1 00:00:14,119 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,379 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,779 --> 00:00:27,019 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:39,020 I want to tell you early on, because we have a little bit of an intro, but if you could turn to 5 00:00:39,020 --> 00:00:45,359 Acts chapter 11. As you know, we go through the Bible with an occasional stop for certain 6 00:00:47,359 --> 00:00:55,539 interruptions of holidays and so forth, and Happy Labor Day, if that's a way to say that. 7 00:00:56,380 --> 00:01:04,980 Labor Day is such a truce kind of holiday, isn't it? But we do really want to appreciate people 8 00:01:04,980 --> 00:01:12,060 who are civil servants and who make our lives better and really are servants for the rest of us. 9 00:01:12,060 --> 00:01:18,280 And today, in a sense, I guess it ties in a little bit with that, but today we're going to talk about 10 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:26,480 Christians. One name, one family, and one mission. In fact, we're going to be reading about the first 11 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:34,439 time the church is actually called Christians, and we are unified. Why? Because we have the same 12 00:01:34,439 --> 00:01:41,040 Holy Spirit dwelling in us. We are like the same. Isn't that amazing? I know it can seem 13 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:46,500 strange, like I'm so different than Tony. Tony was a truck driver. I was a mortgage guy. 14 00:01:47,579 --> 00:01:53,379 You know, we're all different of paths we've come from, but in the Spirit, in Christ, we are all 15 00:01:53,379 --> 00:02:01,099 the same. We're unified, and we have the same purpose. We're family. We're on the same mission 16 00:02:01,099 --> 00:02:08,419 in life. Amen. I love the way Ephesians, Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter four, verses four to 17 00:02:08,419 --> 00:02:16,099 six. I mean, there's a lot of ones in these verses right here. There is one body, one Spirit, 18 00:02:16,319 --> 00:02:23,840 just as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 19 00:02:24,759 --> 00:02:38,400 one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and what in you all. Isn't that 20 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:44,900 we are new creations, right? And so we are like, I like to think of ourselves almost like as hybrids 21 00:02:44,900 --> 00:02:51,840 on earth because we are normal flesh, yet we have a heavenly spirit in us. So God is in us, 22 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:57,620 yet we're normal flesh and blood. I love the way Jesus himself said it in his last 23 00:02:58,159 --> 00:03:05,719 prayer just before he was crucified in the high priestly prayer in John 17. If you haven't read 24 00:03:05,719 --> 00:03:12,340 that chapter in a while, wow, how like moving these words are as he's praying really about you. 25 00:03:12,740 --> 00:03:17,580 He's praying about you and I. He's saying, I don't only pray for these, my disciples, 26 00:03:17,780 --> 00:03:24,500 the one that are with me that I've been leading, but I also pray for those who will believe their 27 00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:33,840 words. And he said that they all may be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also 28 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:43,780 may be one in us and the glory which you gave me, I have given them that they may be one just as we 29 00:03:43,780 --> 00:03:52,680 are one. I in them and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one. That should be a song, 30 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:58,180 shouldn't it? You know, it almost sounds like it is a song, but it's really, we are all one in Christ. 31 00:03:58,180 --> 00:04:07,919 And so because of that, really, we need to be in tune to each other. Like last week was a lot about 32 00:04:07,919 --> 00:04:14,599 communication, but we really need to know about what's going on in the kingdom of God. You know, 33 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:20,680 a lot of times we live lives so like soloists, you know, we just do our own thing. But really, 34 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:28,740 as born again believers, as one body, one family, we need to know what God is doing in the family of 35 00:04:28,740 --> 00:04:35,100 Christ. You know, it's important to know about it and why so that we can participate in it 36 00:04:35,879 --> 00:04:41,279 and that we can also include others into that. We're going to see that in these verses, 37 00:04:41,879 --> 00:04:48,899 because this is such a perfect picture of how God operates through the body of Christ. 38 00:04:48,899 --> 00:04:52,980 So I think we prayed for the message, but maybe not. Let's just pray again. 39 00:04:53,519 --> 00:04:56,759 Father God, we ask you to illuminate the scriptures today. 40 00:04:57,579 --> 00:05:03,319 Open up our minds, Lord God. If we're distracted with things, Lord God, we ask you just to like 41 00:05:03,319 --> 00:05:10,019 bring clarity to our thinking, Lord. We want to be crisp and clear and be able to be dialed into 42 00:05:10,019 --> 00:05:16,019 your word. We ask your Holy Spirit to just cleanse our minds, Lord God, so we can receive 43 00:05:16,019 --> 00:05:20,740 everything from you so that we can walk out of here, not just be a listener of the word, 44 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:26,860 but an actual doer of the word. So we ask all of this in Jesus' name, amen. 45 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:33,019 So we're only going to be looking at verses 19 to 30 today. We're going to stop a couple of times 46 00:05:33,539 --> 00:05:40,699 and really glean everything we can out of this. Last two weeks, we've been looking at Peter, 47 00:05:40,699 --> 00:05:47,579 the apostle Peter, and the things he was up to, how he went to Cornelius' house and led the Romans 48 00:05:47,579 --> 00:05:55,959 to salvation, the first full Gentiles to salvation. And then as we spend time on that, now we're 49 00:05:55,959 --> 00:06:04,139 going to shift our focus on Barnabas and then Saul, because remember he's been up at home in Tarsus. 50 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:07,639 We don't know what he was doing there. I'm sure he was spreading the gospel, 51 00:06:07,639 --> 00:06:11,519 but it doesn't say what he was doing there. He was probably saying, what am I doing here? 52 00:06:11,980 --> 00:06:16,620 Yeah, I thought God was using me and he's just waiting around, but something amazing 53 00:06:16,620 --> 00:06:20,720 is going to happen. So let's dive into verse 19. 54 00:06:22,379 --> 00:06:28,120 And now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen 55 00:06:28,759 --> 00:06:36,540 traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but 56 00:06:36,540 --> 00:06:44,360 the Jews only. But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who when they had come to Antioch, 57 00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:51,420 spoke to the Hellenists, that's the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus and the hand of the 58 00:06:51,420 --> 00:06:57,680 Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 59 00:06:58,439 --> 00:07:03,040 So let's just stop there for a minute. So again, we can really get our minds fully around this. 60 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:08,199 You remember several weeks ago, we talked about Stephen, how he was stoned to death 61 00:07:08,199 --> 00:07:12,920 because of his testimony. And as a result, then all of a sudden, the officials, 62 00:07:13,699 --> 00:07:19,160 the Jewish leaders started persecuting the church. They were probably called the way at that point. 63 00:07:19,759 --> 00:07:25,759 And so they were persecuting. So many Christians stayed and kind of had their base there 64 00:07:25,759 --> 00:07:32,540 and others, those scattered from Jerusalem, but not to go and hide, but to spread the gospel. 65 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:41,160 And so as Philip was going out and remember leading the Samaritans to Christ and leading 66 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:46,980 the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ, and as Peter was going down the Caesarea and leading Cornelius 67 00:07:46,980 --> 00:07:53,360 and his household to Christ, there were other believers, anonymous. We don't even know who 68 00:07:53,360 --> 00:08:00,480 they are, but they're from Cyrene and they're from Cyprus. They too were in Jerusalem 69 00:08:01,579 --> 00:08:07,279 during this whole period of time. In fact, when we read about Pentecost, there was a lot of 70 00:08:07,279 --> 00:08:14,720 people from all around the Mediterranean world in Jerusalem during the Pentecost, 71 00:08:15,539 --> 00:08:21,759 Cyrenians and many others. So people were saved from all around the area. And so as a result, 72 00:08:21,759 --> 00:08:26,379 they probably stayed in Jerusalem as long as they could until that persecution began. 73 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:33,320 And then they started to spread out and share the gospel. And so let's see this map here 74 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:39,659 so we can get a kind of a mind around everything that was happening. Okay. Again, this is the 75 00:08:39,659 --> 00:08:47,419 epicenter of the early church, right? And so what we just heard about is that there was, 76 00:08:47,419 --> 00:08:54,419 people had left Jerusalem and they were sharing the gospel and they just kept on going, kept on 77 00:08:54,419 --> 00:09:01,399 going north and sharing the gospel and people were getting saved. What I love about this 78 00:09:01,399 --> 00:09:09,960 is that we know who Peter was, right? We know who Saul and Barnabas were. We know who Philip was, 79 00:09:10,419 --> 00:09:16,059 but I still don't know who this Cyreneian was or his friends or the people from Cyprus. 80 00:09:16,539 --> 00:09:23,980 We don't know who they are. They're anonymous to us. And yet guess what? The Lord knows exactly 81 00:09:23,980 --> 00:09:31,279 who they are. In fact, they're in heaven now with him, celebrating all the things they've 82 00:09:31,279 --> 00:09:34,639 done for the Lord. And someday we're going to get to meet them and say, so Tommy, 83 00:09:34,799 --> 00:09:39,559 were you the guy that led those Hellenists, those Greeks to the Lord after they had been 84 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:44,940 worshiping all kinds of foreign Gods? Now they were bringing the gospel. That's you and I, 85 00:09:44,940 --> 00:09:51,720 we don't have to be recognized in this world to be special to God. He knows everything you're 86 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:58,120 doing. He's keeping a record and thank God, not of your wrong things, but of the right things. 87 00:09:59,159 --> 00:10:05,519 He has an accounting of everything we've done for him. And we won't be penalized 88 00:10:05,519 --> 00:10:12,460 when we mess up. He just appreciates that we are serving him in that way. And so they are 89 00:10:12,460 --> 00:10:17,600 leading people to Christ. And I was thinking, can you imagine if one of these Cyreneians 90 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:24,159 was the guy who was carrying the cross for Christ? Think about that. I mean, 91 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,679 you know, imagine, do you think he was transformed after that day? 92 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,379 You know, I'm sure he wanted to get that cross off his back, but after that, 93 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:37,059 I'm sure he lingered along and just to watch and to see what was happening, 94 00:10:37,059 --> 00:10:42,679 because he could just see in the eyes of Christ, this man is innocent. Why are they doing this 95 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:48,460 to this guy? You know, or Cyprus, you know, Barnabas was from Cyprus, probably some of his 96 00:10:48,460 --> 00:10:55,059 friends were the ones who led these Greeks to Christ. But so we see this is a lot of exciting 97 00:10:55,059 --> 00:11:02,740 things are going on. So let's read on. And then news of these things came to the ears of the 98 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:10,940 church in Jerusalem. And they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. And when he had came and 99 00:11:10,940 --> 00:11:19,120 had seen the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart, 100 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:27,000 they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. 101 00:11:27,639 --> 00:11:35,600 And a great many people were added to the Lord. So here, Barnabas is sent by probably James, 102 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:43,019 the half-brother of Jesus and Peter and others to go up and say, check this out. There's 103 00:11:43,019 --> 00:11:49,679 people, we don't even know who these Cyrenians and Cypriots, they're called Cypriots. I haven't 104 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:54,480 used that word like ever before. But anyway, but they're all up there. Who are these guys? 105 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:59,120 Do we know them? What are they doing? Go check this out. And then Barnabas goes, this is, man, 106 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:05,259 this is like awesome. Like, like they don't even have any of the leaders here. And they're just 107 00:12:05,259 --> 00:12:14,159 doing the thing because the Holy Spirit is leading them. And it says Barnabas was glad and overjoyed. 108 00:12:14,159 --> 00:12:20,799 Why? Because he had the same spirit in him as the Cyrenians and Cypriots had in them, 109 00:12:20,799 --> 00:12:27,279 right? He was overwhelmed with joy and excitement and he was encouraging them. Now you think, 110 00:12:27,419 --> 00:12:32,460 well, of course he would. Well, you know what? Sometimes, okay, even in Christianity, 111 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:41,980 people can get a little competitive, right? Envious, jealous, you know? How many times have you seen 112 00:12:41,980 --> 00:12:47,360 somebody come in and say, yeah, you know, I wouldn't do it that way. Like, you know, 113 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:54,120 I was trained properly. I'm just saying, and I have a better way to do that. But I'm just, 114 00:12:54,179 --> 00:12:59,200 I'm just staying out of it, you know, or, you know, you've been around people who have a better idea. 115 00:12:59,700 --> 00:13:03,960 They should be doing better things, you know? And that's why God bless you. When we have new 116 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:09,019 people coming in, we have a six month rule and that's so that you can get to know us. 117 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:15,440 We can get to know you. And sometimes it's still not long enough, right? But it's awesome because 118 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:20,539 really, sometimes you come in, you think something's needed, but really something else is needed, 119 00:13:20,879 --> 00:13:24,259 you know? Or maybe you think you fit in here, but you realize, actually, 120 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:30,600 I fit in better over there. It's good to really just to learn and grow with each other. 121 00:13:31,460 --> 00:13:37,580 And so Barnabas didn't go and say, oh gosh, would I go back and tell Peter and the gang what you 122 00:13:37,580 --> 00:13:44,059 guys are up to here? No, he was happy for them and encouraged them and motivated them, right? 123 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:51,100 You know what it reminds me of? Instead of being competitive and well, you're not like one of the 124 00:13:51,100 --> 00:13:57,460 in people, so you can't be doing it right, was Jesus himself. I mean, Jesus himself, remember 125 00:13:57,460 --> 00:14:02,279 when he was walking along with his disciples and John came up to him and said, Jesus, 126 00:14:02,519 --> 00:14:07,879 we saw somebody casting out demons in your name, but he's not with us. Should I stop him? 127 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:12,279 In fact, we have that verse. It probably says exactly what I just said. But do you have that 128 00:14:12,279 --> 00:14:20,440 verse in, yeah, Mark 940, teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us, casting out demons in your 129 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:28,019 name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us. We forbade him, right? But Jesus said, 130 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:35,980 do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in my name can soon afterwards speak evil of me, 131 00:14:35,980 --> 00:14:46,340 for he who is not against us is on our side. It's a big harvest field, and there's few workers. 132 00:14:46,860 --> 00:14:54,120 Why do we want to crush the workers that are out there doing the thing, right? Just encourage 133 00:14:54,120 --> 00:15:02,279 and embrace and celebrate them and motivate and pray for them. Why point out the things that 134 00:15:02,279 --> 00:15:07,059 are messing up? We all mess up, don't we? There's always things like, all right, I wish I could have 135 00:15:07,059 --> 00:15:11,759 that chance again. Well, he'll give you another one. Just stick with it. You'll get more chances, 136 00:15:11,799 --> 00:15:20,259 right? But that's the idea. Another time, Jesus cast out a demon of a blind and mute guy. 137 00:15:21,019 --> 00:15:27,120 And remember the Pharisee said, oh, he's doing that by the power of Beelzebub. Okay. And then 138 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:32,100 Jesus goes through this whole thing, no one who can cast, you know, if somebody's casting out, 139 00:15:32,460 --> 00:15:38,000 if Satan's casting out demons in Satan's name, his kingdom would crumble, but it's obviously not, 140 00:15:38,159 --> 00:15:43,919 right? So whose name am I casting out demons? How do your sons cast out demons? Well, then 141 00:15:43,919 --> 00:15:49,179 it's the same thing with them, right? So he goes, no. And then he said, anyone who is 142 00:15:49,759 --> 00:15:56,240 with us is not against us. Whoever gathers with me, whoever does not gather with me, 143 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:03,120 scatters abroad. So if we are with Christ, we need to encourage one another because we're not each 144 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:08,419 other's competitors, you know? Christians don't compete against each other. We compete against who? 145 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:16,639 The enemy, the devil, right? The anti-Christ. We are in Christ. He is anti-Christ, right? 146 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:24,659 And so we really need to encourage. So this is Barnabas's heart. He's just celebrating. He's 147 00:16:24,659 --> 00:16:30,639 picking up on the next verse. Oh, one other comparison, just because I love this scenario, 148 00:16:30,700 --> 00:16:36,659 always pops up whenever this kind of idea is there. Do you remember when Moses, okay, 149 00:16:37,220 --> 00:16:41,879 the people were complaining about the manna and they wanted quail and they wanted meat and all 150 00:16:41,879 --> 00:16:48,340 this stuff. And so the Lord sent down fire around the camp just to scare them a bit, you know? 151 00:16:48,759 --> 00:16:52,120 And then Moses is like, I can't take these people anymore. They're always complaining. 152 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,960 They're always whining. Why did you commit me to this? You know, just kill me now. 153 00:16:56,220 --> 00:17:02,159 I can't be their leader anymore. Remember that? And he's like, really just overwhelmed, right? 154 00:17:02,759 --> 00:17:08,759 And then I need some help down here, God. That's what Moses was saying. And so Moses said, okay, 155 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:15,660 call the 70 elders together and I will give to them the same Holy Spirit that's upon you. 156 00:17:16,300 --> 00:17:23,140 And so they grabbed the 70 leaders of the people, okay, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. 157 00:17:23,819 --> 00:17:27,400 And so they're all prophesied. We don't know exactly what they're prophesying, 158 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:34,259 but they're all prophesying except two people, El Dadd and May Dadd. They stayed at their own 159 00:17:34,259 --> 00:17:39,400 tents. They didn't come to the center of the whole encampment at the tent of Tabernacle, 160 00:17:39,759 --> 00:17:44,559 where the most holy place was, where the glory of the Lord would come down upon the 161 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:52,740 ark and so forth. They just stayed home at their tent. But the Lord still blessed them and gave them 162 00:17:52,740 --> 00:17:57,220 the Holy Spirit, which I always thought, well, isn't that an act of rebellion? We don't know 163 00:17:57,220 --> 00:18:03,400 what was going on inside their heads, okay? Why they would not do what the Lord told them to do, 164 00:18:03,660 --> 00:18:11,140 but He still met them where they were at. Isn't that interesting? Like maybe they were afraid. 165 00:18:11,140 --> 00:18:17,420 They just saw fire around the whole camp. Maybe they're thinking, maybe I can't be an 166 00:18:17,420 --> 00:18:23,539 elder. Like I don't want this responsibility. Like that's some fire that comes down from 167 00:18:23,539 --> 00:18:28,079 heaven. Like maybe they were afraid. They just didn't want to approach in that way. We don't know 168 00:18:28,079 --> 00:18:34,759 their hearts, but God knows their hearts and He still anointed them with the Holy Spirit. 169 00:18:34,759 --> 00:18:41,839 And they were prophesying. And then we read about this in Numbers 11, 27 to 29. 170 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:47,960 And a young man ran and told Moses and said, El'dad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. 171 00:18:48,500 --> 00:18:54,140 So Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, 172 00:18:54,400 --> 00:19:01,160 Moses, my Lord, forbid them. And then Moses said to him, are you zealous for my sake? 173 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:09,579 Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them all. 174 00:19:10,299 --> 00:19:16,079 I mean, that's the heart of Moses. That's the heart of Barnabas. Don't we want every Christian 175 00:19:16,079 --> 00:19:24,579 to be living phenomenal lives, walking on water, healing the sick, raising the dead. Maybe that 176 00:19:24,579 --> 00:19:30,359 sounds ridiculous to you, but don't we want it? Don't we want the power of God upon everyone to 177 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:37,359 really be moving in power and might? That's what we should want for each other. We should want 178 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:44,720 the greatest things, the Lord to live powerfully in each one of us, to use all of our gifts. 179 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:52,839 And so that's the idea. Barnabas desperately wanted that for them. Moses wanted it for them. 180 00:19:53,279 --> 00:19:59,480 Jesus wanted it for anyone who would call upon His name to be moving in power and might. 181 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:06,640 I think we can do the same, right? So let's read the next couple of verses. Verse 25. 182 00:20:07,319 --> 00:20:15,380 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him 183 00:20:15,380 --> 00:20:21,819 to Antioch. And so it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a 184 00:20:21,819 --> 00:20:30,799 great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. So think about this. 185 00:20:32,279 --> 00:20:38,259 So Saul, Paul, was in Tarsus at his house. Who knows what he was doing? Probably sowing some 186 00:20:38,259 --> 00:20:43,960 tents together, right? I don't know. Maybe he took a fishing, too. But it's not recorded 187 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:50,359 what he was doing. But here Barnabas is in Antioch and seeing miracles, seeing people getting 188 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:56,779 saved, seeing these amazing things. And he's like, wow, this is awesome, right? 189 00:20:58,900 --> 00:21:09,039 But something's missing. Paul. Paul would love it here. Paul would thrive in this environment. 190 00:21:09,599 --> 00:21:16,880 Paul would be able to minister. And he would be ministered, too. We're missing Paul. I just love 191 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:23,900 it. Think about that. He's the son of encouragement, right? Barnabas cared about who was missing out. 192 00:21:24,539 --> 00:21:32,240 Isn't that amazing? Remember, Barnabas was the one who introduced Paul to Peter and all the others 193 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:37,660 in the church saying, no, you could trust him. He's no longer that guy who wants to kill Christians. 194 00:21:38,380 --> 00:21:48,119 He's one of us now. I love that Barnabas was so inclusive, thinking so much outside of himself, 195 00:21:48,660 --> 00:21:54,700 saying, I know who needs to be here with us right now. And he traveled all the way to Tarsus 196 00:21:54,700 --> 00:22:03,440 just to look for Saul, find him, and bring him back. Isn't that awesome? That inclusive mindset. 197 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:08,180 Because, you know, Paul couldn't serve in Jerusalem. Remember that? They wanted to kill him, 198 00:22:08,259 --> 00:22:12,940 and he had to leave. He had to escape so that they couldn't kill him because he represented 199 00:22:12,940 --> 00:22:19,759 a rebellion against Yahweh and blasphemy and the law, Mosaic law and all that. He was the rebel. 200 00:22:20,319 --> 00:22:24,700 He couldn't serve there, but he could serve an Antioch because it was a mixed population. 201 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:31,759 He could serve there. I mean, that's Barnabas, this idea of him wanting to be inclusive 202 00:22:31,759 --> 00:22:38,019 and bring him in. And now let's finish up the verses in 27 to 30. 203 00:22:39,539 --> 00:22:46,420 And in these days, prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. And then one of them named Agabus 204 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:52,640 stood up and showed by the spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout 205 00:22:52,640 --> 00:23:00,319 all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. And then the disciples, 206 00:23:00,319 --> 00:23:08,319 each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 207 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:16,640 This they also did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 208 00:23:17,079 --> 00:23:23,779 So there's Barnabas and Saul back together, delivering this needed gift. And you know, 209 00:23:23,859 --> 00:23:28,920 this prophecy actually did happen. It's been recorded by many different scribes and historians 210 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:36,099 between one and three years after this Agabus had this prophecy, there was actually a severe 211 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:43,740 famine. And it's especially hit in Judea, primarily, but also around the other parts. 212 00:23:44,039 --> 00:23:48,680 But it was most severe in Judea. And they actually, here they are new believers, 213 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:55,660 okay? They don't know anybody in Jerusalem or Judea. They live in Antioch. And suddenly, 214 00:23:55,660 --> 00:24:01,920 they hear, so there's going to be a famine, a crisis, all the way back in Judea. Well, 215 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:08,259 what do we have to do with them? We don't even know them. No, they're one name, 216 00:24:09,439 --> 00:24:16,319 right? They're one family and they have one mission. No, we got to help them out. We got 217 00:24:16,319 --> 00:24:21,940 to take a collection. We got to give. And we could see this whole picture of the early church, 218 00:24:21,940 --> 00:24:28,160 always seeing a need in the church and in the family of God and saying, no, we got to participate. 219 00:24:28,519 --> 00:24:34,440 We got to give. That's what we have to do. We have to give. They were always pouring into each other 220 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:38,740 to make sure everyone is healthy. You know, the whole picture and metaphor of a body, 221 00:24:39,220 --> 00:24:44,440 you know, all you need is one thing to be hurting, you know? And the rest of your body, 222 00:24:44,539 --> 00:24:49,559 like my back's a little out of whack after all that surgery and then the sling and all of a 223 00:24:49,559 --> 00:24:54,619 sudden my neck hurts and everything else, because one little part of my body was having a problem. 224 00:24:54,980 --> 00:25:00,019 You know, that's what happens. Well, in the body of Christ, we're all one body. When one thing is 225 00:25:00,019 --> 00:25:05,740 hurting, like, did you ever have a sore tooth? Like, that affects everything, doesn't it? Like, 226 00:25:05,799 --> 00:25:10,880 oh, my head. Oh, I think it's even traveling down to my big toe. I don't know. But it hurts, 227 00:25:11,019 --> 00:25:15,759 right? Because that's all you could think about is what hurts. Well, really, we need to be 228 00:25:15,759 --> 00:25:22,319 ministering to each other and pouring into each other and really bless each other because we love 229 00:25:22,319 --> 00:25:28,880 each other, you know? I love what Jesus said at the Last Supper, reminding people in John 13. 230 00:25:30,279 --> 00:25:36,720 He said, a new commandment I give to you that you love one another is I have loved you, 231 00:25:37,279 --> 00:25:43,539 that you also love one another. By this, all will know that you are my disciples if you have 232 00:25:43,539 --> 00:25:51,900 love for one another. You know, we really have to just remember what is God doing around the world, 233 00:25:52,019 --> 00:25:57,519 and how can we participate in that? I was just speaking to a dear friend of mine, 234 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:03,099 Steve Simpson. He has been here speaking many years ago, probably will be again, 235 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:11,019 but he has a ministry called Puma, Pennsylvania United Medical Association, 236 00:26:11,019 --> 00:26:18,380 and they've founded 52 churches in Nepal. And so, as soon as I heard about these floods, you saw 237 00:26:18,380 --> 00:26:23,940 those floods? I mean, that was like some devastating stuff, wasn't it? And so, as soon as I heard about 238 00:26:23,940 --> 00:26:27,240 them, I'm like, I call them and I'm like, so what's going on? How's your churches and everything? 239 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:34,099 Well, thank God all that happened about, you know, 80 miles east of where they are. 240 00:26:34,099 --> 00:26:41,019 You're just above Kathmandu. And so, I was, you know, hearing it was brand new, it was fresh, 241 00:26:41,059 --> 00:26:46,140 all of this stuff. And as I'm learning, I'm hearing about like, there's actually finding 242 00:26:46,140 --> 00:26:54,299 people alive. Did you hear that? In tunnels, 10, 9, 10 days later, they're probably going to find 243 00:26:54,299 --> 00:27:05,559 more. One house was somehow like the water came down and just buried the house. And they found 244 00:27:05,559 --> 00:27:14,440 one person about 300 and some feet up this tunnel that was covered with mud. Someone else about 700 245 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:21,539 feet up this tunnel, totally covered with mud. Some 60, I think she's 65 years old lady, 246 00:27:21,539 --> 00:27:27,720 somebody just heard this little crying out and they're like, someone's down there. And so, 247 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:33,619 so they dug her out and she's been rescued. But there are so far, I forget, I think like 248 00:27:33,619 --> 00:27:41,839 1400 people dead and like 5500 people still missing, you know? And so, I reached out to 249 00:27:41,839 --> 00:27:47,920 Steve, I said, so what's going on? Like, how can we help? If you recall, when they had that 250 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:56,579 great earthquake, I think about 10, 11 years ago, our church on one Sunday mustered up $11,000 251 00:27:57,119 --> 00:28:05,140 to send to Nepal for that earthquake relief. And so, I know I want to participate in that if you 252 00:28:05,140 --> 00:28:09,740 want to, I'll let you know about it soon. But at this point, they can't even get anywhere near it. 253 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,700 You know, it's kind of like North Carolina, you know, except they didn't have FEMA blocking 254 00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:19,220 everybody. That's another story. But they, no one can even get there. Because imagine this, 255 00:28:19,220 --> 00:28:25,440 you're at the bottom of Mount Everest, right? So like, roads are tough to drive on on a good day. 256 00:28:25,559 --> 00:28:30,640 And I think, you know, let alone when there's been like 100 feet of mud and rock piled on 257 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:36,480 top of the roads, right? So people can't even get there to help. But they're going to be in 258 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:42,420 the next couple of weeks, they've already secured three trucks, they're starting to gather rice and 259 00:28:42,420 --> 00:28:48,460 all these other things, because that's what the church does, it rises to the occasion to just 260 00:28:48,460 --> 00:28:56,140 bless. And but guess what, these people are probably 99% Hindu, and then Islam and, and 261 00:28:56,660 --> 00:29:04,799 Buddha, you know, so this is just to reach out and to save people, right? And so anyway, 262 00:29:05,039 --> 00:29:10,119 so what is our takeaway from that, from this passage today, before we take communion today, 263 00:29:10,119 --> 00:29:15,680 which we're going to do, what is the takeaway? What can we, what can we take away? Now, 264 00:29:15,759 --> 00:29:22,480 you probably have other ones too. But my main thing was, I need to be educated. I need to 265 00:29:22,980 --> 00:29:29,259 participate. And I need to integrate. Think about this, you know, the church in Jerusalem, 266 00:29:29,819 --> 00:29:36,339 what's happening in Antioch? Barnabas, go check that out. We need to learn what is God doing 267 00:29:36,339 --> 00:29:42,960 in Antioch. And is it true, even the Greeks are coming to Christ? Like we got to find more things 268 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:49,380 out. We need to be educated on what's happening in the kingdom of God. And if we can, it all 269 00:29:49,380 --> 00:29:56,519 in all ways, participate somehow, all of you really rose up, we and wanted to participate 270 00:29:56,519 --> 00:30:01,720 in serving in North Carolina, you know. And again, it was just difficult to get there, 271 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:07,380 difficult to stay ahead of the supplies needed and so forth. But some of you did go. And then 272 00:30:07,380 --> 00:30:13,319 finally, you know, when Barnabas got there, he just served. How can I serve you? I'm not going 273 00:30:13,319 --> 00:30:18,200 to teach you anything. The Holy Spirit's doing all the heavy lifting here. How can I help? 274 00:30:18,819 --> 00:30:24,980 How can I encourage you? You know, just let me be one of you serving. And then integrate, 275 00:30:25,299 --> 00:30:31,400 I got to go get Saul. You know, Saul needs this place. So let's break this down just a little 276 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:40,460 bit more. What's on that next slide is takeaways again from this passage. Care about the kingdom of 277 00:30:40,460 --> 00:30:45,480 God on earth. We need to care. You know, you don't learn about things that you don't care about, 278 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,180 right? I mean, you had to in school sometimes, but you probably didn't learn too much, right? 279 00:30:49,259 --> 00:30:54,579 You're just kind of like, I know I just sort of like, no, no, I'm just kidding. I never did that 280 00:30:54,579 --> 00:31:03,900 Zach, don't believe me. But you don't learn when you don't care, right? We need to care. And I think 281 00:31:03,900 --> 00:31:10,099 sometimes maybe we have too many cares, right? But when we care, what is God doing? What is he doing? 282 00:31:10,819 --> 00:31:16,640 Where's he doing it? And who's he using to do it? Because I want to get involved. That's the next 283 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:21,799 step, of course, is getting involved. But we need to first and foremost care. You know, 284 00:31:21,799 --> 00:31:29,839 we are the body of Christ. Where you go, the kingdom goes, right? We need to care about the 285 00:31:29,839 --> 00:31:36,680 kingdom of God. What's our mission statement? Anybody know? Bring the kingdom. Bring the kingdom. 286 00:31:36,859 --> 00:31:41,819 Well, how's that going to happen? Well, Jesus said, pray like this, your kingdom come, 287 00:31:42,380 --> 00:31:48,839 your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And then he also said, don't ask when the kingdom's 288 00:31:48,839 --> 00:31:56,400 coming, the kingdom of God is within you. You bring the kingdom wherever you go. Think about that. 289 00:31:56,759 --> 00:32:02,539 We are kingdom bringers, right? We bring the kingdom wherever we go, because we are 290 00:32:02,539 --> 00:32:07,700 the temples of the Holy Spirit, right? So we need to care though. That's the first thing. 291 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:15,019 And the church in Jerusalem cared, and Barnabas cared, and they went and learned 292 00:32:15,019 --> 00:32:23,680 what's happening. And what's the next thing we can learn is how can I help? How do I participate in 293 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:29,640 this? What can I do? Again, Barnabas just said, let me just do whatever I can do to be here 294 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:36,000 and participate. When we learn about needs in the churches, we can pray for them, of course. 295 00:32:36,779 --> 00:32:41,160 In fact, we were just praying about all the devastation that's going on around the planet 296 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:46,279 in the prayer room earlier. We can pray about them, pray about what's happening in Nepal. 297 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:54,440 How about Iran? I mean, Iran, that was like the most quickly expanding church in the Middle East. 298 00:32:54,660 --> 00:32:57,440 Remember that? Just a few years ago, I don't know what's happening now, 299 00:32:57,900 --> 00:33:02,839 but the church was really rising up. We could be praying about them. There's so much 300 00:33:02,839 --> 00:33:08,759 many things happening around the world. We can really purpose to pray, you know, 301 00:33:08,759 --> 00:33:14,660 like get a map out. Not a little map, you know, look up the map, right? And just see where it is, 302 00:33:14,779 --> 00:33:20,819 and just picture yourselves there, and just start praying and so forth. And resources we can give. 303 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:25,700 We can give not only, you know, money, we can give supplies, we can give a lot of things. 304 00:33:26,099 --> 00:33:32,099 And then finally, go. Maybe we can participate. Maybe we can actually go. Steve keeps saying, 305 00:33:32,119 --> 00:33:37,140 you got to come to Nepal. I'm like, no, I don't. He one time explained to me how long 306 00:33:37,140 --> 00:33:43,160 the trip is, the buses, the planes, trains, and automobiles, and mules. And I'm like, 307 00:33:43,660 --> 00:33:48,440 I don't know. It doesn't sound too appetizing. But, you know, maybe if the Lord guides. But like, 308 00:33:48,660 --> 00:33:56,359 go when you can, just go. You know, the first Fridays was a blast this past Friday night. 309 00:33:57,019 --> 00:34:01,980 It was so much fun, you know, just connecting with people, praying for people, praying for 310 00:34:01,980 --> 00:34:06,839 a guy. I was hoping I'd see him here today with a sore knee, you know, and he was so appreciative, 311 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:12,460 you know, and, you know, meeting other churches that were on the town there, and praying with 312 00:34:12,460 --> 00:34:18,440 them, you know, talking to unbelievers, and just encouraging them, you know, so forth. 313 00:34:18,699 --> 00:34:25,500 But we could just, we could just participate, get involved somehow, right? I mean, that's the 314 00:34:25,639 --> 00:34:30,860 best thing for us. In fact, you know, well, next thing, let's, let's finish this up. 315 00:34:31,219 --> 00:34:37,659 The next, the final thing, really, is to, to include. How can I include someone? 316 00:34:38,420 --> 00:34:45,599 You know, how can I incorporate someone else that needs this? You know, as Barnabas was watching, 317 00:34:46,139 --> 00:34:48,539 suddenly he realized there's something missing here. 318 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:58,780 Somebody needs to be here with me. Who was? You know, Paul. Yeah, so it was Paul, right? 319 00:34:59,300 --> 00:35:04,820 So just making sure you're not not in North. So it was Paul, right? We need, I need to go get Paul 320 00:35:04,820 --> 00:35:14,300 and bring him here. He needs this. They need him. Like, he is needed here to incorporate him 321 00:35:14,300 --> 00:35:20,800 into what was happening, to involve him. You know, we can invite other people into this 322 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:29,400 to really share the same enjoyment of the kingdom of God. I put a blank there. What if so and so 323 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:34,239 were here? You ever, have you ever been there? Like, you know who would love this right now? 324 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:42,159 You know who would love experiencing this right now? And, and just inviting them to be there. 325 00:35:42,159 --> 00:35:49,159 You know, it's, it's so, so important to invite people. Another, did you just, 326 00:35:49,780 --> 00:35:55,400 Jill just showed me this thing about Burning Man. I don't know if you saw some of that news that, 327 00:35:55,639 --> 00:35:58,840 you know, hopefully you don't know about Burning Man. And if you were there, 328 00:35:59,199 --> 00:36:02,679 I'll pray for you after the service and we'll cast that demon right out of you. 329 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:10,480 Okay. But Burning Man is just like modern day desert, Woodstock where anything goes and it's 330 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:17,559 crazy insanity, right? Whatever. But there's been a guy going there with a team ministering 331 00:36:17,559 --> 00:36:26,300 in Burning Man year after year after year. And so this year amidst sandstorms and everything else, 332 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:32,059 what they go through just to get some erotic, crazy partying season. I just can't believe what 333 00:36:32,059 --> 00:36:37,400 they put themselves through these, these burning people, right? And hopefully they don't literally 334 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:44,219 burn, but, but this guy goes with this whole team. And last year, 22 people got sick, 335 00:36:44,559 --> 00:36:52,360 which is awesome. And even more of that got baptized. Okay. Well, this year, 336 00:36:53,219 --> 00:37:02,420 according to the ministry and other things being spread 600 people accepted Christ. 337 00:37:03,039 --> 00:37:13,239 Can you imagine? And I forget how many baptisms I knew, but I forget now, but tons of baptisms 338 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:21,300 until they were told to leave. Yep. They were told to leave from some false report of something 339 00:37:21,300 --> 00:37:25,699 or other. And the guy was saying, well, just bring the person here so we can discuss it. 340 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:30,039 And no, no, no, no. You just have to pack your bags and go. So there they were in the middle 341 00:37:30,039 --> 00:37:35,239 of a sandstorm, trying to catch the things that are blown away. And they have this 342 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:40,699 set up this compound with a tent and so many other things that they are like, 343 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:46,420 this is a whole set up that they have. It costs, I can't imagine the tens of thousands of dollars. 344 00:37:46,420 --> 00:37:51,900 It costs them to invest to set this whole thing up. And here they are in the middle 345 00:37:51,900 --> 00:37:56,519 of the night told to leave. They had to leave in three hours. I mean, can you imagine? 346 00:37:56,519 --> 00:38:02,340 But anyway, we're watching this, but it still inspires like, well, how can I, what can I do? 347 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:07,500 Well, how can I be involved? How can I do something like that? Because it's so important. 348 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:13,960 So we're going to have communion. But before we do, you guys can at least start getting ready 349 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:21,820 for those things. Um, last week we had a men's breakfast, right? And there a dear friend of 350 00:38:21,820 --> 00:38:26,579 mine, I had been telling you about him. Mike Foti was sharing about his experiences 351 00:38:27,219 --> 00:38:33,940 in sharing the gospel. Okay. And Mike is just outside the box. He just thinks of, you know, 352 00:38:34,199 --> 00:38:39,280 different ideas. He learns from other people, everything. By the way, we don't own anything. 353 00:38:39,699 --> 00:38:45,559 Everything shared down here. If the guy, if God gives you a good idea, share it, say, hey, 354 00:38:45,559 --> 00:38:53,300 try this out, right? And see what happens. And so this idea of we're all one body. And so Mike was 355 00:38:53,300 --> 00:39:01,360 sharing about a good idea. Okay. And so our buddy David here actually tried it. And he's going 356 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:06,699 to tell you the rest of the story. So David, why don't you come on up here and share. And 357 00:39:06,699 --> 00:39:13,699 why don't we start to give out the elements as David shares what took place. 358 00:39:13,699 --> 00:39:21,099 Um, yeah. So, uh, last Saturday, Mike Foti had, was talking about a, uh, how he, uh, basically 359 00:39:21,099 --> 00:39:26,699 going into a store and where I go was Wawa all the time. And you go up to the counter with whatever 360 00:39:26,699 --> 00:39:33,500 you have. And I simply say, Oh man, I can't believe I forgot my wallet, my money, my card. 361 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:39,059 Oh man. What am I going to, Oh, would you like me to suspend the order? Then I'm looking around. 362 00:39:39,059 --> 00:39:44,099 I'm like, Oh man, what do I do? I say, Oh, you know what? Let me, let me try this. And 363 00:39:44,099 --> 00:39:51,219 you pull out a little Bible and you tap the card reader and it works. And you simply say, 364 00:39:51,219 --> 00:39:56,900 wow, Jesus paid it all. And you have your card in there, you tape it in the back, you cut out 365 00:39:56,900 --> 00:40:01,760 a little hole. So I was, did you catch that in case you want to borrow this too, you cut out 366 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:05,880 the back of this Bible. So it needs to be a Bible. You don't care a ton about at the moment, 367 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:10,880 right? Cut out the back and you have the chip able to be read on the, through the cover. 368 00:40:11,099 --> 00:40:17,300 Yeah, exactly. So, uh, fast forward to, um, I did it, uh, eight times. Um, 369 00:40:17,980 --> 00:40:22,059 everybody, they're always working. So it's, it's, it's kind of hard. But if someone did say, 370 00:40:22,059 --> 00:40:26,519 you know, I'll ask him, do you know Jesus? And the one younger girl has said, not personally. 371 00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:31,159 And I wanted to, you know, pray with her right there. Um, but she was working. I said, 372 00:40:31,159 --> 00:40:36,019 I'd love to come back and talk to you. So fast forward to, um, the job that I have 373 00:40:36,019 --> 00:40:40,880 brings me into customer's homes every day. So I was with a customer, um, on Monday, 374 00:40:41,559 --> 00:40:46,699 she was an older woman who had just lost her mom, uh, two weeks ago. And I was, uh, 375 00:40:46,699 --> 00:40:53,300 we were sitting at the, at her kitchen table and, um, I was telling her this story and I said, 376 00:40:53,500 --> 00:40:57,079 and it just hit me. I said, well, I guess I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you, you know, 377 00:40:57,079 --> 00:41:03,519 do you know Jesus? And she said, and she just started crying and, um, it was, it was beautiful. 378 00:41:03,739 --> 00:41:08,400 We were both choked up and, uh, she said, uh, I said, which, you know, would you like to know? 379 00:41:08,619 --> 00:41:13,559 So I just took her hand and just said, you know, just repeat it after me, you know, um, 380 00:41:13,679 --> 00:41:18,000 Lord, I believe you died for me on the cross. I asked the, I simply asked you to come into 381 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:23,619 my heart and be my Lord, my Lord and savior. And she repeated after me and, uh, we sat there 382 00:41:23,619 --> 00:41:29,480 and cried and prayed a little bit. And, um, so that's basically the whole gist of the story. 383 00:41:30,260 --> 00:41:31,659 Praise God. Praise God. 384 00:41:32,420 --> 00:41:39,039 Thank you. Thank you, David. He just shared that with me about three minutes before the service. 385 00:41:39,340 --> 00:41:44,320 I'm like, Hey, do you mind, uh, can you share that today? I think that would inspire all of us 386 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:49,800 because you know, everything's borrowed, you know, and we, we serve together. Something is, 387 00:41:50,279 --> 00:41:56,260 is your idea. Share it with others because we're in this together and we want to participate. We want, 388 00:41:56,380 --> 00:42:02,280 you know, we are, we are, we are one name Christians and who are we named after Christ, right? We are 389 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:08,659 the anointed ones, the Christ worshipers, the Christ followers. That's who we are, right? 390 00:42:09,019 --> 00:42:13,440 So we're, we're like one, we just read, we're like one, Jesus said, father, they're going to be like 391 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:23,440 one with us, right? So we are one name. We're one family. We have one mission to lead people 392 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:28,960 into the kingdom of God. It's that simple, isn't it? It's all about Jesus. Amen. 393 00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:36,119 So we're going to have communion together. And, uh, there's something that, you know, 394 00:42:36,119 --> 00:42:42,019 you want to confess to the Lord now. Be a good time to do it. You know, I mean, 395 00:42:42,019 --> 00:43:02,099 we all have things you know, Jesus, um, 396 00:43:04,619 --> 00:43:13,440 talked about his flesh and blood being consumed. And just imagine being the first one to hear 397 00:43:13,440 --> 00:43:19,780 that message. And I'm going to read it to you in John chapter six. And Jesus said to them, 398 00:43:20,119 --> 00:43:25,780 most assuredly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, 399 00:43:25,780 --> 00:43:33,539 you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. And I will raise 400 00:43:33,539 --> 00:43:42,480 him up at the last day. Again, he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. 401 00:43:44,039 --> 00:43:50,440 And further on we read from that time, many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more. 402 00:43:51,360 --> 00:44:00,500 And then Jesus said to the 12, do you also want to go away? But Simon Peter answered him and said, 403 00:44:00,659 --> 00:44:10,780 Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe 404 00:44:10,780 --> 00:44:19,360 and know that you are the Christ, the son of the living God. And so as we take communion, 405 00:44:20,159 --> 00:44:27,219 it seems like an odd thing that we would be doing this month after month, 406 00:44:27,239 --> 00:44:34,820 but it's to remind us that our spiritual person is nourished by the son of God, 407 00:44:34,820 --> 00:44:44,000 by the Holy Spirit. Our spirit doesn't need food, it needs the Lord. And this is how we continue 408 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:52,079 to live on earth as we are in heaven. In fact, John 4, 17, as Christ is, so are we in this world. 409 00:44:52,739 --> 00:44:58,740 So as we take communion and remember that it's his life in us, 410 00:45:01,460 --> 00:45:12,300 we can thank the Lord that he has the words of life. Father God, as we take this communion, 411 00:45:14,300 --> 00:45:21,920 you tell us that you are the bread from heaven. As we eat this bread, we're reminding our spirit, 412 00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:32,179 our soul, that our very life exists in you. And you live in us and we are one with you. 413 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:39,960 So we eat this bread to remember that your body for all of our sin on the cross. 414 00:45:41,019 --> 00:45:44,320 In Jesus' name, amen. Let's eat. 415 00:45:59,340 --> 00:46:07,139 And Lord, you demonstrated through your whole Old Testament that without the shedding of blood, 416 00:46:07,139 --> 00:46:13,519 there's no remission of sins, it requires a sacrifice. And Lord, it's because your spilling 417 00:46:13,519 --> 00:46:19,739 of blood, you shed your blood for us, that all of our sins are washed away. 418 00:46:20,980 --> 00:46:27,380 They no longer cling to us, Lord God, you have forgiven all of our sins. And Lord, 419 00:46:27,619 --> 00:46:34,679 right now we drink this cup and say thank you for redeeming us, for cleansing us of all of 420 00:46:34,679 --> 00:46:40,380 our iniquity, all of our inrighteousness is cast away. And as we drink this cup, 421 00:46:40,719 --> 00:46:47,300 it's your life pouring into us. It's your life that we now live. You became sin on the cross 422 00:46:47,300 --> 00:46:53,619 so that we could become your righteousness. So we thank you, Lord, fill us again. As we drink 423 00:46:53,619 --> 00:47:01,519 this cup, we ask your Holy Spirit to just fill us again, anoint us again to be your people. 424 00:47:02,239 --> 00:47:03,760 In Jesus' name, amen. 425 00:47:08,300 --> 00:47:14,679 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss His Word. Don't 426 00:47:14,679 --> 00:47:19,900 forget to join us for Worship Lives Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. 427 00:47:19,900 --> 00:47:23,019 Be blessed and have a great day!