When Saul of Tarsus Was Apprehended

When Saul of Tarsus Was Apprehended Acts 9.1-19 This was a long trip of 135 miles from Jerusalem to Damascus. Saul was on a mission. His mission was to rid this earth of the Disciples of Christ, the Sect called “the Nazarenes.” He was determined. It was futile. He did not realize Who he was fighting. He was about to find out! It is fascinating how God works in our individual lives. Each one of us has a story which is uniquely ours. As I look back over my life I see the Hand of God. He was with me since I was born. When I was born again I came to Him of course and throughout my journey. I was very zealous for the LORD. I still am. Things wrong with God’s people bothered me deeply… still do. Some have said to me, “Why are you concerned about that?” I cannot help it. If it involves people there is a deep concern, even more so with the family of God. I can understand Saul. He was zealous for his faith, the Hebrew faith, what we know as Judaism. He saw the Way as a threat to his religion. He however didn’t heed to his own teacher’s advice: Acts 5. 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” That is exactly where Saul of Tarsus found himself, fighting against God! That is not in a position you nor I would ever want to be in. Jacob contended with God on Peniel. You are not going to win as limping Israel discovered. The wisest thing you can do is to surrender to the LORD. Some just seem to want to contend. I never understood that. Contentious people. We have talked a few weeks ago about Paul’s accomplishments but here is his bio again: Philippians 3.4 If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. Spurgeon said, “Paul, had a very high estimate of his own character.” 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD, for Whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ. Saul was breathing out murderous threats against the followers of Jesus. This was about to change… in a moment v.3 The phrase "Christ Jesus apprehended me" from Philippians 3:12 refers to the moment when Christ took hold of Paul, capturing his attention and setting him on a path of faith. It's a forceful image, implying a powerful and transformative encounter where Christ laid claim to Paul's life. This experience is described as a taking hold, and an overtaking, highlighting the initiative that Christ took in Paul's salvation.  * The Encounter With Jesus Christ. vs.4-6 It was from Heaven. Always is! Born from Above Those 30 men and women who came to Christ on Tuesday Evening in Bangladesh and were given Bibles were told that their names were written down in Heaven after they prayed. Photo Our faith is a change within, a new heart. He was living outwardly in line with the law but in his heart there was murder. It was personal. Remember what we said last week? All the sacraments are personal, very personal Coming to Christ is as well. Nicodemus, the Woman at the well in Samaria It was life changing. Without fruit, a life change, I doubt if it has taken place! People are getting baptized in sin, many professions, wait for the moral and spiritual impact. The question for the ages :”Who are You, LORD?” This is the most important question you will ever ask. Some think it is, “Will you marry me?” Paul had to be married to be a Pharisee. His wife either died or more likely she left him when he became a Christian. He gave up everything for Jesus. The LORD became his LORD. * The Obedient Response. vs.7-9 Note this was arresting, immediate and a total change of direction and purpose. How quickly the transaction was made. God blinded him. Three days of rest, not being to do anything. Humbling and necessary. Time to think… what happened. What this means. Saul of Tarusus got hit by God’s wrecking ball Jesus fasted 40 days in the Desert. Have you thought about that lately? The Creator hungry. He was blind, the same time Jesus was in the tomb and Jonah was in the belly of the great fish. The obedient ask directions. Here am I LORD, What will You have me do? To know Jesus comes from repenting. To know Christ better leads to submission. * The Words of Encouragement, Baptism, Healing and Baptism With the Holy Spirit. vs.11-19 Saul’s conversion was dramatic and emotional. His whole direction had changed. When we come to Christ we head in different direction…an about face. He and Brother Ananias did not neglect the things we all need to do. Have you believed? Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? Is He presently gushing forth from you? (John 7) Are you in need of healing? Physically Emotionally The group in India on Thursday Morning Bangladesh orphans We all need to encourage new believers. Not put heavy weights on them. Rejoice with them. Gently instruct them. When I came home from First Grade, Mrs. Pirone with a sticker for addition my Mom had me show my Dad in the eating area of the little,bungalow in Bellmore. My Dad got excited and started to show me subtraction. My Mom said, “Wait! He just learned addition. He did a good job. Don’t rush him.” We don’t need to rush new believers… gently instruct them. The apprehension of Saul to become Paul, the Apostle was so important. He was to be a light to the Gentiles, our Apostle. 15 But the LORD said to Ananias, “Go! This man is My chosen instrument to proclaim My name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. A most unlikely choice: This a way of God. He chooses the most unlikely Abraham and Sarah beyond age to have a baby. Jacob the heel grasper Moses to lead the children of Israel to the Promised Land. He was slow of speech. Joshua, at 80, leading them in. David, the shepherd boy to kill Goliath and become king over Israel. The shepherd did what the army of Israel could not. The Disciples, ignorant and unlearned men. Me, speech impediment, remedial reading, not an “A” student You… Paul the apostle wrote to the Church at Corinth… I Corinthians 1. 26 For consider your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,29 so that no human may boast before God. 30 But it is due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the LORD.” God was going before him. Next week we will see Cornelius led to the LORD by Peter. First Peter had to be led to Cornelius. This will greatly help Paul on his mission. There was not a more unlikely Jew! He was a Hebrew of Hebrews! A Pharisee! He was going to leave all that to bring the Gospel to the non Jews, the Gentiles, those the Jews considered dogs… they worked hard at making converts to Judaism of them. Now the Apostle would proclaim that circumcision doesn’t matter! That Christ fulfilled the law. He was going to suffer greatly. This new creation is not in what you know. Although we should marinate ourselves in the Word. What matters is Who you know. Do you know Jesus? If you do.. Mostly let them see how you live. You are living epistles. Questions will come from your godly lives. Maybe, like Saul, you are a religious person, sincere, strict but you have not been apprehended by Jesus. This could be your moment when you give up your religious life and become an instrument in God’s Hands… His chosen instrument to reach a whole segment of society, of the world for which Christ died for. You will be a witness because of your love for Jesus.

The Result of the First Martyrdom

The Results of The First Martyrdom Acts 8..1 And Saul approved of their killing him. The Church Persecuted and Scattered On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the Word wherever they went. The surest way to make something grow is to persecute it. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the Word wherever they went. I imagine there are some that look at this and say this is horrible. These poor people lost their homes. I would imagine there were some that were being persecuted say, “What is God doing?!” What they were doing, was fulfilling the words of Jesus, that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria. Often when God is at work, His people are not cognizant of what He is doing. He is riding out His purposes of the activities of sinful human beings. Why would God do such a thing?! Because He is God. He is in control. People who say that He is not have a narrow view. They need to read their Bibles. He gives us free will. We make choices. God overrules. He works out His Sovereign will. I hope you will see today that in this portion of Scripture we see God’s man home in Heaven and God’s purposes being accomplished. It is a win win for the LORD. We think, “Poor Stephen.” When actually it is “Blessed Stephen.” There is nothing better than Heaven. His ways are higher than our ways…. Beyond our finding out. Isaiah 55.8-9 in the specifics but we can learn of His Ways in Principle. Teach me your ways Psalm 25.4 He is at work in your life today, even in the midst of confusion and the stormy blast. Trust Him. You are going to have to. You don’t have any other choice! About God’s ways… Jesus was born in Bethlehem because of the census. Humanly speaking. From our understanding. It was God riding out His purposes on an Emperor’s whims. I have observed in my life the Hand of God at work… and others. These believers probably would’ve never left Jerusalem had it not been for Stephen being stoned, becoming a first martyr of the church. They probably would’ve stayed there in Jerusalem and the sect called the Nazarenes (Acts 24.5) would have grown, but the world would never have heard. God allowed the persecution to come to get them out of the city. He had told him to stay in the city. And then He said, and when you are filled with the Spirit, you’ll be my witnesses all over the Earth. God often uses things that we think are against us to accomplish his work. The Pastors Conference in Kenya on Friday (photo) Power out delayed. Gave me more time to quiet my heart. It was good. The world doesn’t hear the Good News because God’s people like it where they are! His sovereignty has been expressed by some in salvation. Our Calvinist friends: You cannot lose your salvation… You need a much bigger view of God’s Sovereignty. It is over Heaven and Earth. It goes into nations and historical events. Jesus said that All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Him… Therefore name and claim your blessings Therefore eat, drink and be merry Therefore have Great Bible Studies Therefore find a church that you love… No He said therefore go and make disciples of all nations. Peter, “LORD, let’s stay here, build three tabernacles..” He didn’t know what he was talking about. We need to see it in our lives today. God is at work. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. 139.16 * The Persecution 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. This was a house to house search. Children watched their parents taken away. Just when they thought this was horrible what happened to Stephen, now they are coming for them. Saul was out to totally destroy the church. Mao Tsa Tong was as well. Both Saul and Mao, in their desire to destroy the church and scatter it launched great missionary movements. The Word was preached all the more. Saul was feared. He had letters from the Chief Priests. He was an enemy. He was about to become a believer and an Apostle! An Apostle to the Gentiles! Next week. God is at work. It did not seem so when they were running for their lives but He was. He always is. * The Scattering China Mao noted how the Christians needed the fellowship so he sent the Christians away from each other. He scattered them throughout China and launched a great missionary movement that continues in China to this day! The scattering here in the Book of Acts fulfilled the words of Jesus in them being witnesses in Judea and Samaria. Saul was out to kill them. God was using his efforts to get them out of Jerusalem . The Persecution led to a house to house search through Jerusalem where many were coming to the faith and pushed them out to Judea and Samaria. Saul did not know it at the time but he was going to be used by the LORD to bring the Gospel all over the Roman Empire, right into Caesar’s Palace! He was being used to get the believers where God wanted them. You cannot take on God and win. In this Kingdom you win by surrender. You defeat your enemies by love and you forgive everyone. You have no idea what God might do in your life with the spread of the Gospel to all nations! He is calling you look and nations and watch and be utterly amazed. You may think but I am retired, I am not able to travel. In this time. you do not need to travel to go! You can but it all begins with prayer. * The Preaching of the Word v.4 Scattered, they preached the Word wherever they went Proclaiming the Word which became flesh, died, buried and risen! The primacy of preaching the Word, proclaiming Jesus crucified, buried and risen. They continued in the Apostle’s doctrine They were devoted to it even when life uprooted them, in the loss of their homes.. I believe the Promise of Jesus applies Mark 10. 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. I am sure conversations when something like this: so you guys moved from Jerusalem? Why did you move? That gave them the opening to preach the Word. It was the same thing when Mao moved all the Christians away from each other in China and they went to different cities. They were scattered because of the Gospel. Why did you move here? Answer: because of the Word of God! Revelation 1. 9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and Kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” How different from today! Moving because of the weather, lower taxes, to be near family, are very promises of Jesus to take care of us, and to move with the Spirit and that would include persecution.

The Stoning of Stephen

The Stoning of Stephen (A Martyr Mindset) Our greatest losses are our greatest gains if we see things from God’s perspective, from His Word. Acts 7. 54 -60 54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “LORD Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “LORD, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. The Religious leaders are furious. Religious leaders are not always spiritual leaders. Spiritual leaders do not gnash their teeth. They do not yell at the top of their voices. They do not kill people. Be assured if you are not old and have not yet seen it, over the next 40 years you will see men whom are supposed to be spiritual leaders in the Kingdom of God do some very dark and ugly deeds. So many things were going on here. We see… * The First Martyr The Greek word for witness is martyr (martoos) One who gives his life for the faith. Our lives, our reputation, what people think of us, our “good standing” in their eyes. Being a martyr means we do not count our life as precious but offer it up to the LORD. Being a martyr means that our lives match up to Jesus’, Who gave up everything in obedience to God, the Father. When you share the love of Jesus, witness for Him, and you do not care what people say about you or do to you, you are a martyr. If they kill you, you get a martyr’s crown. (Revelation 2.10) Stephen’s name means “crowned.” Stephen led the way in following Jesus. Jesus predicted this to happen. Matthew 24.9 Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. John 16.1 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or Me.4 I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning. This could very well be true of our time on earth. I don’t know why we doubt. The more we witness for Christ, ask people what they think of Him, the more His words of instruction and prophecy regarding persecution and being hated for His sake will come about. The seed will produce 30, 60, 100 times what is sown. It seems that the condition of America is in that third type of soil and the plants it produced. Mark 4. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the Word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. * the worries of this life * the deceitfulness of wealth (if I just have enough, if I had security until the day I die, pleasure, travel) * the desires for other things come in The love of the world, money, fortune, fame, relationships A good way to overcome doubt is to have “a martyr mentality.” Esther had this. “If I perish, I perish.” I love it! I am going to do what is right no matter what happens to me. Bonhoffer, Luther, John Knox, Prophets, Jesus Those who have gone on mission trips will experience what Jesus said in Mark 10. 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. I was shocked when it happened but more shocked over who was saying it. I have not resisted to the shedding of my own blood like Jesus and Stephen and Peter and Paul and those in that 10/40 Window who will die today. Today Voices of the Martyrs Map Website Philippians 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. This expresses the idea of that the followers of Christ have a life is entirely dedicated to serving and living according to Grace, teaching that death is not something to be feared but a transition to greater gain. Philippians 2 The mindset of Christ Jesus, your attitude, your mind Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. * Precious in the Sight of the LORD is the death of His Saints. Psalm 116.15 His first martyr He stood up to welcome home Jesus prayed, I want the ones You have given me Father to be with Me. John 17.24 Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because you loved Me before the creation of the world. Please note Stephen did not cling to this life. He didn’t protest his own death. He quietly and with deep faith submitted to his own death. He saw into Heaven. * God was working in the Heart of a Head Strong Pharisee,Saul Philippians 3.4 If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. The Apostle Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) desiring to follow Jesus into his own death. This was after he saw the death of Stephen. We are so tied into this world. We have been made and recreated for another world, for Heaven. The upward mobility has not been good for our faith. Those in developing nations have strong faith. I have been with many many people when they have died. I always am in awe when believers make that transition. John Wesley observed, “God’s people die well.” Now if they are suffering, being sawed in two they will experience pain, but the peace of God surrounds the room. My brother, Mark, died in pain but immediately after his death in his home two deer went running down Riverside Drive, just as stately as you could imagine. One of his favorite songs were, “As The Deer Panteth For The Water.” In that moment he was with Jesus. Many of you have similar stories. Saul of Tarsus seeing Stephen die deeply affected Him. Stephen was seeing beyond this life into eternity. How we need this view as well. We have so much interference here. When I was a kid, before cable television and high def, we had an antenna. We had some ham operators in the neighborhood. We would have static on the TV. The picture would get fuzzy and the sound would be drowned out. Kids today know nothing about that. It is not easy to break through the interference. If we quiet ourselves before the LORD, we can gain that perspective. I tell you one way you will not get it and that is running from one thing to another. Be still no know that I am God. After the prayer meeting on Wednesday, Diddi said to me, “Churches need to pray. So few are.” Wednesday at noon, Thursday at 7:30pm and Saturday at 7am are times of scheduled prayer for us. Come.if you can’t come you can join us online on Wednesdays. Pray. Photo * Intercessory Forgiveness 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “LORD Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “LORD, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Imitating Jesus “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” O to get to that place in our lives. Not fighting back. Not ignoring them But praying for those who do things against us. Matthew 5. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. The LORD has placed you in an interesting place if you have people who hurt you that you can pray for. You can intercede for their forgiveness before the Father like Jesus and Stephen did. You shall be My martyrs. Have that mindset Let this mindset be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.

The Wedding At Cana of Galilee

The Wedding At Cana of Galilee John 2.1-11 Very early in Jesus’ ministry, three days into it, He, Andrew, John, Peter, Nathaniel, Phillip were invited to a wedding. First Century weddings in Israel... Whole town, not a list of selected people. It was a party for all to celebrate 6 days Feasting Far East still that way I was asked to go to one, being told there would be 4,000 guests. You are getting the picture. The whole village of Cana and families from Nazareth were invited. Cana of Galilee is a small town. Estimates of 300 residents at the time of Christ. First time, second time from the Sea of Galilee on our way to Nazareth. Thanking me for stopping. Very meaningful. Our guide was a young Israeli woman. It was Purim. She took a train back each night to Tel Aviv to party with her friends. She was always in a hurry so she would not miss the train. Cana was a small village. Jesus did His first miracle in an out of the way place, for people who remain nameless. Since Jesus and Mary were there it probably was one of their relatives. There is more, much more, in this account. We see... 1. The Sanctity of Marriage. vs.1-2 Jesus, by being there, showed its sanctity. Second Chapter of John. Second Chapter of Genesis. Early in Creation. Early in Jesus’ Ministry Genesis 2.15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping,  He took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones     and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’     for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. It is interesting that both Genesis and John open their books with the words... In the beginning... God... the Word Then the second chapter there is a wedding! A marriage. Marriage and the family is the cornerstone of societial order. The home is where discipline is learned. It is interesting to me how even among those far from God they realize this fact. Even when secular pagan godless weddings take place there is still a submission to these words in Scripture. Of course there is  2. The Miracle Unexplainable Emma, 15 years ago... I had a young theologian I worked with a few years ago. Her name is Emma. She was also my granddaughter. When she was  6 years old we watched a movie about Jesus based on the Gospel of Luke. It did not contain this miracle of course. She wanted to see this miracle so I put one with it in it. We walked home that evening and she asked me, "Poppa, how did Jesus turn that water into wine?" I answered, "I don't know Emma. That's part of it being a miracle." And we both wondered about the One Isaiah said would be called Wonderful. Miracles are happening. Several of you have been touched by the LORD in unexplainable ways. Some people cannot see. They are blinded by their stubborn refusal. Or they don’t forgive so they do not know forgiveness. Orphans and starving people/ children are being fed and the Gospel is going out. Photos 3. The Servants Knew.  vs.5-9 v.8-9 the servants knew John knew too- He is the only one of the Gospel writers to record this miracle. His Gospel has been called the Gospel from the Eagle's Eye's view. He was very close to Jesus. In the following few chapters John mentions things, interviews if you will, that Jesus had with Nicodemus in Jerusalem (c.3) and with the woman at the well in Samaria (c.4) that the other Gospel writers omit. John was there on the spot with Jesus. At night when Nicodemus came and in the middle of the heat of the day when the Samaritan woman came to Jacob's well in Sychar. The fact is... The closer to the LORD you get, the more you see the wonders He performs. v.8-9 The eagle’s eye view What I get to see. Please continue to pray. I know God is doing something extraordinary. I am not sure all He has planned but I know that it is good, very good. All we are doing here is continuing in the Word and praying. Pastor Fabian from Kenya called last night. He is pastoring a church that needs a building. They have gotten heavy rains recently. Pray for him and his flock. Each task is dignified when it is done for Jesus. The servants knew... the Banquet Master did not. The secrets of the kingdom... Mark 4.11 The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. -Jesus He spoke this to His disciples. Nicodemus was struggling to understand, seeking... The disciples didn't fully until after Jesus rose from the dead. Then they knew! We are on this side of the Resurrection. We have understanding, insight into the Word of God, the ways He works, His Hand upon us. The servants knew the power of God. The servants knew Jesus could work miracles.  The servants knew Jesus' character. * He was not into making a spectacle of Himself. * He cares about people. * He saves the best until last. Servants of God can look back on a vast array of Divine Moments when God stepped in and worked. I am using this in my life when I come up against things that make no sense or when I am praying and there is no answer coming. Habakkuk struggled in his prayers at one point in his life. The nation was going down the tubes. He had been praying. God had seemingly been silent. In Habakkuk 1.2 "How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but You do not listen?"  Habakkuk found out that God was working even though it did not appear He was. Serving the LORD, wrestling through these issues, shows us God is working all things together for our good, for us because we are the called according to His Purpose. He is at work in your life and the things that concern you today. “O my lord, what are we going to do?” II Kings 6.15 Elisha v.9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew... The highest calling on this earth is to be a servant of God. These servants at the Wedding in Cana of Galilee became that in a moment. Jesus called them, gave them a specific task and they did it. He is calling people to be His servants today. We need to dwell on that for a few moments. God calls us to serve Him. He does wonders. We know it was not us. We give Him the glory. If you looked at this scene in 30 A.D. in Cana of Galilee, Israel you would look at the Banquet Master. That is who was overseeing and directing this wedding feast. He was kind of the Maitre' D of the 1st Century. It is interesting how so often we look at the person in charge. The activity among the servants and Jesus and His Disciples were where things were really happening. That is the way Jesus works! You would not have even heard of that little out of the way place called Cana of Galilee if it were not for Jesus.  He goes where needs are to help. Helen Wilk’s prophecy Rudy Migliore… invited me. After, “I think more was happening at your table than was happening on the dayas!” God often shows up with His servants, quietly. It is still so today. Go to the horrific disaster in Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico to today caused by the flesh floods. You will find relief efforts by Nazarene Compassion Ministries, Samaritan's Purse and The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team with its chaplains among other Christian groups and churches. Go to Bangladesh where Pastor Liton is feeding the orphans and leading them to Jesus. I was questioned this week about children coming to Jesus. I wanted to ask, “What are you doing to help?” I know they were doing nothing. If I did when they said, “Nothing.” Then I like my way better. Photos Go to any natural disaster world wide and it will be the same. Who is still sending food into Haiti, 11 years after the earthquake? Small mission groups like the one Diddi leads that To Haiti With Love merged with. Mission Haiti: Helping Kids Go to the local food pantry and it is run by the church or people from the church. All over the country today people who do not drive were picked up and brought to church by others. All these things manned by people who felt Jesus speak to them about serving. V.5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." The Definition of a Servant is Just That! v.5 "Do whatever He tells you." Great advice! Godly counsel! Mary did not know what Jesus would do. She knew if anyone could help He could! Often we do not know what the LORD will tell us to do. Serving the LORD means doing whatever He tells us to do. The  directions Jesus gives us are very simple. "Fill the jars with water." "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." Go here. Go there. Speak to this person. Write this person a note. Jesus' followers follow Him and His Directions. Servants Get To See Things Others Don't. v.9 Special Moments as God works. God could do miracles in the sky. He chooses rather to work through our hands, the hands of His servants. In the most menial tasks like filling water jars He appears and does wonders. We watch Him move. Years ago when we had Thanksgiving Dinners we would see the LORD open hearts.  Each task is dignified when it is done for Jesus. The servants knew... the Banquet Master did not. us. Servants Can Look Back on God's Hand Upon Things. These servants never forgot what happened that day.  They never saw anything like this before! When God works in our lives those moments stand out. In John 14.11 Jesus is giving His Last Will and Testament to His Disciples before He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to be arrested and the next day be crucified. He is speaking to them about things they have never heard Him say before.  He states, "Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." Servants of God can look back on a vast array of Divine Moments when God stepped in and worked. Psalm 100.2 Serve the LORD with gladness... The most content people are those! Filled to overflowing with joy. The Servants Knew The power of Jesus Christ. The compassion of the Savior The joy of obedience Him! Finally a little math... When Jesus works He does the immeasurable or close to it. v.10-11 6 stone water pots/jars Let's say 3 were 20 gallons and 3 were 30. That would have been 150 gallons of wine or 600 bottles! There probably weren't that many people in Cana at the time! This was the first! The worldwould not have room for the books that would have to be written. Acts 1.1-2 All that Jesus began to do He is at work today. The kingdom of God is like a wedding banquet! Abundance, joy, adventure God bless each of you this LORD’s Day! Come and Dine 1. Jesus has a table spread
Where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;
With His manna He doth feed
And supplies our every need:
Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time! * * Refrain:
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;
You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.” * 2. The disciples came to land,
Thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;
There they found their heart’s desire,
Bread and fish upon the fire;
Thus He satisfies the hungry every time. 3. Soon the Lamb will take His bride
To be ever at His side,
All the host of heaven will assembled be;
Oh, ’twill be a glorious sight,
All the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus they will feast eternally. Better and Better It keeps getting better and better until we arrive at the best

The Importance of the Word and Prayer

The Importance of the Word and Prayer Acts 6.1-7 BAPTISM IN AUGUST,, We have been seeing how priorities in the Early Church were the Apostles’ s Teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. II Peter 1. 12 So I will always remind you of these things,even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. Here we see the priority of the Apostles: the ministry of the Word of God and prayer. There is that word, “devoted” again. Constant Stedfast attention Persevere without fainting Show oneself courageous for These are the things that make a church a church. These are the Church’s priorities * The Ministry of the Word. Serving out the Word versus Serving Tables. Shepherds in the church of God are first of all to feed the flock. They are to feed them the Word of God. Paul wrote to Timothy, a young pastor… actually charged him! I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season, rebuke reprove exhort with great patience and careful instruction. II Timothy 4.1-2 Shepherds are to do this publicly and privately… Biblical Preaching/ Teaching and Biblical Counseling… giving Spiritual Direction from the Scriptures. A good example of this is what we are doing here with the Word and the feeding of needy people. Monday Evening and Friday afternoon. Haiti and Bangladesh Photos On Wednesday at noon and Thursday Evening and Saturday Morning we gather to pray. Here on the LORD’s Day we meet for worship and prayer and the Word. I want you guys to be the best fed, best loved flock on the South Shore. There are many fine churches here. I do not mean we are the best or the only ones. The apostles knew. This decision rescued the church from becoming only a feeding program for widows, weak in the Word. * Those who were to serve tables had to have A good reputation Filled with the Holy Spirit Filled with Wisdom Important Spiritual Characteristics They were Greek men. Stephen, one of the seven, was used by God to do miracles signs and wonders. The work of the church is to be led by spiritual men. * The result of this wise decision was The initial problem being solved The Word of God spreading The numbers of disciples increasing greatly A great number of priests believing and becoming obedient to the faith. What the priests saw in the Temple on the Day Jesus died. The 10 inch veil/ woven curtain torn in two from top to bottom. They saw into the Holy of Holies for the first time. This was only for the High Priest, once a year on Yom Kippur. They saw and continued to see God working in ways they never saw before. The witness of Lazarus, Jesus, the Apostles, the lame man. Jesus healed lepers and sent them to the priests as a testimony to them and to get their certificate of cleansing. Notice in this passage once again we are seeing how important the Ministry of the Word and Prayer were to the early church and ought to be to this day. They are to have priority over all else. They are foundational to the church’s existence. They are communicating with the Father and the Father communicating His will to us. Hebrew 4.12 for the Word of God is living and active sharper than any double edged sword; the it penetrates even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrows. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. God’s Eternal Word. It is alive. It is dynamic. It stands eternal in the heavens. Heaven and Earth will pass away but My words will never pass away, Jesus said. We have confidence in it. We have proved it to be true. George Muller set out to prove there was reality in the things of God. It is true in Bangladesh, Haiti, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, India, Pakistan, Zambia, Myanmar, Kenya and all the nations on the earth. Photos of Pastor Pum Myanmar When Jesus told His followers to into all the world and preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations He knew the power of God’s Word. Paul wrote to the Romans that he was not ashamed of the Gospel. He was implying, “The Gospel does not let me down.” Wherever it is shared people respond. We are learning more about prayer here. God is answering prayer. We have seen Him move in response to the prayers of His people. * The Importance of Prayer Pastor Johnson and Robert and I were talking this week about the importance of prayer in the church. The prayer meeting shows the spiritual condition of the church. I would add also the response on our Church Facebook Page as well. It is encouraging to me when we post a prayer request or praise to see comments and people affirming they are praying. The bulletin lists prayer requests too. The prayer box where you can place your requests are prayed over. More people are asking for prayer. The Apostles saw this need of feeding the widows as important but they also recognized if they got involved in waiting on tables, serving the food, the danger of not making prayer a priority, not be devoted to it. Satan works to get us away from the Word and Prayer. He will even put good things in front of us to get us away from the greater work. Oswald Chambers wrote that the first things we need to battle in praying is wandering thoughts. I keep a prayer journal. Sometimes I write out prayers in another book. I find myself waking up and praying. Let’s be people of prayer. There are three prayer meetings each week here for us: morning, noon and night. Saturday Morning, Wednesday at noon and Thursday Evening. Wednesdays are live-streamed so if you cannot be here join the 100’s across the country and around the world and pray. Watch the LORD answer. Simple exhortation today: Let’s be people of the Word and Prayer.

Defending Our Faith and Our Lives

Defending Our Faith and Our Lives Contending For The Faith Acts 4.1-31 This was the first adversity the early Christians faced, as a group. However there were already economic problems some widows were facing as we will discover soon. Let the Spirit work and there will be problems… Jesus warned us about this. Let God move in an extraordinary way and there will be conflict. Miracles, Signs and Wonders cause controversy… a the controversy is usually from the Religious Leaders.. John 16. 33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The LORD is our Defender We work with Him in defending our faith It is Christ Jesus we have peace. Not in this world, whatever it has to offer. In Him: No silver and gold Living by faith Freedom Love We think “trouble” is financial stress or time constraints. That is NOT what Jesus meant. Read the context. It is spiritual. There are other promises for those other things. Financial stress can trouble us. Look at the promises of God to meet all our needs. I do not mean at all to disparage real concerns. I know some of you are facing an uncertainty humanly speaking. Family dynamics play a role in this. Those of us who are parents realize sooner or later we are in this for life. Grief cripples some. Living with the consequences of choices can be a heavy weight. Christ Jesus in our yoke fellow. His yoke is easy and his burden light Even Peter’s denial was transformed and he was used by the LORD to preach on Pentecost and in Scripture we just read, before the Sanhedrin, the ones as he said put Jesus to death. In our passage this morning… He is talking about dire straits because of the Gospel. Opposition to our faith. Acts 4. 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified but Whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” (seemed like he may appeared with Peter and John at the interrogation. Jesus Christ, the Nazarene is the focus of this hearing. He promised those followers of His that when they brought before rulers He would give them the words at that time. an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame Persecuted for righteousness sake This is what every true servant of God goes through. People ask me regularly, “How can you believe the Bible?”… until they need prayer! Because of my beliefs, even among some pastors, I have been challenged and some professors have told me that my view of the Scriptures won’t fly in the Scientific Community. Interestingly I am seeing an acceptance as I minister to those! Pastor Marcos, Pastor Linton and I have wrestled through some reactions to the LORD working among us. Here, in our loved ones and over in Bangladesh and India God has brought us through. I remember the first verbal persecution I faced at 12. I walked with my Pastor and made some visits with him one Sunday afternoon in Bellmore. My friends saw me. They said that their mother said we were out looking for new members for our church. We were visiting sick people, families from the church. Not true. Then when I turned 17, working in the grocery store, I was made fun of because instead of going to the company picnic, I went to church. Later when I left for Bible College there were a few coworkers that mocked me. Some however believed, others respected me. These were verbal minor persecutions. The persecution we face still is. Hebrews 12.4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. That is true in the USA, not in Egypt, China, Nepal, Sudan Some have been beheaded in recent days because if their faith. Pastors of House Churches in China face constant danger. That one dear elderly pastor with a House Church of over 400 souls… ever time he got arrested his church grew. Matthew 5. 10  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. This was beginning of 2,000 years of persecution against God’s people, the Church around the world. They killed Jesus. He told us, “If the world hates Me, it will hate you as well.” There are pronounced blessings on those who suffer persecution. Rejoicing Great Rewards in Heaven Look at the result. Their number grew to 5,000! Look at the places today! Iran and China. They are growing. We are learning from them. “Love Christ Chinese people.” Simple truths of the Scriptures. Intervals in track One of the things, for the most part, that the church has been “protected” from in the USA is persecution. This has been pleasant but has made us fat and lazy, prayerless and wandering. This is where the church in America is at: 1 Timothy 6:12. Fight the good fight of the faith. Jude 1:3. Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. Persecution Persecution cleanses the church! No one is going to hang around if they do not love Jesus! Persecution refines believers. Not too many theological debates when they are coming for you. Petty things are swallowed up in persecution. How did Peter defend himself? Remember he failed the night Jesus was arrested. The Spirit had not been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified. Now after Pentecost the Spirit is gushing from his inner most being. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!” You defend your faith by Be filled with the Spirit. Be filled and keep on being filled. Ephesians 5:18 Have you been filled with the Spirit? Are you now filled? Notice at the conclusion they prayed for boldness in proclaiming the Word They were all filled a refilling Be respectful Peter, Jesus and Paul was before this group He did not say, “You bunch of yo yo’s” He addressed them by their positions. Give them Jesus 9-12 When we are defending our faith or contending for it we can get very personal. for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. It may be new to us but not new. 1,000’s of years of this was taking place Peter and John were good representatives of Jesus. Matthew 5 . 14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. If you suffer… We are not contending with humanity. This is a spiritual battle. We are not debating. Many who persecute us know down deep in their hearts they are wrong. We are not only in a time when we must defend our faith but also earnestly contend for it. Jude 3 Be strong in the LORD, in His Word We prepare every day for this battle. Have courage That comes from a strong faith and clear understanding of who we are in Christ Pray 23-30 Not for the threats to stop. You can look at a map in the foyer on the prayer desk. It show the places where persecution of Christians is the greatest. Pray for the nations the 1040 window, Cuba, China, For God to keep working For us to speak the Word with great boldness For us to keep doing what got us in trouble in the first place. 31 God answered their prayer He will answer ours! May we speak the Word of God with great boldness. If we do we will be persecuted.

The Promise of the Father: A Spirit Filled Church

The Promise of Our Father: The Spirit Filled Church Acts 2.42-47 Pentecost resulted in a Spirit Filled Church. The Promise of the Father for the followers of Jesus is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. We hear different things today about churches. We hear things like, “the worship in that church is awesome. “We hear, “What great programs they have!” Felix Mapa’s church in a remote area of Papua New Guinea All over Europe and North America The withered fig tree, leaves but no fruit, looked good but fruitless. Temple, what magnificent buildings… going to be destroyed, fruitless. What is a Spirit filled church? We’re going look at that from God‘s Word this morning. Remember there were no church buildings until the 3rd century. Their organization was simple. Pentecost Sunday had taken place and this, and this is the result The marks of a spirit filled church. Pentecost or the Feast of First Fruits The first of the wheat harvest waved before the LORD. Honor the LORD with all of your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3.9 -10. Giving is a blessing. It has promised returns. Marks of a Spirit Filled Church: Those people love Jesus! You can feel the strong arms of Jesus there. The Presence of the LORD is there when it gathers. Their boast is in the LORD, not how great their church is. They don’t say, “You ought to come to my church.” They say, “You ought to come to my Jesus.” Yesterday morning, 35-40 Hindus from Bangladesh coming to Christ. v.42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere Robe devoted to something or someone is to be loving, loyal and dedicated Clothed With Christ Jesus Romans 13:12-14 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Not a hit and miss. Not an option. Marriage sometimes yes, sometimes no. I don’t feel like being married this week. I am too tired. I have so much going on. How long will that last? There is a need today to patiently persevere in the Word. Pastors need to be faithful to the Word. God’s people need to be devoted to the Word * What was the Apostles Teaching? * It was the Word. What was the Word? It is the Logos. John 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. With great power the apostles continue to testify to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus and much grace was with them all. Acts 4.33 Clothed with the power from on High the apostles taught the soon to be written New Testament The apostles teaching was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, crucified and risen and coming again! I Corinthians 2.2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The early church was devoted to this. Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, perseveres We are in a time now that “calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” Revelation 13.10b One of the marks of a Spirit filled church is that they are devoted to the Word of God, to Jesus Christ and that is their focus. Preach the Word Herald, Proclaim Publish They were devoted to the Fellowship. “You yearn for a safe place, a community of friends who are hungry for God, who know what it means to sense the Spirit moving within them as they speak with you. You long for brothers and sisters who are intent not on figuring out how to improve your life, but on being with you wherever your journey leads. You want to know and be known in conversations that aren’t really about you and or anyone else but Christ. “Only a few voices direct us to worship or call us to a new level of trust. Only a few invite us to experience spiritual conversations in a spiritual community.” -      Dr. Larry Crabb (True Spiritual Community, Formerly The Safest Place On Earth Fellowship= community, communion, joint participation, the share in something, intimacy, a gift jointly given The Spirit filled Church or a church filled with people who are Spirit Filled, have community, they participate in each others joys and sorrows, struggles and victories. They encourage each other. We participate in each others lives. Prayer, caring, loving In this fellowship we see Jesus. We see Him in others. We see Christ in eyes, words and deeds and in just the ministry of Presence. What is this need we have. We need community. We were created for fellowship. Fellowship with God. Fellowship with one another. It is based on His Word, by His Spirit. There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus. They care for each other… and they do not broadcast what they do for one another. Edie, Margot, Leah These is holy intimacy among them, the love of God. They share each others lives. A person who stirs up conflict in the community is detestable to the LORD Proverbs 6.19 They were devoted. The early church was devoted to this. Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere Biblical Fellowship Old Testament word for fellowship is peace in some translations. It means sacrifice for alliance or friendship, voluntary sacrifice of thanks. Exodus 20.24 “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. Leviticus 3.6 “‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. There is a purity, a perfection with our fellowship with the LORD. It is special. Numbers 10.10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.” Giving to God is a form of fellowship. We have koinonia as we give. The same with giving gifts to one another. II Samuel 6.17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD. A wonderful time of rejoicing and victory for Israel. They had fellowship with Him. We used to open the school day with a moment of silent prayer. We used to have prayer at graduations. I prayed years ago at Bay Shore High School’s Graduation. We acknowledged God. No more. Sad. God wants to have fellowship, not sure how many were doing that… I know I was. We had prayed the night before at the Family Altar, the sofa in the living room. We had prayed before we went to sleep. My Mom prayed with us before we left for school. So it was appropriate for me to pray at school. II Chronicles 30.22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors. New Testament word for fellowship is koinonia. It means fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse, the share which one has in anything, participation, intimacy, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship I John 1.3 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. II Corinthians 13. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. The Fellowship of Sharing In His Sufferings Saint Francis wrote, “We have got a lot of dying to do if we are to have the lives our souls hunger for, a lot of entering into the great mystery of death and resurrection.” That is fellowship. Isn’t that where we connect the deepest? When we bear one another’s burdens, when we show our scars? Of course it is. Philippians 3.10-12 I want to Christ, the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings They were devoted to the fellowship. Bread= food often eaten Barley, Wheat, Mills, Ovens The early church was devoted to the breaking of bread Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere * The Breaking of Bread had to do with eating together. Acts 2.46b They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, This was sublime fellowship Extreme joy Not without its challenges but we can have joy in problems, in grief, in struggles! The source of joy is the LORD and our relationship to Him and fellowship with Him? After this service this morning! * The Breaking of Bread had to do with the LORD’s Supper. We do this to remember Christ’s sufferings Proclaiming the LORD’s death until He comes I Corinthians 11. 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the LORD’s death until He comes. His Body broken, His blood shed Do this in Remembrance of Me. I Corinthians 11.24 The way He broke the Bread Luke 24.30 When He was at the Table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them. We do this to examine ourselves. I Corinthians 11.28 A man or to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. to test, to scrutinize, deem worthy, If Repentance is needed, then do it, confession, As soon as you come to Christ you can take this, even if it is right before! Jesus served this to men who followed Him and were clean by the Word He spoke but still needing to be converted. We do this to be reminded of His Promise of the Kingdom Mark 14. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” We remember what our salvation is based on The LORD left a meal to remember Him by. Broken unleavened bread. This is My Body broken for you. The Song is of Moses and of the Lamb. Revelation 15.3-4 The Passover lamb in Moses was fulfilled in Jesus, the Lamb of God. Revelation 5.6 I saw a Lamb, looking as if had been slain, standing in the center of the throne. I Corinthians 5.7 Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Prayer Prayer= addresses to / conversations with God, places devoted to prayer/ synagogue and outside if there was no synagogue Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere Constantly in prayer prior to Pentecost and a mark of the church afterwards. Acts 1. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, Prayer is conversation with the LORD God Almighty. Both in public and more so private. Missionary and evangelist E. Stanley Jones wrote, “The first thing in prayer is to get God. If you get Him, everything else follows. Allow God to get at you, to invade you, to take possession of you. He then pours His very prayers through you. They are His prayers—God-inspired, and hence, God answered. “Prayer’s like the fastening of the cup to the wounded side of a pine tree to allow the resin to pour into it. You are now nestling up into the side of God—the wounded side, if you will—and you allow His grace to fill you up. You are taking in the very life of God.” Oswald Chambers, —Matthew 6:6 Jesus did not say, “Dream about your Father who is in the secret place,” but He said, “… pray to your Father Who is in the secret place….” Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. Devoted= regular and continually, persist, constantly diligent, committed, dedicated, persevere Colossians 4.2 “devoted” to adhere to one, be his adherent, constant to one, to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing, to continue all the time in a place, to persevere and not to faint, to show one's self courageous for, to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly So important being devoted to prayer is that Jesus ruthlessly cast out everyone who bought and sold in the temple, and said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations…. But you have made it a ‘den of thieves’ ” (Mark 11:17). A House of Prayer for all nations: praying for the children of Bangladesh on Tuesday morning, for Haiti on Sunday night Praying for Kenyan Pastor Mathew. The prayer box, the prayer meetings We need to be on our guard for those things that can enter our temples and take the place of prayer. The devil has an arsenal full of stuff… everything from bitterness to busyness. He told His disciples the parable of the widow, the friend at midnight and the unjust judge to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He calls us to faithful, persistent, importune, persevering prayer. Romans 12.12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. If you pray only when you have a great need in your life then you are not devoted to prayer. We are to pray always and not give up. What is a Spirit Filled Church? It is described here: v.42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Continue in this way.