1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:05,280 Oh, oh, he is good. Has he been good to you today, 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,480 this week, this month in your life? 3 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,560 Oh, can you look back over your life and see that he has been 4 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:20,880 so, so good. God is so good. 5 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:29,640 I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I, my, my, my mom had sent 6 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:35,040 me that song, what we were doing and for lyrics and for playing. 7 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:37,760 And I was kind of half in and out. 8 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,080 I was just kind of listening to the beat and focusing on what I 9 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,600 needed to know. But then we get going and I'm 10 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,440 telling you, what if that doesn't just bring us in? 11 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,840 I'm telling you right now, God is good. 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,680 God is good, Amen. Thank you for being to the House 13 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,760 of the Lord today. Amen. 14 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:09,400 I I joked with myself, I was thinking to myself as I was 15 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,320 studying. I was like, man, going to have 16 00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:14,320 to remember how to do this because it's been a little bit 17 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:20,200 since I've I've preached not for any other reason than scheduling 18 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,320 or last time I was supposed to preach we had tornadic weather 19 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:29,240 and so, but the Lord knows and it is what it is. 20 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:33,760 Thankful, thankful to be here today. 21 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:41,320 Thank you all for loving on my family and my daughter. 22 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:47,200 And I know she's just the best. Maybe biased, but I'm pretty 23 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:48,760 sure it was a fact. I looked it up. 24 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,680 So I can't tell you anything except for the fact that she's 25 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:59,200 perfect and we love her. I love my wife so, so dearly. 26 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:04,400 I love doing life with her and love parenting with her, 27 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,720 alongside her. And thankful for the ministry. 28 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,240 Aren't you thankful for your pastor and his wife? 29 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:13,000 Amen. That's all right. 30 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,920 Give honor where honor is due. We, we are, we are greatly 31 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:22,080 blessed, so greatly blessed. And I'm so thankful for them in 32 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:27,240 our life and for what they mean to my wife and I. 33 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:32,240 And I'm just, I'm so, so grateful for the ministry that 34 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,280 we have in this church. We, we're very blessed. 35 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:40,880 We are blessed to still, we are still blessed to have some great 36 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:42,760 ministry. We are blessed to have Bishop 37 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,760 and his wife and we are blessed that they are are on the mend 38 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,160 and they are healthy. We are thankful to God for that. 39 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:51,960 Amen. Amen. 40 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,280 Thankful and to God for that. We are thankful for the Masons, 41 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,760 all right, not me, but my parents, Masons. 42 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,360 So thankful for them and their ministry, preaching ministry, 43 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,280 secretarial ministry, their ministry of music. 44 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,080 So thankful for them and appreciate them and love them 45 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,880 and so thankful for brother Zach's sister Malin and what 46 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,440 they do. And brother Zach is, he's one of 47 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,760 my go to guys. I mean, he's, he's up there 48 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:22,840 right now. Bless him. 49 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:29,760 And he, he always brings the word and teaching so well, so, 50 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,720 so well and eloquent. And I love the way he brings it 51 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,560 and, and, and teaches. And we're going to look forward 52 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,320 to that on Wednesday. Thank you for standing. 53 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,240 And we're going to stand for the reading of the word. 54 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:47,280 If you turn your books to Acts 9, chapter 26, I will read a 55 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,520 couple of verses and we will, we will journey on. 56 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:56,360 Acts 9, chapter 26 says, And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, 57 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:01,040 and he is saved to join himself to the disciples, but they were 58 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:05,840 all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 59 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,640 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and 60 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,320 declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and 61 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:18,600 that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at 62 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,960 Damascus in the name of Jesus for a little while tonight. 63 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:27,880 I'm sorry, Brother Brown, I'm not sure if I'm going to be long 64 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,160 winded or not. So we'll see. 65 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,200 We'll see how it goes. He might get, he might luck out 66 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:33,040 tonight. We'll see. 67 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,760 But for a little while tonight, I want to preach to you on this 68 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:43,160 thought beyond reputation, beyond reputation. 69 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,320 If you set your Bibles down, please raise your hands. 70 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,720 Help me pray for the Word of God tonight. 71 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,080 Lord, I ask you just to move in this place today. 72 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,120 Have your way Lord, You are so strong in this place, Your 73 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:59,080 spirit move in this place, Lord, as we Lord entertain you Lord, 74 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:01,920 Lord in your word Lord would come to us God. 75 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,080 Lord, it would not be anything vain glory, but it would be of 76 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,920 you Lord, anoint my lips of clay that I would speak what needs to 77 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:09,840 be spoken tonight to your people. 78 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,440 Lord, it would be an encouragement to them tonight. 79 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,000 Lord, I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus and will not fail 80 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:17,640 to thank you and praise you for it. 81 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:23,640 And everyone said in Jesus name, In Jesus name, you may be seated 82 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,720 tonight, look at your neighbor and say, beyond reputation. 83 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:40,200 It's been called arguably one of the greatest sporting events of 84 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:46,720 the 20th century, not because it was expected to be close, but 85 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,920 because it wasn't expected to be close. 86 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:56,360 In 1947, the world gathered in Africa to watch what most people 87 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,160 assumed would be a quick and easy fight. 88 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,320 George Foreman was the undefeated heavyweight champion. 89 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,240 He was young, he was powerful. He came on the scene just 90 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,400 absolutely guns a blazing. And he was 40. 91 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:20,160 And oh, with 37 of those fights being knockouts, he didn't just 92 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:25,040 beat people, he erased them. He took care of business. 93 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:31,080 And and then across the ring stood the great Muhammad Ali. 94 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:37,600 He was older, he was slower and he was written off Years 95 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,720 earlier. This would have been a different 96 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,520 story. Ali, he was the great, He was 97 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,480 considered the greatest and his nickname was even the greatest. 98 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:53,160 And so in that at this point in time, for it to be expected that 99 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:57,880 Ali would not win is kind of a backwards thing. 100 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:02,600 He had been stripped of his title of heavyweight champion 101 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,960 and he was banned from boxing because he refused to go in the 102 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,600 draft. And when he came back, he had 103 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:14,240 already lost once. So the great Muhammad Ali had 104 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,760 already been cut, if you will. He's he's human, if you will. 105 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,680 He was, he was, he was not somebody that when he came back, 106 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,960 we thought, oh, he's going to do great things in this fight 107 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,800 against Foreman. And when he came back with that, 108 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,200 the shine, so to speak, was all all gone. 109 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:35,800 The stardom of of this was gone. The odds had said it all, that 110 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:41,440 Ali was 4 to 1, the underdog. Everyone, everyone expected 111 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:47,160 Foreman to destroy Muhammad Ali. And the fight started. 112 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,200 And as it would go, the bell would ring and they touch gloves 113 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,960 and here they go, they're off. And Ali did something that 114 00:07:54,960 --> 00:08:00,800 looked absolutely insane to the people that looked on instead of 115 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:05,640 of running and coming up and fighting back, he leaned against 116 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:09,920 the ropes and he let Foreman just punch him, just absolutely 117 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:14,040 continue to pot, just absolutely lean into him. 118 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,000 And the commentators were even confused. 119 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,560 You could hear them in the crowd was uneasy thinking that this 120 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,400 was a rigged fight, thinking that this this was just he was 121 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,440 just giving up. The greatest was giving up, but 122 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,880 he wasn't quitting. He was ending up that it found 123 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:36,280 out that he was waiting because Foreman, everything that he had 124 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:40,760 done up to that .40 and O37 knockouts, many of those had 125 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:45,600 been in the first two rounds. He did not know anything about 126 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:50,280 the longevity of going a full stint of a boxing match. 127 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:54,320 And so in doing that, Foreman is swinging and he is swinging and 128 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,760 Ali is just taking hit after hit and round after round. 129 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:01,960 Foreman's ending up getting tired because he's never had to 130 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:06,880 go the distance and by this time the eighth round came and the 131 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,840 giant, so to speak, was exhausted. 132 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,520 Foreman is exhausted, he's young but he is getting winded and 133 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,560 Ollie is stepping off the ropes now and now he is starting to 134 00:09:18,560 --> 00:09:23,760 throw some combinations and knocked out the unbeatable 135 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:30,400 champion. Come on, the underdog, we know 136 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,560 the story. Humanity as a whole, we are 137 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:35,600 drawn to it. I don't know what it is. 138 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,480 I think we just like to see somebody that shouldn't do it 139 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,240 and someone. When you have someone or a group 140 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,720 of people, we talk about sports teams, we talk about war heroes, 141 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,480 someone that. They beat the odds, whether it 142 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,440 was their own doing or because of other obstacles, they beat 143 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:58,400 the odds, they rise to the occasion and they overcome it 144 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:00,720 all. We are drawn to it from the 145 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,880 history. We look at our our own history 146 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,960 of the United States of America and we think that of the 147 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:11,520 underdog of the colonists and how how they overcame the 148 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,640 British Empire. We think of sports and we had an 149 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,680 example of Muhammad Ali. We think of movies and look at 150 00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:22,600 it and it is just everywhere. The lives of even people around 151 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,920 us, they that they get to overcome things and we get to 152 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,040 watch that happen in real time. We are drawn to it. 153 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,920 And if I were to tell you think of an underdog in Scripture, if 154 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,600 I gave everyone the opportunity to answer, have an underdog in 155 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,840 Scripture, most would probably say the same thing that the next 156 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,880 person next to you is thinking, and that's David. 157 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,080 We would all think that. We would think David. 158 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,240 We look at the underdog account of David. 159 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,360 We think of David and Goliath 100% do that that that's where 160 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,840 our mind goes. We we have to understand 161 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,560 something about David though, is that he was more than just an 162 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:03,520 underdog with Goliath. We have to understand that he 163 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:08,200 was an underdog against Saul and the army and even his own 164 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,280 brothers. He wasn't invited to the battle. 165 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,960 He was little boy stay home, so to speak. 166 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,400 He was mocked. Saul even tried to dress him in 167 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:21,280 this armor that would not fit him and no one believed he 168 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:22,880 belonged there. And if we're honest with 169 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:24,400 ourselves, we don't have an account. 170 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,400 But except for the fact that we know that David said I came in 171 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,920 the name of the Lord, he probably didn't feel like he 172 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,680 belonged there either. But he was there in the name of 173 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:35,120 the Lord. He wasn't just fighting a giant. 174 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:39,360 He was fighting everyone's assumptions about who was 175 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:42,240 qualified to take out this giant. 176 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:46,720 And of course, if there was a list of people that would be 177 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:50,520 qualified, David would probably be nowhere near that list, 178 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:55,200 nowhere near it. And so that's where we end up 179 00:11:55,200 --> 00:12:00,320 with Saul of Tarsus. He's walking into here today. 180 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:04,120 You see, David is the type of underdog we're comfortable with. 181 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:08,360 We're comfortable with the story of David because we want to root 182 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,280 for him and we want to. We want to rah, rah. 183 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,200 And then we look at Saul and the disciples. 184 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,200 They were afraid. They were afraid of of him. 185 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,120 He's the type of underdog that sometimes we cannot be so 186 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,800 comfortable with because Davis''s reputation didn't scare 187 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,360 anyone, but Saul's reputation scared them. 188 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,680 And so here in Acts 9, we come across probably 1 of, if not one 189 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:36,560 of the most unlikely circumstances of God using 190 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,160 someone. And we have Saul, who is famous 191 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:43,360 for persecuting Christians, and he is making this journey to 192 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:47,280 from Damascus to Damascus. And then he comes from Damascus 193 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,560 and it's ends up that he's preaching Jesus. 194 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,600 And in context, if someone were reading their Bible throughout 195 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:57,120 the year and they accidentally skipped over a few verses, we 196 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,800 would be pretty confused because we have Saul. 197 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,480 Looking back on the chapter and understanding this, you see that 198 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:08,960 Saul is not just casually opposing Christianity, but he is 199 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,520 consumed by doing so. A consumed by going against the 200 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:17,200 gospel of Christ. And Acts 9 starts out by taking 201 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,520 about how he's breathing threats and slaughter. 202 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:24,240 And he has been given the official authorization from high 203 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,880 priest and legal paperwork in hand. 204 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,360 Find anyone who follows the gospel of Jesus Christ, drag 205 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:35,600 them back bound, drag them back to Jerusalem in chains. 206 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:39,440 Something that we can overlook I think is important to understand 207 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:41,680 about Saul. When we talk about Saul and we 208 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:43,880 think, oh, he, he was so, so evil. 209 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:47,000 He was doing all these crazy things and he was he stone. 210 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,400 He was a part of stoning Steven and all these things. 211 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,440 We have to understand and not forget that he believed what he 212 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,520 was doing was for God. Saul was a Jew. 213 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,000 We have to be reminded of that sometimes too. 214 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,240 And he thought he was doing his duty, his duty by persecuting 215 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:10,000 these people who followed, whom he thought was a a false 216 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:14,200 Messiah. But the reality known to us is 217 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,960 that he is in opposition of what God was doing. 218 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:22,480 When we get to Acts 9, verse 3, earlier in the chapter, it says, 219 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,680 And he journeyed, and he came near Damascus, and suddenly 220 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,880 there shined round about him a light from heaven, and he fell 221 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,760 to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why 222 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:37,840 persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? 223 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,440 And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecute us. 224 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,160 It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 225 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:48,920 And he trembled and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou do 226 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,640 have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, 227 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:55,320 Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told of thee what 228 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,280 thou must do. Verse 6 is showing us something 229 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,600 about Saul that he's finally asking the right questions. 230 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:08,960 He is asking what God would have him do before Saul couldn't do. 231 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,320 He he could do anything for God, he, he, he. 232 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,640 But but before anything could happen, God had to strip him of 233 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:18,160 everything. He had to strip him of what Saul 234 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,000 thought. He made him strong. 235 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:24,560 And so when Saul opens his eyes in verse 8, the man who was 236 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:30,720 confident, who was going to persecute Christians, he was not 237 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,840 able to see a thing. And so he he arose from the 238 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,320 earth in verse 8 and says, and when his eyes were open, he saw 239 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,840 no man, but they led him by the hand, those that were with him, 240 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:43,800 and they brought him to Damascus. 241 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,160 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor 242 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,640 drink. And so we have saw the confident 243 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,000 man. The he is, he is just, he is 244 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,920 doing justice for God. And now he is a shell of a man. 245 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,800 He is no, he is not the same person. 246 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,200 He already he was already, but he has not even completely 247 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,000 changed from what we're going to get to. 248 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,400 And we have Saul being led to the city. 249 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,920 And most would think by this point we're just being honest. 250 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,280 We're going to say, oh, he got what he deserved. 251 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,040 We look at that and we think that is right. 252 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,600 That's right, Saul. That's what you get for, for 253 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:23,280 dealing with God's people and our humanity. 254 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,760 Our humanity wants that justice and, and I don't blame you. 255 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,600 I don't blame you for wanting that justice, but God had other 256 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,480 plans. God came with the two disciple 257 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:37,000 named Ananias and the Lord comes to him in a vision and told him 258 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,840 to find this man named Saul. And God tells him to find him, 259 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,560 put his hand on him, that he could receive his sight, because 260 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:48,880 a few verses earlier, Saul had been spoken to by God to go into 261 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,000 that city and that he was going to be, he was going to be told 262 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,320 what to to do. So Ananias is processing all 263 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:59,640 that the Lord had said. And with that, this is what the 264 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:01,360 first thing that comes out of his mouth. 265 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:04,760 He's talking about what evil Saul had done. 266 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:09,720 He's talking about, do you remember the reputation that 267 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:13,319 Saul has? Do you remember God, what he has 268 00:17:13,319 --> 00:17:17,280 done to your people? And he's talking about how you 269 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:21,160 know he has the authority to bind people who call upon Jesus. 270 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,200 And I like how the message Bible says in verse 13 and 14 of Acts 271 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:30,760 9, it says Ananias protested. Master, you can't be serious. 272 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,080 Everybody's talking about this man and the terrible things he's 273 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,400 been doing, his reign of terror against your people in 274 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,400 Jerusalem. And now he's shown up here with 275 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:43,480 the papers from the chief priest that give him license to do the 276 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:47,360 same to us. And so Ananias was responding to 277 00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:52,280 Saul's reputation and God was asking him to see beyond his 278 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,600 reputation. You know, we, we understand, you 279 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:59,440 know, Saul had been a great enemy of the Christians of the 280 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:03,920 the the gospel of Christ Christian since Acts 7 and when 281 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,000 they had stoned Stephen. But this is where you have to 282 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,000 understand that even someone who responds to the Lord with 283 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,120 obedience, we still voice objections. 284 00:18:14,120 --> 00:18:19,480 We have our opinions. God, I have some amendments to 285 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:23,600 to the plan. Maybe not him, right? 286 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:28,800 It makes no sense to Ananias. He's like, Lord, hold up. 287 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:32,000 But that's the thing that we have to understand. 288 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,920 That's why we have to see how God sees. 289 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,440 We don't see the potential because we're focused on the 290 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:43,000 reputation. We'll, we'll, we'll think that, 291 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,800 oh, you know, this happened or that happened that this person 292 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:48,840 did, and that's what they deserved. 293 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,320 But you remember, you remember, we have, we have this wonderful 294 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:55,240 thing called memory and we remember it. 295 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:01,080 They did such and such. And yet the deal is that Ananias 296 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:03,840 was making these claims based off of that reputation. 297 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,680 He didn't know Saul. He didn't, he didn't see any 298 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,280 potential. All he saw were the things that 299 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:12,680 he had done and the things that he had heard. 300 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:16,880 That's important. Oh, have you heard? 301 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,040 Uh oh. You know, sometimes we have to 302 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,280 just kind of shut off the gossip train. 303 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:30,160 I'll take a drink, but maybe somebody should talk to us like 304 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:34,040 Jesus did to those who wanted to stone the woman who committed 305 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,040 adultery. If you're without sin, cast the 306 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,600 first stone. Go on the the man Christ Jesus 307 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,080 God robed in flesh. He could have, but he didn't. 308 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,320 People mess up, people make mistakes, but if we as the 309 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:53,520 church are not able to see the potential of those people like 310 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,280 God does, then why would they have a desire to be in church 311 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:03,360 with us? So we get to God's reply of 312 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:06,920 Ananias to Ananias in verse 15 it says, But the Lord said unto 313 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:13,920 him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my 314 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:17,520 name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of 315 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:20,040 Israel. For I will show him how great 316 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,920 things he must suffer for my name's sake. 317 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,640 When we get into verse 17. Ananias he, he obeyed. 318 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:30,880 He had no more more retorts or anything like that. 319 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:35,000 He went and Saul received his sight and he was baptized in the 320 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,240 name of Jesus, and he was received, He received the 321 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,360 baptism of the Holy Ghost, and he stayed in Damascus. 322 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,080 And then he was becoming accustomed to Christianity while 323 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:52,800 preaching. Chosen vessels do not require 324 00:20:52,800 --> 00:21:00,360 training, they require action. He, he was new to the gospel of 325 00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:03,200 Christ. And Even so, he was preaching 326 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,520 because he was chosen. He God will equip, it's a 327 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,680 classic one, but a God will equip the call, not call the 328 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,080 equipped, right? And with that, he is going and 329 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:17,840 he is preaching because he was chosen and his life was changed 330 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:20,320 with this. It could not be said that he 331 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:23,320 wasn't chosen because they were even amazed. 332 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,920 They were amazed by his preaching, the fact that just a 333 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:32,320 short time he was on his way on his way to persecute and just to 334 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,240 think about if you you feel inadequate about doing something 335 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,840 for God that God has called you to do. 336 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,400 You have to understand that no matter where you have been, no 337 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,200 matter the reputation that people try to remind you of that 338 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,120 God will equip you if you allow him to. 339 00:21:48,360 --> 00:21:52,840 Just days before Saul was on that mission and now he has a 340 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:55,640 different mission. He hadn't been taught how to 341 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:57,600 preach. He was just a new convert 342 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,680 preaching Jesus. God had equipped him at the time 343 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,920 that it was necessary. And so when time went by, verse 344 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,960 23 of Acts, the Jews who did not believe him were trying to plot 345 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,200 to kill Saul. They were determined that they 346 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:15,080 were watching the gates day and night. 347 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,680 And verse 25, Saul's disciples ended up lowering him in a 348 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,280 basket, letting him through an opening in the wall. 349 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,360 And I don't know about anybody else, but if I were Saul, I 350 00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:27,760 wouldn't feel too welcome in Christianity. 351 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,360 Saul had been preaching for many days. 352 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:35,400 And even though there were those people who were amazed, there's 353 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,840 always, there's always going to be the critics. 354 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,240 There's always going to be those that have something to say. 355 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:46,000 Well, have they really changed you still again, you still 356 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:53,560 remember what they Saints? I want you to understand 357 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,960 something. It doesn't matter what other 358 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:00,960 people tell you, or what the enemy tells you, or what you end 359 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,080 up talking to yourself in your mind about. 360 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:08,840 You have a role to play in the Kingdom. 361 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:14,080 You have a role to play in the Kingdom that has a purpose. 362 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,400 He does not care what you have done, where you have been, what 363 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,600 wrong decision you made that got you on the wrong path. 364 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,760 All that matters is that you are here now. 365 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,440 You may look in the mirror and you may think that the scars 366 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,080 they they do not they disqualify you. 367 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:35,880 The past that you have disqualifies you when really he 368 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:40,320 qualified you at the cross and when he took the nails for you 369 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,880 and for me. What you have been through could 370 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:48,040 just possibly be something that helps somebody else get to the 371 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,920 cross. Don't be deceived by anyone. 372 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:55,400 Don't be deceived by yourself to be to be convinced and believing 373 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,520 that you do not have a role in the Kingdom. 374 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:02,520 There is no hierarchy. There is no pedigree of anyone 375 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,480 here better than you. That means that that does not 376 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,560 mean that anyone is more worthy or perfect than you are. 377 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:13,160 You can be used of God more than you think you can. 378 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:19,920 The lie that the enemy hopes we believe is that we cannot be 379 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:24,440 used of God. And when we get to our opening 380 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:30,680 text of of verse 26 and 27, Saul comes to Jerusalem and he is in 381 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:35,800 hopes that he will be received by the disciples, the disciples. 382 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,760 And considering all the terrible things he he had done in the 383 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,400 past, I'm sure he was worried they wouldn't receive him. 384 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,840 And why would he feel welcomed when they were plotting to kill 385 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:52,160 him in Damascus? The disciples were afraid of 386 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,240 him. They couldn't believe that he 387 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,800 was a disciple. They could not see past his 388 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,560 past. I want you to understand 389 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,320 something. The leadership of FAC is not 390 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:09,760 going to plot to spiritually kill you, not going to split to 391 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,880 plot to spiritually kill you, especially not for your past. 392 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,440 Not for anything, but especially not for your past. 393 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:19,080 You are welcome here. We want you to be used by God. 394 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:23,520 We want your God-given talents to be used, your unique story to 395 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:27,040 be used to benefit the Kingdom of God. 396 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:31,880 This is not a Damascus church. Ladies and gentlemen, there was 397 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:36,760 a Barnabas and he took him in and he brought him to the 398 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:41,440 apostles and he told him about how he preached at Damascus and 399 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:43,480 that that message Bible states also. 400 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,000 He said he laid his life on the line. 401 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:50,360 Paul laid his, Saul laid his life on the line with his bold 402 00:25:50,360 --> 00:25:54,840 preaching in Jesus name. And so Saul is coming here, the 403 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:59,560 underdog, if you will, in this position of walking boldly to 404 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,640 having to be bold again in hopes to be received. 405 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,400 And they are weary. They are afraid because they 406 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,960 know the reputation that precedes him. 407 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,640 And they think about how awkward that would be to deal with this, 408 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:18,880 this person that you know, has this reputation, this evil 409 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:24,240 reputation against the gospel of Jesus Christ and this big task 410 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,480 of having to understand that God created that potential in him 411 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:32,960 and that he is a chosen vessel seeing through God's eyes. 412 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:37,280 If if Saul was that extreme against Christians, think about 413 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:42,960 what he could do as a Christian, as a conduit for the gospel of 414 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,920 Christ. We have to think and see as God 415 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:49,640 sees that sometimes the people that with the reputation that we 416 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,720 want to go back and look at the think about what could happen if 417 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,040 that is used for the Lord instead. 418 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:01,160 It didn't matter one bit what the disciples thought. 419 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:06,800 Saul was changed. His integrity had changed. 420 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,920 There had been this, this is going to be an ongoing testimony 421 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,760 in his ministry of what God could do. 422 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:17,760 He went from persecuting Christians to persecuting the 423 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,360 enemy of our soul. And the reason, the reason that 424 00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:26,000 David even overcame Goliath and overcame all the doubts around 425 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,160 him was not because he was qualified. 426 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:32,480 It was not about qualifications. It was about integrity. 427 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,800 He knew who the battle belonged to. 428 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:38,720 He was not trying to claim anything. 429 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:42,760 He was not trying to state that he was doing something great and 430 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:46,680 that Saul was terrible. He was anointed to replace King 431 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,240 Saul because King Saul's integrity had been impacted and 432 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,640 tainted. You see, King Saul, he was 433 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:58,520 chosen by God for a time, and it was Saul that ended up ruining, 434 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:03,040 not God. When we get to first Samuel 16 435 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:05,640 and seven, it even says the Lord sent him to Samuel. 436 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:09,800 Look not on his countenance or the height of his stature 437 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:11,680 because he looked good, he looked right. 438 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:14,680 It was the image part instead of the integrity part. 439 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:19,520 But God said, I refuse him, for the Lord seeth not as man seeth. 440 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:22,520 Again, there's that vision of seeing like God sees. 441 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:24,920 The man looketh on the outward appearance. 442 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:28,320 The man looketh on the reputation, if you will, but the 443 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:33,120 Lord Lord is looking on the heart in this verse. 444 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,720 He has. He got his talking to Samuel. 445 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,440 He's saying there is going to be a new king that is going to be 446 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:43,320 focused on integrity, not image, because man is focusing on the 447 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,320 image, not the integrity, not the heart. 448 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,720 Just because there is someone that would look absolutely 449 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:53,800 perfect for the job from our perspective, that does not mean 450 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,300 that there is not somebody on the sidelines that has quote UN 451 00:28:57,300 --> 00:29:01,960 quote reputation that actually would be better that maybe even 452 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:06,440 is a chosen vessel of the Lord because God has other plans for 453 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,120 the underdog. God has other plans for the 454 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,720 underdog. And in this story is Samuel 455 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,520 anointing a king God direct him toward David because he even 456 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:19,880 with that the age that he was, you know, Samuel just obeying 457 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:21,360 God. But maybe in his mind, even 458 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,680 thinking, this little kid, are you kidding me? 459 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,640 But here God is choosing this, this unlikely scenario, this 460 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:33,720 underdog for a purpose and for the potential that God had 461 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:37,640 placed in David's life. David was that servant to King 462 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:41,920 Saul and later multiple occasions, as we know, haunted 463 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:46,520 to be killed by King Saul. But it wasn't even until around 464 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:49,320 30 years old that David had become king. 465 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,880 He was a teenager when he was anointed. 466 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,880 We have to think about the fact that God may plant something or 467 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,360 start something in our life. It may take days, it may take 468 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,120 months, years to come to fruition. 469 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:08,000 But just because people tell you that you, you have a certain 470 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,160 reputation or you're, you're the underdog, so to speak. 471 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:16,320 That doesn't mean that you don't have a potential or a purpose in 472 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,880 the Kingdom of God that God has placed on your life. 473 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,800 Even though, even though there's all the mess of your past, maybe 474 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:28,000 that you looked at and you think that I that I am worthless, that 475 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:29,520 there is nothing that I could do. 476 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:33,600 Who who am I to think that I could do something God can take 477 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:37,280 that underdog story and make it into something that is beautiful 478 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:42,240 for his glory. There are times that maybe where 479 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:46,360 you have had had times of you and God and sometimes you may 480 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:50,480 all you have to do is do what David did is encourage himself 481 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,160 in the Lord. You may sometimes feel lonely. 482 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:55,560 I hope you don't. I hope you have brothers and 483 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,440 sisters that are around you that are encouraging you, and we 484 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:02,520 should do that as the Kingdom and this is a body ministry. 485 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:06,360 But if you have to encourage yourself and the Lord, I promise 486 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:08,360 you the Lord doesn't look at you any differently. 487 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:10,640 The Lord is looking at the integrity. 488 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:13,080 He's not looking at the image. He's not focused on your 489 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:16,360 reputation. He's focused on you at your 490 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:22,240 core. Though the thought could be 491 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:28,040 drawn about Barnabas that he had a godly faith in Saw that he saw 492 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:33,120 something in him that that that it took, it went beyond just the 493 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,360 physical. I would be inclined to think 494 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:40,480 that Barnabas had a discernment about him in this moment because 495 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,040 he felt inclined that Saul's integrity had been changed. 496 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:46,440 None of the other disciples stood up. 497 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:48,760 None of the other disciples said something. 498 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,800 It took Barnabas to bring them to him. 499 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:54,400 The other disciples didn't believe that Saul does. 500 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:57,560 The disciple even to the sense of being afraid, still being 501 00:31:57,560 --> 00:32:01,080 afraid of that reputation, Barnabas had faith. 502 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:05,880 Barnabas in the in the translation means son of 503 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:09,560 encouragement, and he saw that potential in Saul and he had 504 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:14,640 that faith in Saul and he was an encourager unto him. 505 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:22,960 We need some Barnabas that can come alongside the Sauls in the 506 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:26,000 church. We need to be able to see at 507 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:31,200 their core the integrity, not focusing on somebody, somebody 508 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,960 coming to us later and saying do you know who they are? 509 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:36,640 Do you remember what they've done or know what they've done? 510 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:38,920 That's not important. That's what they're. 511 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,440 What's important is the cross and the cross levels, the 512 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:45,440 playing field, the cross, everything. 513 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,720 Everything gets demolished at the cross and we have to 514 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,640 understand we need to be a Barnabas to somebody that we 515 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:56,880 could take them, take their hand and say, hey, it's OK, I've been 516 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,040 somewhere too. I did. 517 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:05,480 I did such and such too. We have to understand the hearts 518 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,440 of the issue. If we if we don't feel like the 519 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:12,440 person for the job, that's OK. Many people, you can read your 520 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:15,520 word and you can find many of people did not look like the the 521 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,400 person for the job. You want a good example of an 522 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,880 underdog? Look at your Savior. 523 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:27,120 He did not come. He did not come robed in kingly 524 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,240 garments. He came, he came as a lowly 525 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:32,520 servant. And we have to understand that 526 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:36,920 our Savior was killed because that was not what they thought 527 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:40,040 was going to happen. They had their own 528 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,840 interpretation of how God should handle things. 529 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,240 They were focusing on the, the, the revelation, the, the 530 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:51,200 revelation style of God, the, the Daniel and Daniel, the, of 531 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:57,640 the, the my gosh, Hallelujah, have your way, Lord. 532 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,440 They were focusing on the prophecies and focusing on the 533 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:03,120 things that are still yet to come. 534 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:08,360 They did not expect or assume. And in that, in that they 535 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:12,600 thought this is not the Messiah. He's supposed to come and, and 536 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:16,480 all these great and mighty things, but he came lowly first. 537 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:21,400 And we have to understand that that underdog story is one of 538 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:23,840 the greatest underdog stories of all time. 539 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:30,040 Came lowly so that he could defeat death, hell and the grave 540 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:36,159 for you and for me. No matter reputation, no matter 541 00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:40,320 where you have been, no matter if it you just got back or no 542 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:44,120 matter if you just got here. Does not matter. 543 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:50,800 Everything leveled at the cross. Music could come if we could 544 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:53,800 stand. I want you to understand that 545 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:57,240 God. God is going to send people, 546 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,320 whether the backslider or the new convert. 547 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:07,240 There is going to be reputation. We have to see past it. 548 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:10,880 We have to see beyond the reputation. 549 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:16,160 We have to see the integrity. We have to see if that person is 550 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:18,120 willing. Then God can do whatever he 551 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:22,040 wants, mold them and shape them into whatever He has planned. 552 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:24,520 That is not our decision to make. 553 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:29,480 God may even send Barnabas. Those are that are that feel 554 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:31,920 like Saul. Maybe you relate to Saul. 555 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,520 Maybe there's a Barnabas coming your way, but we need to be 556 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:38,720 Barnabas's when people are saying that it won't happen 557 00:35:38,720 --> 00:35:42,920 because because they are, they are not adequate, they are not 558 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:45,000 qualified. We need to come alongside them 559 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:50,560 and say God's got this God. God is more than able because 560 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:52,880 because I know what he brought me through. 561 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:56,560 I know what so and so was brought through. 562 00:35:56,880 --> 00:35:59,720 Look at them. I know what the Scripture says. 563 00:35:59,720 --> 00:36:04,760 People were brought through and even look at Saul and in so much 564 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:09,080 that they could be encouraged in the Lord that there would be 565 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:13,200 there would be those that could wrap their arms around a brother 566 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:17,240 or sister and say, you know what, God has a great plans for 567 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:19,760 you. God has something great for you. 568 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:22,320 You're going to be a conduit for the Kingdom. 569 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:25,920 You are going to minister to people that you have never even 570 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:29,800 met since Adam and you are going to be a great conduit for the 571 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:31,920 Kingdom. And there is going to be great 572 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:34,960 things that you have capabilities of doing that I do 573 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:36,400 not. You're going to have 574 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:39,720 capabilities of speaking to people that I do not because of 575 00:36:39,720 --> 00:36:44,400 your reputation, because of the story that you have to tell. 576 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:48,160 You are going to be able to minister differently and better 577 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:52,080 to some people that I cannot. We need, we need those type of 578 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:56,320 people that are going to encourage, encourage those don't 579 00:36:56,320 --> 00:37:00,760 live under that reputation. Let it be something that can be 580 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,960 buried and used instead of something that is a weight 581 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:07,120 because he's calling us beyond it. 582 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:10,080 He's calling us beyond it tonight. 583 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:14,440 I wonder these altars are open. I wonder if we if we feel like 584 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:16,840 Saul tonight. I'm asking you as a church body 585 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:19,760 to reflect on that. If if we don't feel like Saul, 586 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,360 then reflect on Barnabas. How can I be more of a 587 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:27,360 encourager to those around me, those that are coming in, those 588 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,440 that are about and then they need some encouragement. 589 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:32,920 They feel like they they have lost it. 590 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:36,160 They have not been, they have not been the good Christian or 591 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:39,120 maybe they have just gotten in. They feel like they're not 592 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:43,280 worthy, They're God made, made worth at the cross. 593 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:45,640 He deemed us worthy at the cross. 594 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:50,000 The cost was already paid. It is a level playing field at 595 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,120 the cross. And so we have to understand 596 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:54,000 that. We have to ask ourselves if 597 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,720 we're willing to see people beyond their reputation. 598 00:37:57,080 --> 00:37:59,320 I have done. We have to think also, if we 599 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:03,440 feel like saw all the underdogs in the room, then you may stand 600 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:06,800 there and go through the list in your mind of the reasons that 601 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:10,640 you are disqualified. But I'm telling you, God may be 602 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:14,880 looking at you and waiting. He may be waiting to use you. 603 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:19,400 He may be waiting to use your story and your talents and your 604 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:21,720 life for the benefit of the Kingdom. 605 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:28,480 These altars are open tonight. Who knows what could have 606 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:32,760 happened Saul's trajectory and if the disciples all refused 607 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:34,440 him. Who knows what could have 608 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:37,040 happened if there wasn't a Barnabas who had looked at the 609 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:41,880 heart of Saul and taken him by the hand or lapped his arm 610 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:45,600 around him and said this is going to be a benefit for the 611 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:49,040 Kingdom. God sees you and your potential. 612 00:38:49,240 --> 00:38:53,080 God sees you and your integrity. Don't let the naysayers in. 613 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:57,080 Don't let it in your head cause you to lose faith in yourself 614 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:02,200 and faith in your God. We have to have the underdogs to 615 00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:05,880 enter into the Kingdom of God, that they would be a conduit for 616 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:06,920 revival.