WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.759 All right, Well today, Jeff, we are actually back in 2 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.200 the Book of Acts, chapter number twenty, because the Book 3 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:06.360 of Romans has come to an end. 4 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:08.919 That's right, So we're going to pick up Paul is 5 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:11.960 continuing on in his travels and he goes to jail. 6 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:15.279 Is what's coming up next? Yeah, it's a tough one. 7 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:17.879 But he's going to meet with the leadership in the 8 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:19.399 Church of Ephesus first, So that's. 9 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:21.079 What we're talking about. He's Chris and I'm Jeff. We're 10 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:22.039 the Bible guys. 11 00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:35.600 So, Jeff, we did miss you when Wesley stood in. 12 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:37.560 I know he did a great job. 13 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:40.600 But Kyle did a great job while you were gone. 14 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:42.560 I mean, we've missed each other quite a bit. 15 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:43.439 Yeah, we actually have. 16 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:45.600 Yeah, Yeah, it's going to be back together this week. 17 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:49.119 And so today I look forward to asking you this 18 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:52.000 because you're here next to me, which is what made 19 00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:53.240 Jeff happy this week. 20 00:00:53.640 --> 00:00:56.719 Oh this is a playoff of the most famous segment 21 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:57.280 We've got. 22 00:00:57.280 --> 00:00:59.759 Ye Chris, which by the week, By the way, somebody 23 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.799 in our church lobby came up to me, like just 24 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:04.680 on Sunday, which would have been a couple of days ago, 25 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:07.359 and said, hey, I have a question so what And 26 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.480 they said, why don't you ever ask what made Chris happy? 27 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:13.359 And I said, that's a great question. 28 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:15.760 That is a good question. That's not for you today, 29 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:16.560 that's for me today. 30 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:17.519 I get happy. 31 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:19.560 Are you trying to push in on my question? I'm 32 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:21.920 just trying to Hey, let's do what made Jeff mad 33 00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:22.359 this week? 34 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:25.560 Hey? Actually I thought we were just having a good conversation. 35 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:28.599 Okay, okay, I thought you're trying to steal. I thought 36 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:29.760 you're trying to ago. 37 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:32.959 Are we all ready to fight? So? What made Jeff 38 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:33.599 happy this week? 39 00:01:33.640 --> 00:01:35.200 What made Jeff happy this week? 40 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:35.840 Uh? 41 00:01:35.959 --> 00:01:36.439 You know what? 42 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:40.680 So we just celebrated Valentine's Day? Yeah, and uh so 43 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:43.719 my wife she said, hey, I've got a plan for 44 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:44.560 Valentine's Day. 45 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:46.560 It's going to be a lot of fun. And I 46 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:47.799 was like, okay, this is great. 47 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:49.879 So that made me happy that she she made a plan, 48 00:01:49.959 --> 00:01:51.719 because usually I'm the one that's trying to figure out 49 00:01:51.719 --> 00:01:53.280 what to do for Valentine that's fun. But she put 50 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:56.480 together and she bought tickets and took us to the 51 00:01:56.519 --> 00:02:01.040 Detroit Symphony and the Detroit Symphony was screening The Princess 52 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:07.079 Bride while they played the New orchestral soundtrack to it. 53 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:10.360 So Princess Bride was the soundtrack to the movie. The 54 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:14.080 Princess Bride was two guys. It was only two people, 55 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:17.039 a guitar and piano. That's the keys, that's all the 56 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:20.919 whole movie. But they went back and redid the entire thing, 57 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:26.280 full orchestral soundtrack, and it was brilliant. So the orchestra 58 00:02:26.360 --> 00:02:30.120 hall was packed and we sat and they played the movie. 59 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:33.080 Of course, the conductor comes out and he takes his 60 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:34.800 As soon as he steps up on the conductor thing, 61 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.199 everybody's cheer and he bows and then he whips out 62 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:39.520 his his baton and he points out to the crowd 63 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:41.080 and he says, my name is a Ningo Montoya. 64 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:42.639 You kill my father. 65 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:48.840 Yeah, So it's either you love or hate the Princess Bride. 66 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:49.439 Yeah yeah. 67 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:51.280 And then he's from Australia. 68 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:53.800 So then he said, apparently the only thing is according 69 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:55.240 to this movie they come from Australia, is iye be 70 00:02:55.240 --> 00:03:00.120 came Potter and criminals. 71 00:02:58.319 --> 00:02:59.240 Populated by criminals. 72 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:02.039 Remember, So that show either you love or hate the 73 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:04.280 Princess Bride. And my wife and I our sense of 74 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.439 humor is we love the Princess Bride. So it was 75 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:09.680 funny sitting there, probably three thousand people in the orchestra 76 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:13.800 hall and everybody's quoting lines and laughing, and it was 77 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:15.800 so much fun. It was just a delight. We had 78 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:17.080 so much fun together doing that. 79 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:20.199 No more rhymes and I mean it, anybody want a peanut? 80 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:22.000 It's so great. 81 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:25.840 Yeah, So that that was what really that maybe be 82 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:27.360 happy this week were. 83 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:29.800 Hey, I know this isn't the Chris Happy segment, but 84 00:03:30.199 --> 00:03:32.479 my wife also planned, which is unusual. 85 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:32.759 Wow. 86 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:34.120 Yeah, yeah, because my wife does. 87 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:35.919 We lucked out. We've got the best wives in the world. 88 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:38.960 Yes, yeah, And normally she doesn't plan these days, but 89 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:43.000 we're actually, uh, she planned a weekend actually that starts tomorrow. 90 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:46.319 We're going to Saganau overnight and we're seeing John Christ 91 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:48.800 the Christian car Yeah yeah, huh, and then we're coming back. 92 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:50.240 So that'll be fun good for you. 93 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:51.039 Yeah, really cool. 94 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:56.520 So Paul has completed his third missionary journey yep, and 95 00:03:56.800 --> 00:03:59.080 he went back. In that third journey, he went back 96 00:03:59.080 --> 00:04:01.319 through a bunch of the cities that he'd already been 97 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:05.719 too before, and he writes the Book of Romans that 98 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:07.439 we read and a couple of the other ones there 99 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:11.680 and then now he's in prison, getting ready to go 100 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:12.120 to prison. 101 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:12.960 So here's what happens. 102 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:15.919 Says he was preparing to sail back to Syria when 103 00:04:15.960 --> 00:04:18.879 he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, 104 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.399 so he decided to return through Macedonia. Oh, by the way, 105 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:26.079 we're reading in Acts chapter twenty first three. Yeah, it 106 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:28.839 says several men were traveling with him, and they were Soapeter, 107 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:33.920 son of Pirus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundas from Thessalonika, 108 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:37.560 Gayas from Derby, Timothy and Titikus and Trophimus from the 109 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:40.279 province of Asia. They went on ahead and waited for 110 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:45.959 us at Troes. When it says us, that's Luke and Paul. 111 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:50.040 So Luke, that's right. Luke is the writer of the 112 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:53.160 book of Acts. So all these other guys went out ahead, 113 00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:55.360 and Luke and Paul are the us there. So these 114 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:57.519 other guys went out ahead and waited for us at Troas. 115 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:00.399 After the passover ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi 116 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:03.120 in Macedonia. Five days later joined them in troy As, 117 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:05.120 where we stayed a week. On the first day of 118 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:08.199 the week, we gathered in the local believers to share 119 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:10.560 in the Lord's supper. Paul was preaching to them, and 120 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:12.399 since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking 121 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:17.279 until midnight. I thought you preached long the upstairs. The 122 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:20.160 upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 123 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:23.319 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Euticus, 124 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:27.199 sitting in the window sill, became very drowsy. Finally he 125 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:30.680 fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 126 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:33.839 Paul went down, bent over him and took him into 127 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:36.199 his arms. So have you ever had people die while 128 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:36.759 you were preaching? 129 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:38.519 Uh? 130 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:41.000 I don't think so many of us feel that way. 131 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.279 I was literally trying to answer that question. 132 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.639 So don't worry, he said, he's alive. Then they all 133 00:05:47.639 --> 00:05:50.000 went back upstairs, sharing the Lord' supper and ate together. 134 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:53.519 Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. Meanwhile, 135 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:56.240 the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was 136 00:05:56.279 --> 00:06:00.480 greatly relieved. Paul went by land to Azos, where he 137 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:02.240 had arranged for us to join him, and while we 138 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:05.279 traveled by ship, he joined us there and we sailed 139 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:09.319 together to Middelean. The next day, we sailed past the 140 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:12.759 island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the 141 00:06:12.759 --> 00:06:15.480 island of Samos, and a day later we arrived at Malaydis. 142 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:19.800 He's telling this because he's being accurate with the travel pattern, 143 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.879 that all of his readers would have known these places, right. 144 00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:25.480 That's why he's saying this. He's not just claiming that, hey, 145 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:27.800 we went on a journey. He's being specific on purpose. 146 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:32.160 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus for he 147 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:33.959 didn't want to spend any more time in the province 148 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.519 of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem if possible, 149 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:39.680 in time for the festival Pentecost. But when we landed 150 00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:41.680 at Malayedis, he sent a message to the elders of 151 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:44.839 the church at Ephesus asking them to come and meet him. 152 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:46.879 And when they arrived, he declared, You know that from 153 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:48.480 the day I set foot in the province of Asia 154 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:50.920 until now, I've done the Lord's work humbly and with 155 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:53.560 many tears. I've endured the trials that came to me 156 00:06:53.639 --> 00:06:55.759 from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back 157 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.240 from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly 158 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.600 or in your homes. I've had one such for Jews 159 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:03.360 and Greeks alike, the necessity of repenting from sin and 160 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:06.319 turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. 161 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:09.079 And now I'm bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. 162 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:11.199 I don't know what awaits me, except that the Holy 163 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:13.639 Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and 164 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.360 suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to 165 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:18.519 me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned 166 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:21.079 me by the Lord Jesus, the work of telling others 167 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:23.560 the good news about the wonderful grace of God. And 168 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:25.519 now I know that none of you to whom I 169 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.160 have preached the kingdom will ever see me again. I 170 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:31.800 declare today that I've been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, 171 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:34.160 it's not my fault, for I didn't shrink from declaring 172 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:37.720 all that God wants you to know. So guard yourselves 173 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:41.439 and God's people, feed and shepherd God's flock, his church 174 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.959 purchased with his own blood, over which the Holy Spirit 175 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:46.879 has appointed you as elders. I know that false teachers, 176 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:49.439 like vicious wolves will come in among you after I leave, 177 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:52.439 not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own 178 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:54.839 group will rise up and distort the truth in order 179 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:58.680 to draw a following watch out. Remember the three years 180 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:00.639 I was with you, my constant waf and care over 181 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:02.879 you night and day, and my many tears for you. 182 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:05.399 And now I entrust you to God and the message 183 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:07.199 of his grace that is able to build you up 184 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:09.519 and give you an inheritance with all those he set 185 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:12.680 apart for himself. I've never coveted anyone's silver or gold 186 00:08:12.759 --> 00:08:14.959 or fine clothes. You know that these hands of mine 187 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:16.920 have worked to supply my own needs and even the 188 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:19.160 needs of those who are with me. And I have 189 00:08:19.639 --> 00:08:22.800 a constant example. I have been a constant example of 190 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:25.160 how you can help those in need by working hard. 191 00:08:25.160 --> 00:08:27.480 You should remember the words of Lord Jesus, it's more 192 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:30.720 blessed to give than to receive. When he had finished speaking, 193 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:32.600 he knelt and prayed with them, and they all cried 194 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:35.120 as they embraced and kissed him goodbye, And they were sad, 195 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:37.120 most of all because he had said they would never 196 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:39.799 see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship. 197 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:44.480 There it is, there you go. It was a long chapter. 198 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:47.600 Yeah, it's a nice story, yeah right, but yeah, it's 199 00:08:47.639 --> 00:08:49.039 a long long chunk there. 200 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:52.720 So the very first thing we have to camp on. 201 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:55.080 Is this guy who follows three stories. 202 00:08:54.759 --> 00:08:56.360 Down that's the best and dies. 203 00:08:56.559 --> 00:09:01.440 Yes, So think about this. You're making a joke about 204 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:05.279 like people falling asleep and dying when people preach. But 205 00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:08.639 you know, I'm sure when Paul was in the city, 206 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:12.519 they probably could not get enough of him. So wherever 207 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:15.679 Paul was, whenever he started to speak, it's not like, well, 208 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:17.919 we're going to go home after an hour, because you know, 209 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:20.799 North Americans in the twenty first century retired if you 210 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:24.000 go beyond sixty minutes, right, it's like, no, Paul's here, 211 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.759 He's not always going to be here. So who knows. 212 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:28.159 It doesn't say how long a sermon was. 213 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:29.559 He could have went to midnight. 214 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:33.120 It went to midnight, right, it could have been eight hours. Yeah, right, 215 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.960 And so we have to understand, like the idea of 216 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:40.360 him falling asleep wasn't like somebody falling asleep when I preach. 217 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:41.840 Right, that's right, good job. 218 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:45.519 I had a one time when I first came to Heritage, 219 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:48.840 we were meeting in a high school, and before I 220 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:51.960 came to Heritage, I had only ever spoken in front 221 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:55.840 of adults six times total. Six well, and four of 222 00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:58.240 the six times. The pastors I was working for at 223 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:00.679 the time went good thing hearing me position because God 224 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:03.879 didn't gift you to speak, right, I just did that 225 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:05.720 bad of a job. Yeah, yeah, I was just a 226 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:09.480 bad public speaker. So then Heritage hires me after me 227 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:11.919 only speaking one time, well two times. I spoke one 228 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:13.840 time on a Sunday morning, one time in a midweek thing, 229 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:16.799 and it was the best I could do. But I 230 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:18.919 wasn't a very good speaker. I still am not a 231 00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:23.480 great speaker. But I think you're good. The well, there's 232 00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:25.480 so many people I'm like, man if I could speak 233 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:26.440 like them, you know what I mean? 234 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:27.200 I love that. 235 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:30.639 So people who knew me but did not know you, 236 00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:35.279 who visited Heritage, their biggest concern was, you know, is 237 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.799 I like Chris already? Because I know him and I 238 00:10:37.879 --> 00:10:39.960 like him, But am I gonna like Jeff? And I'm 239 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.120 telling you just about everybody I've ever talked to, he said, 240 00:10:42.279 --> 00:10:44.679 I heard Jeff, and oh good thing, he's great. 241 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:48.279 Oh good great, Because I mean, I wasn't saying that 242 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:49.360 to get a compliment. 243 00:10:49.960 --> 00:10:51.519 You know, I wasn't very good at speaking, and so. 244 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:53.480 I think you've changed in the last how many years 245 00:10:53.720 --> 00:10:54.279 sixteen years. 246 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:56.840 Sixteen years, yeah, so it'll be seventeen in just a 247 00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:00.879 couple weeks. So anyways, I was speaking, and I'd only 248 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.279 been here maybe a year, year and a half. The 249 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:06.080 room started feeling, you know, and so the church kept 250 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:09.759 growing and we had a lot of people in the gym, 251 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:14.399 and all of a sudden, this lady, I'm thinking while 252 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:16.759 I'm speaking, I was just aware this message I was 253 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:19.600 preaching wasn't the best message I'd given in a while. Right, 254 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:21.799 I'd been working really really hard trying to figure out 255 00:11:21.799 --> 00:11:24.679 how to communicate better, and I was just thinking, man, Jeff, 256 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:27.480 this one's just not hitting. And while that thought was 257 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:30.240 going through my head, this old lady just fell over, 258 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.919 fell over. And I started laughing, thinking I killed this 259 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:37.679 woman while I'm preaching. She's like ninety years old. She 260 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:39.000 just went over. 261 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:42.559 So let's get this straight. None of your woman falls. 262 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:43.320 Over while I'm preaching. 263 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:45.720 And while I'm thinking this is a really horrible message, 264 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:46.960 and you laugh. 265 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:47.759 I laughed out loud. 266 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:51.279 It was like goodness, and so the U and I 267 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:53.720 wasn't like ahha, I would just say, you gotta be 268 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:55.679 kidding me, right right, And so I was like, uh, 269 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:57.279 sure's I think we need some help, and you know, 270 00:11:57.320 --> 00:11:59.240 we have a great safety team. And our safety team 271 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:03.120 rushes In had several firefighters. They come in smelling salts. 272 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.080 Immediately she wakes up, they pick up her chair, right 273 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:05.879 on the chair, they. 274 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:10.080 Took her out. It was great. And so just a few. 275 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:11.840 Seconds later they flashed on the screen in the back 276 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:14.200 that she was fine. She just it was a little 277 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:16.720 too warm in the room and she passed out. 278 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:18.039 She was dehydrated. 279 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:20.360 So once we knew she was well, I said, hey, everybody, 280 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:22.720 I just got a message that you know, the lady 281 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:26.360 that fell over, she passed out, she was dehydrated, and 282 00:12:26.440 --> 00:12:28.480 so thank goodness, and I said, you know, I was thinking, 283 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:30.440 what all you were thinking, and that was this is 284 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:31.840 one of the worst message you ever heard. 285 00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:33.759 And she just passed out when it happened. 286 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:34.840 That's funny, it was. 287 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:36.840 It was terrible. So anyways, this guy. 288 00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:39.480 I did have on East sorry tostray, but I did 289 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.519 have on Easter Sunday one time, which is a pretty 290 00:12:41.559 --> 00:12:42.000 big crowd. 291 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.000 So the room's completely that's like the super Bowl of 292 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:45.360 of the year. 293 00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:48.039 This guy. This guy was in probably like the fifth row, 294 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:51.559 about seven chairs towards the middle, so it wasn't on 295 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:54.960 the end, and he actually has like an epilepsy episode. 296 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:55.639 Oh yeah. 297 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:59.399 So they literally had to wheeled down a wheelchair all 298 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:01.559 the way down to the front in front of everybody. 299 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:04.240 There's like a thousand people in the room, and they 300 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:06.039 had to carry this guy, lift him uput in the 301 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.159 wheelchair and take it all the way out. In retrospect, 302 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.000 what I should have done in the middle of my 303 00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:15.320 message was stop and acknowledge what was happening, right, and 304 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:18.480 just say like, hey, what's happening. Can we get a word? 305 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:21.399 Hey everybody, he's fine, he just needs to go out 306 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:24.480 and whatever, and let's leybe do a quick word a 307 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:25.759 prayer for you. So what we did for her, we 308 00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:28.120 prayed for that lady and go back and here's but 309 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:30.840 here's what I did. I ignored it and kept on speaking. 310 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:34.679 So I just thought because I didn't understand, I didn't 311 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:37.320 comprehend what was happening, right, I just knew something was happening. 312 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.399 Stuff's happening all the time while you're speaking and you're 313 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:40.879 having to filter it out or you can't. 314 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:42.559 Yeah, yeah, it happens to me out time. 315 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:45.600 But people later on said, dude, you just kept on 316 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:47.000 going and just ignored that person. 317 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.279 Well, I I we did. We stopped and prayed for 318 00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:52.879 that lady. And then I said later on, when I 319 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:54.720 was saying that, you know, she was well I thought, 320 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:57.399 I said, I was thinking, this is such a bad message. 321 00:13:57.399 --> 00:13:59.480 I literally bored her to death. 322 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:01.720 Right, And I thought that somebody who was in a 323 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.080 wheelchair just needed to go to the bathroom. 324 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:05.320 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I didn't know what was happening. Yep, 325 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:09.519 So that's not what happened here. No, this guy dies 326 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:13.360 and then Paul, you know, raises him back to life, 327 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.399 which is kind of an interesting thing. 328 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:19.000 And well, I mean, don't breeze past that. Yeah, right, 329 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:21.799 Paul brings a man back to life. That those are 330 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.600 like Jesus powers, right, which is amazing. 331 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:28.120 Well, Jesus said that his followers would do the same 332 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:30.399 things he did, and even greater things, right, so it 333 00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:32.720 makes sense that that, you know, miracles would happen like that. 334 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:36.279 So you know, they're sharing in the Lord's Supper, which 335 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:38.879 is always important. They're doing all these things together, and 336 00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:42.000 then Paul calls the elders of the church together and 337 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:45.360 there's there's a little teaching here. I think, if you indulge. 338 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:45.879 Me, for just a second. 339 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:52.000 So he says, Paul decides to sail on past Ephesus. 340 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:55.519 When he lands there, in verse seventeen, it says he 341 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:58.879 sent a message to the elders. Not the elder, but 342 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:02.399 the elders. So there's a plurality of leadership in Ephesus. 343 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:04.120 And then if you go down a little further, if 344 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:09.559 you go down to verse twenty eight, he said he's 345 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.519 talking to those elders, and he says, so guard yourselves 346 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:16.519 and God's people feed in shepherd God's flock. That's the shepherd. 347 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:19.279 That's where we get the word pastor from pointment is 348 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:22.960 the Greek word there shepherd God's flock, his church purchased 349 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:26.200 with his blood, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed 350 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:31.440 you as elders. That word, quite honestly is overseers. There 351 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:36.679 So even though the NLT translated as elders, which isn't inappropriate. 352 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:38.679 Which by the way, my NLT, because I think there's 353 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:41.240 different versions here, yep, it says the Holy Spirit has 354 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:42.519 appointed you as leaders. 355 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:48.480 Yes, that word leader is episcopas it's bishop is what 356 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:51.320 that word is. So if you've ever heard the word bishop, 357 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:54.120 so really, what he's done is he's called the elders together. 358 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:58.000 He says, care for the people like pastors, provide good 359 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:00.960 leadership like a bishop. He's talking to the same group 360 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:05.080 of guys, right, the same leaders. And so where we 361 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:09.559 have I think in our need as humans to create 362 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:15.480 infrastructure and bureaucracy, we have bishops, and we have elders, 363 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:17.240 and we have pastors, and we have all these things. 364 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:20.240 About what Paula saying is, yes, that's right. What Paula 365 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:23.480 saying is the leaders of the church have these three functions. 366 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:25.919 As an elder, you need to be wise, you need 367 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.799 to be mature in the faith. You need to be 368 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:30.600 capable of giving good godly guidance. 369 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:32.600 That's what an elder. The value of the elder is, 370 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:33.879 he says, be. 371 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:36.799 A pastor to them, watch out for them, protect them, 372 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:40.440 feed them, care for them, and then be a good 373 00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:41.759 leader an overseer. 374 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:42.159 Right. 375 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:46.440 And that's the delicacy, quite honestly, of being a well 376 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:49.600 balanced leader in the church is you need spiritual maturity, 377 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:54.240 you need spiritual care, be able to pride, spiritual care 378 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:57.360 with spiritual authority. Right, those three things go together. And 379 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:00.360 he's talking to a plurality of leaders, because I don't 380 00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:03.200 think any one leader can do all those things super well. 381 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:04.599 No, I agree, right. 382 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:07.680 I agree, And uh, you know, it's actually really important 383 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:10.359 for us to understand that that it does take a 384 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:12.240 group of appointed people. 385 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:12.599 Yeah. 386 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:15.599 Uh, and and other parts of the scripture they talk 387 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:18.680 about the qualifications of elders, and it's really the same 388 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:23.039 qualification for pastors, right, So it's an elder should should 389 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:25.559 have a good, good character, be the wife or be 390 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:27.880 the husband of one wife, and it goes down the 391 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:31.920 line of them sort of behaving a certain way, pursuing God, 392 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:35.720 having wisdom, and and and really it's the same qualification 393 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:39.400 that every pastor should have. So this plurality of of 394 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.960 of leaders should be the ones that govern the church. 395 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:45.359 So in our church, heritage church, and I'm not saying 396 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:47.400 this is the only way, but for us, we have 397 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:54.400 a group of elders that provide you know, spiritual wisdom 398 00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:57.839 in the in the provisional leadership of the church. Within 399 00:17:58.119 --> 00:18:02.279 that group, there are a significant number whose spiritual gifts 400 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:07.960 lean towards pastoral care, counseling, care ministry, you know, leadership, 401 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:10.160