confess, led by the Holy Spirit. 310 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:45,280 Notice how Paul knit his dissertation, his speech, his 311 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,920 thesis, whatever you want to call it, with the past, the 312 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,360 prophets. He talks about the past first. 313 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:57,520 He goes back to when they were in captivity thousands and 314 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,840 thousands of years before the day he was present, standing, 315 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,560 present people. And notice how he stands up, 316 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:09,440 like he didn't sit down timidly and say, well, you know, yeah, 317 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,960 Jesus loves you. No, he got up and he shook his 318 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:13,240 head. He's probably calling them and 319 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,160 say, listen, I'm going to tell you something. 320 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,400 But he was very learner, too. Let's not forget he knew the 321 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,680 Scriptures. He knew the Old Testament, so he 322 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,920 talks about them, and then he presents John the Baptist. 323 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:30,360 He's intertwining them, the old and the new, as he's evidence 324 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:36,120 for the truth of Jesus Christ. He says from this man David, 325 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,640 from this man's seed, according to the promise, Jesus has come. 326 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:46,480 And then he presents John, John the Baptist again, both the 327 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:51,840 prophets and the apostles along with David himself, we're 328 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,240 witnesses to the resurrection, remember. 329 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:59,400 So when they have foretold, when David has foretold the 330 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,440 resurrection, you shall not leave my soul in hates or Shoal. 331 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:08,000 It's a prophecy about Jesus Christ resurrecting praise and 332 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,560 glory be to his name. The prophets all prophesied 333 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:14,160 about Jesus Christ. How a a virgin would give. 334 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:19,480 And it's not a little young woman, young lady, don't change 335 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:23,960 the Scriptures. It's Mary, ever virgin. 336 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,680 We're going to talk about that. The prophet spoke about and John 337 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:31,840 pointed to Jesus Christ. I'm not worthy to take off his 338 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:33,960 shoelaces. You know why? 339 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:38,600 Because neither do the Old Testament proofs and evidence 340 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,440 seem so they're not so persuadive when persuasive when 341 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,720 taken by themselves. If you only want to preach Jesus 342 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,080 Christ from the Old Testament and ID many people do that many 343 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,200 of these televangelists. I I want to ask you this 344 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:54,240 question. Why do you only refer to the Old 345 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,880 Testament and then one verse from the New Testament? 346 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,080 It's usually from the book of Revelations, right? 347 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:02,800 To put fear in people so that the collection becomes more you 348 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:08,600 hypocrites, hypocrites. Just the Old Testament is not 349 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,840 enough, is not, is not persuasive enough to be taken by 350 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:17,280 itself. No, we need the New Testament. 351 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,160 We need the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New 352 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,160 Testament together complementing one another. 353 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:32,000 Lo, a virgin will be with a child Saint Mary, he's he was 354 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,040 wounded for our transgressions. Jesus Christ. 355 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:40,880 There was no no image of to be seen of him that was attractive. 356 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:46,480 I'm paraphrasing Isaiah chapter 53, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ. 357 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:51,680 I saw the the ancient of time sitting at a throne, Jesus 358 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:54,600 Christ. Abraham sees the three people, 359 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:57,760 calls them Lord, and they eat Jesus Christ. 360 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,360 So both the Old and the New Testament beloved complement one 361 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:06,960 another. It is through both that Saint 362 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,080 Paul makes his discourse trustworthy. 363 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,280 Again, a great lesson to adhere to when reading or discussing 364 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:19,680 Scripture in relations to certain doctrines and sacraments 365 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,480 and traditions. Let me give you an example. 366 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:26,480 And this is just an example, Infant's baptism, for example, 367 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:30,480 it's not just one that you can't just base your understanding of 368 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:34,800 infant's baptism against using 1 words. 369 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,400 And I can't base my understanding or not my 370 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:42,000 understanding, the understanding of the church for infant's 371 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:47,680 baptism just by one verse. No, we can't say Mark 1616, he 372 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:49,440 who believes and he's baptized is saved. 373 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,360 Well, how can children believe? They don't have that that 374 00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:56,160 capability of believing. They don't have the capability 375 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:58,360 of understanding. Do you understand the holy 376 00:24:58,360 --> 00:24:59,160 sacraments? I don't. 377 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,320 Let me tell you, I Ioffer them on behalf of the Congregation, 378 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,120 but I don't understand them. But I believe that they work. 379 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:09,400 What about the 8th day circumcision? 380 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,520 Genesis chapter 17 verse 12, repeated Leviticus chapter 12, 381 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:17,560 verse 3, eighth day child, excruciating pain. 382 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,240 Not with a scalpel. And I was always saying with a 383 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:25,760 mask and hands clean and gloves on and scalpel and sutures. 384 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:29,000 No, no, no. With a sharp piece of stone. 385 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,960 The 8th day young male was circumcised. 386 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:36,400 I can't stop there. I gotta come to the New 387 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:38,560 Testament now that's been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. 388 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,920 Colossians chapter 2 versus 11, verse 12 versus 11 and 12. 389 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:46,840 Circumcision without hands that occurs in baptism. 390 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,280 So there it is. Hey now, let's start. 391 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,520 Let's use both, using both the Old and the New Testament as 392 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,080 evidence. What about the Virgin, the ever 393 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,680 virginity of Saint Mary, our Blessed Mother? 394 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,280 Ezekiel chapter 44. God's Spirit enters a gate, 395 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,560 exits the gate. The gate doesn't open. 396 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:06,960 Why is God entering and exiting a gate? 397 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,520 What is? What's the significance of a 398 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,120 gate not opening? What what it is? 399 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,320 Well, there is a lot of significance. 400 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:19,680 Ezekiel chapter 44, the gate. God commands, listen to this, 401 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:25,600 the gate shall be shut, and it shall not be open, and no men 402 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:31,000 shall enter by it. Lord Moses stood at the same 403 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,760 platform where you were. Yes, you told him to take off 404 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,880 your shoe because he's standing on holy ground. 405 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:40,960 So Moses was permitted to stand in the same place that you but 406 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:44,920 your spirit entering this gate and dwelling at this place and 407 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,360 leaving the gate and the gate not open and you're commanding 408 00:26:49,360 --> 00:26:54,280 no man shall enter by it because the Lord God, the God of Israel 409 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,600 has entered by it. It shall be shut. 410 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,480 What it is, it's Mary's virginity for the glory of God 411 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:04,400 and his Son, our Jesus Christ. Jesus himself refers to the 412 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,360 prophets. He refers to the prophets and 413 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:09,400 law. If he would have said, I have 414 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,440 abolished, if Christ had abolished the law and the 415 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,680 prophets, why was he referring to them? 416 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,000 Oh, well, at that time he hadn't abolished it. 417 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:21,000 You know, let's not be, let's not be little children. 418 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:26,720 It's, you know, we become the we become the, the, the main reason 419 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,560 for the blaspheming of the name of our Lord God, because others 420 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:32,400 look at us and say they don't even know what they're talking 421 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,400 about. No, Christ himself refers to the 422 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,240 prophets and law as a type of him. 423 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:44,280 John chapter 3 verses 14 to 15. And just as Moses lifted the 424 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:48,560 serpent in the wilderness, thus the Son of Man is going to be 425 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:52,920 lifted so that every person who believes isn't amazing. 426 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:57,560 Not every person who, but every person who believes. 427 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:59,800 And you know, he who believes must be baptized. 428 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:01,760 So we're talking about baptized faithful. 429 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,520 Every person who believes in him, in Jesus Christ shall not 430 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:09,360 be lost, but shall have, shall have eternal life when the Lord 431 00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:12,440 returns, shall have. And you know what happened, 432 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:13,040 right? Yeah. 433 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,920 The Israelites always grumbling today they're grumbling. 434 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:19,480 They're always grumbling. Oh, we were better off in in 435 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:21,360 Egypt. We were eating and we were 436 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:23,480 drinking. They forgot that they were 437 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:29,240 constantly being tortured. And then God sends serpents and 438 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,240 they start biting them and many of them died from the poison. 439 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,200 And who did they run to? Now this is the people of God. 440 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:37,840 They run to Moses because he was their priest, he was their 441 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,960 leader and said Moses, do something. 442 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,920 Moses praise to the Lord. The Lord says, make yourself a 443 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:49,240 brass serpent. Whoever is bitten shall look at 444 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:53,320 these serpent and this serpent and the the the venom will not 445 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:58,840 inflict any terminal wound. What is this it's Jesus Christ 446 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,360 today. That serpent was a a prototype 447 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:05,880 of Jesus Christ that when we are stricken by Satan, his venom 448 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:11,840 although within us and sometimes harming us, but cannot cause us 449 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:16,040 eternal damage because we look at the cross of our Lord and our 450 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:19,000 Savior Jesus Christ. So again, learning from Saint 451 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,440 Paul and the early activities of the Church, we got to keep 452 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,720 reminding that because these are the Acts of the Apostles, the 453 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:30,480 early activities of the Church, don't be intimidated, don't be 454 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,800 deterred, don't be discouraged, don't refuse the work of God 455 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,680 when called and chosen because our past has been done. 456 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:44,400 We spoke about this last last episode also when working in the 457 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,920 ministry of Christ within the one Holy and Apostolic and 458 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:52,960 Catholic Universal Church, take heed and proclaim the Word of 459 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:57,000 God or the work of God through the prophets and the apostles. 460 00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:00,840 That is the Old and the New Testament to proclaim the one 461 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:06,720 true God worshipped as three in one, Father and Son and Holy 462 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:08,520 Spirit forever. Amen. 463 00:30:33,830 --> 00:30:35,830 We hope you enjoyed this week's message. 464 00:30:35,910 --> 00:30:39,070 Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share 465 00:30:39,070 --> 00:30:42,430 with your friends and family. For any future topic suggestions 466 00:30:42,430 --> 00:30:45,870 or to give us detailed feedback, please visit our link in the 467 00:30:45,870 --> 00:30:50,920 Show notes link. TR EE forward slash double edged 468 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:53,240 sword. Until next time, God bless you 469 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:53,520 all.