Acts Chapter 23 & 24 (2009)

As tempted as I am to uh do a recital of the Bibles, the books of the Bible, for the benefit of time, I know we're gonna finish this book of Acts.

How many chapters we have left?

Six, seven?

No, I don't have twenty-eight.

What chapter we stopped in?

Had it be around the twenty second.

Let me see.

Oh we went past the twenty-first, so I think we should be I think we're at least in the twenty second.

Oh yes.

We stopped on it, we finished the 22nd.

Wonderful.

We did two last week.

Well, if we did two last week, we ought to at least be able to meet that, if not beat that, huh?

Not that we want to rush this, we'd like to squeeze as much oil out of the word of God as uh time would permit.

And I was thinking, of course, uh there's tapes available by the way, of the meeting in Memphis.

Let me say this before I go any further, and I don't want to let time get away from it.

Of all the meetings that I've gone to, that is open meetings, open meetings when it's uh not just minister, it's open for everyone.

And this was an open meeting.

I've never seen a meeting, in an open meeting, that blunt, and that's putting it lightly.

Uh I would admonish everyone, yeah, get you a copy of that.

That that meeting was actually my brother Ben, he had asked me about it before I even went to the meeting and told me I would obtain a copy and give him a copy.

He called me last night, was it about 11:30 or so?

After 12.

And um, I actually didn't answer the phone, I wouldn't even get to the phone.

But he left a message and he apologized for the time.

He said, but I just finished watching, and he just watched the first one.

And he said, he said, you can hear him breathing.

He said, My brother Brown, wow, wow, brother, it was a strain of blood.

And it's good because we all got to cut away the flush.

And since I said that, I'm glad I'm gonna make this announcement.

I would I intended to make it anyway.

Uh I'm a person, I was uh reared by my mother, who is more military than anything, at least she was in her youth.

Uh but one good thing, not one good thing, but one thing she put in my heart among other things was an appreciation for structure and order.

I got that long before I came to the body of Christ.

I just learned to appreciate structure.

And as mischievous as I was, my brother was actually, uh, there was a parable Jesus gave about two sons.

The father had two sons.

He said to his oldest son, I'll go work in my vineyard.

And he said, I'll go not.

But he repented and he went.

He said to the next son, his young, he said, Go work in my vineyard.

He said, I go, sir, but I he didn't go.

He didn't go.

And uh I was pretty much like the first son.

I would uh rambocious and so on and so forth, but I always obeyed.

At least when I knew I was gonna get caught.

But I had a brother uh that he always was self-willed, did things his own way.

And uh uh, but I appreciated that because I saw the structure.

I saw the structure, and uh, that's one of the things that kept in my heart.

Did ever tell you I was gonna be in a life in the military?

When I was in college, I was in ROTC.

By the way, I was a marksman, did I tell you that?

I had an excellent eye.

I doubt if I could see with uh anything now, but I was in an ROTC.

I love the military.

My ambitions in life was to go to this uh go to school for four years, graduate as a second lieutenant.

That's what you graduate at if you do your four years ROTC.

You go into the military for 21 years minimum, you'll obtain, what is it, 80% of your check, brother Elton?

It's 80%.

Yeah.

And and militar and uh medical benefits for life.

But I was I love that structure of being in the military.

I love art, I love government.

I always loved it, even before I was in the kingdom of God, even more so now because I can see it clearer.

But that being under my fifth rib and the person I am, uh, there was a counsel I made mention to the church of uh brothers beseeching, brother, and I'll speak plainly because it's on the video anyway, uh, brother Steve Farmer.

He's actually uh gone away that's far into this body of people.

And uh there was a panel of brothers, uh honorable men, uh notable men among us.

And so uh these brothers, about ten of them, actually counsel Brother Farmer that he needed to consider his ways.

But it came on a little bit more than that.

They actually told him that he couldn't support him.

Uh they didn't agree with him leaving the church, and they used the term uh down a dark path.

I think that's a term that one of them used.

And uh, but he held fast and they beseeched him, all ten of them beseeched him, and he still had uh held fast, and so they concluded they couldn't support his meeting uh because of that reason.

And uh and it was leading brothers among us, and so I would never go against, I would never go against the council of brethren.

I wouldn't personally, unless it's against the word of God, which I'd like to know they'll believe they'll never do, unless it's against the Spirit of God, if the things you're saying means, even if I don't have scripture, if it's if it's grieving my Holy Ghost, if it's grieving my Holy Ghost and there's no Bible present for what you're doing, I can't go that way.

Or if it's against my conscience, I I couldn't do it.

But I like to think these brothers would never do any of those things.

And so I would always submit to counsel, even if it's a I disagree with it, it has nothing to do with it.

I still will submit for order's sake, for righteousness' sake.

And uh and so I told you we would not be going to the cross-plane meeting for that reason.

I can't go against the council of the brotherhood.

Everybody should be subject, the Bible said one to or the other.

But uh, in this meeting in Memphis, what was dragged out on the carpet and it was thoroughly hatched out, uh, that though these are wonderful brethren, some of which have been with us for quite a while, above reproach, others came in from convention center, it was an unauthorized council.

It wasn't done with the council hood, with the council of the brotherhood, and in as much that Brother Farmer repetitively acts that his case would be brought before the brothers, not before uh a council of brothers, but the brotherhood as a whole.

Uh it's not the council of the brethren.

And I still was Vescalated.

I think I told Brother Michael I didn't know which way to go.

And I actually, I don't use fleeces, but I actually uh spoke with Brother Farmer the first night and we had a pretty good conversation.

And at the end of all this bloodshed, I think it was actually Friday, I told uh Brother LJ and Sister Grace that I still had a desire to speak to him before I could actually uh uh go back to the Lord in prayer.

Well, at the end of the meeting, uh Friday morning.

Yeah, it was no, it was Friday night, thank you.

It was Friday night.

At the end of the meeting, toward the end, while there was prayer line, Brother Farmer actually made his way over to me on the platform, asked me uh when was I leaving, which was going to be the next morning.

He said, Well, maybe we can get together again and go out and eat uh before you leave.

I said, That'll be good.

Then he said, What about tonight?

I said, that might be even better.

And so we went out after services Friday night and uh spent uh very quality time and uh real discussion where the things of God is concerned, uh standards, customs, uh not giving offense to anyone.

And Paul makes that statement.

Paul makes that statement.

He said, giving offense to none.

He said, neither the Jew nor the Gentile, and here's what I was telling Brother Farmer, he said, uh, nor the church of God.

And see, the Jews is talking about religious people.

The Gentile is the unsaved, but he also said, neither the church of God.

And so what you're doing, uh, I mean, I'm I don't I'm not a close-line preacher.

I don't have any scriptures, and this is what Brother Farmer is stating his position on, against a woman wearing a certain article of clothing, uh pants, and I've always said that.

Have I not?

That's not a revelation to us, and I'm not a close-line preacher, but I won't do anything to offend God's people.

And so when we come together, we attire ourselves in a way that would be none offensive unto the church of God.

The church of God is his people, Holy Ghost people.

And uh and so I appeal to him with that, and uh he gave a good answer, but uh his position is pretty etched in, he's not gonna move.

But the thing is, I don't agree with what I told him that.

I don't agree with what he's doing, but I do agree he has the right to be judged by the brotherhood and not by a group of brethrons who was unauthorized to judge his case.

So with that being the case, and with much prayer, I'm gonna recant.

I'm gonna recant my position.

And those who are interested in going to cross-plane, uh, then amen.

He did make a vow that he will do nothing to offend none of God's people whenever he goes out to other symbolists or when he hosts a meeting.

Uh his sisters, by the way, the basic of what a lot of this is, his sister wearing pants to church.

That's not all of it, but that's a lot of it.

And uh with this body of people, that's taboo.

It really is.

Uh and I know there's quite a few symbolists whose sisters do wear pants, but I don't know of anyone that would be so bodacious as to actually wear them to church uh where God's people would be offended.

And uh, I think you need to give honor to whom honor is due and custom to whom custom is due.

It is a custom, but it's one that we should give regard to when we gather together.

And uh uh that's the thrust of it, but it's not all of it.

It's there are some other issues.

But uh inasmuch that we don't have the burden of the responsibility for those souls that's in cross planes, I'm not gonna take it upon myself to try to condemn my brother.

I don't agree with him, as was as everyone who stood at the meeting told him they didn't agree with him.

But what they did agree with is that he had a right to have a meeting and will discuss these things in open forum.

But uh, it's an interesting, it's the bloodiest I've ever seen.

One brother, I call his name, brother Larry Raleigh, he stood up on his feet and he was third.

He said, Brother, we want to uh of course we wasn't talking about us, he was talking about the the brothers who actually judged the case, which some of which was there.

And uh and some was not there, or the majority was not there.

And our brother Mickett stood up and said, brothers, wait now.

He said, We're thrashing these brothers through and they're not here to speak for themselves.

When the brothers say, Well, they should have been here, and we're home back to work on them.

It's pretty rough.

But uh, Brother Larry at the end, I think this is the first day, second day, he stood up, he was third, he said, Listen, we're gonna take away this man's meeting, and I don't agree with you, Brother Farmer.

He looked at him and said, I don't agree with you, and I told you I don't agree with you.

Uh you're leading these people the wrong way.

But we don't have a right to have a closed door session to take a meeting away from a man who's been proven.

He's saying, this is what he said that provoked me.

He said, and yet we worship the shrine of a what?

Pedophile.

He's talking about the churches up in uh from the convention center because that's what Brother Jolly built, and he definitely was a pedophile.

That's why we took the name Gospel Assembly off the church, because I don't want to associate with him in any way.

And uh I I don't say this in a demeaning way, but I told Brother Elton, I went to that one time in the convention center, and I just can't go back.

I told Brother Elton that.

Now, yet I am going back to having a ministers meeting, but I can't worship there.

But he made that statement.

He said, you're worshiping at the uh the shrine of a pedophile and uh receiving brothers who have a damnable doctrine, talking about predestination.

And that comes from bringing all the groups back in.

Well, these brothers came back in, they checked their hardware in.

They don't mention it.

Brother Michael was there in uh Brownsville when we received the brothers back from the convention center, and the prerequisite was they wouldn't mention John a name among us.

Don't mention his name.

And because he's such a he's such a reproach on the people of God.

And uh Brother Lord, good when I call names, uh, teaches predestination.

The prerequisite for him coming back is that he uh would not propagate or mention that that folly of predestination.

And then, of course, living gospel, uh, brother DL Jones, receive him back, but uh we're not gonna use mothers and bishops and and things like that.

He had to abstain from.

That is not not bring that to us.

But uh we still hadn't washed the feet.

And uh, of course, I'm not saying from if we have everything right, uh, but John need to be uh he need to be renounced.

He need to be renounced.

That convention center needs to be sold.

I think it's unrighteous for the people of God to go there.

I have a problem with it.

I can't go there personally.

I don't even like the spirit.

I told Brother Elf, I don't like the spirit I feel there.

Uh that's not the spirit of the body, that's foreign spirit.

And uh, Brother Goodwin, uh, he got to give up that devil.

He has to give up predestination.

And uh, but who am I to judge?

I'm not trying to judge, but these are things that is contentious.

I thought it was me personally, but no, there's a host of brothers.

There's a host of brothers that feel likewise.

A host of brothers.

And I'm so glad I helped my peace.

I'm so glad I'm not somebody who propagated.

I didn't say these things to anyone.

So it's wonderful to see that God has, I'm not, I'm not some strange fellow, brother, that God has people with the same burden.

And this is the body of Jesus Christ.

I love it this way.

And uh, they're not a people who sweep things under the rug.

Uh, this is why the council was actually rejected from the brethren is because it was done behind closed doors.

And I actually thought the brothers was authorized to do so.

But there was no one authorized behind closed doors to judge the brother's case.

Uh, if it's a case of immorality, if it's a case of uh somebody maybe doing some sin where you're trying to save the person, you don't want these things to go out because people can't recover from it, then that'll be one thing.

But this is a question of doctrine, uh customs, and traditions, uh, and there's no reason to take a man behind closed doors and try to judge his case, especially if he had been authorized by the brotherhood to do so.

So, with that being said, uh recanted my position.

Uh, anyone who wants to go to cross plane, they're free to go to cross plane.

Is anybody going?

What is the date?

Next week.

Third to the sixth.

That's a short notice, isn't it?

Yeah.

Well, if anyone desire to go, you're free to go.

Uh I still couldn't come to a conclusion.

I took counsel with several brothers who was older than myself.

Uh, brother Watson had announced that he was gonna go.

He announced that in Memphis.

But at the Memphis meeting, he changed his mind to not go.

One of the brothers got up from Brother Farmer's church, and uh, I guess in defense of Brother Farmer, but he had a militant spirit.

And uh Brother Alfred Davies got up and he made mention of that.

Uh he said, This is why I told you I couldn't support you.

When and this is the truth, this is a principle.

When there's rebellion or there's obstinate, it produces a militant spirit, and sure enough it does that.

Uh and so brother uh Watson changed his mind, but I spoke with him Sunday, and he said he thinks he's gonna change it again and go.

Well, he doesn't know which, he's pretty much like myself, just torn, which way to go.

Uh but I love my brother.

He at the table, brother L.J.

was sitting at the table with him when I was talking with him.

He said, Brother Brown, he said, Don't leave me.

If I'm wrong, if I'm errant, then come show me, tell me, help me.

Don't leave, man, don't withdraw from me.

And uh my God, what can I say?

If it's not the judgment of the brotherhood, then why would I draw away from my brother?

And I was under impression that's what it was.

Uh so with that being said, I've concluded and just concluded, it's right to go uh fellowship.

And I and I try to remain quiet.

I really do at these meetings, and I'm glad Brother Benfield, Brother Farmer, Brother Days, uh, Brother Larry Riley, uh, Brother Lineker, uh, they all say, Brother Brown, you need to get up, you need to say some things.

We know you know some things, you need to say some things.

And of course, being young among them, I'm only 50.

That sounds old, doesn't it?

Until you see everybody else.

And this church is just a few years old.

Uh, we're definitely the youngest in the body, there's no doubt about that.

But I'm glad that, and I and I like for men to know that.

Uh, that I think Brother Larry used that scripture that aged men are not always right.

Eli Hood said, I hold my peace.

I thought that wisdom should speak in uh multitude of years should speak wisdom.

Uh but then he said, Brother, I have to speak that I can refresh myself.

And so I'd rather be axed up than for me to promote myself up.

With that being said, I feel a different liberty, and so I'm sure if I go to cross plane and I'll begin to uh share some things along those lines.

Not that they don't know it, but for consideration.

Uh we do all things for edifying.

Some things are lawful, some things we can do, it is lawful.

And I don't teach it that it's illegal or it's unlawful, but it's not expedient, it's not profitable.

Uh we can do a lot of things.

We can do it, but for the elect's sake, for the elect safe, we choose not to.

Who knows when you call someone the stomach whether or not they could have been a future bride member?

And so when we come together to worship, we want everybody, we want everybody to have a chance to be saved, don't we?

We don't want to give an occasion to stumbling to anybody, to absolutely nobody.

So if someone misses out, I like to know that we are blameless.

There's no blood on our hands.

We are blameless.

With that being said, uh, and this is what brought me to that point, I never seen so much blood, and I've never seen the book of Acts quoted and referenced so many times.

The things that we've been talking about, it's astonishing.

You would think that we'll see continuation of Tuesday night Bible studies.

Brother Michael, they went over how that uh Peter, when he withdrew himself from the Jews, when certain came down from uh from um from James, they talked about that.

The 15th chapter of Acts, the uh counsel they had with Burch Disputation, they talked about that.

All the things that we've been going over out of the books of Acts, that was the ring.

That was if there was any any Bible that was referenced and quoted, it was the things that you and I have been talking about over the last past several months.

So I'm glad to know the Lord have us in the right channel.

He has us in the right channels.

And so uh the same oil, and I hadn't heard the, I've never heard Acts taught, but I'm glad there's really just one teacher.

He's the master of the assembly, isn't he?

His name is Jesus.

And the same oil we've been extracting, it's the same oil that was extracted in this meeting out of those verses, out of those chapters, uh, out of those occurrences.

And so let's pick it up where we stopped.

If you remember the background, I know time is, we're not gonna let time get away from us.

If you can remember the background, here's Paul.

And I think I mentioned this last week, and I wasn't very emphatic about it, but I'll pick it back up.

Paul was warned not to go to Jerusalem.

He was warned.

And uh there's a key, and I didn't squeeze at that verse as close as I could have, but look what the Bible said.

Matter of fact, let's just pick it up.

I'm just gonna touch the softly because I don't want time to get away with us.

Go to the um go to the 21st chapter.

Um go to verse 4.

This is Paul 21 and 4.

And finding certain what?

We terror.

That word means that we are we waited or we are bored with them seven days.

There are seven days.

Who?

Who's to who?

That's the disciples who said to Paul, here's the key, through the what?

Through the spirit.

That he what should not go up to Jerusalem.

They said that to him through the Spirit.

Paul would have done well, but his zeal and his love for his people that they might be saved.

And of course, he's talking about where his safety was concerned, not so much against the will of God, but where his safety was concerned, his uh, his uh his welfare was concerned.

He shouldn't go up.

But Paul loved those people so much.

He loved his own nation, his own people so much that brother he was not discouraged with that.

And so then it was confirmed a second time.

It was confirmed to him a second time.

Uh boy, she's getting loose tonight, isn't she?

Uh-huh.

Let's go to the uh the 10th verse, thank you.

Brother Michael, help me out.

21 and 10.

Uh 21 and 10, yes, sir.

He said, and as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agonas.

And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girl.

Look at this.

Look at this.

Now here is a prophet.

This is not somebody closing their eyes and saying somebody has a headache or closing their eyes and say the Lord is going to give you uh uh what they call it, a surplex.

No, this is this is this is the Lord speaking here.

Here's a real prophet.

He said, and when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girl and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus said the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

Now, brother, here is a second witness.

And so it was confirmed that if Paul go to Jerusalem, it was going to be to his hurt.

It's going to be to his hurt naturally.

And so the Lord uh spoke once, then he confirmed it.

And so now Paul knows that this is going to be to his hurt.

He knew that.

And uh he didn't forbid him.

Uh let me point that out by the way.

You say, what it was Paul out of God?

No.

Because if you read earlier in the 16th chapter, the Bible said the Holy Ghost forbid him.

The Holy Ghost now to tell him you can't go, you don't go.

It didn't say that he shouldn't go or don't go, he said he shouldn't go.

That is why his safety was concerned.

It didn't forbid him, but it did warn him.

It did warn him, and uh it was confirmed.

And then again, now listen uh Brother Michael, verse 12 and 13.

He said, When we heard these things, both we and they of the place, of that place, that saw him not.

To go up to Jerusalem.

That word besought mean they begged him.

Don't go.

I hear a ring.

I hear a ring, Belleron.

Or a bad one.

Something is too high.

Reverb, I believe.

And when he heard these things, both we and they of that place besought or begged him that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

It may be your monitor.

Verse 13.

He said, Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break my heart?

Listen to this, because they're crying and begging them not to go up.

He said, For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Brother, look at that level of commitment.

That's the love he had for his own people.

What people?

The Jews, his kinsmen according to the flesh.

It runs so deep.

It runs so deep.

I have to touch this.

Go over to Romans 10, just real quickly.

One book over.

I want you to see how deep this runs.

I don't have this kind of burden for my people.

I just don't.

Brother, I'm not willing to die for uh to preach the gospel to them.

I'm not.

Is it a sin?

No.

I don't have what Paul had.

But look at the look at the burden he had.

Oh, when I say my people, by the way, I'm making reference to the to the bee church.

That's where I came out of.

I mean, I love him.

I understand him.

I was born a bee.

There's no family here.

I mean no one else.

I was born Baptist.

But I don't have this kind of if I did, I'd be at the Baptist church trying to convert the Baptists.

But I know no one I've never seen a system uh reformed, but I have seen people bring them out.

Do you have that kind of love for the Catholics?

I don't see it.

You yeah, I don't see down and why they bowing at the statue trying to get them up.

No.

But look at this man's heart.

Look at the statement he makes here, if you will.

He said, brethren, my heart my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.

Listen to this.

Well I bear them record that I have they have a zeal of God, but not according to the knowledge.

But not according to knowledge.

Go back to one more chapter to verse 9.

Now this is a profound statement.

Verse 1 and 2.

Verse 1, 2, and 3.

Here, this is listen to this.

You will never hear another man in the Bible make this statement.

I hadn't heard many men in my lifetime or any man make this statement.

Listen.

I say the truth in Christ.

This is Paul speaking.

I lie not.

My conscience also bear me witness in the what?

Now here's three witnesses.

He's testifying and then he's reiterating, and he's reiterating the third time.

I say the truth in Christ.

Okay, that's a preference, Paul.

Then he turns around, he makes again, I lie not.

Okay, Paul.

My conscience also bear me witness in the Holy Ghost.

This is three times.

He's confirming what he's about to say.

That I have, here's what he's making these vows and these reiterated statements for.

That I have a great heaviness and cont- You see that word continual?

Continual what?

Sorrow.

Why, Paul?

Verse 3.

For I could wish, he didn't say that I did, but I could.

This is how grievous this heavy burden is and it's sorrow.

I could wish that I myself was what?

Accursed from Christ.

What do you mean accursed from Christ?

Blind.

Cut off.

Couldn't see these things.

I could wish it.

He said, for my what?

For my brethren.

Not my brother in the gospel.

He goes on to tell you what, brethren, my kinsmen are according to the what?

Who are what?

Israelites.

Brother, look at the depth of that.

Can you see the depth of that?

And he didn't just make that statement.

He showed that with his life, at the perils of his own life, though he was warned by the Holy Ghost and confirmed again, but that his life would be in perils, his life would be in perils, he still went.

He still went.

And so when he went, what happened?

Just as Agabas uh proclaimed unto him, brother, they caught him in the temple, they began to beat him.

He was rescued by the Roman uh general.

Remember we read that last week?

And as he began to make his defense, now go back to the to uh Acts chapter 23.

Acts 23 · chapter mention

He made his defense, and they said, Aware was such a fellow, it's not even fit that he should live.

And then of course, if you can remember, uh they was about to scourge him or beat him to find out why, why was the Jews acting so irate where he was concerned?

And then Paul says, Is it lawful for you to uh to bind a man and beat him unconditioned, being a Roman?

When they found out he was a Roman citizen, they began to back up and uh began to set a uh what's the right word?

Uh a court for him.

Let's use that term to set a court.

Uh now look at verse uh chapter 22, brother Michael, let's pick it up uh in the 30th verse first.

Let's read on now.

He said, on the morrow, because he would have known the certainty.

He is the he is the Roman centurion that had bound Paul up.

Actually, he wasn't he's not a centurion, he was the uh chief captain.

I apologize.

Keep reading.

He said, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his band and commanded the chief priests and all their counsel to appear and brought Paul down and set him before them.

Okay, here's this chief, here's this chief uh captain, Brother Michael.

What he did, he set a court date.

He said, Okay, you Jews and you priests, and you uh are you here gonna accuse Paul, come tomorrow.

Then he put Paul before them, and he's gonna judge and find out why they were accusing him.

But look at verse chapter 1 now, chapter 23, verse 1.

Are you there with me?

He said, and Paul, here he is, earnestly beholding the counsel.

He's looking around at all these other Jews, and said, Men, brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day.

What do you mean?

I did all that I know to do.

He said, and the high priest, Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

In other words, he's starting to cut off rough.

Slap him.

That's what he told him.

But look at Paul.

This is why I make the statement.

This man was not weak or whippish.

And uh sometimes I'm always, I say sometime, but I try to make sure I'm not so abrasive, if that's my nature.

When I look at Paul, I'd never see him trying to polish down his abrasiveness.

Watch what he does.

And the high priest, verse 2 again, and the high priest Ananias commanded that them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

Verse 3.

Then Paul said unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall.

What's a white wall?

That's a hypocrite.

You ever seen those tombs next door?

Those are white walls.

Those are those are uh tombs, they're painted white.

And uh what they actually did, they put people in these caves and they just paint them white.

And so it's a hypocrite.

You're full of dead men bones.

That's what he was talking about.

Um white wall.

And then he began to accuse them.

He said, For thou sittest to judge me after the law, that is, you're gonna use the law of Moses to judge me, because they wasn't under grace.

He said to judge me after the law, that's the law of Moses, and commandest me to be smitten, contrary to the law.

That's why he called him a hypocrite.

Then verse 4.

Then they that stood by, that's the other Jews, said, Revilest thou God's high priest?

Then Paul said, I wish the word knew not, brethren, that he was high priest, because actually Caiapas was supposed to be high priest.

Ananias was a puppet priest.

That was Caiapas' nephew, a son-in-law, I'm sorry.

And so uh he didn't realize that the Roman government had made a change in his absence.

And so he didn't know he was a high priest.

He thought he was just the sister of the second two.

And so he said, Listen, I know it's not, brethren, that he was high priest, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the what?

Ruler of the evil.

Brother, I wish some saints would have that knowledge.

Let's read that part again.

Thou shalt not do what?

Of what?

Well, what he's actually doing, he's quoting, what is that?

Uh Exodus 22, 22, 28, he's quoting that verse.

That's what he's referencing.

But Paul was a well-read man.

And verse 6 now.

But when Paul, because these people are gonna try to judge him to death, watch the wisdom of this man.

The first thing he did with the chief captain, he said, uh uh uh, he made mention that he was a Roman soldier.

And now when he's sitting before this council, he looked around, he's seen half of them with Pharisees, and half of them was what?

But he's gonna use that as a the Bible used the term a wedge of gold.

Watch what he did.

And when Paul perceived that one part was Sadducees, they didn't believe in a resurrection, they didn't believe in angels or anything spiritual, and the other was Pharisees, which was actually the majority, but they were the strictest sect, and they believed in angels, they believe in the resurrection of the dead.

Listen what he did.

He cried out in the council.

Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and of the hope and resurrection of the dead, I am called in question.

That's all it took.

They forgot about the disdain they had for Paul, and but they began to write around the doctrine.

Watch what happened.

And when he had said so, when he had so sad, there arose a what distinction between the Pharisees and uh and the multitude was divided.

For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees confessed both.

And then listen, there arose a great cry, and the scribes that was of the Pharisees part arose and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man, he just wanted to kill him.

But when it comes to the doctrine, you size up with someone.

You size up with someone.

We find no evil in this man, but if a spirit or an angel, now you know the Sadducees didn't believe in that, the Sadducees didn't, had spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

Then there arose a great dissension.

And what are they doing?

They're arguing.

And this priest here, I mean this chief captain, he don't care about the doctrine.

He tried to find out what this man does, you want to kill him.

But now they're arguing among themselves.

You know what they did?

That dispersed the council.

That's the wisdom of Paul.

Brother, he was no man's fool.

But watch what happened.

It says, uh Then arose a great dissension of the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them.

In other words, they're going back and forth.

Can you see him pulling on Paul?

Going back and forth.

He commanded that the soul should go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the castle.

And so Paul got out of that one.

He got out of that one by thinking well.

But watch what happened.

Verse 11 now.

And the night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul.

Don't call him Saul, does he?

He calls him Paul.

What does it tell you?

Remember the last time the Lord spoke to him, he said Saul Saul.

But this time he calls him Paul.

So what was his name?

His name is whatever identifies you.

My name is James Leo Brown Sr.

The Lord won't call me James.

And he doesn't call me uh James Leo Brown Sr.

I'm known by Leo.

And so that's what he would call me.

He called you by what you're known by.

Are you following my though?

He was born Saul, but now he was called Paul.

So the Lord called him Paul.

When he was called Saul, he was called Saul.

Am I making sense to you?

I used to wonder, thing, what would the Lord call me?

I used to wonder.

Your mind never wondered like that?

I guess it doesn't, huh?

And so listen.

And be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

And that was always the intention of the Lord was to get Paul to Rome.

But because he went to Jerusalem, this time he's going to go to Rome, but he's going to go in chains.

He's going to go abound.

But the thing I love about the Lord is that his plan, he heard me say this repeatedly, his plan cannot be resisted.

It can't, God, his ultimate plan will not be changed.

God purposed to bring Paul to Rome, and even though Paul went to Jerusalem because of his burden, he still was going to go to Rome.

And rather than going with Luke and Silas and Timulteus, brother, he's going to go with chains and feathers and soldiers, but he still was going.

He still was going.

Okay, brother had to be encouraging to Paul.

But look at verse 11, verse 12.

And when it was a day, and when it was day, certain of the Jews band together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they what?

Boy, I bet they got pretty hungry, didn't he?

Oh, yeah.

They still fasting then, brother, because they sure didn't kill him.

And when they when they were and I'm sorry, and they were more than 40 which had made this conspiracy.

Help me out, Brother Michael.

And they came to the chief priests and elders and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

Now, this is the chief priests and elders.

This is the Jews now.

He said, Now therefore, ye with the counsel signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you tomorrow tomorrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him.

And we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

What a plot.

He said, and when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying.

Well, I'm glad this in the Bible.

Because you would think Paul was from Mars.

But he had it about talking about his father, and now you see he has a sister.

And he also has a nephew.

But you don't find Paul ever make reference to them.

By the way, Luke was his uh his sister's son also.

Luke is his sister's son.

That's another, it could be the same person.

I don't know.

We don't have enough Bible to substantiate it.

But he does let us know that Luke is his sister's son.

Let's keep reading.

He said that Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in the waiting.

Where is that at?

I'm trying to think of that scripture.

That's in uh Colossian, isn't it?

Let me see if I find that.

I think it's Colossian.

I made a statement, but don't look at me real strange when I said that.

Uh no, it's not in Colossian.

Somebody find his name is Lucas.

Somebody get a concordance.

I thought it was in Colossian.

I was mistaken.

Keep reading, Brother Mike, in the meantime.

He said, then Paul called one of the centurions unto him and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain, for he had a certain thing to tell him.

So he took him and brought him to the chief captain and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who has something to say unto thee.

Okay, now this young man is who?

That's his sister's son.

He said, Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him aside privately and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?

And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

But do not thou yield unto them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty, which have bound themselves with an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him.

And now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charge them.

See, thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me.

Okay, here's the captain.

He tells this young man, listen, don't tell anybody that you told me this.

But see, the Lord was in this young man overhearing that counsel.

That's how he saved Paul.

And I made this statement.

Did you find the scripture for me?

Huh?

Okay.

Philemon.

The last book before Hebrews.

No, that's not it.

He said Lucas, uh that's not it.

Second Corinthians?

Let me try that.

What verse?

What chapter?

Are you guessing or are you asking me?

You're telling me.

He used the term uh he uses that term.

He said Lucas.

I'm sorry.

That's all he says?

That's not it.

That's okay, I'll find I'll find it later.

I'm sorry.

No, that's not it.

No.

He uses the term my kinsman.

And he calls the kinsman's name.

Look at the word kinsman in the New Testament.

He calls the kinsman's name and name the two, and then Bible said your library.

I don't think so.

Let me read it.

Let me see.

Let me see.

No, no.

He said Kinsman.

Look at the word kinsman.

Did we see Kinsman?

Does it see you see where it says uh I'm about to find it?

You don't think I'm wrong?

Do you think I'm wrong?

You think I'm hallucinating?

I absolutely am not.

I'm gonna find it.

Yeah, that's it, that's it.

16 and 21.

Use the term acid, read it for me.

Brother Mike is see it.

He names four people, and only Timothy is his fellow workmen, the rest of them is his kinsmen.

And Lucas is the uh Lucius, I'm sorry, Lucius is Luke.

16 and 21.

Romans.

What did I say?

Well, you're supposed to get in the spirit.

You're supposed to know who I'm talking about.

You find about your reading, Brother Michael.

He said Timothy is my work fellow and Lucius and Lucius, thank you.

And Sulpeda, my kinsman to Lucius.

Thank you.

He used the word kinsman.

The last three is his kinsman.

Timothy is his fellow workmen.

Let's go back.

Let's go back to Acts.

I'm enlarging.

I don't want to do that.

Let's stay focused here so we can get through this chapter for sure.

Okay, so anyway, Brother Michael, let's pick it down.

Verse 26 now, verse 25.

Verse 24.

I think we stopped at verse 22, right?

Did you?

Yeah.

Okay.

Verse 23.

Read 22 again to bring everybody back to focus with us.

He says, So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charged him.

See thou tell no man that thou hast showed these things to me.

Let these let these 40 men continue to think that there's a plot that's going to work.

And what he did, he circumvented it.

This is the Lord in this.

He said, and he called unto him two centurions.

Centurion is a centurion one over a hundred.

Saying, make ready two hundred soldiers.

Because he had two centurions.

To go to Caesarea and horsemen, three, score, and ten.

That's 70.

Spearmen, 200, at the third hour of the night.

Brother, that's 570 men to bring Paul.

570 men to bring one little man to Caesarea.

You think those Jews wasn't vicious?

200 horsemen, 70 spearsmen, and 200 soldiers to bring Paul.

Let's keep reading.

He said to provide them beasts that they may set Paul on and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

And he wrote a letter after this manner.

Claudius Lysius.

Okay, that's the uh chief, that's the chief captain.

He said, unto the most excellent governor Felix.

Brother, we can butter it up, can't they?

Sidney greedy.

He said, This man was taken of the Jews, should have been killed of them.

Then came I with an army and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

He was a liar.

He was a liar.

He didn't know it was a Romans, he was getting ready to beat him.

He act like he found out he knew this was a Romans, so he rescued him from the Jews.

That's not the truth.

Come on.

He said, and when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council.

Into their council.

That's the Sanhedrin council we were reading about earlier.

Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straight away to thee and gave commandment to his accusers, also to say before thee what they had against him farewell.

That's the end of his letter.

Then the soldiers, as it was, Commanded him took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatus.

On the morrow they left the horseman to go with him and returned to the castle, who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was.

And when he understood that he was of Cilicia, I will hear thee, said he, when thine accuser also come, and he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment.

Okay, here's the key.

Remember the first time that Paul appeared before the accusers.

You remember that?

And uh, of course, he perceived that half were Sadducees, half was uh Pharisees.

This is not gonna work this time.

And so verse chapter 24, verse 1.

He said, and after five days, Ananias, the high priest, descended with the elders.

The word descended meaning they came down from Jerusalem.

Now guess what they do this time?

They're not gonna allow the Pharisees and Sadducees to accuse them.

They hired them a professional.

We use the term a mouthpiece or a lawyer.

The Bible calls him an orator.

And man, this guy can't talk.

This guy can put words together.

Watch him.

Remember this name.

He's only in the Bible one time.

Verse 1 again, Brother Michael.

He said, after five days, Ananias, the high priest, descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertulus.

Listen to this, listen to this guy, a certain orator.

This guy is a professional mouthpiece.

They hired someone to accuse Paul for them.

So he motions to stay out of it, and he'll know just how to charge Paul.

He says, who informed the governor against Paul?

And when he was called for.

Here's the prosecution first.

It goes first, just like you do in today's court.

By the way, do you know your court system is based upon Roman pattern?

You know that?

It's where you get it from.

And so here we go.

Here's this uh the prosecuting attorney, if I can use that term, and this orderator.

Watch this man with all this butter and syrup.

Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence.

We accept it always and in all places, most noble feeling.

Oh, stop it, man.

I can't take no more, man.

This is pathetic for a grown man to be brown-nosing like that.

Man, he's putting it on fake, isn't he?

Keep reading, Brother Mike.

I'm sorry.

He said, with all thankfulness.

My goodness.

Notwithstanding that I be not further tedious.

Oh, come on now.

He said, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.

Oh, come on.

Come on now, Brother Mike.

Come on, Brother Mike.

Right then, right then, I'm I'm drunk with words, man.

What you want?

What do you want to say, man?

Listen, I'll hear all this butter and syrup, Brother Mike.

Keep going, man.

Verse 5.

He said, for we have found this man.

We'll have found this man a pestilent fella.

Can you hear him talking?

I can hear him.

We have found this man a pestilent fella and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world.

And a ranked leader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

Can you hear him?

Can you hear this guy?

My Lord.

Who also have gone about to profane this temple, whom we took and would have judged according to our law.

But the chief captain, can you see him, Brother Mike?

Keep reading.

Can you see this guy?

Can you see, first of all, he's laying these things at Paul's charge and he's saying, Listen, we would have dealt with this man honestly, but the chief captain, he messed it up.

Keep reading, Brother Mike.

Verse 7.

He said, But the chief captain, Licisius, came upon us and with great violence took him away out of our hands.

My goodness.

Commanding his accusers to come unto thee by examining by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him.

And the Jews also assented, saying that these things.

All they say is amen.

This time they're not going to argue back and forth because he got a mouthpiece.

And by the way, let me share this with you.

This is for your benefit.

This is throughout the Bible.

You see the, I'm going to speak candidly.

Do you see the Methodists and the Baptists and the Catholics and the Orthodox churches and denominations?

You see how they divided?

You know what they're going to do?

They're going to all come together because they got one common enemy at the end of the hour.

You know what a common enemy is going to be?

The body of Christ.

Just like you've seen the Pharisees and Sadducees who could not get along, they came together against Christ.

Just like you saw Herod and Pontus Pilos, they were the enemies, but they came together against Christ.

And just like you saw how the Pharisees and Sadducees come together against Paul and happened in the early reign of the church, the same thing would happen against us.

The common denominator is this little cult who call themselves the body of Christ.

Look at it.

They're not a Christian organization.

They don't have crosses on the wall.

They don't have a church teacher.

Look at it.

They're not where's their Sunday school?

Where's their role quiet?

They're not helping helping us to deal with these social ills.

They won't join the World Council of Churches, and so they'll all come together.

You'll see this picture.

It's a president throughout the Bible.

We're a people, listen, you think we may have something in common, but when it gets down to it, we stand alone.

There is not another group of people on the face of the earth, and I say this humbly, not arrogantly, that's working on what we're working on.

You won't find another group of people with the revelation of the devil.

Jehovah's Witness got a revelation of hell, but they don't have a clue who the devil is.

You won't find another group of people with this doctrine.

Not a one.

Not a one.

And we'll stand out.

Brother, at the end of this hour, brother, we'll stand out just like Shakrat and Meshach at Abidnego, when they all bow, when all the Jews and all the Shaldeans, when they bow in that uh to that image that was set up in the plains of Doraan, brother, we'll be the only one standing, we'll stand out.

Our doctrine and our spirit set us apart.

Let's keep reading.

Verse 10.

These things aren't just in here.

They're in here for a reason.

They're showing you something.

Go ahead, Brother Mike.

I'm sorry.

Then Paul, after the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, For as much as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation.

Now listen, Paul wouldn't do the ramus himself, was he?

He said, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself.

I like the way he talks, but he that bound knows him.

Because that thou mayest understand that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man.

That is, I wasn't arguing with them about their traditions and their doctrine.

Neither raising up the people.

I wasn't preaching insurrection and rebellion.

Neither in the synagogues nor in the city.

Nowhere was I causing problems.

Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

All the things they're saying is falsehoods.

Now Paul does acknowledge this.

But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresy.

But you know what we teach is called heresy.

We don't believe in a Trinity.

We don't believe in a fire burning hell.

We don't believe in some big daddy devil.

We don't believe in a bishop.

Don't believe in Sunday schools, don't believe in the mother of a church, we don't believe in any of that Babylonian ways out there.

So you know what we are?

We teach what they consider to be heresy.

But you can't use the Bible substantiate that.

Let's keep going.

He says, so worship God.

Oh, let me inject this, and I'm gonna get time to get away.

Here's where we get in trouble, Brother Elton.

When we begin to try to win the multitude.

This is the situation that's happening in Cross Plain.

Love Brother Steve.

I feel real close to him.

But he's taking on things to try to win people.

And uh this is what Brother Brown said.

You watch the tape.

He said, I prophesy to you.

You see that?

He said, You're gonna build a what?

Charismatic church.

You're gonna build a charismatic church.

You're gonna build a charismatic church.

When you start compromising to win people, you're gonna build a charismatic church.

If you're gonna let sisters wear pants to church so they can feel comfortable, if you're gonna play contemporary gospel music so they can feel comfortable.

If you're gonna go down and they do this, I'm not bashing them, but they do it openly.

If you're gonna go down and have the same Christmas carol at the nursing hall, then guess what you're gonna build.

If you're gonna go down there, brother, at the uh at the uh city park, and you're gonna have these singletons, and if you're gonna go out to these gospel festivals and you're gonna sing gospel, that's what you're gonna draw.

They don't see no difference between you and them.

And that's what Brother Bon made his charge, and this is why I differ with them, and the brothers saw told him, we don't agree with you.

And but yet all of us, this is and you I need the saints of God to hear this because you're you're this minister of safety, even as we're your watchmen.

When we start doing things like the religious world does, to end up with what they have, we become just like them.

If we put a cross up so that we'll like, and and and many churches don't.

They put crosses up because they want to legitimize their Christianity.

We're not gonna do that.

They are compromised on Christmas because, and now this is a statement one of the leading brothers made we shouldn't be too hard on Babylon since we're all coming out of the wilderness.

I disagree with you.

We're gonna throw as much light on that old girl as we can so we don't look like her.

But it's always tempting to do that because everyone wants an increase.

As much as I want to increase, but I want to make sure I increase.

I want to go up rather than going out.

I need to go out, but it's more important, brother Elton, to go vertically rather than horizontally.

Don't lose sight of that.

When we start compromising, when we start compromising, you all are in trouble.

Sister Betty.

When I say compromise, doing things that look like religious world to legitimize our Christianity.

Let's keep reading now.

He says, So worship I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.

Now get this.

Let's get this.

And Paul never backed up on what he preached.

By the way, this the Jews believe in a resurrection, but they believe in the resurrection after the thousand years was finished.

They believe in the final resurrection.

Remember how Jesus told uh Mary?

He said, Your uh your brother shall live again.

She said, I know you live again in the resurrection.

He said, I am the resurrection.

That is, you don't have to wait for the thousand years.

You can actually be partaker of the resurrection right now by receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

He said, He that liveth, I put it right here, he said, though a man was dead and he believed in me, yet shall he live.

That's not talking about getting up out the grave, that's talking about being dead and trespassing and sin.

You can receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and now you're alive.

Then he said, He that liveth, that if you have the baptism of the Holy Ghost and believeth in me, as the scripture has said, he shall what?

Never die.

And so if you receive the Holy Ghost and you believe these words to the saving of your soul, you don't have to die.

And so when Paul talks about a resurrection, he's not talking about the final resurrection.

He's talking about a never die message for the soul.

Are you following me?

Let's call it the resurrection, not just of the just, but the unjust.

The unjust is those who get up, the resurrection of the just is those who receive the Holy Ghost and overcome.

Let's keep that verse 24.

Let's respond to me on that.

He said, and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection.

Get this.

That it should be the what?

The resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the dead.

And the unjust.

There's two different resurrections.

And Paul preaches that.

He said, and herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience forward of offense toward what?

And toward okay, go ahead.

I'm sorry, Brother Michael.

Finish this out.

He said, Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation and offer to my nation.

He's going back and tell what happened when in Jerusalem 12 days earlier.

He said, Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude nor with tumult, who ought to have been here before thee and object, if they had aught against me.

Do you remember these Jews that follow Paul everywhere he went in Asia?

That was his thorn in the side.

Remember how Paul said that was given him a thorn inside, lest he should be exalted above a measure for the abundance of revelation was given unto him?

That thorn inside was these Judaizers that follow Paul around everywhere he went, causing insurrection, causing problems for him.

That was uh evil, but God sent that to Paul.

God is author of not confusion, but brother, he created both good and evil.

It was evil toward Paul, it wasn't evil toward God.

That kept Paul humble.

Can you imagine a man with this much zeal, this much resolve, this much dedication, uh, this much revelation?

My God.

Somebody eventually would have said, Paul, you're the greatest man on the earth.

He would have kept hearing that so much, he might have begun to believe that.

But the Lord loved him enough to give him adversaries to keep him humble.

When all men speak evil or speak well of you, you're in trouble.

Somebody to keep inflating you.

Unless you begin to think that you're more than what you are.

Is it evil?

Yeah, somebody lying on me, that's evil.

What is evil toward me?

It might not be evil toward God.

Somebody don't like me.

Is that evil?

What is evil toward me?

But it might not be evil toward God.

I need that.

I need for somebody not to like me.

I need for somebody to speak evil of me.

Whether it's true or whether it's false, I need that.

I need uh adversaries, I need uh despisers, I need uh accusers, I need that that I might be saved.

Jesus Christ needed it and he had it.

Paul needed it, Peter needed, and he had it.

And if you're gonna be saved, guess what?

You need it, you're gonna have it too.

Here's the key.

Hang your head on it.

All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer.

Hang your head on that.

Because if you live in godly, the Lord's gonna save you.

Somebody got to cross you, somebody got to, somebody have to speak evil of you.

If not, Sister Desiree, you will start thinking you're just as nice as we think you are.

Well, you're not that nice, Sister Desiree.

We just don't hit the right buttons.

Well, Sean and Sierra, I bet they can get the right buttons on you.

Yeah.

See, we brother Mike, you we might think you're just as nice as what we see.

But see, we're not crossing you right.

Look at Sister Cheryl over there.

There you go.

Gotta help you to be saved.

Listen, don't resist the Lord and draw nigh to the devil.

You want to draw neighbor to the Lord and resist the devil.

Resist the devil.

But know who the devil is.

When somebody's crossing you, speak evil against you, don't hate that person.

That could very well be an agent of the Lord.

These Judaizers want.

That was God's agent to keep Paul safe.

He said, for the abundance of revelation that was given to me, I was given a what?

A thorn in the flesh.

It's a messenger of Satan.

That is, what do you mean, a messenger of Satan?

Letting you know, brother.

Letting you know.

Then he said, I've been sought the Lord thrice to remove this from me.

He said, but the Lord told him, My grace is what?

My strength is made perfect in your you stay humble, Paul.

And of course, those Jews made sure he stayed humble too.

And so Paul, here they are.

They follow him all the way back.

Well, I actually came to the reason to keep Pentecost.

When they're in the temple, and they've been following this man all over Asia, running from city to city.

They come to worship, and there he is right there in the temple.

Do you know they had to run Paul very well?

He had to look different now.

Because now his head is shaving.

You remember that?

But man, they knew him.

They despised him.

They said, There he is.

Here's the man that caused all the problems and teaching the Jews everywhere against the law of Moses in his place.

Took him outside and began to beat him.

It was going to beat him to death.

My God.

Let's keep reading.

So Paul, he brings it back to their charge.

Verse 18, Brother Michael.

He said, Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purifying the temple.

And now, Brother Mike said, Don't have anything to lay against my charge.

If it did, it should have been here.

Now in verse 21, Brother Michael, I'm sorry.

Let's finish this out now.

He said, Except it be for this one voice that I cried standing among them, touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in question by you this day.

Now see, the resurrection that Paul preached was a never die message.

And this is what Paul uh stirred up these Jews.

He actually preached, brother, that you weren't saved by the law of Moses.

You're not saved by the works of the law, but you're saved by grace.

Grace is God giving you space to get it right.

God giving you time.

He's meriting you favor that you didn't deserve, giving you a chance to get it right, that you can be made conformable to the image of Christ.

We talked about some of those things Sunday, taking off the old man, putting on the new man.

This is a never died message for the soul.

This is what Paul preached.

These Jews hated that.

They hated that message.

They believe in the works of the law.

If you do what the law says, then you get a resurrection.

Paul said, oh no.

Absolutely not.

That's been varnished.

That's been vanished and done away with.

There's a new dispensation now.

And so let's finish this up.

Are you following me?

Now here's Paul.

And I want you to get this.

He's going to be, remember the first time he went to trial?

The Sanhedrin began to argue.

This is the second time he's going to trial.

He's going to go to trial repetitively, over and over again, on his way to Rome.

Do you know why?

Because if he had let any of them men finish the course and sent his Paul to prison, he would have gone to Rome.

The Lord was in this.

The Lord was in this.

First time he confounded a speech, they started arguing.

This time, uh brother, this judge is not going to make a judgment.

He's going to let Paul sit and wait for another king to make the judgment.

Another government will come in, he's not going to make the judgment.

That's God.

Remember God told Paul he shall go to Rome?

You're not going to do no time locally.

Brother, you're going to appeal to the higher power.

You're going to go to Rome.

Brother, this is what I love about God.

Nothing can happen to God's people except God ordains it.

At least permit it.

Let's keep reading.

Verse 22.

He said, When Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way.

He deferred them and said, When Lysias, the chief captain, shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

Boy, isn't that something?

God gave him favor, didn't he?

He gave him favor with Felix.

Okay, keep reading.

He said, after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Priscilla, which was a Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

My Lord.

And as he reasoned of righteousness.

Listen, are you hearing this?

Are you with me?

Read this, Brother Michael.

He said, and as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled.

Trembled! And answered, Go thy way for this time.

My God, didn't want to hear no more.

He was getting under conviction.

He said, When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

Well, guess what?

Convenient season will never come.

He said, He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul that he might lose him.

Wherefore he sent him, sent for him the often and communed with him.

Looking for money.

But after two years, Portius, Festus came into Felix's room.

In other words, Felix was no longer going to be the governor.

He said, and Felix, willing to show the Jews of pleasure, left Paul by the room.

He left them bound until he was replaced.

Okay, we're going to stop there.

Are you following this?

Are you getting a flavor of this?

Brother, and now you can no longer see the gossip propagating from country to country.

Now Paul is on one single mission.

Do you know why he had to go to Rome?

Because Rome was the headquarters of all the known world.

From Rome, this is how the gospel finished propagating, sister man.

All rules lead to Rome in this time.

Amen.

Aren't you glad the Lord has a plan?

I'm glad he has a plan.

I'm glad the Lord knows exactly what he's doing.

I'm glad the Lord knows what the body of Christ is and what we are, Brother Mike, and what we need.

Then let me tell you this.

The Bible put it this way earnestly contend for the faith that is what?

Once delivered to the saints.

There's going to be much contention along the way.

Brother, this is going to be a voyage with much hurt.

Some are going to make it and some not, but I'm telling you, my mind is set up.

Brother Roman Minister keeps.

I'm going to finish this course.

Amen.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Announcement.

Young people.