The Great Mystery: The Body Of Christ

[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every true revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's word.! May you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you.

[0:15] Let's all turn our Bible to Acts chapter 9, reading from verse 8 to 31. It says that, And to him said the Lord in a vision, And he said, And the Lord said unto him, And inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus.

[1:09] For behold, he prayeth and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight.

[1:21] Then Ananias answered, How great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

[1:57] And Ananias went his way and entered into the house and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou comest, has sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

[2:18] And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales. And he received sight forthwith and arose and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened.

[2:32] Then was Saul setting days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straight away he preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God.

[2:44] But all that heard him were amazed and said, Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests.

[3:02] But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

[3:16] And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their laying in a wait was known of Saul.

[3:26] And they watched the gate day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket.

[3:39] And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples. But they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus.

[4:08] And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputing against the Christians.

[4:19] But they went about to slay him, which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.

[4:30] Then had the church rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walked in the fear of the Lord and in the come of the Holy Ghost were multiplied.

[4:43] Here ends the reading of God's word. Please let's pray. Father, we thank you for bringing us together for to hear your word. We pray that as your word is taught and as your word is preached, we pray that grant us access into yourself.

[4:57] We pray that let your word come with revelation, with the revealing of Christ. Let your word come to form Christ in us. Let your word come to prepare us for the days ahead.

[5:08] Let your word come to bring healing, to accomplish redemption, to accomplish what you have proposed to be accomplished in this day, in this building and beyond. Let your name be glorified.

[5:20] We rebuke the spirit of contention. We rebuke the spirit of religion. We rebuke the spirit of pride and arrogance. And we pray that grant us humility.

[5:32] Grant us a receiving heart. Deliver us from stiffness of neck and hardenedness of heart. We pray that let healings happen. Let miracles happen.

[5:44] Confirm your word with signs, wonders and miracles. To the glory of your name alone. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah.

[5:57] Praise God. Please be seated. Praise the Lord. It's always nice to be in church. And it's always fantastic to get to hear the word of God in church.

[6:10] So, from the text and from previous sessions, we saw how Saul was bent on stamping out anyone who attempts to call on the name of the Lord and closing down churches, not only in Jerusalem, but wherever the church was spreading to.

[6:28] He made it his godly vision, godly ambition to shut down churches. Little did he know that he was going to be the one to open more churches. And on his way to Damascus to go and carry out that mission, he encountered the Lord himself from what we saw in our last sessions.

[6:46] And the Lord said, it is difficult for you to kick against the gods, which implied there was something he was fighting against. Not just closing the churches, but there was something that was obvious to him, which he was intentionally trying to deny.

[7:04] When people come into contact with God's word, they know it's true. Let me say it again. When you come into contact with the gospel, you know the gospel is true. But you choose not to believe.

[7:17] Unbelief is a choice. It's not emotional. It's not feelings. And it's certainly not a strong intellectual positioning. Unbelief is a condition of the heart.

[7:29] So, he says that Jesus said, when the Holy Ghost comes, he will convict the world of sin. John chapter 16, verse 8 said, when he comes, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness.

[7:42] Verse 9. Verse 9 says that, of sin because they did not believe in me. That is the sin that sends people to hell. Not behavior. Even though our behavior will count as well.

[7:55] Our behavior will validate our punishment. But what sends people to hell is our rejection of Christ. And what makes people suffer, what validates the punishment of people in hell is our behavior.

[8:14] Our sinfulness. So, people will be punished in hell for their sinfulness. But the only way you can escape from hell is not because of your sinlessness. The only way anyone can escape from hell is believing in Christ as their Savior.

[8:32] And so, he went about trying to stop people. Meanwhile, he had heard the full gospel. Saul, Shaul, had already heard the full gospel.

[8:44] That's why he was fighting against them. Like they said, you have filled Jerusalem. In Acts chapter 5, verse 28, we told you not to preach in his name. You have filled Jerusalem.

[8:56] If you lived in Jerusalem, the chances are that you knew about Jesus Christ being the Messiah and the Savior. But now the choice was yours to reject it. You remember, when Stephen preached the message, the full gospel to them, they nashed their teeth against him and killed him.

[9:14] So, Saul was there killing him, knowing the gospel. He knew the gospel, but he chose, I won't accept this kind of gospel. And then, on his way to Damascus to stop the spread of the gospel, he met Jesus.

[9:28] And Jesus said, why do you persecute me? And he said, who are you? He said, I'm Jesus, who you are persecuting. It is difficult to kick against the ghost.

[9:39] Verse 6, arise. Somebody say arise. Arise. So, verse 6 says that the Lord told him, arise in the city you are going, keep going there. Arise and go there, and you'll be told what to do.

[9:51] I won't tell you what you're supposed to do. You ask me what to do. You'll be told what to do. Why? Because of the importance of the body of Christ. Everybody must be part of the body if you are in Christ.

[10:03] 1 Corinthians 12, verse 13 says that, by one spirit, will we all baptize into how many bodies? One body. In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 4 and 5, it talks about there is one body, one spirit.

[10:20] So, there are not several bodies. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 12, it says that, for us the body is one and has many members.

[10:31] How many of us here have more than one body? So, the food you are eating matters, please. Because you have only one body. You can't abuse your body and expect to go and use somebody as this body.

[10:50] We can have organ transplant, but no body transplant. There cannot be body swap. So, the body is one. So, he said, as the body is one, but has many members.

[11:02] So, sometimes you can transplant some members from one body. But as from when we talk about an actual body, an actual body is just one. So, but has many members.

[11:15] But all the members of that one body, being many, are one body. Many, but one body. We are many.

[11:25] And he says that, so, also, it is a church. It is a, so also is a church. So also is Christ. Christ has many members, but still one body.

[11:39] So, you are asking me what to do? Go. There are members of the body who are ready to assimilate you as one fellowship. For the sake of koinonia, I won't tell you. For the sake of one body, interaction, participation, joint fellowship, I can't tell you.

[11:57] Because I don't operate like that. So, he said, go, and you'll be told what to do. And then verse 7 says that, when you go, this is very funny, verse 7, a very interesting text. It says that, and the man who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no man.

[12:12] But Paul saw somebody, but they didn't see any man. But look at the next verse. That's where he started today's reading from. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, and when his eyes were opened, he didn't see anything.

[12:31] He opened the eyes. When you are told, open your eyes, that means you have to look at something. But he attempted to look. It wasn't like his eyes were closed.

[12:42] When he fell, the eyes were closed. After all that, he got up, opened his eyes, and he didn't see. When you open your eyes, you always see. But this gentleman opened his eyes, and he didn't see.

[12:55] He said, he saw no one, but was led, I'm sure he told the guys, I'm supposed to go to Damascus. Let's keep going. He said, should we go back? If this is the way, as we got close to Damascus, if this is what is happening, then what's going to happen?

[13:08] If we get there, when we enter. So I'm sure they might have wanted him to have gotten back or something about the mission. But he said, no, let's go. I've been told to go there. I have to obey.

[13:20] So they brought him to Damascus. And then, in Damascus, and he was there for three days without sight, and neither eat nor drink.

[13:33] He didn't eat, he didn't drink, he couldn't see. What was he doing? What was he doing? What was he doing? He didn't eat, he didn't drink, he didn't see. Maybe he was talking to people, but what he has seen, the experience he had had, was so wild.

[13:50] The things he decided he was going to spend all his life fighting, he has realized that he was very wrong. And as I submitted to you last week, it's not just finding out how wrong he was, that would have been more graphic to him.

[14:06] What would have been more graphic to him was not his eyes that couldn't see, not the voice he had, but the personality he realized he was dealing with. He encountered the body of Christ.

[14:19] He realized that I'm dealing with a body I don't know. I'm dealing with a personality I didn't know. That was the greatest thing, so it was a radical shock because Israel was a reflection of the church in the Old Testament.

[14:36] So when you study the Old Testament, there are imageries or portraits, portraits that God used, the Bible used to depict Israel.

[14:47] For instance, Israel was called a household. Israel was called the people of God. Israel was also called a family. So a household, a family, a kingdom, a people of God, the chosen ones.

[15:04] These were all the congregation of God, the assembly. So Bible calls them the church in the wilderness. So they were even, so if we are called a church, there was a church in the wilderness.

[15:16] You know, it was an imagery, it was portraits. So these are different portraits the Bible used for Israel. And these same portraits were used for the church.

[15:27] So the church is the household of God. The church is the family of God. The church is the chosen of God. The church is the flock of God. Israel, we didn't first call God our shepherd. David said, the Lord is my shepherd.

[15:40] God was shepherd over Israel. But the church is also a flock. It says, Acts chapter 20, verse 28, take it to yourself and to the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made you a shepherd, okay, or overseer, to shepherd the church of God.

[15:54] The church is a flock. So there are several portraits in the scriptures, in the scriptures of the New Testament that were applied to the church, which were similarly applied to Israel in the Old Testament.

[16:07] However, there was one that was never applied to the Old Testament, to Israel in the Old Testament, which was the body. the body. So, if you are a Jewish rabbi, you knew that, well, the people of God could be represented as a special group of people.

[16:27] The people of God could be represented as a congregation. The people of God could be represented as a family, a household. But you never, because it's not, it's not until Paul met Jesus, nobody ever knew that the church of God or the people of God could be his body on earth.

[16:49] Never! It was a hidden mystery within God himself. It was that mystery he encountered that radicalized his life.

[17:01] It was a deep mystery according to Ephesians chapter 3, verse 5. Ephesians chapter 3, verse 5 says that, which in, I think it's better to read from this. Permit me, let them just run through from this.

[17:12] Is that okay? He said, verse 1, maybe. I therefore the prisoner of Jesus Christ, if you have heard of the despair, verse 2, if you have heard of the despair. Oh no, no, verse 1, again, I saw something there. I'll come to it later.

[17:23] In Acts chapter 9, verse 15, he said, for this reason, I for the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you, for you, for you, we'll come to that. If you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God that is given to me towards you, how that by revelation, I like that.

[17:39] by revelation, he made, how that by revelation, God made known to me. Now, these things Paul was teaching according to Galatians chapter 1, verse 12, no man taught him.

[17:52] He said, no man taught me these things. He said, for I neither received it from man, nor was it taught me, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

[18:03] When he saw Jesus, something came to him, an understanding came to him, an insight was granted him, an opening was given him into the chambers of God, which no man knew.

[18:17] God showed him things that God himself has hidden within himself. You know, when you watch all those mafia kind of movies and the bad guy goes to kidnap somebody and they didn't know they had been kidnapped, he said, follow me.

[18:30] And the person, I said, I won't follow you. Then they show him the gun. No one showed. It's hidden. You didn't know it and he just does that. Okay, I'll follow you. There are things, God, watch this, watch this.

[18:44] That is why all other religions, including Judaism, struggle with Christianity. The claims of Christianity because they attempt to seek God. They've always attempted to seek God, to know more about God and the things they know about God does not include the foundation of Christianity.

[19:02] What made Christianity Christianity is not covered in the other religions. That's what was. So, the Jews, the Jews, even Peter, Peter, he had a glimpse of it but not into such dimension because he said, who do men say I am?

[19:20] He said, David, the Christ, Matthew 16, the son of the living God. No, he said, flesh and blood has not revealed this but the Holy Spirit. So, Peter, them knew something and they were teaching it but Paul was taking deeper.

[19:35] Why? Because he was a Pharisee. None of them was. He was a Pharisee taught by Gamaliel. He said, I'm a son of a Pharisee.

[19:47] Yeah, chapter 26, verse 8 or somewhere there. He said, I am a son of a Pharisee and he said, when it comes to the law, I was faultless. Hebrew of Hebrew, Philippians chapter 3, verse 5.

[20:01] He said, he said, he said, he said, he said, he said, he said, the tribe of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew among Hebrews, concerning the law, I am a Pharisee. Only count to the law.

[20:11] We take it far. We take it far, so you see how far we can go. Circumstance, verse 6 says that, concerning zeal, persecuting the church.

[20:25] I was too zealous about this whole thing. And so, nobody knew this. Back to Ephesians chapter 3, verse, do we get to verse 5, or we are in verse 4? We are just in verse 3.

[20:36] Alright, so verse 3, verse 4, it says that, it may be known, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the, mystery of what?

[20:48] Mystery of what? This is not just the mystery of God. The mystery, there is something that, doesn't meet natural mind about Christ. You can't intellectualize, you can't be educated enough to know it.

[21:02] You can't be educated enough to know it. That's why I said, man does not teach me this. It says that, if you read, you will understand, you will get, you will read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

[21:15] Verse 5, look at this, which in other ages, was not made known to the sun. Man couldn't know it. Was not made known to the sun. The earth is now being revealed by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets.

[21:26] Verse 6, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body. He's dropping it down. He's beginning to drop it. He said, we are talking about a body matter.

[21:39] In Ephesians chapter 2, verse 14, he himself is our peace. Oh, he himself is our, who has made both one and broken down the middle wall of separation. The next verse says that, having abolished in his flesh, the enmity, that is the law of commandment, contained the ordinance, so as to create in himself one human from the two that's making peace.

[21:57] Look at the next verse. Verse 16, he said, that he might reconcile both, that's the Jews and the Gentiles. He might reconcile both Jews and Gentiles in, I can't hear you, in, in, our body.

[22:12] So we come to God in a body. What is that body? The body of Christ. He picked Gentiles who never are supposed to have interactions, religious interactions with Jews.

[22:23] He picked them and he picked the Jews and he said, you know what? I'm going to tell all of you. So those of you who are far and those of you who are near, you are near, but you are not inside. I'm taking you inside.

[22:33] Oh, come on. I feel like preaching. And, and, and look at verse 17. Look at verse 17. Verse 17 said, and he came to preach peace to you who I were far off and to those who are near.

[22:43] Verse 18, and through him, we have access to, by one spirit, to the father. Then he said that, you are no longer strangers. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners for your fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household.

[23:03] Hallelujah. Paul was breaking it, breaking it. Then he represents the church as a temple. In that same, Ephesians chapter 2, verse 20, I'm going to Ephesians.

[23:16] Is it okay? And having been built on the foundation of the apostles and Christ himself being the chief. Connors, it is Paul. Watch this. It is only Paul who can write this.

[23:29] Why? It says that we are built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. He knew the prophets inside out.

[23:39] That's why when Stephen preached, Stephen messed him up. But, because the Bible said, because of the ignorance that is in them, Ephesians 4, 17, that word, ignorance in them, is willful ignorance.

[23:54] We choose not to know. We choose. We won't, and we accept it. So, Paul had this willful ignorance that I will know, even though he had heard the gospel, he said, no, Paul was familiar with the Old Testament.

[24:06] Quote anywhere, he will explain it to you. Then Stephen comes to explain it better to him. So, he said, when your martyr Stephen was being stoned, I stood by, I consented to his death.

[24:20] Acts chapter 22, verse 20. And, this is him talking to God. God came to him. He says that, leave Jerusalem quickly, verse 16. God said, leave Jerusalem because they will not accept your testimony.

[24:34] After he was baptized, let's go to the next verse 18, I think that is it. He said, make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly for they will not receive your testimony concerning me. And Saul decided to give God education.

[24:48] He decided to school God about his history. God, you don't know my resume? They know me. They know me. They know I'm not fake because I was killing the church. I was imprisoning people. They know I am not.

[25:00] And I was casting women and men, casting them into prison. They know I was imprisoning them. So, my testimony in Jerusalem, in fact, I can write on it. God said, don't be deceived.

[25:12] And then he went further and said, even, look at the next statement. Even when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was shed, I also was standing by concerning to his death and I guarded the clothes.

[25:26] So, people knew my testimony. You see, watch this. After many years, when he met God, he told God, his reference point was Stephen. That Stephen guy.

[25:37] Stephen's death, Stephen's preaching and style of death left an impact on the guy. That became the ghost he was kicking. And so, it became the platform of his ministry.

[25:50] Why? Because Stephen was the one who opened the Old Testament in the New Testament. He took entire Old Testament, opened it up to Saul and his quotes in the New Testament.

[26:00] And so, Saul, he says that when he comes to the church, he says that we have been built on the foundation not only of the apostles that people were trying to kill.

[26:12] Even if you try to silence the apostles, the prophets have spoken already. Church, the body of Christ is not a new thing God is doing.

[26:25] No. It's not new. God started building the church from Genesis. Oh, I feel like reaching. It is difficult to kick against the gods.

[26:41] It didn't start from when they were born or from Judaism. It started before Abraham. Jesus said before Abraham. I am. It started before Abraham.

[26:53] It started before Abraham. Right in the garden. right in the garden. Even before the garden. Church was talking.

[27:05] God was talking church before the garden. Can I prove it to you? Before the garden in Genesis chapter 1 verse 26 God said let us make man in our image.

[27:17] That's the description of the church. That's the description of the church. It's the image of God on earth. Let us make man in our image.

[27:31] The church is meant to have dominion because we work with the Lord of earth. That's why when he was ready to save Saul he said okay Saul now time. He didn't have a problem saving Saul.

[27:45] God doesn't have a problem saving anybody because the church has dominion. Dominion. said let us make man in our image. But that doesn't show that it's the church.

[27:56] Who told you? You have not read Romans chapter 8. You've only read Romans 8 28. You chose not to read the 29. That's why. All things work together.

[28:06] Can you leave that one? Move to verse 29 and you understand why all things work together. 29 it says that for whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed into what?

[28:20] Into what? Into what? His image. So we are all being cloned into the image of the son. God said let us make man in our image.

[28:31] And that image was distorted by sin. It wasn't the full image until Christ steps on the sin. It's how I feel like preaching. He said if you have seen me you have seen the father.

[28:43] I and the father are one. I am the express image of the father. And so if God is cloning the church into the image that is Genesis story now.

[28:58] Oh if I were y'all shout hallelujah. Let us make man in our image. And so Paul said we have been built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.

[29:13] You can't shut the church down. It's too late. The church was started before your great great great grandfather was started. The church was started before United Kingdom was discovered.

[29:29] The church was started before Moses. Moses. Moses. Moses. Moses. Remove thy fruit from where you are standing as the holy.

[29:41] Before Moses was discovered. Church. Before David said I want to build you a house. God said I'm already doing it. God said I'm already doing it boy.

[29:55] I'm already doing it but there's a man who has to make it an actualization. So because you have requested to be part of it. When that man is coming I'll make sure he's your son. That was the message of Stephen.

[30:07] Stephen ended by saying but God. So he said David desired. Acts chapter 7 from verse 44, 45, 46. David desired of God.

[30:17] When he found favor with God. He desired to build him a house. When he found favor before God he asked can I find a dwelling for the God of Jacob? Then Stephen said but Solomon built it.

[30:31] So that dwelling David desired Solomon built it. Then Stephen said however the most high God does not dwell in temples made by hands. and so if anyone has to build something for God on earth it is not you can't use your hands.

[30:47] So that means what Solomon built is not it. Then after he said this Stephen turned on them. He said you are killing prophets and you have killed the holy one. He's the one building. When Peter said you are the Christ the son of the living God.

[31:01] He said flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father. Then he said I tell you upon this rock I will build my church. I will build not your church. I feel like preaching.

[31:12] I will build my church. The church is not for any pastor. When you find a church that belongs to a certain pastor don't go there. That's why it's only Christ who can be the head of the body.

[31:32] If you are looking for your wife and you see that this body looks like my wife but it's not their face. Somebody has put a different head on your wife's body or somebody has tried to look like your wife but you identify when they are looking for your ID.

[31:54] They don't need a whole body scan. Their face tells you which body we are dealing with. In the same way Christ being the head we are the body on the earth.

[32:05] If any church any church any church you go and you can't see the ID of Christ is not the body of Christ. Being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets and they look at what he said Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.

[32:26] The next verse I'm saying too much too long on efficiency. in whom also in whom the whole building being fitted together grows. The building is growing into a holy temple.

[32:38] And then Paul after saying all these things he comes that I therefore the prisoner of Christ if you have heard no verse 21 go to Ephesians chapter 2 verse 21 quickly. Stay on that same text.

[32:50] Built into a holy temple. Look at the next verse. Move to the next verse. Verse 22 in whom also we are being built together into a dwelling place in the spirit. We are a dwelling place of God. Did you hear that?

[33:02] You want to know where God dwells? We are being built for that purpose. That's why church. So from Genesis God created the earth so he can have a habitation.

[33:18] That's the only reason why God created the earth. He created the earth so that he can create a place where he can dwell but not in physical things. That's why he created Adam.

[33:29] So he can put himself into Adam and then before he could come in, he wanted Adam to invite him in. That's why you have to be born again, not by force. You can't someone can all other religions you can be forced to be.

[33:44] You can be forced but no one can come to church but no one can force you to be a Christian. You can never be forced to be a Christian because it's from your heart. You have to accept Jesus. You have to say Jesus come into my heart.

[33:57] Jesus I receive you into my heart. And that is how it works. That's the only way the church spreads. The Bible said and as many as received that.

[34:08] Their word was not forced on them. They have to receive it. And Paul spoke in Acts chapter 19. Some people didn't receive the word. He moved away from them. He moved away and went somewhere else. He says when you go they don't receive you.

[34:19] Move away. You can't force people to become Christians. Christians. And you cannot be a Christian by birth. You were born a Christian. What's the meaning of that? How can you be born?

[34:30] You can be born another religion. But maybe you are talking about Christianism. But Christianity you cannot be born a believer. You can't be born a believer. How can you be a believer when you are born?

[34:42] Because you have to come to a place where you believe. And before you believe you have to hear something. You have to hear something. That's why the church cannot leave the preaching of Christ and start focusing on all kinds of things.

[34:57] We stop the salvation program if we stop preaching the gospel. It takes only the gospel. The gospel is the message about Jesus. Who he is and what he did on the cross for us sinners.

[35:09] That's the gospel. If we stop preaching that salvation stops. Salvation stops. So quickly and he says that we are being built as the dwelling place of God.

[35:22] Then look at the next verse. Strangely look at the next verse. Then goes chapter 3. If you have heard about the grace of God given to me. If you have heard about the grace of God given to me. That by revelation the mystery may not be the mystery.

[35:35] The mystery which if you read you understand my knowledge of the mystery. Look at verse 5. Who which in other ages was not meant to the sons of men but is now revealed by the spirit to the holy apostles and prophets.

[35:50] Now it's revealed. revealed. So Isaiah spoke about it but did he know? Isaiah was speaking about it. What was this? Why didn't he know? God has hid it in himself.

[36:01] And there's a depth into this person called Christ. Christ. The son of God. Christ. There's a depth in it. And so the apostles were teaching things that now is being revealed by the holy spirit.

[36:17] The prophets spoke about things. They were saying deep things but they didn't know. It's now that's to be revealed. When was the now? After the cross. Man can know. And now look at the next verse.

[36:28] I want you to see something. That's why I came to this text. And that the Gentiles the message that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body. Of the same body.

[36:41] Peter them were preaching to Jews. You couldn't stop Paul from preaching to Gentiles. Why? It was part of his calling. Because the Jews thought Christianity is just an extension of Judaism.

[36:55] Or upgraded version. To a certain extent it makes sense because you can't separate the Old Testament from the New Testament. So if you are Old Testament practitioner and now you have upgraded you can just continue the New Testament.

[37:09] So they thought that the continuation was still a Judaism thing. but they didn't know it was a global thing. It was an all-inclusive thing. They didn't know that it was a God program for humanity.

[37:22] He told Abraham in you shall all the families not only the Jews shall all the families of the earth be blessed. When he was calling Abraham he said that in you what I've started I'm going to root it through you.

[37:35] He rooted through him so that I can get the Jews because for Jesus to come he must come as somebody who knew from amongst the people who had a relationship with God and on earth. Nobody had a relationship with God apart from the Jews.

[37:48] God called them to form a relationship with himself so that the revelation of God can be made known on earth to a certain extent. So Bible says Galatians chapter 4 verse 4 in the fullness of time God sent forth his son born of the woman born where under the law.

[38:05] He had to come within the jurisdiction of God's operations. He had to come among the people who had the oracles of God because if you don't have the oracles of God you can't accommodate any work of God.

[38:17] So God's work something must be going on for God. That is why he called Abraham so he can have a Jewish community amongst whom he himself will step down and become one of them so that he can now open it up to humanity.

[38:34] And Paul said this thing was hidden. So the prophets spoke about it but they didn't know what they were talking about. Then look at the next verse. I'm teaching Ephesians.

[38:45] that the Gentiles should be followers of the same body partakers of the promise in Christ through the gospel.

[38:56] Do you see the gospel church? Let's not stop preaching the gospel. One of the things we shouldn't have too much time for is debating people who say I don't believe.

[39:08] you didn't hear what I said. Some religious some atheists I'm not saying there are times where we can engage in intellectual discourse but that is not the message.

[39:23] You don't need to know how to debate at 80s. You just need to know what the gospel is and let the gospel out of the because Stephen debated. his debate was an exceptional debate.

[39:37] And yet they killed him. So it's not our intellectual argument that wins the people. It's the revelation of Jesus. It's the revelation of Jesus. If you can preach Jesus I told you something that anyone who hears the gospel will know that the gospel is true.

[39:55] Now the choice is this. Either to accept or not. It's not my job to make you accept. It's my job. It's you a believer. It's your job to release the lion out of the cage.

[40:09] So he said, let's stay there. Is it okay brothers and sisters is it okay? That the Gentiles should be particular of which I became a minister of this kind of thing I'm talking about.

[40:22] I became according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the factual of his power. That to me would I'm less than the least of all the saints because he was killing the church. I was less than all the least.

[40:34] I'm lower. I'm not qualified. That this grace was given that I should preach there to amongst the Gentiles. You see the Gentiles here? Preach among the Gentiles their unsetable riches.

[40:45] that's the mystery. Now all along this is what I'm trying to come to verse 9. That's why I went to verse 1. Verse 9 says that to make all men see the fellowship of this mystery.

[40:56] That fellowship is the administration. How it works. The economy. It says the administration of this mystery. Watch this. Which for ages has been hidden in God who created all.

[41:11] Ah! So when God created everything he hid something in himself. And Paul fell from his horse. But forgive me.

[41:22] Paul fell and he heard him. So why are you persecuting me? That's why the message I was trying to. That me. That me. That me was the biggest ever me you could ever think about.

[41:35] Me. I'm a theologian. I was taught by Gamaliel. I am an expert in the Old Testament. Who is this me? He said there's no difference between me and the disciples on earth.

[41:48] Jesus said you are persecuting me. And so that opened up a new chapter in his life. Then he went. He couldn't see. He didn't eat. He didn't drink.

[42:00] This thing. This thing. He was not trying to unravel the depth. That's why no one taught me this. I'm not saying everything was taught within that three days. It's also everything I was taught.

[42:12] But that was the beginning. So for the first three days it was like crash course. What the disciples used three years to do. Three days. Three days.

[42:24] A crash course three days. Of this Jesus. This mystery person who is in heaven yet operating on the earth physically. valley. What was he doing?

[42:37] Think about it. It will definitely be something big on his mind. He was not eating. He was not drinking. He couldn't see. But there is one thing the Bible said he was doing.

[42:48] God comes to Ananias. Let's look at verse 10. He says, I think let's go. Let's go. At Damascus named Ananias.

[43:00] To him the Lord said in a vision. Ananias. And he said, here am I. Ananias. To him God said in a vision. Say vision.

[43:11] Say it again. God said to him the vision. He said, here am I. What's it? He said, go to the Lord said to him. Ananias was a very good according to Acts chapter 22 verse 12.

[43:24] A devout man according to the law. The law had an impact on their Christian life. And he was a disciple. But when it comes to the law, he was a very devout person.

[43:38] He wasn't that reckless and who has become born again. He was very decent man, has become born again. He was still very super decent. Having a good testimony testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there.

[43:49] The Jews knew that sometimes people say, you know these Christians, but this guy is a Christian. I like him. The Bible says that among the Jews, he had a good testimony with even Jews.

[44:01] So he didn't have to be disciples. Even generally the Jews. This guy is a very decent guy. Decent guy. Not only the church people. Because some of us, our only testimony is the people in the church.

[44:15] Because they don't know you. And you are always in your presentation mood. Hallelujah brother. Hallelujah sister. Praise God. Hallelujah. Praise God.

[44:26] Hallelujah. Praise Ananias. So the Lord goes to Ananias and he says Ananias that go arise. Isn't interesting that then the Lord said to him what? Is it not the same thing the Lord said Ananias arise and go.

[44:45] When God is dealing with you he always demands an action. Before you ask him to act on your life he will always ask you to act. Before God acts in your life he will ask you to act.

[44:58] That kind of Christianity that doesn't place any demand on your actions is not authentic. That kind of Christianity that does not place any demand on your actions is not authentic.

[45:09] Before God acts he will ask you to act. So he will speak when God wants to bless you. He will give you an instruction. That's the way God blesses. He gives instructions.

[45:21] When Jesus was talking about the beatitude at Matthew chapter 5 blessed are they that blessed are they that blessed are they you have to be doing something to be in!! blessing is!

[45:37] human doings! Anyway so he said arise and go! And Ananias was giving God a lecture Jesus a lecture that arise and go to the street called Strait and inquire in the house of Judas one called Saul of Tarsus oh I don't think I have time to it just it comes from Tarsus okay because of my time for behold for behold for behold for behold for behold for so he was not eating he was not drinking he was not seeing but there's one thing he was doing the Bible is categorical about that he said the guy he is praying no he prayed after he met Jesus he shut down everything and he was praying that crash course in prayer and you know anytime you focus on God and you pray!

[46:37] silence let the earth be silent oh yes praise waits for you another translation talks about how when God is coming let every distraction be cleared off clear off distractions that word silence there when you look at different translations he rendered it differently trying to tell us that when you are seeking God's attention you must clear your declutter get rid of distractions the chief it says to you belongs silence a submissive wonder of reverence and it bursts into praise silence so God says I need to shut you down you are too busy so close his eyes you won't see anything so that you can focus on what I'm showing you there been times I'm reading my Bible when I make a mistake and I leave the TV on!

[47:36] I read many times when I'm reading my Bible I just turn off my phone because distractions somebody oh okay oh email has come through distractions so God said you don't have to see anything Paul himself said that my eyes were blinded by the brightness of the light God says 22 verse 12 13 14 verse 13 the brightness of the light it was so bright it got him blind is that how God calls people soul everybody's own will be different God said since I could not see for the glory give me King James please for the glory of the light okay NIV I want something that doesn't use the glory yes is that the Lord is that NIV told what you do okay because the brilliance of the light had blinded me the light was so brilliant it blinded me by it was on purpose so that

[48:44] God can have his undivided attention maybe some things have delayed because God hasn't gotten your undivided attention God hasn't got your undivided!

[48:54] I believe! I believe you it January he got your attention but as soon as fasting ended he didn't get your attention again he didn't get your attention again even the time you come to church tells us how much of your attention God has God stole I want your undivided attention got him blind and the guy was not eating wasn't drinking but out of the shock he has seen this mystery thing that human mind cannot encapsulate there's no way the human mind can be wrapped around the mystery of God in Christ so this is too much and he was praying he was praying praying praying praying and I believe as he was praying something was also happening look at the next verse he says that let's go to the previous verse let's go to the previous verse let's start from in the house of Judah for one of

[49:57] Tarsus let's start from here let's go he prayed next verse and in a vision only no no only the one two three four ways okay and let's say it again let's add the two words to his sin let's go he has sin one more time and in a vision he has sin how did he end up seeing a vision he is praying and in a vision he has sin so this praying exposed him to visions that's why one of can you imagine the things he will see the more suddenly he will be getting proper understanding about the old testament description of this mystery person who is living on earth physically on earth but in heaven who can show up anywhere he wants to and talk to anybody he wants to who is being preached by people he's the same person he's being preached!

[51:08] so then he'll be having more that's why he said I was not taught now remember this he said oh can agree but I was not disobedient to the heavenly to the what as long as we know the first heavenly vision he saw was when the light came that was the something came from heaven and arrested him I was not disobedient to this heavenly vision and all his life he was suddenly for the three day crash course he was discovering more of Jesus and having visions and one of the things I believe he saw was a man coming to pray for him because within those visions he was having was also the graduation day of the three days because when is this three day crash course ended God also showed him there's a man and it says that in a vision he saw!

[52:01] saw a man I don't know whether in a vision the name was written on him but he has seen somebody's name you see the person and his name you hear or you see that means he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight finally he can open his eyes to see Ananias he seen a vision a man named Ananias coming so he said go to him and go and pray for him so what I showed him in the vision you know what is interesting God comes to Ananias and shows him a vision and goes to Saul and show him and put them together God is because I've heard by many that this man

[53:02] I've heard from many he's not the first person to do this Jonah did the same thing even Moses when God called him to go to I can't talk Jeremiah when God called him Jeremiah said I'm a young man I'm a small boy I don't say I'm a small boy I don't say that I don't know what you are telling God after you know God is calling you usually when God calls you there's always a natural reaction oh God but if I break out with this guy how am I going to get money to buy all the Gucci he has promised me a packing bag if I break out with him I don't get the packing bag so let me wait and get it meanwhile he's going to buy it in 10 years later there's always there's there's always there's always a reaction God is speaking to you you speak back back you know he's speaking to you that's what they're speaking you know that's what they're speaking you know if there are people here

[54:07] God has told you if you want me to really secure your marriage do ABC you are not doing it you are not doing some people here God has told you it hoping that God will forget what he has said so Ananias said God he was giving God he said in fact he has I've heard about this man how much harm King James says how much evil he has done how much evil he has done to thy saints that's the first time the word saints is used in the New Testament first time the word saints saints who are saints it's not some dead people saints they're talking about the people of God they are sanctified Romans chapter 1 verse 7 talks about saints the saints are sanctified says that to all who are in Rome beloved of God called to be saints not those who are dead called to be saints those who are in Rome called to be saints 1st

[55:16] Corinthians chapter 1 verse 2 talks about to the church of God which is our Corinth those who are sanctified and called to be saints so the saints is not somebody dead it's the people of God it's the people of God and Ananias even spoke about how he was causing harm to the saints anyway because of my time I think I will leave the saints matter and Ananias said he has done a lot to your saints and then verse 14 says that and here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all those who call on how does he identify the believers they call on the name of the Lord because of my time I can't dig into that one too calling on the name of the Lord was the easiest way to identify the believers 1st Corinthians the same thing I read 1st Corinthians all who in every place you see that every place in Romans chapter 10 verse 13 it says that for whoever shall call on the name of the

[56:19] Lord that's how you get saved that's how you are a believer a believer believers call on the name of the Lord so Paul Saul was coming to Jerusalem to come and look for the people who are calling on the!

[56:31] So in verse 21 he said is this not he who destroyed those he wasn't destroying everybody he started to those who called on the name of the Lord so in Acts chapter 22 verse 16 look it's very nice Ananias told him that now why are you waiting arise and be baptized wash away your sins you to join us let's call on the name of the Lord so Ananias said he has received!

[57:10] all those who are calling on the name of the Lord and God said after Ananias spoke God said go but the Lord said go listen he is not an instrument God is not looking for instruments God is not looking for tools God is not looking for accoutrements don't worry you will understand it one day anytime you use instruments and machines it makes work go faster any farmer who uses machines will produce more than someone who is just using natural manual labor so machines are good and God in a certain sense we can be instruments in his hands we can be instruments in his hands we can be tools in his hands we can be his battle axe but really that is not God's ultimate God's actual agenda is for us to be vessels!

[58:06] and that's what Paul understood when Ananias came and Ananias said God told Ananias that he's going to be I've chosen him to be a vessel what's the difference between a vessel and an instrument a vessel contains the value of the vessel has to do with what is inside it the woman came and broke the alabaster box and the Bible says the perfume was all over the place a friend of mine very nice perfume I love it when I got back home it fell on the table and smashed it is not the bottle I don't know why perfume bottles are always so nice but sometimes when the bottles are so nice you don't even know what to do with the bottle afterwards why is so nice meanwhile it's not the bottle you are looking for it's the content vessel it's meant to be art gallery and go and buy the creative you don't find vessels there it's the creations you find even if you find a vessel that is meant for decoration there are vessels that are not meant to be used there are some teacups that are not meant to contain teas so it was

[59:26] Paul who then opened us up in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 20 says in a big house there are not only cheap vessels but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but what are the vessels he's talking about us and what is the house the house the house of God is one big house and he said in a great house there are vessels so Paul is the one who introduced the idea of we being vessels of God 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7 he said we have this treasure in earthen vessels talking about our human vessels it's earth sometimes you are so tired sometimes you are so tempted sometimes you are so human and yet we carry the oil of the holy ghost in our vessels precious heavenly content in earthly vessels in human vessels human vessels that can be tired that can even disappoint you yourself sometimes your vessel disappoint you yourself are disappointed by yourself and yet you are meant to be a container of the holy ghost oil container so he said

[60:38] I've called him to be a vessel in Romans chapter 9 verse 22 and 23 it talks about we human beings as being vessels it says that what if God wanting to show his wrath and to make his power known and you with much suffering the vessels of wrath prepared unto destruction then the next verse and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy we are the vessels of mercy and this is Paul's submission because he had another understanding about we even though we are body of Christ as individual members we are meant to be vessels God told I have chosen to be a vessel to bring the Gentiles to bring the message to the Gentiles because Peter their last destination was the Jews they pushed and they were in the territories the farthest

[61:38] Peter went was Cornelius in the territories! But God said I called Abraham because of the church and the church is not just Jewish the church is human the church is universal the church must be everywhere and this first Corinthians that I read chapter 1 verse 2 says that to all those who call on the name of the Lord in every way the church is supposed to be and Paul was given the assignment to take the thing beyond the dead so in Galatians chapter 2 verse 2 Galatians chapter 1 verse 16 let's start you see that that's Paul talking that I will preach among the Gentiles Galatians chapter 2 verse 2 he said I went up by revelation and commune to them that gospel which I preached among the Gentiles he was preaching among the Gentiles look at 2 verse 8 he is talking about Peter his ministry was to the

[62:39] Jews he said for he who worked effectually in Peter for the apostorship the Gentiles look at verse 9 verse 9 says that and James and Cephas and John who seemed to be peerless when they perceived that the grace had been given to me they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go to the Gentiles the Gentiles it's littered all through scripture Romans chapter 15 16 it's everywhere in scripture about how Paul's ministry was primarily to the Gentiles it doesn't ignore Jews but his assignment was to now incorporate Gentiles into the body so that the Gentiles will be part of their body say the body now quickly as I run up now I was going to verse 31 but Ephesians took much of the time did you enjoy Ephesians let me run up so he went and then quickly and to bring the gospel to the kings here you can see he stood before

[63:49] King Agrippa chapter 25 verse 26 he said Ephesus told Agrippa I have nothing certain to write to Caesar concerning Paul therefore I have brought him out before you King Agrippa because God has said this guy is going to be testifying before kings that's not why Ephesus was doing it but it was always playing the plan of!

[64:12] when you look at chapter 26 verse 1 Canagra said to Paul you are permitted to speak for yourself so Paul stretched out his arms and answered for himself before the king God said I have called this guy to be a witness to me to the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel as well and the children of Israel he had this very peculiar assignment that is why he was Roman by politics he was Greek by philosophy and he was Jewish by religion wherever you passed he would be able to fit in today God called him for something that special and then so he said quickly the next verse and I will show him how many things he will show for my name he was making a post so far but I said now it's the I will show him this is not vision suffering it's the actual suffering I will give him those who have been saying I want experience in God I want experience he said I'll give him a godly experience so Ananias enters the house and he says brother

[65:13] Saul quickly watch this watch this this is so important and I want to talk about the body of Christ the beauty of the body the corporate body of Christ that is what God was trying to get Saul to understand Ananias goes there and Ananias calls the killer brother Saul Jesus who appeared to you has sent me so it's working he said he said to talk to you too so I'm not the only one who has been hearing from him and he told me that why you kept fighting my body so he told suddenly Saul realized that I'm not that special it's the same it's the body he said we are individuals but one body one body don't separate yourself from a group of believers and one of the ways to be relevant amongst a group of believers is to serve them serve listen your Christian life is not authentic is not solid or is not accruing interest before

[66:17] God if you don't serve the Christians can I say that again that was one of the dangers of the COVID so people who only stay at home and watch online they are doing themselves this service because you have to be part and also serve others and be saved that's the koinonia life that's the koinonia life is serving and being saved accommodating and being accommodated being annoying and and being annoyed it's part of it's a family life it's called koinonia so Paul God sent a disciple to go to this soul who had just met Jesus who had just been converted he said he sent me to you your eyes can't see but you need me your eyes can't see but you need me and all that he was having insight into God and then Athanias came played his hands on him said when it comes to receiving the

[67:19] Holy Ghost shouldn't it have been you received the Holy Ghost you met Jesus but he sent me so you can receive the Holy Ghost he was integrating soul into the body properly body properly so quickly when he prayed for him and Bible says something like scale fell off his eyes it was like scale fell off his eyes then he began to see and he was strengthened that tells you he was very weak but you!

[67:52] can be physically weak but spiritually deep yes yes he was physically weak but spiritually deep kept him deeper and deeper and he has praise for him he receives his side he eats and then after he see what happened and then immediately he preached Christ in the synagogue verse one said he went no verse two he took permission to go into the synagogues to go and shut them down now he went into the synagogues to go and preach Christ and what did he preach he preached that this is the first time in the book of Acts where Christ was said to be the son of God he preached Christ he was going to shut them down but went to the same place who told you God can sort your enemy out actually he doesn't have time for your enemies he has time for the!

[68:44] of the church so get yourself very enshrined in the church so that your enemies become the enemies of the church automatically yeah God kill my enemy he doesn't have time for that so he went he went and preached that he Jesus is the son of God now look at the next verse I'm ending I just want to run!

[69:13] and then all who hurt were amazed and said is not the one who destroyed those who called the name of the Lord in Jerusalem and has come here for that purpose so that he might bring them bound to the priest the chief priest the next verse but so increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who drew the mass proving!

[69:44] he was proving he was showing them! he was showing them! he was showing them! he was showing them! he was proving that Jesus Christ after many days was passed down they wanted to kill him!

[69:55] see the thing I started again when they can't argue intellectually about with you because most people who hate the church they can't stand the intellectual weight the church operates with so they get temperamental you are bigot you are fascist you are what all those kind of you are sexist you are whatever misogyny you are misogynic the bible!

[70:19] they have to use those!! intimidate you that you are full of hatred no christian genuinely working with god can be hateful apart from hatred for sin hatred for sin but when they couldn't resist him is this the same thing they did to Stephen now they wanted to kill him and then the disciples hijacked him put him in a basket the guy came with authority to Jerusalem now he went!

[70:48] you! you know be careful when you are fighting God then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket he went like an apple apple fruit or tomatoes in the basket the one who came with power escaped in a basket escaped in a basket couldn't go silent all his enemies he doesn't have time for that just go you have to go!

[71:18] ! now this is where I will end the next verse is where I'm ending see how I've jumped over everything quickly the next verse and when Saul came to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples get it get it get it as soon as he got to Jerusalem what was his first agenda to join because he had understood the body life it's incorporating I can't say I'm now!

[71:45] I'm coming to prove to all these guys no no no no no soon as he got there he tried to join now next week I'm going to show you where he went to Arabia he went to Arabia and then came to Jerusalem but it's not mentioned here just for you to understand I'll explain some things to you about Paul's Arabian mission but today what I want you to understand is the significance the body don't exempt yourself from the other believers you will dry up and Satan will always have an upper hand over you and your reward in heaven will be very much compromised you can't be rewarded in heaven outside your service in the church did you receive something hallelujah hallelujah thank you for listening to this message by David Entry we pray you have been revived to all's

[72:46] God you can connect with David Entry on all relevant social media platforms including Instagram and LinkedIn you can also hear more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Karis Church app don't forget to like and share the message be blessed