1 00:00:14,119 --> 00:00:17,339 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 00:00:24,699 --> 00:00:26,839 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:34,500 --> 00:00:36,600 So, Father God, thank you, Lord. 5 00:00:36,740 --> 00:00:38,539 Thank you for this body of believers. 6 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:43,799 Such an honor and privilege to journey life with them, Lord. 7 00:00:44,859 --> 00:00:49,039 And Lord, we just humbly come to you because we need some fresh manna, Lord. 8 00:00:49,679 --> 00:00:52,299 We need some fresh meat, Lord God. 9 00:00:52,299 --> 00:00:57,479 We want to be fed by you, by your word, by your Holy Spirit. 10 00:00:58,479 --> 00:00:59,640 And only you can do that. 11 00:01:00,679 --> 00:01:06,900 So Lord, we ask you to feed us this morning so that we can clearly perceive what we're 12 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:11,379 meant to receive from this and be transformed. 13 00:01:11,739 --> 00:01:13,560 So we thank you in Jesus' name. 14 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:14,060 Amen. 15 00:01:15,700 --> 00:01:19,239 So, you know, titles are always difficult to find, you know, because there's so many 16 00:01:19,239 --> 00:01:20,459 things you can cover. 17 00:01:21,020 --> 00:01:25,280 And I get that phone, I get that text from Lara around Thursday morning. 18 00:01:25,459 --> 00:01:27,340 Do you have a title yet? 19 00:01:27,799 --> 00:01:31,700 And I'm like, ah, you know, because I know the title is going to change five times 20 00:01:31,700 --> 00:01:34,780 before Sunday morning, but I just have to go with something. 21 00:01:35,099 --> 00:01:36,579 So that's what I came up with. 22 00:01:37,019 --> 00:01:39,079 Breaking tradition for transformation. 23 00:01:39,780 --> 00:01:44,120 And I added a little tagline, which isn't anywhere to be found except on your 24 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,700 WhatsApp that I sent out, but navigating change. 25 00:01:48,260 --> 00:01:53,099 You know, because when you got first got saved, do you remember that? 26 00:01:54,079 --> 00:01:55,920 Some of you are like, I don't know what you're talking about. 27 00:01:56,019 --> 00:01:59,299 Well, maybe today the Lord is going to save you. 28 00:01:59,519 --> 00:01:59,680 Amen. 29 00:02:00,340 --> 00:02:07,579 But when you first got saved, you realize that you're different. 30 00:02:07,700 --> 00:02:11,780 It might've taken a little while, you know, like for me, it took a season 31 00:02:11,780 --> 00:02:14,639 of time to really believe I was new. 32 00:02:14,780 --> 00:02:15,840 It took me at least a year. 33 00:02:16,139 --> 00:02:16,800 Jill says two. 34 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,520 Jill says I'm still working on it, but anyway, but no, it takes some time 35 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,740 to really realize like, I'm new. 36 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:31,300 Like the word says I'm a new creation, but in a world that I've known my whole 37 00:02:31,300 --> 00:02:36,259 life, regardless of what age you were when you got saved, but you're new. 38 00:02:36,939 --> 00:02:40,900 And sometimes you're realizing like things seem different, but I'm 39 00:02:40,900 --> 00:02:42,360 still the same, aren't I? 40 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:49,879 And you realize the Lord actually gradually starts to change you and show 41 00:02:49,879 --> 00:02:56,020 you where you need to change, you know, whether it's people you spend a lot 42 00:02:56,020 --> 00:02:58,840 of time with, you think, well, you know, these people aren't necessarily 43 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,639 healthy for me to be around. 44 00:03:02,259 --> 00:03:04,979 You know, there was a season when I got saved, I basically disconnected 45 00:03:04,979 --> 00:03:09,479 from anyone I really knew because of all the memories and the things 46 00:03:09,479 --> 00:03:14,280 that drug me back into, you know, and so a lot of times the Lord 47 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,919 just shows us that we need to change the people we surround ourselves 48 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:24,080 with or places, the places you go, where you spend your time, you 49 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,539 know, this isn't for me any longer because I'm new, you know, it 50 00:03:28,539 --> 00:03:31,599 takes a while to realize that I'm really new. 51 00:03:31,740 --> 00:03:32,699 I'm a new creation. 52 00:03:33,319 --> 00:03:34,180 I'm not the same. 53 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:39,039 And then perhaps the things that you do, you know, you realize that, 54 00:03:39,039 --> 00:03:44,159 you know, I just can't do those things anymore because there's something 55 00:03:44,159 --> 00:03:48,599 going on inside me that there's like this tug of war saying, nah, that's 56 00:03:48,599 --> 00:03:52,580 not you anymore, used to be you, but it's not you anymore. 57 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:58,560 And a lot of times those things take a timeframe to figure out. 58 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,000 It's almost like your wilderness, you know, heading into the 59 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,919 promised land, you know, it's like, you know, it's just like you're 60 00:04:03,919 --> 00:04:06,400 struggling to sort this whole thing out. 61 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,500 And really, that's what the Lord is doing. 62 00:04:10,699 --> 00:04:16,339 He's transforming us and there's things we need to let go and there's 63 00:04:16,339 --> 00:04:20,980 things we need to take on to be transformed, right? 64 00:04:22,700 --> 00:04:25,660 And sometimes those things are easy to let go of. 65 00:04:25,779 --> 00:04:27,120 Sometimes they're more difficult. 66 00:04:28,579 --> 00:04:31,779 I remember when I first got saved, you know, I was in the church 67 00:04:31,779 --> 00:04:36,480 thriving and suddenly my pastor said, well, you know, you need to get baptized. 68 00:04:36,980 --> 00:04:39,480 I'm like, I shouldn't need to do anything. 69 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:40,959 I'm saved. 70 00:04:41,620 --> 00:04:43,259 Like, like, what is this now? 71 00:04:43,399 --> 00:04:43,620 All right. 72 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:44,899 I knew there was something coming. 73 00:04:45,439 --> 00:04:46,480 I thought I was good. 74 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,939 Now I'm not good because I got to get baptized. 75 00:04:49,060 --> 00:04:50,040 Like, like, why? 76 00:04:50,259 --> 00:04:53,399 Like, what is that for if I'm saved? 77 00:04:53,620 --> 00:04:53,899 Right. 78 00:04:55,019 --> 00:04:59,199 But they explain to me, because it's another step of obedience, because if 79 00:04:59,199 --> 00:05:04,360 you continue to surrender things and obey, you realize that life becomes 80 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,980 better because you're surrendering. 81 00:05:08,220 --> 00:05:09,180 You know, you do well. 82 00:05:09,439 --> 00:05:11,060 We're going to hear that term a couple of times. 83 00:05:11,459 --> 00:05:13,959 You do well in your walk with Jesus. 84 00:05:14,019 --> 00:05:15,920 When you realize you step in obedience. 85 00:05:16,319 --> 00:05:17,660 Then they talked about tithing. 86 00:05:17,860 --> 00:05:18,920 I really hated that. 87 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:25,279 Like, wait, whoa, whoa, 10% of my, that's my income. 88 00:05:25,879 --> 00:05:26,959 It's mine. 89 00:05:28,340 --> 00:05:30,420 It's what does God need money suddenly? 90 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,860 You know, I need to give my money to the church. 91 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:40,279 Like that seems, you know, that seems, you know, why, why does he need money? 92 00:05:40,660 --> 00:05:43,579 You know, and I realize there's people around, there's lights, there's 93 00:05:43,579 --> 00:05:46,879 buildings, there's things, but still I felt like, you know, why is that 94 00:05:46,879 --> 00:05:51,860 necessary, but I realize that when you give, you actually are blessed so much. 95 00:05:51,980 --> 00:05:52,899 He gives a hundredfold. 96 00:05:52,899 --> 00:05:59,100 Whatever you give away in rewards, both here in this world and beyond, you 97 00:05:59,100 --> 00:06:00,060 receive back. 98 00:06:00,379 --> 00:06:04,279 So I realize giving is nothing now because when you give, you realize there's 99 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,399 so much God is going to bless you for. 100 00:06:07,319 --> 00:06:07,819 Let it go. 101 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:08,879 It's his anyway, right? 102 00:06:08,959 --> 00:06:09,620 Right from the beginning. 103 00:06:09,779 --> 00:06:10,720 It's his, right? 104 00:06:11,459 --> 00:06:13,319 And so tithing, that obedience. 105 00:06:13,660 --> 00:06:16,720 So there's things suddenly that are uncomfortable at first, but you 106 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:22,160 realize, well, yeah, if I'm going to, if I'm going to do well and 107 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,939 advance in my walk in Christ, these things, I have to just surrender. 108 00:06:26,959 --> 00:06:26,980 Right. 109 00:06:27,660 --> 00:06:29,579 And there's new things I need to do. 110 00:06:29,819 --> 00:06:37,379 Some of you might find difficulty, uh, maybe follow shipping or even participating 111 00:06:37,379 --> 00:06:40,620 in what God's doing, you know, helping out and different things like that. 112 00:06:41,019 --> 00:06:43,819 You know, for me, it was easy because I was excited to be there and to do 113 00:06:43,819 --> 00:06:46,879 things, but for you, maybe it's that like, why do I have to do anything? 114 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:48,199 I shouldn't need to go there. 115 00:06:48,339 --> 00:06:51,720 I shouldn't need to go to church every Sunday, every Sunday, you 116 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,279 know, and what, now they have this Wednesday night thing. 117 00:06:54,319 --> 00:06:55,300 I have to go to that too. 118 00:06:55,439 --> 00:06:56,620 Well, you don't have to do anything. 119 00:06:56,740 --> 00:06:57,519 That's the thing with God. 120 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:03,720 You don't have to do anything, but if you do, you will do well. 121 00:07:04,540 --> 00:07:09,839 And so, so now we're going to look at acts chapter 15 and we're going to see 122 00:07:09,839 --> 00:07:16,480 kind of a pivotal time in church history because Gentiles are getting saved and 123 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:21,199 they have a lot of habits and they have a lot of traditions and they have a lot 124 00:07:21,199 --> 00:07:26,079 of weird things that aren't, don't compliment Christianity. 125 00:07:26,879 --> 00:07:26,899 Okay. 126 00:07:27,339 --> 00:07:30,339 They don't, they aren't cohesive with the walk in Christ. 127 00:07:31,540 --> 00:07:35,319 And then you also have on the other side, the Jews who have a lot of traditions, 128 00:07:35,740 --> 00:07:39,759 laws, and, and things that they just think, well, we got to keep doing them. 129 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:41,560 I mean, God gave us these instructions. 130 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,040 We have to keep doing them. 131 00:07:43,139 --> 00:07:44,220 So now there's a collision. 132 00:07:44,379 --> 00:07:46,819 You got one side that's like, I like all these weird things. 133 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,839 And, and I don't know anything about this Yahweh God that has all these 134 00:07:50,839 --> 00:07:51,620 rules and regulations. 135 00:07:51,899 --> 00:07:54,480 And then you have the other side saying, no, you need to do this. 136 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,259 And suddenly it's like, boom, you know, there's a collision. 137 00:07:57,860 --> 00:08:02,100 And we're going to read how the early church resolved it because they 138 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:04,199 realize that, you know, there is a collision. 139 00:08:04,300 --> 00:08:08,079 There's a whole different culture, but what is God's culture? 140 00:08:08,339 --> 00:08:09,579 Isn't that what we want in the end? 141 00:08:10,079 --> 00:08:12,300 Doesn't matter what man's culture is. 142 00:08:12,899 --> 00:08:15,399 It matters what God's culture is. 143 00:08:15,540 --> 00:08:17,300 That's what we want for our lives. 144 00:08:17,579 --> 00:08:20,620 You know, and so anyway, we're going to dive in now. 145 00:08:20,620 --> 00:08:22,620 And there are 35 verses. 146 00:08:22,839 --> 00:08:27,240 You're thinking of what, but we're only going to stop a couple of times, but it 147 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:31,740 reads so well, just like that story that we need to keep this section all together. 148 00:08:32,460 --> 00:08:32,919 So you're ready? 149 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,220 Acts chapter 15 verse one. 150 00:08:37,379 --> 00:08:39,980 And then we're going to stop abruptly right in the beginning. 151 00:08:40,279 --> 00:08:46,419 But so verse one, and certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren 152 00:08:46,980 --> 00:08:53,600 that unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. 153 00:08:54,740 --> 00:08:57,720 Now imagine this, you're this Gentile. 154 00:08:58,259 --> 00:09:01,480 You come to Christ and you're like this thriving, right? 155 00:09:01,519 --> 00:09:03,460 You're like, wow, yeah, this is awesome. 156 00:09:03,980 --> 00:09:05,519 You know, I'm forgiven. 157 00:09:05,820 --> 00:09:08,659 And you can almost feel, do you remember when your sins were forgiven? 158 00:09:09,919 --> 00:09:14,759 Like I know sometimes we start to own our sins again and we don't feel forgiven. 159 00:09:14,759 --> 00:09:17,899 But do you remember when you really said, no, your sins are forgiven. 160 00:09:18,879 --> 00:09:22,100 You and that burden was just lifted. 161 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:23,299 Well, they're feeling like this. 162 00:09:23,419 --> 00:09:26,919 They're like, man, I just love people even so much more than I ever did. 163 00:09:27,059 --> 00:09:27,820 This is wonderful. 164 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:35,299 And then some suddenly these guys from some other place that you don't even 165 00:09:35,299 --> 00:09:40,139 know show up, they come into your town, into your synagogue or church, and they 166 00:09:40,139 --> 00:09:44,379 start saying, yeah, dude, really sorry, Ben, you know, you really aren't saved 167 00:09:44,379 --> 00:09:47,639 yet. OK, there's some more steps to the process. 168 00:09:47,820 --> 00:09:51,080 And you're like, that's that's troubling, isn't it? 169 00:09:51,159 --> 00:09:52,059 It's like, well, wait a minute. 170 00:09:52,539 --> 00:09:54,779 If this guy's right, then I'm really been deceived. 171 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:56,899 And if he's wrong, get this guy. 172 00:09:57,579 --> 00:10:00,159 Yeah, let's let's get this guy out of here. 173 00:10:00,279 --> 00:10:01,820 Right. So there's some trouble. 174 00:10:02,019 --> 00:10:05,799 OK, because, you know, because there's a conflict here. 175 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,259 And so and now they're telling them that you need to be circumcised. 176 00:10:10,899 --> 00:10:14,120 OK, now we're not getting into graphic detail there, but you're 177 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:18,700 an older guy or a guy of whatever age, anything other than eight days old or 178 00:10:19,340 --> 00:10:24,440 younger. And you're like, yeah, now we need to commit a surgical procedure 179 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,159 on you to cut off your foreskin. 180 00:10:27,399 --> 00:10:30,080 Like, oh, wait, whoa, whoa, wait, like what? 181 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,500 I mean, I was bent out of shape about baptism and then tithing. 182 00:10:33,899 --> 00:10:35,539 Imagine saying that you got to get sliced. 183 00:10:35,919 --> 00:10:37,779 And I'm like, to be saved? 184 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,480 Like, I don't remember any of this being in the textbook. 185 00:10:40,820 --> 00:10:42,460 Right. I mean, it's weird, right? 186 00:10:42,460 --> 00:10:47,159 So they were very troubled about this and they were not happy. 187 00:10:47,779 --> 00:10:53,259 So verse two, therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small 188 00:10:53,259 --> 00:10:58,100 dissension and dispute with these guys, they determined that Paul 189 00:10:58,100 --> 00:11:02,360 and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem 190 00:11:02,900 --> 00:11:06,120 to the apostles and elders about this question. 191 00:11:06,759 --> 00:11:10,639 And so being sent on their way by the church, they pass through 192 00:11:10,639 --> 00:11:14,919 Phoenicia, Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles 193 00:11:15,439 --> 00:11:18,200 and they cause great joy to all the brethren. 194 00:11:19,179 --> 00:11:23,360 And verse four, and when they had come to Jerusalem, they were 195 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,240 received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and 196 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:30,360 they reported all things that God had done with them. 197 00:11:30,639 --> 00:11:36,279 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up 198 00:11:36,279 --> 00:11:41,539 saying it is necessary to circumcise them and to command them 199 00:11:41,539 --> 00:11:44,279 to keep the law of Moses. 200 00:11:45,059 --> 00:11:46,980 Now, that's important to me. 201 00:11:47,059 --> 00:11:53,600 When I read Pharisees who believed, you know, it made me 202 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:58,100 realize that like people who are very religious that we would 203 00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:03,759 consider, you know, can also be saved, but they're just kind of 204 00:12:03,799 --> 00:12:10,240 stuck in this religious, traditional process that they 205 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:11,659 think is also necessary. 206 00:12:12,879 --> 00:12:14,480 And so they can't differentiate. 207 00:12:14,639 --> 00:12:18,320 No, you still have to do all these things, but in their heart, 208 00:12:18,399 --> 00:12:19,759 they know Jesus Christ. 209 00:12:20,139 --> 00:12:21,419 I can't figure it out. 210 00:12:21,519 --> 00:12:25,120 I can't figure out why people would stay in a system of all 211 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,279 these rules and regulations and so forth. 212 00:12:27,759 --> 00:12:29,299 And yet you're really already free. 213 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,600 But I think there's an element of, you know, sometimes we 214 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,940 want to do something physical to prove something on the inside 215 00:12:36,940 --> 00:12:38,899 and they just feel this is necessary. 216 00:12:39,299 --> 00:12:40,600 You know, my mom was like that. 217 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:47,820 My mom raised us in religion and she was religious and then she 218 00:12:47,820 --> 00:12:48,659 got saved. 219 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:54,000 So she started coming to our church on Sundays, but first she 220 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:59,840 went to her other church just to make sure, you know, because 221 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,440 by then it's just ingrained in you. 222 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:03,720 It's a familial thing. 223 00:13:03,799 --> 00:13:05,059 You've been raised in it. 224 00:13:05,340 --> 00:13:06,379 You have an obligation. 225 00:13:06,700 --> 00:13:08,600 I don't know to what, but you have an obligation. 226 00:13:09,519 --> 00:13:12,559 And she was so irritated at all the things that had happened 227 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:17,419 in religion that she disagreed with, but she was still tied, 228 00:13:17,820 --> 00:13:19,360 tethered to that system. 229 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:21,980 I mean, maybe you've been there, you know, and I don't 230 00:13:21,980 --> 00:13:23,740 want to bash the system and so forth. 231 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:24,879 It was because of the system. 232 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,799 In a sense, I was introduced to Jesus so I could honor religion 233 00:13:28,799 --> 00:13:31,500 in that way, because at least it's a system to point 234 00:13:31,500 --> 00:13:34,399 you to salvation, but it's not salvation. 235 00:13:34,759 --> 00:13:36,440 And that's where people still get confused. 236 00:13:37,139 --> 00:13:40,019 So my mom was that religious and then finally she was saved, 237 00:13:40,340 --> 00:13:42,240 but she still stayed in it. 238 00:13:42,340 --> 00:13:45,019 You know, so I can't figure it out, but there's people 239 00:13:45,019 --> 00:13:46,940 that we can look at and say, you know, they're not even 240 00:13:46,940 --> 00:13:48,840 saved because they still do all these things. 241 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:50,379 Well, maybe they are. 242 00:13:50,980 --> 00:13:52,899 They just are this. 243 00:13:53,100 --> 00:13:56,000 They haven't broken out of that tradition, you know, of 244 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:56,840 what they're used to. 245 00:13:57,279 --> 00:13:59,179 So let's read on verse six. 246 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,779 Now, the apostles and the elders came together to consider 247 00:14:03,779 --> 00:14:08,240 this matter, and when there had been much dispute, Peter rose 248 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:12,820 up and said to them, men and brethren, you know that a good 249 00:14:12,820 --> 00:14:19,840 while ago, God chose among us that by my mouth, the Gentiles 250 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,240 should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 251 00:14:23,039 --> 00:14:27,000 And so God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving 252 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:31,980 them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us and made no 253 00:14:31,980 --> 00:14:36,720 distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts 254 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:37,480 by faith. 255 00:14:38,279 --> 00:14:43,720 Now, therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on 256 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:48,220 the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor 257 00:14:48,220 --> 00:14:50,320 we were able to bear? 258 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,659 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord 259 00:14:54,659 --> 00:15:00,379 Jesus Christ, we shall be saved in the same manner as 260 00:15:00,379 --> 00:15:00,799 they. 261 00:15:01,659 --> 00:15:05,299 So, of course, Peter is saying, remember the Cornelius 262 00:15:05,299 --> 00:15:05,620 thing? 263 00:15:05,820 --> 00:15:07,480 Do you remember the Cornelius thing? 264 00:15:07,779 --> 00:15:11,259 We talked about that a few weeks ago, but the Lord 265 00:15:11,259 --> 00:15:14,539 showed him the blanket, you know, kill Peter, kill, 266 00:15:14,659 --> 00:15:14,799 eat. 267 00:15:14,899 --> 00:15:16,720 Oh, no, I would never eat anything that's, you know, 268 00:15:16,940 --> 00:15:17,500 unclean. 269 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:23,440 Don't call what God has cleansed uncommon or unclean. 270 00:15:23,519 --> 00:15:23,820 Right. 271 00:15:23,820 --> 00:15:25,639 And so he knew this was something. 272 00:15:25,860 --> 00:15:26,399 This was a sign. 273 00:15:26,820 --> 00:15:30,500 And then he went and he led these Romans to Christ and 274 00:15:30,500 --> 00:15:32,759 he went back and they said, did you really eat in the 275 00:15:32,759 --> 00:15:33,899 house of Gentiles? 276 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:35,679 You see, wait a minute. 277 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:37,740 They're like us now. 278 00:15:38,379 --> 00:15:40,179 They have the same Holy Spirit as us. 279 00:15:40,639 --> 00:15:42,240 So this was him saying, do you remember? 280 00:15:42,580 --> 00:15:43,419 Well, this is that. 281 00:15:44,019 --> 00:15:45,600 This is what's happening here. 282 00:15:46,059 --> 00:15:48,440 Listen, don't start putting burdens on them. 283 00:15:48,539 --> 00:15:51,899 Don't throw a yoke on their neck that they can't or 284 00:15:51,899 --> 00:15:53,460 shouldn't even be carrying. 285 00:15:53,460 --> 00:15:56,379 Why lay more responsibility on them? 286 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:00,460 You know, Christ is the end of the law for those 287 00:16:00,460 --> 00:16:03,519 who believe he is the law. 288 00:16:04,159 --> 00:16:06,440 When you follow him, you already have the law. 289 00:16:06,620 --> 00:16:08,799 He's he's all in one Jesus Christ. 290 00:16:09,179 --> 00:16:09,220 Right. 291 00:16:10,519 --> 00:16:12,620 And so this is him reminding them about the 292 00:16:12,620 --> 00:16:16,500 Cornelius incident and verse 12 and then all the 293 00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:19,179 multitude kept silent and listen to Barnabas and 294 00:16:19,179 --> 00:16:22,960 Paul, declaring how many miracles and wonders God 295 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:26,000 had worked through them among the Gentiles. 296 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,419 And after they had become silent, James, who was 297 00:16:29,419 --> 00:16:31,980 now kind of like the church leader, the half 298 00:16:31,980 --> 00:16:35,500 brother of Jesus, James answered saying, men and 299 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:36,759 brethren, listen to me. 300 00:16:37,460 --> 00:16:40,019 Simon has declared how God at the first visited 301 00:16:40,019 --> 00:16:43,679 the Gentiles to take out of them a people for 302 00:16:43,679 --> 00:16:44,200 his name. 303 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:47,600 And with this, the words of the prophets agree, 304 00:16:47,679 --> 00:16:50,720 just as it is written, after this, I will return 305 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:54,220 and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which 306 00:16:54,220 --> 00:16:56,480 has fallen down and rebuild its ruins. 307 00:16:57,039 --> 00:17:00,279 And I will set it up so that the rest of mankind 308 00:17:00,279 --> 00:17:03,960 may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are 309 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,640 called by the name, by my name, and says the Lord 310 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:09,680 who does all these things. 311 00:17:10,220 --> 00:17:13,839 Verse 18, known to God from eternity for all his 312 00:17:13,839 --> 00:17:17,619 works, therefore, I judge that we should not 313 00:17:17,619 --> 00:17:20,880 trouble those from among the Gentiles who are 314 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,940 turning to God, but that we write to them to 315 00:17:24,940 --> 00:17:29,099 abstain from the things polluted by idols, from 316 00:17:29,099 --> 00:17:33,759 sexual immorality, from things strangled and from 317 00:17:33,759 --> 00:17:34,240 blood. 318 00:17:34,859 --> 00:17:38,859 For Moses has had throughout many generations 319 00:17:38,859 --> 00:17:43,480 those who preach him in every city, being read 320 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,019 in the synagogues every Sabbath. 321 00:17:46,019 --> 00:17:50,940 So here, James is saying they don't have to do all 322 00:17:50,940 --> 00:17:54,519 that, but they should do this. 323 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,259 Okay, so there's something here. 324 00:17:58,059 --> 00:17:59,799 Okay, there's something that we're going to talk 325 00:17:59,799 --> 00:18:03,960 about in a couple of minutes that James is saying, 326 00:18:04,099 --> 00:18:08,900 no, this is necessary, not for salvation, but to 327 00:18:08,900 --> 00:18:11,940 do well, okay, to do well. 328 00:18:12,140 --> 00:18:14,160 So these are some things we need to consider. 329 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,940 So I believe James is saying, now, wait a minute, 330 00:18:17,019 --> 00:18:19,599 this is, if you just go back saying you don't have 331 00:18:19,599 --> 00:18:22,680 to be circumcised, then they're going to just 332 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,079 keep going with all the other things they are 333 00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:28,920 doing, which are not complimentary to a walk in 334 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,519 Christ, which are still paganistic, and there's 335 00:18:32,519 --> 00:18:34,660 still an abomination to God. 336 00:18:35,279 --> 00:18:36,440 We have to deal with this. 337 00:18:36,559 --> 00:18:38,220 We have to address this, right? 338 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:40,319 Even though they don't have to do that, they 339 00:18:40,319 --> 00:18:41,859 still should do this. 340 00:18:42,580 --> 00:18:44,980 And he's seeing that, you know, in all these 341 00:18:44,980 --> 00:18:49,500 cities, Moses is being taught, and there's going 342 00:18:49,500 --> 00:18:52,279 to be a conflict in every city because suddenly, 343 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:53,539 wait, you're a Christian? 344 00:18:54,559 --> 00:18:57,480 What are you doing with that Yeti full of blood? 345 00:18:58,279 --> 00:19:00,059 Okay, what, you drinking blood? 346 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:05,079 I'm just Yeti, whatever, you know, you know, or 347 00:19:05,079 --> 00:19:06,220 what's the Stanley cup? 348 00:19:06,339 --> 00:19:08,839 You got a 40 ounce Stanley cup of blood, you 349 00:19:08,839 --> 00:19:09,700 sicko, right? 350 00:19:10,140 --> 00:19:11,539 But I love this Stanley cup. 351 00:19:11,539 --> 00:19:13,500 But, but you know what I'm saying? 352 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:15,000 Like, there's going to be a conflict. 353 00:19:15,180 --> 00:19:16,759 There's going to be completely continual 354 00:19:16,759 --> 00:19:18,960 friction and collision. 355 00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:21,339 So we should at least deal with this that 356 00:19:21,339 --> 00:19:23,799 they are doing that should not be done. 357 00:19:23,940 --> 00:19:24,279 Okay. 358 00:19:24,759 --> 00:19:26,359 So we're going to get back to that in a minute. 359 00:19:27,279 --> 00:19:30,380 And verse 22, and then it please the 360 00:19:30,380 --> 00:19:32,539 apostles and elders with the whole church to 361 00:19:32,539 --> 00:19:35,140 send chosen men of their own company to 362 00:19:35,140 --> 00:19:37,740 Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely 363 00:19:37,740 --> 00:19:41,180 Judas, who was also named Barnabas and 364 00:19:41,180 --> 00:19:43,619 Silas leading men from the brethren. 365 00:19:44,180 --> 00:19:46,180 And they wrote this letter by them, the 366 00:19:46,180 --> 00:19:48,559 apostles, the elders and the brethren to the 367 00:19:48,559 --> 00:19:51,180 brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, 368 00:19:51,500 --> 00:19:52,740 Syria and Cilicia. 369 00:19:53,299 --> 00:19:56,400 Greetings, since we have heard that some who 370 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,079 went out from us have troubled you with 371 00:19:59,079 --> 00:20:03,599 words, unsettling your souls, saying you 372 00:20:03,599 --> 00:20:06,440 must be circumcised and keep the law to 373 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,039 whom we gave no such commandment. 374 00:20:09,279 --> 00:20:13,059 It seemed to us being assembled with one 375 00:20:13,059 --> 00:20:16,779 accord to send chosen men to you with our 376 00:20:16,779 --> 00:20:19,619 beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have 377 00:20:19,619 --> 00:20:22,119 risked their lives for the name of the 378 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:23,299 Lord Jesus Christ. 379 00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:27,180 Verse 27, we have therefore sent Judas and 380 00:20:27,180 --> 00:20:30,059 Silas, who will also report the same 381 00:20:30,059 --> 00:20:34,380 things by word of mouth, also report the 382 00:20:34,380 --> 00:20:36,000 same things, I'm sorry, by word of 383 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,640 mouth, verse 28, for it seemed good to the 384 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:44,200 Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no 385 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,019 greater burden than these necessary 386 00:20:47,019 --> 00:20:51,220 things, verse 29, that you abstain from 387 00:20:51,220 --> 00:20:55,500 things offered to idols, from blood, from 388 00:20:55,500 --> 00:20:58,380 things strangled and from sexual 389 00:20:58,380 --> 00:21:01,819 immorality, if you keep these, keep 390 00:21:01,819 --> 00:21:04,500 yourselves from these, you will do 391 00:21:04,500 --> 00:21:08,039 well, farewell, verse 30. 392 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,059 So when they were sent off, they came to 393 00:21:11,059 --> 00:21:13,559 Antioch, and when they had gathered the 394 00:21:13,559 --> 00:21:15,779 multitude together, they delivered the 395 00:21:15,779 --> 00:21:18,819 letter, and when they had read it, they 396 00:21:18,819 --> 00:21:20,680 rejoiced over its encouragement. 397 00:21:21,299 --> 00:21:23,579 Now Judas and Silas themselves, being 398 00:21:23,579 --> 00:21:25,960 prophets, also exhorted and strengthened 399 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,160 the brethren with many words, and after 400 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,920 they had stayed there for a time, they 401 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,119 were sent back with greetings from the 402 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:35,519 brethren to the apostles. 403 00:21:36,619 --> 00:21:38,940 However, it seemed good to Silas to 404 00:21:38,940 --> 00:21:41,640 remain there, Paul and Barnabas also 405 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,059 remain in Antioch, teaching and 406 00:21:44,059 --> 00:21:46,380 preaching the word of the Lord with 407 00:21:46,380 --> 00:21:48,319 many others also. 408 00:21:48,859 --> 00:21:50,700 So here Silas stays behind, we're going 409 00:21:50,700 --> 00:21:52,240 to read about him next week when he 410 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,140 joins up with Paul. 411 00:21:54,940 --> 00:21:57,799 And so I thought that phrase was 412 00:21:57,799 --> 00:21:59,839 interesting, it seemed good to the 413 00:21:59,839 --> 00:22:02,740 Holy Spirit, you know, it seemed good. 414 00:22:02,740 --> 00:22:05,240 I don't know how your version reads, but 415 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,559 we should always know that it seems good 416 00:22:08,559 --> 00:22:10,500 to him, you know what I mean? 417 00:22:10,940 --> 00:22:12,819 Like it shouldn't just seem right to us. 418 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,000 You know, we pray quite often as a 419 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,920 family, elders for this church, we just 420 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,099 want his mind, like, Lord, you, does 421 00:22:22,099 --> 00:22:23,279 this seem right to you? 422 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:24,740 What's your thoughts on this? 423 00:22:24,759 --> 00:22:25,660 We need his mind. 424 00:22:25,759 --> 00:22:26,819 We need the mind of Christ. 425 00:22:26,940 --> 00:22:28,660 We have it, but we need more of it. 426 00:22:29,339 --> 00:22:32,359 So anyway, so here they encouraged 427 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,039 them. So before we get into those four 428 00:22:35,039 --> 00:22:36,900 things that they were supposed to 429 00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:42,440 abstain from, I think that James wants 430 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,200 to bring unity here, doesn't he? 431 00:22:45,519 --> 00:22:49,039 He wants to bring, he wants to bring 432 00:22:49,039 --> 00:22:51,539 unity, but not at the expense of 433 00:22:51,539 --> 00:22:53,240 compromising truth. 434 00:22:53,859 --> 00:22:55,839 And I think that's the Spirit of God. 435 00:22:56,079 --> 00:22:59,420 James wrote about this in James 3, 17 436 00:23:00,180 --> 00:23:03,920 and 18, but the wisdom from above is 437 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:07,779 first pure than peaceable, gentle, open 438 00:23:07,779 --> 00:23:09,940 to reason, full of mercy and good 439 00:23:09,940 --> 00:23:13,160 fruits, impartial and sincere. 440 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,099 And a harvest of righteousness is 441 00:23:16,099 --> 00:23:19,200 sown in peace by those who make peace. 442 00:23:20,319 --> 00:23:22,299 So, you know, sometimes we think, 443 00:23:22,380 --> 00:23:24,079 well, no, it has to be this. 444 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:26,539 This is what's right. 445 00:23:27,140 --> 00:23:28,839 And then another side can say, well, 446 00:23:28,839 --> 00:23:30,339 no, but this is right. 447 00:23:31,039 --> 00:23:32,859 But a lot of times if we just ask 448 00:23:32,859 --> 00:23:36,380 God to bring unity, he's able to 449 00:23:36,380 --> 00:23:38,400 parse out what's the most important 450 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:40,920 thing. Like what's the priority here? 451 00:23:41,339 --> 00:23:42,140 We don't have to. 452 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,480 We don't have to be right all the 453 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,359 time. We need God to show us what's 454 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,000 right. And so this is what's 455 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,079 happening here, that they deliver 456 00:23:51,079 --> 00:23:52,859 this message. And I think it's 457 00:23:52,859 --> 00:23:54,880 interesting. And we don't know how 458 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:56,720 the Pharisees responded to this, 459 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,579 but we don't see any more uproar. 460 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:00,279 It's great. It would be great to 461 00:24:00,279 --> 00:24:02,059 think that these believing 462 00:24:02,660 --> 00:24:04,160 Pharisees realize that, you know 463 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:05,759 what, OK, I see where you're 464 00:24:05,759 --> 00:24:08,299 coming from. Maybe we don't need 465 00:24:08,299 --> 00:24:09,460 this anymore. 466 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,119 So let's talk briefly just about 467 00:24:13,299 --> 00:24:15,279 circumcision, because this was 468 00:24:15,279 --> 00:24:17,220 something significant to the 469 00:24:17,220 --> 00:24:19,619 early the Israelites. 470 00:24:19,859 --> 00:24:21,940 Right. I mean, this was this 471 00:24:21,940 --> 00:24:24,440 was actually a sign of God's 472 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:25,259 covenant with them. 473 00:24:25,259 --> 00:24:27,519 And we read about this in 474 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,960 Genesis 17 verses 10 to 14. 475 00:24:32,220 --> 00:24:33,140 And this was, of course, not 476 00:24:33,140 --> 00:24:34,500 given to Moses. It was given to 477 00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:35,579 Abraham right from the 478 00:24:35,579 --> 00:24:37,299 beginning. This is my covenant, 479 00:24:37,460 --> 00:24:39,500 which you shall keep between me 480 00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:41,640 and you and your offspring after 481 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,000 you. Every male among you shall 482 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:44,940 be circumcised. 483 00:24:45,539 --> 00:24:47,259 You shall be circumcised in the 484 00:24:47,259 --> 00:24:48,720 flesh of your foreskins. 485 00:24:48,759 --> 00:24:51,420 And it shall be a sign of the 486 00:24:51,420 --> 00:24:54,259 covenant between me and you. 487 00:24:54,859 --> 00:24:57,380 So it was a sign of a 488 00:24:57,380 --> 00:24:57,700 covenant. 489 00:24:58,279 --> 00:24:59,680 But, you know, it was always an 490 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:01,759 outward sign, wasn't it? 491 00:25:02,420 --> 00:25:03,859 It should have been an inward 492 00:25:03,859 --> 00:25:05,200 sign. It should have been like, 493 00:25:05,420 --> 00:25:08,299 no, I am oh, I am owned 494 00:25:08,299 --> 00:25:10,640 by the Lord, the Yahweh, to 495 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,880 them. I belong to Him. 496 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:14,019 I'm a special people. 497 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:15,160 I'm a special person. 498 00:25:15,779 --> 00:25:17,240 And I belong to Him. 499 00:25:17,559 --> 00:25:18,779 This is an outward sign. 500 00:25:19,099 --> 00:25:20,819 But the Lord always wanted to be 501 00:25:20,819 --> 00:25:22,680 go beyond skin deep. 502 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,519 He wanted to go into the heart 503 00:25:25,519 --> 00:25:26,440 and the soul. 504 00:25:27,099 --> 00:25:28,000 He wants the heart 505 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:28,579 circumcised. 506 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:29,859 And we read about this later 507 00:25:29,859 --> 00:25:31,460 in the Old Testament, still 508 00:25:31,460 --> 00:25:37,599 in Deuteronomy, we read, well, 509 00:25:37,660 --> 00:25:38,420 let's read it up there. 510 00:25:38,980 --> 00:25:41,940 Deuteronomy, the Lord says to 511 00:25:41,940 --> 00:25:43,759 Israel, circumcised there for 512 00:25:43,759 --> 00:25:46,500 the foreskin of your heart and 513 00:25:46,500 --> 00:25:47,960 be no longer stubborn. 514 00:25:49,539 --> 00:25:50,759 Later on, He says, and the 515 00:25:50,759 --> 00:25:52,519 Lord your God will circumcise 516 00:25:52,519 --> 00:25:53,960 your heart and the heart of 517 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:55,940 your offspring so that you 518 00:25:55,940 --> 00:25:57,700 will love the Lord your God 519 00:25:57,700 --> 00:25:59,539 with all your heart, with all 520 00:25:59,539 --> 00:26:01,319 your soul and with all 521 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:03,859 and your soul that you may 522 00:26:03,859 --> 00:26:05,660 live, heart, soul, mind and 523 00:26:05,660 --> 00:26:06,019 strength. 524 00:26:06,579 --> 00:26:08,559 So He wants them to have 525 00:26:08,559 --> 00:26:10,220 a circumcised heart. 526 00:26:10,339 --> 00:26:11,359 Now, that's not something that 527 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:12,279 somebody is going to go in 528 00:26:12,279 --> 00:26:13,039 there and cut out. 529 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:14,599 It's your heart being 530 00:26:15,340 --> 00:26:15,880 transformed. 531 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:18,380 So the outward circumcision 532 00:26:18,380 --> 00:26:19,920 was always pointing to 533 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:21,440 something that would happen 534 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:24,059 later, a circumcised heart. 535 00:26:24,980 --> 00:26:26,059 Paul talks about this in 536 00:26:26,059 --> 00:26:28,740 Romans chapter two, verse 537 00:26:28,740 --> 00:26:30,220 twenty eight to twenty nine. 538 00:26:30,799 --> 00:26:32,400 For no one is a Jew who is 539 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,500 merely one outwardly, nor is 540 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:36,140 circumcision outward and 541 00:26:36,140 --> 00:26:38,200 physical, but a Jew is one 542 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,660 inwardly and circumcision is 543 00:26:40,660 --> 00:26:42,839 a matter of the heart by the 544 00:26:42,839 --> 00:26:44,799 spirit, not by the letter. 545 00:26:45,299 --> 00:26:47,200 His praise is not from man, 546 00:26:47,460 --> 00:26:48,339 but from God. 547 00:26:49,099 --> 00:26:51,039 So see, they were saying that 548 00:26:51,039 --> 00:26:53,119 like this outward practice of 549 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:55,220 cutting skin away is unnecessary 550 00:26:55,220 --> 00:26:57,680 now, because now the Lord 551 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,380 circumcises the heart so we 552 00:27:00,380 --> 00:27:01,599 can put that away. 553 00:27:01,740 --> 00:27:04,559 That's OK to put away, you 554 00:27:04,559 --> 00:27:06,140 know, and actually it was so 555 00:27:06,140 --> 00:27:07,059 severe that they said if 556 00:27:07,059 --> 00:27:09,319 anyone is not circumcised, they 557 00:27:09,319 --> 00:27:10,940 need to be cut off from the 558 00:27:10,940 --> 00:27:11,380 people. 559 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:13,980 OK, I'd rather have skin cut 560 00:27:13,980 --> 00:27:15,259 away than me cut away. 561 00:27:15,519 --> 00:27:17,200 OK, they should be cut off 562 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:18,480 from their own people. 563 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:21,160 So this was was significant. 564 00:27:21,660 --> 00:27:23,319 So you can almost imagine being 565 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:25,640 like a religious Jew. 566 00:27:26,559 --> 00:27:28,359 And this was always a symbol. 567 00:27:29,019 --> 00:27:31,180 All these centuries and 568 00:27:31,180 --> 00:27:31,819 centuries. 569 00:27:32,079 --> 00:27:33,680 This was your your history. 570 00:27:34,380 --> 00:27:35,480 And some of you are saying it's 571 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:36,779 not needed anymore. 572 00:27:37,759 --> 00:27:39,619 How significant is this Jesus? 573 00:27:40,980 --> 00:27:41,960 Well, you answer that. 574 00:27:43,099 --> 00:27:43,619 He's everything. 575 00:27:44,619 --> 00:27:46,599 He is everything right. 576 00:27:47,059 --> 00:27:47,900 If you don't have Jesus, 577 00:27:47,900 --> 00:27:48,779 you have nothing. 578 00:27:49,839 --> 00:27:50,839 You can, you know, 579 00:27:51,799 --> 00:27:53,579 it's Jesus and nothing else. 580 00:27:54,039 --> 00:27:54,079 Right. 581 00:27:54,619 --> 00:27:55,680 So these things that they're 582 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:57,500 about to tell us to abstain 583 00:27:57,500 --> 00:27:59,539 from weren't salvation either. 584 00:28:00,079 --> 00:28:01,019 But they were saying, if you 585 00:28:01,019 --> 00:28:02,599 want to follow Jesus well, 586 00:28:03,039 --> 00:28:04,339 get rid of those things. 587 00:28:04,500 --> 00:28:06,279 OK, so that they don't 588 00:28:06,279 --> 00:28:08,140 cloud the way, get rid of 589 00:28:08,140 --> 00:28:08,579 them. Right. 590 00:28:08,660 --> 00:28:09,839 Just like that when Paul 591 00:28:09,839 --> 00:28:10,900 talks about, you know, 592 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:12,039 cutting off the sin that 593 00:28:12,039 --> 00:28:13,900 snares you down and and 594 00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:14,700 drags you down. 595 00:28:14,799 --> 00:28:15,960 Just cut it off. 596 00:28:16,140 --> 00:28:16,359 Right. 597 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:17,859 And so now we're going to 598 00:28:17,859 --> 00:28:19,359 look at these things that 599 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,740 they were called to abstain 600 00:28:22,740 --> 00:28:23,299 from. 601 00:28:25,099 --> 00:28:26,240 And if you could put up 602 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:27,380 that next slide. 603 00:28:30,279 --> 00:28:30,980 There we go. 604 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:33,900 So things necessary to 605 00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:36,019 abstain from if you wish 606 00:28:36,019 --> 00:28:37,259 to do well. 607 00:28:37,460 --> 00:28:38,180 Remember, he wrote at the 608 00:28:38,180 --> 00:28:39,460 end of the letter, if you 609 00:28:39,460 --> 00:28:40,480 abstain from these things, 610 00:28:40,539 --> 00:28:41,740 you will do well. 611 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:42,900 I want to do well. 612 00:28:43,180 --> 00:28:43,380 Right. 613 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:45,500 So I stopped drinking blood. 614 00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:46,940 I told Jill, I'm not going 615 00:28:46,940 --> 00:28:47,720 to do that anymore. 616 00:28:49,579 --> 00:28:50,880 Thank God that was never 617 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:51,900 a thing for me. 618 00:28:52,079 --> 00:28:54,140 OK, I don't even like rare 619 00:28:54,140 --> 00:28:55,539 meat. Do you like rare 620 00:28:55,539 --> 00:28:55,960 meat? 621 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:57,539 I had a friend that would 622 00:28:57,539 --> 00:28:59,200 eat Pittsburgh rare. 623 00:28:59,500 --> 00:29:00,259 Do you know what that is? 624 00:29:01,259 --> 00:29:02,859 It's burnt on the outside 625 00:29:02,859 --> 00:29:05,779 and it's it just it's 626 00:29:05,779 --> 00:29:06,880 bloody on the inside. 627 00:29:07,180 --> 00:29:07,880 That ain't me. 628 00:29:08,059 --> 00:29:08,920 But I like medium. 629 00:29:09,380 --> 00:29:10,539 Jill likes well done. 630 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:11,539 It's like all the flavor 631 00:29:11,539 --> 00:29:13,880 is gone now medium well. 632 00:29:15,879 --> 00:29:16,539 I'm kidding. 633 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:17,920 I'm kidding. 634 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:19,400 But I always throw 635 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:20,339 her under the bus up here. 636 00:29:20,579 --> 00:29:21,759 I pay for it later. 637 00:29:22,119 --> 00:29:23,059 So it's not like I go. 638 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:24,799 I come out of this unscathed. 639 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:25,940 I don't. 640 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:29,000 But anyway, but, you know, 641 00:29:29,039 --> 00:29:29,779 I'm not into blood, 642 00:29:29,819 --> 00:29:30,680 but, you know, this is 643 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:31,579 something that they should 644 00:29:31,579 --> 00:29:32,240 abstain from. 645 00:29:32,359 --> 00:29:33,799 But of course, it has so 646 00:29:33,799 --> 00:29:34,680 much more significance 647 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:35,839 when we're reading it 648 00:29:35,839 --> 00:29:37,680 to them back then. 649 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:40,779 Then to us now, perhaps, 650 00:29:41,119 --> 00:29:41,859 perhaps, right? 651 00:29:42,339 --> 00:29:43,339 So the first thing 652 00:29:43,339 --> 00:29:44,460 and by the way, 653 00:29:44,460 --> 00:29:45,920 James, if you read 654 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,019 when James was saying 655 00:29:47,019 --> 00:29:48,559 I judge that we should do this, 656 00:29:49,119 --> 00:29:50,880 the order was rearranged 657 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:51,980 when he wrote the letter. 658 00:29:52,140 --> 00:29:53,019 So I don't know 659 00:29:53,019 --> 00:29:54,380 if there's significance to that, 660 00:29:54,599 --> 00:29:56,059 but it's a different order. 661 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:57,400 So I'm wondering if, 662 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:58,819 you know, the Lord gave him 663 00:29:59,579 --> 00:30:00,539 an illumination, 664 00:30:01,099 --> 00:30:02,680 made him realize that, oh, no, 665 00:30:02,779 --> 00:30:03,799 this is what we should do. 666 00:30:04,140 --> 00:30:05,420 But then as they sat down 667 00:30:05,420 --> 00:30:06,319 to write the letter, 668 00:30:06,579 --> 00:30:07,400 the Holy Spirit 669 00:30:07,900 --> 00:30:10,759 helped them really sort this out 670 00:30:10,759 --> 00:30:13,299 and bring it in a better format 671 00:30:13,299 --> 00:30:14,799 and better order. 672 00:30:15,119 --> 00:30:16,259 So whether there's a significance 673 00:30:16,259 --> 00:30:17,819 to the order, I don't know. 674 00:30:18,519 --> 00:30:20,400 But the first thing was things 675 00:30:21,259 --> 00:30:23,720 or food offered to idols, 676 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:24,940 abstain from that. 677 00:30:25,759 --> 00:30:26,920 Now, there's scripture 678 00:30:27,659 --> 00:30:29,039 in the Old Testament that says 679 00:30:29,039 --> 00:30:31,839 abstain from food 680 00:30:31,839 --> 00:30:33,140 offered to idols. 681 00:30:33,339 --> 00:30:34,660 Now, during this time, 682 00:30:34,660 --> 00:30:35,380 there were temples 683 00:30:35,380 --> 00:30:36,359 all over the place 684 00:30:36,359 --> 00:30:38,900 to all kinds of Gods, OK, 685 00:30:39,339 --> 00:30:40,180 mainly originating 686 00:30:40,180 --> 00:30:42,380 from the Greek culture. 687 00:30:42,380 --> 00:30:44,619 OK, and there are people 688 00:30:44,619 --> 00:30:45,740 worshipping Gods. 689 00:30:46,220 --> 00:30:47,140 And part of it, of course, 690 00:30:47,140 --> 00:30:48,640 was bringing offerings. 691 00:30:49,319 --> 00:30:50,440 OK, and by the way, 692 00:30:50,599 --> 00:30:51,740 also drinking blood. 693 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:53,779 OK, and so forth. 694 00:30:53,859 --> 00:30:54,720 So this was a part 695 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,059 of their worship. 696 00:30:56,839 --> 00:30:57,960 OK, and so. 697 00:30:59,119 --> 00:31:00,980 And so this is what they were doing. 698 00:31:01,460 --> 00:31:02,240 And you can just take that 699 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:03,319 there for a second, sorry. 700 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:07,099 And it was it was 701 00:31:07,819 --> 00:31:10,680 is to them, it was significant 702 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:12,079 and important, right, 703 00:31:12,700 --> 00:31:14,180 to for the Gentiles, 704 00:31:14,220 --> 00:31:16,940 because they offered offerings 705 00:31:17,519 --> 00:31:19,099 to false Gods. 706 00:31:19,839 --> 00:31:22,180 But really, they were demons. 707 00:31:22,759 --> 00:31:24,160 OK, and they just didn't 708 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:25,299 even realize it. 709 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,519 So to them, what they were doing 710 00:31:27,519 --> 00:31:29,920 naively was important to God. 711 00:31:30,779 --> 00:31:32,839 And so let's read about that in 712 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,240 1 Corinthians 10. 713 00:31:36,059 --> 00:31:36,900 If you can put that up. 714 00:31:37,039 --> 00:31:37,599 Sorry about that. 715 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:38,680 I just told you to put it down. 716 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,339 Verse 20 to 21. 717 00:31:41,299 --> 00:31:42,640 What do I imply, then? 718 00:31:43,359 --> 00:31:45,059 That food offered to idols 719 00:31:45,059 --> 00:31:47,359 is anything or then an idol 720 00:31:47,359 --> 00:31:48,440 is anything? No. 721 00:31:48,940 --> 00:31:50,380 I imply that what 722 00:31:50,380 --> 00:31:53,259 pagan sacrifice they offer 723 00:31:53,259 --> 00:31:55,799 to demons and not to God. 724 00:31:56,559 --> 00:31:58,339 I do not want you to be 725 00:31:58,339 --> 00:32:00,079 participants with demons. 726 00:32:00,839 --> 00:32:02,220 You cannot drink the cup 727 00:32:02,220 --> 00:32:04,359 of the Lord and a cup of demons. 728 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:06,519 You cannot partake 729 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:08,660 of the table of the Lord 730 00:32:08,660 --> 00:32:10,720 and the table of demons. 731 00:32:11,619 --> 00:32:14,079 So see, this was important to God. 732 00:32:14,539 --> 00:32:16,059 Now, one might say, you know, 733 00:32:16,380 --> 00:32:16,880 who cares? 734 00:32:17,019 --> 00:32:17,779 It doesn't really have 735 00:32:17,779 --> 00:32:18,720 any impact on me. 736 00:32:18,740 --> 00:32:19,519 Well, that's true. 737 00:32:20,559 --> 00:32:22,700 Unless you know about it 738 00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:24,940 and unless the person you're with 739 00:32:24,940 --> 00:32:26,259 knows about it 740 00:32:26,879 --> 00:32:28,980 and it becomes a conscience thing. 741 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:31,700 OK, Paul goes on from there 742 00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:33,579 in verse 23 to 25. 743 00:32:35,299 --> 00:32:36,319 And he says, 744 00:32:37,039 --> 00:32:38,099 all things are lawful, 745 00:32:38,279 --> 00:32:40,299 but not all things are helpful. 746 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:42,240 All things are lawful, 747 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,119 but not all things build up. 748 00:32:44,859 --> 00:32:47,220 Let no one seek his own good, 749 00:32:47,660 --> 00:32:49,240 but the good of his neighbor. 750 00:32:50,019 --> 00:32:51,160 Eat whatever is sold 751 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:52,059 in the meat market. 752 00:32:52,380 --> 00:32:53,640 Now, remember, he just got done 753 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:55,279 saying it was offered to demons 754 00:32:55,279 --> 00:32:56,400 and I don't want you to partake 755 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,240 anything with demons. 756 00:32:59,000 --> 00:32:59,720 But now he's saying, 757 00:32:59,759 --> 00:33:01,180 eat whatever is put in front of you. 758 00:33:01,259 --> 00:33:02,119 All right, we're going to 759 00:33:02,119 --> 00:33:03,119 reconcile that in a minute. 760 00:33:03,119 --> 00:33:05,400 Eat whatever is sold in the market 761 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,619 without raising any question 762 00:33:07,619 --> 00:33:09,539 on the ground of conscience. 763 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:11,680 And then the next slide, 764 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:13,740 verses 27 and 28. 765 00:33:15,359 --> 00:33:17,019 If one of the unbelievers 766 00:33:17,019 --> 00:33:18,279 invites you to dinner 767 00:33:18,279 --> 00:33:20,240 and you are disposed to go, 768 00:33:20,980 --> 00:33:23,319 eat whatever is set before you 769 00:33:23,319 --> 00:33:25,380 without raising any question 770 00:33:25,380 --> 00:33:26,980 on the ground of conscience. 771 00:33:27,079 --> 00:33:28,440 There's that the ground 772 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:29,799 of conscience again. 773 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:31,819 But if someone says to you, 774 00:33:31,819 --> 00:33:34,259 this has been offered to 775 00:33:34,939 --> 00:33:38,240 in sacrifice, then do not eat it 776 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:39,779 for the sake of the one 777 00:33:39,779 --> 00:33:41,180 who informed you 778 00:33:41,939 --> 00:33:44,000 and for the sake of conscience. 779 00:33:45,079 --> 00:33:46,980 And then finally, the last slide, 780 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:48,680 verses 31 to 33. 781 00:33:49,980 --> 00:33:51,380 So whether you eat or drink 782 00:33:51,380 --> 00:33:52,779 or whatever you do, 783 00:33:52,779 --> 00:33:54,819 do all to the glory of God. 784 00:33:55,339 --> 00:33:56,980 Give no offense to Jews 785 00:33:56,980 --> 00:33:59,359 or to Greeks or to the Church of God. 786 00:33:59,359 --> 00:34:01,960 Just as I try to please everyone 787 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:03,180 and everything I do, 788 00:34:03,180 --> 00:34:05,599 not seeking my own advantage, 789 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:07,339 but that of many 790 00:34:07,339 --> 00:34:09,219 that they may be saved. 791 00:34:09,940 --> 00:34:11,139 So here he's saying, look, 792 00:34:12,260 --> 00:34:14,139 if someone's offering you food 793 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:15,820 that has been 794 00:34:17,159 --> 00:34:20,159 during worship to demons, OK, 795 00:34:20,780 --> 00:34:22,139 but you don't know about it, 796 00:34:22,159 --> 00:34:22,760 it's not going to have 797 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:23,719 any impact on you 798 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:25,500 because greater is he who is in me 799 00:34:25,500 --> 00:34:26,559 than he who is in the world. 800 00:34:27,059 --> 00:34:29,219 You know, all this idea of like, 801 00:34:29,219 --> 00:34:30,900 well, you might have unknowingly 802 00:34:30,900 --> 00:34:32,280 taken on a demon. 803 00:34:32,500 --> 00:34:34,860 You know, I believe the only power 804 00:34:34,860 --> 00:34:37,739 the evil one has upon us 805 00:34:37,739 --> 00:34:40,539 is the power we surrender to him. 806 00:34:41,079 --> 00:34:42,039 You're already covered 807 00:34:42,039 --> 00:34:42,980 by the blood of Christ. 808 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,760 He says, I came to judge the enemy. 809 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:48,539 He has nothing in me 810 00:34:48,539 --> 00:34:49,679 and we are in Christ. 811 00:34:50,019 --> 00:34:51,579 So really, if you are in Christ, 812 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:54,679 you already have the dominating Holy Spirit 813 00:34:54,679 --> 00:34:57,079 who has dominion over all other 814 00:34:57,079 --> 00:34:59,380 spiritual realms, right? 815 00:34:59,639 --> 00:35:01,780 So the enemy can't hijack you 816 00:35:01,780 --> 00:35:03,119 unless you open the door, 817 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:04,539 say, come on in, right? 818 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:06,139 Because you are 819 00:35:06,139 --> 00:35:08,000 you are a new creation. 820 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:09,900 The demons tremble 821 00:35:09,900 --> 00:35:11,199 when you walk into the room 822 00:35:11,199 --> 00:35:13,219 unless you don't know who you are 823 00:35:13,219 --> 00:35:14,400 and who you are 824 00:35:15,139 --> 00:35:17,099 and what your power and authority 825 00:35:17,099 --> 00:35:18,699 is in this world, right? 826 00:35:19,199 --> 00:35:20,219 And once you know 827 00:35:20,219 --> 00:35:22,360 and you stand in that authority, 828 00:35:22,639 --> 00:35:24,820 the enemy can't do anything, right? 829 00:35:25,059 --> 00:35:25,800 So he's saying 830 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:27,019 it doesn't matter. 831 00:35:27,420 --> 00:35:29,539 But now you're sitting there with someone 832 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:31,599 and they came out of this. 833 00:35:32,260 --> 00:35:33,199 They might have been there 834 00:35:33,199 --> 00:35:34,460 at one point when this food 835 00:35:34,460 --> 00:35:35,679 was being offered, they say, 836 00:35:36,199 --> 00:35:37,500 oh, by the way, before you eat this, 837 00:35:37,639 --> 00:35:38,699 I should tell you 838 00:35:38,699 --> 00:35:40,079 that it is offered 839 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:43,199 to the Goddess Artemis 840 00:35:43,199 --> 00:35:44,619 or whatever it is, you know? 841 00:35:45,099 --> 00:35:46,420 And you're like, oh. 842 00:35:47,980 --> 00:35:49,599 All right, I'll pass 843 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:51,519 because you know 844 00:35:52,079 --> 00:35:53,579 it matters to them. 845 00:35:54,139 --> 00:35:55,440 It has no impact on you, 846 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:56,539 but it matters to them. 847 00:35:57,039 --> 00:35:58,099 Now, if it matters to them, 848 00:35:58,099 --> 00:35:59,760 it matters to you 849 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:01,619 because what we do 850 00:36:01,619 --> 00:36:03,920 has an impact on everything, right? 851 00:36:04,579 --> 00:36:06,860 And now it does matter. 852 00:36:07,019 --> 00:36:08,320 You know, things don't matter 853 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,019 until they matter, right? 854 00:36:10,820 --> 00:36:13,400 And I can give you an example of this. 855 00:36:14,420 --> 00:36:17,239 So I was in Nicaragua 856 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:19,500 with the McRoberts on a missions trip 857 00:36:20,039 --> 00:36:21,980 and Jill and I went to this cathedral 858 00:36:21,980 --> 00:36:23,880 and it was the biggest cathedral 859 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:25,360 in Central America, actually. 860 00:36:26,099 --> 00:36:26,840 And so we're there 861 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:29,500 and it's interesting. 862 00:36:30,179 --> 00:36:30,840 I don't want to go there. 863 00:36:31,139 --> 00:36:33,260 But anyway, so forget it. 864 00:36:34,019 --> 00:36:35,059 Really, just never mind. 865 00:36:36,980 --> 00:36:38,320 So anyway, we go outside 866 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:39,119 of the cathedral. 867 00:36:39,340 --> 00:36:40,039 It was really cool. 868 00:36:40,380 --> 00:36:41,219 And we're walking out 869 00:36:41,219 --> 00:36:42,400 and there's these kids there 870 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:43,500 and they say, hey, do you want to, 871 00:36:43,559 --> 00:36:44,739 you know, a lollipop? 872 00:36:44,940 --> 00:36:46,039 And like, that's that's random. 873 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:48,019 But yeah, yeah, OK, sure. 874 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:50,099 So I was with these two other 875 00:36:50,099 --> 00:36:51,860 Nicaraguan young guys, you know, 876 00:36:52,199 --> 00:36:52,800 well, they're young, 877 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:53,840 they're 20, whatever. 878 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:55,420 And we're walking along. 879 00:36:55,639 --> 00:36:56,480 And so, you know, 880 00:36:57,019 --> 00:37:00,019 and so we start eating the lollipops 881 00:37:00,019 --> 00:37:03,119 and suddenly they started saying, 882 00:37:03,260 --> 00:37:04,019 yeah, that's part 883 00:37:04,019 --> 00:37:05,800 of their atonement process. 884 00:37:06,420 --> 00:37:07,059 They have to pay. 885 00:37:07,059 --> 00:37:08,440 They have to pay penance 886 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,360 for their sins through good works. 887 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:14,559 And this is how they do it. 888 00:37:15,579 --> 00:37:17,420 And I'm like, oh, whatever, you know. 889 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:19,099 So all of a sudden they 890 00:37:19,099 --> 00:37:20,780 now they came out of this. 891 00:37:21,159 --> 00:37:21,659 OK. 892 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:23,639 So they're walking along 893 00:37:23,639 --> 00:37:24,199 and they're like, 894 00:37:25,139 --> 00:37:26,519 yeah, you know, I really don't feel 895 00:37:26,519 --> 00:37:28,099 good about eating this because 896 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:30,380 the person who gave it to us 897 00:37:30,380 --> 00:37:31,420 thinks that they're working off 898 00:37:31,420 --> 00:37:32,500 their sins as we're licking 899 00:37:32,500 --> 00:37:33,420 on this lollipop. 900 00:37:33,659 --> 00:37:35,260 Like I'm like, OK. 901 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:37,219 Well, listen and say, yeah, 902 00:37:37,260 --> 00:37:38,179 we're not going to eat this. 903 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:39,800 I'm thinking, well, then 904 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,000 neither am I going to eat this? 905 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:42,619 You see, because it's it's it is. 906 00:37:42,940 --> 00:37:45,000 It matters because it matters 907 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:47,579 to them because it used to be in that. 908 00:37:48,199 --> 00:37:50,219 It matters to the kids that gave them 909 00:37:50,219 --> 00:37:51,260 that maybe it would be better 910 00:37:51,260 --> 00:37:53,800 if we knew and said, you know, 911 00:37:53,900 --> 00:37:54,920 oh, no, no, no, no, you know, 912 00:37:55,159 --> 00:37:56,519 only Jesus Christ pays for your sins. 913 00:37:57,019 --> 00:37:57,760 Giving us a lollipop 914 00:37:57,760 --> 00:37:58,920 isn't going to do it, you know. 915 00:37:59,460 --> 00:38:03,519 But so but so I can see this, 916 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:04,659 you know, this connection, 917 00:38:05,039 --> 00:38:07,480 you know, because it matters, you know. 918 00:38:09,039 --> 00:38:10,039 There's so many examples 919 00:38:10,039 --> 00:38:11,639 that they use a lot of times 920 00:38:11,639 --> 00:38:14,099 this whole example with alcohol. 921 00:38:14,619 --> 00:38:15,639 You know, you can have 922 00:38:15,639 --> 00:38:18,239 a glass of wine and have, you know, 923 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:20,539 and not be intoxicated. 924 00:38:20,539 --> 00:38:22,960 Two glasses of wine, maybe spread out 925 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:25,079 over whatever time and be fine. 926 00:38:25,300 --> 00:38:26,460 You know, and there's, you know, 927 00:38:26,679 --> 00:38:28,880 nothing like biblically 928 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:30,260 wrong with alcohol, right? 929 00:38:30,739 --> 00:38:32,460 And wine, so forth. Right. 930 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:35,159 I mean, that was Jesus's first miracle. 931 00:38:36,039 --> 00:38:37,239 I think if he was going to say 932 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:40,000 this is evil, he wouldn't have made 933 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:41,440 that his first miracle. 934 00:38:41,659 --> 00:38:42,199 All right. Yeah. 935 00:38:42,559 --> 00:38:45,079 If if if it is, then I can't wait 936 00:38:45,079 --> 00:38:46,079 to ask him about that 937 00:38:46,079 --> 00:38:46,920 when I get there. 938 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:48,219 You know, I don't understand that. 939 00:38:48,420 --> 00:38:50,000 But anyway, so 940 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:51,719 and we see again and again, 941 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:53,639 you know, he's drinking the cup, 942 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:55,079 take this cup communion. 943 00:38:56,079 --> 00:38:57,000 Why? And by the way, 944 00:38:57,679 --> 00:38:58,719 wine was the same word, 945 00:38:58,719 --> 00:38:59,840 whether it was the process 946 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,820 of the musk that is being developed 947 00:39:02,820 --> 00:39:04,980 into fermentation or the fermentation. 948 00:39:05,380 --> 00:39:06,440 So it's too vague 949 00:39:06,440 --> 00:39:07,440 to really sort out, 950 00:39:07,579 --> 00:39:09,599 oh, that wasn't really whatever. 951 00:39:10,039 --> 00:39:12,320 But it was probably weaker back then. 952 00:39:12,659 --> 00:39:14,139 But anyway, so drinking. Right. 953 00:39:14,300 --> 00:39:16,260 So you can have a glass of wine now. 954 00:39:17,660 --> 00:39:20,659 You're going to your family function 955 00:39:21,660 --> 00:39:23,820 and your dad is there 956 00:39:23,820 --> 00:39:25,579 and he is an ex alcoholic 957 00:39:25,579 --> 00:39:27,760 or maybe still is an alcoholic. 958 00:39:28,119 --> 00:39:29,460 And you look at him 959 00:39:29,460 --> 00:39:30,280 and you think about 960 00:39:31,180 --> 00:39:32,760 all the pain and sorrow 961 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:35,739 it's caused him, his family, 962 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:37,559 your family. 963 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:39,360 And you're thinking 964 00:39:40,260 --> 00:39:41,599 this means way more 965 00:39:42,420 --> 00:39:44,599 to him than it does to me. 966 00:39:44,599 --> 00:39:45,719 I can do without. 967 00:39:47,119 --> 00:39:48,199 I don't need this. 968 00:39:48,199 --> 00:39:49,639 I don't need this glass of wine 969 00:39:49,639 --> 00:39:50,440 or this beer. 970 00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:52,699 It's not important to me. 971 00:39:53,340 --> 00:39:55,000 Right. It's just not because 972 00:39:55,719 --> 00:39:56,980 am I my brother's keeper? 973 00:39:57,179 --> 00:39:58,380 Well, you're not his keeper, 974 00:39:59,000 --> 00:40:00,119 but you're his supporter. 975 00:40:00,820 --> 00:40:02,119 Right. I mean, we're all parts 976 00:40:02,119 --> 00:40:03,119 of the body of Christ, 977 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:04,139 we're tendons, ligaments. 978 00:40:04,500 --> 00:40:08,219 I care about how they perceive things. 979 00:40:08,699 --> 00:40:10,519 I don't want to be a stumbling block. 980 00:40:10,699 --> 00:40:12,039 Right. I want to be. 981 00:40:12,460 --> 00:40:13,500 I want to encourage them 982 00:40:13,500 --> 00:40:14,300 and support them. 983 00:40:14,300 --> 00:40:15,539 I don't want to be an obstacle 984 00:40:15,539 --> 00:40:17,519 to their walk in Christ. 985 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:18,679 That's the idea. 986 00:40:19,699 --> 00:40:20,599 Another quick example 987 00:40:20,599 --> 00:40:21,400 and you could do it. 988 00:40:21,539 --> 00:40:23,119 This is your whatever you may. 989 00:40:23,340 --> 00:40:25,380 But but I remember this worship leader, 990 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:27,559 Cory Asbury, you know, 991 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:29,199 and he sings some songs. 992 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:30,679 We we sing and all that. 993 00:40:31,179 --> 00:40:33,639 But so he was 994 00:40:33,639 --> 00:40:36,340 he was performing 995 00:40:36,340 --> 00:40:38,159 and he had nail polish on. 996 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:40,340 And, you know, I don't care. 997 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:42,079 I just don't care. 998 00:40:42,940 --> 00:40:45,219 But some people had a problem with it, 999 00:40:45,219 --> 00:40:47,559 you know, and so his thing was, 1000 00:40:47,559 --> 00:40:50,039 well, my three daughters polished my nails. 1001 00:40:51,980 --> 00:40:54,059 And that's why I'm wearing nail polish. 1002 00:40:54,179 --> 00:40:56,619 Well, how many hours ago or days ago? 1003 00:40:57,760 --> 00:40:59,039 And that was your excuse last time. 1004 00:40:59,260 --> 00:41:01,059 But I don't really care. 1005 00:41:01,219 --> 00:41:03,059 I don't care when I say I really don't care. 1006 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:07,280 But in the wake of transgenderism, 1007 00:41:08,019 --> 00:41:09,420 of cross-dressing, 1008 00:41:10,139 --> 00:41:12,380 of all the filth that's out there 1009 00:41:12,940 --> 00:41:14,559 and you're leading worship. 1010 00:41:14,679 --> 00:41:15,900 I don't care if you do that at home. 1011 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:17,760 I don't care if you do it when you go out. 1012 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:19,880 But you're leading worship 1013 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:22,019 for the Church of God. 1014 00:41:24,059 --> 00:41:24,659 Is it important? 1015 00:41:25,559 --> 00:41:27,519 Like, do you have to have nail polish on 1016 00:41:28,260 --> 00:41:29,639 and then defend it? 1017 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:33,460 No, no, it's like nothing I do 1018 00:41:33,460 --> 00:41:35,960 is that important that I can't just give it up 1019 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,280 if it's causing someone to stumble. 1020 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:40,340 What is that, pride or arrogance? 1021 00:41:40,519 --> 00:41:43,800 No, I fight for my right to wear nail polish. 1022 00:41:45,019 --> 00:41:48,300 How dare you step in between me and my nail polish? 1023 00:41:48,559 --> 00:41:50,019 Like, it's just dumb, isn't it? 1024 00:41:50,079 --> 00:41:51,039 Even when you say it. 1025 00:41:51,480 --> 00:41:52,699 Is it that important? 1026 00:41:53,300 --> 00:41:55,199 Whatever we do, is it that important 1027 00:41:55,199 --> 00:41:58,239 if it's causing someone else to stumble? 1028 00:41:58,440 --> 00:41:59,579 And that's what this is all about. 1029 00:41:59,820 --> 00:42:00,260 Paul is just saying, 1030 00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:02,039 this stuff is not conducive 1031 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:04,199 to living a life of Christ 1032 00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:07,380 and it's going to tear people down. 1033 00:42:07,380 --> 00:42:09,440 And I think we could take the same, 1034 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:13,599 the same message for us in our lives, 1035 00:42:13,679 --> 00:42:15,860 maybe not in that same exact application, 1036 00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:18,239 but in other ways, just say, you know what? 1037 00:42:18,679 --> 00:42:19,559 I don't need it. 1038 00:42:19,780 --> 00:42:20,659 I don't need it enough 1039 00:42:20,659 --> 00:42:22,920 if I'm going to cause someone else to stumble. 1040 00:42:23,679 --> 00:42:26,719 And then if you could put up that slide again, 1041 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:28,639 you know, that was food. 1042 00:42:28,719 --> 00:42:30,000 We're not going to dig into all of them, 1043 00:42:30,019 --> 00:42:32,039 but like the blood and, you know, the blood. 1044 00:42:32,119 --> 00:42:33,019 What's the matter with drinking blood? 1045 00:42:33,300 --> 00:42:35,119 Well, the Lord commanded Noah, 1046 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:36,820 don't drink the blood of animals. 1047 00:42:36,820 --> 00:42:37,579 Okay. 1048 00:42:38,119 --> 00:42:39,960 The only drink we blood, 1049 00:42:40,159 --> 00:42:41,659 we symbolically drink is what? 1050 00:42:42,739 --> 00:42:44,599 The blood of Christ, that's pure. 1051 00:42:45,719 --> 00:42:46,860 That is pure. 1052 00:42:47,579 --> 00:42:49,719 That's the perfect vintage, right? 1053 00:42:50,719 --> 00:42:52,260 It's eternal vintage, right? 1054 00:42:52,460 --> 00:42:54,460 You look on the label, eternity, 1055 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:56,739 the alpha and the omega. 1056 00:42:56,860 --> 00:42:58,800 That's the blood that we drink, right? 1057 00:42:59,539 --> 00:42:59,699 Right. 1058 00:43:00,019 --> 00:43:02,659 But the blood, you know, carries with it pathogens, 1059 00:43:03,420 --> 00:43:04,980 bacteria, disease. 1060 00:43:04,980 --> 00:43:07,219 I don't know why people would want to drink raw blood, 1061 00:43:08,219 --> 00:43:10,719 but it's so prevalent in the occult, 1062 00:43:11,460 --> 00:43:13,460 in the actions and practices 1063 00:43:13,460 --> 00:43:15,539 of the old paganistic religions. 1064 00:43:15,679 --> 00:43:17,760 That's why God said, don't drink it. 1065 00:43:17,940 --> 00:43:19,659 It's harmful for you physically 1066 00:43:20,219 --> 00:43:22,599 and it's harmful for you spiritually 1067 00:43:23,260 --> 00:43:25,659 because you're looking like the rest of the pagans. 1068 00:43:25,719 --> 00:43:27,840 Well, now he's saying, no, keep this. 1069 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:29,199 Keep this. 1070 00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:33,000 Not for salvation, but so that you will do well, right? 1071 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,159 And then animals strangled, same thing, really. 1072 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:38,840 You're eating an animal that died with all its blood. 1073 00:43:39,139 --> 00:43:40,059 You're cutting it open. 1074 00:43:40,380 --> 00:43:42,800 All the blood's in there, the same type of thing. 1075 00:43:42,900 --> 00:43:44,599 But let's go to sexual immorality. 1076 00:43:45,119 --> 00:43:48,599 You know, that's, for everything, 1077 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:52,320 that is always going to be the downfall. 1078 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:55,519 Sexual immorality is always wrong. 1079 00:43:56,059 --> 00:43:57,920 And it's just, it's wrong, actually, 1080 00:43:58,079 --> 00:44:02,019 just for society, for humanity, put away faith. 1081 00:44:02,739 --> 00:44:04,619 But for following Jesus Christ, 1082 00:44:05,119 --> 00:44:07,079 you can't be sexually immoral. 1083 00:44:07,300 --> 00:44:09,599 And that covers all kinds, a multitude of sins, right? 1084 00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:13,659 Adultery, fornication, sex outside of marriage, 1085 00:44:13,880 --> 00:44:17,480 homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals, 1086 00:44:18,059 --> 00:44:20,300 sexual intercourse with close relatives, 1087 00:44:20,840 --> 00:44:23,480 sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman. 1088 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:25,079 And we're not gonna get into marriage 1089 00:44:25,079 --> 00:44:26,460 and divorce and all that today. 1090 00:44:27,500 --> 00:44:30,340 But it's always wrong, okay? 1091 00:44:30,340 --> 00:44:32,679 Because it's always the downfall. 1092 00:44:32,960 --> 00:44:35,880 And it's really partnering with the evil one 1093 00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:38,599 when we start to engage in any of those things. 1094 00:44:39,039 --> 00:44:42,719 And you know, these cultures had pedophilia. 1095 00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:47,239 It was just like part of their practice, you know? 1096 00:44:47,380 --> 00:44:48,280 I mean, it's sick. 1097 00:44:48,599 --> 00:44:51,780 And the Lord just wanted to get rid, society, of this. 1098 00:44:52,079 --> 00:44:53,059 So it's just always wrong. 1099 00:44:53,179 --> 00:44:54,420 He says, don't do that. 1100 00:44:54,780 --> 00:44:57,440 You might think it's okay for you to be sleeping around 1101 00:44:57,440 --> 00:44:59,059 with your daughter, you're sick of them. 1102 00:44:59,059 --> 00:45:00,300 I'm sorry, that slipped out. 1103 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:02,260 That's from me, not God, okay? 1104 00:45:02,719 --> 00:45:07,039 But it's not, put it away, stop it, right? 1105 00:45:07,300 --> 00:45:10,760 Because it's evil and wicked, sexual immorality, 1106 00:45:11,079 --> 00:45:13,599 any kind is just wrong, right? 1107 00:45:14,420 --> 00:45:15,639 And so this is still wrong. 1108 00:45:15,940 --> 00:45:20,000 In fact, in Revelation, the two churches 1109 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:23,280 that Jesus speaks to, Thyatira and Pergamos, 1110 00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:24,940 if you can recall, he says, 1111 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:26,880 but this I have against you. 1112 00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:32,739 You teach people to offer sacrifices to idols, 1113 00:45:33,039 --> 00:45:34,800 in other words, demons, knowingly, 1114 00:45:35,940 --> 00:45:38,460 and you practice sexual immorality. 1115 00:45:38,900 --> 00:45:40,940 So that was embedded in the church. 1116 00:45:41,679 --> 00:45:43,460 And he said this, I have against you. 1117 00:45:43,500 --> 00:45:46,420 If you don't knock it off, I'm gonna put you out. 1118 00:45:46,980 --> 00:45:50,780 I'm gonna snuff out your candle, your lamp. 1119 00:45:51,579 --> 00:45:55,099 And so in closing, and if the worship team 1120 00:45:55,099 --> 00:45:57,519 can start to come forward, 1121 00:45:58,819 --> 00:46:03,400 what are some takeaways that we can glean from this? 1122 00:46:06,399 --> 00:46:08,300 And I always like an application 1123 00:46:08,300 --> 00:46:10,440 and maybe the Lord has already given you other ones. 1124 00:46:10,519 --> 00:46:11,059 You could be saying, 1125 00:46:11,099 --> 00:46:12,659 Chris, you missed the biggest thing of all. 1126 00:46:13,119 --> 00:46:14,440 Share it with me later, I'd love to, 1127 00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:16,679 because I want that. 1128 00:46:16,840 --> 00:46:18,840 I want the Lord to show you things. 1129 00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:20,719 I love when people come up to me at the end and say, 1130 00:46:21,119 --> 00:46:23,880 you know what, and some one little word I said 1131 00:46:24,559 --> 00:46:26,800 about something that was sort of unrelated, 1132 00:46:27,420 --> 00:46:29,760 and that's the thing they latched onto. 1133 00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:32,780 I'm like, oh really, wow, okay, yeah, it's good. 1134 00:46:32,960 --> 00:46:37,099 Because we want the Holy Spirit to be using the word of God 1135 00:46:37,099 --> 00:46:40,820 to bring forward something specific to you, amen. 1136 00:46:41,980 --> 00:46:43,739 And so, but here's some things, 1137 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:47,239 don't put a yoke on someone else's neck. 1138 00:46:47,340 --> 00:46:48,159 Well, how do we do that? 1139 00:46:48,900 --> 00:46:52,239 Okay, well, whether it be your freedom 1140 00:46:52,980 --> 00:46:54,639 or your conscience. 1141 00:46:57,019 --> 00:47:00,820 So, you see someone, oh, did you see them drinking? 1142 00:47:02,280 --> 00:47:06,599 Now, to me, I think it's right to, 1143 00:47:06,780 --> 00:47:08,239 if you're gonna bring someone else down, 1144 00:47:08,360 --> 00:47:11,039 as else we've shared, to just abstain, right? 1145 00:47:11,619 --> 00:47:15,179 But if you're the person who can walk in Christ 1146 00:47:15,179 --> 00:47:17,679 and you're not addicted to anything, never wire nothing, 1147 00:47:18,079 --> 00:47:18,699 and then all of a sudden, 1148 00:47:18,699 --> 00:47:20,900 you're judging someone for having a beer. 1149 00:47:22,239 --> 00:47:25,079 And you're like, you know, you're trying to put a yoke, 1150 00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:29,739 your yoke on them, like you're judging them, 1151 00:47:30,139 --> 00:47:32,000 whether it would be good for them or bad for them, 1152 00:47:32,139 --> 00:47:34,699 that's between them and God, but that's a yoke, right? 1153 00:47:35,340 --> 00:47:37,659 You know, you're still, in a sense, 1154 00:47:38,860 --> 00:47:41,260 held captive to that, and maybe you should be, 1155 00:47:41,360 --> 00:47:43,619 maybe it's right for you, right? 1156 00:47:44,219 --> 00:47:47,019 But for your conscience, that's your conscience, 1157 00:47:47,139 --> 00:47:50,260 you don't have to make it their conscience, right? 1158 00:47:50,260 --> 00:47:52,639 So don't put a yoke on their neck. 1159 00:47:53,320 --> 00:47:54,880 But for your freedom, for your, 1160 00:47:54,960 --> 00:47:56,539 I can wear nail polish if I want. 1161 00:47:57,159 --> 00:48:00,579 If I wear a nail polish next Sunday, okay, I don't know, 1162 00:48:00,639 --> 00:48:03,539 you're probably gonna stone me, but I won't, I won't. 1163 00:48:04,239 --> 00:48:06,139 But when you think about it, 1164 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:11,539 like why should my freedom become a yoke for someone else? 1165 00:48:11,539 --> 00:48:13,599 Like, I can't, I just can't process this. 1166 00:48:13,820 --> 00:48:16,119 How could this be the right thing, you know? 1167 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:18,840 And there's so many churches going haywire 1168 00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:21,760 into all kind of debauchery, right? 1169 00:48:22,500 --> 00:48:24,699 Saying, well, we can legal, well, we're, 1170 00:48:24,880 --> 00:48:26,440 you're gonna have to reinvent scripture 1171 00:48:26,440 --> 00:48:29,039 if you're gonna condone this, okay? 1172 00:48:29,079 --> 00:48:31,480 You're just gonna have to restructure things, right? 1173 00:48:32,300 --> 00:48:35,059 Because it's obviously not okay. 1174 00:48:35,860 --> 00:48:39,539 The next thing, avoid knowingly doing things 1175 00:48:39,539 --> 00:48:42,159 that will prevent you from doing well. 1176 00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:48,119 Remember when God said to Cain, why are you downcast? 1177 00:48:49,239 --> 00:48:52,440 Don't you know if you do well, you will be accepted. 1178 00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:55,739 He didn't do well, he didn't do well. 1179 00:48:56,059 --> 00:48:58,039 But otherwise sin is crouching at the door. 1180 00:48:58,519 --> 00:49:00,880 You know, sin is crouching at the door 1181 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:02,880 if we keep stepping in things 1182 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:06,360 that we are supposed to abstain from, you know? 1183 00:49:06,860 --> 00:49:08,719 Does it mean you're not saved anymore? 1184 00:49:08,980 --> 00:49:10,900 No, it's not like you're getting going to hell 1185 00:49:10,900 --> 00:49:11,780 because you're doing that, 1186 00:49:11,940 --> 00:49:15,239 but you're certainly not going to live a fruitful life. 1187 00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:16,059 I'm just saying. 1188 00:49:16,860 --> 00:49:18,739 If you're in any of these sins, you know, 1189 00:49:18,920 --> 00:49:20,280 like sexual immorality, 1190 00:49:20,500 --> 00:49:22,440 if you're held captive by pornography, 1191 00:49:22,900 --> 00:49:24,119 by sex outside of marriage, 1192 00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:26,840 like you might not think it's matters, it does. 1193 00:49:27,000 --> 00:49:28,699 It's weighing you down. 1194 00:49:29,539 --> 00:49:30,760 It's a burden. 1195 00:49:31,159 --> 00:49:35,300 You're not able to think clearly or to serve clearly. 1196 00:49:36,360 --> 00:49:39,539 And he's abstain from it, be cleansed from it, right? 1197 00:49:40,420 --> 00:49:42,719 Don't knowingly continue to do those things. 1198 00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:44,159 And then finally, number three, 1199 00:49:44,799 --> 00:49:49,179 be conscience of conscience, yours and others. 1200 00:49:49,420 --> 00:49:50,679 In other words, just, you know, 1201 00:49:50,920 --> 00:49:53,699 if someone else has a conscience 1202 00:49:53,699 --> 00:49:57,360 that that just really burdens, do you have to do it? 1203 00:49:58,420 --> 00:50:01,239 Is it going to change your time that much 1204 00:50:01,239 --> 00:50:03,940 that if you insist on doing that 1205 00:50:03,940 --> 00:50:05,920 and not insist on doing something else? 1206 00:50:06,199 --> 00:50:08,000 Like, can't you just give it up? 1207 00:50:08,179 --> 00:50:09,119 Isn't it worth it? 1208 00:50:09,199 --> 00:50:09,760 You know, Paul said, 1209 00:50:09,860 --> 00:50:11,679 I've become all things to all people 1210 00:50:11,679 --> 00:50:13,519 so that I might save some. 1211 00:50:13,519 --> 00:50:15,260 We can give it up. 1212 00:50:15,400 --> 00:50:17,039 It's not a big deal, right? 1213 00:50:19,199 --> 00:50:21,719 Or do it in, you know, if it's Godly, 1214 00:50:21,820 --> 00:50:23,099 do it in other environments. 1215 00:50:23,559 --> 00:50:25,239 But, you know, dancing, you know, 1216 00:50:25,980 --> 00:50:27,400 dancing used to be a thing. 1217 00:50:27,500 --> 00:50:30,800 I think in Jill's old church, you cannot dance, right? 1218 00:50:31,219 --> 00:50:33,079 Well, you can dance. 1219 00:50:33,239 --> 00:50:34,380 You can't dance certain ways. 1220 00:50:35,320 --> 00:50:38,099 You shouldn't wear certain things when you dance, right? 1221 00:50:38,679 --> 00:50:40,880 You know, because dance can certainly muster up 1222 00:50:40,880 --> 00:50:44,480 a lot of lustful thoughts and attitudes and so forth. 1223 00:50:45,000 --> 00:50:48,800 But like David danced in his underwear. 1224 00:50:48,940 --> 00:50:49,880 Now we're not going to go there today. 1225 00:50:50,380 --> 00:50:52,219 I don't know. 1226 00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:56,559 I think it was long and modest, but still weird. 1227 00:50:57,600 --> 00:51:02,400 But like dancing was certainly Godly, right? 1228 00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:04,179 Dancing was Godly, right? 1229 00:51:04,599 --> 00:51:06,980 Again, not seductive and lustful dancing 1230 00:51:06,980 --> 00:51:09,400 and all that stuff, but dancing was okay. 1231 00:51:09,400 --> 00:51:11,239 I know someone who actually left our church 1232 00:51:11,239 --> 00:51:13,340 because we had drums, okay? 1233 00:51:13,420 --> 00:51:14,860 He just couldn't get over it. 1234 00:51:15,500 --> 00:51:17,360 And his wife couldn't get over it 1235 00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:19,920 because of her background with some baggage and things. 1236 00:51:20,179 --> 00:51:22,699 And, you know, the beat, the uplifting music 1237 00:51:22,699 --> 00:51:26,559 to her and to them just reminded them of so much. 1238 00:51:26,659 --> 00:51:27,920 I'm like, then God bless you. 1239 00:51:27,940 --> 00:51:28,539 You shouldn't. 1240 00:51:28,920 --> 00:51:31,440 You should go where you're able to serve. 1241 00:51:31,599 --> 00:51:33,639 And we don't want to be an obstacle for you. 1242 00:51:34,039 --> 00:51:36,820 So if you come here and that's doing that to you, 1243 00:51:37,199 --> 00:51:38,760 then serve somewhere else. 1244 00:51:38,760 --> 00:51:41,139 And we love you and we're not going to try to fix you. 1245 00:51:42,460 --> 00:51:43,539 I don't want to fix anybody. 1246 00:51:43,900 --> 00:51:46,679 You know, the Holy Spirit does what he does. 1247 00:51:46,679 --> 00:51:48,900 And there are different cultures in the church, 1248 00:51:49,480 --> 00:51:50,699 you know, of all kinds. 1249 00:51:51,039 --> 00:51:52,980 And, you know, some are different than others. 1250 00:51:53,079 --> 00:51:54,300 It doesn't mean they're wrong. 1251 00:51:54,300 --> 00:51:55,840 And we have to fix someone. 1252 00:51:59,139 --> 00:52:01,360 So why don't we all stand up? 1253 00:52:07,640 --> 00:52:12,440 Father God, we ask you Lord, if we're doing something in our lives 1254 00:52:12,440 --> 00:52:16,800 that maybe is insensitive or becoming an obstacle 1255 00:52:16,800 --> 00:52:18,480 to someone else, Lord. 1256 00:52:21,140 --> 00:52:23,659 Lord, help us see how meaningless it is. 1257 00:52:23,780 --> 00:52:25,099 It's just food. 1258 00:52:25,500 --> 00:52:27,400 It's just drink. 1259 00:52:27,619 --> 00:52:29,480 It just doesn't even matter, Lord, 1260 00:52:30,240 --> 00:52:34,260 if it's a burden to someone else, we want them to thrive, Lord. 1261 00:52:37,659 --> 00:52:45,260 And Lord, if there's an area that we are maybe holding on to traditions, 1262 00:52:46,860 --> 00:52:52,139 holding on to patterns that we've been taught that are God 1263 00:52:52,139 --> 00:52:54,139 and it's only this way, Lord God, 1264 00:52:54,260 --> 00:52:58,179 may we not lay that yoke on someone else and say, 1265 00:52:58,179 --> 00:53:04,360 you need to do it this way because, Lord, that's their walk. 1266 00:53:05,340 --> 00:53:07,860 And who are we to judge them for their walk? 1267 00:53:09,539 --> 00:53:13,460 So Lord, help us be your hands and feet. 1268 00:53:13,880 --> 00:53:16,340 Help us be your ministers, your messengers. 1269 00:53:17,480 --> 00:53:19,420 Lord God, not our own. 1270 00:53:20,519 --> 00:53:23,739 And help us just lift others up and exhort them, 1271 00:53:24,519 --> 00:53:31,139 edify them, motivate them, and be Barnabas' sons of encouragement to others, Lord. 1272 00:53:31,920 --> 00:53:33,900 We ask this in Jesus' name, amen. 1273 00:53:34,239 --> 00:53:37,079 Let's give the Lord a round of applause. Hallelujah. 1274 00:53:44,600 --> 00:53:47,840 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church 1275 00:53:47,840 --> 00:53:50,340 as we praise God and discuss His word. 1276 00:53:50,900 --> 00:53:56,500 Don't forget to join us for Worship Live Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. 1277 00:53:57,539 --> 00:53:59,619 Be blessed and have a great day!