Paul in Athens | Pr Matthew Chang

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

will light up your day. I'm gonna go straight by asking a warmer question.

Okay, what is your retirement plan? Oh? Wow? Like some

of you are like, okay, what a question? Right? Why is

your retirement plan? Some of you like, take out, let me take

out my document, let me take out my bucket. Least you know,

I want to go to this place, I want to this much money,

I want to go travel, how many times? Eat? What kind of

food? What's a retirement plan? I think that's a very important question,

isn't it? What is a life really all about? And I actually asked

that question. I had to ask that question a bit younger in my age

as well, because my dad was actually retiring and I was like wondering,

as such a small town of seabou, right, what to do I retire?

You know? Some of you are laughing, like, you know,

imagine E followed me, you know every day. Then let's say, is

it what are you gonna do? Man? What's what's the plan for?

What? Call me? Is our hometown? Nodle dish? What are you

gonna do? Then after that, my dad started to tell me, oh,

I want to go this place, go to that place, you know,

go to my childhood place, or you know, visit China and do

things. And I said, who is going to go with you? I'll

be away and I said, oh, maybe I'll bring my mom, bring

your mom along and stuff like that. But time times, right, things

happen as well. Now my mom contracted Parkinson's disease pie these is very early

on. And when things like that happened, plans completely change, you know.

But then again, you know, I mean going back to the top

of your retirement, right, I really got to think what is really retirement

about? And it's all about just me and you know, yeah, it's

nice to try. Yes, it's nice to do certain things, your hobbies

and stuff like that. But then eventually everybody will come to an end one

and all. So, and I don't want my children to worry. Is

oh I have to come back, you know entertain So for me, from

a very young age, right, for me, at least, I had

this idea that I always believe in adventure. Okay, this is where I

insert the Lord of Rings. Okay, how many of you love lorderings?

I love lorder ings and I really really adore Lord of Rings. Okay.

You know there's this ending scener where you know billboard backings okay, the original

ring bearrel right, Okay, apologize, apologize to those who don't really watch.

Maybe it's an incentive for you to watch. I know it's long,

I know it's tiring, but there is ending seeing there where because he doesn't

have the ring anymore, and he's he's aging, okay, his age is

a ring called and now he's watch another younger person carry the ring and then

finally did what he couldn't do. Okay, and he's all he's barely walking

right now. And then they and then all his friends. He's he's so

blessed because he's surrounded by friends. And then what and then they ask what

do you want to do? And I don't remember this, saying rick Ac

clearly, and he's saying, no, I think I'm ready for another adventure,

isn't it? My question is are you ready for another adventure? Their

life is all about adventure one, isn't it? Okay? My British actually

not there? Okay, Sorry, I apologize to the late J R.

Tolkins, but but life is all about adventure one you know, it's really,

isn't it. It's like, you know, you know what it's adventure?

Is it new places? No? You know if you watch Lord of

the Rings, yes there are elements of new places, right, but it

is not incidents that the first book is about one the fellowship and what stays

intact out the whole movie at the end his what the fellowship. It's about

people. It's taking chances with people. Yes, sometimes people break your heart,

sometimes people disappoint you, but it's the fellowship is the adventure. And

then, my wan, my most touching scene. You know, the Lord

of the Rings are not gigging out a bit, but this is the only

this is the analogy that I can categorize for today. Okay, so there's

one partner. I remember Sam gmg Okay, he and Frodo had a fight

because Frodo doesn't trust him and sometimes you know, you carry the ring.

It's like then there's and then when they were coming climbing up the mountain and

they were like tired, and then both Frouda and Sam was tired, and

then they couldn't finish climbing it anymore, and then you know, then they

want to give up it was overwhelming. And then what the sam might say,

Yeah, I can not carry the ring for you, but I can

carry you. Ah. There was a very powerful scenes in it. I

love that scene, you know, if you've never seen it, seen it

for the first time when they built it up. It was such a powerful

because there's such a distrust, you know. But he couldn't carry the ring,

he knows, you know. But then out of you know, they

were working barefoot, that he must like no hot stones, and he said,

I can't carry the ring for you, but I can carry you.

And it summarizes a lot about what life is, you know, and the

truth is this it all that in life, right you cannot empathize fully or

be in the position how they are. And also for the other person,

isn't there you cannot understand what they go through. Sometimes people go through difficult

times, loss, grief or you know whatever. They you cannot carry the

ring for them. And a lot of times we give up and they said,

ah, that's it. But that story, that scene taught us one

thing, you know, that the adventure doesn't stop there. And then Semone

did something that nobody expected, was that he carried the whole hole of product

on his bed and he climbed up that thing, and it actually means what

it is, you know. Sometimes that's what it means, is to help

to carry your brother or a shepherd that carrying the ship on their shoulder and

climbing up. Yes, live people in times and life is like that.

You know, you can't really live their life for them, you can't and

fully empathize. But it doesn't mean there are a loss you all. But

the true friendship, the fellowship that stays intact stronger than the Ringer is the

friendship. You know, they carried him on the shoulder and camera or I

tell you, I'm selling this movie like crazy already. Thank goodness, there's

a new Lord of the ring movies coming up. Oh but there is the

topic of my story, you know, actually, because if you read X

eighteen, which I'm going to share very quickly, right, if you really

just like that, you will see it's just hey, Paul meeting some people,

Paul preaching in some cities. Right. But if there's a theme that

if you see at this pivot junction here, it's about Paul being discouraged,

okay, doing the things that God has given to him. He's being discouraged,

facing a lot of adversities, rejection. But yet at the same time

God says, continue and yet along the way when you pull your life to

certain things right, we don't have a home, you don't have certainty of

financial stability and rating. What does God bring along people and the people that

stick with you, people that are abound by the same passion, and people

who continue to encourage, people who continue, people who come from the north,

literally from the north, and people who literally come from the South,

which I will share on as well, to come together to post life to

really and reach him as well. Okay, so before I continue, already

take up ten minutes. Ready they are just start with the world pray.

Okay, Father, we thank you for this time we can gather here.

Lord, I ask for a today that Lord, you'll fill our hearts with

courage, with openness, with a sense of desire to adventure our God,

and the willingness to open our eyes to see and to really allow you to

be the author and the finisher of our faith. Lord. Every chapter,

Lord, we want to prepare and then clear as many lines as possible,

because we want you to write. We're just a book, but we want

you to write. We want you to have the space the place to write

it. Lord, and so, Lord, be the author of our lives.

Come and feel us. Come and come and influence us far and inspire

us in all your ways. We can mait this time onto your hands in

Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Eighteen Paul at the in his second

missionary trip, but also towards the end of his second missionary trip. Ready,

and I'm gonna read from verse one here, okay, and some parts

I will skip, okay, just so to save time. X Chapter eighteen,

Verse one, it says, out of these things, Paul departed from

Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila born

in Ponters, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla. Because

Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome, and he came to

them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with

them and worked for by occupation. There were tent makers. Okay, let's

pause there for a while. Okay, Now, there's a few things to

note there. So about Paul had come from Athens, which I preach about

previously. The city there had many gods. But all the gods couldn't help

them. Remember, all the gods couldn't help them, but they had one

particular altar to the unknown God who actually delivered them from their worst plague and

epidemic. But yet they're forgotten about God. A city they had forgotten its

roots. The city had forgot that they should reach further and seek the Holy

One. But they stopped there and went back to their idolatry ways. Okay,

and now they come to another challenging city, the city of How many

of you know? Why is corinth famous for? How many architecture students are

here? Hey? Go one here? I know you know the Corinthians,

Corinthian, the city of Corinthians, the city of Corinthine is famous for architecture.

You know that? Okay? Correct? Not correct? He spoke with

fear and trembling. Okay. What were they known for? Cornicers and archers

and stuff like that. So a lot of the pillars and stuff like that.

And the corinth was very known for as well. Okay. So they

were known for architecture. They were known for bronze working. A lot of

famous bronzes came from corinth. They were famous for mirror making. Remember a

mirror didn't came from glass in all that time, you know, mirror came

a lot from bronze as well at that time. Okay, so it's faded,

but it clear. Can see a kind of like a orange goldish type

of hue as a mirror as well. Okay, what else the what they're

famous for? They were famous for what they call it the canal Okay,

they were famous for uh uh, not an Olympic, a kind of Olympic.

Okay, it's called the ish Myth Games. Okay. And it's very

likely that Paul had attended the games. They do all sorts of games,

and they had actually the victor's crown, you know, and the crown is

actually made of wiltered salary. Do you know that wiltered salary is like,

wow, you use vegetable to make you know, maybe Malaysia will use gankong,

you know, to make our crown. You're laughing with some people use

you know, in ethens, they use I think garlands of olives and stuff

like the crown. That is why when Paul said and not our crown is

not made of a perishable crown. That was why he was referring to as

well. He's not talking about goal. He's talking about people use vegetable.

You know, the crown you're gonna have or not don't made from vegetables.

You know, we're gonna receive an imperishable crown from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh, now you understand that there's a bit of context here. So Paul

is applying a lot of things that he actually visits in his seas, and

he's addressing to the people who actually knows what he's actually speaking about talking about.

And you're talking about running and all the all the race of favor with

furtherness, you know, everything he saw he tried to communicate to them in

that case. Well, okay, so there is the games. What else

is famous in Corinth, of all things that were most famous for, is

what drunkenness and adultery? Okay, of all things they were famous for his

drunkenness and adultery because there were a place where they have a quite strong canal,

full canal. Okay, because they have sort of like an edge there.

I'm not sure whether you have the slightest that I have. Did you

get my science? Okay? Cool? All right? So whereas corinth.

Yes, if you see the chorinth there okay. You see that there's a

kaya okay, and you see between that Archipela peninsulaandre is a small connecting line

there like a joining there with Athens there okay. Between that line there there

is solved like ano pass okay. And this narrow pass is what allows them

to go for the up as well, because they don't want to go from

the west side because the west side you're open to open waters, so the

sea is very treacherous. So they're rather go in between there, makes sense

or not. They will not go there. You know why because during the

winter time Paul actually was going through deadline there was where he almost got you

know, sunk in later in the third missionary part okay, So they rather

go inland. So that place is very popular and Collings is known as a

place with where many sailors actually go to no sailors. They get their wages

when they finish finish the trip, okay, maybe sometimes half before they go

up the ship, and then theother half when you come down from their ship.

When you get money. Really, oh, your gudji, your money

already entered your mainbank account ready, and what you do during the end of

the end of the month. You go, you go on shopping and buy

things the grand out. You're like crying ready like I've seen I foregoing for

Oh Lord, you spend your first gudjie on all the things's going, this

is going and grab that, you know. That's what they did in Corinth.

So they got they got their money already, came down from the ship.

What did they do they spend in Corinth? Okay, and they spend

your two known things okay, adultery and drunkenness. In Corinth. One of

the one of the wonder the main pagan gods they worship. Okay, it's

the temple of Aphrodity. Okay, no mean, no mean. I will

go a bit longer to explain because of time I doing time to explain.

You can have a look at the the picture, not this one, the

next one I need to Okay, you didn't get my updated one. It's

okay, cool, No worries Noorius. That one, the early one,

is the wrong one. That's why I had to I had to go and

change it. So the temple of Aphrodite is sited poch out in Corinth.

Okay, so that every morning when you wake up, you can see the

temple of everydity. Okay. The temple of everydity is a sensual god.

Okay, it's the god of eros. Okay. There are many types of

love, but this is the eros love, the fleshly love, the erotic

love. Okay. And so what they did was not that just they had

the temple. They had officially okay, one thousand prostitutes. Temple prostitutes,

Okay, that start work at night, so there were light at night,

the temper every day will light up to beautiful with marbles and stones, and

then at a certain time, all the all the all the other prostitutes will

start coming down from descending from the hills, coming down and fill up the

main streets. One thousand prostitutes who will serve. And then it's actually considered

by them a legal kind of arrangement because in a way, they actually,

if they want to pray to everydity, they have to engage in these typ

of activities with their with their what they call it servants and worshippers in the

temple as well. So you can imagine when the sailors when they go there,

it's like, oh, and then underneath the heels. There they're surrounded

by thirty forty wine shops. You know, wow, what a coincidence.

It's a modern day Las Vegas. Okay, I said that it's not gambling,

but it's full on the bouchery, full on. Okay. And so

when you go into read the Book of Corinthians, right, you read the

first and second, they deal with a lot of immoralities, not just the

muanti, because they cannot accept that it's wrong when their mind is not wrong,

you get, I mean, right, So they when a lot of

when some of the believers in Corinthians believe right, they also were partly still

influenced with the old ways, with the Corinthian ways, and so they try

to merge their former belief okay, with the new Christian belief. Okay,

it's called it quite syncretism. Yeah, I don't, I don't, okay

if you Synchronous comes from the word synchronizing, okay. Synchronism okay, Synchronism

means what synchronizing the world and godly believes. God has given us grace,

God has loved us. There's no more penalty for sin. Yet if we

do the worldly things, we don't get any problem. As well, synchronism,

and do you see synchronism happening in this world right now? So that's

why when you read the Bible, the problems are not too foreign to us.

One I know atally is quite common one now, although we don't have

the temple of epidity. But what we have is called the Internet, you

know, which is in our hands every day, ready, isn't it in

our hands every day? Inviting us all sorts of things. But in these

days the Corinth, if you're called a Corinthian, it's like the worst thing

you can they can be called. You're called a drunkard and a yella,

you know, a debuture. Okay, So Paul Start came from Athens,

a difficult city. Now he's coming into Corinth and at this stage of his

life he's getting a bit hired. He's getting a bit hired. And when

you do the work of God so that all men know which is our thing,

you get discouraged. Sometimes you start homes hey, nobody, come on,

you prepare, you cook, ready, you compare early, you cook

the food, you clean the house. And then people you know don't want

to fight to come even just you're like, I can't say anything. Also,

don't show up. Also, you make an employment to meet people,

but people don't want to. People, you know, leave you behind as

well. You get me right, You do a lot of things. Sometimes

you can't prepare early for the worship. You know, people come late for

the service or so. Oh, a lot of things that can come to

do one and all, you pay for the meals and people just expect you

to pay and don't contribute as well. A lot of things can come the

way. One, you expect people to pray for you, but you don't

realize that. Sometimes people judge you as well. There's a lot of things

that can come in the household of God one yet mean right, and you

don't go outside. You've got so many more things you can go. Oh,

this can be very very discouraging. Paul was none other the strangers I

mean right. He experienced very similar things. And not only that, he

was prosecuted by his own very people whom should welcome him and where they call

it when they called itself together with him as well. But he continued there

and he says there that he met this power couple. Power couple. Okay,

not churches are, but I've seen churches are young churches are when they

can change by just the arrival of one family one another. Did you know

that an entire church can be changed by the arrival of one family, sometimes

one couple. I'm not saying the individual does know. There is power.

There is a power that comes from an individual, and there is a power

in nottaing couns with a family as well. Okay, when a family comes

together, it's different because you know why, people see, that's a functioning

family. There is a template you all. Suddenly you bring an example and

it's like a company that has never succeeded anything, suddenly they bring a unit

that is successful. People like, oh okay, it tells them, man,

there is a benchmark or there is there is something they can look forward

to. One So a family brings a lot of things to the children,

to the young adult, to the campus, to the whole entire church as

well, so that they can look forward to there is that there there is

a power in there, what marriage should look like, what marriage should be

until they until they're very end as well. So we have pole meeting this

power couple called Priscilla and Aquilla. Now how did they get to together?

Okay, I know, I'm taking a long time. I don't know where

they can finish or now, but everybody's still doing Okay, Kenna, it's

not all the rings are about. Okay. They met this power couple called

uh uh Aquila and Priscilla. Okay, taking poor Aquilla and Priscilla. Okay.

So where did they came from? They came from Italy from Rome.

Okay. They didn't call Italy at the time. They called it Rome at

that time. Okay. They came from Rome. And instead of coming from

Rome, there were actually expelled from Rome. And the reason they were expelled

it was mentioned there in I think verse two, okay, because Claudius,

the emperor that time, had cast out all the Jews. And another historian

I can't remember the name, also verified the same thing, saying that there

was a time when all the Jews were cast away from Rome and the imparts

of Rome to come down from the north to the south because there was a

lot of within the Jewish community, there was a lot of disputes, okay,

and these disputes they had started dragging people from the streets. Greeks and

Romans became involved entangled in their own dispute as well, and you see that

a lot of times in the Book of Acts. You know, the people

the Jews are dragging people, dragging leaders, municipals, you know, people

from the market, good and black people dragging them into their confrontation and the

dispute and causing a lot of problem for the city. And the root of

the problem recorded by the historian was regard was centered around this guy called Christus.

Okay, but Christ burst is actually Latin, and they didn't know they're

actually crests to the Jewish people actually refers to Christ. So they were fighting

about Christ, who Christ was, and the people and you'll be asking,

how did the people in Rome got to know about Jesus Christ? How did

you got to know? Got to know so much? They started fighting there

up in the north that Paul, did they even know about that? None

of the persons knew about How did they go there? How did the how

did the news of Jesus Christ went up there? Pany cost pentecosts? Okay,

So the day of Pentecost, people from all around the words, Hey,

you're speaking Greek, you're speaking Rome, you're speaking God, you know

all the languages. When they spoke, well, after the Pentacles they all

went up and they shared the gospel. But yet at the same time when

they were sharing, there were resistance. Out of all these things, that

was a short story, and then they saw we have the first adventure people

that came down was a Quilla and Priscilla coming down to join Paul. Paul

meets them in a time when he was discouraged. Okay, Now, Paul

and Aquila Priscilla, there were tent makers, and Paul was also a tent

maker. Okay, it's actually required, you know, you know, Paul

is a student. Okay, he studied under the Jewish law. He's a

student of the law. He's an academian or a preacher. Okay, But

it is required that for all the rabbi's fathers right to teach their son not

only the law, but they are required to teach their signs and to pass

on to them a trade. So if you're a teacher of the law,

you must learn one thing that you can do by your hand. Ah,

that's a requirement. You can teach the law, you must be able to

earn a living. So Paul can teach, but he can make tents.

So I ask you, guys, if you can know the word of God,

what can you make as well. It's very important. So it's required

from all the rabbinical teachers. You know, you must learn to do.

In cases when you cannot do, you must be able to earn a living

as well. So it was quite a very good, powerful, what they

call it format for them to follow as well. Okay, I'm not saying

that you go immediately after this. Are you all go and go job street?

You not go and do another thing, you all, but it's important.

The idea of knowing a trade or skill of your hand was very powerful.

And Paul when he went to Corey, it's like people are rejecting me.

And so okay, I go to the street. I start selling,

you know, making tents tents from gold hairs, gold hairs, and then

they clean the bleach, they weed, they die, and they make tents

together. And so when the tent maker, normally they sit in the same

role on the streets, okay, in the main streets, Okay, they

will sit side by side. And when when I was in Pompeii, when

they were telling showing the streets right how they were selling the shops are are

probably decided for two chairs, okay, the two chests. That's your shop.

Two chairs, three chairs, three chairs is very blessed ready, two

chairs, and there were like dozens of them, okay, dead by the

daytime at that, and they will sell. Okay. There is one way

you can meet other time makers. There's a possibility to make that. The

second way they could have man was there in the synagogue, okay, in

the Jewish temple. There are a few waysteas you can be seated. Okay.

One way is that the front seat. You are actually invited to speak.

You cannot go there. I want to sit at the front. It

doesn't work that way. If you do that, you'll be chased away.

Okay. You have to be invited to be seated. If you're not invited

to be speak seated, you are you are asked to sit according to your

occupations. Carpenters, fishermen, not tank makers. They normally gather together,

they see. So that's another way that they would actually have been sitted together

as well. Okay, Now that was very fast, a lot of things.

Okay. So Paul actually met them, and he says there in verse

four, and he reasoned within the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded both Jews and

Grapes verse five, and when silence Antimothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was

compelled by the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

Okay, Paul was compeller, and I was like, Ah, I'm discouraged,

but the Lord is speaking to me again. Okay, I'm gonna encourage

them. Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna share the gospel. But in verse

six he says, but when they opposed him and blesspheme, he shook his

garments and said to them, your blood be upon your heads. I am

clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles. Not his

best moments, okay, not his best moments, Okay, but I can't

imagine that even someone like Kim can feel so discouraged, upset, frustrated,

and that's the words in it. Frustrated. You know, so now your

blood be on your head. It's like, you know, you drive to

try to drive far this fella are You're trying to give him chumps out And

they're like, didn't try to the blood be on your head. Don't do

that. Okay. You're like, I'm upset orady. You know, I'm

trying to help you but you know, then he's go upset. Then what

did the Lord do? He says, here okay? Uh the verse seven.

And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named

Justice, okay, justas or Justice, one who worshiped God, whose house

was next door to the synagogue. He gets upset, and he goes to

the next door. Quite interesting today, I'm upset. I'm gonna pretyure gentles.

And then he goes to the next door. Okay, he goes to

the next door okay, and uh, who and then who? She got

a Then christas the ruler of the syner good. Believe on the Lord with

all his household see with all despite sometimes you see this experience all your frustrations.

Right, God still brings in people. You know, you feel that

you do so much and you don't get any labor at all. That God

still helps the produce, you know, isn't it? God still helps the

producer is God's worker. It's not dependent on your satisfaction, isn't it?

A lot of us are we feel we tie success with satisfaction. Success is

with faith. You can't see it. Also, you can't feel it,

you can't sense it. You still do the work, okay, And he

says that and many Corinthians hearing believe and were baptized. This is despite posts

worse days okay. And in verse nine it says, now the Lord spoke

to Paul in the night by a vision. Do not be afraid, but

speak, and do not keep silent, for I'm with you, and no

one will attack you to hurt you. For I have many people in this

city. Oh God knows say his discourages well, despite all the things that

has happened, trust me, are people Sometimes you get discourage, like even

when there are fruits around you. An you know that you can get discourage

even when you you see when there are successes around you. You know,

people believe it, People be encourage you, and you can still beg slid

one. No, no, you wan say what I'm saying here. You

know how many of you know what I'm talking about. You can back slid

one because you don't understand it. Things can be probably right. Your church

may be growing your homes and be green, but you still I don't want

to give it up. Funnier But this is exactly what happens, and the

Lord intervenes to what to minister to him saying that what go and go ahead

and speak, do not keep silence for I am with you. So that

oh man, no, isn't it so? Paul? It's like a it's

like an EV card. Know how many would like to buy EV cars?

You know? Then he finally meet you know, like, oh my patrol

is low ready, everything every signal, possible signal is flashing red day.

Then he comes to a charger the Lord ministers do then what happens to him?

And he continued there for a year and six months? Or one single

church can last for one and a half years. You know how many of

you like that? Tiw recharge? How many? If you want to recharge

you there? Yeah, I recharge you today and then the Lord recharges you.

You can last for one and a half years. You know, one

day you want to leave? Ready? You know? This one single charge

you charge your phoner or this one can last for one and a half years.

You know, amazing is it just the word of the Lord. I've

been hurt before, I mean I know, I know, I know I've

been tested being frustrated. Oh I know, tell me all these things.

But the Lord gives his work just like that and pull one and a half.

You stay on most of this is actually his second most longest place.

I think it's the longest or the second longest place is stayed on. You

know when he sees so many non's happening now and he wants to give up,

but he stayed the longest. Is it because of him? No,

it's because of the grace of God. Amen. Amen, you want some

of your tire, but you need a refreshing of the lor recharging of the

Lord, just like Paul did. So when I share all these things,

then you realize that Paul is no different than you and I are. Not.

There's really no different than you and I are. Know, you're not

a worse person because you experience frustration or setbacks or discouragement, and you're no

different. But Lord is faithful. Okay, now I'm gonna escape verse twelve.

You can read on and stuff like that. But basically they try to

persecure Paul, but then they didn't succeed it, and then you know,

but because of time, I'm going to skip a bit. Um let me

see, Okay, I'm gonna read verse eighteen a bit. Okay, paologize

if I'm jumping around a bit Okay, you say he's here. So after

the one and a half youre in Chlorin Paul. This Paul returns to Antioch.

He says here in verse eighteen. Paul remained a good while. Then

he took leave of the brethren and sell for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila

will with him. He had his hair cut off at Cancrea, for he

had taken a vow. Okay, some of you will like be asking like

why did he do that? Okay, So there is what we call a

nazar righte vow you can read. I think it's a numbers thirteen. Okay,

So it's a voluntary vow vow that you can some people still take it

in some parts of the world. Okay. It's basically you abstain yourself from

wine, from anything made of years, you know, and you don't.

You cut and you shave up your hair and you keep it, and then

you separate yourself of the Lord. I think. But normally there's a specific

time, specific beginning and a specific time, and normally people do that as

they're going to enter into the password period. A lot of the Jews,

from the used devout Jews do that as well. So when they are at

towards the end, they actually entered into Jerusalem, okay, to submit their

vow before the temple as well. Okay, so Paul will actually do it

once here and later on in his third missionary treat when he goes back to

Jerusalem when he will be finally arrested. Okay. He is also bringing some

people to fulfill the nazar right vow as well. But they thought that he

was actually trying to pollute or desecrate the temple. Okay, So just for

you if you want, if you really want to know what's happening here,

So he cut off his hair. So what is telling the reader and telling

all of us, telling all the churches, is that he has his sight

to go back to Jerusalem or to say sarria okay, within a certain time.

So that is what it actually means. He's going back, okay,

that is why. And he says in verse nineteen, and he came to

Ephesus, left them there, and he himself entered the synagogue and reason with

the Jews verse twenty. When they asked him to stay a bit longer,

he did not consent, but to leave of them, saying what did he

say? I must by all means, keep this coming fast in Jerusalem.

Why because he took the and that's the right vow. He bonded himself.

Ready he must go. That's why he kept kep me something. Thank you

for the time, but I will return to you again. And God willing

himself from Ephasus. And then he landed at Ciceria and gone up and greeted

the church. He went down to Editio, and there he spent some time

that he departed and went over the region of Galicia and the region can you

show up the map so that I can sort of tell you what actually really

happened. So he wasn't Quoring, which is on the west side there.

So he went back to Asia the Ephesus there when back now to going back

to Sicyria. Okay, Cysyria, there's where the port is went down to

Jerusalem. Carefulfill his volady. Then what did he do? He always submitted

to his home church. Always always goes back to Antio, remember or not

Antio? I don't told you. Every time he finished, he finishes mission

trait, he will always go back to Antio. He will submit, he

will report, and he will testify. Because there's covering and there's also accountability.

God requires accountability for him. The church needed accountability from him as well.

He's no greater than anyone else. Okay, it's very, very very

important. Okay. Any one of you doing your work, whether it's act

church or outside any other church. You go to your planners, sell group,

you want to go for missions. Remember you must come back and report.

And I'm telling you are not as best practicer. I'm telling you as

a bigger practicer. Okay. This is not governance. Are not some I

don't know Sabana's or Oakley governance. You know this is biblical practice. Okay,

So the same thing we do in XT church as well, we have

conferences, we have mission conference, isn't it? Why do we do that

because we've got a lot of money, because we've got a lot of time?

Is it? No, it's the biblical thing to do. People.

Now you understand the context why we do these things. Now you understand the

context why we have this mission conference, why we ask every partner to join.

The thing is an extra stinger, it's an X thing. It's a

Bible thing. Understand Why not understand what I'm saying? Poor himself goes back

and the church is expected to be there to hear his testimony. You want

to know, you don't see what I'm saying here. It's a biblical thing

to do. Okay, So here goes there. Then we come to the

last part. I go one more character. I need to introduce now a

certain Jew in Versony four name Apollas born at Alexandria. Underlying that okay,

and I laqual men and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This

man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in

spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord. Though he

knew only the baptism of John. There's a lot of things there. So

he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquilla and Priscilla heard him,

they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

And when he decided to cross the Akaia, the brethren wrote exhorting the

disciples to receive him. And when he arrived, he greatly helped those who

have believed true grace, for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from

the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. So up to this point, Paul

has been the main center, main character doing all these who are preaching and

people believing, people rejecting him. Then in this chapter there this you see,

You see a change, you see a shifting. It's not just about

Paul. Towards the end of the Second Missionary Trip, God is what's bringing

people in key characters. Starts with Priscilla, Aquilla, Aquila and Priscilla from

the north from Rome. And now we have this guy called appall Us.

Okay, who's going to come in as well? Okay, I thought talk

to you about retirement, isn't it retirement? I is really about serving the

law. And my brother before I started my work when I came out from

UNI, told me one thing that I really remember saying. In life,

there's only one full time job in Okay, in life, there's only one

full time job. Everything else is part time. Okay. I hope you

write it down, young, working down ministry. This is the only one

thing you had to learn in life. There's only one full time job.

And your first and main employer was God could put Adam in the garden.

You know, that's the first employer. First contract in our first employment recruitment

you've ever gotten in your life in human history was with God. And know

we work with every big company, but we forgot the biggest company that we

work with God, the CEO. He had. We have a contract with

him, you know, and the duration is for life. You know,

before even start the world, he already gave you all the benefits you know,

your house, your family and everything. Yet we still don't want to

serve. You know. It's like I pay your salary radio, but you

still don't want to show up for work. You know, true or not?

True or not? It's true or not. If you see a clique

like that, you will frown upon him or who isn't it? Go recruiter

into the company. First man, don't show up for work one and all?

How can I like that? One? But doing another job? Well,

that sounds very harsh. Why it's true, isn't it. The first

employer recorder in the Bible was God. God put men in the garden to

work and till it isn't it? And God said, dude, everything is

blessed. Actually before that he named all the animals. You know, So

okay, what am I going around? Okay? So we talk about retirement,

right, So it's really about you know, serving God. And when

you serve God, it's an adventure one to know, really adventure, really

adventure of meeting people. Yes, you do go to mission field. You

know, you meet people. You open up your homes, your house.

Sometimes opening your house are it's the scariest thing, you know. If you

ask me my old self, I will open up my houser. I probably

wouldn't you know. I probably buy a small house, you know, not

in nobody's place, nobody, you know, I'll be okay. But when

my wife came into my life and she said, I want a big living

room, I want a big dining table. That's why you come to my

house. There's a big dining table one and not I imagine my mother,

my auntie, my friend or church coming together. I'm like, no,

no, no, no, I don't imagine that. I don't see it.

She's like, let's party in the house like my house. Nobody came

to my house. When I tell you Chinese a year. We go outside

and I went, okay, she came into my last I turned me around.

I said, okay, okay. That's that's the way I start to

understand like you know, hey you no, God, you know helps to

change my perspective, you know, through different means as well. But really,

opening your house is not so much about your house, you know,

it's opening your life to people. You know, relate to people, and

people are tauchy and it's some touchy. It's sometimes difficult, people come and

go. Sometimes it's hard to find good friends. Sometimes it's hard to feel

people who truly appreciate you as well. But once in a while that comes

along a semi SCMG who will come and really really bless you. And God

brings people like that. I hope that when you're like your seventies, your

eighties, hopefully we lived our nineties. Hopefully I don't have to wait too

long. You meet great friends, new friends, again and again and again.

Isn't it imagine your eightyear old you still open up for your house.

You welcome young adults, You welcome new you know, new people, to

talk to them, to get to know their new couples, you know what

I mean, get to sew into them whatever much you may probably mean them

once or twice in their life. It's okay, you still do it.

But that is the adventure that God brings in our lives. So don't shut

yourself up, you know, and think that retirement is just me on my

ninety days, you know, around the world trip, you know. But

no, no, no, it's about opening up your life and God brings

along Apollos. Now Apollos. As I come to a close here, I

keep saying that. Okay, I hope I really close. Yeah, they

had the had my newest side. Oh yeah, okay, no, sorry,

Alexander Apollos came from the South, and he came from the place they

rode there, from Alexandria. Okay. Now that's a very important fact.

You need to know, very important details. A lot of times we just

all he meant not a guy. But he says that he came from Alexandria.

And he says said that he's very familiar and known in the way of

the Lord, and you know, and he's very fervent in spirit. Alexandria

is a very famous town set up by Alexander the Great none other. Okay,

and if some of you don't know about the city of alexand No,

guys, revisit your history. Okay. Now, I also didn't know until

I studied this was Okay, Alexandria is known for a few things. First

of all, it's known to have one of the greatest and biggest ancient library

in double Okay, I used to play this computer game and here and there

I still play a bit because Civilization six. How many if you know what

the game is, the Civilization one, two, three, four or five.

Sometimes I will play and it's all about history, you know, geography,

you know things like that. And Alexandria has what we called the Great

Library, one of the great wonders in our great library there. It also

have the famous Lighthouse of Alexander as well. But more importantly, it is

where before Jesus came in right, a bunch of a group of Greek scholars

run came to Alexandria decided to translate the Hebrew Scripture into ancient Greek. And

it's called the Septuigian. Have you before the Septuision the septu Jian started in

Alexandria. Septujian means seventy seventy or forty okay, okay, roget I don't

have my notes here. See means seventy seventy scholars who converted ancient Hebrew Hebrew

scriptures into classic classical Greek. Okay, so that the Roman and the and

the Greek and the modern and the modern ancient world can start to understand the

Hebrew scriptures as well. Okay. So a lot of the days, a

lot of scholars studied the Septuvisian Scripture, uh, you know, from their

source as well. So they're very powerful, very very knowledgeable. And Apollos

came from Alexandria. So it tells us or give us a strong hit.

He's someone who is very very highly intellectual. If you compare right now,

it can compare like you know, if if if there was apology here,

it will be somewhat equivalent. Who came from Oxford University? Okay, someone

came from Oxford unis highly intelligent, greatest resource ever. So all Us was

here and great, you know, he believed, he believed in the in

the in the Old Testament. He was preaching in further Okay, but yeah,

what happened Priscilla and Aquilla heard him, okay, and they realized that

he was only familiar with the Old Testament. Hey, because there was the

extent of the library, the library only had so much, only had the

New Old Testament. But Jesus came along. Jesus was not just talking about

the old Jesus. The Old Testament was prophesying about Jesus. So a post

didn't saw it, didn't experience it, but he heard about it. Then

Priscilla Aquilla heard it, and they took him aside and shared with him the

fulfillment of what he learned. It's like you've been learning for the past twenty

years of your life. You thought you knew everything about this topic. Someone

that brings you aside and tell you you've done only part one. Let me

tell you part two right now. It's a very humbling experience. You know,

if you spend so many of your lers a and now you're preaching a

bit someone to you, it's not completely it's very humbling. Why now being

taught by who? Tent makers? You all? You came from graduate from

Oxford unicity and you are being tutored by a tent maker and all? But

was he willing to accept it? He was amazing, isn't it so?

These things like that you don't realize, you don't miss it on He was

so humble. God was bringing us really smart deal they all, really highly

intellectual deal from the Saphah from the greatest library all the way up, and

God was willing to prepare him, to educate him in the right way through

the most unlikely sources, Aquila and Priscilla. And he believed, he believed,

and it was amazing, isn't it? And then he says that not

only he believed. After that, he said when he went to travel to

other places, testimonies came to him that this was a great preasure, great

brother, encouraging as well. So we learned humanly. We learn that this

guy highly intellectual, but also very humble and submitted. There are times when

I meet people. I'm not saying I meet a lot of that. Sometimes

when you people I meet, either they come from Melbourne or from Sydney,

from overseas. You know, they come and say Malaysia latit tastes a bit

different, Oh your message you a bit you know different. Now you know

they used to work different. You know they don't want to say that rect

the inferior, but they don't say different. You know, I used to

think like that also, because you know there's an aura everybody tries to be

up a bit, you know, no, no, no, no,

no, it must be submitted. Some people can submit to a church in

overseas, but I cannot submit to a church in the local call things like

they want to know your church SiZ is not one thousand? Got fifty people

on here? Cannot submit that don't have the resumeiler. You know. It's

that you're working. You work differently in a big company, you work differently

in a small company, and whatnot cannot be like that one. But God

brings along these people. And there is where I will close. Okay,

so summarize interesting, isn't it? Paul meets Aquilla, Priscilla meets a pall

Us in all these different secting as well. First thing we learned is that

life is an adventure, isn't it? Life is a great adventure. I

don't know how you might be feeling inspired bout all this, but when I

tell you the life story, I want you to knowah, that God has

great plans for you and I. God has great plans for you and I.

God wants to use you. God wants to bring you to meet new

people. God wants to teach you new things. And that sea what I'm

saying here. So if there's an opportunity for you to serve, opportunity to

open up your house, opportunity for you to go for missures, opportunity for

you to rise up even when you are struggling. Say Lord, today,

can you touch me like how you touch Paul. I'm tired and I can't

see whether I can serve another day, six more months. I don't know

how I'm going to do it. Let's stretch. But Lord, I know

it's not man. But when you touch, when you speak, I can

go on for another month. I can go for another year. I can

go on for a lot longer because it's all about you. Amen. We

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

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We're believing that this week is going to be a good week. I hit

for you. God bless