WEBVTT

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 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.

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 Dear Father,

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 we thank you for calling us into your family,

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 rescuing us from sin and death,

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 giving us eternal life,

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 this joyful fellowship we share with you

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 and with one another, your people.

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 We humble ourselves once again before your Word.

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 We have come to worship you.

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 We pray for you.

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 To pledge our allegiance once again to you

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 and to your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 We want to hear from you

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 in the reading and preaching of God's Word

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 that we might know how,

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 as one church,

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 we might build up one another.

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 We pray for conviction

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 that you lay on each and every member's heart

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 a specific way you are calling him or her

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 to build up this body

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 and use their gifts.

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 And we pray that you'd impress deeply upon us

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 our sense of dependence on you

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 and our interdependence

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 with each other

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 as members of the body of Christ.

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 Speak to us.

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 We are listening to you.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Acts chapter 11, verses 19 to 30.

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 Now those who were scattered

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 because of the persecution

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 that arose over Stephen

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 traveled as far as

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 Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch,

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 speaking the word to no one except Jews.

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 But there were some of them,

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 men of Cyprus and Cyrene,

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 who on coming to Antioch

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 spoke to the Hellenists also,

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 preaching the Lord Jesus.

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 And the hand of the Lord was with them,

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 and a great number who believed

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 turned to the Lord.

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 The report of this came to the ears

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 of the church in Jerusalem,

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 and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

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 When he came and saw the grace of God,

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 he was glad,

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 and he exhorted them all

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 to remain faithful to the Lord

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 with steadfast purpose.

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 For he was a good man,

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 full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.

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 And a great many people

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 were added to the Lord.

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 So Barnabas went to Tarsus

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 to look for Saul,

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 and when he had found him,

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 he brought him to Antioch.

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 For a whole year,

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 they met with the church

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 and taught a great many people.

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 And in Antioch,

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 the disciples were first called Christians.

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 Now in these days,

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 prophets came down

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 from Jerusalem to Antioch,

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 and one of them named Agabus

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 stood up and foretold by the Spirit

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 that there would be a great famine

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 over all the world.

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 This took place in the days of Claudius.

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 So the disciples determined

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 everyone according to his ability

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 to send relief

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 to the brothers living in Judea.

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 And they did so,

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 sending it to the elders

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 by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

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 This is God's holy

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 and authoritative word.

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 When I was a student

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 at the Sovereign Grace Pastors College,

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 there was a class on church planting,

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 and we were learning about

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 how best,

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 some of the best practices

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 for planting a church,

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 starting a new church

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 in an area where there's no church.

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 And we had several instructors,

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 and one of them was someone

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 who leads a denomination

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 and that has been,

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 by all appearances,

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 very successful in planting churches.

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 And he said something

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 that was surprising

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 and has stuck with me.

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 He said,

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 quote,

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 it's easy to plant a church service,

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 but it's hard to plant a church.

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 What he meant by that was this,

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 that it's easy to find

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 a gifted speaker

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 or someone with a charismatic personality,

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 team them up with a team

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 of gifted musicians

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 and graphic artists,

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 and put together

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 an impressive service.

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 And when you do that,

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 when you have an attractive product,

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 an appealing product,

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 it's not hard to get consumers.

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 People come.

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 It's not hard to get a crowd.

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 But if you want more than consumers,

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 if you want a congregation

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 of people who have deep relationships

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 with one another,

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 if you want people who love

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 and serve one another,

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 in other words,

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 if you want to plant a church,

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 not just a church service,

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 that takes the hand of God.

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 That's why it says in verse 21

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 that the hand of the Lord

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 was with them.

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 That's why it says

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 in chapter 11, verse 23,

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 that the grace of God

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 was evident among the Christians

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 there in Antioch.

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 It takes,

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 on top of that,

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 all the various members

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 of the body of Christ

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 pitching in

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 and using their gifts

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 to build up the church.

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 That's what the church

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 is meant to be.

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 And that's what we see here

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 in Acts 11,

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 verses 19 to 30.

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 Some of you might have wondered

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 at times,

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 you know,

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 what can I possibly do

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 to serve Christ and His church?

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 There are so many other gifted people,

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 so many other mature people.

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 What can I possibly do

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 for this church?

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 Well, if you are a member

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 of this body of Christ,

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 then you do have a role to play.

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 God has given you,

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 in particular,

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 gifts that this specific body needs.

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 In this passage,

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 we see believers

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 serving in many different ways.

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 We see evangelists speak.

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 We see apostles established.

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 We see shepherds exhort.

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 We see teachers teach.

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 We see prophets prophesy.

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 And we see disciples give.

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 And the main point

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 of all of this is

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 that Luke is trying

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 to convey to us

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 is that the church grows

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 as its interdependent members

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 partner and serve together

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 in the grace of God.

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 The church grows

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 as its interdependent members

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 partner and serve together

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 in the grace of God.

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 First, we see the evangelists

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 speak in verses 19 to 21.

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 We already saw in chapter 8

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 how believers were scattered

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 by the persecution

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 that broke out against the church

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 after martyrdom of Stephen

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 had the effect of actually

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 spreading the gospel abroad,

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 pushing the believers

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 out of Jerusalem and Judea

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 to Samaria,

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 where the Samaritans,

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 kind of a half-Jews,

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 were living.

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 The great scattering

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 of the church by persecution

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 led to the great spread

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 of the gospel

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 by those very same believers.

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 And we see the same phenomenon

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 happening here

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 in verses 19 to 20.

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 It says,

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 Now those who were scattered

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 because of the persecution

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 that arose over Stephen

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 traveled as far as

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 Phoenicia and Cyprus

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 and Antioch,

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 speaking the word

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 to no one except Jews.

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 But there were some of them,

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 men of Cyprus and Cyrene,

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 who on coming to Antioch

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 spoke to the Hellenists also,

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 preaching the Lord Jesus.

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 The word Hellenists

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 is the same word

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 that we saw in chapter 6

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 where the Hellenized

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 Gratian Jews

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 were in conflict with

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 and had a complaint

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 against the Jews,

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 the Hebraic Jews,

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 about the distribution

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 of food to the widows.

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 And in that case,

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 in that context,

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 the Hellenists

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 referred not to Gentiles,

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 for which we have

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 a separate word,

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 but to Jewish believers

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 who had been Hellenized,

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 Greek-speaking Jews,

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 Jews who were culturally

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 Greek,

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 Hellenist.

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 We know that

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 that was the case there

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 because the Hellenist Jews

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 are not contrasted

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 with the Greeks

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 and the Gentiles,

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 but they are instead

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 contrasted with

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 Hebraic Jews.

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 So it's Hellenized Jews

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 versus Hebraic Jews.

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 But here in chapter 11,

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 the Hellenists

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 are not contrasted

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 with other

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 Hebraic Jews,

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 other Jews,

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 but he's contrasted

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 in general with Jews.

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 It's the Hellenists

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 versus the Jews,

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 not the Hebrews

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 versus the Grecian Jews.

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 So this here

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 is an ethnic division.

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 It's referring to

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 the actual Greeks,

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 the Gentiles.

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 So some of the believers

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 who had been scattered

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 by the persecution

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 that broke out

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 against the church

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 went about spreading

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 the gospel

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 to no one except Jews.

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 That was what

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 most of them were doing.

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 However,

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 some of them

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 who on coming to Antioch

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 spoke not only

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 to fellow Jews,

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 not only to Hellenist Jews,

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 but also to the Greeks,

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 the Gentiles.

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 The Gentile mission

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 of the church

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 didn't begin in earnest

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 until chapter 10

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 when Peter preached

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 the gospel to Cornelius.

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 And so then

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 these believers

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 who were preaching

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 Jesus among the Greeks,

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 they were doing so

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 after that

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 has already happened.

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 So then,

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 not only did the persecution

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 led by Saul

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 lead to the gospel

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 spreading to Samaritans,

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 it's now going

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 to the end of the earth,

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 to among the Gentiles also.

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 And this is a wonderful reminder

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 of God's sovereignty

00:10:00.620 --> 00:10:01.539
 to all of us.

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 And it's a great comfort

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 to me personally

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 because when there are

00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.259
 setbacks and disappointments

00:10:07.259 --> 00:10:07.779
 in ministry,

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 just like the persecuted church

00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:10.919
 in Jerusalem experienced,

00:10:11.459 --> 00:10:13.019
 we need not

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 to hang our heads

00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:14.419
 in despair

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 because of God's

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 sovereign work

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 in and through

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 all of that.

00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:20.740
 What we might see

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 as regression,

00:10:22.860 --> 00:10:24.159
 as a disappointment,

00:10:24.699 --> 00:10:25.460
 we must remember

00:10:25.460 --> 00:10:27.480
 that God might not

00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:28.699
 see that way

00:10:28.699 --> 00:10:31.199
 because we don't see

00:10:31.199 --> 00:10:32.019
 personally all that

00:10:32.019 --> 00:10:33.079
 God himself is doing.

00:10:34.079 --> 00:10:34.980
 We have seen

00:10:34.980 --> 00:10:35.799
 similar patterns

00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:36.699
 throughout church history.

00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:37.600
 One notable one

00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:38.819
 is when Constantinople

00:10:38.819 --> 00:10:40.079
 fell to the Muslim Turks

00:10:40.079 --> 00:10:41.220
 in 1453.

00:10:41.220 --> 00:10:42.920
 It looked like

00:10:42.920 --> 00:10:44.000
 the end of Christendom.

00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:46.100
 The Byzantine Empire,

00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:46.879
 Constantinople,

00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:47.480
 was the heart,

00:10:47.580 --> 00:10:47.960
 the capital

00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:48.899
 of the Byzantine Empire

00:10:48.899 --> 00:10:50.560
 which was the cultural

00:10:50.560 --> 00:10:51.560
 and political center

00:10:51.560 --> 00:10:52.899
 of Christendom.

00:10:54.420 --> 00:10:55.860
 And however,

00:10:56.040 --> 00:10:56.639
 what happened

00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:57.500
 with that

00:10:57.500 --> 00:10:58.660
 was the church

00:10:58.660 --> 00:10:59.899
 which was back then

00:10:59.899 --> 00:11:01.000
 an empty shell

00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:01.800
 in a lot of ways

00:11:01.800 --> 00:11:02.540
 was exposed

00:11:02.540 --> 00:11:04.259
 and the conquest,

00:11:04.379 --> 00:11:05.200
 the Islamic conquest

00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:06.220
 of Constantinople

00:11:06.220 --> 00:11:07.420
 pushed a lot

00:11:07.420 --> 00:11:08.500
 of the Eastern

00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:09.379
 Greek-speaking

00:11:09.379 --> 00:11:10.899
 biblical scholars

00:11:10.899 --> 00:11:12.799
 to the West,

00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:14.600
 to the Latin-speaking West.

00:11:15.419 --> 00:11:16.419
 And when that happened

00:11:16.419 --> 00:11:17.319
 they brought their

00:11:17.319 --> 00:11:19.319
 original Greek manuscripts

00:11:19.319 --> 00:11:20.100
 of the New Testament

00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:20.679
 with them.

00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:22.319
 And at the time

00:11:22.319 --> 00:11:23.000
 there was

00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:24.539
 kind of a

00:11:24.539 --> 00:11:25.659
 scholarly revival

00:11:25.659 --> 00:11:26.139
 happening

00:11:26.139 --> 00:11:27.519
 called Back to the Sources.

00:11:28.259 --> 00:11:28.659
 They were trying

00:11:28.659 --> 00:11:29.139
 to go back

00:11:29.139 --> 00:11:29.720
 to the sources

00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:30.419
 of the teachings

00:11:30.419 --> 00:11:31.019
 and the things

00:11:31.019 --> 00:11:31.699
 that they were learning

00:11:31.699 --> 00:11:33.319
 and the Christians

00:11:33.319 --> 00:11:33.759
 likewise

00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:34.360
 were trying to go

00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:35.240
 back to the sources.

00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:35.919
 Let's go back

00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:36.840
 to the scriptures,

00:11:37.199 --> 00:11:38.480
 to the original scriptures

00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.379
 and see

00:11:39.379 --> 00:11:40.539
 what is taught.

00:11:40.740 --> 00:11:41.700
 See what we're

00:11:41.700 --> 00:11:42.440
 supposed to believe.

00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:43.279
 See how we're

00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:44.120
 supposed to live.

00:11:45.180 --> 00:11:45.920
 And because

00:11:45.920 --> 00:11:47.399
 of this new influx

00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:48.759
 of the original manuscripts

00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:50.120
 of the Greek New Testament

00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:51.139
 people were seeing

00:11:51.139 --> 00:11:51.860
 things that they were

00:11:51.860 --> 00:11:52.960
 never taught before.

00:11:53.659 --> 00:11:54.300
 They were seeing

00:11:54.300 --> 00:11:54.899
 things again

00:11:54.899 --> 00:11:56.259
 recovering these doctrines

00:11:56.259 --> 00:11:57.159
 that were lost.

00:11:57.820 --> 00:11:58.680
 And that led

00:11:58.680 --> 00:11:59.820
 to the Renaissance

00:11:59.820 --> 00:12:01.519
 and more particularly

00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:02.820
 to the Protestant Reformation

00:12:02.820 --> 00:12:04.120
 which led to

00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:04.800
 an unprecedented

00:12:04.800 --> 00:12:05.879
 period of

00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:06.659
 restoration

00:12:06.659 --> 00:12:06.860
 restoration

00:12:06.860 --> 00:12:08.379
 and recovery

00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:09.600
 and renewal

00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:10.500
 in the church

00:12:10.500 --> 00:12:11.039
 and sparked

00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:12.419
 some much needed reforms.

00:12:14.179 --> 00:12:14.699
 Similarly,

00:12:14.819 --> 00:12:15.719
 when our hard work

00:12:15.719 --> 00:12:16.439
 appears to come

00:12:16.439 --> 00:12:16.919
 to nothing,

00:12:17.079 --> 00:12:18.059
 we have to remember

00:12:18.059 --> 00:12:19.799
 that God is still

00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:20.659
 sovereignly at work.

00:12:22.100 --> 00:12:23.120
 Maybe some of you

00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:23.839
 have been sharing

00:12:23.839 --> 00:12:24.559
 the gospel

00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:25.419
 with an unbelieving

00:12:25.419 --> 00:12:26.219
 friend of yours.

00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:28.139
 She seemed

00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:29.480
 really open to it

00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:31.240
 until they suddenly

00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:31.699
 turned

00:12:31.699 --> 00:12:33.240
 and seemed to have

00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:33.959
 closed the door

00:12:33.959 --> 00:12:34.519
 on the gospel.

00:12:36.659 --> 00:12:37.219
 Maybe

00:12:37.219 --> 00:12:38.579
 some of you

00:12:38.579 --> 00:12:39.039
 have experienced

00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:39.799
 setbacks within

00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:40.439
 your respective

00:12:40.439 --> 00:12:41.299
 ministries that you

00:12:41.299 --> 00:12:42.259
 serve in the church.

00:12:42.719 --> 00:12:43.639
 You thought the team

00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:44.799
 was growing and thriving

00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:45.439
 but then

00:12:45.439 --> 00:12:46.899
 you lost some people,

00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:47.339
 there were some

00:12:47.339 --> 00:12:48.219
 disagreements on how

00:12:48.219 --> 00:12:49.019
 to go about things

00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:49.919
 and now you feel like

00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:51.719
 there's been a setback.

00:12:53.259 --> 00:12:54.419
 Maybe you were discipling

00:12:54.419 --> 00:12:55.480
 or personally ministering

00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:56.079
 to someone,

00:12:56.199 --> 00:12:56.939
 to another believer

00:12:56.939 --> 00:12:57.399
 in the church

00:12:57.399 --> 00:12:58.120
 and you thought you

00:12:58.120 --> 00:12:59.219
 had taken two steps

00:12:59.219 --> 00:12:59.659
 forward

00:12:59.659 --> 00:13:01.860
 but now you feel like

00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:02.799
 you've taken three steps

00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:03.199
 backward.

00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:06.220
 Whatever the case

00:13:06.220 --> 00:13:06.879
 might be,

00:13:07.660 --> 00:13:09.120
 don't be discouraged.

00:13:10.580 --> 00:13:11.780
 Remember that God

00:13:11.780 --> 00:13:12.900
 is at work in ways

00:13:12.900 --> 00:13:14.020
 that you do not see.

00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:16.360
 We can keep

00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:17.500
 on plowing,

00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:19.160
 keep on sowing,

00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:20.600
 keep on praying,

00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:21.660
 keep on speaking

00:13:21.660 --> 00:13:22.140
 the word

00:13:22.140 --> 00:13:23.759
 knowing that God

00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.680
 is at work in ways

00:13:24.680 --> 00:13:25.580
 we can't discern.

00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.440
 Note also the emphasis

00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:29.600
 on speaking the word

00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:31.020
 in verses 19 to 20.

00:13:31.300 --> 00:13:32.060
 Some of the scattered

00:13:32.060 --> 00:13:32.960
 believers traveled

00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:34.620
 as far as Phoenicia

00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:35.540
 and Cyprus

00:13:35.540 --> 00:13:36.340
 and Antioch

00:13:36.340 --> 00:13:37.960
 speaking the word

00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:39.180
 to no one except Jews.

00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:40.220
 But there were some

00:13:40.220 --> 00:13:41.019
 of the men of Cyprus

00:13:41.019 --> 00:13:41.440
 and Cyrene

00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:42.379
 who on coming to Antioch

00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:43.540
 spoke to the Hellenists

00:13:43.540 --> 00:13:44.600
 also preaching

00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:45.519
 the Lord Jesus.

00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:47.259
 Gospel ministry

00:13:47.259 --> 00:13:48.600
 involves speaking.

00:13:49.680 --> 00:13:50.700
 If you want to see

00:13:50.700 --> 00:13:51.340
 your family,

00:13:51.820 --> 00:13:52.240
 friends,

00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:52.860
 and neighbors

00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:53.940
 saved by Jesus,

00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:55.600
 you must speak

00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:56.860
 the word of Jesus.

00:13:58.920 --> 00:14:00.100
 There's a famous saying

00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:00.980
 that is often attributed

00:14:00.980 --> 00:14:02.240
 to Francis of Assisi

00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:04.039
 goes something like this,

00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:05.000
 preach the gospel

00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:05.899
 at all times,

00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:07.360
 when necessary,

00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:08.360
 use words.

00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:11.580
 It's an appealing sentiment

00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:12.720
 because we all

00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:13.680
 squirm a little bit

00:14:13.680 --> 00:14:14.320
 at the thought

00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:15.799
 of having to break out

00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:16.580
 of our comfort zones

00:14:16.580 --> 00:14:17.480
 to share the gospel

00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:18.879
 and actually speak it

00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:19.340
 to somebody.

00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:22.460
 The reality is

00:14:22.460 --> 00:14:23.480
 Francis of Assisi

00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:24.680
 never said such a thing.

00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:26.120
 The quote is actually

00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:27.620
 a misleading paraphrase

00:14:27.620 --> 00:14:28.279
 of what Francis

00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:29.120
 actually said.

00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:31.139
 And this is the actual quote,

00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:33.100
 No brother should preach

00:14:33.100 --> 00:14:34.299
 contrary to the form

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:34.919
 and regulation

00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:35.799
 of the Holy Church,

00:14:36.139 --> 00:14:37.019
 nor unless he has been

00:14:37.019 --> 00:14:38.220
 permitted by his minister.

00:14:38.819 --> 00:14:39.939
 The minister should take care

00:14:39.939 --> 00:14:41.139
 not to grant this permission

00:14:41.139 --> 00:14:42.460
 to anyone indiscriminately.

00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:44.179
 All the friars,

00:14:44.259 --> 00:14:44.500
 however,

00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:45.179
 should preach

00:14:45.179 --> 00:14:46.279
 by their deeds.

00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.059
 Far from saying

00:14:49.059 --> 00:14:49.919
 that the preaching

00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:51.139
 the gospel with words

00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:52.319
 is usually unnecessary,

00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:54.059
 he was so concerned

00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:54.899
 with ensuring

00:14:54.899 --> 00:14:55.759
 that the preaching

00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.299
 of the gospel

00:14:56.299 --> 00:14:57.340
 is done faithfully,

00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:58.080
 he was trying

00:14:58.080 --> 00:14:59.600
 to stop friars

00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:01.639
 who were doing it poorly

00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:03.600
 while still encouraging

00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:04.399
 them to live

00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.259
 in a manner

00:15:05.259 --> 00:15:06.160
 worthy of the gospel

00:15:06.160 --> 00:15:07.019
 until they can be

00:15:07.019 --> 00:15:07.840
 properly trained

00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:08.759
 and authorized

00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:09.440
 to do so.

00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:11.340
 He believed

00:15:11.340 --> 00:15:12.300
 that preaching the gospel

00:15:12.300 --> 00:15:13.139
 with words

00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:14.879
 was of utmost importance.

00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:17.300
 If news can be spread

00:15:17.300 --> 00:15:18.480
 without words,

00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:19.620
 there would be no need

00:15:19.620 --> 00:15:20.360
 for newspapers

00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:21.340
 and news anchors.

00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:23.680
 The good news

00:15:23.680 --> 00:15:24.360
 that Jesus

00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:25.759
 is the messianic king

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:26.639
 sent by God

00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:27.700
 to save us,

00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:29.139
 that he died on the cross

00:15:29.139 --> 00:15:30.220
 for our sins

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:30.960
 and was raised

00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:31.600
 from the dead

00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:32.840
 for our justification,

00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:35.200
 that if we repent

00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:36.000
 of our sins

00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:36.879
 and believe in Jesus,

00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:37.960
 we can be saved,

00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:38.879
 that we can receive

00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:39.560
 the Holy Spirit

00:15:39.560 --> 00:15:40.620
 and have eternal life.

00:15:40.940 --> 00:15:41.860
 This good news

00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:44.000
 cannot be conveyed

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:45.060
 by deeds alone.

00:15:46.780 --> 00:15:47.860
 The good news

00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:48.680
 of Jesus Christ

00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:49.740
 must be spoken.

00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:52.320
 And the people

00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:52.920
 we must speak

00:15:52.920 --> 00:15:53.620
 the word of Christ

00:15:53.620 --> 00:15:55.259
 to are all the nations,

00:15:55.660 --> 00:15:56.660
 all peoples.

00:15:57.420 --> 00:15:58.440
 Though some of the

00:15:58.440 --> 00:15:59.280
 Jewish Christians

00:15:59.280 --> 00:16:00.240
 spoke the word

00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:01.660
 to no one except Jews,

00:16:01.780 --> 00:16:02.580
 others of them

00:16:02.580 --> 00:16:03.940
 spoke to the Hellenists

00:16:03.940 --> 00:16:04.460
 also.

00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:07.160
 They crossed ethnic lines

00:16:07.160 --> 00:16:08.080
 and preached the gospel

00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:08.780
 to the Greeks,

00:16:09.180 --> 00:16:10.759
 the Gentiles also.

00:16:11.800 --> 00:16:12.759
 And this latter group

00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:13.220
 of Christians

00:16:13.220 --> 00:16:14.440
 who spoke to the Hellenists

00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:15.400
 are commended

00:16:15.400 --> 00:16:16.120
 in verse 21.

00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:16.620
 It says,

00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.600
 And the hand of the Lord

00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:18.580
 was with them,

00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:19.759
 and a great number

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.420
 of who believed

00:16:20.420 --> 00:16:21.320
 turned to the Lord.

00:16:21.340 --> 00:16:23.180
 God blessed their ministry

00:16:23.180 --> 00:16:24.340
 so that a great number

00:16:24.340 --> 00:16:25.280
 of Greeks believed

00:16:25.280 --> 00:16:26.340
 and turned to the Lord.

00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:29.259
 For decades now,

00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.060
 what missiologists call,

00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:33.300
 scholars of missions theology,

00:16:33.940 --> 00:16:36.240
 called the homogeneous unit principle,

00:16:36.800 --> 00:16:38.560
 has dominated Christian thinking

00:16:38.560 --> 00:16:39.160
 about missions

00:16:39.160 --> 00:16:40.120
 for decades.

00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:42.560
 A proponent of that principle

00:16:42.560 --> 00:16:43.960
 famously encapsulated

00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:44.420
 the principle

00:16:44.420 --> 00:16:45.080
 when he said,

00:16:46.300 --> 00:16:46.519
 quote,

00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:48.199
 men like to become Christians

00:16:48.199 --> 00:16:49.679
 without crossing racial,

00:16:49.860 --> 00:16:50.220
 linguistic,

00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:51.679
 or class barriers.

00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.679
 For this reason,

00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:56.179
 he argued that Christians

00:16:56.179 --> 00:16:57.159
 should evangelize

00:16:57.159 --> 00:16:59.460
 within existing cultural lines

00:16:59.460 --> 00:17:00.539
 and social networks

00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:01.779
 because that's when

00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:03.240
 the church grows the fastest.

00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:05.039
 However,

00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:06.019
 there's a big difference

00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:07.099
 between saying that

00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:07.759
 this is the way

00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:08.779
 things often are

00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:09.720
 and saying that

00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:10.339
 that is the way

00:17:10.339 --> 00:17:11.299
 things should be.

00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.059
 The fact that

00:17:13.059 --> 00:17:13.839
 that's the easiest

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:15.059
 and fastest way

00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:15.880
 to do things

00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:16.620
 or to grow a church

00:17:16.620 --> 00:17:17.240
 does not mean

00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:18.160
 that that is the best

00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:19.440
 way to do things.

00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:21.319
 When applied,

00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.880
 the homogeneous unit principle

00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:23.700
 has meant

00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:24.880
 evangelizing along

00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:25.859
 racial lines

00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:26.460
 in America,

00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:28.220
 along tribal lines

00:17:28.220 --> 00:17:28.779
 in Africa,

00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:30.960
 along economic lines

00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.819
 in South America

00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:33.319
 and along caste lines

00:17:33.319 --> 00:17:33.940
 in India,

00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:34.759
 and so on.

00:17:36.500 --> 00:17:37.640
 In contrast,

00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:38.539
 however,

00:17:38.700 --> 00:17:39.500
 throughout the book

00:17:39.500 --> 00:17:40.120
 of Acts,

00:17:40.500 --> 00:17:41.440
 we see believers

00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:42.660
 proclaiming the gospel

00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:43.940
 to all people,

00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:46.440
 Jews and Gentiles,

00:17:47.059 --> 00:17:48.980
 men and women,

00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:51.200
 slave and free,

00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.420
 rich and poor,

00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:56.259
 without partiality,

00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:57.539
 without distinction.

00:17:59.059 --> 00:17:59.920
 In fact,

00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.000
 the very breaking down

00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:02.019
 of the dividing wall

00:18:02.019 --> 00:18:02.720
 of hostility

00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.380
 between Jews and Gentiles

00:18:04.380 --> 00:18:05.200
 that Paul speaks of

00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:06.340
 in Ephesians chapter 2

00:18:06.340 --> 00:18:07.980
 is a distinguishing mark

00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:08.519
 of the church.

00:18:09.820 --> 00:18:10.759
 This is why

00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:11.900
 theologian Edmund Clowney

00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:12.640
 has gone so far

00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:13.019
 as to say

00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:13.700
 that the point

00:18:13.700 --> 00:18:15.420
 at which human barriers

00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:16.519
 are surmounted

00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:17.380
 is the point

00:18:17.380 --> 00:18:18.220
 at which a believer

00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:19.640
 is joined to Christ

00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:20.539
 and his people.

00:18:22.320 --> 00:18:24.200
 Here in verses 19 to 20,

00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:25.160
 we see that

00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:26.240
 while the scattered

00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:27.060
 Jewish Christians

00:18:27.060 --> 00:18:28.220
 spoke the word

00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:29.220
 to no one except Jews,

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:30.120
 some of them

00:18:30.120 --> 00:18:31.420
 spoke to the Hellenists

00:18:31.420 --> 00:18:32.019
 also.

00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:34.440
 Unless someone

00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:35.940
 crosses racial

00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:36.559
 and ethnic

00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:37.259
 and cultural

00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:38.079
 and socioeconomic

00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:38.500
 boundaries

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.259
 to speak the word

00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:39.799
 of Christ,

00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:41.559
 the gospel will never

00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:42.700
 reach all the nations.

00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:45.319
 And that's

00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:46.380
 our explicit commission

00:18:46.380 --> 00:18:47.039
 from our Lord.

00:18:47.860 --> 00:18:48.460
 Make disciples

00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:49.600
 of all nations.

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:50.880
 Be witnesses

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:51.740
 of Jesus Christ

00:18:51.740 --> 00:18:52.819
 not only in Jerusalem

00:18:52.819 --> 00:18:53.460
 to the Jews

00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:54.160
 but also to

00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:55.480
 all Judea and Samaria

00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.500
 among the Samaritans

00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:57.420
 and also to the end

00:18:57.420 --> 00:18:57.960
 of the earth

00:18:57.960 --> 00:18:59.420
 among the Gentiles.

00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:01.599
 We are called

00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:02.400
 to bear witness

00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:03.619
 not only to people

00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:05.400
 who are of our own

00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:06.400
 culture only,

00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:07.680
 of our own language

00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.440
 only,

00:19:08.619 --> 00:19:09.420
 of our own race

00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:09.779
 only,

00:19:09.859 --> 00:19:10.339
 of our own

00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:11.539
 socioeconomic class

00:19:11.539 --> 00:19:12.299
 only,

00:19:12.299 --> 00:19:13.339
 but to all

00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:14.299
 peoples.

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:17.140
 Evangelists

00:19:17.140 --> 00:19:18.000
 speak the gospel

00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.579
 to all.

00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:20.900
 And note that

00:19:20.900 --> 00:19:21.660
 these evangelists

00:19:21.660 --> 00:19:23.080
 are everyday Christians.

00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:24.920
 They were not

00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:25.660
 one of the twelve

00:19:25.660 --> 00:19:27.380
 commissioned in Acts 1.

00:19:28.080 --> 00:19:28.560
 They were not

00:19:28.560 --> 00:19:29.500
 even one of the seven

00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:30.779
 commissioned in Acts 6.

00:19:31.779 --> 00:19:32.540
 In fact,

00:19:32.840 --> 00:19:34.100
 these evangelists

00:19:34.100 --> 00:19:35.340
 are not even named.

00:19:36.340 --> 00:19:37.100
 We don't even know

00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:37.720
 who they were.

00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:39.420
 But nonetheless,

00:19:39.620 --> 00:19:40.160
 they spoke

00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:40.900
 the gospel

00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:41.700
 to these Greeks

00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:43.420
 and the hand

00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:43.840
 of the Lord

00:19:43.840 --> 00:19:44.480
 was with them

00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:45.440
 and a great number

00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:46.200
 who believed

00:19:46.200 --> 00:19:47.100
 turned to the Lord.

00:19:48.660 --> 00:19:49.759
 There are evangelists

00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:50.460
 among us

00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:51.319
 in our church

00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:51.840
 as well.

00:19:51.940 --> 00:19:52.340
 I know that

00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:52.840
 some of you

00:19:52.840 --> 00:19:53.340
 are doing

00:19:53.340 --> 00:19:54.279
 one-on-one

00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:55.340
 Bible studies

00:19:55.340 --> 00:19:56.240
 or book readings

00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.860
 with other friends

00:19:57.860 --> 00:19:58.819
 who are unbelievers,

00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:00.600
 sharing the gospel

00:20:00.600 --> 00:20:01.000
 with them

00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:01.819
 in that context.

00:20:02.120 --> 00:20:02.480
 I know that

00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:02.900
 some of you

00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:03.400
 are considering

00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:03.920
 going into

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:05.059
 cross-cultural missions

00:20:05.059 --> 00:20:06.200
 as witnesses

00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:07.319
 for Jesus Christ.

00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:09.460
 May you do so

00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:10.360
 more and more.

00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:12.700
 May God raise up

00:20:12.700 --> 00:20:13.620
 more evangelists

00:20:13.620 --> 00:20:14.620
 from our midst

00:20:14.620 --> 00:20:15.819
 and let us

00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:16.700
 remember that

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:18.160
 evangelism is not

00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:19.360
 something that's

00:20:19.360 --> 00:20:20.160
 received for only

00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:21.320
 gifted evangelists

00:20:21.320 --> 00:20:21.700
 but something

00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:22.560
 that every Christian

00:20:22.560 --> 00:20:23.220
 is called to do.

00:20:25.060 --> 00:20:25.720
 And it says

00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:26.380
 in verse 22

00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:26.960
 that when,

00:20:27.320 --> 00:20:28.120
 the report of this

00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:28.980
 came to the years

00:20:28.980 --> 00:20:29.620
 of the church

00:20:29.620 --> 00:20:30.120
 in Jerusalem,

00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:31.500
 they sent Barnabas

00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:32.180
 to Antioch.

00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:32.900
 That's my second point.

00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:33.400
 The apostles

00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:34.120
 established.

00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:36.000
 It seems that

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:36.980
 the twelve apostles

00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:38.100
 based in Jerusalem

00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:38.860
 were responsible

00:20:38.860 --> 00:20:40.720
 for authorizing

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.800
 and incorporating

00:20:41.800 --> 00:20:42.900
 new congregations

00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:43.960
 to the larger church.

00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:45.759
 So in the same way

00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.700
 that they sent

00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:47.820
 Peter and John

00:20:47.819 --> 00:20:48.439
 as delegates

00:20:48.439 --> 00:20:49.079
 to Samaria

00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:49.759
 in Acts 8,

00:20:49.819 --> 00:20:50.679
 14 to 17,

00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:51.700
 this time

00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:52.200
 they delegate

00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:52.759
 the task

00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:53.659
 to Barnabas

00:20:53.659 --> 00:20:54.799
 who travels

00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:56.720
 to Antioch.

00:20:58.119 --> 00:20:59.159
 And then as we see

00:20:59.159 --> 00:20:59.859
 in the following verses,

00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:00.819
 Antioch in turn

00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:01.740
 recruits Saul

00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:03.059
 for his ministry

00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:03.720
 in Antioch

00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:04.119
 and it says

00:21:04.119 --> 00:21:04.939
 in verse 26

00:21:04.939 --> 00:21:06.220
 that for a whole year

00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:07.240
 they met with the church

00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:07.779
 and taught

00:21:07.779 --> 00:21:09.099
 a great many people.

00:21:10.159 --> 00:21:11.480
 In our context,

00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:12.500
 modern day,

00:21:12.879 --> 00:21:14.480
 this looks a lot

00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.779
 like the extra-local

00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:17.160
 denominational leaders

00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:18.640
 who play this kind

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:19.440
 of role sometimes

00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.140
 for churches.

00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:21.480
 For example,

00:21:21.620 --> 00:21:22.220
 our regional

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:23.299
 denominational leaders

00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:24.579
 ensure that the pastors

00:21:24.579 --> 00:21:25.579
 that we are ordaining

00:21:25.579 --> 00:21:26.720
 as a local church

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:29.339
 uphold the Sovereign Grace Church's

00:21:29.339 --> 00:21:30.059
 statement of faith.

00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:32.819
 And they help us

00:21:32.819 --> 00:21:34.120
 by administering

00:21:34.120 --> 00:21:35.620
 some of the ordination exams.

00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:37.059
 When we plant

00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:37.799
 the new church

00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:38.319
 in partnership

00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:39.120
 with our denomination,

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.059
 Sovereign Grace Churches,

00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.740
 they offer not only

00:21:41.740 --> 00:21:42.839
 financial assistance,

00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:43.959
 they also help

00:21:43.959 --> 00:21:44.500
 in assessing

00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:45.480
 and training leaders.

00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:47.419
 Sometimes they send

00:21:47.419 --> 00:21:48.339
 members of their church

00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:48.879
 to be a part

00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:50.179
 of our church plants.

00:21:52.059 --> 00:21:53.379
 This kind of partnership

00:21:53.379 --> 00:21:54.339
 that extends

00:21:54.339 --> 00:21:55.619
 beyond the local church

00:21:55.619 --> 00:21:56.599
 provides accountability

00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:57.359
 and protection

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.259
 for local churches.

00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:00.980
 We just had the privilege

00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:01.579
 of having

00:22:01.579 --> 00:22:03.659
 a leader in our denomination,

00:22:03.959 --> 00:22:04.679
 a pastor from

00:22:04.679 --> 00:22:05.339
 a sister church

00:22:05.339 --> 00:22:06.419
 in this past weekend,

00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:07.299
 Andy Farmer,

00:22:08.199 --> 00:22:09.359
 to equip us

00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:10.399
 and encourage us

00:22:10.399 --> 00:22:12.220
 this past weekend.

00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:13.879
 And as a pastor,

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:14.759
 I personally derive

00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:15.599
 a lot of encouragement

00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:16.359
 through these kinds

00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:17.699
 of inter-church relationships.

00:22:18.579 --> 00:22:19.459
 So in this way,

00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:20.980
 evangelists speak the word

00:22:20.980 --> 00:22:22.500
 and apostles establish

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.240
 the church.

00:22:24.159 --> 00:22:24.599
 Third,

00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:25.679
 shepherds exhort.

00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:27.939
 Look at verses 22 to 24

00:22:27.939 --> 00:22:28.319
 with me.

00:22:28.399 --> 00:22:28.740
 It says that

00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:29.859
 when the report of this

00:22:29.859 --> 00:22:30.740
 came to the ears

00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:31.740
 of the church in Jerusalem,

00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:33.220
 they sent Barnabas

00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:34.039
 to Antioch.

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.159
 When he came

00:22:35.159 --> 00:22:36.379
 and saw the grace of God,

00:22:36.419 --> 00:22:37.139
 he was glad

00:22:37.139 --> 00:22:38.339
 and he exhorted them all

00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:39.259
 to remain faithful

00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:39.740
 to the Lord

00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:40.819
 with steadfast purpose.

00:22:40.819 --> 00:22:43.159
 For he was a good man,

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:44.720
 full of the Holy Spirit

00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:45.220
 and of faith.

00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:46.460
 And a great many people

00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:47.379
 were added to the Lord.

00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:50.559
 Barnabas was the perfect choice

00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:52.299
 really for sending to Antioch

00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:53.200
 for several reasons.

00:22:53.619 --> 00:22:54.119
 First,

00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:55.939
 we know from Acts 4.36

00:22:55.939 --> 00:22:57.419
 that Barnabas

00:22:57.419 --> 00:22:58.200
 was a native

00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:59.439
 of Cyprus himself.

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:02.019
 Since the Jewish believers

00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:03.039
 who preached Jesus

00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:03.720
 to the Greeks

00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:04.659
 in Antioch

00:23:04.659 --> 00:23:05.839
 were men of Cyprus

00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:06.659
 and Cyrene,

00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.419
 it is possible

00:23:07.419 --> 00:23:08.579
 that Barnabas

00:23:08.579 --> 00:23:09.079
 already knew

00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:09.980
 some of these believers

00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:11.240
 and had a relationship

00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:11.799
 with them.

00:23:12.699 --> 00:23:13.119
 Secondly,

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:13.759
 we also know

00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:14.960
 from Acts 4.36

00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:16.500
 that Barnabas' actual name

00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:17.099
 was Joseph,

00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:19.419
 but that he was nicknamed

00:23:19.419 --> 00:23:20.099
 Barnabas,

00:23:20.199 --> 00:23:20.699
 which means

00:23:20.699 --> 00:23:22.119
 son of encouragement.

00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.799
 He was a man

00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:25.480
 known for encouraging

00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:26.539
 and exhorting

00:23:26.539 --> 00:23:27.939
 those around him.

00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:30.279
 Remember when Paul

00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:31.299
 returned to Jerusalem

00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:32.299
 after his conversion

00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:34.939
 because of his history

00:23:34.939 --> 00:23:36.039
 of persecuting the church,

00:23:36.159 --> 00:23:36.859
 rounding up Christians

00:23:36.859 --> 00:23:37.779
 and putting them into jail

00:23:37.779 --> 00:23:38.720
 and getting them killed?

00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:40.319
 The apostles

00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:41.199
 were understandably

00:23:41.199 --> 00:23:42.119
 wary of them

00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:43.000
 and at that time

00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:43.579
 when they were not

00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:45.259
 willing to take the risk

00:23:45.259 --> 00:23:46.119
 and bring Paul

00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:46.919
 into their midst,

00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:47.980
 it was Barnabas

00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:49.699
 who went and grabbed Saul

00:23:49.699 --> 00:23:50.899
 and brought him in

00:23:50.899 --> 00:23:51.460
 and introduced him

00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:52.039
 to the apostles.

00:23:54.659 --> 00:23:55.480
 And later,

00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.899
 in Acts 15,

00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:57.679
 we'll also see

00:23:57.679 --> 00:23:59.319
 that when Saul

00:23:59.319 --> 00:24:00.259
 or Paul,

00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:02.240
 his Roman name,

00:24:02.299 --> 00:24:03.199
 when Paul insists

00:24:03.199 --> 00:24:04.139
 on not taking

00:24:04.139 --> 00:24:04.799
 John and Mark

00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:05.359
 along with them

00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:06.299
 on their missionary journey

00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:07.439
 because formerly

00:24:07.439 --> 00:24:07.939
 John and Mark

00:24:07.939 --> 00:24:08.899
 had deserted them,

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:10.579
 it's Barnabas

00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:11.279
 who insists

00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:12.179
 on giving John and Mark

00:24:12.179 --> 00:24:13.059
 a second chance.

00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:15.439
 Barnabas was a man

00:24:15.439 --> 00:24:16.299
 who always

00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:17.819
 thought the best

00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:18.500
 of people.

00:24:19.159 --> 00:24:20.259
 He always saw

00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:20.899
 the good

00:24:20.899 --> 00:24:21.839
 in people.

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:24.319
 He encouraged

00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:25.019
 people in it.

00:24:26.139 --> 00:24:27.339
 And that's precisely

00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:28.119
 what Barnabas does

00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:28.919
 in verse 23.

00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:30.179
 When he came

00:24:30.179 --> 00:24:31.399
 and saw the grace

00:24:31.399 --> 00:24:31.939
 of God,

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:32.740
 he was glad

00:24:32.740 --> 00:24:34.199
 and he exhorted

00:24:34.199 --> 00:24:34.679
 them all

00:24:34.679 --> 00:24:35.599
 to remain faithful

00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:36.139
 to the Lord

00:24:36.139 --> 00:24:37.439
 with steadfast purpose.

00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:38.680
 the word

00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:39.340
 translated

00:24:39.340 --> 00:24:40.140
 exhorted

00:24:40.140 --> 00:24:41.759
 is the verb

00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:42.860
 form of the word

00:24:42.860 --> 00:24:43.580
 encouragement

00:24:43.580 --> 00:24:44.860
 in Barnabas,

00:24:44.940 --> 00:24:45.940
 son of encouragement.

00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:48.080
 I'm sure

00:24:48.080 --> 00:24:48.920
 this new church

00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:49.580
 in Antioch

00:24:49.580 --> 00:24:50.759
 was not perfect

00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:51.259
 just like

00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:52.100
 every other church

00:24:52.100 --> 00:24:53.100
 that's ever existed.

00:24:54.100 --> 00:24:54.700
 Particularly

00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:55.700
 considering the fact

00:24:55.700 --> 00:24:56.740
 that this included

00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:57.640
 Greek converts

00:24:57.640 --> 00:24:58.759
 who were really new

00:24:58.759 --> 00:24:59.700
 to this whole

00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:00.740
 faith,

00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:01.980
 Jewish faith

00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:02.680
 or the Christianity.

00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:05.299
 they were probably

00:25:05.299 --> 00:25:05.860
 doing a lot

00:25:05.860 --> 00:25:06.640
 of things wrong.

00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:08.860
 They probably

00:25:08.860 --> 00:25:09.580
 were clueless

00:25:09.580 --> 00:25:10.100
 about a lot

00:25:10.100 --> 00:25:10.539
 of things.

00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:12.440
 But nevertheless

00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:13.240
 it says that

00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:13.900
 when Barnabas

00:25:13.900 --> 00:25:14.740
 came and saw

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:15.420
 the grace

00:25:15.420 --> 00:25:15.960
 of God

00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.960
 he was glad.

00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:19.240
 However imperfect

00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:19.860
 this church

00:25:19.860 --> 00:25:20.560
 may have been,

00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.940
 Barnabas acknowledged

00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:22.779
 the grace

00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:23.299
 of God

00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:23.820
 at work

00:25:23.820 --> 00:25:24.480
 among them.

00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:25.420
 He saw

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:25.920
 that they were

00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:26.900
 genuine believers

00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:28.060
 and he was

00:25:28.060 --> 00:25:29.180
 gladdened in his

00:25:29.180 --> 00:25:29.759
 heart because

00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:30.279
 of it.

00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:33.119
 and he exhorted

00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:33.660
 them to be

00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:34.539
 faithful to the

00:25:34.539 --> 00:25:34.940
 Lord with

00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:36.139
 steadfast purpose.

00:25:36.980 --> 00:25:37.779
 Though uncertainties

00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:38.279
 and doubts

00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:39.139
 can creep

00:25:39.139 --> 00:25:40.139
 into the minds

00:25:40.139 --> 00:25:40.619
 and hearts

00:25:40.619 --> 00:25:41.920
 of young believers

00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:43.259
 especially new

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:43.700
 believers,

00:25:43.879 --> 00:25:44.920
 Barnabas exhorted

00:25:44.920 --> 00:25:45.440
 them to be

00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:46.339
 unwavering in

00:25:46.339 --> 00:25:46.899
 their faith

00:25:46.899 --> 00:25:47.379
 in the Lord.

00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:49.740
 I thank God

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.299
 that we have

00:25:50.299 --> 00:25:50.879
 many such

00:25:50.879 --> 00:25:51.480
 encouragers

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.240
 in our church.

00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:54.160
 I've personally

00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:55.059
 been built up

00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:56.180
 by and encouraged

00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:57.160
 by some of you

00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:58.960
 when I've been

00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.960
 discouraged at times.

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.339
 And I've heard

00:26:02.339 --> 00:26:03.480
 of many instances

00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:04.500
 of you all

00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:05.379
 counseling one

00:26:05.379 --> 00:26:05.740
 another,

00:26:06.399 --> 00:26:07.160
 comforting one

00:26:07.160 --> 00:26:07.480
 another,

00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:09.139
 exhorting one

00:26:09.139 --> 00:26:09.460
 another.

00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:13.339
 I pray that you'll

00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:14.180
 do so more

00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:14.599
 and more.

00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:16.139
 And that God

00:26:16.139 --> 00:26:16.759
 would raise up

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:17.339
 more and more

00:26:17.339 --> 00:26:17.960
 people like

00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:19.119
 Barnabas in

00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:19.700
 our church,

00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:20.759
 sons and

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:21.440
 daughters of

00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:22.059
 encouragement.

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.599
 Let's be a

00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:25.220
 people who

00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:25.859
 even in the

00:26:25.859 --> 00:26:26.279
 midst of

00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:26.920
 difficulties,

00:26:27.539 --> 00:26:28.059
 even in the

00:26:28.059 --> 00:26:28.599
 midst of

00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:29.500
 disagreements

00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.400
 and conflicts,

00:26:30.839 --> 00:26:31.539
 a people who

00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:32.480
 can see the

00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.400
 grace of God

00:26:33.400 --> 00:26:34.039
 at work in

00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:34.480
 each other,

00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:35.759
 who can celebrate

00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:36.599
 that and thank

00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:37.259
 God for that,

00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:38.000
 encourage one

00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:38.720
 another in that.

00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:44.259
 But how can we

00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:45.000
 become more like

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:45.460
 Barnabas?

00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:47.079
 Verse 24 tells us

00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:48.720
 why Barnabas was

00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:49.359
 the way he was.

00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:49.759
 It says,

00:26:49.980 --> 00:26:51.259
 for he was a

00:26:51.259 --> 00:26:51.960
 good man,

00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:53.279
 full of the

00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:53.859
 Holy Spirit

00:26:53.859 --> 00:26:54.519
 and of faith.

00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:54.660
 good.

00:26:55.379 --> 00:26:56.460
 The word good

00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:57.079
 is an adjective

00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:57.859
 that is particularly

00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.579
 associated with

00:26:58.579 --> 00:26:59.359
 God throughout

00:26:59.359 --> 00:26:59.920
 the scriptures.

00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:01.279
 That's what Jesus

00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:01.920
 says in Mark

00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:02.700
 10, 18,

00:27:02.839 --> 00:27:04.079
 no one is good

00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:05.139
 except God

00:27:05.139 --> 00:27:05.660
 alone.

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:07.960
 Barnabas was a

00:27:07.960 --> 00:27:08.859
 good man,

00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:10.079
 meaning he was

00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:11.359
 a godly man.

00:27:12.460 --> 00:27:13.960
 He exemplified

00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:14.900
 the goodness of

00:27:14.900 --> 00:27:15.920
 God in his own

00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:16.599
 dealings with

00:27:16.599 --> 00:27:17.019
 others.

00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:18.400
 He was a man

00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:19.059
 of integrity.

00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:20.259
 He was also full

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:21.180
 of the Holy Spirit

00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:21.759
 and of faith.

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.920
 He was not

00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:23.779
 controlled by his

00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:24.660
 own impulses

00:27:24.660 --> 00:27:25.180
 and selfish

00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:25.720
 desires.

00:27:26.379 --> 00:27:27.299
 He was controlled

00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:28.220
 by the Spirit

00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:29.039
 who indwelled him.

00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:31.940
 And the power

00:27:31.940 --> 00:27:32.579
 of the Spirit

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.279
 of God was

00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:34.299
 evidenced in his

00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:34.920
 ministry in

00:27:34.920 --> 00:27:35.619
 whatever he did.

00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:37.940
 He was also

00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:38.720
 full of faith.

00:27:38.920 --> 00:27:39.539
 Barnabas was not

00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:40.299
 a man who did

00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:41.599
 things merely

00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:42.440
 by what he

00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:43.140
 could see,

00:27:44.299 --> 00:27:45.200
 how he felt.

00:27:46.019 --> 00:27:46.400
 He's someone

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.079
 who acted

00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:48.059
 and made decisions

00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:48.980
 according to

00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:50.059
 what he believed,

00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:51.180
 what he knew

00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:51.700
 to be true

00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:52.100
 through his

00:27:52.100 --> 00:27:52.740
 faith in the

00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:53.340
 Word of God.

00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:56.240
 Barnabas was

00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:56.799
 an effective

00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.840
 encourager and

00:27:57.840 --> 00:27:58.519
 bridge builder

00:27:58.519 --> 00:27:59.180
 in this church,

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:00.500
 not because he

00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:01.259
 had mastered

00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:02.100
 some strategy

00:28:02.100 --> 00:28:02.620
 of making

00:28:02.620 --> 00:28:03.279
 friends and

00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:04.320
 influencing people,

00:28:04.560 --> 00:28:05.640
 but because he

00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:06.620
 was a good

00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:07.140
 man,

00:28:07.820 --> 00:28:09.539
 because he

00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:10.500
 was a godly

00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.019
 man.

00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.340
 There is no

00:28:12.340 --> 00:28:13.220
 shortcut or

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.039
 silver bullet

00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:14.860
 to spiritual

00:28:14.860 --> 00:28:15.320
 power.

00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:17.180
 If you want

00:28:17.180 --> 00:28:17.799
 to empower

00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:18.220
 people,

00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:19.140
 you must be

00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:19.720
 empowered by

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:20.360
 the Holy Spirit.

00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:22.200
 If you want

00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:23.039
 to produce

00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:24.039
 praying disciples,

00:28:24.360 --> 00:28:25.180
 you must be

00:28:25.180 --> 00:28:25.660
 a man and

00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:26.039
 woman of

00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:26.759
 prayer yourself.

00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.740
 Let's pray

00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:30.440
 that we might

00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:30.860
 be filled

00:28:30.860 --> 00:28:31.580
 with the Spirit

00:28:31.580 --> 00:28:32.779
 more and

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:32.960
 more,

00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:33.480
 as Barnabas

00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:33.680
 was,

00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:34.180
 to come under

00:28:34.180 --> 00:28:34.940
 his influence

00:28:34.940 --> 00:28:35.519
 and power

00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:36.080
 more and

00:28:36.080 --> 00:28:36.299
 more,

00:28:36.620 --> 00:28:37.100
 to come under

00:28:37.100 --> 00:28:37.779
 the influence

00:28:37.779 --> 00:28:38.360
 of God's

00:28:38.360 --> 00:28:39.060
 Word more

00:28:39.060 --> 00:28:39.740
 and more,

00:28:40.100 --> 00:28:40.460
 so that we

00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:41.299
 too might be

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:42.200
 good man and

00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:43.120
 woman who

00:28:43.120 --> 00:28:43.640
 can encourage

00:28:43.640 --> 00:28:44.080
 and build

00:28:44.080 --> 00:28:44.600
 up others.

00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:46.860
 And as Barnabas

00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:47.440
 is serving this

00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:47.880
 way in verse

00:28:47.880 --> 00:28:48.299
 24,

00:28:48.460 --> 00:28:48.560
 he says,

00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:48.960
 a great

00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:49.619
 many people,

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:50.259
 more people

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:50.720
 are added

00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:51.179
 to the Lord.

00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:53.419
 My fourth

00:28:53.419 --> 00:28:54.000
 point is this,

00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:54.879
 teachers teach.

00:28:55.419 --> 00:28:55.819
 The addition

00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.399
 of great

00:28:56.399 --> 00:28:57.039
 many people

00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:57.759
 produced some

00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:58.379
 new needs

00:28:58.379 --> 00:28:59.200
 in this new

00:28:59.200 --> 00:28:59.579
 church in

00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:00.099
 Antioch,

00:29:00.419 --> 00:29:01.059
 and others

00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:01.519
 needed to

00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:01.980
 step up

00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:02.399
 to fill

00:29:02.399 --> 00:29:02.859
 the void.

00:29:04.059 --> 00:29:04.379
 He says

00:29:04.379 --> 00:29:04.700
 in verses

00:29:04.700 --> 00:29:05.899
 25 to 26,

00:29:06.019 --> 00:29:07.599
 so Barnabas

00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:07.980
 went to

00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:08.359
 Tarsus

00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:08.720
 to look

00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:09.259
 for Saul,

00:29:09.619 --> 00:29:10.119
 and when

00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:10.339
 he had

00:29:10.339 --> 00:29:10.799
 found him,

00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:11.159
 he brought

00:29:11.159 --> 00:29:11.480
 him to

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.079
 Antioch.

00:29:12.940 --> 00:29:13.419
 For a

00:29:13.419 --> 00:29:13.819
 whole year

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:14.179
 they met

00:29:14.179 --> 00:29:14.480
 with the

00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:14.940
 church and

00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:15.419
 taught a

00:29:15.419 --> 00:29:15.919
 great many

00:29:15.919 --> 00:29:16.339
 people,

00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:16.919
 and in

00:29:16.919 --> 00:29:17.460
 Antioch the

00:29:17.460 --> 00:29:18.079
 disciples were

00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:18.720
 first called

00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:19.220
 Christians.

00:29:20.220 --> 00:29:20.539
 Barnabas

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:21.180
 traveled to

00:29:21.180 --> 00:29:21.799
 Tarsus to

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:22.380
 recruit Saul

00:29:22.380 --> 00:29:22.720
 for his

00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:23.259
 ministry in

00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:23.860
 Antioch,

00:29:24.600 --> 00:29:25.019
 and Saul,

00:29:25.140 --> 00:29:25.620
 it appears,

00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:25.980
 was a

00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:26.360
 particularly

00:29:26.360 --> 00:29:27.019
 effective

00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:27.680
 teacher.

00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:29.299
 Later in

00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:29.920
 Acts 14,

00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:30.200
 12,

00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:30.559
 we learn

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:30.819
 that when

00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:31.200
 Barnabas

00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:31.660
 and Saul

00:29:31.660 --> 00:29:32.259
 are traveling

00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:32.840
 together on

00:29:32.840 --> 00:29:33.340
 their missionary

00:29:33.340 --> 00:29:33.920
 journeys,

00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:35.120
 Saul came

00:29:35.120 --> 00:29:35.680
 to be known

00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:36.019
 as the

00:29:36.019 --> 00:29:36.819
 chief speaker,

00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:37.860
 likely because

00:29:37.860 --> 00:29:38.259
 he was

00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:39.079
 maybe more

00:29:39.079 --> 00:29:39.600
 knowledgeable

00:29:39.600 --> 00:29:40.759
 about the

00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:41.180
 word or

00:29:41.180 --> 00:29:41.700
 theology or

00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:42.039
 because he

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.259
 was a

00:29:42.259 --> 00:29:43.039
 more effective

00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:43.539
 teacher.

00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:46.139
 this is an

00:29:46.139 --> 00:29:46.879
 important aspect

00:29:46.879 --> 00:29:47.579
 of being a

00:29:47.579 --> 00:29:48.019
 part of the

00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:48.339
 church.

00:29:49.180 --> 00:29:49.659
 When Jesus

00:29:49.659 --> 00:29:50.379
 commissioned his

00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:51.399
 apostles in

00:29:51.399 --> 00:29:52.099
 Matthew 28,

00:29:52.159 --> 00:29:52.879
 18 to 20,

00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.440
 he didn't

00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:54.159
 merely command

00:29:54.159 --> 00:29:54.579
 them to

00:29:54.579 --> 00:29:55.579
 baptize people.

00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:57.259
 He told

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.159
 them to

00:29:58.159 --> 00:29:58.960
 teach them

00:29:58.960 --> 00:29:59.619
 to observe

00:29:59.619 --> 00:30:00.920
 everything I

00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:01.579
 have commanded

00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:01.899
 you.

00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.079
 Discipling

00:30:05.079 --> 00:30:05.759
 others does

00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:06.619
 not end with

00:30:06.619 --> 00:30:07.099
 conversion.

00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:08.180
 It doesn't

00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:08.879
 end with

00:30:08.879 --> 00:30:09.420
 baptism.

00:30:09.420 --> 00:30:10.480
 It continues

00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.460
 with teaching

00:30:11.460 --> 00:30:12.819
 everything that

00:30:12.819 --> 00:30:13.939
 Jesus has

00:30:13.939 --> 00:30:14.779
 commanded us.

00:30:15.439 --> 00:30:16.159
 So it's

00:30:16.159 --> 00:30:17.220
 reductionistic and

00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:18.220
 simplistic to

00:30:18.220 --> 00:30:19.159
 say, well, I

00:30:19.159 --> 00:30:19.619
 believe the

00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:20.119
 gospel and

00:30:20.119 --> 00:30:20.500
 that's all

00:30:20.500 --> 00:30:21.059
 that matters.

00:30:24.139 --> 00:30:24.700
 There's

00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:25.399
 something wrong

00:30:25.399 --> 00:30:25.779
 with the

00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:26.339
 baby that

00:30:26.339 --> 00:30:26.980
 doesn't grow

00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:27.539
 after being

00:30:27.539 --> 00:30:27.879
 born.

00:30:28.879 --> 00:30:29.240
 Likewise,

00:30:29.379 --> 00:30:29.559
 there's

00:30:29.559 --> 00:30:30.240
 something wrong

00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:30.679
 with the

00:30:30.679 --> 00:30:31.319
 Christian who

00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:31.779
 is born

00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:32.279
 again through

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:32.759
 faith in

00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:33.319
 Jesus Christ

00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:33.720
 by the

00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:34.119
 Spirit of

00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:34.919
 God and

00:30:34.919 --> 00:30:35.519
 yet does

00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:36.240
 not grow

00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:36.799
 in faith

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.319
 and obedience

00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:38.519
 to his

00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:38.799
 or her

00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:39.279
 Lord Jesus

00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:39.740
 Christ.

00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:42.859
 teachers are

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:43.559
 a gift to

00:30:43.559 --> 00:30:43.920
 the church

00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:44.440
 given by

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:44.880
 God to

00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:45.599
 instruct us

00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:45.799
 in the

00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:46.120
 will of

00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:46.440
 God.

00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:48.180
 Once again,

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:48.700
 I'm grateful

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:49.120
 for the

00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:49.759
 teachers that

00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:50.180
 God has

00:30:50.180 --> 00:30:51.220
 placed in

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:51.799
 our midst.

00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:52.980
 There are

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:53.559
 many people

00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:53.940
 among us

00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:54.120
 who are

00:30:54.120 --> 00:30:54.819
 gifted to

00:30:54.819 --> 00:30:55.299
 study the

00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:56.180
 Bible deeply

00:30:56.180 --> 00:30:56.819
 and then to

00:30:56.819 --> 00:30:57.680
 communicate the

00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.599
 findings clearly.

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:01.420
 I pray that

00:31:01.420 --> 00:31:01.740
 God will

00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:02.779
 bless all of

00:31:02.779 --> 00:31:03.220
 you to do

00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:03.779
 so more and

00:31:03.779 --> 00:31:04.140
 more for

00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:04.859
 his glory as

00:31:04.859 --> 00:31:05.079
 well.

00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:07.879
 Fifth,

00:31:08.019 --> 00:31:08.399
 prophets

00:31:08.399 --> 00:31:09.099
 prophesied.

00:31:09.419 --> 00:31:09.799
 It says in

00:31:09.799 --> 00:31:10.460
 verses 27

00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:11.059
 to 28,

00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:11.720
 Now in

00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:12.199
 these days

00:31:12.199 --> 00:31:13.159
 prophets came

00:31:13.159 --> 00:31:13.779
 down from

00:31:13.779 --> 00:31:14.339
 Jerusalem to

00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:15.299
 Antioch and

00:31:15.299 --> 00:31:15.839
 one of them

00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:16.519
 named Agabus

00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:17.359
 stood up and

00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:18.500
 foretold by the

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:19.159
 Spirit that

00:31:19.159 --> 00:31:19.579
 there would be a

00:31:19.579 --> 00:31:20.379
 great famine over

00:31:20.379 --> 00:31:21.039
 all the world.

00:31:21.299 --> 00:31:21.960
 This took place

00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:22.519
 in the days of

00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:23.019
 Claudius.

00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:24.759
 A group of

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.379
 prophets came

00:31:25.379 --> 00:31:25.839
 down from

00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:26.419
 Jerusalem to

00:31:26.419 --> 00:31:27.500
 Antioch and

00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:28.000
 they used

00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:28.960
 their gifts to

00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:29.679
 minister to

00:31:29.679 --> 00:31:30.359
 the church

00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:31.099
 there, the

00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:31.980
 new growing

00:31:31.980 --> 00:31:32.500
 church in

00:31:32.500 --> 00:31:33.000
 Antioch.

00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:35.079
 Agabus was

00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:35.700
 one of those

00:31:35.700 --> 00:31:36.140
 prophets.

00:31:36.519 --> 00:31:37.619
 He was a

00:31:37.619 --> 00:31:38.420
 highly gifted

00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:39.079
 and a

00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:40.640
 prominent prophet

00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:41.160
 in the early

00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:41.519
 church.

00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:42.559
 We'll encounter

00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:43.380
 him again later

00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:43.980
 in Acts chapter

00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:44.559
 21.

00:31:45.180 --> 00:31:45.599
 And it says

00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:45.859
 that he

00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:46.759
 foretold by

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.240
 the Spirit

00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:47.559
 that there

00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.200
 would be a

00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:49.119
 famine, great

00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:49.640
 famine over

00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:50.160
 all the world.

00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:51.059
 The phrase

00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:51.779
 over all the

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.380
 world doesn't

00:31:52.380 --> 00:31:53.119
 literally refer

00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:53.920
 to the entire

00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:55.299
 globe, but is

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:55.859
 a phrase that

00:31:55.859 --> 00:31:56.480
 is often used

00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:56.900
 in ancient

00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:57.599
 literature to

00:31:57.599 --> 00:31:58.119
 refer to the

00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:59.180
 entire inhabited

00:31:59.180 --> 00:31:59.900
 world known at

00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:00.940
 the time or

00:32:00.940 --> 00:32:01.519
 to the Roman

00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.359
 Empire more

00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:03.039
 narrowly.

00:32:04.379 --> 00:32:04.779
 And Luke

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:05.439
 adds an

00:32:05.439 --> 00:32:06.279
 editorial note

00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:07.439
 here to

00:32:07.439 --> 00:32:08.059
 confirm that

00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:08.519
 the famine

00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:09.519
 did indeed

00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:10.740
 occur in

00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:12.559
 the days of

00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.079
 Claudius,

00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:14.139
 which was

00:32:14.139 --> 00:32:14.879
 between 41

00:32:14.879 --> 00:32:15.559
 and 54

00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:15.919
 AD.

00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:18.779
 Other

00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:19.299
 historians

00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:20.119
 corroborate that

00:32:20.119 --> 00:32:20.659
 this famine

00:32:20.659 --> 00:32:21.339
 did take

00:32:21.339 --> 00:32:21.679
 place.

00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:22.039
 It was a

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.519
 widespread

00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:23.299
 famine that

00:32:23.299 --> 00:32:24.159
 encompassed

00:32:24.159 --> 00:32:25.019
 Egypt, Syria,

00:32:25.179 --> 00:32:25.759
 Judea, and

00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:26.679
 Greece during

00:32:26.679 --> 00:32:27.899
 45 to 47

00:32:27.899 --> 00:32:29.000
 AD, which

00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:29.259
 would have

00:32:29.259 --> 00:32:29.879
 been about a

00:32:29.879 --> 00:32:30.639
 year after

00:32:30.639 --> 00:32:31.059
 Agabus'

00:32:31.059 --> 00:32:31.759
 prophecy.

00:32:32.359 --> 00:32:34.099
 And this

00:32:34.099 --> 00:32:35.119
 prophecy enabled

00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:35.759
 the church in

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.740
 Antioch, which

00:32:36.740 --> 00:32:37.619
 was wealthier

00:32:37.619 --> 00:32:38.259
 than the church

00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:39.699
 in Judea, to

00:32:39.699 --> 00:32:40.740
 collect and

00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.919
 send relief to

00:32:41.919 --> 00:32:42.740
 the saints

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:44.240
 there, the

00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:44.939
 brothers living

00:32:44.939 --> 00:32:45.479
 in Judea.

00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:48.000
 Prophecy is a

00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:48.799
 gift of the

00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:49.740
 Holy Spirit by

00:32:49.740 --> 00:32:50.139
 which a

00:32:50.139 --> 00:32:51.179
 believer receives

00:32:51.179 --> 00:32:51.579
 and then

00:32:51.579 --> 00:32:52.419
 communicates

00:32:52.419 --> 00:32:53.859
 divine revelation.

00:32:54.379 --> 00:32:54.659
 And the

00:32:54.659 --> 00:32:55.379
 purpose of it is

00:32:55.379 --> 00:32:56.359
 to build up the

00:32:56.359 --> 00:32:57.339
 church, as it

00:32:57.339 --> 00:32:57.779
 says in 1

00:32:57.779 --> 00:32:58.500
 Corinthians 14.

00:33:00.099 --> 00:33:00.859
 Prophecy is not

00:33:00.859 --> 00:33:01.500
 something that

00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:02.479
 adds to the

00:33:02.479 --> 00:33:03.539
 salvific content

00:33:03.539 --> 00:33:04.359
 of Scripture.

00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.500
 Scriptures, as it

00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:07.059
 says in 2

00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:08.099
 Timothy 3.15, are

00:33:08.099 --> 00:33:08.939
 able to make us

00:33:08.939 --> 00:33:10.139
 wise for salvation

00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:11.259
 through faith in

00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:12.000
 Christ Jesus.

00:33:12.939 --> 00:33:13.679
 Prophecy doesn't

00:33:13.679 --> 00:33:14.519
 add anything to

00:33:14.519 --> 00:33:14.779
 that.

00:33:15.019 --> 00:33:15.819
 It's not something

00:33:15.819 --> 00:33:16.779
 that is normative

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:18.059
 and authoritative for

00:33:18.059 --> 00:33:19.099
 all Christians at

00:33:19.099 --> 00:33:20.500
 all times in all

00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:20.979
 places.

00:33:21.759 --> 00:33:22.699
 Rather, prophecy

00:33:22.699 --> 00:33:23.279
 has a more

00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:24.919
 specific circumstantial

00:33:24.919 --> 00:33:25.339
 content.

00:33:26.219 --> 00:33:26.679
 For example,

00:33:26.839 --> 00:33:27.199
 Agabus'

00:33:27.419 --> 00:33:29.479
 prophecy applied to

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.200
 people in that

00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:31.539
 particular place

00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:33.299
 at that particular

00:33:33.299 --> 00:33:34.079
 time.

00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:35.299
 It does not

00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:36.120
 apply to us.

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:39.839
 Similarly, when

00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:40.700
 people prophesy in

00:33:40.700 --> 00:33:41.460
 our church, it's a

00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:42.420
 prophecy that's given

00:33:42.420 --> 00:33:43.279
 in that particular

00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:44.880
 time to this

00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:45.779
 particular people

00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:46.880
 to build them up.

00:33:49.799 --> 00:33:50.779
 Prophecy was not

00:33:50.779 --> 00:33:51.740
 something that our

00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:52.420
 church was

00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:53.900
 historically strong

00:33:53.900 --> 00:33:54.140
 in.

00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:55.900
 But 1 Corinthians

00:33:55.900 --> 00:33:56.759
 chapter 14,

00:33:56.839 --> 00:33:57.279
 verse 1,

00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:58.079
 teaches us to

00:33:58.079 --> 00:33:59.079
 pursue love,

00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:00.079
 and earnestly

00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:00.759
 desire the

00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:01.400
 spiritual gifts,

00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:02.380
 especially that

00:34:02.380 --> 00:34:03.299
 you may prophesy.

00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:05.140
 So that's what we

00:34:05.140 --> 00:34:05.420
 did.

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:07.240
 We invited a team

00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:08.300
 of prophets from

00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:09.460
 a sister church in

00:34:09.460 --> 00:34:10.320
 our denomination to

00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:11.400
 visit us a couple

00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:11.980
 years ago.

00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:13.219
 They preached for

00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:13.860
 us and did a

00:34:13.860 --> 00:34:15.059
 prophecy seminar for

00:34:15.059 --> 00:34:15.659
 us, which was a

00:34:15.659 --> 00:34:16.460
 powerful time of

00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:17.300
 ministry for many

00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:18.179
 of you who were

00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:18.900
 able to participate.

00:34:20.219 --> 00:34:20.980
 We prayed

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:21.940
 earnestly that God

00:34:21.940 --> 00:34:23.019
 would impart and

00:34:23.019 --> 00:34:23.719
 distribute the

00:34:23.719 --> 00:34:24.480
 gifts of prophecy

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:25.480
 more liberally among

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:25.800
 us.

00:34:26.240 --> 00:34:26.820
 And he has

00:34:26.820 --> 00:34:27.400
 answered that

00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:28.420
 prayer to a

00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:28.960
 large degree.

00:34:29.480 --> 00:34:31.480
 not only has

00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:32.139
 God brought in

00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:33.019
 new people who

00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:33.639
 have the gifts

00:34:33.639 --> 00:34:34.139
 of prophecy,

00:34:34.260 --> 00:34:34.740
 he has also

00:34:34.740 --> 00:34:35.980
 raised up from

00:34:35.980 --> 00:34:36.780
 our own midst

00:34:36.780 --> 00:34:37.380
 people with

00:34:37.380 --> 00:34:37.699
 gifts of

00:34:37.699 --> 00:34:38.059
 prophecy.

00:34:41.480 --> 00:34:42.340
 I'm so thankful

00:34:42.340 --> 00:34:42.940
 for many of you

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:43.559
 who use your

00:34:43.559 --> 00:34:44.300
 gifts to build up

00:34:44.300 --> 00:34:45.039
 our church in

00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:45.500
 this way.

00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.280
 You have been

00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:49.119
 hearing regularly

00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:49.800
 from these

00:34:49.800 --> 00:34:51.019
 prophets, people

00:34:51.019 --> 00:34:51.480
 with gifts of

00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:52.619
 prophecy during our

00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:53.280
 church services.

00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:55.600
 many of you have

00:34:55.600 --> 00:34:56.400
 not heard from

00:34:56.400 --> 00:34:57.460
 other prophets in

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:57.960
 our church who

00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:58.900
 also have strong

00:34:58.900 --> 00:34:59.640
 gifts of prophecy,

00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:01.000
 some of whom have

00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:02.120
 not been able to

00:35:02.120 --> 00:35:03.120
 come during COVID

00:35:03.120 --> 00:35:03.820
 during extenuating

00:35:03.820 --> 00:35:04.540
 circumstances.

00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:06.400
 But I look forward

00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:08.140
 to, I can't wait to

00:35:08.140 --> 00:35:09.160
 have you all hear from

00:35:09.160 --> 00:35:10.120
 them also, Lord

00:35:10.120 --> 00:35:10.580
 willing, in the

00:35:10.580 --> 00:35:11.080
 near future.

00:35:13.660 --> 00:35:14.960
 Sixth, disciples

00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.480
 give.

00:35:15.620 --> 00:35:16.100
 It says in

00:35:16.100 --> 00:35:17.260
 verses 29 to 30,

00:35:17.680 --> 00:35:18.340
 so the disciples

00:35:18.340 --> 00:35:19.360
 determined everyone

00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:20.100
 according to his

00:35:20.100 --> 00:35:20.920
 ability to send

00:35:20.920 --> 00:35:21.660
 relief to the

00:35:21.659 --> 00:35:22.519
 brothers living in

00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:22.899
 Judea.

00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:24.440
 And they did so,

00:35:24.739 --> 00:35:25.480
 sending it to the

00:35:25.480 --> 00:35:26.359
 elders by the hand

00:35:26.359 --> 00:35:27.139
 of Barnabas and

00:35:27.139 --> 00:35:27.399
 Saul.

00:35:28.859 --> 00:35:29.920
 The disciples of

00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:30.779
 Jesus Christ in

00:35:30.779 --> 00:35:31.539
 Antioch determined

00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:32.440
 everyone according

00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:33.839
 to his ability to

00:35:33.839 --> 00:35:34.679
 send relief to the

00:35:34.679 --> 00:35:35.480
 brothers living in

00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:35.899
 Judea.

00:35:36.940 --> 00:35:37.799
 From the very

00:35:37.799 --> 00:35:38.619
 beginnings of the

00:35:38.619 --> 00:35:39.279
 church here in

00:35:39.279 --> 00:35:40.339
 Acts, we see that

00:35:40.339 --> 00:35:41.279
 the early church,

00:35:41.940 --> 00:35:43.519
 there was inter-church

00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:44.659
 partnership among

00:35:44.659 --> 00:35:44.899
 them.

00:35:46.379 --> 00:35:47.019
 Christians in the

00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:47.940
 early church didn't

00:35:47.940 --> 00:35:49.139
 have the attitude of,

00:35:49.259 --> 00:35:50.279
 well, I care about

00:35:50.279 --> 00:35:51.339
 my own local church

00:35:51.340 --> 00:35:52.220
 and nothing else.

00:35:53.260 --> 00:35:54.100
 They were partnered

00:35:54.100 --> 00:35:55.240
 with each other

00:35:55.240 --> 00:35:57.300
 and served each

00:35:57.300 --> 00:35:57.539
 other.

00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:01.160
 We see this in the

00:36:01.160 --> 00:36:02.079
 repeated mentions of

00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:02.620
 other believers'

00:36:02.840 --> 00:36:03.880
 travels and the

00:36:03.880 --> 00:36:04.860
 act of sending out

00:36:04.860 --> 00:36:05.519
 believers to other

00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.500
 churches throughout

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:07.160
 this passage.

00:36:07.800 --> 00:36:08.579
 Verse 22, they

00:36:08.579 --> 00:36:09.740
 sent Barnabas to

00:36:09.740 --> 00:36:10.160
 Antioch.

00:36:10.280 --> 00:36:11.420
 Verse 27, now in

00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:12.160
 these days prophets

00:36:12.160 --> 00:36:13.420
 came down from

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:14.079
 Jerusalem to

00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:14.559
 Antioch.

00:36:14.640 --> 00:36:15.900
 Verse 29, the

00:36:15.900 --> 00:36:16.640
 disciples determined

00:36:16.640 --> 00:36:17.860
 to send relief to

00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:18.660
 the brothers living in

00:36:18.660 --> 00:36:19.039
 Judea.

00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.519
 And finally, verse 30,

00:36:20.519 --> 00:36:21.940
 they did so, sending

00:36:21.940 --> 00:36:23.940
 it to the elders by

00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:25.079
 the hand of Barnabas

00:36:25.079 --> 00:36:25.759
 and Saul.

00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:27.679
 The more theologically

00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:28.699
 mature and spiritually

00:36:28.699 --> 00:36:29.960
 gifted congregation in

00:36:29.960 --> 00:36:31.559
 Jerusalem sent others

00:36:31.559 --> 00:36:32.619
 who were gifted from

00:36:32.619 --> 00:36:33.619
 their church to minister

00:36:33.619 --> 00:36:34.719
 to the burgeoning church

00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:35.440
 in Antioch.

00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:37.719
 And likewise, the new

00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:38.599
 church in Antioch,

00:36:38.659 --> 00:36:39.300
 which was more

00:36:39.300 --> 00:36:41.179
 financially wealthy,

00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:42.820
 better off, then sent

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:44.000
 financial gifts to the

00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:45.059
 church in Judea in order

00:36:45.059 --> 00:36:46.239
 to help them in

00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:47.579
 anticipation of the

00:36:47.579 --> 00:36:48.960
 famine in a time of

00:36:48.960 --> 00:36:49.220
 need.

00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:52.980
 I've seen you guys do

00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:54.220
 this also time and

00:36:54.220 --> 00:36:54.740
 time again.

00:36:58.220 --> 00:36:59.440
 I've seen many of you

00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.960
 give generously to the

00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:01.900
 needs of this church.

00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:03.900
 I remember last year

00:37:03.900 --> 00:37:06.039
 when in a span of two

00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:08.079
 weeks, each of you gave

00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:09.159
 according to your own

00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:10.019
 ability and we

00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:12.260
 collected $20,000 toward

00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:13.220
 the COVID emergency

00:37:13.220 --> 00:37:13.559
 fund.

00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:18.759
 which we have now

00:37:18.759 --> 00:37:19.880
 designated as part of

00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:21.219
 our benevolence fund to

00:37:21.219 --> 00:37:22.099
 help the needy saints

00:37:22.099 --> 00:37:22.679
 among us.

00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:25.940
 Over the last four years,

00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:27.000
 we have given a

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.920
 cumulative sum of

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:29.599
 around $40,000 to

00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:30.079
 Sovereign Grace

00:37:30.079 --> 00:37:30.699
 Churches, our

00:37:30.699 --> 00:37:33.059
 denomination, much of

00:37:33.059 --> 00:37:34.239
 which has been used to

00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:35.279
 help needy sister

00:37:35.279 --> 00:37:36.900
 churches and to plant

00:37:36.900 --> 00:37:38.420
 new churches throughout

00:37:38.420 --> 00:37:41.380
 the U.S. and abroad.

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:47.579
 In partnerships like

00:37:47.579 --> 00:37:48.420
 this, we can accomplish

00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:49.559
 more toward Christ's

00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:50.579
 mission than we can on

00:37:50.579 --> 00:37:50.980
 our own.

00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:53.380
 And I pray that God

00:37:53.380 --> 00:37:54.420
 will help us to do so

00:37:54.420 --> 00:37:55.220
 and lean into these

00:37:55.220 --> 00:37:56.099
 partnerships more and

00:37:56.099 --> 00:37:57.840
 more in the future.

00:37:59.480 --> 00:38:00.539
 Notice that the word

00:38:00.539 --> 00:38:01.880
 church is used twice in

00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:02.420
 this passage.

00:38:02.660 --> 00:38:03.700
 First in verse 22,

00:38:04.260 --> 00:38:05.160
 where it refers to the

00:38:05.160 --> 00:38:05.920
 church in Jerusalem.

00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:07.300
 Second in verse 26,

00:38:07.700 --> 00:38:08.539
 where it refers to the

00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:09.420
 church in Antioch.

00:38:09.420 --> 00:38:11.639
 This shows that the

00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:13.099
 church in Antioch,

00:38:13.180 --> 00:38:14.360
 made up of new Greek

00:38:14.360 --> 00:38:16.400
 believers, is just as

00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:18.500
 much a church as the

00:38:18.500 --> 00:38:19.659
 original church in

00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:20.559
 Jerusalem, made up

00:38:20.559 --> 00:38:21.599
 primarily of Jews,

00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:22.619
 Jewish converts.

00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:25.940
 There may be multiple

00:38:25.940 --> 00:38:27.480
 congregations, multiple

00:38:27.480 --> 00:38:29.500
 local churches, but there

00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:31.599
 is one universal church.

00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:34.079
 Though many of the

00:38:34.079 --> 00:38:34.920
 believers in the church

00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:36.500
 in Antioch likely have

00:38:36.500 --> 00:38:37.460
 never met the believers

00:38:37.460 --> 00:38:38.159
 in the church in

00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:39.400
 Jerusalem, they still

00:38:39.400 --> 00:38:41.019
 call them brothers in

00:38:41.019 --> 00:38:42.740
 verse 29, out of their

00:38:42.740 --> 00:38:43.599
 recognition that they are

00:38:43.599 --> 00:38:44.720
 members of the same

00:38:44.720 --> 00:38:45.800
 family of God.

00:38:47.639 --> 00:38:48.840
 Christians all over the

00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:50.559
 world look different and

00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:51.559
 they talk differently.

00:38:52.260 --> 00:38:53.559
 We have many differences

00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:54.360
 among us.

00:38:55.840 --> 00:38:57.059
 Christians in the south are

00:38:57.059 --> 00:38:58.079
 very different from the

00:38:58.079 --> 00:38:59.139
 Christians in the north.

00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:01.280
 Christians in Africa and

00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:02.700
 Asia are very different

00:39:02.700 --> 00:39:03.579
 from the Christians in

00:39:03.579 --> 00:39:03.800
 Europe.

00:39:03.800 --> 00:39:06.480
 But we must remember that

00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:07.900
 Christ binds us all

00:39:07.900 --> 00:39:09.480
 together by one spirit.

00:39:11.660 --> 00:39:13.059
 He says at the end of

00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:14.780
 verse 26 that in Antioch

00:39:14.780 --> 00:39:16.099
 the disciples were first

00:39:16.099 --> 00:39:17.180
 called Christians.

00:39:18.300 --> 00:39:19.559
 I love that little

00:39:19.559 --> 00:39:21.039
 insertion by Luke, the

00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:21.700
 historian here.

00:39:23.820 --> 00:39:25.099
 The form of the word

00:39:25.099 --> 00:39:26.800
 Christian suggests that it

00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:29.200
 was a word that had Latin

00:39:29.200 --> 00:39:31.340
 origins, which means it's

00:39:31.340 --> 00:39:32.660
 not a term that the

00:39:32.660 --> 00:39:33.539
 Christians adopted for

00:39:33.539 --> 00:39:34.000
 themselves.

00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:35.739
 rather it's a term that

00:39:35.739 --> 00:39:37.199
 others label them with,

00:39:37.619 --> 00:39:38.780
 probably the Romans.

00:39:40.139 --> 00:39:41.840
 It may well have been a

00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:44.460
 derogatory term, which

00:39:44.460 --> 00:39:46.159
 started as the church was

00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:46.960
 starting to establish

00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:48.239
 itself among the Greeks.

00:39:48.880 --> 00:39:49.940
 Now that there were Greek

00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:51.019
 converts joining the church,

00:39:51.079 --> 00:39:52.000
 they can no longer just

00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:54.019
 call Christianity a Jewish

00:39:54.019 --> 00:39:54.599
 sect.

00:39:55.099 --> 00:39:55.880
 They were like, what do we

00:39:55.880 --> 00:39:56.659
 call these guys?

00:39:57.219 --> 00:39:57.940
 Oh, let's call them

00:39:57.940 --> 00:39:59.500
 Christians, since they

00:39:59.500 --> 00:40:00.559
 follow that guy that they

00:40:00.559 --> 00:40:01.460
 call the Christ.

00:40:01.460 --> 00:40:05.539
 But the Christians

00:40:05.539 --> 00:40:06.659
 embraced that label.

00:40:10.179 --> 00:40:11.960
 Because they were proud

00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:14.460
 to follow a man named

00:40:14.460 --> 00:40:16.619
 Jesus, who is the Christ,

00:40:17.220 --> 00:40:18.800
 the Messiah, the King,

00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:21.820
 the Son of God, who died

00:40:21.820 --> 00:40:23.440
 to save them and was raised

00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:24.579
 from the dead victoriously.

00:40:27.079 --> 00:40:28.659
 A couple years ago, I met

00:40:28.659 --> 00:40:31.440
 a Christian chaplain at a

00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:32.340
 prominent university.

00:40:32.579 --> 00:40:33.340
 It was like a gathering

00:40:33.340 --> 00:40:34.099
 for ministers.

00:40:35.559 --> 00:40:36.980
 And he was supposed to be

00:40:36.980 --> 00:40:38.340
 a Christian chaplain for

00:40:38.340 --> 00:40:40.420
 this university, but he

00:40:40.420 --> 00:40:42.340
 not only denied the death

00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:43.280
 and resurrection of Jesus

00:40:43.280 --> 00:40:45.340
 Christ, he expressly

00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:47.659
 refused to call himself

00:40:47.659 --> 00:40:48.440
 a Christian.

00:40:49.440 --> 00:40:51.280
 He called himself instead a

00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:52.920
 follower of Jesus the

00:40:52.920 --> 00:40:53.340
 Nazarene.

00:40:53.340 --> 00:40:54.059
 Nazarene.

00:40:58.700 --> 00:41:00.519
 I respectfully told him

00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:02.420
 and quoted this verse to

00:41:02.420 --> 00:41:03.680
 him, in Antioch, the

00:41:03.680 --> 00:41:05.059
 disciples were first called

00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:05.579
 Christians.

00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:10.160
 And tried to talk to him

00:41:10.160 --> 00:41:11.019
 about the fact that you

00:41:11.019 --> 00:41:13.260
 can't associate yourself

00:41:13.260 --> 00:41:14.559
 with Christ and then

00:41:14.559 --> 00:41:16.280
 dissociate yourself with

00:41:16.280 --> 00:41:18.700
 Christ's body, his bride,

00:41:18.699 --> 00:41:19.399
 his people.

00:41:24.339 --> 00:41:25.879
 That Christian, the term,

00:41:26.019 --> 00:41:28.359
 has a venerable heritage.

00:41:28.919 --> 00:41:30.000
 That we are not merely

00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:31.759
 followers of some man

00:41:31.759 --> 00:41:33.599
 named Jesus who did some

00:41:33.599 --> 00:41:35.019
 good works and then said

00:41:35.019 --> 00:41:36.239
 some wise things.

00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:37.879
 But that we are those who

00:41:37.879 --> 00:41:39.739
 have pledged allegiance to

00:41:39.739 --> 00:41:41.439
 Jesus called the Christ,

00:41:42.039 --> 00:41:44.159
 the King, the Messiah,

00:41:44.299 --> 00:41:45.619
 the Savior of the world.

00:41:45.619 --> 00:41:50.859
 And that we are called to

00:41:50.859 --> 00:41:52.139
 submit to him and follow

00:41:52.139 --> 00:41:53.839
 him in all of life.

00:41:59.539 --> 00:42:00.739
 I think there are people

00:42:00.739 --> 00:42:02.779
 who increasingly, in this

00:42:02.779 --> 00:42:03.759
 area especially, were

00:42:03.759 --> 00:42:05.519
 embarrassed to be called

00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:06.299
 Christians.

00:42:08.400 --> 00:42:09.920
 Who are embarrassed of other

00:42:09.920 --> 00:42:10.420
 Christians.

00:42:13.519 --> 00:42:15.199
 Sometimes I see Christians

00:42:15.199 --> 00:42:16.259
 Christians who are more

00:42:16.259 --> 00:42:19.819
 critical and more

00:42:19.819 --> 00:42:21.139
 slanderous toward other

00:42:21.139 --> 00:42:21.739
 Christians than

00:42:21.739 --> 00:42:22.359
 unbelievers.

00:42:25.199 --> 00:42:26.539
 That should not be the

00:42:26.539 --> 00:42:26.839
 case.

00:42:32.079 --> 00:42:33.960
 There was a time when I

00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:36.219
 was this immature elementary

00:42:36.219 --> 00:42:37.619
 school kid in South Korea

00:42:37.619 --> 00:42:38.379
 growing up.

00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:42.379
 I had, for a short time,

00:42:42.659 --> 00:42:43.779
 my paternal grandfather

00:42:43.779 --> 00:42:44.779
 living with me and my

00:42:44.780 --> 00:42:45.180
 family.

00:42:46.180 --> 00:42:48.120
 And being the insecure and

00:42:48.120 --> 00:42:51.060
 socially awkward kid that

00:42:51.060 --> 00:42:53.740
 I was, I was so embarrassed

00:42:53.740 --> 00:42:54.820
 of my grandfather.

00:42:55.620 --> 00:42:57.100
 I didn't want him to come to

00:42:57.100 --> 00:42:57.620
 my school.

00:42:58.960 --> 00:43:00.480
 So I told him, don't come

00:43:00.480 --> 00:43:01.420
 anywhere near my school.

00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:05.100
 Of course, he comes, of all

00:43:05.100 --> 00:43:06.320
 things, picking up garbage,

00:43:06.519 --> 00:43:07.600
 trying to clean up the area.

00:43:09.440 --> 00:43:10.640
 And I was mortified.

00:43:10.740 --> 00:43:13.060
 I was like, grandfather, I

00:43:13.059 --> 00:43:14.059
 told you not to come.

00:43:14.059 --> 00:43:16.380
 I was really mean to him.

00:43:17.259 --> 00:43:17.940
 Scolded at him.

00:43:20.159 --> 00:43:21.460
 Even though he probably had

00:43:21.460 --> 00:43:22.460
 more reasons to be embarrassed

00:43:22.460 --> 00:43:23.599
 of me than I had of him.

00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:28.900
 I'm ashamed of that now,

00:43:29.059 --> 00:43:29.619
 looking back.

00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:36.099
 Because no matter how much I

00:43:36.099 --> 00:43:37.059
 didn't want to be associated

00:43:37.059 --> 00:43:38.420
 with him, he was my

00:43:38.420 --> 00:43:39.079
 grandfather.

00:43:40.860 --> 00:43:42.440
 He was proud of me because

00:43:42.440 --> 00:43:44.519
 I was his only grandson.

00:43:45.579 --> 00:43:46.820
 I didn't want anything to do

00:43:46.820 --> 00:43:47.119
 with him.

00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:52.840
 It's the same way for us.

00:43:53.880 --> 00:43:55.599
 You might be embarrassed by some

00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:56.960
 of the political views of

00:43:56.960 --> 00:43:59.820
 Christians, some of the things

00:43:59.820 --> 00:44:01.119
 that they said, some of the

00:44:01.119 --> 00:44:03.360
 things that they do, some of the

00:44:03.360 --> 00:44:05.000
 things that we have, churches have

00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:06.539
 done throughout church history.

00:44:07.639 --> 00:44:09.519
 Well, if they got to take a good

00:44:09.519 --> 00:44:10.659
 look at us and have a relationship

00:44:10.659 --> 00:44:11.780
 with us, to be honest, they'll

00:44:11.780 --> 00:44:13.960
 probably be embarrassed of all of us

00:44:13.960 --> 00:44:14.340
 as well.

00:44:20.760 --> 00:44:22.639
 But none of that changes the fact

00:44:22.639 --> 00:44:25.400
 that if we have faith in the

00:44:25.400 --> 00:44:28.239
 Christ who died and was raised,

00:44:29.199 --> 00:44:31.320
 we belong to the same family of

00:44:31.320 --> 00:44:31.720
 God.

00:44:36.380 --> 00:44:37.500
 Remember this, brothers and

00:44:37.500 --> 00:44:38.820
 sisters, before you are

00:44:38.820 --> 00:44:41.420
 anything else, you are a

00:44:41.420 --> 00:44:41.860
 Christian.

00:44:45.800 --> 00:44:47.820
 And as such, let us embrace

00:44:47.820 --> 00:44:50.420
 the church of God, love his

00:44:50.420 --> 00:44:53.900
 people, serve his people, because

00:44:53.900 --> 00:44:56.019
 the church grows as its

00:44:56.019 --> 00:44:58.920
 interdependent members partner and

00:44:58.920 --> 00:45:01.300
 serve together in the grace of

00:45:01.300 --> 00:45:01.620
 God.

00:45:03.560 --> 00:45:05.680
 Let me close by reading a part of

00:45:05.680 --> 00:45:06.860
 this Charles Spurgeon quote that

00:45:06.860 --> 00:45:08.300
 Andy Farmer shared last Sunday.

00:45:08.460 --> 00:45:09.800
 It's very impactful for me.

00:45:10.660 --> 00:45:12.460
 He says, I felt that I could not

00:45:12.460 --> 00:45:14.100
 be happy without fellowship with

00:45:14.100 --> 00:45:14.980
 the people of God.

00:45:15.560 --> 00:45:17.580
 I wanted to be wherever they

00:45:17.580 --> 00:45:17.920
 were.

00:45:18.360 --> 00:45:20.140
 And if anybody ridiculed them, I

00:45:20.140 --> 00:45:21.800
 wished to be ridiculed with them.

00:45:22.240 --> 00:45:23.940
 And if people had an ugly name

00:45:23.940 --> 00:45:25.500
 for them, I wanted to be called by

00:45:25.500 --> 00:45:26.500
 that ugly name.

00:45:27.039 --> 00:45:29.140
 For I felt that unless I suffered

00:45:29.140 --> 00:45:30.900
 with Christ in his humiliation,

00:45:31.300 --> 00:45:33.580
 I could not expect to reign with

00:45:33.580 --> 00:45:35.039
 him in his glory.

00:45:36.860 --> 00:45:39.240
 Heavenly Father, we pray that you

00:45:39.240 --> 00:45:42.660
 will help us to be a people who

00:45:42.660 --> 00:45:45.160
 are unashamed of the gospel.

00:45:45.159 --> 00:45:48.599
 help us to be a people who are unashamed of the

00:45:48.599 --> 00:45:49.199
 people who are unashamed of the gospel.

00:45:49.199 --> 00:45:51.460
 For it is the power of God for salvation for

00:45:51.460 --> 00:45:52.399
 those who believe.

00:45:54.719 --> 00:45:57.839
 Help us to remember our identity as

00:45:57.839 --> 00:45:58.399
 Christians.

00:45:59.099 --> 00:46:00.759
 That we belong to you.

00:46:03.279 --> 00:46:06.319
 And that for that reason, we belong to

00:46:06.319 --> 00:46:08.920
 one another as brothers and sisters in

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 Christ.

00:46:09.219 --> 00:46:12.719
 help us to love and serve one another

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 as you command us to.

00:46:15.739 --> 00:46:16.799
 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.