WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.399 Well, today we're talking about a city that I love 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:04.320 to say. It's just fun to say, like, that's. 3 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:07.320 All a Nikcock, that's all Nika. That's right. So Paul 4 00:00:07.559 --> 00:00:10.119 is in Corinthony. He writes some letters to his buddies 5 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:10.880 back in Thessalonia. 6 00:00:10.919 --> 00:00:13.640 It's like the word salsa. Isn't that fun to say? Salsa? 7 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:16.239 Okay? Well, hey he's Chris, I'm Jeff, and we're the 8 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:16.839 Bible Guys. 9 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:31.399 By the way, I'm hoping that my my friends out 10 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:33.520 there know that that was a Jerry Seinfeld reference. 11 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:36.399 Yes, yes, it's fun to say. 12 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:36.679 Hey. 13 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.799 Today we're doing Stump the Pastor, which is our third 14 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:43.439 day in a row. And we took questions and if 15 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:45.079 you have any questions, by the way, that you want 16 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:48.200 us to read in future segments, please send an email 17 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:51.960 or question orthon to info at the Bible Guys dot com. 18 00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:53.520 Yes, is it the Bible Guys dot com? 19 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:54.960 Right, Yes, the Bible Guys dot com. 20 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:57.200 Yeah, And so here is the question. 21 00:00:57.280 --> 00:00:58.200 Paying attention Chris. 22 00:00:58.520 --> 00:00:59.560 Yeah, you're welcome to Jeff. 23 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:03.560 This is from Chris S. And here is what Chris 24 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:08.319 S says. Does the Bible say anything about cremation and 25 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:13.120 the scattering or separation to family members of the ashes. 26 00:01:14.599 --> 00:01:16.920 So what is he really asking here, because because we 27 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:18.519 all know what he's really asking. 28 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:20.519 Yeah, well what's what's just the surface answer? 29 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:22.519 Oh well, the quick. 30 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:24.879 Answer is no, the Bible doesn't say anything. 31 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:25.359 About it, that's right. 32 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:27.079 So that okay, okay, let's move on. 33 00:01:27.400 --> 00:01:29.680 Just kidding, but thanks for asking. 34 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:32.319 But really what he's asking is he's he's referring to 35 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:35.840 him I think is you know, if if the bodies 36 00:01:35.879 --> 00:01:38.920 are to be resurrected, right in the Book of Revelation 37 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:40.480 refers to that, then. 38 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:41.799 If we if. 39 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:43.359 We, you know, cremate the bodies, then how can it 40 00:01:43.400 --> 00:01:45.040 be resurrected? Uh? 41 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:47.000 And so yeah, that's yeah. 42 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.799 So so the logic doesn't really track. 43 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:52.359 Some of the there's a couple of key denominations that 44 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:55.400 would teach that, you know, Christian denominations that would teach 45 00:01:55.959 --> 00:02:01.319 that cremation is wrong, and you know, throughout Church history 46 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:06.280 there's been a varying degree of that belief. Historically, Christians 47 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:10.360 bury bodies under the ground, and that's what we've done. 48 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:15.879 But there's no ban in the Bible about cremation. There 49 00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:20.599 is in the Laws of Moses. You're supposed to care 50 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:27.599 well and respectfully care for a dead body. But there's 51 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:32.080 there's no you know, ban on cremation, right, So the 52 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:35.360 question comes from like, so the Catholic view would be 53 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:39.159 you cannot. Typically would be that you cannot cremate, and 54 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:41.960 the reason would be that then how is that body 55 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:44.319 going to be resurrected together if it's been dispersed in 56 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:48.400 some way. Well, the entire concept of a resurrection is 57 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:51.759 a miracle anyways, right, right, and that God is going 58 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:53.759 to you know, what about those bodies that have been 59 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:56.759 you know, dead and gone and decayed for the last 60 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:57.599 thousand years. 61 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:00.520 Well, the Bible says ashes to ashes, us to dust. 62 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:02.400 Dust to dust, we return to dust. 63 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:03.000 That's right. 64 00:03:03.080 --> 00:03:03.919 So there are. 65 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:07.439 Bodies that are quite literally not only pure dust, but 66 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:10.240 they've also been separated by the worms that have eaten them. 67 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:12.800 And then the worms have scattered, right, and then the. 68 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:14.680 Birds came and got them and flew away. 69 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:15.400 Right. 70 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:19.039 So so the idea of it being scattered, I understand 71 00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:24.800 that concept. It's not a worry with regard to the 72 00:03:24.840 --> 00:03:29.039 resurrection because God's doing a miracle anyways, and even the 73 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:32.039 bodies that have turned to dust, he will restore. So 74 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:35.520 when you cremate you're just taking it to dust faster, 75 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:38.960 that's what you're doing. And in you know, some situations 76 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:41.039 like when the Black plague was there, or in cultures 77 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:44.520 and communities where they don't have the ability to dig 78 00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:48.560 in this same way, you know, a very sanitary way 79 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:51.919 to show respect would be to cremate the body. In 80 00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:55.599 our culture today, it's usually about economics, but still the 81 00:03:55.639 --> 00:03:57.159 same kind of thing. I don't think that there's a 82 00:03:57.159 --> 00:03:59.000 biblical ban on cremation, do. 83 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:00.120 You No, not at all? 84 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.039 And important, Yeah, And I would let. 85 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:05.039 Me go further and say, let's let's do Let's give 86 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:08.000 them a little benefit of doubt. The the intention behind 87 00:04:08.039 --> 00:04:11.159 that rule is is in a good place, So they 88 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:13.879 would say, hey, let's let's help God out right, let's 89 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:16.480 let's not let's not cremate the bodies because God says 90 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:19.480 this is the plan. So the intent is probably coming 91 00:04:19.480 --> 00:04:22.480 from a good place. But the logic is absolutely not 92 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:26.120 sound at all, because to think that we need to 93 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:28.800 help God with this miracle in any way, shape or 94 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:32.279 form or that that violates, you know, something which is 95 00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:32.959 not in the Bible. 96 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:35.079 So I guess it depends on where you believe the 97 00:04:35.079 --> 00:04:35.759 authority comes from. 98 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:37.600 There there's no reason to make a rule where there 99 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:41.040 is no rule, right, right, right. The main rule is 100 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:42.759 that we're made, you know, we're made in the image 101 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:44.360 of God, and that we're supposed to respect that and 102 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:44.879 honor that. 103 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:47.319 Hey, by the way, let me let me transition into 104 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:53.560 my personal preference. So I actually perhaps have a maybe 105 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:57.720 a unique posture than some, not of most, but maybe 106 00:04:57.720 --> 00:05:01.279 of some. But when somebody close to me passes away, 107 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:04.439 and even if they're buried and not cremated, I actually 108 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:07.160 don't think that I'll go visit the tombstone of that 109 00:05:07.240 --> 00:05:11.079 person at all, because I actually it's not really important 110 00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:15.480 to me where they died, because that's really not them anyway. Like, 111 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:18.720 I have such a strong faith that I know that 112 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:22.000 if I want to, you know, feel close to you know, 113 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:24.079 let's just say, if my wife were to ever pass away, 114 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:26.680 it's not important where she died, It's important where she lived. 115 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:28.959 Yeah, right, I would go to the places where we 116 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:31.680 lived to feel close. I wouldn't. 117 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:34.959 I wouldn't go where the earthly vessel was placed, which 118 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:38.000 is not Liz right and so and so I and 119 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:40.160 I know that people don't feel that way. That a 120 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:43.959 lot of people, especially older generations they want to you know, 121 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:44.959 all the Rocky movies. 122 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:45.920 You know, he's sitting. 123 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.319 There talking to Adrian and at the tombstone, and it 124 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:51.600 makes for a good drama on the screen. But also like, 125 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:55.800 for instance, my mother, she never misses an occasion to visit, 126 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:58.199 you know, the places where her family are buried, and 127 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:03.519 she feels very connect it emotionally to them. But theologically, 128 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:07.680 the problem is in my head, I know better, right. 129 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:11.000 They're not there. They're not there, right, they're there, you know, 130 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:12.759 to be absent from the body, to be present with 131 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:14.839 the lords. So they're not there. I think that one 132 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:16.800 of the reasons why people are attracted to going to 133 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:20.600 the gravesite is, you know, we make them the monument 134 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:23.360 out of granite, you know, one of the things that 135 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:27.319 almost will never disappear, right right, and and it's kind 136 00:06:27.319 --> 00:06:29.560 of a it's a it's a monument to that person. 137 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:32.879 And so that's one of the reasons why people would 138 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.079 go back is we we did it on purpose, for 139 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:39.759 a permanent remembrance even when we're gone. We put their name, 140 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:43.720 we put their dates, We made some you know, told 141 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:47.160 a little bit of their story, father, husband, brothers, you 142 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:50.319 know whatever, and we put that on there because we 143 00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:53.560 want everybody to always remember this person. So there's nothing 144 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:56.360 wrong with going back to the gravesite. So said, they're 145 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:58.839 not there anymore, right, right, they're not there anymore. They're 146 00:06:58.839 --> 00:07:02.240 in heaven if they're if they're Christians and so they're 147 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:06.040 with God. They're not in the sad death moment. They're 148 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:08.759 in the resurrected right heaven moment. 149 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:10.040 That's why it doesn't make any sense to me. 150 00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:11.800 They say, well, I went to the cemetery to visit 151 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:15.360 Mom today, and I'm thinking, well, that's the opposite of 152 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.800 where mom is. Right. 153 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:18.879 In fact, she was everywhere except. 154 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:21.680 In that area, because she was never in that area, right, 155 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.240 unless she was going to visit somebody else. 156 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:23.839 When she was alive. 157 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:24.160 Sure. 158 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:26.879 So so for me, it's just like, if you want 159 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:28.480 to feel close to somebody, go where they live, not 160 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:29.720 where they passed. 161 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:32.800 And I understand, But it's a place of memory. Yeah, 162 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:35.439 if you think of cemetery as as a place of death, 163 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:37.600 then you're right. If you think of a cemetery as 164 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:39.639 a place of memory, it's not inappropriate. 165 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:42.120 It's like a library. Well, it's never inappropriate. It's never 166 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:43.959 in appropriate. It's I'm not saying it's a bad thing. 167 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.199 I'm just saying that's why I introduced it and saying 168 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:49.519 it's a unique thought. And so consequently, because of that, 169 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:51.839 I told my wife, I said, save the money, just 170 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:54.839 cremate me and just spread me, spread me out somewhere 171 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.399 fun and then that way, that way, like whenever you 172 00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:59.959 go to that place or the ocean or something like that, 173 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:01.959 like just do that, save the money. 174 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:02.079 And do it. 175 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.120 Yeah, my dad said that if he dies while that 176 00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:07.279 if he died while they were still young, he wanted 177 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:10.040 my mom to bury him like six inches underneath the 178 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.839 grass in the backyard, like spread eagle, because that way 179 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:16.360 her new husband would have to mow over top of 180 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:18.720 where he was right and it would be the shape 181 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:20.600 of him, like waving. 182 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:23.759 Wow, that is a heck of a thought. 183 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:26.879 Yeah, yeah, isn't that terrible, sir? Yeah, my dad was 184 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:28.680 the same, but he had kind of the same idea. 185 00:08:29.560 --> 00:08:32.639 I'm so convinced of heaven. I'm so convinced that there's 186 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:36.120 life after death that you know, be respectful with the body, 187 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:39.000 but don't be obsessed with that body, because that body 188 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.159 is not where I'm at. This body isn't home. Matter 189 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.440 of fact, in first Corinthians. Paul says, this body is 190 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:47.159 just a temporary tent, right, right, right, So anyways, that's good. 191 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:49.759 So hey, let's move on. We are taking a jump 192 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:51.919 now out of the Book of Acts for just a 193 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:54.559 little while. We paused in the middle of Acts seventeen 194 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:59.000 and while Paul was in corinth Now he's met Priscilla 195 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:01.639 and Aquilla. He's begun leading a bunch of people to Jesus, 196 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:06.360 Phoebe and Justice and these guys. Now he pauses, and 197 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:10.639 in fifty two AD whatever it is, he's writing now 198 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:14.440 back to the Christians that he had led to Jesus 199 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:19.159 in Thessalonaika just a few years before. And so during 200 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:21.639 this time he writes two books. He writes a letter 201 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:23.559 to them, they write a letter back, and then he 202 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:26.360 writes a reply letter. So we're going to start off 203 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:29.440 in first Thessalonius chapter two. First Thessalonius Chapter one is 204 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:33.080 mostly greetings, and so we'll pick up with the substance 205 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:35.120 of it. First of all, he reminds them of his visit. 206 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:37.720 He says, you yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that 207 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:40.440 our visit to you was not a failure. You know 208 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:42.679 how badly we've been treated in Philippi just before we 209 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:44.679 came to you, and how much we suffered there. Yet 210 00:09:44.919 --> 00:09:46.919 our God gave us the courage to declare his good 211 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:49.799 news to you boldly in spite of great opposition. So 212 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:51.720 you can see we were not preaching with any deceit 213 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:54.559 or impure motives or trickery. For we speak as messengers 214 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:56.639 approved by God to be entrusted with the good news. 215 00:09:56.840 --> 00:10:00.000 Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone 216 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:02.759 examines the motives of our hearts. Never once did we 217 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:04.600 try to win you with flattery, as well as you 218 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:07.039 well know, and God is our witness that we were 219 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:09.480 not pretending to be your friends just to get your money. 220 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.559 As for human praise, we've never sought it from you 221 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:15.639 or anyone else. As apostles of Christ, we certainly had 222 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:17.919 a right to make demands of you, but instead we 223 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:20.759 were like children among you, or we were like a 224 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:23.639 mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved 225 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:25.360 you so much that we shared with you not only 226 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:28.440 God's good news, but our own lives too. Don't you remember, 227 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:30.480 dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you, 228 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:32.440 night and day. We toiled to earn a living so 229 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:34.200 that we would not be a burden to any of 230 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:36.799 you as we preached God's good news to you. Remember, 231 00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:40.039 Paul is a tench maker. That's right, You yourselves are 232 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:42.399 our witnesses, and so is God. That we were devout 233 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.159 and honest and faultless toward all of your believers. And 234 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:46.799 you know that we treated each of you as a 235 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:49.759 father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, 236 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:51.600 and urged you to live your lives in a way 237 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:54.399 that God would consider worthy, for he called you to 238 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.759 share in His kingdom and glory. Therefore, we never stop 239 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.159 thanking God that when you received his message from us, 240 00:11:00.519 --> 00:11:02.879 you didn't think of our words as mere human ideas. 241 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.519 You accepted what we said as the very word of God, 242 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:07.840 which of course it is, and this word continues to 243 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:10.840 work in you who believe. And then, dear brothers and sisters, 244 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:14.559 you suffered persecution for your own countrymen. In this way, 245 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:17.399 you imitated the believers in God's churches and Judea, who, 246 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:19.960 because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their 247 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:23.480 own people, the Jews. For some of the Jews killed 248 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:25.720 the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now 249 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:28.799 they have persecuted us too. They fail to please God 250 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:31.200 and work against all humanity as they try to keep 251 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:33.679 us from preaching the good news of salvation to the gentiles. 252 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:36.639 By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. 253 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:38.799 But the anger of God has caught up with them 254 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.879 at last. Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated 255 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:45.720 from you for a little while, although our hearts never 256 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:48.159 left you, we tried very hard to come back because 257 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:50.519 of our intense longing to see you again. We wanted 258 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.679 very much to come to you, and I Paul tried 259 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:55.279 again and again, but Satan prevented us. After all, what 260 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:57.279 gives us hope and joy and what would be our 261 00:11:57.320 --> 00:11:59.279 proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord 262 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:02.480 Jesus Christ, he returns It is you. Yes, you are 263 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:05.120 our pride and joy. Finally, when we could stand it 264 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.559 no longer, we decided to stay alone in Athens, and 265 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:09.759 we sent Timothy to visit you. He's our brother and 266 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:11.960 God's co worker and proclaiming the good news of Christ. 267 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:14.200 We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in 268 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.360 your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by 269 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:18.559 the troubles you were going through, but you know that 270 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:21.399 we are destined for such troubles. Even while we were 271 00:12:21.399 --> 00:12:23.440 with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come, 272 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:25.519 and they did, as you well know. That is why, 273 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:27.279 when I could hear it bear it no longer, I 274 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:30.000 sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. 275 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:32.320 I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best 276 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:34.759 of you, and that our work had been useless. But 277 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:37.080 now Timothy is just returned, bringing us good news about 278 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:40.039 your faith and love. He reports that you always remember 279 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:42.120 our visit with joy, and that you want to see 280 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:43.720 us as much as we want to see you. So 281 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:46.519 we've been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles 282 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:50.480 in suffering. Dear brothers and sisters, excuse me, I got 283 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:53.799 all choked up because you have remained strong in your faith. 284 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.639 It gives us new life to know that you are 285 00:12:56.679 --> 00:12:59.360 standing firm in the Lord. How we thank God for you. 286 00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:02.080 Because of you, we have great joy. As we enter 287 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:04.919 God's presence night and day. We pray earnestly for you, 288 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.320 asking God to let us see you again to fill 289 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:09.879 the gaps in your faith. May God, our Father and 290 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:12.919 our Lord Jesus Christ, bring us to you very soon. 291 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:14.840 And may the Lord make your love for one another 292 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:18.039 and for all people grow and overflow, just as your 293 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:21.120 love for you, our love for you overflows. May He, 294 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:24.399 as a result, make your heart strong, blameless, and holy 295 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:26.720 as you stand before God, our Father, when our Lord 296 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:30.879 Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen. So 297 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:33.360 Paul is like, oh, I miss you guys so much. 298 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:37.759 Yeah, And he said, you know a couple of different staples, 299 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:41.399 which is, you know, he remembers them with joy. And 300 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:43.080 I think the thing that stands out for me in 301 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:46.720 this passage is the pastor's heart that he has. Yes, 302 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:48.679 So he just loves his people so much. 303 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:50.759 I think that's why we read two whole chapters there. 304 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:51.279 Yeah. 305 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.600 Right, It's one big long thing of him saying, my 306 00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:57.360 heart for you. This pastoral heart is so significant. 307 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.840 And even though that there's a you know, most of 308 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:02.240 our listeners, in fact, almost all of them probably don't 309 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:04.320 have the title of pastor as a profession like you 310 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:07.120 and I might. But at the same time, we're all pastors, right, 311 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:10.440 so we're all ministers. The Bible says we have the 312 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:13.440 priest of the believers, which means that you may not 313 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:16.200 necessarily have the title pastor or the role of the 314 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:20.799 responsibility in the church, but you may be given the gift, 315 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:26.200 the spiritual gift called pastor. 316 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:27.960 Or to care and to support and encourage other believers. Yes, 317 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:29.399 that's the job of every believer. 318 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:34.159 Yes, And so having a pastor's heart doesn't necessarily mean title. 319 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.080 So there are so many different people who have a 320 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:41.279 better pastoral gift than I do. Out of all the 321 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:42.919 you know, spiritual gifts that. 322 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:43.600 God has given me. 323 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:46.399 I do have a pastor's heart, but it's but I 324 00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:49.279 have other gifts that are stronger. And so anyway, all 325 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:52.799 that to say this, I resonate with the responsibility and 326 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:56.600 the role that Paul has. He loves his people. And 327 00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:59.879 I got to tell you, anybody who is mentored and 328 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:03.320 you know, and they're so proud of their faith, you know, 329 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:04.480 especially if it's spiritual. 330 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:07.480 You me enter them in a spiritual way and they grow. 331 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:10.159 Man, your heart just bleeds for them and you want 332 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.960 to see them grow and do it's best. 333 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:13.600 So I resonate with Paul here. 334 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:16.399 Yeah, and you can see how proud he is of them. Yes, 335 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:20.200 he was worried about them like a father. This is 336 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:24.200 so family. It sounds like he's talking about his family. 337 00:15:24.759 --> 00:15:26.519 And this is the reason why I wanted to read 338 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:29.159 these two chapters now that I want to. I remember 339 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:31.039 looking at it today going, why are we reading two 340 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:31.679 old chapters? 341 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:35.679 Yeah, well but thirteen verses of chapter three, But. 342 00:15:35.960 --> 00:15:39.399 Well that's the whole chapter though, Oh yeah it is. Yeah, 343 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:43.840 So I the reason why I wanted to do that 344 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:48.960 was because it's so clear that Paul's view of the 345 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:53.120 church and of other Christians was a family view, and 346 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:56.120 for so many of us we miss out on the 347 00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:59.639 real idea of the church, thinking that the church is 348 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:03.679 an or organization that owns a building that we go 349 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:06.960 to to have religious ceremonies done for us and so 350 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:09.080 our children can learn a little bit about the Bible 351 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.679 in Sunday school and then we leave, so we consume 352 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:15.840 that product and then we leave. And Paul is not 353 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:20.120 talking about buildings. He's not talking about programs. Right, Well, 354 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:22.279 there weren't There weren't any church buildings, and I think 355 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:24.440 Ephesus was the first one in like two or three 356 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:29.399 hundred years after Jesus. So so he's not talking about 357 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.519 those things. He's talking about the family of God. How 358 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:34.840 much he thought of them, as as like a father, 359 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:39.360 as a worried mother, as brothers. I sent your brother 360 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:42.559 Timothy to check on you. I was worried that the 361 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:45.000 enemy was going to steal away your faith. But no, 362 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:46.519 I'm so proud of you. 363 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:50.480 And you remembered our visit with joy. Yes, and our 364 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.840 time spent together. Don't you remember the memories? 365 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.879 And I know it's tough, but you can make it. 366 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:58.120 Yes, we worked side by side, right, and we shared 367 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:00.000 our lives. He literally said, our share our life. 368 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:03.159 If that is not your experience in the church, you're 369 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:04.920 missing it. You're missing it. 370 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:05.920 Right. 371 00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:08.359 If you think that church is a Sunday morning concert, 372 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:11.680 an amazing message by Jeff or a pretty good message 373 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.039 by Chris. 374 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:14.079 Wow, Like I didn't know that was. 375 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:18.720 If you think, if you think that that that church 376 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:23.000 is just you know, soft chairs and bright lights or 377 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:27.160 amazing children's teachers. All those things are great. They're great, 378 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:29.680 hopefully they enhance your experience. They're just not the point. 379 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:33.599 They're not the point at all. The point is believers, 380 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:36.599 we don't go to church. We are the church right 381 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:38.799 right and so, and. 382 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:40.799 By the way, let's just clarify that. So the word 383 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:43.640 church was never meant to describe a building. That's right, Everett, 384 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:45.599 the word church actually means the people. 385 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:46.039 That's right. 386 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:49.200 Call that group of people the ecclassy or the gathering. Yeah. 387 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:50.759 Well, if you want to have a little word history, 388 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:54.960 ecclasea means means the called out assembly of God's people. 389 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:57.880 It's the assembly of God's people together that God called 390 00:17:58.279 --> 00:18:01.440 to faith to him. The word church comes from I 391 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:04.599 think it's a Germanic word and it means it means building, 392 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:08.039 so it comes from kurch is the word. So it's 393 00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:10.640 kind of funny we use the wrong word. We don't 394 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:13.680 use anything that even references the Bible. And maybe that's 395 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:16.920 why we miss out on God's intent. It's because we're 396 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:20.000 using a word to talk about a building rather than 397 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:22.519 God's intent to talk about an assembly of people, a 398 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.440 family of people. Right, And so words really matter, they do. 399 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:29.200 And so you know, you don't go to church, we 400 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.720 are the church. And so I think that it's a 401 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:39.839