Acts Chapter 20:28 thru Chapter 22 (2009)

That we're actually together again.

And as we were singing, my mind just began to reminisce a little bit, not much, but a little bit, on how those two disciples didn't call their names.

But we know they weren't part of the uh the original twelve, but yet they was called two disciples, it was actually on Damascus Road.

And as they those men began to uh I think I'm doing something wrong here.

There we go.

As those men began to journey and to reminisce over the things that had just transpired, how the Lord Himself uh actually began to join in, though he was not revealed to them.

The Bible said their eyes was holen.

They really couldn't see who he was.

But as they began to talk about the Lord, how he actually began to join in to more, not so much to uh give them any revelation initially, but to actually see what the contents of their hearts.

And how those men, uh they began to rehearse the things that had just transpired.

It brought great sorrow to their heart.

And I think the first words the Lord asked them, uh, he said, What manner of communication is it that you had uh that you were sat in?

And they asked him, Say, are you a stranger in Jerusalem and don't know the things that has just transpired?

He said, What things?

And uh from there they began to rehearse how that the uh the chief leaders and the uh uh the high priests and the elders of the people had actually taken Jesus of Nazareth and actually delivered him over to the hands of uh Pontus Pilate under Gentiles was put to death.

But as a statement they actually made, I was just thinking as we were singing that song, they said, and it was he who we had believed, who had hoped, would actually be the restorer of Israel.

Well, thank God, uh, just the mere fact, just a mere fact they had that hope.

So they didn't know how it was actually prophesied in the law, in the Psalms.

I think he says in Moses and the Psalms and the prophets, how that Christ must suffer and resurrect, that is the third day.

And of course, we're people, thank God.

I'm so glad about that.

Those disciples didn't scatter uh after his um uh after his passion, but those men actually stayed together.

Uh there was grief, there was sorrow, but those men had enough God in them to know to come together.

Even though their lives was threatened, they felt the pressure, they still came together.

Aren't you glad?

I know I am, aren't you glad they had enough of the word of God in them that even when they thought all hope was lost, they stayed together?

Can you imagine what it would have happened had uh Jesus Christ resurrected and James went one way and John another when those men had dispersed?

But thank God it was actually together when he revealed himself to them.

And of course, those two men on Damascus Road, they were together when he revealed himself to them.

And so as we were singing that song, I have one truth, I have one revelation that's under my fifth rib.

I know I need the people of God.

Uh, there's some things we can get individually, but we'll never get.

You'll never get to actually drink his blood or drink his spirit by yourself.

You have to assemble it with the dear people of God.

It's not enough to eat his flesh, and we're flesh-eating people.

I'm talking about the word of God, not beans and rice.

But uh we have to drink his spirit, without which you're not communing with the Lord.

You may be eating some scriptures, you may be uh meditating on the word of God, but you're not communing.

Commune is to do both.

You have to eat his flesh, but you also have to drink his spirit or drink his blood.

The blood of God, we know it's a spirit of God that's generated, that's generated by the people of God.

We have spirits individually, but when we come together and assemble, we actually create or produce a spirit within a certain assembly.

And then that assembly, every assembly has a certain spirit, and uh that's just individuality.

But there is a common thread, and that is the spirit of Christ as in every assembly that's working in order.

And so I'm glad we're together again.

I'm glad we're together again, and we're expecting something good from the Lord, aren't we?

And uh we want to make sure we make full use of the time.

Uh by the grace of God, I think we stopped in the 20.

I'm concerned about this, and I'm not gonna let time get away from us.

Uh, I purpose no matter what, I think as Paul has set his face to return to Jerusalem, we're gonna finish this book of Acts before December 31st.

And so that means we have to put the uh Acts for the root of the trees only.

Uh where do we stop at?

Was it 20, 21st chapter?

Oh I think we read the 20th chapter.

Okay, 21st chapter.

Uh I would like to, I won't take the time tonight because we have uh we're gonna do two books tonight.

We're gonna do it's only 30.

It's only 70 verses.

I think if we redeem the time, we can we can do 70 verses.

Uh but let's not lose track of what has transpired.

One thing about reading the word of God, when you pick it back up, uh, Brother Russell, uh Brother Elton is not here, but I do notice that we're beginning to let down on our seating arrangements.

Let's try to keep everybody the first three rows if possible.

Uh what'll happen when visitors come, they'll sit behind the last person, and that's that's understandable.

But let's be bound, let's bound ourselves about what's good for the whole.

Uh your kids are sick.

Are you sick?

You sick?

Well, if you're sick, God bless you.

Four rolls are a good role.

But you have sinuses, and sinuses is not contagious, you're sinuses.

Okay, well, all right, but we'll make provisions for that.

But anyway, with those things being said, whenever you read the Bible, I don't know where you generally stop in your reading.

That's a difference between reading and studying.

Reading is actually going through a book at a time.

Uh, that's a difference, and we like to keep those things clear.

Reading is something you should do, you should always read.

And studying has to do with a subject, a doctrine, um, a channel, and you're pursuing that throughout the Bible.

But reading is something you do chronologically.

Reading is not studying.

You have to do both read and study.

But read is something we must do continuously.

Everyone, everyone should read the Bible.

Well, it's nice if you study, but it's essential that you read.

And reading, you're strengthening your vocabulary by which the Lord can talk to you.

The Holy Ghost will bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever the Lord has said to you.

If you're not reading, then he's not saying.

And if he's not saying, you can't hear his voice.

We become a superstitious people, uh, just like religion out there.

The Lord said, or I felt the Lord said, Well, brother, if it's not confirmed by the word of God, uh, there's many voices, you don't know what voice is the Lord.

Um and so reading is essential.

And of course, reading, uh, I'm gonna say this again, is one book at a time.

You should read throughout the New Testament a minimum of three times.

You start with Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, go throughout the New Testament three times minimum.

And then you read the second, the Old Testament at least twice.

You should do that chronologically.

You say, but Brother Brown, I've done that, good, then do it again.

You say, but I've done it again, then that's wonderful, then do it again.

Uh, the more you read, uh, the strength stronger your vocabulary becomes, the more the Lord is able to actually talk to you, and you would know it's his voice.

And and so uh the way you would, I would encourage you to read wherever you stop one day, uh you pick up the next day, of course.

You want to go back maybe one chapter, read your last chapter over.

You're trying to get back in that channel again where you stopped.

And so I know we stopped in the 22nd chapter, I'm sorry, the 21st chapter of the book of Acts, and I won't do the whole uh 20 verse, 20 uh chapter over, but you want to remember what happened.

Here is Paul at the conclusion of three um three journeys that he actually went out establishing churches, and now here's the end of his last journey.

He will not make, I'm sorry.

Oh, we didn't okay, well good.

I'm sorry.

How many see thirty-two?

Okay, well we got thirty-two then.

Everybody can't be wrong.

All right.

Uh, but anyway, uh just just in way of background, you want to remember here's Paul.

Remember, he only had, let me give you just real briefly, I don't want to lose a lot of time here.

He did three journeys.

By the way, those three journeys spans over a great number of years.

He would actually go out from the 13th chapter of the book of Acts.

Uh, that is Paul and Bonhamus' hands was actually laid upon those men.

The Holy Ghost spoke to those prophets that was there in the church in Antioch, say, separate unto me Bonabas, Paul, and Bonabas, uh, for the work where unto I've called them.

That was the Lord talking.

That's how the Lord talks.

He talks through his people, through his ministry.

He talks through the word of God.

That's the voice of God.

It wasn't some voice in the air, but he spoke through those prophets.

The Bible said that there was an Antioch.

There was an Antioch, certain prophets and teachers.

They call those men names, and through those men the Lord was able to speak.

And of course, those men, uh, thank God they were subject enough to the Lord, there was no resistance.

And so Paul and Bonabus had hands laid on them.

Every man working in order, every man laying in order, uh, his ministry or his gift of his calling has to be confirmed by the land on the hands of the Presbyter or the elders.

Anyone who's just taken upon himself to go out and and do something, well, if that's not God, that's you.

Uh if God has given you something, if he's invested a gift in you, then somebody, some elder will recognize that, some ministry will recognize that.

The Bible says a man's gift will make room for him, will bring him before great men and not mean men.

And great mean mean men, great men means men older than you in the gospel, men more mature.

That's what it means by great.

It doesn't mean some uh uh some televangelists, great men, uh men who's mature, men older.

And those men are confirmed of a truth what God is actually doing, where your individual life is concerned.

And that's the safety of God.

That's the safety of God.

I'm glad He has He's had He has order.

And so here's Paul and Bonham as those men begin to disperse, uh begin to propagate, uh, spread this gospel.

Uh they went out, Paul and Bonabas, and at the end of that first uh journey, when those men actually returned, well, prior to returning, if you can remember, he took uh Bonham's nephew with him.

His name was nobody's answering.

I say they took Bonab's nephew with him, his name was John Mark.

John Mark, John Mark.

Do you remember that?

Do you remember that?

The Bible said how they had uh John Mark to his their ministry.

That's the same Mark who wrote this gospel of Mark.

His name is John Mark, that was Bonabas' nephew.

Uh that was his Bonabas' sister's son.

Are we Bible students?

That's his that's his sister's son.

And so that was a little bit, uh that was a little bit of uh of uh nepotism there, if I can use that term.

And of course, he wasn't really ready at that time.

He was too young, he hadn't proven himself, and uh these men had been had been seized in the gospel, that is Paul and uh Barnabas.

And as they began to go out, it the roar the roar was a little bit too difficult for John Mark.

The dedication, the consecration, and so he just simply turned back and went back to Jerusalem where he came from.

And of course, we know now John Mark, uh his mother was a great lady uh in the gospel.

I don't want to go too far back, but that's where Peter, uh actually when he was released from the prison, he went to her house.

And they thought he saw an angel there, but that was actually Peter.

And so you can begin to see how John Mark, though he came up under this gospel, uh that is most of his uh adult life or later years in life, he hadn't been proven.

And so in the time of testing, he reminds me of a scripture in Psalm 78 uh that Ephraim, being armed, turned back in the day of battle.

Well, that's what John Mark was.

Uh he was an Ephraim, he uh uh he wasn't seasoned yet, and so he turned back in the day of battle.

Uh but thank God, thank God, you'll see later on the Lord was able to restore him, and he was profitable for even of even Paul at the close of his ministry.

But nevertheless, uh, and so those men when they returned back to Antioch, Antioch was the center, I'm gonna use that term, uh, that is of the Gentile church.

The Patan was no longer in Jerusalem, it was no longer in Jerusalem, but now it had passed from the Jews to the Gentiles.

So there was still a church in Jerusalem, and that was a great gathering of people.

The thrust of what God was doing, the heartbeat of what God was doing in the earth was in Antioch.

It was not at Jerusalem.

Uh the Lord He still had a remnant there.

He still had a remnant there, but the Bible says after that persecution, the 12th chapter of uh of Acts, he said those disciples were dispersed.

Uh they were scattered abroad except the apostles.

They stayed there, but the rest of those saints began to leave out of Jerusalem.

That was the mercy of God.

God was going to destroy Jerusalem in just a few years, and not one grain of wheat was left there.

Not one grain of wheat.

And so those disciples, uh, they all dispersed except that is for those apostles.

And so other men began to come in.

The church began to fill up again.

Uh James, now no longer Peter.

James became the lead spokesperson there.

He was the leader, he was the uh lead elder uh there in the city of Jerusalem.

And so here's Paul.

He returned from their uh their journey.

They didn't go to Jerusalem, they came to Antioch.

And then again they dispersed a second time.

And of course, uh Bonabas, he wanted to bring John Mark, his nephew, again.

But the Bible said Paul thought it's not good to bring him that had turned from the work.

He thought it wasn't good.

And there became a great contention between Bonabas and Paul.

Now both of these are great men, both of these are apostles, and the Bible said the contention was so great, the contention was so great that they actually separated.

They separated one from the other.

And uh that's really a shame because you never hear anything else, not another word about John, I'm sorry, about Bonabas.

And that's a shame.

He was a great man, but nepotism got in the way.

He wanted to bring his nephew.

And Paul withstood him.

You know, Paul had a nephew as well.

He had a sister son.

Uh we're going to read about him a little bit later.

But see, he didn't have nepotism.

Paul was more mature than that.

And so uh uh from there you'd never hear another word about that great man Bonabas.

That was the end of him, or where the word of God is concerned.

Of course, I'm sure he didn't backslide, I'm sure he finished his course, no doubt in my mind about that.

But what a waste, what a waste that was.

But nevertheless, here's Paul.

And so Paul took sides with him and began to go out again.

And then, of course, at the conclusion of that, he returned to Antioch again.

And so then he went out.

Here's the conclusion of his third uh journey of establishing the churches to see how those churches was doing and establishing new churches, and now he's on his way back to Jerusalem.

And the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost, let Paul know that you go to Jerusalem, you will not, you will not, uh, uh, you will not return.

Not free.

This will be the end of your your freedom.

But nevertheless, this man had something in his heart.

This is what I love about this man, Paul, not just him, there's other great men, but I'm glad the Bible let us get a glimpse of those men's dedication and consecration.

Here is a man who didn't count his life dear to himself.

And though he knew the cost, he knew exactly what he was heading into.

Uh, brother, he didn't care.

He didn't care.

He realized that if he didn't go to Jerusalem, uh there would be some people whose lives could have been affected had he been there.

And so he said, I'm not willing only to suffer for the name of Christ, but brother, uh, I'll be bound, but I'm willing to die also.

He wanted to propagate that gospel even at the perils of his life.

And no doubt that was a driving force behind Paul.

Uh he had persecuted the church.

He said he was an injurious man.

He was a blasphemer, but he obtained mercy because he did it in unbelief.

He did it ignorantly in unbelief.

And so he seen people blaspheme the Lord.

When he seen people who was injurious toward the Lord, he remembered that he himself was one time just like that.

When people began to persecute him and say all manner of evil against him falsely, he didn't harvot against them.

He remembered that he himself had done those things himself.

And so that was a driving force that kept him going, that kept him trying to uh uh uh to become all things to all men, by all means he might save some.

And so now he is in Philetus, and we read that in the 20th chapter.

He called for the elders and Miletus, I'm sorry, for the elders that was in Jerusalem, I mean in uh Ephesus.

He wouldn't go to Ephesus because that church would have contained, would have uh detained him, and he didn't want to go there.

Remember, he'd passed to that church, and so he wouldn't actually go there.

He went to a neighboring town that was called uh Miletus, and he sent for the elders, and there he began to rehearse all the things he had done where they were concerned.

He didn't want people to love him and hold them back.

He had to, if it was all possible, to keep that feast of uh that was gonna be in Pentecost at Pentecost down in Jerusalem because that was gonna be people gathered from all over the world, and Paul would have a chance to preach to those people again.

And so here he is.

Uh uh, we read all that, didn't we?

That's the 20th chapter.

We finished the 21st chapter?

You said?

30 is the second verse of the 20th chapter.

Oh, okay.

Well, good.

Okay.

32nd verse.

Now uh I remember it now, we sure did.

Here he's talking to those men, and uh here's an admonishment to those men.

Uh look at verse 28.

Let's pick it up right there.

He said, Take heed therefore unto yourselves.

You watch what's working in you, watch your spirit, watch what you feel.

You know when you begin to feel something weighed out?

I'm glad.

I'm glad the Lord, the Bible says, Paul makes a statement, we're not ignorant to Satan's devices.

You ever feel something unrest weighed out in your bosom?

You ever felt something, man, that's weighed out in you begin to uh uh put up a little resistance?

Do you know what that is?

That's the devil.

And Paul said, we're not ignorant of Satan's devices.

You catch it while it's small.

You catch it while uh it doesn't have strength.

Uh it's easy to pluck a seed up off the ground when it's just there, when it's just an acorn.

But let that acorn, let that acorn fall into the earth and begin to germinate.

And when you begin to see a seed come up, uh uh a little stubborn, leave it alone.

Leave it alone.

You come back five years later, it's an oak tree, you're not gonna pull that up.

You might cut it down and grind the stone, but you won't pull that up.

But you can cast up a thought.

You can cast up a uh a seed.

And brother, you have to know what's the seed of God and what is the seed of man.

Uh the Lord hates the matter of fact, I won't get into it in Deuteronomy, he didn't allow the nation of Israel to sow their vineyard with diverse seeds.

And so here's the word of God.

It comes forth.

And then that's a seed, that's a seed of life.

And then here comes that corner mine, it produces a seed.

Well, see, that's of the enemy, that's of the devil.

You can't sow your heart, you can't sow that in your heart together.

You got to pull one of them up.

And so here's Paul.

Now he's saying, take heed to yourselves, to yourselves, and to all the flock.

And that's what every man whose call of God, used of God, has to do.

You have to first watch yourself.

And then when you finish that, it's to all the flock of God, over which the Holy Ghost has made you what?

Overseer.

I like that word with the S on that.

I'm glad he didn't say overseer, the way the religious world has made that, because an overseer is someone who's over churches or over pastors, and that is not in the Bible.

That is not a biblical concept.

Uh that's the ideologies of men.

Overseers is men who are elders, it's called overseers.

Overseers, bishops are the same, it's the same Greek word.

There's no difference between an overseer and a bishop, and it's used interchangeably with an elder.

A bishop is not someone over churches, an overseer is not someone who's over elders and over pastors.

That's a misconception, a false teaching, a willy ideal from behind the broad walls of Babylon.

And that's exactly what it is.

And anything that's set up as such, it's nothing but another branch.

That's nothing but another branch that's actually spun out of uh that great whore that sits upon many waters.

It's one of her daughters.

And so here, Paul's talking to the uh, he calls them the oak, which the Holy Ghost had made you what?

Overseers.

Look at verse 17, so you can see that real quick.

Verse 17 in the same chapter here.

Do you see it?

He said, uh, and from Philetus he sent to Ephesus and called for the what?

The elders of the church.

And so that's who he's talking to.

And now in verse 28, he don't call them elders, he called them overseers.

It's the same people.

They're not overseeing uh uh ministers, they're overseeing the flocks of God.

Are you with me?

He said to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood, for I know this, and here he's prophesying the fall in the way of the church, that after my departing, and of course he's not talking about leaving this town, he's talking about leaving this earth.

Paul knew that he was on his way out.

I know this, that after my departing, grievous wolves shall enter in among you.

Those are two-legged wolves, by the way.

That's not something with a with fur on them, that's men.

Uh not spanning the flock.

And also, look at this term, also of your own selves, some of you elders, all of your own selves shall men arise.

Some of you brothers, that's going to break the order of God.

You're going to think more highly of yourself than you ought to, and you're not going to stay in this apostolic order.

You're not going to stay with this apostolic teaching.

This is what you're going to do.

You're going to speak what?

Perverse things to draw away disciples after them.

And so he's telling them to watch.

Here's why.

He said, Therefore, watch.

He uses that term again.

And remember that the space, by the space of three years, I cease not to warn everyone, night and day, with what?

Brother, the uh Solomon makes that declaration, doesn't he?

He said, with much wisdom, that's in Ecclesiastes 1, with much wisdom is much grief, with much sought, with much knowledge is much sorrow.

The more you can see and the more you understand.

And brethren, you can see the end of a matter.

It is grief.

You ever watch a child when that child is heading the wrong way?

Long before that child becomes an adult.

Long before that child began to suffer for their wayward ways.

You can see where that's going.

You can see where that's heading.

I remember this, and I don't get on off the beaten path.

I remember Jay probably can't remember it.

I can remember he was three years old.

And every time he saw a police car, he'd break out hollering.

I can remember one time took him to a mardi, this is before I was saved.

I was taking to a Mardi Gras parade.

And brother, he saw a police amalant, I mean a police sirene, and I thought that boy had to be rushed to the hospital.

I told, I said, that boy got the potential to be a criminal.

Southern working in him.

But uh, I'm glad you're not a criminal.

But uh, if you were in the body of Christ, you'd probably be doing time.

But you I'm using that facetiously, but you can see that some a trait that's in an individual.

If you don't get that out, you know which way that's headed.

And so here's Paul.

He realized that this church is gonna fall away.

And by the way, the church didn't fall away because of the people.

The church fell away because of the ministry.

It was the ministry that fell away, and then the church uh followed.

What separates people?

It's not people, it's usually preachers.

It's usually preachers.

Uh, what caused people to end up in a ditch?

The people don't just go there.

It's somebody lead into a dead end street.

That's how you get there.

And so Paul is warned about these things.

And now look what he says, verse 32.

This is where we stop.

He said, and now I'm brethren, and so he used the term brethren.

Who is he talking to?

The elders, and what does he call them?

Overseers.

And so now you see, when you see that word brethren, you can see the context of it.

He's not talking to the congregation, he wasn't there.

He's talking to those elders, he's talking to those overseers.

And now I'm brethren, I commend you to God.

I'm no longer going to be here with you.

I'm no longer be able to warn you night and day.

I commend you to God and to the word of his grace.

That's the word of God, which is able to build you up.

And so those men had not, though there was elders, and I want you to see this, though those men were overseers, they was not fully ripe.

Those men had not come into total fruition, they had not met the penalties.

Because you're an elder, doesn't mean that there's not uh uh errors you still have to develop in.

We've seen that Emer Peter, I remember mentioning that last week or week before.

And so though those men was elders, you know Paul was in what was in uh Thessalonicus for all the gift this, he was only there for three weeks.

That man ordained elders.

Three Sabbath days, that means three weeks because he got it, he got a Saturday each week.

And Brother Elton, for after three weeks, he ordained elders.

Now you would say, how would a man qualify to be an elder after three weeks?

Well, you don't qualify to be an elder after three weeks.

What he saw was a gift in that man's life, and he saw the need to use that gift.

And so he ordained those men, but he had to commend those men to the Lord.

The Lord had to finish that work.

And so here's Paul is among those brethren.

He said, okay, he's able to build you up, that is, bring you to fruition, and give you an inheritance among all them which are what?

And then now he's about to depart, but he won't remember his life.

Verse 33.

And listen, I do cover this statement and the next ones.

I like these statements, and I covered or I desire, I crave these statements to be able to say this with my life.

Look what Paul says at the conclusion of this message to these brethren.

He said, I have covered no man's what?

Silver or what?

Or what?

But there's nothing, none of you brothers had, or anyone else, that I covered.

I wasn't after anything that anyone had.

Look at verse 34.

He said, Yea, that word mean yes.

You yourselves know.

Well, how do they know?

They know by watching this life.

That these hands, can you see Paul talking?

When he say these hands, I don't think it's behind his back.

I think he actually took those hands and put them in front of those brethren.

Can you do the spirit of the writer here?

He said, Yea, you yourselves know that what?

These hands have ministered to my necessities and to them that was with me.

Who was with them?

That's Paul and that's Silas.

Uh, I'm sorry, Silas and uh Timotheus, that Paul worked.

He made sure that he wasn't burdensome to any of God's people.

Now verse 35, I have shown you all things.

How that, listen to this, listen to this words that, and see, everyone say, Well, I'm built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, I see very few ministers take on the spirit of Paul.

Look what Paul is saying in verse 35.

I have shown you all things, how that soul what?

Laboring.

What do you mean?

He's not talking about just in the gospel, he means in the gospel and working naturally.

So laboring, you also do what?

Support the weak.

That's those, brother, who can't who can't see that far.

They really can't see.

Uh brother, laboring with your own hands, taking care of yourself.

Teach people that you're not after their gold and silver and after their apparels, but you want to see them saved.

He said he's giving them an example.

He supports the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus.

How he said it is what?

Well, the there that verse is nowhere in the New Testament.

You can't find Jesus Christ ever making that statement.

Well, why did Paul say that Jesus said that?

Because that's what Jesus said to Paul.

And Paul told those brethren, Jesus told him that.

And this is why Paul said, I worked and I gave rather than receive.

The Lord told him that.

It's more blessed to do what?

Give than to receive.

Now that's a revelation you see very few ministers with.

Verse 36.

And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and so we do have the Bible to kneel and pray with them up.

Brother, but I don't see playing hands, brother Richard.

I see kneeling.

Brother Richard asked me, can we do this?

Well, what gifts who told you to do that?

I can see kneeling, but brother, I don't see playing hands in the Bible.

That's another mark from her.

What did me to make if my hand does this, or this, or this?

So, where do you get playing hands from?

That's a painted picture been put in our mind.

When I was a little boy, my mother had me to recite these words of prayer.

We used to get out and do this.

Anyone ever do that?

And so that was marked in my mind, this is how you pray.

And I remember my father would first teach us how to uh we used to call the sand grace, but brother, we do the same posture.

And so in my mind, this is how you pray.

No, you bow your heart.

Uh, but nevertheless, that's not the subject, is it?

He said in verse 35, and they all wept sore.

What all?

That's all the elders, the overseers, and they felt on Paul's neck and kissed them.

Sorry most of all for the words which he spake that he should that they should see his face, what?

Well, Brother Paul knew this was the end.

They would never lay eyes on him again.

My God, what a man.

And they accompanied him unto the ship.

Now, here we go.

And so now Paul has completed.

This is the end of his last journey.

He will not make another journey establishing churches.

All of the epistles that you will read, uh these most of these prisons was written, I'm sorry, epistles was written in prison.

Uh most of them will be written in prison.

Uh the rest of his life will be behind bars or and shackles.

Uh chapter 31, verse 1.

Verse 21, I'm so sorry.

And it came to pass that after we, look at these terms, we, who is this talking?

This is uh Luke.

Luke wrote this.

And Luke, do you know this man was so humble he never puts his name in here?

He never brought attention to himself.

And this is a that's by the way, this is a sign of a good minister.

Is when people can see the Lord, they can see others, but you don't see the man who's talking.

And this man has made himself invisible.

He never mentioned his name, he don't bring any glory to himself.

He doesn't even name himself.

He's invisible.

Okay, and it came to pass that after we were gotten from them, what them?

That's those elders.

Then we did what?

Are you there?

We had lunch.

What do you mean lunch?

He's in a ship.

And we came straight course to coast, and the father did to what?

Rose.

And from him to close enough.

And brother Mike, help me out.

We're gonna skip some of these verses for the sake of time.

Go to verse 3.

He said, Now when he had discovered Cyprus, we landed on the on the left hand and sailed into Sarah and landed at Tar, or there the ship was to unlay or bird.

Okay, so we know he was in a ship.

But here's key verses I just want to get to.

Verse 4.

He said, finding disciples we tarot there are seven days.

The word territory don't mean seeking for the Holy Ghost.

The word terry just means to wait, seven days.

Now look, here's these disciples who said to Paul through the what?

Get this, that he should not do what?

So they warned him what's gonna happen.

Look at Paul, brother.

Look at Paul.

Verse 5, Brother Michael.

And when he had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way.

And they all brought us on our way with wives and children.

So we were out of the city.

We kneeled down on the shore.

So we have two uh passage where they actually kneel.

You can pray standing, but kneeling is it's biblical.

He said when we had taken our leave of one another, one of another, we took ship and they returned home again.

When we had finished our course from time, we came to Photon's salute, brother.

Do you notice a pattern?

This is why we read a few of these verses.

Every time Paul would land, brother, he didn't go to the uh he didn't go down to city hall, or brother, he didn't go down that man to the shopping center, he found God's people.

Every time he laid uh that ship to land, the first thing he did was found the people of God.

And there's a pattern among these people in this body of Christ.

When they travel these meetings, they'll stop and visit churches on the way going, and they'll stop on the way back.

That's the biblical order.

And notice, brother, brother Elton, it wasn't churches he necessarily had established.

He didn't care who started them.

His heart was to the people of God.

Let's keep reading.

He said, and saluted the brethren and abode with them one day.

The next day we that were of Paul's company departed and came unto Caesarea.

Here we go.

And we entered into the house of Philip the Evans.

Do you remember Philip?

How many remember Philip?

Philip was back in the seventh chapter of the book of Acts.

This was one of those that the uh apostles had actually laid hands on those men, pertaining to that great uh uh that that great discourse they had about the neglecting of the uh the Grecians' widows in deadly administration.

Philip was named.

This is the same Philip in the eighth chapter, went down to Samaritan and preached the gospel.

But all he did was preach.

He didn't lay hands on anyone to receive the Holy Ghost.

It's the same Philip that went and joined himself to that eunuch.

You remember him?

He baptized that eunuch, and then the Bible said he was caught up.

What do you mean, caught up?

Well, he wasn't raptured, that he was the Lord led him somewhere else.

He went to Caesarea and that's where he pitched his tent.

But he never passed to the church.

He was nothing but what he was, and that was to spread the gospel.

So the Bible used the term, this is the first time you see it actually used uh evangelist, and that's what he was.

He was someone who proclaimed the gospel from area to area, but he lived in Caesarea.

Here he is to show you this man lived one life.

We enter into the house of Philip, look what he calls him the what?

The evangelist, which was one of the that's back in the seventh chapter of the book of Acts, and sixth chapter, I'm sorry, and did what?

A board with him.

I like this next verse.

The same man, that is Philip, the evangelist, the same man had what?

Four daughters, virgins, which did it don't mean they were prophetess, it simply means they were spiritual and they could speak uh that is forth by the inspiration of God.

Isn't that wonderful?

Brother, this man, he wasn't just talking to others, but he lived the life.

He lived something that all of those that was under his roof, they lived the same life.

He said, listen to this now.

Here they are.

No doubt, Brother Michael, there was a congregation that gathered that, but he wasn't, he you never see him called a pastor.

He was an evangelist.

But as the saints of God were gathered in his house, look what happened.

And I know they had meetings there.

Look at verse 4, verse 6, verse 10.

I'm sorry.

And as we told her, there came down from Judea a certain prophet named.

And so I don't think this prophet just happened to come there.

I think he made his rounds there.

I think he came there.

Well, because the church was getting at this man's house, doesn't mean that he was the pastor.

Uh that was a minister there.

Somebody had the oversight, but I don't believe it was Philip.

He was called Philip the Evangelist.

He had a heart for the work of God, and they used his house.

And that's wonderful.

But I like this.

Uh here's Agabus.

And by the way, this Agabus doesn't miss.

Whatever Agabus says, brother, you can hang your head on it.

He does not miss.

He's going to prophesy.

And when he was come to us, he took Paul's girdle.

Now that's what we call a belt.

He bound his own hands and feet.

Here is this man Agabus.

He takes Paul's belt and he ties his feet up.

Then he ties his hand and said, Thus said the what?

Holy Ghost.

So shall the Jews at Jerusalem, that's where you're on your way, Paul.

And if you want to be free, don't go.

So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owned this girdle.

Well, that was Paul's girdle.

And shall deliver it into the hands of the what?

Brother, that was a confirmation.

Now here it is, it's been confirmed by the mouth of two.

Was waiting for Paul.

And if this man had any concern for his own life, he'd get on that ship and head on back the other way.

But that was not what was in his mind.

Let's keep reading.

Brother Michael, I'm sorry.

Said, and when we heard these things, both we and they of that place.

The we is the ones who was traveling with Paul, and they of that place mean all those over the assembly assembled in Philip's evangelist's house.

He said, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

The word besought mean begged, beseeched, try to reason with him.

Don't do it, Paul.

They're going to bind you up, they're going to hurt you.

The Gentiles, they understood what that means, they're going to give you to Rome.

They're going to give you to the same Gentiles that they gave Jesus to, who was put to death.

The Jews didn't have the authority legally because they was under the dominion of the Roman Empire.

When they talk when the Bible talks about giving them to the Gentiles, that's to put you to death.

They could put you in prison, they could beat you, but they couldn't legally kill you.

And so they give you to the Gentiles is to do what they couldn't do.

They understood very well what was being said.

Keep reading.

He said, then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to bring my life?

My God.

And so we know from verse 12.

Look at verse 12.

And when they heard these things, both we and they of that place but sought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Well, you know those men must have been crying when they were doing it.

Because verse 13 says, Then Paul answered, What mean ye to what?

To weep.

And to do what?

Well, you're looking at you crying and you're mourning and you're breaking Paul's heart.

But his mind was to go to Jerusalem.

And so look what Paul said.

He said, Look, you're feeding on my emotions.

He said, For I'm ready not only to be what?

Bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord.

Why God, what a man.

What a pattern to be set before us.

Brother, this is not some fairy tale.

This, when you read the book of Acts, you're reading Bible history.

This occurred.

This is written for our learning, for our example.

Brother, how many people?

How many people actually sit down and count the calls of what this is going to be?

How many people really know what we're into?

And the husband, that's the ministry, must be first partakers.

Brother, we uh we're in a time where a minister won't go, he won't go to a neighboring state if you don't guarantee him a certain amount of money.

If you're not gonna give him a uh first class seat on a plane.

But look at the spirit of Paul.

This is why when I look at these brothers in this body of people, when I look at these brothers, I don't see another ministry on this globe that has uh more of the spirit of the New Testament apostles and prophets.

I don't see another people like that.

I don't see a people like this.

This is the closest thing I found.

Let's keep reading.

And Paul, he's doing these things for the benefit of the people of God.

Listen, but I'm willing, but also to dial Jerusalem for the name of the Lord.

Verse 14, Brother Michael.

I'm sorry.

He said, He would not be persuaded.

They couldn't tell him not to go.

What did we do?

We stopped saying what?

My God.

Go on, brother Mike.

He said, and after those days we took up our carriages and went up to Jerusalem.

There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with us one Mason of Cyprus, an old disciple.

An old disciple with whom we should lie.

Oh, I'm talking about somebody 85 years, 90 years old.

This man no doubt was one of those, Brother Michael, when Jesus Christ was walked on the globe.

You know, he's an old, but he didn't just start in this way.

He has a record.

He was along a long time.

Do you know that Jesus Christ had a great following?

He had a great following.

Uh this man could have easily been one of the 70.

The Bible talks about the 12, but he used the term here.

He's a brother, he's an old, he's a seasoned.

He's an old disciple.

Go ahead, Brother Michael.

He said, when we were come to Jerusalem.

Oh, by the way, look at the term old disciple.

Look at the next words that follow.

With whom we should what?

Do you see the spirit of these men?

The Bible says how that uh a bishop, an overseer, an elder must be given to.

And since he was an old disciple, he was an old disciple, brother Paul knew he had a place to lay his head.

That's a seasoned man.

This is a man who's been in this for a way, a while.

He knows the way that we should go.

Okay, now, Brother Michael.

He said, When they will come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

Who's the brethren?

Talk to him as saints.

Who's the brethren?

That's the ministry that was in Jerusalem.

And the next verse, I'm gonna give you two or three witnesses so you can interpret the Bible for yourself.

And he's gonna show you the next verse, verse 18.

He said, in the day following, Paul went in with us unto James.

Unto who?

Why did he say James?

He was the lead elder there.

He says, James and all the what?

Now all the elders would be the apostles, the prophets, the pastors, and the teachers, the rest of the ministry that was in Jerusalem.

He said that when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

By the way, notice that Paul never used the term my ministry.

Now Luke is talking, he says his ministry.

But see, when Paul makes reference to it, he calls it this ministry.

He never says, he's not boasting in himself.

That's a wonderful attribute.

This man, I like to follow him as he followed Christ.

I can see Christ in Paul.

I can see his spirit.

I can see his attribute.

I can see his perseverance.

I can see his resolve, his determination, I can see his humbleness of spirit.

I can see his willingness to be an example in all things.

He wasn't burdensome, he said that we could, he told the church in Thessalonica, we could have been burdensome to you as apostles.

He said, but we was gentle, even as a father with his suckless child.

Brother, what a spirit.

No, go ahead, I'm sorry.

He said when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had brought upon the Gentiles by his ministry.

Where are we at?

Okay, go ahead.

I'm sorry.

And they heard it and glorified the Lord and said unto him, I'll see his brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe.

And they are zealous of the law.

Well, brother, who's talking here?

The Jews is talking.

And so that church in Jerusalem, though they scattered in the 12th chapter, they had gathered back up into the thousands.

But they was all Jews.

They was all Jews.

And so as those men began to speak, they spoke from the vantage of being a Jew with the Jewish congregation.

They weren't concerned about the here, I want you to catch this because it's very important.

They weren't concerned about the body as a whole.

They was only concerned about what's going to affect their assembly.

Let's keep reading.

Let me make this statement here.

They bound Paul spiritually long before they ever put uh chakras on his wrist.

He'd actually take a vow.

Now he knew that those things was nothing.

He did that to try to win these Jews.

He went that far.

He actually went that far.

Uh, Brother Brian, would you do it?

I don't think so.

Uh maybe I would.

But I I can't see it.

That's like me.

Uh that's like me.

And maybe I would.

But that's like me going down to the church refrigerator and taking some grape juice and crackers.

I I I don't think so.

I think I'll excuse myself while you eat your grape juice and crackers.

I mean grape juice and crackers is nothing, but the religious connotation is the religious connotation that this piece of waffle is Jesus Christ's body, and this grape juice is his blood.

And so now we're having communion.

Well, that is not the truth.

If I thought I could win somebody, maybe I'd do it.

But I sure wouldn't want to put myself in that position.

I think I'll go to the restroom and come back out when y'all finish.

I think I would.

He said, What is it therefore?

Well they will hear that thou are.

But all these people, they're gonna come together.

Remember, we're gonna keep a feast, it is Pentecost.

And they're gonna come together, and they're gonna hear that you hear Paul.

He said, Do therefore this that we say to thee We have four men which have a vow on them.

They all not have a vow on them.

Keep reading.

He said, Demitate and purify thyself with them.

That they may shave their heads and all may know that those things wherever they were informed and certainly or not.

So that all thyself also walk in hardly and keep the law.

Well, Paul doesn't keep the law.

He doesn't teach the law.

And he doesn't take vows.

He's trying to win the Jews, and so he'll go that far with now.

He says, as a judge of the Gentiles believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing.

Saying only that they keep themselves from things offered to highlight.

Remember we read this in the 15th chapter of Acts?

Okay, now here is Paul.

You read his writings in Galatia and Romans.

You see, he taught contrary to this.

But here he is going to try to win these people.

And this is where a minister, every all of us, brother, is hard to find uh where do we stop?

Uh but Paul had the burden, he's gonna be all things to all men.

Watch this next verse.

Then Paul took men, took the men, that's these men that uh had a vow.

And the next day purifying himself with them, enter into the temple to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification until an offering should be offered for every one of them.

And when the seven days was almost in, it looked like what Paul doing was going to work.

He might even go through this, man, it might win somebody.

And I just very hard to win somebody.

It's hard to win somebody, uh, brother, when you're steep in religion, it's hard to win them by doing what they do.

Look what happens.

When the seven days was almost ended, the Jews, which was of Asia, they came down also, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people and did what?

They won the moment with no oil in the name of the Lord.

They grabbed this man, and by the way, they start beating on him.

They start beating on him.

He didn't win one.

Not one soul did he win.

Not one of those people, by him doing those things, was converted.

Let me show you what's in a religious person.

When you cross a religion, whether all charity is set aside.

Watch what happened.

Uh uh, they laid hands on him and cried it out, men of Israel, men wouldn't happen, beating themselves.

What do they say?

And saying, This is the man that teaches all men everywhere against the people he does not.

And the law, well, he's not teaching against the law, he's telling brothers been fulfilled.

He said, and again, I'm sorry, and against this place, in this place, and furthermore, brought Greeks also into the temple and has polluted this holy place.

He's talking about because he had Timothy and and Tremontus and different ones, but you're assuming he brought them in.

You don't know if he brought them in.

That's just evil surmising.

Go ahead, brother Mike.

I'm sorry.

Verse 29.

They had seen before with him in the city Proclamus and Ephesians, whom they supposed to be.

Suppose that Paul had brought them to the temple.

That's just evil surmising.

Paul had enough sense not to bring the Gentile in, knowing how steep in religion they were, but they suppose he had done that.

He said, and all the city was moved.

That's the city of Jerusalem.

Where's Paul trying to go back and save these people at the perils of his life and he knew what was waiting on him?

He's still trying to save them.

All the city was what?

Was moved.

Go ahead.

The people ran together and they took Paul and drew him out of the head.

Better word again.

Drew.

Underline that word.

It's never positive.

When the word drew hears the people of God being persecuted.

They drew him out of the what?

Out of the temple.

And forwith the doors were shut.

And as they went about to kill him.

Listen to this.

Went about to kill him.

Then they say prepare, they was going to beat him to death.

And you read further, you're going to see they were beating on him.

They weren't rebuking him and saying mean things about him.

They was beating on this man.

Putting, beating him, just trying to, uh Brother Michael, put him on conscience.

Look what happens.

He said tidings came unto the chief captain of the band that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

The key chaplain, keep, I'm sorry, the chief captain of the band, uh, that band is talking about as a band of soldiers who was to keep peace in Jerusalem.

That all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

Now he's in trouble because he's over, and the whole purpose, let me say this about the Roman government.

When they conquered a city, they always left squadrons of soldiers there, and their job was just to keep down insurrection.

All they wanted these conquered people to do was pay taxes, yield to Caesar, and you won't have no problems.

But if you cause insurrection, if that was a problem, they always had legions of soldiers there to put down insurrection by any means necessary.

And oftentimes it was violent.

But this time the Lord used the civil powers to deliver Paul.

Remember how they told Paul not to go up to Jerusalem?

They warned him not to go up to Jerusalem.

They told him he ought not to go up to Jerusalem.

Paul ought not to went to Jerusalem.

At the end of the day, he didn't save one soul.

He didn't save one, listen, he didn't save one soul, and brother, he went through all of his perils for naught.

It showed what was in his heart, but he would have done well just not to go.

Let's keep reading.

Now the Lord was still gonna be done.

Paul still was going to preach the gospel to Rome.

The Lord had prophesied that was gonna happen, and so he spared him for that reason.

But let's keep reading.

He said verse 32.

The centurion is someone who's over a hundred soldiers.

And he said centurions.

So we know there's more than a hundred soldiers that went out together.

He said and ran down unto them.

And when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating.

They did what?

Left beat him, so you know they was beaten on him.

They saw Rome coming down, and they used me afraid they were gonna get beat, so now they leave him alone.

Go ahead, verse 33.

Do you remember the prophecy of Agabus?

Now you can see it.

Go ahead, Brother Michael.

He said some cried one thing and some another among them all.

This is religious people.

All kinds of fiery darts will be thrown.

And the reason we have peace is because we're not troubling anybody yet.

But brother, when this gospel gets under our fifth ribs, so deep, and it become like Jeremiah's, like fire shut up in your bones.

Brother, it's gonna get hot.

And I don't talk about these things a whole lot at this time, but I promise you it will get hot.

But brother, when you the more gospel you get, the more of these things begin to consume you until you can't hold your peace.

Everybody knew Paul.

He was the one that they claimed that was turning the world upside down, he was the one uh that was teaching against the law of Moses, which he was not, against the Jews, which he was not, against Jerusalem, which he was not, against the temple, which he was not, that was all lies.

And now he's suffering for it, but he didn't shut up.

Let's keep reading.

But what a man! Can you see this, brothers, man?

What a man.

Brother and I began and see here's the thing we have to keep in mind, brother.

When when we finish our course, these are the type of men we'll be sitting next to.

Peter, James, Paul, and John.

What am I gonna say?

Peter, I read about you, I heard that they crucified you upside down.

Paul, I read about the things you went through.

They said, Well, uh, Brother Brown, what about you?

Well, they didn't like me.

Come on now.

What kind of testimony is that gonna be?

Brother, you gotta go through something.

You have to go through something.

You got to suffer.

Paul tells Timothy to endure hardness as a what?

Good soldier.

You have to have some internal fortitude in this.

This is not a way for the weak-minded, the faint-hearted, the double-minded.

You'll never finish your course.

And every sacrifice will be salted with fire.

Nobody will escape.

Amen.

That's good news to me.

That's not bad.

That's good news.

If Paul can do it, but I can do it.

The same grace God gave him to give to us.

He is no respected person.

Let's keep reading.

He said that we could not know the certainty for the tomorrow.

That's his chief captain.

He commanded him to be carried into the castle.

And when he came upon the stairs, so it was.

That he was born of the soldiers for the violence of the people.

You know what I mean?

Born of the soldiers?

They picked this man up and carrying him.

They're picking this man up.

Can you see this?

Are your eyes open?

This is not.

Can you can you put yourself there?

Get with the spirit of the writer.

Here's this man, brother would beat him and accusing him of all sorts of things.

Here's the chief captain, he's trying to keep peace.

He comes down with a few hundred soldiers, and uh they say, Look, why are y'all beating this man?

The people who beating them took off running.

The rest of them say, Well, he did this, he did that, he's this, he's that.

Well, what did he do?

Everybody's claiming different things.

So when he didn't know the servant, they grab Paul, picks him up, and they're gonna bring him into the castle because they're gonna put a beating on him.

The Romans are gonna have to find out what you're doing.

They will score with you, brother.

If you're doing something, you would tell it.

So they're gonna Paul, listen, Paul's in no trouble.

But listen, watch this man.

He said, for the multitude of the people followed after crying, away with him.

When they say away, they don't mean take him to prison, they mean kill him.

Away with him means kill him.

He said, as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee.

Now here's the first word Paul even spoke.

Everybody was saying something, but Paul never opened his mouth.

We know that because watch this.

He said to the chief captain, Listen, may I speak unto thee?

Who said, This is what the captain said, canest thou speak Greek?

I mean, Paul turned around and speaking to this man in Greek, where Paul spoke several languages.

And he spoke Greek, he spoke Hebrew.

You're gonna see two of them being spoken right here.

And so he's talking to this captain in Greek.

He said, Art thou that Egyptian, or you got an accusation?

No, I'm not an Egyptian.

Are thou that Egyptian which before these days made an uproar and led us out into the wilderness four thousand men that was murderers?

Well, no, that's not me.

Paul said, because this is listen, this is what they no doubt was accusing of that as well.

And so Paul said, I am a man.

I'm sorry, Brother Michael.

Yeah.

But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city, and I deceased thee, suffered me to speak unto the people.

No, he's still trying to reach them.

They're trying to beat him, they're trying to kill him, they put all types of right accusations against him, and he's still gonna try to save them.

He's still gonna try to propagate the gospel to them.

My God.

What a man.

Let me say this.

I'm convinced that these things are written, as Paul said, for our learning, but I'm convinced that this is written for every minister, brothers, all of us, every minister that when someone may say mean things to you, against you, or about you, we should have an example.

We have to render good for evil.

You have to love a person's soul enough, in spite of what they do to you, towards you, or against you, to still try to reach them.

This is written for our example.

This is a witness, not just to us, it's a witness against us.

If we take on another spirit.

Keep reading, I'm sorry.

He said, and when he had given him license, license mean permission to speak.

Look what Paul did.

Get this with me now, real quick.

Paul stood on the stairs.

Here he is, going to the castle.

Now he can you see him going up into a castle?

He asked his captain, man, can I can I speak?

Can I can I say something, please?

He said, Man, are you that Egyptian?

Somebody just told me you were.

He said, No, that's not me.

You know, I'm a man which is uh a Jew.

I was born in a tortoise, a city of seducer, no mean city.

And now look what happened.

He turns around on the stairs, and now he faced the people.

Here they are.

Remember, this congregation is hostile.

They just was beating him.

They was just accusing him, saying away with him, he shouldn't even be living.

He turned around and gonna try to save them.

Did you not see that spirit of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do?

Did you not see the same spirit in Stephen where he's being stoned?

Here is an overcomer walking in shoe leather.

He's still trying to save the people, he's trying to kill him.

Watch this defense.

He's not trying to defend himself, he's still trying to open their eyes.

Watch this.

He said, Paul stood on the stairs and beckoned with the hand unto the people.

When there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue.

In the Hebrew tongue.

He was just speaking Greek.

Now he turned around and speak Hebrew.

What a man.

What a man.

Saying, listen to this, listen to this.

Saying, men and brethren.

The brethren there is the elders of Israel.

These weren't brethren in the gospel, these were the elders of Israel.

He said, and fathers, that's the age men.

He said, Hear my defense.

Listen to what?

Listen to who I really am.

Which I money make unto you now unto you.

What's wrong with me?

Verse 2.

And when they had heard that he spake in the what?

To them, they kept the more silence.

And he said, Look, watch him walk down through this Bible.

Watch this man.

He said, He said, I there, that word means truly, am a man, I'm sorry, a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Silica, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamilia.

Well everybody knew him.

He was a chief man, a master teacher.

He said, taught and taught according to the perfect manner of the law.

He wasn't a Sadducee, an Essecene, a Zillach.

He was none of those things.

He was taught as a Pharisee.

He said the law of the fathers and was zealous toward God as ye all are this day.

In other words, I know that you think you're doing God a service.

I know that you think what you're doing is right.

I was like that.

I was just like you are.

At verse 4, he said, and I persecuted this way.

Just like you persecuted me, I thought I should do that.

I did the same thing you're doing.

And I persecuted this way until the death.

Binding and delivering into prisons both what?

Men and women.

He said, Listen, as also the high priest who bear me witness.

That he is over there.

He knows I'm not lying.

He know I did it.

And listen to this.

He said, and all the estate of the elders, that is, all this allegian council, they gave me license, the village, and rhythm to bind up.

All of these men know that I did these things.

They know I did it.

He said, for whom also I received letters unto the brethren and went to Damascus.

That's not brethren of the gospel, that's those elders of Israel and Damascus.

And went to Damascus to bring them.

That's the saints of God, that's the Christians, which were bound unto Jerusalem to be what?

Beat.

And here is what happened to me.

Here is the man who was persecuted in this way.

Here's the man who acted just like you did.

I had the same spirit you had.

Here is where I am now.

And it came to pass that as I made my journey, I was on my way to get those Christians, and I was commanded to the mascots above me, settling the stores in heaven of great light round above me.

And I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, so why persecutest thou me?

And I said, Who art thou, Lord?

And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecuted.

And they that was with me saw indeed the light and was afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

And I said, Now here he is, he's lost his sight.

He's been, brother, he's been humbled, he hearing this great thunder, and he hears the voice out of the thunder.

And listen, and I said, What shall I do, Lord?

And the Lord said to me, Alas, get up and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things that are appointed for thee to do.

And what I could not see, he's talking now, and what I could not see for the glory of that light, that is the intensity of it, being led by the hand of them that was with me, I came to Damascus.

And one Ananias, everybody knows him.

He's a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, he came unto me and stood and said unto me, Brother, get this.

He didn't say anything else but what?

Brother Saul, receive thy sight.

And the same hour I looked up upon him.

And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee.

He's telling Paul the things that Jesus Christ had told him he would do.

He said, The God of our fathers, of our fathers, hath chosen thee, that thou should know his will, and see that just one, that's Jesus, and hear the voice of his mouth.

I've never heard it.

I only hear him through the vibe.

But Paul actually heard his voice.

Dead.

He said, And thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

And brother, whatever the Lord has done for you, that's your testimony.

That's what you're to bear witness of.

Brother, the greatest thing that you can do for anybody is tell them what God has individually done for you.

How he's actually brought you out of the muck and the mire, set your feet on.

That's your testimony.

That's more powerful than you're trying to quote Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

This is you.

You can give this with conviction.

This is your life.

This is what Paul is doing.

He said, listen, verse 15.

He said, For thou shalt be witnesses unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

Now here's other lies talking to him.

He said, Why tellest thou?

Why wait?

Why go any further?

Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling upon the what?

And it came to pass that when I was come again to Jerusalem after all these things happened, he's going to skip through how he had gone down the basket of the wall.

He said, When I came again to Jerusalem, he said he's going to preach and tell the people good news.

Even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance.

The Lord warned me about this.

Verse 18, and I saw him, thus Jesus, saying to me, Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not, they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

The Lord was talking to Paul from the very beginning.

The Jews are not going to hear you, Paul.

I'm sending you to the Gentiles.

But Paul loved those Jews.

He loved his people.

And listen, he's almost all with the Lord.

And I say, Lord, they know that I am prison and beat in every synagogue.

Them that believe on thee, and when the blood of thy mother Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of the clothes of them that killed him or slew him.

And he said unto me, Depart, for I will send thee far from here a hint unto the Gentiles.

Paul still kept going to those Jews, though.

It was in his heart.

Now in verse 22.

And as they gave him audience until this word, you just messed up, Paul, when you said Gentiles.

Jesus Christ couldn't preach to them that he was going to save the Gentiles.

He had to say it like this I have other sheep which are.

That's how steep they were.

And listen, they listened until he said, I'm going to send you forth to the Gentiles.

But they gritten the teeth again.

And they gave them orders until this word.

What word is that?

Gentiles.

He shouldn't have said that, Paul.

They remembered all the things that he preached to the Gentiles and how he went from place to place and taught them not to keep the law.

They have to keep the law.

What they couldn't see is how much he loved them every time he went to a city.

He came to them first.

But all they can see he went to the Gentiles.

But he gave them a chance first, but their animosity was so steep when he was concerned they couldn't even hear what he was saying.

Now, watch what happens.

Look, verse 22.

Yes.

Same spirit.

That's written for our learning.

You're listening these things is written for us.

You're not going to go to the B church.

You're not going to go to the C church.

You're not going to go to the M church and convert that church.

Paul converted a gent a Jew here and a Jew there.

But he never went to a synagogue and converted a synagogue.

You're not going to convert a church like that.

You do better than free Pentecost out there.

Whether not connected or nothing.

Matter of fact, a lot of churches in the body of Christ come from Free Pentecost.

But you're not going to go, excuse me, Sister Betty, you're not going to go to the apostolic church and convert them.

You're not going to go to a United Pentecost and convert them.

They have a headquarters and they have a covering.

You're not going to convert them.

You're not going to convert a religious organization.

The Lord has never changed a religious organization.

He gets people out and move them on.

You're wasting your time to the perils of your life.

Trying to convert an organization, you're not going to do it.

Jesus Christ couldn't do it.

The Pharisees, Sadducees did not get converted.

Paul couldn't do it, and we're not going to do it.

You're not going to do it.

Yes.

See, remember this now.

People who have the Holy Ghost, that's your brethren.

The spiritual Jews.

You owe it to them and to the Jew first and then to the Gentiles.

But you're not going to convert a church.

Well, individually.

Individually.

But when you're trying to go convert a church, brother, all you're going to do is cause your good to be spoken of.

You're casting your pearl before swine.

You're giving it what is holding to dogs.

Zeal would make you do a lot of things.

But man, I would like to not make the same mistakes somebody else makes.

I'm going to make some, but I don't want to make the same ones.

It's good to be zealous affected in a good thing.

It is.

But wisdom is profitable to direct.

Absolutely.

All your goods gonna be even everything you say will be used against you.

Anything that comes out of your mouth, they're gonna they're gonna they're gonna sift sift it for words that they can use against you.

Jesus Christ, the Bible says this.

He said, The Lord is in the heaven, and you're on the earth.

What's the rest of that verse, Brother Mike?

Thank you.

You do well to remember that.

Let's keep reading.

I'm gonna finish this up.

Sorry, Brother Michael.

I'm sorry.

Verse 22.

He said they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices and said, Here he is.

That's the same thing they said before, away with him.

But now they're gonna tell you what away means.

He said, Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should be.

Ah, there you go.

You don't mean to come into the castle, you mean kill him.

Why don't you want to kill him?

Because he's crossing you.

And as they cried out and cast off their clothes.

Now come on now.

And through dust in the air, I'm not sure what you are.

You know, that's got to be pretty extreme.

You've been taking your clothes off and throwing dust in the air.

You know, you're like a bunch of maniacs out there.

Come on, man.

Listen, through dust in the air, the teeth commanded them to be brought into the castle and bade that he should be examined by scores or beat him that he might know the world for their cry so against him.

What did he say to them?

Remember, this man is a Roman.

He can't understand Hebrew.

What did Paul say to those men that the people want to kill him again?

Well, he needed to tell another myth of truth.

Go ahead.

And listen, this is wisdom.

I know time is getting weight, but listen, I want you to watch this.

And this is what I pray for every single day I'm living.

Uh, and I've done so for the last few years.

God, give me wisdom.

Give me wisdom to go in and out.

When I leave my house, I ask every, and this is not religious, I'm telling you, every day I get up with my eyes open, Lord, give me wisdom to go through this day, to make the most that I can, to be as productive as I can in God and in this life.

Give me wisdom.

Here's Paul, here's wisdom.

He's done all he can do to try to win those Jews.

He's done all he can do to try to fulfill his burden.

Here's his wisdom now.

Watch this wisdom.

They're about to kill him, about to beat him right now, verse 25.

And as they, that's the Roman soldiers, bound him with what?

Look what Paul said.

They bind him up.

Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman?

Uncondemned?

Do you understand that question?

He is a citizen.

Now he's using his citizenship as a Roman citizen.

He wasn't just a Jew that was under captivity, but someone, maybe his father, had to be his father or grandfather, somebody actually purchased for him to be a Roman citizen, giving him all the rights to wrong.

And so you can't take a Roman citizen and beat him.

He had to be tried.

You can't take a Roman citizen and bound him up.

Paul never ever mentioned he was a Roman citizen.

Nowhere in the Bible.

But now, brother, he reaches over there and he uses that for his benefit.

He never ever, you won't find nowhere in any city he ever said anything about being a Roman citizen.

He had that dual citizenship.

He was a Jew, but he was a Roman citizen.

And now he reaches over and uses it.

What is it telling us?

Brother, I will use whatever this world would afford me.

I am a citizen of America, of the United States, but I'm a taxpaying citizen.

If there's grants, if there's anything that I can use to the benefit of my personal life or the people of God or the kid, I'm going to use that.

Paul did it when it's when it's season.

I'm not going to run up.

Paul never boasted, and I'm not up there marching against abortion.

I'm not advocating voting, not to vote.

I don't get in political issues, but when it's profitable, I'm going to be just like Paul.

I'm going to retold that and use my American citizenship.

Not going to abuse it, but when it's profitable, I'm going to use it.

Can you see the wisdom of this man?

Let's keep reading.

Then the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman?

And he said, Yea.

And the chief captain answered, with a great sum.

I paid a lot of money.

Obtain I this freedom.

In other words, he no doubt was a citizen of a city that had been taken over by Rome as well.

But it cost me a great sum of money.

And Paul said, But I was free born.

I didn't have to pay for it.

That is, I was born free.

So if your parents or your grandparents are citizens, then you were citizen.

Paul said, I was free born.

Then straightway they departed, uh listen, we're not stopped that.

Verse 29.

Then straightway they departed from him, which should have examined him.

In other words, they stopped.

We're not going to beat him.

And the chief captain also was what?

After he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

And on the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his band.

Turn him loose, turn him loose.

He's a citizen.

And commanded the chief priest.

That's Ananias.

He says S on here.

That's uh, what's the name in Caipas?

That's uh father and uh father-in-law and son-in-law, both of them devils.

Uh the chief priest and all their council, that's the Sanhedrin council, to appear and brought forth, I'm sorry, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

We're gonna stop here.

Are you getting this?

Are you really getting this?

Brother, get this history.

You get this history, you're gonna need it as we go further in the Lord.

Okay, I know time is far spent.

I know we had to chugged down a little bit, but we're gonna finish this book.

We only have what five more chapters left?

But brother, it gets real good.

It gets real.

Can your eyes see these things though?

Keep this in your mind.

It's gonna help you.

When you're going through little trials, I'm gonna call them little trials, but in the scheme of things, they are little, brother LJ.

When we begin to go through little small things, whether it's personal or whether it's for the gospel's sake, brother, we're these are small things.

We're running with the footman, brother.

Nobody is beating me to death, nobody's trying to kill me yet.

For it's over with.

I would be absolutely amazed if I die from some natural cause.

As quiet as I may be, I won't stay this way.

I wasn't this way in my youth, and I don't believe I'm gonna be this way.

I'm sure I'm gonna be a noise maker in this city.

The spies hate and rejected.

Why?

Brother, because that's what they did to Peter, James, John, and Paul.

Amen.