Paul's Missionary Trip (Part 2) | Pr Matthew Chang

You're listening to a message to go from at church. We hope this message

will light up your day. I'm continuing on the series of the Book of

Acts, especially on Paul's missionary trip. And yes, this is actually today

will conclude that first part because it's to part the first part of that first

missionary trip. There are three missionary trips, so we'll conclude the first one

for today, then we will continue for the remaining of the month and then

until next year as well. So I'm going to start off because there's a

bit of a gap from the first one, so I just do a very

quick introduction. We can have the slides if you have. Okay, so

quick recap. We'll start with the maybe the in the map first, or

maybe go slight three, okay, And so it starts with the church.

Okay, the first church that was planted outside of Jerusalem. Okay, it

was not by They didn't plan, they didn't have a business plan. I

want to start a church there. No, it was started because Christians were

prosecuted. The Christians just took whatever they have. They left, some ran

north, and most of them ran north. They went there, and then

they took whatever their blood belonging and whatever believe, and what they heard in

Jerusalem with them as well. And as they went up there, they shared

some with the Jews, but a lot also with the Greeks and the ROMs

and the Gentiles there as well. And so as they shared, as the

Holy Spirit worked among them, there was a group of believers they came about

and Jerusalem, the original church became a bit worried because they're hearing the news.

They were a bit alarmed. Now why were they alarmed? They must

understand that at that time there was no Bible. Even printing is very scarce.

Books were very rare, and I mentioned this a few times before.

Books were very rare. A book can cost ten to d T two thousand.

A book can take up to a year, two years, three years

to write just one book. So books are normally owned by a single person.

They are owned by a community, owned by the church, or owned

by the government. Very rare. You have an individual owning a book as

well. Books are very very very expensive. Normal people can afford it.

So even in the Roman times you have books, you know, you know

when they were burning bibles are it really was painful because it was the source

of everything their belief, their commerce, they are whatever they needed to their

knowledge was being burned. Uh and uh. So you know, even the

Roman times you can count like bibles, less than one hundred bibles that were

around as well. So it is very difficult time. So without the Bible,

you must understand how do you, as a believer in a foreign land,

know that what you believe is true. You are surrounded by Roman religion,

Greek religion, intelligent speaking mathematicians, philosophers, and you have Jews who

are very well versed in Jewish tradition Judaism. Okay, and then not only

that, you also have people who who want to teach and come up with

new teachings, new form of hybrid that want to invade and put me into

the church as well. How do you know why it is right and why

is wrong when you don't have the Bible, when you don't have a great

speaker, That's a question. How do you do that? How do you

know why is right and Wrong's go on corner and pray, oh is that

right? How do you know why it's right and wrong? There's no internet

to value the air. This person Google JPT, this person is telling me

is it correct? Now how do you know intuition? Okay? How it's

God faithful to his people. God is faithful, isn't it so? In

the absence of the Okay, what did God give before God has given leaders?

Is the prophets, priests, judges, Moses, Jesus. Now Jesus

has gone, Who did they give? What do you God give? Apostles?

Okay? God gave apostles? Apostles? Okay? Who's word was scripture?

Why was his scripture? Because Jesus recognized it as scripture? Simple as

that, not because they were smarter better. We can be as smart.

But you have no authority. You cannot call it scripture. You give me

and who can call it scripture except the one who has the ultimate authority Jesus

himself. You get what I'm saying. Now, when Jesus says it is

we can rely on it. We can rely no, because he is mother.

We write because Jesus said so. And that is the first test.

The second test is that it was accompanied with signs and wonders. Why is

science and wonders? Because signs and wonders If you read later in the chapter,

I will show you so. Okay, is God bearing witness to the

gospel when you teach, and when you preach and it's truth, God best

witness to it. And sometimes God will also bring along manifest healing and power

to it because it's the truth. For example, and Peter and James went

to the temple and they saw a layman at the beautiful Gate, remember,

and then there he was born to be a lame and then he raised him

up in the name of Jesus. Now what is the implication there when he

used the name of Jesus. If he raised him up using any other name,

he might not have worked. But the fact that he used specifically the

name of Jesus means why God will not hear any person. Not will not

hear the petition of any prayer except for what you know. You know,

if that person is a singer, he will not. God would not listen.

But if that person is truly from God, God will listen when God

uses. When when Peter and James uses the name of Jesus and it works,

means that what the name of Jesus has power. So that is why

the Sanhedrin when they saw them, he said, you can do all your

teachers, you can do whatever you want, but never use the name of

Jesus, because when they use the name of Jesus, God best witness,

God's bad witness to do that name as well do the work as well,

you know saying what I'm saying. When you preach the Gospel in truth and

in power and in authority, science and wonders followed, and it bears witness,

got best witness to be ender people will believe. So the aparcels work

were very very important, very critical at that time for this for that period.

So Paul, so, how the Word was preached and how truth and

the Gospel was validated was aparstls doing mission work. So Paul's mission work was

very critical at that time. But can Paul continue to multiply himself? Can

can? Now? Can people follow him? Cannot? So what did so?

What did God do? God put him but send him to jail house

arrest. Some people say, oh, Paul Clay done more mission work.

He was a mistake that he pleaded for Caesar. He was in house arrests.

He couldn't done more mission work. I tell you, Paul being in

house arrest was the best thing that could ever happen to us as Christians.

You see before that Paul had to go to every place to teach, to

validate and to give the truth of God, but there was no one writing

it. So now Paul, instead of going everywhere, go ahead to like,

no, you sit down in your room and you write. And everything

he wrote from the utter rooms from God, he put it into scripture that

match validated with the Old Testament and with the other rest of the disciples,

whom God also inspired, and the Bible came about, so that Paul will

the divine spirit that was with Paul, with Peter, with James and everyone

else will be present in every church. The movement of the Scripture and the

Word of God went beyond Paul. Last time was just on Paul. Now

it went beyond Paul. You're saying what I'm saying. It was greater,

isn't it? So what the devil intended for evil got meant for good.

Every time the devil tries to push push you down, put Jesus kill Jesus,

Jesus rose up even greater prior to put Paw into arrest or the word

even great and even greater, isn't it. It's as the work of God

is always amazing one. Okay, So that was I'm just trying to highlight

to you that was the importance of uh the Bible. Now why they talked

about that? Why why Paul and was? Why? Why is it so

important? You see, at that time when they had no Bible, all

the teaching of the of the church came from Paul and Apaulos. Not long

after that, what did the Holy Spirit tell the church? You do set

up heart for me Paul and Barnabas. Isn't it for the work that called

them to do? What does that tell us you and me as a church?

What what kind of direction is God setting us? What it means is

that even if you have a great speaker, a great worship leader, annoying

the pastor even if you are so indispensable in your cell group, in your

homes, in your discipleship group, you must be willing to move and let

go whenever call cause you to do. Nothing is too precious, even if

you don't have the Bible, and Paul is your only your source of what

you followed and obey the Holy Spirit. They poles were considered like the Isaac

you know of the church. You know, no disciples went out from Jerusalem

except poor and barnerbus from Jerusalem. Paul and numbers knew Greek and Roman as

well. Imagine you're a pastor who can speak Chinese, Malay, Indian,

Spanish, everything so good, can reach so many people. But God would

say, send them past send them out to It's like, don't want our

best resource. It's not for your church, It's for God's work. So

the church must be generous with the people and send up So important, isn't

it so important? A lot of times? No, we only want this

pastor, We only want this leader. Ah, this home leader is the

best of house, so nice, so coolly. The anti cooks, so

GOOFU. I don't want to go to another home anymore? What do you

mean multiply? What do you mean? Experident? Stay here? Don't plan

under one. You turn nunder one shore, die one. No one will

raise it up mine. You tell her, You tell Paul that, you

tell them, and Paul left, and then the church grumble cannot close down.

The Book of X will be fourteen chapters on the instell twenty eight chapters

done ready, And not only there are poor plant more churches along our first,

second, third missionary treatmental close out because poor Some of them he spent

one month on some of it his saying six months, some he spent three

years. Oh, he left and more only that he left. He was

chased out by mobs and a so all closer closer, no Bible, no

poor closer. How can we be like that? How has the church?

What has the church become? People? What has leadership become? People?

What have we expected? You know, what are we expecting? So what

you're expecting is it in line with the Bible? Doesn't what you feel is

right? What you feel it's lacking in the church must be measured in accordance

to the Word of God, not your feelings. I don't care how self

righteous you are. Tell me is it according to the Bible? No Holy

Spirit will move and ask you to release even when you lease expected, but

you fall. It's so important enough. That's why the leadership the church must

enter into fast and prayer to seek the Lord. You get mean right?

When they don't seek and fast and prayer, all they want is just to

do on their own, grow fat and wide, and then you never multiply.

It's true and not, isn't it. That's why I want to go

to the Book of Acts. You know, I want to go to it,

not because to tell stories, although there are many stories. I want

to go through the Book of Acts because you understand the governance, the heart

and direction and the attitude the church and church members must have. There's so

much being taught here. Your church life is not about you getting the best

word of God in the church. You all. There will be seasons,

will be dry, there will be seasoned. They won't be a poor and

abandonments to teach and preach on the poor bit. But it's okay, you

mean right. Don't leave just because you can't find a great preacher. Don't

leave because you don't have a great experience at home. There's something more to

that. You came mean right. A lot of times the church is difficult,

it's painful, but it persisted because you believe. And just where the

faith of the church is tested. You can't mean right. If not,

we complain and we grumble. Okay, So they went. So that was

how because the Antioch Church was tested, set and they obeyed, and that

is where the first true first missionary pop came about. They really sell and

from that one obedience, so many churches came out one obedience to not just

keeping my own one obedience, simple obedience. Did they do? Did they

create more content for the rest of just No, they just send to people

out. We prayed back bye bye, oh Milly, more churches came back.

Simple obedience can bear much fruit. Repeat it after me. Simple obedience

can bear much fruit? True or not? It's so simple? But is

it hard? It's hard, simple but not easy, you know, simple

but heart It's always the simple things, but it's the hard things. Okay.

That's why. That's that's the half of the message that I wanted to

tell you about from from from from the first. So when they went there,

then from the Antio there too, antiochs the Anti of Syria, and

then there's the Anti of uh Prosidia, which is the north there. Okay.

So their first journey went to Cyprus, then to went to a program

Italian program at thet it's known as a port city. Then they went up

all the way to Antioch. That's where we stopped last time, okay.

And the Antioch when they preach uh, the people that received the news with

most gladness world the Gentiles. And why were they so excited about it?

Because before that the Jews, Okay, when they heard it say that.

Okay, great news. We've got no problem with Jesus. We've got no

problem with the resurrection. We've got no problem with the resurrection of the scene.

Okay. But first of all, before you become a Christian, you,

as a gentile, you must become a Jew first. Before you become

a Christian. Okay, you must be a you first. You need to

be circumcised. You need to obey this law. Doo doo, doo doo,

do all these things. Okay. So it was important because for the

Jew we are greater than the gentiles. We are the chosen people. We

are given the oracles and the commandments of the law. We have Ibrohn,

we have Moses, all the things we have. You get mean, right,

all they really looked down. Even the temple, the courts are they're

not allowed to have gentles beyond beyond the part of the college, a certain

area. And if there walk past even until now, there's a sign that

that says that if anyone who is not a Jew and the past this liner,

whatever happens to this person is not our responsibility. There's a threat.

You know, you can cross, but what happens to you is not our

fault, there's bloodshed, or it's not our fault. So with the moment

you kept into it, are okay? All health broke breaks loose. In

fact, when poor towards the end of his missionary, when he came back,

right, he tried to reconcile with the Jerusalem crown. He brought came

back, he cleansed himself, and people want to, you know, try

to they saw him, they want not to upset with him. Yet until

they thought that they saw him bringing a Greek into the temple, which is

the forbidden place dead enraged them and they wanted to stone him everywhere. That

was the line. The line was not the Jesus. The line was the

gentiles, you and I. The moment we opened up and Paul said that,

no, you don't need to be a Jew to become a Christian.

You can immediately become a Christian because Jesus, says paved the way. In

fact, Jesus gave us first. They gave them first privilege by preaching the

gospel to their first. Okay, but they rejected him, and now the

gospel reached to them they were willing, and so the clear was part.

The path was clear, and we know that the path was clear for the

gentle, because it's not so much how they work, but it's the evidence

of their fruit. They're spoken tongues. Peter the Apostle bear sweetness. They're

spoken tongue. They were filled with the Holy Spirit as well, okay,

And they send barnabas and poor to verify all the gentiles who believe. In

the north of Jerusalem, they also bet with They also saw the fruits of

the spirit and say this is truly the work of God. The Holy Spirit

has come and visited the gentiles as well. So that road. So the

Jews before this saying that you want to go to Jesus, you had to

pay this toll. You need to use this road. Okay, I don't

know what link. Okay, you want to use panchada lin. Okay,

you need to pay treating Git. Okay, he's treating Git. I said,

no, not got LDP DP had to pay and no, I don't

not remember. Now got a new highway. You don't need to go through

this toll. You don't need to become a Jew. You just go straight

to Jesus. So the Jews got really angry. They cannot accept they can

accept the gospel of grace, but they cannot accept that it's open for them,

cannot I am not painting you to make enemy with the Israelites and stuff

like that. Okay, that's another thing. I will tackle another another big

mountain our tackle or another party five at the time. Okay, but it's

not it is what it is is that's gospel presented. But God's grace covers

many things. Okay, So that's the recap today. We will start at

from Iconium. Okay, so Antioch that maybe God back. So from Antio

they will go to Iconium, then to Lystra, then to Derby. Then

they will conclude the start the way back. Then there will before they went

back to the port city of Perga to go back to Antioch. They will

take that very short time to strengthen the church as well. Okay. Whatever

they have planted, they strengthen them, and they go back. So we'll

go through this tree for cities very quickly, and then I will summarize some

key points from there. So turn with me to Act Chapter fourteen, verse

one. It says here from one now it happened in Iconium. Then they

went together to the synagogue of the Jews. Okay, So Paul, when

he comes to a new city, where does he go to? Always there

synagogue? Okay, I'll tell you teach a bit more about the synagogue next

time, okay. And so he spoke that a great multitude, both of

the Jews and the Greeks believed great okay. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up

the Gentiles and poisoned their mind against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a

long time, speaking boldly in the Lord who was bearing witness to the world

of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hand.

But the multitude of the city was divided, part sided with the Jews and

part with the Apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the

Gentile and the Jews with their ruler to abuse and stone them, they became

aware of it and fled to Lestra and Derby cities of Laconia, and to

the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel. There Now few things.

First of all, there was a split group. Some of the Jews

believed, some of the Greeks believe if. But eventually they were met with

resistance. This is a reminder. When you're doing the work of God,

don't be don't be surprised. It's almost with certainty that you will be met

with great resistance. Most of the time, there will be a disruption to

what you do. You want to start a ministry, there will be a

disruptant mystry that, oh, suddenly you cannot start. Suddenly you cannot go

this way. You get me right, There'll be a roade block or can't

do this? You go this? You can't not that you're forced to take

a very difficult role. How may you know what I'm talking about? It's

very simple. You want to start homes, want to start a church,

you want to do this or everything block blah blah blah blah blah blah,

everything you want to do, can't do. So then you have to take

a very long road. You want to go to Malacca, can go straight

down the highway. You have to go to Quantan first. You're like,

can no imagine? Why? Ah Quantan first? Then you take it wrong,

go down to JB. Then you only go to up to Malaca.

What in the world you cannot? Like? Yeah, tell you sometimes like

life is like that, isn't it? It's difficult, painful roadblocks. It's

like that. But still do the world. But many people believe. Many

Greeks believe. But they were resistance. Now they say that what did they

do? What did the unbelieving Jews do? They stood up the gentilens and

poison their mind against the brethren. Last time I was here, I talk

to you guys about what when the truth is bring preach with conviction, with

power that is able to set people free. The enemy will disrupt by what?

Three things? To dilute, to contradict, and to blesspheme, isn't

it adding no diluting meanings? To know? Whatever they preach, it's good.

But then they add to it or they contradict it. Adding to it

means what? Adding liberties? They are not supposed to add to it.

You know you got a great courier. The curry is so nice. Maybe

you know I'm from Italy. Maybe can ask someone cheese to do it?

What in the world you know? I know? Maybe I'm from I'm from

Japan. You know, I don't know add some king whatever, I don't

know what Japan. I'm all some summer row someone into it, Sabi to

carry what you also twisted mind men, how dare you add what sabi to

carry? Oh? My gosh, you get I mean right? You add

things that are supposed to add into it. Or you add water to in

my country? You know we don't want your water. Know, keep the

original you know you get, I mean right, you entirely. And then

something you know if you think about it. You know, in the garden,

in the garden of Eden, when I saw that fruit, what did

the devil or the snake didn't say snake okay, the serpent said what was

it? Did God really say, surely you will not die? You see

all the things, isn't it surely will not die? To contradiction it?

Did God really say ask you to doubt? Did God say only this tree

or all the trees you can eat? Why is as you to doubt?

Contradict? Promise you wrong things? And last one is a blessed theme.

What does blessed feme actually mean? What does blest feem mean? By the

way, before you say cursing, cursing and blast fiming are not the same.

Very specifically. Yes, sometimes someone offend you, you might curse the

person, but you rarely your blessed fem curse means to pronounce something, to

declare something. You know, you curse someone, Okay, you curse and

your blessed. To bless theeme means very simpler. I mean take this,

no that the blest feing means to call what is good evil and to call

what is evil good. Okay, repeat moth for me. Blest fling means

to call what is good evil and to call what is evil good. Simple

but powerful. Now tell me, when you look into this world right now,

do you see a lot of bless female things? Makes sense? Right,

makes a lot of sense. Right now. You don't see a lot

cursing but just cursing people, but blessed femous things coming all around right now?

What is good evil and evil good? I tell you they will blast

fema to say that you are a bless woman instead they are the blest female

Christians will be labeled as blestphemous because they will say that what you preach,

which are the good, is because as evil, and they will say what

they preach, which is evil as good. They will make you look like

you are the most intolerant, unloving, narrow minded, bigger than people in

the world. That's why you be a with labeled, and they will label

themselves as open minded, loving righteous sounds like bless femen. Men will be

so self righteous, sore self righteous. But Christians, yes, there are

some of us who are self righteous, which is the wrong. But ultimately

we are under the grace of goss. The only righteousness that we have is

through Christ and said we preach not because we are righteous. We are righteousness

from God. We raire his righteousness. But the world. You see how

I always say this and we have this mass loss hierarchy. Isn't it if

you heard this mass loss hierarchy. We need shelter, we need food,

We need air, and need food, shelter, water the greatest need.

You don't realize that it's on the need to be right, true or not.

This is how you think about every argument that you've entered into. Why

do you fight? Why you continue fighting? Fight for love? Or you

fight because you know you feel that you are right and you need to be

right. The need to be right. It's very neat if we all want

to be right. Okay, when you live your life with no sense or

right, you are wrong, you get into depression and eventually it's like sucking

an oxygen out of your soul. You know you fall away, no hope,

you know you're you're You're a disappointment. You are messed up. Everything

you cannot do is wrong. You see? I mean that people fall into

depressions. That isn't Everything I do is wrong. I can never do anything

right. I'm a failure. You either go into that or you get into

defensive You are wrong. I'm right, isn't it? So the world is

stuck in this two way. Either I defend or I fall into depression.

But God says no either way, it's no, It's either way, it's

death. The only way. The righteousness that you need, the oxygen for

your soul, the righteousness that you need more than anything and more than a

modern food, is from me, God's righteousness. That's why Jesus came to

give what you give righteousness. They can only come from Him so that we

our so can breathe again, our spirit can live again. See what I'm

saying here? Not you cannot. You don't have to win every battle anymore.

You don't have to be right with everybody in this world. But just

a stronge casts righteousness. I have a day to live again. Yeah,

I mean right, there's oxygen, there is airing my love. I can

breathe because God has leved me his righteousness. If before me I can stand

again, And another time I will talk about this wholes need or righteousness before

God. You know our need and our sense of belonging that we so need

in our lives, and how it You know, it affects all our depression,

all our sense of lack and everything all come from me. We need

we have our basic need is to need to be right and right with God.

Amen? Makes sense or not? Okay? Well I haven't even a

beginner. Oh my Goodness always said that. Okay, um, So the

blest theme I mentioned going back to the bleasspheme, So the enemy will dilute,

contracdy and blesspheme. And they were. You know, some of the

people and their minds and their faith are weaker. They get affected as well.

Okay, it says that they're stayed at a long time boldly bearing witness

to the world of His grace is here I told you before. As they

are preaching the word of God and they are really from God. What happens,

but God will bear witness to their works by granting them signs and wonders,

Science and wanders accompany the preaching of His world. You know what I

mean, right, You're praying for the church to have science and wander do

you praying? Not? You pray for the for the pastors, for the

preachers, for your believers to have science and wonders. Not because like you

want to see miracles and then so you can upload on videos you know you

want so that, Lord, we want our preaching to be so pure that

Lord you are glorified. And when science and miracles people believe. You should

pray for that. You should pray for our missions. You should pray for

our missionaries. You should pray for every preaching that goes out in every place

the goes purely to glorify his name. Lord, I pray that science and

wonder will follow, follow your servant, and follow the preaching of your word.

Can you make this prayer when you when you're at home, when your

heart time, when you pray for your leaders, Lord, protect your servant

and if they do, when they when they remain, pray that Lord that

signs and wonder will follow the preaching of your word and your servants. Please

Lord, that many may believe. Amen, I'm teaching you a very powerful

prayer to here. Okay, now let's move on to Lystra. Okay,

now this part you guys who are gonna puck up, Okay now. But

it says that and in Elistra, a certain man without strength in his feet

was sitting and the cripple from his mother womb, a cripple from his mother's

womb, who had never walked. This man hurt Paul speaking, Okay,

now, this is the it is one of the interesting part. And Paul

observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed. Oh,

someone was lit listening. But there's different types of listening. There are types

of listening. Just listen by the types of listening, and the heart response

with faith by faith not fully grown yet faith. There's calling for the Lord.

Lord, are you there is this for me? Is this the word

of the Lord. And Paul observes this heart is longing and sees this whatever

his preaching is going deep into the person's soul, and that soul is stirring

for something more. Staul is reaching out for God. He sees that.

Okay, imagine em and Paul says, and then when Paul said, stand

up straight on your feet. Stand up. This is the word of God.

Stand up. And that man receives that light piercing through it is like

and he responds and miracle comes and he stepped and he said that and he

lived and he walked. Wow, how miracle happens? Is there? This

is what God always ready to do? Miracles? Isn't there? But there's

a few things that comes along with it, isn't it? They must be

believed, see Jesus men, the many places and there are places are that

he wanted to do miracles. He can't do miracle? Does that say?

Does it mean that he can't do the miracle? There is powerless? Snow?

It's the people who were unbelieving? You mean right? Why would I

Why would the miracle come to those who were unbelieving? Who gets glorified?

Is this a circus a museum for you to be entertained? No? If

God performed this miracle for day, God is mocking himself. How dare we

do that? We are defining God's name? You know God's hand and no

God does everything to glorify him and him alone, nor glory to be shipped.

You get what I'm saying. You know, it's so important, and

so men must respond with faith. But yeah, we say that, Oh

God, if you can't do it means you're not capable. We are fools,

We are ignorant, fools to think like that, fools to say like

that. You can't say no, whether God does or not does, it

is his glory. Okay, now, very strong, Okay, Now he

says here the second part. Here, Now, when the people saw what

Paul had done, they raised their voices. Oh, this is the exciting

part. They raise their voices, saying in the Laconian language, the gods

have come down to us in the likeness of men. Oh, my goodness,

and barnabas they call Zeus and Paul Hermes or Hermes or I don't know

what's the it's Hermes, right, no, Herms, Okay, heramis Hermes,

Hermers, Hermes Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the

priests of Zeus, whose temple was in front of the city, brought oxen

and gardens to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. Ah,

what in the world just when just happened? Man, Now it's a bit

of history and a bit of our culture. You have to understand. I

hope that you guys will living me. Greeks and Romans they share very similar

gods. First of all, hey, sharre Miller gods. Okay, So

I'll give you an example. In Greek Zeus. In Rome you have who

knows their history, jupy the Okay. In Greek you have uh Poseidon.

In Rome you have Neptune Ah. In Greek you have what do they call

it, uh let me see, let me people, which one is the

uh Athena? Okay? And in Rome you have Diana Diana, right,

Dina? Okay, So they're is almost exactly the same. There's just a

different name on it. Okay. Now, not only that the city is

that a lot imployed in after in a lot. In Greece and Romes,

they have this thing what they call a patron deity. Patron means hosting,

means hold your patron deity means the god. So what they do is that

they actually will adopt a god to their city. Okay. So for example,

the city of Athens, what is their patron deity? And even against

Athena, and what was Athena known for wisdom? Who hangs around in Athens

philosophers and wise people and so different cities will adopt different deity, and the

different gods will attack attract different groups of people. So the Athenians are mostly

comprised of mathematicians, philosophers, or the group of people. If you go

to the city, say, for example, in I can't remember, I

see Ephesus, Ephesus. Ephesus is the goddess of Diana. Diana is the

goddess of fertility. Okay, and the hunt and the wisdom is and fatility.

Who they're attracting young ladies who want to be like that, okay,

So different demographics. So a lot of the city takes shape after the patron

deity. Now, who was the patron deity of Listra? It's like a

history class for you guys. Ins just watching the recently, I love it

every part. I think that's part where I get it from. I get

excited about this thing. What was the patron deity of thistray by one against?

It is inside the Bible Zeus. It's actually Zeus. Okay, Zeus.

Now whilst this and not just they have a patron deity, there's also

a legend that attaches with the patron derty that there's a legend that attaches to

the city as well. There's a background. Okay. It's like, for

example, how they got a number who start the is Mount Santubon starter.

There is always this legend, isn't it there? Now this city has a

legendy, a patron deity, and there's a legend to it. So now

the legend of this it's very exciting. Okay. So it's started by this

guy called Ovid. Have you this guy Ovid? No oble thing? Okay

Ovid? Okay Ovid. Ovid is a poet, famous poet, and his

magnus opus magnus opus means your your best work, you know opus, you

know opera, you know your greatest achievement, your greatest work. The magnus

offers of Michelangelo or Leernanda da Vinci is your basilica, the statue of David.

You know this sound like Italian? No magnus opus, right, So

he's magnus so there are you know? It's like you release album, but

your best album is your magnus opus. Okay, His magnus opus is this

poem called the Metamorphosis. I'm not that smart, okay, I all this

are from Wikipedia. When okay, I did be research. Why. Okay,

you can go and research if you want to. In this metamorphosis,

there is a story about how Listra came about. It starts with this one

day Zeus and Hermes decided to visit this city. This guy is this man,

And when they went among the people, they received poor and very bad

hospitality. Everybody rejected them except for this one old couple who received them in

the cottage. They only had very poor but only have a bit of wine

and and a goose. And they realized that their goose and sorry, their

wine never ran empty. And then their gusa was never sacrificed, but they

somehow had food on the table. Remind you were a lot of this so

called magnus opus and great poets? Are they? You? When you read

it, you realize when I share with you, are you start to realize,

Hey, this sounds like Elijah and the Poor and the Widow. You

know, hey, this one sounds like Sodom Gomora. You know they are

not so original. Maybe they already discovered plagiarism at that time. Already.

I'm just saying, okay, it's like, you know, the people are

always looking for inspiration. Okay, just say that, Okay, so when

they hosted them, and then Uh and both Hermison Jules were very happy with

them. And then they said that as a reward, we want you to

flee towards the mountain and don't look back because we are going to flood the

city because of their evil and inhospitability. Okay, so but don't look back.

Some versions say this. Some says don't look back. If you look

back, you will turn into a tree. Or some saw them and go

mora, this plagiarismibit will not proven. So the story went back they say

they ran, so said not as a reward, if once it's upside,

we will give We would put a temple and you will be servants for this

beautiful temple. So they went up there and they didn't listen, and then

they looked back, and so they became two trees inside this temple. And

so how this temple in Listra also came about as well. And so when

you hear this, can you em egiin now in this city, they saw

these two guys, Paul and Bannonburs healing and perform and performing a miracle to

heal this man who was born crippled. This legend probably triggered them. Oh

my goodness, it's real, Zeus and herme says, come down in the

likeness of men. So who was the first to respond? Were the main

one to respond? It was the priest of the temple say, if everybody

goes and I'm not going there, I'm gonna get it first, you know.

So it's like, oh my goodness, I'm gonna take all the best

oxer and everything. I'm gonna slay for you, for Zeus Sewers, I'm

gonna do it. You know. This is what they were doing. They

were so captured, they were so imprisoned by this idol worship and all.

And this is what you call it, a legend and all that was built

up and written by a man who liked me to pleasurize from other places,

you know. But the whole city was imprisoned by this lie, by this

deceit. Okay. So that's how the origin of this reaction came about,

okay. And so what they Pole do? What they Pole do, he

says Heah verse fourteen. But when the Pauses Barnabash and Bannabas and Paul heard

this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude crying and saying,

man, why have you done these things? Why? Why are you

doing these things? We are also men with the same nature as you know.

We're not like God's. We are not you. There's not other skin,

and no we are We're not Zeus and Herms in disguise, same nature

as you appreciate to you that you should turn from these useless things to the

Living God, who made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and

all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allow all nations to

work in their own ways. Nevertheless, he did not leave himself without witness

in that he did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons,

filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings they could skin

restrained the multitudes from sacrificing to them. So Paul was saying that no,

no, no, these are written by men. These are not God.

Cannot be served and cannot be made and molded by the hand by the human

hands. God has not. God in micod generous, has allowed this to

happen. But it's not the truth. But He has given us a witness,

and we are here to preach you this gospel, but he's trying to

tell them, also talking about this part about God giving ray giving fruitful seasons,

saying, no, don't worry. You know, God gives ray not

to punish you, nor to bless you men, to give you fruitful seasons

so that you can feed your family. Okay, and all these things.

Okay, but then let's move on. In verse nineteen, it says,

then the Jews from Antio and Iconium came there. You see, initially it

was anti now Iconium moso. See. Yeah, Christianity is growing. The

enemy is also advancing. Also resistance is also growing as well. And having

persuaded the multitudes, they are very powerful. We preach the they are also

very persuasive. For so they stone Paul and dragged him out of the city,

supposing him to be dead. I don't think this is the type of

stony I preach about, you know, like no pushing you off the cliff

and then dropping like the weight on you. But I think they really just

lit to rely stone him. But they supposed that he was there and then

dragging him out. Okay. By in verse twenty, however, when the

disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city and the

next day he departed with Barnabas too. There. Okay, now I want

to mate mentioned as well in Lestra Paul met some family that was very very

important to him. You want to guess who he met. He met a

grandmother, a mother, and a son was very important. The sun is

Timothy Paul's protege. Okay, if you read in Second Timothy chapter one,

verse five, okay, you don't have to turn to it to say he

says. Paul says, I'm reminder of your sincere faith, which first live

in your grandmother Louise, and in your mother you needs, and I'm persuaded.

Now Li've seen you also, so some parts of the Bible resentimentor and

then you can when you're Reatimothy, it travels back into x chapter four.

Thing here this is the part where it comes as well. So it's a

lot of you don't see when you read a book of that. It's kind

of like it's like the it's like the series that that ties you know,

and fusing all the different plot holes in all the other books as well.

It makes a lot of sense for all of us. So Paul was their

song. Even when you preach you know, and you know, and you

and you are met with great resistance. God still works, isn't it.

God works. God even raises a disciple or the protege for him as well.

Okay let me okay, last part get today, won't be too long.

Yeah, I always say that. Okay, last part verse twenty one.

Okay, it's say easier. And when they had preached the gospel to

that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lestra, Iconium and Antio,

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith

and say, we must, through many tribulations, enter the Kingdom of God.

So when they had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting,

they commanded them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they

had passed through Pisidia, they came to Panphylia, and when they had preached

the Word in prograd they went down to Attilia, and from there they sell

to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the

word which we had completed. Now, when they had come and gathered the

church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that

he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there

a long time with the disciples. So you can just open up that slide

on the third slide with the map. So they went to Extra and then

they had to chase the way to Derby. So Derby was probably the last

stop in terms of like the end of the line. So from there they

started going back to all to tracepect their steps to all the churches. They

actually planted all the people that they raised, uff all the way to uh

Lestra Iconium and tear off a prosidia and then Artelia and progress. So okay,

now a few key things I want to highlight. Okay, what's the

things that we noticed when he went back there? He raised disciples and not

church comers. Okay, we can put my slight there. Okay, everywhere

he went he raised disciples. He just put up church. He didn't raise

just generally disciples. Disciples who took the word of the Lord and was willing

to follow, to imitate and to follow. Okay, that's the key.

Whether you plant a church, your plan, homes plan, a cell group,

go anywhere always looking to raise disciples. It's difficult, I know,

when you talk about discipleship. Nowadays, our church is totally viewed from there

already you know, now this is what do we do. See see do

hey? If you like our homes, I hope you come. No.

God says that it's okay, you can do that. But ultimately your goal

you came in. You can aim for a lot of things. But the

one thing you really aim in your life, whether you're at the workplace,

whether you're you know or you're rather you are a mother at home, or

whether you a full time ministry, or whether your student anywhere. What you

always look for and then God has never changed this business model is that you

always look to raise the disciple, to invest in someone, because there is

what changes lives ultimately, people putting a building, a putting some church commers

are or not last one. And no, it is the things that last,

the things that go through all these tribulations. You know why because the

second thing I want to mention to you is that when he on his way

back, what did he do with the churches? He strengthened. He strengthened

the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith and saying

we must row many tribulations er the kindoko. Now, why did he had

to strengthen them because it's the right thing to do. Why did he have

to strengthen them? Think about what had happened everywhere that Paul the Discipler has

gone to He was chased out. Actually the latest news from Instagram was that

he was just stonn to death. The guy that you follow after you like

on Instagram whatever, you follow everything, or you'll not share his things.

It's public enemy Num. One. Do you think they are excited or they

are scared? Scared? Do they have the Bible? They don't have the

Bible? They only know what Maybe you spent two weeks with them, the

only note all they have is to clean on? Is that two weeks with

them? You know, for the rest of their lives or maybe more,

you can mean right, imagine, I give you're someone your life are two

weeks only? And then you've got to walk the rest of your life?

How how are you ready? You go to n city? Are three years

a It's like sometimes two weeks only, you know, six months on you

the rest of the life followed. And then that's why post it is strengthening

them, strengthening them and then continue the faith, telling them we must go

through many tribulations. When you raise your disciples, when you go to anywhere,

the message is that you know you must tell them the truth will set

You're free. What you have believed is believe the truth. Nothing else.

You didn't believe in a nice you know, feeling thing you didn't you didn't

believe in the in the building, you didn't believe just in the community.

You have believed the truth. That's why you cannot go back. You can't

go back. You get mean, right, It's the truth. That's why

you don't go back. People. What is truth? Truth is that which

cannot be replaced, irreplaceable. To be without the truth, you are lost

and nothing man perish without truth. It is that which is irreplaceable. You

cannot go back. Nothing like it, nothing can compare. You will not

trade anything for it. You have heard, and you have believed in the

truth. You cannot go back. And that is why when they see it's

like how I have seen. I believed the truth, but I see also

the suffering. Truth and suffering comes clashing together, isn't it? Truth,

love and suffering. And this is the path that we all as Christians had

coming together people, you all, that's the truth, Truth, suffering,

and love and endurance. God in his glory and God in his predestined and

predestined plan for us, have allowed all this to come together so that we

may be perfected, so that we might come into the full understanding and knowledge

and experience of His perfect divine love, of his providence, of his protection,

and his faithfulness. You know, I'm saying. You know, God

is faithful, and so that's why he strengthened their souls. Many tribulations will

come, but you stay, you're hanging there, you will by this.

If you're hanging there, you will enter the Kingdom of God. Okay,

that's why he went back there, and so application as well for you guys,

for all of us here. Invest in souls. Raise one person you

don't have, doesn't have to have, ten people that doesn't have to be,

or the most richest person that you know, the biggest person you see,

the greatest potential you know, whatever God has given to you, you'd

be faithful. I would say for the all, start with your family,

your children. God has given your wives, your husbands, your cousins.

Invest those are the most important thing. With the truth and love Okay,

the next one. He appointed elders and overseers for the church because they are

ships. They need a pastor. I told you ready that you know when

you are a believer that you don't have the Bible, You don't have po

always with you. You don't have Bannimbus always with you. The church mother

church is at any other one, even further away in Jerusalem. How you

got Romes, you got Greeks, you got mathematics, you got philosophers.

You're people who are smarter, better, graduated, richer than you, more

accomplished, more influential than you. Who are you? Then your identity is

being attacked? You know what I mean? Right? So they appointed?

So he appointed, make sure that he appointed. Always see elders what they

do. He always want to pray and fasting. You know? So what

is Paul doing here? Why is this being uh documented so that you and

I will know what is important? When you start to share the gospel and

you don't realize you are building churches, you don't realize it. You know,

you don't realize it. Wow, Hey, I realize. I go

to the office and the people are following because I'm a manager, Because the

people are following me. Wow, I invested their lives. I also have

to make sure that they are careful one another as well. I have to

make sure they're attached to a proper community as well. I have to make

sure. I have to pray for them and pray for the leaders to care

for them as well. You see them true and true. You know you

know what I mean, right? You know you're good Samaritan and not just

help to put nor heal them. You know you have to carry them to

the inning, not to make sure they're cared of. Okay, it will

be a halfways American, I say, be a good and all the ways

of Americans. Okay. So they're raising elders and overseers. So prayer needed

to prayer. You have to pray for your pastors. You have to pray

for your home leaders. You have to pray for your parents. Okay,

yeah, mean right. You have to pray for those who are above you,

not because they are perfect, far from profect, but you pray.

By the grace of God. God will capture every one of them, and

by their grace God will use them that the preaching of God's truth will be

released, science and wonders will come true, and the sheeps will be cared

for. And get me right, whether your hand is big, small,

strong or weak, long or short, careful? Yeah, mean right.

Every shepherd is different. Okay, So we must pray. We must we

must make sure that we have the proper hierarchy, and we must pray for

them as well. The last one, Hey, what did Paul do after

he finishes mission? Hey, that's my epilogue already. Hey, let's go

on to the second one. What do you do? He returned back to

his sending church. Okay, he returned back to his sending church. He

knows, because you know why. It's very powerful. A man like Paul

knows he is sent. When you are center means that you are not your

own. You are not king. You know, you are merely a messenger.

You're not Zeus her miss you know, he's us, that hermit.

The relationship is that Zus doesn't speak hermis only speak because he is the messenger.

We all in our relationship, you know, we've God. We know

that we are just merely the messenger. We don't promote ourselves yet know.

And so Paul knows that he is sent, and he recognizes that the church

has authority over him as well, even though he founded the church. So

powerful, isn't it this way? That's why I want. I want to

go through a book of eccent, not because I want to tell stories,

you know, not to prick your ear and tell your more legends. And

we can feel a bit more in the Indiana Jones. You know, when

you go through the book of Facts, you go through you you actually analyzer.

There is so much that God is working to pave the way for believers

and for the church. You get in right so much. It's like it's

it's like it's like a river full of DNA, full of micro micro bism.

There's an ecosystem that God is to this man's mission and God paves so

much. You know, because along the way Paul Discovery, I need to

do this. I need along the way God. They didn't give him a

business model. This is how I do God, just this is when you

are here, I will show you something. Okay, you're right there ready,

this is how going to put in your heart when you're right there.

There's an urgency. The business model was written along his mission path and when

you look at it, it's like wow, everything that's in ext Church.

What we're doing is in accordance with what the Bible is saying. You know

what I mean right now, this is very important so that you we don't

judge whatever right and wrong based on our own feelings and based on contemporary trend

couse, feelings are very powerful. Trends are very powerful. Can change it,

even it can change the entire industry, you know. But God's method

never changes. It cannot be disrupted people. It's not like some technology you

can disrupt mobile phone. Come. God's kingdom is eternal. Kingdom is the

term always discipleship, always love, always submission, always order and not chaos.

And the same what I'm saying here. See Paul submitted and he reported

that. And what happens when he submitted and reported that, people rejoice,

people rejoice. People were just like wow, I realized that it's actually you

were obedient. We will the church was just obedient to Saandpauer. Who what's

obedient? To make sure that these get to the gentiles and not just the

juice. Obedience brings testimony. Amen, say repay after me. Obedience brings

testimonies. Do you believe that? Not? Why? I say no,

it's the Bible you see when you reach it. But does it bring obedience?

This obedience brings testimony. It is this is the way. We hope

you've been blessed by this message. For more information on our church, please

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We're believing that this week is going to be a good week ahead for you. God bless