WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.879 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk 2 00:00:04.919 --> 00:00:11.800 about the Bible in fun, in practical ways. Hey, everybody, welcome 3 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:15.279 to another episode of The Bible Guys. I'm Jeff and I'm Chris, and 4 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:18.839 we are so excited that you're here. And today we have a very special 5 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:22.519 moment. Yes, because people always hear the word Desiree, they hear the 6 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:26.039 name Desiree. She's the brains behind the operation, and nobody's ever seen her. 7 00:00:26.039 --> 00:00:28.320 I heard from her. There's been a lot of questions if she really 8 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:31.879 even exists, but she does. In fact, she's standing right. We're 9 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:39.119 here here Desiree. Everybody welcome, Diserree. Okay, so today we're doing 10 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:43.679 the episode. A while back, we did a Bible Guys live event with 11 00:00:43.719 --> 00:00:48.280 a live crowd, a live audience, and today we're gonna replay that. 12 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:51.560 And so what's it all about. It is about the importance of being in 13 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:55.159 community. So we hope you enjoy this episode. We're gonna play a game 14 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:59.520 and the game is called Who's most Likely, And just like all the Daily 15 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:02.439 Bible Guys, we have no idea what the questions are. They're just handed 16 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:04.519 to us and we respond in the moment. So the goal is for us 17 00:01:04.840 --> 00:01:10.280 to read the questions. And here's the actual rules, is that we're going 18 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:12.120 to ask a series of questions and then Jeff and I are going to hold 19 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:17.920 up who we think is most likely to do that thing. And the goal 20 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:21.400 actually is to get the is to match where we're trying to match up. 21 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:23.239 So, in other words, and this is about ourselves. So the question 22 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:26.200 is going to be asked, and who's who's more likely to do that? 23 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:29.159 Chris or Jeff? We have to assess, like would I rather do that? 24 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:32.280 Or are you like, like, whould be most likely to rob a 25 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:36.519 bank? We'd have to decide, we'd have to decide which one would that 26 00:01:36.599 --> 00:01:42.280 be? Something like that. I'm pretty sure. I don't know. We 27 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:47.000 don't know the questions. Okay, here we go. Question number one, 28 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:51.359 what does it say forget their wallet for the day? Who's most likely to 29 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:53.359 forget their wallets for the day? Yeah, I'd say, Jeff, that's 30 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:57.120 mine. Oh you know what, we should probably hide from each other. 31 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:00.480 So well, I just want the good you. I'll look at them this 32 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:05.799 way, all right, you look that way. Question number two go to 33 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:09.000 Disney on a whim. Yeah, we all know who this is. Yeah, 34 00:02:07.639 --> 00:02:12.439 that's and he's gonna sing all the songs all the way there too. 35 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.960 You probably dress up and I dress up. I know everyone. Ye get 36 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:17.759 your picture taken with all the princesses. What do we got? What's what? 37 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:23.199 Start a side hustle, Start a side hustle. Who? Yeah, 38 00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:28.879 I'd say this one, right, Yeah, I suggest that's you. That's 39 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:34.120 all right, here we go. Next one, who is like, become 40 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.439 a Walmart greeter? I know for a fact who that is? No, 41 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:42.479 way, that is you, buddy. You're going to volunteer as a Walmart 42 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:46.039 greeter? Dude, dude, yes you are. You love nothing more than 43 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:47.080 you get out in the middle of a crowd and just greet people you don't 44 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:52.039 even know. Yeah, I like people, But that's that's gonna be your 45 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:59.879 You look like a Walmart person. Wow, I'm just kidding. Wow. 46 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:02.240 I didn't know what else to say. Wow. So you just thought of 47 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:08.240 the most condescending thing you could think. You just defended the next morning. 48 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:15.560 Okay, let's go exaggerate their stories. Yeah, I'll admit that one. 49 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:17.159 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I will say this, though they're 50 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:22.560 always true. It's SHP four. Well, the facts are true, but 51 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:23.520 I might say, like, oh, we're going forty miles an hour, 52 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:28.400 we were going like twenty. Yeah, yeah, so that like an exaggeration. 53 00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:30.960 Yeah, but the stories are true. I think that was the point 54 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.159 of that question. Or is that? Is there another one? Is that 55 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.680 it? Oh? All right, that's it. Good job, ladies and 56 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:40.879 gentlemen, good job. That's fun. Hey, I think we agreed on 57 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:46.759 most of them. Yeah, except for the one. I'm sorry about that. 58 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:50.680 Yeah, well, all right, there's nothing wrong with them. Mark. 59 00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:53.199 Hey, guys, we're gonna go ahead and read a passage and act 60 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:55.479 Shepter number nine, and so it's kind of what we do on the Daily 61 00:03:55.479 --> 00:04:00.000 Bible guys. We sort of have fun and then we transitioned, and normally 62 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:02.599 we have an agenda, like we're in a series right now, actually chronologically 63 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:06.360 going through the Book of Acts, and we're pausing and branching off, and 64 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:11.240 currently we're in Romans because Romans was written during the duration of Acts. But 65 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:16.639 for this we're branching off and it's really just a standalone type segment. And 66 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:20.639 this is the story of the apostle Paul. When he was converted, he 67 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.959 was actually called Saul, and this is the story of his conversion on the 68 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:28.439 way to Damascus. Yeah, so Saul Paul. If you don't know, 69 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.319 Paul wrote most of the second half of the Bible, the New Testament, 70 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:33.639 especially the parts to talk about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 71 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:39.279 And this is the very beginning of his journey. If you want to 72 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:43.079 read the beginning of his journey X chapter eight, X chapter nine, that 73 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:45.800 rate in that area X chapter nine is where it begins. And he has 74 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:48.879 this encounter with Jesus, and Jesus radically transforms his life. Before that, 75 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:54.560 he was persecuting Christians. He hated Christians. He was going everywhere and putting 76 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:58.959 them in prison and ruining their lives and destroying their businesses and tearing down their 77 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:00.480 homes, all kinds of things. As a matter of fact, he was 78 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:03.720 even a witness to the very first martyr Stephen. Right, So this is 79 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:10.199 a bad guy. Then Jesus has this encounter with Paul, and Paul is 80 00:05:10.279 --> 00:05:15.000 overwhelmed by Jesus in Pivots and he goes from being a Jesus hater and persecutor 81 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:17.920 Christians to a follower of Jesus. And then persecution comes to him it's kind 82 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:19.800 of like the table's flip on him. Yeah, And I think it's important 83 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:24.600 also to reference that he was on his way to a city, Damascus, 84 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:29.480 to actually sort of implement the same system of persecuting Christians as he was doing 85 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:33.120 in Jerusalem. In fact, to head high priest Caiaphas, the one responsible 86 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:38.439 for putting Jesus to death on the Sanhedron. Caiaphas was the one who commissioned 87 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:42.000 Saul and said, go to Damascus, which, by the way, if 88 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:45.360 you're looking at it map wise, Jerusalem's down here, and then if you 89 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:48.079 go up sort of the Jordan River and you sort of cross over and then 90 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:53.120 go all the way up over here is Damascus. It was dozens and dozens 91 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:56.199 of modern day Syria, modern day Syria, that's right. And so he 92 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:59.759 was on his way and then Jesus met him on the road and then he 93 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.720 said who are you? And finally Paul realized, Saul realized it was you 94 00:06:02.759 --> 00:06:06.079 know, Jesus was real. And then he goes and lick lays there for 95 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:12.439 three days and then God sends Antonius to go you know, heal him because 96 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.480 he had lost his sight. And he laid there thinking about man I've been 97 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:20.560 doing this all wrong. And literally right after that encounter with Anonias, then 98 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:24.959 it picks up where we're reading today. Yeah, and so this whole night 99 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:29.759 is about connecting right, making friends and you grow the best spiritually. And 100 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:31.720 I think most people in the room you probably have a desire to grow spiritually. 101 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:35.720 The best way is in the context of friendships. And we see this 102 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:40.040 at the very beginning of Paul's life. Right, I'm still thinking about the 103 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:44.680 Walmut Greader thing. I'm sorry, I need better friends. That's what I 104 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:50.399 need. I just was pressured saying something. So Jesus said, out of 105 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:54.879 the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks what the insight comes out. 106 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:58.920 Okay, we you know what. I'm gonna forgive you because I'm a good 107 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:01.920 Christian. We're gonna move on, thanks Jess. So Acts Chapter nine is 108 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:05.120 where this story picks up, and it's at the end of verse nineteen. 109 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:10.120 We'll read a few verses here says Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for 110 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:14.240 a few days, and immediately he began preaching about Jesus and the synagogue, 111 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:17.600 saying he is indeed the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed 112 00:07:17.639 --> 00:07:21.680 isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus followers in Jerusalem? 113 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:26.120 They asked, and didn't he come here to arrest them and take them and 114 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:30.040 change to the leading priests. Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and 115 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:34.600 the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 116 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:39.360 After a while, some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. Now 117 00:07:39.480 --> 00:07:44.600 there's a huge amount of time between verse twenty two and verse twenty three, 118 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.160 three years, according to the first chapter of Galatians, three years. But 119 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:50.439 that's not Luke's point. So Luke is just telling us the events, He's 120 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:57.360 not really trying to be clear on the order of things. But between verse 121 00:07:57.399 --> 00:08:01.160 twenty two that says that nobody could refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the 122 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:05.920 Messiah. The next phrase is after a while, that after a while three 123 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:09.279 years. So that's kind of amazing. The Bible's its own best commentary. 124 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:11.759 We know that from Galatians. So he says, after a while, some 125 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:15.759 of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day 126 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.560 and night at the city gate, so they could murder him, but Saul 127 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:22.240 was told about their plot, so during the night, some of the other 128 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:26.639 believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. 129 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:31.680 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but 130 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:33.559 they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become 131 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:39.000 a believer. And then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how 132 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:41.799 Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus, and how the Lord 133 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:45.360 had spoken to Paul. He also said to or told them that Saul had 134 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:48.080 preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the 135 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:52.679 apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of 136 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:56.320 the Lord. He debated with some Greek speaking Jews, but they tried to 137 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:58.519 murder him. That kind of puts a squash on some of that stuff. 138 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:03.759 And when the believers heard about this, they took him down to Cessarea and 139 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.840 send him away to Tarsus, his hometown. And the church then had peace 140 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.919 throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers 141 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:13.240 lived in the fear of the Lord, and with the encouragement of the Holy 142 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:16.440 Spirit, it also grew in numbers. Yeah, what a neat story. 143 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:20.759 Yeah, it's very neat, and I think that one of the things that 144 00:09:20.200 --> 00:09:22.600 stands out that we want to focus on. And there's a lot that we 145 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:26.240 can unpack, so we're not going to necessarily nuance all of it, but 146 00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:31.039 we want to focus on Barnabas. Yeah, the idea of this friendship that 147 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:33.440 really changed everything. Yeah, really, And the reason why that it said 148 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:37.960 that many Jews wanted to kill Saul is because you could imagine that if you 149 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:41.600 were Christians and you were believers and followers of this you know, it was 150 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:45.559 actually called the Way, the Way. It wasn't called Christianity, and it 151 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.120 was called the Way, and if you were a part of the Way and 152 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:52.279 you believed in Christ and then you heard about Saul persecuting Christians and all of 153 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:54.240 a sudden he comes up and goes, oh, I've been converted. You're 154 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:58.679 like, yeah, he's a trojan horse, isn't it right? And so 155 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:01.279 they're thinking, no, this guy, I've heard about this guy. He's 156 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:05.879 pulling fast one so we're gonna kill him. And then the other believers lower 157 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:07.759 him down a wall. And by the way, that's a big deal because 158 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:11.440 many of the city walls, as we know, you know, even still 159 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:16.120 standing, like like Jericho is still standing, right, they excavated Jericho, 160 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:18.840 but it's actually a lot of time walls, the walls off fell down. 161 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:22.240 Well so Jericho, Yeah yeah, but yeah, we know where it was. 162 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:24.960 Yes, we do know where it was. And there's a lot of 163 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:30.720 rocks on the ground there are, okay, So yeah, so bottom line 164 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:31.759 helps. It helps if you're can be a Bible guy, you know, 165 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:35.559 to know the Bible, that that helps a little bit. Okay, there, 166 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:39.840 really, I go for Walmart, you go for Jericho's walls. I'm 167 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:46.840 not doing false teaching. Actually there are still some walls standing in Jericho on 168 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:52.639 the northern side busted drop the mic. So bottom line is is a lot 169 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:54.960 of the hills, a lot of the cities were on hills, and and 170 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:58.559 a lot of the walls stood tall because of defense reasons. So if you 171 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:05.200 think about lowering someone down several stories, that would be right, several stories 172 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:09.960 down a wall onto what would be a really difficult landscape at night. So 173 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:13.279 I mean, really, it wasn't just like a little cute little basket kind 174 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:16.879 of a lowering. It was a risk life kind of a thing. Yeah, 175 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:18.919 this is a full blown escape. Yeah right right. There's a lot 176 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:22.240 of cool escapes in the Bible, by the way, but this is one 177 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:24.840 of those where they just realized, Okay, Paul or Saul at the times 178 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:28.039 what they're calling him, he has a really important mission and we can't let 179 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:31.679 him die now. And so one of the things with Saul, you see, 180 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:37.879 is he's incredibly bold with his witness. Immediately he went from being like 181 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:43.639 this zealot that wanted to kill all the Christians too. Jesus took that part 182 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.799 of his personality and Pivoten said, now just go tell everybody, and he 183 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:48.159 is. He just wants to tell everybody. So there's that. The other 184 00:11:48.200 --> 00:11:52.600 side of it is everybody wanted to kill him because of it. So that's 185 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:56.080 the danger that he was facing. And so then they get him out of 186 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:00.519 Damascus and they're trying to send him to Jerusalem, and he he goes to 187 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:05.120 Jerusalem and hooks up connects with the guy. The believers won't connect with him, 188 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:07.960 None of the believers will connect with him. They're afraid of him. 189 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:13.279 And he connects with a guy named Originally his real name is Joseph, and 190 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:18.320 we know from Acts chapter four that all the Christians changed Joseph's name to Barnabas, 191 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:20.799 which means son of encouragement, right, And so the one guy, 192 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:24.360 the encourager in the room goes, you know what, I believe in this 193 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:28.480 Saul guy, and I'm gonna encourage him. And that what's so interesting is 194 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:33.519 that we know that Saul eventually has his name changed to Paul, so we 195 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.399 know him as they Paustle Paul or Saint Paul. But here's what's really interesting 196 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:39.240 is that one time, actually was when I was in Bible college, I 197 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:43.120 started to do a little bit of my own study. I didn't read it 198 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:45.759 anywhere, it was just my own study. And what I came across was 199 00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:50.960 I came I looked up every single reference of it talking about Barnabas and Saul. 200 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:54.440 That Barnabas was the one who introduced them to the believers, So he 201 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:58.240 introduced them to the disciples, the insiders. And if it wasn't for Barnabas 202 00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:01.759 introducing him and giving him credibility, he may not have connected with them and 203 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:05.480 they may not have accepted him. So when I was reading it. Here's 204 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:09.200 what I noticed is that the pattern started with Acts chapter nine. All the 205 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:13.679 way through the end of the Book of Acts, it's always listed Barnabas and 206 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:18.159 Saul, Barnabas and Saul. Barnabas and Saul. Barnabas and Saul were Barnabas's 207 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:22.000 names first, and then it goes Barnabas and Paul, Barnabas and Paul, 208 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:26.200 and you could almost see his reputation changing. And then it goes Paul and 209 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.679 Barnabas, Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Barnabas, and 210 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:33.279 then there's one reference where it says Paul and his friends. So Barnabas just 211 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:37.039 fades into the title of friends. And then after that they split up, 212 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:41.720 they separate, and then it just becomes Paul. And so Barnabas was there 213 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:46.159 like the wing beneath his the wind beneath his wings. Right, he just 214 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:48.919 sort of, you know, just shifted and just gave Paul the platform. 215 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:54.000 And Barnabas is the unsung hero that everybody needs in life. Most of the 216 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:58.200 time, when we think of the phrase or the term apostle in the Bible, 217 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:03.799 what we're thinking of is you know Matthew and John and James his brother, 218 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:09.440 and Andrew, and Philip and Thomas, and you know Nathaniel and all 219 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:13.120 those guys. That's what we're thinking of. Those apostles that traveled with Jesus, 220 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.759 that were spent time with Jesus. And the idea was that they need 221 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:20.080 to have spent about three years traveling with Jesus, having been taught by Jesus. 222 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:24.320 They're the apostles. But in the Book of Acts, the Bible also 223 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:28.360 references a few others that are apostles that aren't part of those first twelve disciples. 224 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:33.039 For instance, in this passage, we know because of Galatians, we 225 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:37.799 know that when Paul or Saul goes to meet the apostles in what verse was 226 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:39.799 that he tried to meet with the believers, And matter of fact, that 227 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:41.360 word means he kept on and kept on and kept on trying it in work. 228 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:45.519 But then in verse twenty seven, Barnabas brought him to the apostles. 229 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:48.559 We know that the only two apostles he met was Peter and James. But 230 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:52.919 it wasn't the James that was a disciple. This was the James that was 231 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:56.360 the brother of Jesus. He was the James that was leading the church in 232 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:58.720 Jerusalem at the time. So he only goes and meets with those two apostles. 233 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:03.120 And the reason he was able to get in on that meeting was because 234 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:07.679 Barnabas a couple of times in the Book of Acts is also referenced as an 235 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:11.320 apostle. So what happens is you have one of the big dogs in the 236 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:15.360 church his name Son of Encouragement. But the whole church at that time looked 237 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:18.799 at Barnabas and said, that's a person that makes a difference and will pay 238 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:22.399 attention to him. There's an apostle that somebody we're paying attention to. And 239 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:28.480 when he decides to leverage his influence, he decides to encourage Saul, and 240 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:33.639 he decides to leverage his reputation to get him in front of Saul or get 241 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:37.759 him in front of Peter and James. This begins to change everything, and 242 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:43.559 I think about this Saul. Eventually he had spent three during that one. 243 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.000 Remember when I told you there was a long time, like three years. 244 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:50.159 And after after a while, they're in verse twenty three is three and a 245 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:52.440 half years. He's in the Arabian desert where Jesus was teaching him. This 246 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:56.120 is what his claim was in Galatians. So he also had spent three years 247 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:58.559 with Jesus in this special time. He said, it was almost like I 248 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:02.639 was born out of the regular time. Right. He writes about that itself. 249 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:06.679 So now what Barnabas is trying to do is connect Paul to the other 250 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:11.639 apostles, saying, I believe he's an apostle. And I think about it. 251 00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:15.799 What if Barnabas hadn't just chosen to be Saul's friend. There was no 252 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:19.960 advantage to Barnabas to be Sal's friend, none at all. As a matter 253 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:23.440 of fact, it might have worked out better for Barnabas if he'd not decided 254 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.919 to be Sal's friend. He's taking a great risk. But he decided to 255 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:30.600 invest in this new believer. He saw something in him and he said, 256 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.320 you know what, I'm going to come alongside you. I'm going to be 257 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:36.200 your mentor. That's why it was Barnabas and Saul Barnabas, and he was 258 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:37.960 the mentor, he was the coach, he was the encourager. And then 259 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:41.840 I'm going to leverage my influence to get you in front of these other apostles, 260 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:48.080 so that the leaders begin to recognize your influence in your giftings as well. 261 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:51.039 And I think what would have happened in all of this is one of 262 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:53.279 the most It's only just a couple verses, but it's one of the most 263 00:16:53.320 --> 00:17:00.840 pivotal events in Christian history. And this pivotal event. If Sauwim been recognized 264 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:03.720 as an apostle, none of the rest of his writings would have ever mattered 265 00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:06.880 at all. None of them would have mattered nobody had been paying attention to 266 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:11.559 them. But because Barnabas did this, Barnabas helped change the course of history. 267 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:15.440 But it was never about Barnabas. He didn't make himself centered, he 268 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:18.640 wasn't first on this. And instead he said, you know what, I'm 269 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.000 going to come alongside this young guy and I'm going to do everything i can 270 00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:26.279 to help him grow up spiritually. And what I think is this, I 271 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:29.200 think a lot of people feel like they don't have much ministry. You know, 272 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:32.839 you look at Chris and how you know brilliant he is on stage sometimes 273 00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:40.359 and you think about you know, Trey and you know all the singers on 274 00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:42.480 stage, and you're not a singer. You're not a preacher whatever. But 275 00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:48.359 maybe some of the greatest things that have ever happened in Christianity have been from 276 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:52.319 those people that were willing to be in the background, behind the scenes, 277 00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:56.079 that were willing to come along and be a friend to some new believer. 278 00:17:56.839 --> 00:18:00.559 Right, And that's what happened. I think Barnabas changed the course of history 279 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:04.039 just by being a friend to this young upstart. So here's the big idea 280 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:07.880 for tonight, and it's this sentence right here. You might be one friend 281 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:12.279 or interaction away from changing the course of your destiny. Think about that. 282 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:17.119 It's such a great phrase. You might be one friend away or interaction away 283 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:19.160 from changing the course of your destiny. Hey, think about this. I 284 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:23.559 wonder when when Barnabas first met Saul. I wonder if he realized in that 285 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:26.160 moment, man, this is going to change my destiny. And the answer 286 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:29.160 is no, no, no, you never realize that. Now, many 287 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:33.079 of you have heard the story that Jeff and I met in Cuba a long 288 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:34.039 time ago. Yeah, yeah, well we met, we met a long 289 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:37.960 time before that, but in Cuba. That's that's what I was going to 290 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:40.759 say. I was going to say, But does everybody really know. The 291 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:42.480 very first time we met, oh yeah, yeah, no probably. So 292 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:48.359 we met actually at a church retreat right in January of two thousand and six, 293 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:52.279 two thousand and six, and actually I was hosting part of that retreat 294 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:56.000 and I was doing the games, and it was Kensington's staff was there. 295 00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:59.880 Yeah, you came on behalf of heritage. Other churches were there, and 296 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.119 I held I thought it was a good idea to hold a Texas Holdham poker 297 00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:07.599 tournament. And so and guess what, I never even met Jeff, and 298 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:12.119 I'm the one holding the tournament. We played all night and the very final 299 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:15.799 table it came down to two people for all the marbles, all the chips, 300 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:19.960 and guess who it was. It was Jeff and me. It's hilarious, 301 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:30.400 right, And he guess who won? He got lucky. Yeah, 302 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:34.480 he got lucky. Sometimes he gets lucky. So but that's the first time 303 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:37.440 we met. Here's my point. My point is who would have thought way 304 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:41.599 back then in two thousand and six, I'd only been in Michigan two years, 305 00:19:41.960 --> 00:19:45.160 So who would have thought, like, wow, if we would have 306 00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:48.680 fast forward and said, you guys would be you know, have this history. 307 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:52.079 I hadn't even come to hear it. Yet, Oh you had no. 308 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.640 I didn't come to hear until March of that year. Wow. Yeah, 309 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:57.119 see I didn't know. I didn't know. But think about it. 310 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:00.079 Even tonight, you may be sitting down with somebody, meeting them for the 311 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.799 very first time, and you're thinking, Wow. You may look back at 312 00:20:03.799 --> 00:20:06.160 this five years fromund and say, man, you were of my best friends 313 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:11.759 and we met at that night. Or maybe maybe your action step from tonight 314 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:15.960 is going to be to join a small group or leader small group, or 315 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:18.519 serve on a serving team. Just decide to make a bigger church smaller and 316 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:22.160 get connected. And then you'll say it's from that event that I met this 317 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:25.960 person. Now years later I look back and say, one of the best 318 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:30.440 decisions I've ever made. Yeah. So, the whole concept of Christianity, 319 00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:33.960 the whole concept of the church in Jesus's mind, was never a building. 320 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:34.599 Matter of fact, I don't know if you knew this, they didn't have 321 00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:40.160 any buildings for the first three hundred years. They met in homes, they 322 00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:44.240 did life together, but there were no church buildings for three hundred years. 323 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:48.920 Maybe what we think church is is not really what church is. The Christians 324 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.720 didn't think, oh, it's Sunday, we got to go to church. 325 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:55.920 Christians only thought of themselves as the church. They are the church, right, 326 00:20:56.240 --> 00:21:00.279 And so the idea that Jesus has in his mind for the church is 327 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:07.119 friendships. It's it's relationships, it's engaging with one another in a relational level, 328 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:11.400 and discipleship happens best in that context, because we're better when we do 329 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:15.200 life together, right, We're better. Yeah, So let's I think we're 330 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:18.359 coming close here. So we're going to run through three quick points and give 331 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:22.000 you a verse with each point that is just a phenomenal verse. These are 332 00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:26.640 three types of friends that make your that make life better together. Number one 333 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:30.839 is a friend who makes you better. A friend who makes you better, 334 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:34.400 A good versus probably like me to you, Yes, like media I make 335 00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:38.240 you better and me you I complete you? Yes, yes you can. 336 00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:47.599 We need Proverbs twenty seven to seventeen as iron sharpens iron, so a friend 337 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:52.839 sharpens a friend. And we need to understand that that verse is pretty epic 338 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:59.039 because with iron sharpening iron, there's friction, and there's there's there's sharpening, 339 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:02.039 you know, and there's so there's shavings and there's all these kind of things. 340 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:04.000 So it's not just super great all the time. Yeah, it's not 341 00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:07.359 all hunky doory compliments, that's right. It's it requires sometimes a little bit 342 00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:11.240 of friction, but that requires trust, and the only way that can happen 343 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:15.759 is in the context of developing that friendship. Another one is a friend can 344 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:19.720 help you find spiritual strength, and this is unique to a Christian friendship, 345 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:25.200 and so you need to be active in this. Here's what Ecclesias he says. 346 00:22:25.880 --> 00:22:29.359 It says, if either of them falls down, one can help the 347 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:32.960 other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them 348 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:36.519 up. You know, none of us are always sturdy. None of us 349 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:40.440 are always at the top of our game. Chris is, but the rest 350 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:42.400 of us are not always at the top of our game. Sometimes we trip, 351 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:45.599 Sometimes we're heading in the wrong direction, and sometimes we're on the verge 352 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:49.279 of making a bad mistake. And so we need godly friends that can pick 353 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:52.599 us up when we're in the middle of that tripping up. Yeah, for 354 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:56.079 sure. And then here's the last one. It's talking about a friend who 355 00:22:56.119 --> 00:23:00.000 always tells you the truth, whether you like it or not. And don't 356 00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:03.079 we all need this Proverbs, chapter twenty seven, Verses five and six say 357 00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:08.279 better as an open rebuke than love that is concealed. The wounds of a 358 00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:14.440 friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. And it's 359 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:17.960 true, faithful are the wounds of a friend. And I got to tell 360 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:22.160 you, I remember, I remember real quick. I'll tell you this thirty 361 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:26.680 second story. When I was in Burger King as a teenager, me and 362 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:33.200 my buddy Jeff. Me and my buddy Jeff Miller were in Burger King and 363 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:37.559 we were arguing and we ordered the same thing, and he ate his fast 364 00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:40.400 and he was trying to pick off of mine and I said no, I 365 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:41.319 said, you were not going to pick off my food. You ate your 366 00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:45.640 food. And he said, well, the Bible says that if somebody gives 367 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:48.680 you their cloak, give him your coat, and you need to give me 368 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:51.400 your fries. And I'm like, well, the Bible says, don't be 369 00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:55.400 obese and you're fat. And he's like, well, the Bible says be 370 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:57.880 kind and the Bible says be giving. And I wrote back and I'm like, 371 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:02.279 the Bible says don't deal. I told you know. And so we're 372 00:24:02.279 --> 00:24:04.599 going back and forth, like like quoting these Bible verses, and we were 373 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:08.039 probably like sixteen years old, right, and this old man just gets up. 374 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:11.480 He's all by himself, and he walks over to throw his tray ray 375 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:15.119 and he kneels down. He goes, gentlemen, he goes, you're a 376 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:17.079 little loud, but I got to tell you something. I got to tell 377 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:21.319 you something else. The Bible says. The Bible says that your tongue can 378 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:25.119 be like a sword or a scalpel. And he says, and it could 379 00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:26.759 be used to heal, he said, or it could be used like a 380 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:30.920 sword to kill. And so I was like, and then, you know, 381 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:33.519 then he just walks away, and we never saw that old man again, 382 00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:36.839 you know. And then I went home and I angel and we didn't 383 00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:40.240 have Google. So I'm like, I'm like looking through you know, and 384 00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:42.920 I finally found it, you know, and and that and really it is 385 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:47.839 what it is. We all need somebody to tell us what we need to 386 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:52.319 hear, even if it's if it feels like a wound, right, because 387 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:53.880 because you know, sometimes we need to hear things that we need to hear. 388 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:57.640 We all want to hear what we want to hear, right, and 389 00:24:57.720 --> 00:25:03.519 we tend to surround ourselves people who affirm everything about us. But that's not 390 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:07.160 going to make us the best the version of us. Right, So everybody 391 00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:10.839 knows if you pay attention to our podcast, we love the Life Application Study 392 00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:15.440 Bible. And so the note for verse six says, who would prefer a 393 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:21.759 friend's wounds to an enemy's kisses? Anyone who considers the source? What a 394 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:23.440 great phrase, right, So if you consider the source, I've got an 395 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:27.480 enemy who's kissing, I've got a friend who's willing to hurt me a little 396 00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:30.759 bit. Which one should I trust? Right? Well, when you consider 397 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:34.160 the source, that's a pretty easy solution. So a friend who has your 398 00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:38.240 best interests at heart may have to give you unpleasant advice at times, but 399 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:41.599 you know it's for your own good. An enemy, by contrast, may 400 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:45.880 whisper sweet words and happily send you on your way to ruin. We tend 401 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:49.079 to hear what we want to hear, even if an enemy is the only 402 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:52.559 one who will say it. A friend's words, no matter how painful, 403 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:56.720 are much more valuable. It's not a great note, it's great. Yeah. 404 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.759 If you don't have a Life Application Bible, you should go get one. 405 00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:02.480 They're great. So let's wrap it up by saying, I hope you 406 00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:06.519 do get into a small group. I hope you do decide to join a 407 00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:08.559 team or lead a group. In fact, just look at your little cards 408 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:12.680 there and on the back of those black cards, it'll tell you how to 409 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:17.319 jump in and how to get connected. And we really do hope that for 410 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:21.359 you today. I hope that you leave here today and you know people's names, 411 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:23.920 you jump in and you get connected with other people. We would love 412 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:27.319 to pray and transition it back to Kyle. Well, can I say one 413 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:30.720 other thing? So join a group. You can lead a group if you 414 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:33.759 want to. That information is there, get on a team, serve at 415 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:37.440 Haritish Church. And if you're not sure how God wired you to serve, 416 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:40.319 well yeah, that's right. This Sunday. Make sure this Sunday. It's 417 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:42.640 this Sunday. So you've got to go online, like right now, Hairdischurch 418 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:45.759 dot com and sign up. We're getting ready to to do our three to 419 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:49.279 oho one class. And it's my favorite of all the classes we do, 420 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:56.119 just my favorite because it helps you unpack how God shaped you for ministry, 421 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:59.319 because every one of you is shaped to make a difference. Many of you, 422 00:26:59.319 --> 00:27:02.960 you might have that gift of encouragement like Barnabas did for many of us 423 00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:04.680 as you grow up. At first, the Christian life is really about you 424 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:08.240 growing up and becoming more like Jesus and learning about Jesus. But over time 425 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.839 it shifts from being a focus on you to you now instead of being the 426 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:15.960 soul in the story, God's trying to move you into the Barnabas and the 427 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.880 story, and this three oh one class can kind of help you figure out 428 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:22.079 how God has wired you to help other people and serve other people. So 429 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:23.680 sign up tonight for that. That's this Sunday, right, That's right, 430 00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:26.480 that's right, all right, Well, let's pray Heavenly Father, we are 431 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:30.960 just so incredibly grateful for tonight, Thank you for everybody who has come out. 432 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:34.000 And I pray Lord that you would help us to not only laugh and 433 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:38.960 enjoy you and your truths and these people, but Father, help us to 434 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:42.240 take the next step whatever it is Lord, that you're encouraging us to do, 435 00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:45.920 or you're prodding us to do. I pray Lord that we would have 436 00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:49.720 the courage and that you give us the opportunity to just take one step closer 437 00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:53.519 to you and to other people. Lord, thank you once again for laughter, 438 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:56.960 for your blessings in our lives. We ask and we pray all these 439 00:27:56.960 --> 00:28:00.720 things and the powerful name of Jesus Christes to be met.