WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.720 So today we're looking at Paul going on first of 2 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:04.000 many missionary journeys. 3 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:05.599 Yeah, this is the beginning of the spread of the 4 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:08.679 Gospel through the Roman Empire, particularly up into Europe, which 5 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:10.800 is kind of exciting. So that's what we're talking about today. 6 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:24.719 He's Chris, I'm Jeff, and we're the Bible Guys. Dude. 7 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:27.440 I love that big explosion at the end. Yes, so manly. 8 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:32.560 It is because we're important. It's anticipation heavy. So hey, listen, 9 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:35.079 if you have been tuning in, we did this thing 10 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:37.399 called stump the pastor where we ask people to send 11 00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:40.520 in questions. Yeah, and that we collected and sifted through 12 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:42.759 the questions that we're sent in and we're picking five 13 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:45.159 for this week. If you would like to ask us 14 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:49.079 any other questions, send it to info at the Bible 15 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:52.200 Guys dot com and we will take that into consideration 16 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:54.000 the next time that we do something like this. 17 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:55.920 Then they don't all have to be so intense. You 18 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:57.799 could ask some lighthearted stuff too if you want. 19 00:00:57.960 --> 00:00:58.560 That's correct. 20 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:00.039 Yeah, but these are intense. 21 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:02.439 Yeah, they are. Well, it is called it is called stump. 22 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:07.040 I like the So so here's what Felicia J. Says. 23 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:10.200 My mom never let me trick or treat or celebrate 24 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:13.159 Halloween as a kid, since the holiday came from pagan origins. 25 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:16.200 As an adult, I'm conflicted how to feel. I can 26 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:17.959 see it's a lot of fun and I'm drawn to it. 27 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:20.719 Almost everyone says it's harmless. My husband would like our 28 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:23.439 future children to dress up and trick or treat. What 29 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:27.519 are your thoughts on Halloween or other pagan holiday traditions. 30 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:30.120 Some say that bunnies and Easter eggs come from pagan 31 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:35.040 origins as well. Are they harmless in modern times? Oh yeah, 32 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:35.560 that's a big one. 33 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:37.879 Yeah, thanks for pulling us into the hornet's nest on 34 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:38.280 this one. 35 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:39.040 Yeah for sure. 36 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:39.519 Wow. 37 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.959 So I just I just want to say that I 38 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:46.760 do celebrate all three of those holidays and have fun 39 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:49.959 with Santa on Easter, Bunny and and uh, you know, 40 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:52.480 dress up, trick or treating, go out with my kids 41 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:54.159 and have done you know every year. 42 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:59.159 Well, your family is famous for your great Halloween costumes 43 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:01.439 as a family, Yeah, were don't you guys like Scooby 44 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:01.879 Doo and. 45 00:02:02.040 --> 00:02:03.519 Yeah, the whole gang, Yeah, the whole gang. 46 00:02:03.560 --> 00:02:07.879 Yeah. Yeah, and then you're famous for hiding Easter baskets, yes, 47 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:11.240 and insane hiding at Easter baskets. So yeah, you're you're 48 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:14.520 pretty pretty well established that you participate in all of 49 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:15.960 the holid days. 50 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:21.240 Yeah, so let's just jump into it. So I like, 51 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:26.360 and my philosophy is this. Let's take Halloween for example. 52 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:31.319 So what Halloween was once rooted in, it is very 53 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:34.439 obvious that it is not celebrated that way by ninety 54 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:36.199 nine point nine to nine percent of the people in 55 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.159 the world. So her sentiment of saying, most people say 56 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:41.680 it's harmless, the idea of like trick or treating and 57 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:46.120 having fun with candy certainly doesn't connect to the roots 58 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:49.759 of you know, the Satan's Eve or hallow z E 59 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:51.879 or you know those kind of things, even though that 60 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.439 we all know that there's people out there that are creepy, right, 61 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:58.159 So I would just say this. I liken it to 62 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:02.840 Romans chapter fourteen, where Paul is talking about eats or 63 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:06.319 eating a meat sacrifice to false idols. And now keep 64 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:09.840 in mind, the culture of that day was very strong, right, Like, 65 00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:12.840 we're talking like it's not just a pagan holiday, we're 66 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:17.439 talking about worshiping another god, which is in direct violation 67 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:21.199 to anything. And so Paul makes the comment and says, hey, listen, 68 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:24.400 I'm paraphrasing, but you know, this is just a piece 69 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:26.919 of steak. I know, it's a piece of steak. It's 70 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:29.680 a good steak. Wouldn't be bad at all if we 71 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:33.879 ate it. It would just be eating steak, right, he says, 72 00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:36.479 But we want to keep in mind that other people 73 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:40.439 around us would see it as a stumbling block. So 74 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:44.199 don't offend your conscience, right, and don't be a stumbling 75 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:45.000 block to the believers. 76 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:48.680 Yeah, so you're referencing Romans fourteen. And he also mentions 77 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:51.680 holy days in that passage. So he mentioned some people 78 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:54.479 celebrate and worship God on Holy days. A lot of 79 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:58.840 people say every day is the same, right, So yeah, 80 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:02.400 I would say October thirty first is a unique date, 81 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:06.759 as are you know, the different solstices throughout the year, 82 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:13.800 and that astrologically and from a pagan perspective, for thousands 83 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:17.600 of years, humanity has recognized these dates as being significant, 84 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:24.759 each of the solstices being very significant. The the idea 85 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:27.199 of the trick or treat, dress up in costumes, run 86 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:31.759 around in the neighborhoods, you know, get free candy. That 87 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:35.279 is a distinctly Western concept. I mean people in Myanmar 88 00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:38.199 run around trick or treat and you know, in Burma 89 00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:40.920 on October thirty first. So it's definitely a Western thing. 90 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:44.040 And it did start off as a pagan thing. But 91 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:46.680 this construct that we have today of putting on a 92 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:51.959 mask and pretending like you're a policeman or a you know, 93 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:58.399 a bear or something, yeah, is that's definitely a Western thing. 94 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:00.680 And so I think what you're talking about is the 95 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:08.160 modern American you know, family tradition of running around getting 96 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:12.040 free candy, wearing a costume. That is I think what 97 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:13.720 you're referencing. That's why you don't have a problem dress 98 00:05:13.800 --> 00:05:15.519 up like Scooby Doo and have fun doing it. 99 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:16.399 That's right, that's right. 100 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:18.759 What you're not saying is let's all dance around the 101 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:20.879 maypole or let's all go get naked out in the 102 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:23.839 woods and have a big bonfire and worship the devil. 103 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:25.399 You're not saying that, and none of. 104 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:28.120 That, but like, not get too creepy when you dress upright, 105 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:30.680 But see, I apply that principle to like the movies 106 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:32.759 I watch, sure, Right, So it's not like it's not 107 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:36.920 a good thing to fill your mind with horror movies constantly, right, 108 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:41.079 or or worse than that, like evil stuff. Yeah, I'll 109 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:43.680 be honest with you, like even criminal minds. For me, like, 110 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:47.639 I stop watching it's very fascinating. Like all it does 111 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:50.439 is like they say, oh, let's try to think like 112 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:53.560 a deranged serial killer. That's that's what that is, right, 113 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:56.680 And I can't fill myself with that much darkness. 114 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:58.839 Well, Glacians five says, think on those things that are 115 00:05:58.839 --> 00:05:59.600 good and wholesome. 116 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:01.240 Yeah, right. I had to stop watching it. 117 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:02.480 Man, it was killing me. Yeah. 118 00:06:02.600 --> 00:06:05.759 And so I my daughter likes documentaries and all the 119 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:07.759 I'm like, man, I can't fill myself with that. So 120 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:11.800 therefore the principle applies, Like I'm not going to dress 121 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:15.639 up with totally evil things on Halloween, things that are 122 00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:19.560 just evil. And so I would just say, you know, 123 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:22.959 you know, as long as you keep that principle throughout 124 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:26.319 your entire life in all things. So let me just 125 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:30.360 also say this, So Christmas, you know, the celebration of 126 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:34.639 everything that comes with Christmas is also pagan rooted right, 127 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:36.639 based on good things. 128 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:39.480 Well, December twenty fifth was not the day Jesus was born. 129 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:40.000 That's right. 130 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:43.480 Jesus was born in the spring, not in December. December 131 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:47.439 twenty fifth was a distinct Roman pagan holiday, but the 132 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:49.879 Christians co opted. We took it over and said, hey, 133 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:51.720 it's a major holiday. We're just going to turn it 134 00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:53.000 into a Christian holiday. 135 00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:55.639 Right, which is probably funny. And by the way, just 136 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.439 as a side note for our listeners, Jesus probably wasn't 137 00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:00.160 born on zero zero zero. 138 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:02.040 You know, No, he very definitely was not. He was 139 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:03.399 probably born three ads. 140 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:05.240 Yeah, three or four a d. I've always heard four four, 141 00:07:05.720 --> 00:07:08.319 but yeah, some are somewhere around that time. So it's 142 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:11.600 not quite exactly accurate as we as we believe it. 143 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:15.920 I'm sorry, BC. Yeah, BC BC. We said ag, yeah, 144 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:18.079 I'm sorry, I said ad yeah, and I went along 145 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.079 with you. So so let me let me wrap up 146 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:24.439 with this. I think Romans fourteen and First Corinthians eight 147 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:27.920 both deal with the same idea, and Paul combines both 148 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:30.560 eating of meat that is offered to idols and holy 149 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:35.120 days together, because what we're talking about is pagan practices, right, 150 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:36.800 and that's what he's talking about. He's not talking about 151 00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:39.680 holy days like Jewish holy days where they would have 152 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:42.720 you know, Passover, Pentecost or one of those things. That's 153 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:44.639 not an issue for the Jews, they wouldn't have cared. 154 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:48.600 They're talking about He's writing to the to the Romans, right, 155 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:50.560 So now they're asking what do we do with all 156 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:54.879 these holidays that are cultural and social, but you know, 157 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:58.560 we don't worship them or celebrate them from a religious standpoint. 158 00:07:58.920 --> 00:08:01.639 So Paul is combined those two and he says, accept 159 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:04.439 other believers in verse in chapter fourteen who are weak 160 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.240 in the faith, and don't argue with them about what 161 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:08.480 they think is right or wrong. This is really important. 162 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.480 What God says is right is right. What God says 163 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:14.399 is wrong is wrong. And on those things you and 164 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:17.160 I don't there is no argument right because God's right. 165 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:19.519 He's right about what's right. He's right about what's wrong, 166 00:08:19.560 --> 00:08:21.680 there's no need. But on the things God doesn't say 167 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:25.519 anything about, that's where we are. We can have differences, right. 168 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:30.399 So sat Augustine said, on essentials we must have unity, 169 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:32.679 and those are all the things about salvation and what 170 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.879 God says is right and wrong. On non essentials, the 171 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:39.720 things God doesn't speak about. He said, we have freedom 172 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:42.440 or liberty, but in all things we should have love 173 00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:44.720 or charity. It's what he said towards each other. So 174 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:47.559 this is that passage where he's talking about not the 175 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.720 things that God said are clearly right or wrong, but 176 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:52.080 in the things God doesn't say anything about. We're just 177 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:54.120 not going to get upset with each other over what 178 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:56.639 you believe versus what I believe on that, and that's 179 00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:59.759 why he ends the chapter at fourteen. Don't sin against 180 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:03.759 your own conscience. Now, he says, I know some days 181 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:06.440 are days. Some people like to set aside a day 182 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:08.200 and say I'm going to worship God extra special on 183 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:10.600 that day. Fine, that's wrong, that's fine. Other people go, no, 184 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:13.039 every day is equally important. I'm going to worship God 185 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:16.080 equally on every day, and that's fine too. And he said, 186 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:18.399 just don't judge each other on it. Some people would say, man, 187 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:20.639 it's a great deal. You buy all these prime meat 188 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:26.360 from these temples super cheap. It was great, and others go, 189 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:29.000 that was offered an idol, and first Corinthians Paul says, 190 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:32.080 we know idols are just stones and gold and metal. 191 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:35.720 They're nothing. But he said, what I don't want to 192 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:39.120 do is judge somebody else who has a stricter rule 193 00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:41.559 than me on something that God didn't say anything about. 194 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:43.799 Because they're doing that in order to honor God with 195 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:45.799 their life, and so you should give them room. Certainly, 196 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:47.320 don't be the kind of person go you're a jerk, 197 00:09:47.480 --> 00:09:50.399 or you're an idiot, or why you're so dumb? Right, instead, 198 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:53.320 say give them respect that they're choosing to go a 199 00:09:53.320 --> 00:09:55.720 little further with God on that. But what he does 200 00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:58.919 say is be convinced in your own heart whether or 201 00:09:58.919 --> 00:10:00.799 not you should or shouldn't do it. If you're not convinced, 202 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:03.360 don't sin against your conscience. Yeah, and that's that really 203 00:10:03.399 --> 00:10:04.320 is the foundation law. 204 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:05.080 It is foundation. 205 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:05.720 Yeah. 206 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:08.200 And so so for me, I as long as I 207 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:11.159 am not you know, being super evil on Halloween, and 208 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:13.399 all I do is embrace the social part of it 209 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.919 because again it's not connected to what it once was 210 00:10:17.240 --> 00:10:21.279 thousands of years ago. My conscience says there's nothing wrong 211 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:23.639 with what I'm doing, right, and so I'm gonna do that. 212 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:27.279 And then and further than that, like especially on Christmas, 213 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:29.960 I'm gonna bring Jesus into those moments, right, and so 214 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:32.039 I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna take you know that 215 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:34.799 which the world may not recognize. As you know, Easter 216 00:10:34.919 --> 00:10:38.759 Bunny is not the resurrection, right, but we're gonna we're 217 00:10:38.759 --> 00:10:41.519 gonna take We're gonna take it. We're gonna interject Jesus 218 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:43.559 and we're going to enter into that culture, have fun 219 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:46.399 socially with people, and then we're gonna just take art 220 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:49.480 whatever opportunity we can to bring Jesus into the equation. 221 00:10:49.639 --> 00:10:53.639 Yeah, there are Irish traditions about bunnies and about eggs 222 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:56.159 and all those kinds of things that kind of they've 223 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:59.320 made to reference around the resurrection, around new life, around 224 00:10:59.320 --> 00:11:00.240 all those kinds of things. 225 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:02.840 And so you like the egg represents the trinity. 226 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:05.679 Yeah, sure, and so there's several of those things that 227 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:07.519 you know, you can find ways to teach your children. 228 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:09.600 What we did is we were really careful. We said, kids, 229 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:11.320 we're not going to do any evil. We're not going 230 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:12.759 to dress up like which is, we're not going to 231 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:14.799 do ouiji boards, We're not going to do any of 232 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:18.600 the evil or gory, bloody things. So you want to 233 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:21.879 have fun and be silly, that's one thing. You want 234 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:24.080 to be evil. I think that's opening up a door 235 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:27.360 specifically to other evil things in your life. And so 236 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:29.600 there's a fine line there, and I think you have 237 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:32.759 to be convinced and be as with everything. You have 238 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:35.120 to be very judicious in the way that you lead 239 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:39.360 your family in those things, but it can be fairly harmless. 240 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:40.759 I believe we didn't move on. 241 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:44.879 Wow. So Acts chapter thirteen is where we're at, and 242 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.960 they're hitting the road now, and basically what we're going 243 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:50.480 to see is for the next couple chapters they're going 244 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:51.960 to spend most of their time in what we would 245 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:55.840 consider now modern day Turkey. They're leaving modern day Syria 246 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:59.559 Antioch in Syria, and they're heading into what is modern 247 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:07.039 day Turkey, which would be Asia Minor is how the 248 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:10.000 map makers called it. They called it Asia Minor. It 249 00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:12.639 would be the eastern portion of the Roman Empire. You know, 250 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:17.639 Constantinople eventually became the thing is Dambul with Constantinople house 251 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:20.960 is dambul. Anyways, they'll get in your head. Here you go. 252 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:25.080 I love this song. So Acts chapter thirteen is where 253 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:28.919 we're at, and here's what it says. Among the prophets 254 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:31.039 and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were 255 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:35.440 Barnabas Simeon called the black Man, Lucius from Syreene Manayan, 256 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:39.399 the childhood companion King herod Antipas, and Saul one day, 257 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:42.200 as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the 258 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.120 Holy Spirit said, dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special 259 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:47.720 work to which I have called them. So, after more 260 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:50.039 fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them 261 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:52.759 and sent them on their way. So Barnabas and Saul 262 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:54.679 were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down 263 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:56.960 to the seaport of Silucia and then sailed for the 264 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:00.279 island of Cyprus. There, in the town to Salamus, they 265 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:02.519 went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. 266 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:06.200 John Mark went with them as their assistant. Afterward, they 267 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:08.559 traveled from town to town across the entire island, till 268 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:11.360 finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, 269 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:15.200 a false prophet named bar Jesus. He had attached himself 270 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:18.080 to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. 271 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:21.919 The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for 272 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:24.600 he wanted to hear the word of God. But Alamis, 273 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:27.679 the sorcerer, as his name means in Greek, interfered and 274 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:29.799 urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas, 275 00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:31.840 and Saul said he was trying to keep the governor 276 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:34.799 from believing. Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with 277 00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:36.879 the Holy Spirit, and he looked to the sorcerer in 278 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:39.159 the eye, and then he said, you, son of the devil, 279 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:41.519 full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy 280 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:43.879 of all that is good, will you never stop perverting 281 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:46.440 the true ways of the Lord? Watch now, for the 282 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.320 Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and 283 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:51.159 you will be struck blind. You will not see the 284 00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:54.919 sunlight for some time. Instantly, mist and darkness came over 285 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:57.600 the man's eyes, and he began groping around, begging for 286 00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:00.159 someone to take his hand and to lead him. When 287 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:02.600 the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, 288 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:05.080 for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. 289 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:07.399 That's our passage today. 290 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:10.679 Yeah, so how about that, you'll be struck blind? And 291 00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:11.799 then he was struck blind. 292 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:13.960 Oh, we were just talking about witchcraft and sorcery and 293 00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:18.080 here's a real sorcerer. Yeah, so it's real, it exists, right, 294 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:19.080 that's amazing. 295 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:23.279 And by the way, just side note is that this 296 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:26.639 is the first time where Saul is a Comma also 297 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:30.840 known as Paul. So it's like the first evidence of 298 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:34.759 his reputation changing. That's correct, isn't that fun? 299 00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:35.240 Yeah? 300 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.240 Yeah, And eventually he'll become Paul, but right now it's 301 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.360 Barnabas and Saul who's kind of sort of known as 302 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:41.879 Paul too. 303 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:45.320 Yeah. So this is one of the things at the beginning. 304 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.320 It's it's kind of easy to blow past the first 305 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:50.480 couple verses, but it talks about the prophets and the teachers. 306 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:52.840 These are the leaders of the church in Antioch. Remember 307 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:55.960 outside of Jerusalem, this is the biggest church, is the 308 00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:59.600 Church in Antioch at the time. And there's Barnabas obviously 309 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.000 there Simeon called the Black Man. Niger is the other 310 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:09.240 word there right from the West Africa, Lucius from Syene 311 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:13.240 and Manayan, the childhood companion of Heird and Saul. So 312 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.679 you have a tremendous amount of diversity here. It's an 313 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:21.120 international group of leaders here, right. You have some Mediterranean people, 314 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:27.279 you have an African man, You've got East Asia or 315 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:32.080 Central Asian people all here. There's a Greek in there. 316 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:36.759 It's very substantial, the breadth of leadership that God has 317 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:38.879 and it's kind of easy for us to blow past that, 318 00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.759 except for the fact that God wanted us to understand 319 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:45.080 who Simion was, and who Lucius was, and who Manean was. 320 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:47.840 God wanted us to know these guys. Doesn't say anything 321 00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:51.000 else about Manaian in the Bible, just this one. Doesn't 322 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:53.720 say anything about anything else about Simon except the spot. 323 00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:56.039 And I think it's really cool that God goes, Hey, 324 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:58.559 just want you to know there's a plurality of leadership. 325 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:02.240 It's not just one dictator, and it's lots of cultures, 326 00:16:02.440 --> 00:16:05.000 lots of different perspectives. And then don't minimize the fact 327 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:09.440 that Saul came from a sect of the Jewish religion 328 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:15.240 that was the most conservative, hyper religious Pharisees. So you 329 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:18.720 go from the hyper religious jew all the way to 330 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:22.919 Simeon and Manaian and Lucius, who would have come from 331 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:26.000 very different cultures. Wow, it's pretty cool. 332 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:27.919 Well, that's a lot of great insights, isn't it. Neat, 333 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:31.480 that's very cool. Yeah, I was looking at verse number 334 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:34.039 I don't know what that verse that is, number four 335 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:36.519 where he talks about Barnabas and Saul and it says 336 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:39.039 they were sent out by the Holy Spirit. You know, 337 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:42.120 it's so great when you feel like you're doing something 338 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:45.279 that you know God wants you to do. You know, 339 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:48.279 there's so many times in our lives, and obviously this 340 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:51.440 was a pretty big, huge moment in Paul's life, but 341 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:54.879 there are little moments too, where God nudges us to 342 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:57.320 do something. Have you ever been in a place where 343 00:16:57.879 --> 00:17:01.679 the Holy Spirit nudges you to somebody or pray for somebody, 344 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:06.359 or to serve somebody, or to give somebody something financially generosity? 345 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:10.279 And whenever you do that, you know that it's going 346 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:13.200 to make a difference. Because even though that Barnabas and 347 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:17.000 Saul have absolutely no idea what's coming, they they're setting 348 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:20.839 out on these unbelievable missionary journeys that are going to 349 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.039 just change the world. And I believe that they themselves 350 00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:28.079 have no idea what they're doing. They know what they 351 00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:30.319 can see in the moment, and they know they're making 352 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:33.599 an impact, right, but they have no idea the future impact. 353 00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:37.160 And so it's just a great reminder for us, even 354 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:40.160 that small little verse, that when God nudges you to 355 00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:44.039 do something, and you've identified that as the Holy Spirit's 356 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:49.359 nudging in your life, then then never underestimate what God 357 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:52.039 wants to do in you and through you. Because when 358 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:54.240 you feel like God is sending you on a mission, 359 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:57.480 then then do it because the importance is greater than 360 00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:01.000 you think. And I also think that you know, even 361 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:03.319 in big ways of our lives. You know, when when 362 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:05.640 God sends us off and he let's just say, he 363 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:08.279 has us quit a job and start a new business, 364 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:12.079 or switch companies, or or move to another place, or 365 00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:14.480 you know something really big, right, you know, this is 366 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:17.319 the college that I prayed about and God is God 367 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:18.839 has said this is where I need to go, or 368 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:21.920 this is who I need to marry. Also be confident 369 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:24.000 in that as well, because if you feel like the 370 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:26.920 Holy Spirit is with you and you have God's blessing 371 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:29.720 on that choice, and just know that, you know you're 372 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:31.920 going to feel protected, You're going to feel watched over 373 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:33.559 and God has his hand on you. 374 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:37.599 And that's the value of prayer and fasting. So prayer 375 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:41.720 is seeking God's guidance. Fasting is eliminating all the distractions 376 00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:43.880 of life or as many of the distractions of life 377 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:47.759 as possible, so you are more clear and ready to hear, 378 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:51.119 you know, from God. And so the prayer and fasting 379 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:54.119 going to get They were praying and fasting before this happened, right, 380 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:58.119 And then they were praying and fasting after God said, hey, 381 00:18:58.119 --> 00:19:00.759 you should do this just to confirm makes Hey, we're 382 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:02.440 not going off on our own on this, are we? 383 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:07.119 And they they wind up hearing clearly from God. And 384 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:09.920 so they send out paulin Barnabas and they paulin Barnabus 385 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.079 take John Mark with him. Now, this is the same 386 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:15.079 John Mark that was mentioned in chapter twelve two where 387 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:16.279 it said that they took him with him. 388 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:19.759 But this is well who also wrote John Mark wrote 389 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:22.839 the Book of Mark Mark, and people don't know that. 390 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:24.720 And I think his first name was Mark. 391 00:19:24.599 --> 00:19:28.559 Right right. And John Mark was Peter's assistant. So very 392 00:19:28.599 --> 00:19:33.160 likely the Book of Mark was Peter's history with Mark 393 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:36.599 writing it down right, John Mark writing. But also I 394 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:39.519 just I noticed this yesterday when we were reading in 395 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:42.319 James chapter twelve. You know when all the Christians were praying, 396 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:44.880 I mean Act twelve, asks what I say, James, Oh yeah, 397 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:49.319 Acts chapter twelve, when all the Christians were praying in 398 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:52.000 the in that house that Peter would be released. It 399 00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:54.640 was in Mary's house and she was the mother of 400 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:57.400 John Mark. So this is John Mark's house where this 401 00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:59.799