[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.
[0:14] Acts chapter 14, reading from verse 19. It says that, And there came the therest certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
[0:34] How be it? As the disciples stood around about him, he rose up and came into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Debbie.
[0:47] And when they had preached the gospel in that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom of God.
[1:09] And when they had ordained them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
[1:25] And when they had preached the word in Prager, they went down into Attalia. And then sailed to Antioch from whence they had been recommended to the grace for the work which they had fulfilled.
[1:40] And when they were come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
[1:54] And there they abode long time with the disciples. Here ends the reading of God's word. Father, thank you for the privilege to get into your word. As your word is taught, we pray that let the scrolls be opened.
[2:07] Do us good through the teaching of your word. Let Christ be seen. Let godly ways be rescued. Let godly ways be preserved in the church.
[2:18] And let Jesus be exalted. Let him have the preeminence in our hearts, in our church, in our lives in these times. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
[2:28] Our attempt to give a title for the message today, Continue in Faith. Now, in our last session, we saw how God worked through the apostles.
[2:40] Strong miracles. And in Lystra, a man was healed. And when the miracle happened, the people thought the gods have come down to them.
[2:51] So they thought it's Zeus and Hermes. And they spoke in their language, let's sacrifice for these people. Because they are gods. And feeding on a legend, which is known in the Bible, talking about that Lystra.
[3:08] It was a legend that years ago, the gods came to visit them. Zeus and Hermes. And they disguised themselves as human beings.
[3:18] And the people didn't know. So no one gave them lodging, apart from two peasants in the corner somewhere who accommodated them. And so afterwards, when they left, they brought judgment against the land.
[3:31] And there was earthquake. Everybody died, apart from those two who hosted the gods. These are legends, not in the Bible. It's historically believed that where in Lystra, that's the mindset they had.
[3:43] So that will give you a reason why they treated Paul and Barnabas the way they did. So they knew the gods came down. And they knew one day the gods would come again. And those two people who hosted the gods, they became big giant trees in front of the city temple.
[4:02] So at the time Paul and Barnabas were doing that, the city temple, there's this huge giant trees that were a symbol of the people who hosted the gods.
[4:13] And the gods memorialized them. So when now they saw what happened with Paul and Barnabas, they said, no, the gods have come again. Let's treat them well so that this time they don't punish us.
[4:25] So they went and brought the priest of Zeus, Jupiter, to come and offer sacrifices. But Paul and Barnabas didn't know that that's the plan they were doing.
[4:38] Because they spoke in their language. Meanwhile, Paul and Barnabas spoke Greek, and those guys understood Greek. But when they came to what they wanted to do, they spoke in their language. You know when you go somewhere and people are speaking a language, you just don't know what they are talking about, and you are waiting for them to finish.
[4:52] But they noticed that these guys have started preparing with the flowers on their necks. The priest has come, started repairing the grounds, and they started bowing before Paul and Barnabas.
[5:05] They said, guys, what are you doing? Please stop it. We are just ordinary human beings. And so they stopped them. Now, verse 19 says that. Jews. Say Jews. Jews.
[5:16] Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and came there. And they came to persuade the people in Lystra that, listen, they are actually not gods.
[5:29] It's right. They are not gods. They are bad guys. They are coming to trouble your city. Trouble you here. They are bad guys. If you accommodate these people here, their gods will be against you.
[5:40] So now those who were coming to make sacrifices to them now made sacrifices out of them. You see how fickle people can be?
[5:52] Usually God too has a way of doing things that when a servant of God begins to gain too much celebrity status, God has a way of allowing some things to come to bring them, not to pull them down, but to make them remember you are human.
[6:09] The same people who said the gods have come, we want to offer sacrifices. It wasn't different people. It was the same people. The same people. Listen, Bible said when they persuaded them, verse 19 again, when the Jews persuaded the people, they stoned Paul.
[6:26] Now, you see, Bible just mentioned the stone Paul, but think about it. Stoning, they were not stoning him like boys playing and then he throws out small stones. No, they were executing Paul.
[6:38] So people will come, take rocks and throw it at you. Public execution. They throw it at you. So you can imagine, that was a very bad way of killing somebody. You see a stone coming and then it hits you, then another one comes and hits you.
[6:52] Ow! I mean, you can imagine how graphic that would be. And one big stone hit Paul at a vital point. Wow! And he fell down.
[7:07] He fell down. Dead. So they knew he's dead. He stopped breathing. Life slipped out of him as it were. He became unconscious. And they continued hitting him.
[7:19] Then when they knew they finished the work, they didn't leave him. They dragged him out of the city. It's in your Bible. They dragged him. I'm sure they'll be holding the leg. Drag Paul out of the city.
[7:32] Stoned him. Drag him out of the city. Supposing he was dead. Now, some theologians believe he actually died. Even though the Bible didn't say he died. Because in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, he said he knows a man who was taken into the presence of God.
[7:48] He said, whether he was in the body or out of the body, he said, I don't know. I'm not permitted to speak about the things. So he actually went to paradise and back. So some people believe that is when he wrote this.
[8:00] Because what happened to him, it was in the Galatian territory. So it's believed that he went to paradise. He went to the presence of God. And he came back into his body.
[8:12] The Bible does not say that. Right? But sometimes you can see potentially. But we don't have to make a doctrine out of it. So Paul, really, the people knew he was dead.
[8:25] And they dragged him out of the city. Then the disciples stood, including Barnabas. Now Barnabas is now beginning to rehearse what he will say at the funeral. Because you know, the guy is gone.
[8:38] They knew he was dead. So Barnabas will be gone. Now what am I going to do? Am I going to go alone? Okay, when we bury him. It was, then suddenly, they saw life coming back to the guy.
[8:49] Because the disciples surrounded him. They've killed our man. Then suddenly, life came back into the apostle Paul. And he got up. They said, oh, he's alive. He's alive. He's alive.
[9:00] No funeral. No funeral. No funeral. He's alive. Don't call any funeral. Don't do the obituary. It's not necessary. He's here. He's alive. So, Bible says that.
[9:11] However, when the disciples gathered around, he arose and went into the city. What you haven't, you may not see through. The text will not say it. But you should see it's in the text.
[9:23] If for them to stone you, you, he, you see, before they dragged him in the city, he was lying in a pool of his own blood. That's why they knew he was dead. So, you can imagine the bruises, the wounds, big cuts, and pain, bodily pain.
[9:42] But he got up and went back into the city. He said, for me to live is Christ, to die is gain. He went back into the city. Paul arose and went back into the city. And then the next day, he left with Barnabas.
[9:54] So, the next day, they departed into Debbie. So, then verse 21 says that. And when they had preached the gospel, they didn't stop preaching. Their mission was preaching.
[10:07] It was the mission of the church. A church that stops preaching has gone past its sale by date. It's expired.
[10:17] When they had preached the gospel to that city and made, can you imagine? After this, they were still making disciples. Made many disciples.
[10:29] They returned to that place. It's called the first missionary journey. They went to other cities. So, then they did a uterine and returned to the places they had preached already.
[10:43] Wow. They returned to the places. So, one of the things I want to draw your attention to is, our mission is not only to preach the gospel and win souls as the church.
[10:58] The church is supposed to preach the gospel and win souls or get people born again. But that is 50% of their mission work. That is 50% of their work.
[11:10] Ah. Pastor, so what's the other 50%? I'm glad you're asking. I'm just reading your mail because you haven't said it, but I know you are thinking about that. You want to know the 50%?
[11:21] Are there 50%? So, the first part of the mission of the church is to win souls. The second part is what they weren't doing.
[11:32] Let's look at the text again. So, verse 21, please. The verse 21 says that, in my Bible, it says, And when they had preached the gospel in that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
[11:47] See, not only one place. They were moving from place to what? For what? Confirming their souls. 50% to win them. The other 50% is to establish them.
[12:02] Establish their souls. So, they didn't go back preaching per se. They went back confirming, establishing. Confirming their souls.
[12:13] Making sure these guys are stable in the church. Confirming their souls. Confirming their souls. Establishing their souls. They went back and established them wherever they are preached already.
[12:26] Because it is necessary for people to be established. But it's interesting. Permit me to take it a little further. The amplifier says that, establishing and strengthening their souls and their hearts of their disciples.
[12:42] Establishing and strengthening their souls. Permit me to take it further. What were they establishing? Souls. What were they establishing? Souls. In other words, in other places, it says that they went around.
[12:55] They were confirming souls. They confirmed them. That is where the slogan or the catchphrase of Word of Truth, when I was on TV, came from. Establishing believers, strengthening churches.
[13:08] This scripture was the mind behind it. Was the brain behind it. Was the motivation behind it. They went back. So, it's more discipleship oriented than just evangelism.
[13:20] It was establishing souls. Establishing souls. Establishing souls. One of my biggest excitement is to establish souls.
[13:31] Establish souls. I am a soul establisher. I love it. oh, and I love it. I win souls, but I just get so excited. If you make a mistake and you come and hang around me, you will hear Bible whether you like it or not.
[13:45] And if you're a Christian, good for you. We can have conversation. If you are not a Christian, I will just speak to you. But if you're a Christian, I'll have a long, I like conversations from the Bible.
[13:56] Open the Bible. Did you see that? Open the Bible. Did you see that? Establishing the souls. Everybody say souls. Souls. So that's their first missionary journey.
[14:07] It's called the first missionary journey. They started from Antioch, right? And they went to Cyprus, Salamis. And then they came to Berger. This is the area where they stone Paul.
[14:19] And then from there they went. I see Antioch is not one. They went to Antioch again. And then from there they came to Iconium and Debbie, went back to Antioch, Iconium, Debbie, and then Antioch.
[14:32] And then they made their way to Perga all the way back to. It's called the first missionary journey. So their mission was just to go and establish souls.
[14:45] Win them and establish them. Now, so they look at the text again. The text says that, verse 22. Look at verse 22.
[14:55] Do you mind reading the first sentence? That means to the disciple. Okay. Shall we all read the other? Let's go. Confirming the souls of the disciples. One more time. Confirming the souls of the disciples.
[15:07] You know when I was saying previously, which is correct, but what your mind wouldn't realize, what attention would not come is, they were confirming not the disciples.
[15:18] All right. I'm just waiting for you to sink in. So this is a disciple. Minister, please come. Minister, please come.
[15:28] So this is a disciple. Josh, can you come as well, please? So this is a disciple. And this is another disciple.
[15:44] And what we read earlier was, it sounds like they are confirming their souls. Their disciples, no. They are actually called a disciple.
[15:56] He has a soul. He lives in a body. He's a spirit. He has a soul and lives in a body. So according to 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 24, soul, spirit, and body.
[16:07] Every human being is trapped tight. And soul, spirit, and body. When you are born again, it's your spirit that is saved. Your soul is being saved. At the resurrection, your body will be saved.
[16:21] Okay. So I am saved in my spirit. In my spirit, I have God-consciousness. In my soul, I have self-consciousness. In my body, I have world-consciousness. I'm saved in my spirit.
[16:32] I am being saved in my soul. And I shall be saved at the second coming. In my body. So then there will be no more pain. No more sickness. The body shall put on in corruption.
[16:45] Hallelujah. But so then, as we stay in this body, the body is not saved. However, your soul said, receive with meekness. The engrafted, James chapter 1.
[16:57] The word of God is able to save your soul. So your spirit is saved. You are saved. Wherefore, lay aside all filthiness, for filthiness, and receive with meekness the word of God, which is able to save your soul.
[17:11] So what is the constituent component of your soul? What constitutes your soul? Your mind. Your emotions. And your will.
[17:23] So your mind, your emotions, or feelings. That's where romance is, in your feelings, in your soul. And then your will.
[17:35] I will not do it. I will not go there. Your decision making is in your soul, which is based on your will. Your feelings. What you have a heart for is in your soul, which is your emotions.
[17:49] And your intellect, your education, the things you know, the things you are aware of, your intelligence, everything, the things you know, the things you are aware of, which influence your decision, they are all in your mind.
[18:04] That's why it says that being transformed, you're already saved, but your mind needs renewing. So as you receive God's word, day in and day out, and put it into practice, your soul is being saved.
[18:17] It's affecting your mind. So the disciple has a mind, has a soul. Okay. So the disciple has a mind, has a feeling, and has a will. And they now, after you are saved, discipleship program is to establish your soul.
[18:36] People can be born again today and born again tomorrow. I don't know if you know people who, in fact, some of us, you were so emotional about something, excited about something, and another time, I don't believe in this.
[18:48] I'm not even sure. I don't believe in Titan, I'm not free again. I don't believe in serving in church. I don't. Because your soul was not properly established in that light.
[18:59] And so they went back to, are you someone to get to? They went back to, what I am doing, I am to establish your soul. It's not necessary to make you feel excited, and all that, that's all part of the whole church thing.
[19:12] But that's why you cannot only restrict your Christian life to general gatherings. That's why we have small groups. We have cell meetings.
[19:24] We have different, different training systems, maturity systems, to establish the soul. Because the rubbish in my life is based in my soul.
[19:36] My character is so determined. The way, maybe, I would like eating and no control. The way I love sleeping. The way I can be so stubborn.
[19:47] All those things. It's in my, I'm saved, I'm saved, but my soul needs saving. Christians who fight always in their homes and in departments, it's their soul problem.
[20:03] Soulish Christian, soulish, I think, I thought something. Soulish Christian. That's why you just easily, you, one moment you are crying, I love you Jesus, I love you Jesus.
[20:15] The number of men, you are so upset, you don't even want to talk to anybody. An instrumentalist, who decides, I won't play again, I'm going to sit down. Not thinking about the impact it will have because maybe they rehearse with you, it will have on the work.
[20:29] You are just a baby Christian who is not growing. Paul said, our job is not just to win souls, but we have to establish them. establish them.
[20:41] Many churches have become wishy-washy because they are filled with unestablished believers, souls. People whose souls have not been established. Not been established.
[20:54] You are struggling with temptation, struggling with pornography, it's their soul problem. They went back to establish, so watch this, your soul, it has to do with your mind, your understanding.
[21:13] In 1 Corinthians 2, verse 16, he says that we have the mind of Christ. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ.
[21:30] In Philippians 3, verse 10, he said, that I may know him. Paul is talking this. Paul, a serious apostle, he's saying that I may know him because the soul is beginning to still go on and know something and develop.
[21:46] He said, that I may know him. That's talking about the mind. God wants us to know him so we can serve him well. And then, he wants us to know him, not just in our minds, he also wants in our feelings to have a heart for God and develop an appetite for the interest of God.
[22:07] There are things God has interest in. When you are not established, your soul is not established, you don't care about God's interest and you don't have a heart for God easily. So when souls that are established, they care so much about God's interest.
[22:22] This thing I'm saying, how much is it going to affect what God is doing? This behavior I'm putting up, how much is it? In Romans chapter 16, verse 4, he said, these guys lay down their necks.
[22:36] These are matured, established believers who risked their own necks for my life to whom not only I, but also the churches of the Gentiles. He said, to whom not only I give thanks, but the churches.
[22:50] Churches are thankful to God for these people. These people whose life have been buried in the things of God for the interest of God.
[23:01] When people are not growing, they don't see things from that because their hearts is not captured by God's interest. God has an interest. When your soul is established, your interest begins to be God's interest, the things God is interested in.
[23:20] The songwriter says, breathe on me breath of God. Fill me with life anew that I may love what thou dost love and do what thou wilt do.
[23:32] So, your mind, our mind, our knowledge base that we may know God, know God and appreciate his move and then number two, we will have a heart for him and develop an interest for what he is interested in.
[23:50] And then number three, our will will be strong. Strong to make decisions for the Lord. Strong enough to stay firm and when you look at Colossians, Colossians chapter 1 verse 10, that he may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God that ye may walk.
[24:17] It's not by like feelings or wishing, worship. It's a decision. I'm walking worthy of the Lord. How can you do that if your soul is not established? How can you be strong?
[24:28] in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 1. Finally then, brethren, we urge you and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more just as you receive from us how you ought to walk to please.
[24:44] There's a way to walk. You can't do that when you are weak. You must be strong in your will to walk the way you ought to walk. Am I preaching at all?
[24:54] To walk the way you ought. In Acts chapter 11 verse 23 the Bible talks about how they went and they were confirming and encouraged them all with and when he came and had seen the grace of God he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
[25:15] How many of you know that you have to determine that I'm going to I'm still going to be in church? Sometimes you can be so discouraged you feel like I'm not going to church. I heard a story of one gentleman who woke up in the morning and the mom goes he was sleeping Sunday morning 10 a.m.
[25:30] He was still asleep and the mom said Johnny, Johnny you have to wake up. So mommy I don't want to wake up. Hey, wake up, wake up. He said mommy Mommy went and came by he said Johnny you can't wake up.
[25:41] He said mommy give me any reason why I said number one because it's Sunday and we have to go to church. Number two you are not a child you are an adult. Take this one we have to go to church. Number three you are the pastor of the church.
[25:52] Get up and let's go. Even the pastor he got to a church he just wanted to lie in. Especially when the weather changes and it's wet and it's cold and you got to go you have to will.
[26:06] You have to be strong. You have to be strengthened in your soul so that when you are tired you don't sleep. You don't sleep when it's like a mother a nursing mother and your baby's going screaming the throat out and you are still sleeping I'm tired you can't get up get up so you see see where spiritual maturity reflects how you can wail in line with God instead being pleasing to God Colossians chapter 1 verse 10 again that you will be fruitful in every good work increasing in the knowledge of God fully pleased I like that first bit it says that that you may walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing Him in your courtship blessed be God hallelujah yeah in your courtship in your family life most of us our family lives leave a lot of room to be desired people who live with you will find it difficult to follow you to church because you are not a testimony your children are losing interest in church because of your phoniness because of your duplicity children don't like hypocrisy you smile with everybody in church but you lambast them when you get home that's why they lose interest when children start losing interest in church it's a sign of a certain life at home that's too strong am I establishing souls yeah you can hide your
[27:41] Christian where your Christian is but your children will tell us your spiritual maturity at home establishing believers strengthening church alright let's go back to the text is someone learning something oh my goodness it says that verse 22 it says that confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith chapter 13 verse 43 the previous chapter verse 43 it says that now when the congregation are broken up many of the Jews and the religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas who speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the oh come on I can't hear you they persuaded them to continue in the to continue in the but here when it came to establishing the these are people who have just heard the gospel they just heard the gospel they are very excited they say continue in the grace of God but now when they went and came those who are still in church let's establish these guys let's establish their souls they came to tell them to continue in the faith not in the grace
[28:56] I'm not saying something that isn't there I'm just I want you to see it in your own Bibles they exalted them to continue in the faith what's the difference grace is the enjoyment of God in Christ grace is enjoying Christ I enjoy you oh Jesus so when you become born again we encourage you to keep enjoying Jesus is so sweet keep going keep going but for you to mature for you to now we confirm your soul and then challenge you to continue in faith to continue in the faith not how my faith as a subjective faith but objective faith in the faith the things that make for Christianity now watch this when it comes to continuing in grace it's just an exhortation to continue in the grace but when it comes to continuing in the faith you got to know something you got to be taught things must be explained to you this is how it works because problems are ahead if you don't continue in the faith problems will disqualify you
[30:21] I know you didn't see it in the text he told them listen they cannot preach in that tells you when you come to Christ everything will change for you it's not true everything will be peaceful you have the best peace in your life it's not true you have the peace of God inside you but in life itself see he propped them prepared them for trouble ahead it's in your text look at it again confirming to continue in the faith and that there were problems are coming so let's exhort you to continue in the faith because when problems hit it's your faith that will determine your faith your future in Christianity is not based on the testimonies you are seeing it's based on your faith how you understand what you understand Christ to be what Christianity is what
[31:21] Christ is who God is what he has done for you not what he will do for you so to establish people and for people to continue in the faith their focus is more on what has been established for them by Christ explain the gospel make them grow so they should continue in their faith Colossians chapter 1 verse 22 and 23 very interesting he he said that Jesus Christ in his body in his body of his flesh through death Jesus Christ saved us in the body of his what is the agenda so he will present you holy unblameable and unreprovable in his sight this is serious that you can understand in the Bible say nothing is hidden in the sight of God so people can see you!
[32:11] you know you just jump on the train without paying it gets even more complicated when you are a very active church worker can I say it again I know some of you are talking here when you are very active church worker that's why it's good to be part of church work it gets a bit more complicated because if you are singing in the choir but last night you were not in a good place and you are singing if you had your way because of convictions you wouldn't sing but it has been planned already you be told you are leading this song this song can imagine God forbid someone is coming to lead a song who fought was fighting with his wife all the way through and in fact the argument is so bad he used swear ways he came down from the cross and such a
[33:20] Christian comes to church and feels like you know sometimes after this incident you come to your sense and feel my goodness God forgive me you feel like you know what people shouldn't clap for you want to sit somewhere and sort out with God I know if you are a Christian you know what I'm talking about you want to sort here with God then you come and you are actually supposed to be leading I was telling the brand pastors can you imagine you found yourself in the worst ever your heart is broken you have to preach you have to preach you can you can tell them listen the best you can do if you are not the one key leader you can tell please can you let somebody else do it because me and God ain't good hallelujah so it says that that's reading from Colossians let me finish so it says that he may present you holy blameless and above reproach think about it in
[34:26] God's sight somebody can be above reproach you can be presented before God above reproach in God's sight nothing is hidden from his sight Hebrews nothing is hidden from his sight but you can that Jesus is presenting look at the next verse how he's going to do it if indeed if you don't continue in the faith when you appear before God you be so blameful you have to give you blows that's one twist in the Bible he will beat you with many blows can you imagine you appear with Jesus then people!
[35:02] what's happening? Jesus is beating you with blows Luke chapter 12 verse 48 he'll be beating with many blows not only one blow but many blows King James says stripes I want the blows please blows are nicer but now so he says that I will present you if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and steadfast that's the only thing that determines your grounding and your steadfast continuity in the faith grounded and steadfast grounded and steadfast may that be your testimony in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 4 and 5 so beautiful text it said so we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your you see you see what faith can do to persecution you see what faith can do to a person in times of persecution in times of tribulation in times of difficulties it is your faith that carries you through he says
[36:18] Simon Satan has required to sift you like wheat but I have prayed for you that Luke chapter 20 that your faith failed it is your faith that will determine how far you are going the offer and the finisher of our faith it is your faith does that make sense when Paul said fight fight the good fight of faith fight to be strong to continue in the faith fight tell somebody fight the good fight of faith tribulations will knock you out of the race challenges will knock you out of the race disappointment will knock you out of the race Christians can disappoint you and you will be knocked out of the race people who said you were God sometime ago now are stoning you it will knock you out of the race they stone you wounds and blood all over but you still continue to preach no it takes someone who is continuing in the faith after church after
[37:24] Sunday why are you not continuing in the faith on Monday continue in the faith on Tuesday we come to be established in our souls so that on Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday we can continue in the faith what's Sunday Christianity Sunday Christianity is not Christianity continue in the faith Paul said fight a good fight of faith he said I've kept the faith at the end of the day that's what will determine watch this brothers and sisters that's what will determine how blameless and above reproach you will be before Christ for every one of us who appear before the judgment 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 11 for we must all it's a necessary requirement we must all appear we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ what will make you irreprovable above reproach in his sight is when you continue in the faith steadfast and grounded so Acts chapter 14 verse 22 he encouraged the souls or they confirmed the souls of the believers exhorting them to continue in the faith and saying we must through many tributes you see that that's why you have to continue because tribulations are coming problems and challenges are coming simply because you are in the kingdom simply because of your stance in
[38:46] Christ you may face rejection sometimes your life can be at stake because of your stance when those on the other side see they are not winning they turn to violence last Thursday I was saying something that when we say Jesus is God it's not a religious statement it's not just a theological statement it's not just a spiritual statement it's a political statement when we say Jesus is God when we say Jesus is God because that means that if he is God you are left with no choice but to bow or rebel submit or rebel and face your own consequences so they went and exalted the souls of the believers exerting them to continue and said can I go into this and then rush through now he said with tribulation you must enter the kingdom what's the meaning of that the kingdom of God here is not talking about heaven the kingdom of God here is not talking about destination but designation it's not so sometimes when you see the kingdom of God in the scriptures in fact it was the major when Jesus
[39:57] Christ was resurrected from the dead in Acts chapter 1 verse 3 he for 40 days his focus was on the kingdom speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God in the scriptures sometimes few times it's used interchangeably kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven is used interchangeably sometimes but most times when you say kingdom of heaven it's more referring to heaven and kingdom of God is not referring to heaven or destination it's talking about the realm where God rules in the hearts of people through the life of Jesus they have so the life of Jesus Christ in the hearts of people and God rules through the life that's the kingdom now so then that stands that when you start to imply when you are born again you are in the kingdom yes you are in the kingdom but you must be established you must push it for God's reign to be actualized in your life you must go through tribulations that true tribulations so you can tell in
[41:01] Acts chapter 8 verse 12 Stephen when he preached Stephen when he preached after he did the miracle and everything he began to explain to them concerning concerning the preach the things concerning the kingdom the kingdom was a major focus in their teachings a major focus apostle Paul he taught on the kingdom in Acts chapter 19 verse 8 in Acts chapter 14 we see verse 22 it's about the kingdom in Acts chapter 28 verse 23 from morning to evening he expanded things concerning the kingdom in Acts chapter 28 verse 31 from morning to evening the focus was the kingdom they spoke concerning the kingdom the kingdom of God is the realm in which God is now reigning in the hearts of certain people so if all of us here are in the kingdom of God that means that whatever God wants to be done in UK will be done through us so where we are the kingdom of God is now the Pharisees came they said they are talking to Jesus about the kingdom of God Jesus said the kingdom of God is not a destination in Luke chapter 17 verse 20 it's very interesting
[42:09] Luke 20 and 22 21 22 let's take it from 23 let's read it from the screen let's go when the kingdom of God will come he answered them and said the kingdom does not come of the creation nor will they say see here or see there for indeed the kingdom of God is within you the kingdom is where within you so it's not a destination it's designated to happen inside within you and Jesus Christ when he was walking on earth he was the kingdom of God on earth the kingdom so they are exhorting the sense that they should continue in the faith because with much tribulation that's a very we must through many tribulation enter the kingdom of God so don't be surprised since he became born again life has gotten a little bit tough
[43:14] I'm not talking about sickness even when you are not well you can serve God when you continue in faith Paul wasn't well in fact the way they beat him in Galatians he says that let no one trouble me I bear in my body the marks of Christ it was in the Galatian territory they beat him and killed him so he said listen the wounds were dead the scars he had so much scars but a man who continues in the faith is not moved by their scars tell somebody continue in the faith continue in the faith please permit me let's just rush through and let me round up quickly verse 24 and after they passed through Pisidia they came to Pamphylia and when they preached the word in Perga they went down to Atalia and then sailed to Antioch from when they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled so they went back to Senda they went back to the original location
[44:15] Antioch in Asha 13 as they fasted and ministered the Holy Spirit said! So they went back I left something which is very important I think the verse 23 sorry how come I missed that let's look at verse 23 and oh so I jumped from verse 22 to 24 let's say pardon me I need to cover this verse 23 when they ordained them elders in every church say elders in every church this church is a young church but they needed some of them to!
[44:45] ! elders are people who are appointed and who continue in faith to take care of the souls of the others they appointed elders in every church they are and when they prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lord in whom they believed now there's this common idea that you don't have to be in church to be a Christian you can be a Christian and not be in!
[45:13] and then they say things like show me anywhere in the Bible that talks about church membership okay there's no church membership written but elders are everywhere they are for churches churches churches so you must have an elder in 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 1 it said the elders that are amongst you elders are everywhere presbyteros that's the Greek word elder in James chapter 5 verse 14 if anyone is sick is anyone sick among you let them call forward the elders they are elders are church located so you must be in a place where you have elders there's no way you can be a strong Christian without being part of a local church so you remember watch this this is very interesting the main reason why they went back is to go and make sure the disciples are established that is why they had to put a system in place to have strong churches because you can't have strong believers outside of strong churches so for people to be strong in their walk with
[46:18] God there need to be this crucible church crucible which is the idea of God so they had to appoint elders in 1st Timothy chapter 5 the elders that rule amongst you verse 19 he said do not be quick to take an accusation against an elder can I say that again today it's in your back do not receive an accusation it's there except the evidence is so clear this I said there something might be done about it but don't be quick this one said oh I don't like the way he was speaking the way and people can gossip so bad that you go to others and tell them what an elder said and you put your own spin on it that when you were not there and what I don't understand is people who are always so politically negative that in their absence they have spies tell me what they said about me and it's not like positive they want to hear what negative things they said about people who are always looking for what negative things someone said about them are usually very negative towards others in their absence gossips what gossips can't stand is them being gossiped about oh
[47:43] I've been in church a while that's why your soul must be established else it will be at your own detriment you can be screaming I receive charismatic I receive I receive!
[47:59] nothing is happening because the people are not establishing their soul when their testimony is coming they blow it with their lack of continuity of faith am I preaching okay I tell you no this is not for you maybe some people listening in your church you are a major trouble causer your pastor's name is constantly negatively on your mouth God will judge you negatively always negative every time people gather you show up your first comment concerning the church must be negative concerning the leader must be negative what is wrong with you you are destroying what God is trying to build the appointed elders titles chapter 1 verse 5 he said this is why I left you in crates that you appoint!
[48:49] elders elders are registered! I left you get that thou should not set in order the things that are once and you ordain elders in every city! Elders are necessary!
[49:02] See that's what I said those who rule well that means there will be some elders who will be not ruling well just leave them for God and get busy continuing so when they finished the work they went back to those who sent them and then they gathered the church!
[49:22] church! is!!! church there's two types of church no no no no no okay I've taught you so much now we have the look Jesus spoke about two types okay Jesus spoke about the two aspects of the church the local aspect and the universal aspect the universal aspect is all of us together by says in March 18 when someone offends you go to the elders leaders of the church that's talking about a local church because they are the ones who know you and can solve the problem within the confines of the local church because it's a family so every Christian is supposed to be part of the local church and then you are already automatically if you are in the invisible church you are part of the universal church and that's I'm coming back to present the church to himself a chaste bride okay in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 26 27 so he said love your wives as
[50:22] Christ as Christ loved the church and gave himself for now that church there is not talking about a local church he is talking about church universal but within that the local expression of the universal church is the local church so when Jesus wrote a letter from heaven he didn't send it to the church he sent it to the churches write this and send it to the churches he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches not the church the!
[50:53] the churches Revelation chapter 2 verse 7 the churches Revelation chapter 2 verse 1 write to the church of Ephesus so send it to the angel the leader the guardian of the church of Ephesus but even though this letter is specifically for that church is applicable to the churches so they called the churches and then they gathered them and they told them what God has done!
[51:19] And when they ordained and then they sailed to Antioch from when they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled and when they were come and had gathered the church together they rehearsed all that God has done with them they didn't tell them what they did they told them what God had done they were working but it was God who was working they didn't say what Paul has done what Barnabas has done but what God had done with them one and then number two things they told them is how God I like the name so you can see God he how God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles what does that mean they are trying to say that now that church they came from the regions they came from the
[52:20] Pisidia and Debbie and I called the place they came from was the first time you have from the beginning you always have a Jewish majority church Jewish majority so the Jews were in the majority and the Gentiles were in the minority for the first time now they returned from a territory where you didn't have to go to a synagogue because there was none!
[52:49] the report is that purely Gentile church God has also opened a door for Gentiles now for the first time in the history of the church we could have a purely Gentile church like Caris a purely Gentile church open a door I don't want to belabor the point and go on to opening doors but God opens doors Revelation 3 8 says that I open a door may God open that door for you I said before you an open door may that be your testimony in Colossians chapter 4 verse 3 that God will open a door for the gospel hallelujah a door for the word God opens doors God opens doors I pray that God will open a door for you for his purpose to be fulfilled in your life in Jesus name and so they rehearsed it to them and stayed with them a while for a long time they stayed with the church they have finished the work but the more important thing is it didn't just win their souls but they established the souls of the disciples and exhorted them to continue in the faith sister be strong and continue in the faith brother be strong and continue people may offend you situations may change circumstances may change sometimes you might even be wondering is this worth it yes it is yes it is continue please look at somebody and tell the person continue in the faith did you receive something let's give
[54:24] Jesus praise thank you for listening to this message by David Entry we pray you have been revived towards 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 Carish Church app don't forget to like and share the message be blessed you!
[54:59] you! you! Thank you.