You know, I was just thinking, I think it was Chris was saying something about meeting his wife.  I was in my 30s. I wasn't even planning on being married at that point. And I met her and I just knew. I looked at her that wasn't, I don't know what it was, except the Holy Spirit. And it was like, I think that's my wife. And within a couple of weeks, she and I were having that kind of conversation. But because I'm such a knucklehead, it took two and a half more years. But I'm blessed. She's a wonderful woman and we have four children together. Three girls and a boy. And the boy's the baby. Our oldest is Hannah, she's 24 years old. And then Gabrielle, she's about to be 22 in a couple of weeks. Kaylee just graduated, she's 18.  So life is good. I always miss them when I travel. I travel a couple of times a month around the church. And I always miss them when I'm gone, but I always love what God's doing when I'm gone. But when I go home, I am fully there. I am there. I don't do anything, but stay home, be with my kids. And I love my family. So just wanted to tell you that. Yep. And what's interesting is this is a special thing that I just realized yesterday. I mean, I knew this all my life, but I put it together. I was born down the street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Yeah, who else is from Pittsburgh? Let's hear it a little more than that, Pittsburgh. Come on, Yens. There you go. See, my uncle's here somewhere. Joe, raise your hand, say, hey, there he is. So it's a great privilege to be here. And I'm gonna give you a five-minute testimony, something that usually takes about an hour and a half at most of our events I'm gonna do in five. So y'all ready for this? So I was born, and now I live. No, so I was born in Pittsburgh, as I said, and I left there when I was about six years old. My whole family left there because when I was five, my father walked out the door never to return. And we moved down to Miami. Yeah, someone from Miami? All right, go Miami. And grew up there, and life, the way I described life growing up was chaos, survival. I would watch my mom as a little boy crying herself to sleep. And I grew this deep hatred and anger towards my father, because my father broke her heart as he was on a faithful tour. I watched my whole family go through various struggle but in that anger and in that hatred, it fueled me to have big dreams and I made a vow. You know, there's holy vows and there's unholy vows. A holy vow, marriage, right? An unholy vow is made out of a judgment. And out of my judgment towards my father, I made an unholy vow, which I didn't know at the time, but I vowed that I will never be like my father. I will never hurt a woman the way my father hurt my mother. And I dreamed of being somebody. And from the time I was eight years old, I dreamed of being a professional athlete. And all through high school, played three sports, ended up playing football at Florida State and then had a chance of my childhood dream. And while I was in the locker room of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the different Tampa Bay than just one of the Super Bowl, by the way, these guys were over. And while I was in the locker room, on the toilet, this is where my life changed. And I was on the toilet in the NFL locker room, looking out over my life like, wow, look what I've overcome. This is what I've always wanted. This is my dream. And then it hit me, who am I kidding? I'm miserable. I hated myself. I was full of shame because in college, I had given up on love after having my heart broken three times. And I said, love does not exist. And I lived what I thought a man was supposed to do, which is just stupidity. But anyway, the old song, some of you older folks will remember it, looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in too many faces. I think they wrote that for me. And that was my college journey. And then my senior year, I had a wake-up call. I got injured, missed four games, and was confronted with my life. And I realized that I am just like my father. I hated my father. And I realized I'm just like him. I hated me. So now, here I am in the locker room of Tampa Bay. And this all hits me. So this is what I thought I always wanted, and it's not enough, I'm miserable. So at that moment, I cried out to God. See, I went to Catholic middle school, Catholic high schools, grew up in the church. But in college, walked away completely, served myself. So here I am. I think I was 23, sitting on the toilet in Tampa Bay, saying, God, no, it's Bart. You remember me? I need to know if you're real. If you're real, please show yourself real to me. If not, I don't want to live anymore. A week later, my NFL dream came to an end. I went back to Tallahassee. My brother, Bob, invited me to a men's weekend. And on this men's weekend, a lot of things happened, but I'm giving you the five minute version. It was Sunday, and you're sitting around the table, six men to a table, 50 men in the room, and you're reading letters from loved ones. And Bob, who was on the weekend with me, writes this letter. Bob's eight years older than me, and Bob says to me, Bart, I just want to let you know I love you. And I'm proud of you. I thought, what is he, who's he kidding? I don't love me.   You're proud of me. I just failed at the only thing I was good at. But I thought it's the right thing to do. I'll go thank him. So I end up seeing him in the middle. We meet in the middle of the room. I reached out my hand and said, Bob, thank you very much. That was a really nice letter. And this guy behind us pushed us together, and the walls of my heart crumbled. All the hardened ears, the hardened, tough football guy, the macho guy all crumbled.  And I feel this presence fill the room, which I now know as the Holy Spirit, who has filled this room tonight. And then I hear the father speak to me. And he says, Bart, I'm your father. I'm a father to the fatherless, and I love you. That was 33 years ago, and my life's never been the same. I encountered love himself. He didn't just love me. He is love. And love himself showed up, embraced me, and transformed my life. And it's my biggest passion. And that same father of love is here with you now, and he wants to embrace you. That same Holy Spirit that filled the room is in this room, and it's only gonna increase. He's just that good. If you will, just close your eyes a moment. I just wanna lead you in a quick meditation. Holy Spirit, I ask you to be present with us. The catechism says that meditation and contemplative prayer is gazing upon Jesus. The Scripture says it's gazing upon His beauty or His glory. I wanna invite you just to gaze upon Jesus. And I want you to invite Him, I wanna invite you to share with Him your desire. What is on your heart? What are you wanting from Him? Tell Him, He is here. Father, I pray that you would show us your love deeper than we've ever known it before. That Jesus, you would become so real within our hearts that it would radically transform us. Holy Spirit, come. Lord, I ask you to fill this place with your holy angels. Come, Holy Spirit. All right, and you're ready, you can open your eyes.  He's more important. But before every event that I do, I try to anchor it in these two or three things. If you were there in the session earlier, you heard part of this. So catechism quote, a saint quote, and a fun little word picture. You all ready? So catechism, paragraph 2670 and 2671. 2670 says this, the church invites us to call upon the Holy Spirit once a month. Nope, the church invites us to call upon the Holy Spirit every day, before and after every important action. Let's say getting out of bed is an important action, going to bed is an important action, and everything in between is an important action. Eating, how about breathing? Important action. So what the church is saying to you and I is that we're to call upon the Holy Spirit always, all day, every day. 2671 goes on to say that the simplest and the most direct prayer is also traditional. Do you guys know what that is? Calm Holy Spirit. Calm Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and in kindle within us the fire of your love. St. Bonaventure, Steubenville, you're familiar with this? St. Bonaventure says the Holy Spirit comes where he is loved. The Holy Spirit comes where he is invited. The Holy Spirit comes where he is expected. You know, in all the events that I've done, I've done a couple where I did not invite the Holy Spirit and I'll tell you, I'd rather have a root canal and I made a decision that I'm not doing any more like that.  He is the secret. Even Jesus had the Holy Spirit to send upon him at his baptism. We're to call upon the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants to take over this room. He wants to take over your life. He wants to take over the church. He wants to move. So I'm gonna invite us, we're gonna do this together because it's one thing for me to do it. It's a whole other thing when we all do it. So let's stand up and say with me, come Holy Spirit. Again, come Holy Spirit. A third time, come Holy Spirit. Place your hand on your heart. Pray this with me, come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful. And in kinder within me, the fire of your love. Extend your hands out to everyone in this room. Say come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful. And in kinder within them, the fire of your love. Let's intercede on behalf of the church. You think the church might need this? Let's intercede guys. Come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful. And in kinder within the church, the fire of your love. Now let's do what St. Bonaventure invited us to do. Say with me, Holy Spirit. I love you. Holy Spirit. I invite you. Holy Spirit. I expect you. Ask a person next to you if you can place your hand on their shoulder. Please honor the person next to you, make sure they're okay with it. Place your hand on their shoulder. And let's pray this for the person next to you. You all ready? Pray for the people next to you. Come Holy Spirit. Fill your faithful ones. And in kinder within them, the fire of your love. Amen. Amen, you can be seated. He comes where he's loved, invited, and expected. And he wants to be here. And we want him. So here's my fun little word picture for you. I'll do it in a form of a question.  Raise your hand for me. All right. How many of you can remember when you were a little kid being in the back of a crowded elevator? What did you see? Come on. Butts. Butts and elbows. As a little kid in the back of a crowded elevator, all you see is butts and elbows. I don't know about you guys, but these last few years have felt a lot like butts and elbows. Can I get an amen? I mean, it's like we've been swooshed in behind the back of that crowded elevator. We even had masks up to our face.  Which by the way, I'm eight foot four, up here maybe. But imagine your father there, and he's taller than everyone else.  Now what do you see? You see over top of everyone's head. The elevator door opens up. Now what do you see? You see out into the hall. Imagine, if you will, you're on the edge of a cliff. It's a beautiful blue sky day, panoramic view. Let's imagine there's a valley down there, maybe a church on a hill. Beautiful day. But you're in the back of the elevator, Sam was in behind elbows and butts. But daddy's holding you now. And the elevator's on the edge of this cliff, looking out over this view. And now the elevator door opens up. What do you see? You see as far as the eye can see. You see our perspective just changed? We went from Sam was in behind elbows and butts, to seeing out into the hall, to now seeing as far as the eyes can see. You know, I don't know about you. Like I said earlier, this has been a tough time. This has been a tough time. I mean, what in the world's going on? It's been a tough time. Tough season of time. And I want to applaud you guys. You've persevered and you're here. Give yourself a hand. And I applaud you watching. You're here too. But wouldn't it be great to have the father's perspective? So how about we do that? Let's do another meditation. You game? So if you will, close your eyes. And I want you to imagine yourself as that little kid in the back of the crowded elevator. Only instead of elbows and butts, it's your circumstances. I want to invite you to feel the oppression. And Holy Spirit, I ask that you make this real. Maybe it's what we've all gone through with COVID. Maybe there's something personal going on with your finances are at home or whatever it is. And now your father is in the elevator, but not just any father, God Almighty. And I want you to reach your arms up to the father. Either you can do this literally or in your imagination. Reach your hands up to the father and say, father, pick me up and help me to see what you see. Let me pray for you, father. I pray that you would show them how you see their circumstances. Come Holy Spirit, just continue to be present with us. All right, when you're ready, you can open your eyes. So let's talk about perspective. What in the heck has been going on? I mean, first, we had all these scandals. And just when we catch our breath, we get hit with COVID and we're shut down. Forced to wear masks. And as if that wasn't enough, we have racial tensions. People rioting in the streets. And just when we're trying to catch our breath again, behind our mask, we then get political tensions. Extreme right, extreme left. And then we can't go to church. What in the heck is going on? I don't know about you, but sometimes I sit there and I go, father, where are you? My God, were you just coming in and do something? He says, yeah, I want to. I need my body. I'm the head. You're the body. I want to partner with my church, my people, to bring my answer. So I decided to ask, you know, John 15, 15. Jesus says, I no longer call you a servant or a slave because a servant does not know it's master's business. No, I've called you a friend. God's called you a friend. He says, you're my bud. You are my friend. And I asked a friend, Jesus says, I reveal everything the Father has revealed to me. So I decided to take him up on it. I said, okay, Father, I know I'm your friend. I love you deeply. What's going on? What is going on? So I'll just share with you. This is just my own personal thoughts. You seek them for yourself. Hopefully we'll have witness. But this is my sense as I ask the Father what's going on. So the Father's perspective. As crazy as everything is and as crazy as it may sound, I believe we are living in one of the greatest hours in the history of the church. Before every major move of God throughout history, all the way back even to the book of Judges, the synonyms were exposed. And the people of God repent and cry out, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, cry out to me and repent, I will heal their land. God's waiting on us. In the book of Judges, the children of Israel were bringing evil into the temple. And God was angry. And he turned them over to the Medianites and the Canites and the Jebusites and Mosquito Bites and all those. And if you look those words up, they mean double. Double brawling, double incest. So it's almost like God said, okay, okay, okay, listen, I've given you all free will and you're just not getting it. And so he turns them over to double their sin. I believe that's what's happening today. And then what happened in the book of Judges is they cried out to God in repentance. They begged for his mercy. And he sent a redeemer. And it says, in the Nat generation serve the Lord all the days of their lives. I believe that's the day we're living in. It's disheartening to see the scandals. It's disheartening to see all that's happening. But if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and repent, I will heal their land. I will send redemption. I loved the video where Father Dave was talking about St. Francis rebuild my church. I came back into the church eight years ago. Before that I went on a couple of events and some Catholic events and I stayed in a seminary and everywhere I went I stayed in the St. Francis room. What in the heck is this? And then when God starts calling me back into the church I'm wrestling with him for 11 months. Finally on a planned retreat, God speaks to me and he says, I'm calling you and inviting you into my church because I'm transforming the very heart of my church. And I'm preparing my church for a move of my spirit. And I'm gonna expose evils. See judgment starts in the house of the Lord. And I'm gonna cleanse the house. And then I'm gonna fill it with my glory. And he said to me, Bart I'm inviting you as my friend. To one feel my ache, which is painful. And to be about the work of transforming my church. Not me alone, we're all doing it. This is what we're all called to. And I said, yes Father I love you. And I came into the church, my family came into the church and I wish I could say it's been a piece of cake, it's been difficult. I feel his ache and his grief. I also feel the hope and the joy. And I'm standing before you with absolute confidence to tell you that I believe we are living in the greatest hour in the history of the church. That God is bringing us back into the fullness of our 2,000 year history. That everything that Jesus paid for through his death and resurrection is ours. And all he's asking for us is to repent. So let's do it, stand on your feet. On behalf of the church, on behalf of ourselves, but on behalf of the church, let's ask the Father to forgive us. Come Lord Jesus, come Holy Spirit. Come, lead us. Say with me, Lord Jesus, I thank you for everything you did for us.  And you rose from the grave to bring us into your resurrection life. Forgive us Lord, for taking that for granted. Forgive us Father, for all of our sins, as your people, as your church, we repent on behalf of your church. Please forgive us. Jesus, please forgive us. Holy Spirit, please forgive us for grieving you. And forgive us for quenching you. Come Holy Spirit, heal our land. And may it begin here within me, in Jesus' name. Amen. Now you can be seated. So again, what's going on? Well, you'll probably recall Pope John Paul II, now saint, right? He spoke of a new springtime coming into the church. How many of you have heard that? A new springtime coming into the church. Well now, everyone raise your hand because you just heard it. All right, there we go. There's a new springtime coming into the church. I believe we're living in the fulfillment of what he prophesied. I believe we're living in the new springtime of the church. However, what comes before spring? Winter! I'd say we're in a winter, would you agree? So you guys probably get some pretty harsh winters. How are the trees looking in the middle of winter? Bare, dead, gray, ashy. If you didn't know any better, you'd get out your chainsaw and you would cut that tree down, wouldn't you? But what a mistake. Because what's happening in that tree in the winter is the sap is being formed in that tree and is preparing it for spring. A gardener, a good gardener, on their fruit bearing trees in the off season, they cut that thing back and it looks dead. It looks like a bunch of sticks. If you didn't know better, you would uproot it. It looks dead. But what happens to that tree or that fruit bearing tree in the spring? All of a sudden, the leaves start coming out, right? They start getting green. And the sap is doing something, informing something and then all of a sudden these little flowers come at the end of these fruit bearing trees, right? And if you pruned it back well, all of a sudden that tree is producing much fruit. Does that sound familiar to anything Jesus said? John 15, abide in me. My father is the vine dresser. I'm the vine. Catechism 1108 says the Holy Spirit's the sap. Abide in me and you'll produce much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. How about we put an end of doing church apart from him and we do it all from an abiding posture. And he says, as you abide in me, you'll produce fruit, much fruit, which is to my father's glory. I believe we've been going through a winter. We've been going through a pruning. You know, it's one thing when he cuts down the dead branches. But when he starts cutting the living ones, that really hurts, right, amen? Can anyone say amen? I don't know about you guys, but man, he's been chopping away at some branches in my life. Like I'm ready for this stuff to be done. He's pruning us. He's preparing us for springtime. I believe we're coming into the fulfillment of Pope John Paul II, St. John Paul II's prophecy of a new springtime in the church. You know what happens in the springtime? There's a mighty harvest. Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few.  And getting us ready for a harvest. It may not look good right now, but be encouraged and full of hope we are coming into spring. And tonight, he's getting us ready. God is preparing his church for a springtime. He's cleaning his house and he's getting us ready. You guys familiar with the story of Esther? For such a time as this? But you know as you dig into that story, it's kind of strange. They took all the virgins and they prepared them for one night with the king. Who is this king? Esther's one of those virgins. And you know what they did? And they had a year of beauty treatments where they were bathed in oils and perfumes. They were scrubbed. A year of this so that they can have one night with the king. And we know that Esther became the queen for such a time. We've been going through some beauty treatments, church. Anyone else besides me feeling the scrubbing, the bathing, the cleansing, the beauty treatments? I'm looking forward to the perfumes. The aroma of Christ. God is preparing his bride, a beautiful bride. So I was in the upper room of a seminary. This was a couple of years before I came back in the church. This may have been 10 years ago. I'm in the upper room of a seminary. About a dozen in the room, two priests, a bunch of seminarians, my brother Bob and I. We just got done ministering to a priest who had fallen immorally. And we watched God do a beautiful healing deep within his heart. And then we're gathered and these guys are practicing praying with one another and I'm the guinea pig and it brings me right into the memory of when my father walked out of the door when I was five years old and I'm weeping in front of them. And then I get this pain in my chest. So you got a picture of this. I'm sitting in a lazy boy in the middle of the room, in the upper room of a seminary with these dozen or so seminarians, priests. I'm not Catholic at the time.  And I'm sitting there in the chair. I'm oblivious to anything that's happening in the room. All I'm in touch with now is this sobbing that I'm doing in this deep agonizing pain in the center of my chest. And I'm tapping my chest and I'm saying out loud, what is this? What is this? What is this? I literally had a bruise in my chest the next day. What is this? And I hear it. It's my church. It's my church. Her heart has not been receptive. And I'm shaking. This has never happened to me before or since. I'm shaking. And now I open my eyes and I look at the priest across the room as a good friend of mine. I look to him and I say to him, we, those not in the Catholic church at the time, are tired of hearing you say that you're the one true Catholic in apostolic church. Stop talking about it and start looking like it. And here's a man who's laid his life down for the church, a godly man, not one ounce offended. And he looks back at me and he says, amen brother. But she, the church, the bride will be so beautiful, the whole world will run to her. She will be so beautiful, the whole world will run to her. That's why we're going through what we're going through. The scrubbing, the pruning, because he's preparing a beautiful bride for such a time as this. We're coming into a new springtime. Just embrace what he's doing and prepare for a major outpouring of the spirit of God as he calls us more fully into our 2000 year history that everything Jesus paid for through his death and resurrection will come to bear fruit. Little did I know when I had that experience in the upper room that a couple years later God was calling me back in the church and inviting me to feel his ache. Woo, but the hope, the joy. I wish I could take you with me and see the things that I'm seeing as I travel around the church. There are signs, miracles, and wonders happening in the church. And if they're not happening through you, get ready, they will. So let's talk about two things. The Father's desire and Jesus' desire. So it's a prayer we pray all the time. I prayed it growing up. I prayed it every Sunday. I prayed it in school before school started. All the time, even my sports team, we prayed it. You guys know the prayer, right? Our Father. What are we saying when we say the Our Father? I had no idea. Our Father who art in heaven, how will be the name, that kingdom kind of will be done. I don't know if this is the name or give us the name. That's how I said it. And then it dawned on me. What are we saying here? See the disciples went to Jesus and they said, teach us how to pray. He said, okay, here's how you to pray. When you pray, I want you to talk to my dad, my Abba, my papa, my daddy. When you pray, pray our Abba, our Father. He's not just my father, he's your father. So when you go to him, you go to him and say, hey, a daddy, our Father who art in heaven, that doesn't mean he does art in heaven, right? Who is in heaven? Hallowed be thy name. Hallowed is holy. Name means nature, character.  Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. And then he says, now pray right into my Father's desire. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. Where? As it is? That's the Father's desire. You know how many times Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God? When you pray, pray to my Father, our Father who's holy, who's in heaven. Pray that his kingdom would come and his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Yeah, we're gonna get to heaven one day. We are, and it's gonna be glorious. But let's not use that as an excuse. We got work to do here. And he wants to bring his kingdom here. And he wants his will to be done here. You know how he wants to do that? Through you, through his church. What is Jesus' desire? Well, I'll give you a hint. Anywhere in scriptures where Jesus says, I came to, that's a hint of his desire. If anyone says to you, this is what I came for, you should pay attention. So Jesus says, I came to do the will of my Father. He came to reveal the Father. He only did that what he saw his Father doing. And he says to you and I in John 14-12, if you believe in me, you'll do the things that I've done. The believe is the real question.  You know another one of those that Jesus said that we're gonna emphasize here tonight? Luke 12-49. Jesus said, I came to cast fire upon the earth. And how I wish it were already kindled. Jesus said, I came to cast fire on the earth. And how I wish it was already blazing. That's quite a statement. This is one of the reasons why he came to set the earth on fire. He said this 2,000 years ago. How do you think he's feeling today? He came to cast fire upon the earth. If you've ever seen a forest fire, not a pretty sight, but if you set a controlled fire, it actually prevents forest fires and it burns away all the brush underneath and then what happens later is everything's revitalized and turns green. You guys have seen the Lion King, member Scar, the evil one, gets rid of Mufasa and Simba, takes over the kingdom and everything's become fiery and ashy and gray. Everyone's oppressed. Simba finally wakes up, he comes back, defeats Scar. And what happens? Everything goes from gray and ashy to green and vibrant and life. That's what happens when the church knows who she is and stands in the glory of God and fulfills the Father's desires and Jesus' needs. Jesus came to cast fire upon the earth. You say, what is fire? Thanks for asking. Catechism 696 says this, Fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. Fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. The fire of the Holy Spirit's actions. The fire of the Holy Spirit transforms what he touches. St. Catherine of Siena, you're probably familiar with this. Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire. Now, she's not saying be like the next pope. She's not saying be like a canonized saint. She's saying be you. Just be who God meant you to be. Just be who God created you to be. That's all you got to do. That's easy. Just be you. And you'll set the earth on fire with the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. Jesus came to set the earth on fire and he wants to set the earth on fire by setting the church on fire. And he wants to set the church on fire by setting you on fire.  What's fire? Fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. The fire of the Holy Spirit transforms what he touches. Now, let's talk real quickly about the life of Jesus. John the Baptist, you know, a strange cousin who wore camel's clothes and ate honey and locus and would cry out in the wilderness, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. He was Jesus' cousin who leapt in the womb when Mary showed up. So Jesus shows up at 30 to John. Before that, Jesus is a carpenter's son. He's the son of Joseph and Mary. As far as the people know, he's an ordinary guy. Little did they know, he was God Almighty who lowered himself of his divinity and dwelt among us as a man. Other than some profound wisdom, he was a carpenter's son. But at 30, he goes to John and he's baptized. And three things happen at his baptism. It says, the heavens opened and I'm believing God is going to open the heavens over us. And then the Father spoke, this is my beloved and whom I delight. In other words, this is my boy. I love him.  And then after this, Jesus goes into the wilderness where he's tempted and tested. And he says, devil, get away from me, it is written.  So Jesus blesses it, turns the water into wine, it's the best wine. And then we watch Jesus for the next two and a half years. Signs, miracles and wonders. He forgave the sins. He taught in the synagogues. He preached the good news. He loved. He had mercy. He forgave. He laid hands on the sick and they were healed. The blind would see, the deaf would hear, the lame would walk. Even the dead were raised. And then he dies. He conquers. Senevo and death. Snatches the keys from scar. Snatches the keys. Raises from the dead. Conquering all sin, all evil, all death. The victorious one. And then listen to what happens. John 20. This actually was referenced a couple of times last night. John 20. When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, I want you to picture this. So all the followers of Jesus, they had this thought that Jesus was going to take over the government. I don't know, you guys probably never have that thought. And they're thinking he's going to overthrow the Roman government. Hey, we're fighting, man. Who's at his right? Who's at his left? Yeah. Yeah.  No, Peter, nope. Not on my watch. Get behind me, Satan.  Most of them run away. Except John, Mary, maybe a few others. And now here they are after Jesus is crucified. And they're upstairs praying. And that's what this is talking about. When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, in the doors of the house where the disciples had met, were locked for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. All right, let's pause there a minute. Jesus just gets crucified. They're next. They're hiding. They're not praying. They're hiding for fear. I don't know about you. But if I'm hiding and I'm afraid because my fearless leader just got crucified, I'm trembling in fear. And the doors are locked. And all of a sudden a ghost shows up that doesn't help my fear. But Jesus shows up and stood among them. And then he says, peace be with you. This is what I'm picturing. If I'm Peter and I relate a lot to Peter, peace be with you. After he had said this, he then shows them his hands and his side. Remember Thomas? Oh, it's the Lord. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. And then Jesus said to them, again, peace be with you. Hey, guys, I don't know what you've been through. I don't know what's gone on in your life over the last season of time. But I bet it's been tough for a lot of you. I don't know the things you've walked through. I've ministered to a lot of people. I know a lot of things that have happened. I know my own journey. It's been tough. In some ways it feels kind of like Jesus has died. Can't even go to church. So just put yourself in the position of these disciples. Talk about despair. Everything we hope for is now gone. And they're afraid because they're going to be persecuted. Jesus shows up and says peace. Jesus shows up to you in your circumstances. And he says peace be with you. You know, yeah, that's great. But then he proves to them it's me. It's me. The Lord wants to show you that he's here. He's with you. He's got you. He's got your circumstances. It's not a big deal for him. God, Jesus, the Father, the Holy Spirit are not sitting up in heaven right now going holy. We didn't see that one coming. What do we do now? No. No, no. They're fine. Peace. Peace. They just want you and I to understand. Everything's fine. Everything's fine. Peace be with you. And he proves to you, hey, I got it. Now you can rest. And then he says again, peace be with you. And then it says, as the Father has sent me, so I send you. When he had said this, peace be with you, he breathed on them. Isn't that odd? Peace be with you. When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. What in the world is that about? You know what that word breathe is there? Anybody? Ruach. Where else in Scripture did we hear that word breathe? Ruach. Genesis. You guys remember? God forms Adam from the dust.  And then it says, Adam became a living being. But we know how, why. I don't know why Adam and he made this decision. Holy. They decided to rebel. And they lost their breath. The spirit within them died. And man has been walking around like zombies ever since. And then Jesus comes, who the Scripture says is the second Adam. And he dies and he pays the price for us to come back to the Father, come back to the garden if you will. And when he shows up, he says, peace be with you. And he breathes on them. The Ruach, breath of life. And he says, receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants to breathe on us. John says in Matthew 3.11, I came. Let me find it. John says, I baptize you with water for repentance. But one who is more powerful than I is coming after me. He, Jesus, will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And with fire. What does the church say fire is? The transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. What does St. Bonaventure say? The Holy Spirit comes where he is loved, where he is invited, where he is expected. What does Jesus say? I came to cast fire upon the earth. And I wished it was already so. What is the Father's desire for his kingdom to come and his will to be done here on earth through you? As it is in heaven. But we need his breath. We need his fire. We need the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions to touch us, to heal us, to transform us. Please stand to your feet.  He never violates our will. Tell him what you want. If you want him to breathe on you, say, Jesus, breathe on me.  If you want him to set you on fire with the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions, say, Holy Spirit, set me on fire. If you have already been set on fire, tell him you want more. Tell him what you want. Now, Lord Jesus, I ask that you would make this very real. That you would show up right here. With all of us fearful, disoriented people from a hard season of time. And I ask you to come and break off the disillusionment, the despair, the discouragement, the depression, the oppression.  Breathe on them, Lord. Breathe on them your ruha, breath of life. Jesus, may we be the people that fulfill your desire. Set us on fire. That we might set the earth on fire.


Statistics and Excel normal distribution heights of baseball players data example part number two get ready taking a deep breath holding it in for 10 seconds looking forward to a smooth soothing Excel here we are in Excel if you don't have access to this workbook that's okay because we basically built this from a blank worksheet but we started in a prior presentation so if you're starting from a blank worksheet you may want to begin back there if you do have access to this workbook we now have six tabs down below the two green example tabs in essence answer key the two blue practice tabs having pre-formatted cells in them so you can get down to the heart of the practice problem the two white blank tabs are where we started with just our data set and a blank workbook so we can practice formatting the cells within Excel as we work through the practice problem this is of course where we will continue


Chapter 11. I'll begin by simply reading the first three verses going to an introduction. We're gonna look at the the entire chapter today It's it's what has been referred to as Peter's defense, and you'll see why it's it's been Entitled that in just a moment, but beginning at verse 1 acts chapter 11 going to verse verse 3 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God and When Peter came to Jerusalem those of the circumcision Contended with him saying you went in to Uncircumcised men and you ate with them Now what has happened and we saw this in chapter 10 is that the Gentiles had received the word of God When the Bible speaks concerning the Gentiles here in verse 1 having received the word of God That's another way of saying that the Gentiles had been born again. They had by faith Welcomed God's word and as a result of that they had received salvation Because the word received means literally to welcome or to be associated with and So when it begins here by telling us that the Gentiles had also received the word of God It's another way of simply saying that word had come in Judea That the Gentiles are now entering into the body of Christ They have received God's word and they have been saved and so the people in the area When this happened in that region When it happened began to speak about it and word had begun to filter all the way down south It had traveled south to the city of Jerusalem Now there are those who are hearing this were concerned as they do so as they hear because this this Reception of the word of God by the Gentiles is countering their traditional understanding of how salvation occurs So you see they they normally would have thought now these are Jews. They normally would have thought That in order to have a relationship with God Then you would have needed to have been if you were male Circumcised and you will certainly would have been brought under the law And so as they're hearing this is taking place and the Gentiles are entering into the kingdom of God Without following Moses's law and without being circumcised in the ritual sense Well, they begin to be concerned about it and so what happens in verse 2 It says that Peter came to Jerusalem Those of the circumcision began to contend with him and this is what they were saying you went into Uncircumcised men and you ate with them again as I mentioned to you that when when Peter went and spent time with Cornelius in the home of a Gentile that that broke Jewish law and tradition There's no way that a kosher Jew would ever have fellowship with an Uncircumcised unkosher Gentile and so that's what we saw happen when he went and spoke to them gave them the word of God And that's when when Peter had that initial revelation that that God is not a respecter of persons But that anybody whether Jew or Gentile who hears the gospel of grace and embraces it by faith Can be saved and enter into the kingdom Well, that was a new revelation to him But it's something that these people have yet to be initiated into and so they're upset about it And they're beginning to contend with them concerning that now when it says here in verse 2 those of the circumcision that can be speaking of Jews, you know just regular Jewish people who had had been saved but we need to also remember that among the early believers were Pharisees and Pharisees who had been converted to faith in Jesus Christ. Yes Pharisees actually were coming to faith in the Lord. We'll see later on in chapter 15 verse 5 How it says there some of the believers who belong to the party of the Pharisees Stood up and said the Gentiles must be circumcised required to obey the law of Moses. So so there was the regular Jewish People who are perhaps contending and upset and there were more than likely some Pharisees also Who were upset about this and so they're becoming stumbled by this seeming lack of religious respect in all We need to remember that Jewish customs were normally followed The Jewish believers at that time were meeting in synagogues. They were still going to the temple many Jews believed and We're not yet breaking away from the traditions that they had received And that happens even today amongst those who are not raised in a in a Jewish sense But that that still exists today with those who are who are coming to faith in Christ and and perhaps who were raised in a particular religious tradition and So they they continue to believe and hold fast to the things that they at one time had embraced because that's what they had Been taught to believe. I don't know what your background is my background being Roman Catholic when I got saved I got saved in the next week. I went to Mass Because I was now a Christian, but I didn't necessarily think in terms of me And I never have thought in terms of me being now a Protestant I didn't think of it that way at all. So what I did is I went to Mass I went to church because that's what Christians do and I went to the Catholic Mass at St. Pius the 10th church I brought a Bible because when I got saved I was told you need to read the Bible So I brought my Bible went to Mass by myself and I sat there I had been raised Catholic therefore I knew the ritual and all and I waited to open up the Bible It'd been a while you can tell since I'd been in church So I'm waiting to open up the Bible because I was taught you read the Bible when you're a Christian And then I discovered that you really don't and when that happened I said to myself. Well, I Probably would be better suited if I'm gonna grow on my faith To go to a place that opens the Bible So it wasn't like anger and it wasn't resentment. It was just it made sense to me I need to be where I'm gonna be taught how to follow Jesus But I didn't get upset with the ritual. I didn't get upset with all of that I just realized that that was no longer going to be part of my life But there are others who embrace and continue in that that ritual and all and and so they become saved and yet They they hold fast to those things and sometimes it takes a while for them to let them go When Marie my wife got saved She was a very devout Catholic coming from a very devout Catholic home and so when she got saved I I never pressed her about anything She would she would go to Mass on Sunday mornings and then she'd go to church with me Sunday nights and she did that for some time and I didn't twist her arm and I didn't say anything to her I just you know, I know the Holy Spirit is going to do a work in her the way that he did it in me So it wasn't a point of argumentation at all. That's what she did But about eight months to a year into our relationship I was at her her place and I was sitting on the couch I still remember this and and her purse was seated next to me and it was asking me to look into it And so I did And I took her wallet You know and I was just looking at she had pictures in there and I was throwing away pictures of old boyfriends, you know and so so I saw a particular picture there and and She came and sat down next to me and I still remember the conversation. I looked at her and said I Thought you were my girlfriend She goes I am your girlfriend. I said then why are you going out on me?  I said you're you're you're going out with Joe She said Joe and I pulled out a picture of st. Joseph and she says all there's There are things from my background.  They're hearing that Gentiles are receiving the word of God and they're hearing that the apostle Peter Had gone and actually eaten with them and to eat with an uncocher person Was a religious taboo you didn't do that And so they're upset about that in that he had done that you see it was an outrage to them that that Peter actually was eating with Gentiles because part of that that process of eating with somebody is to it really is to be having fellowship with them and actually being identified with them and It was something that they had a real real problem with This is something Jesus himself actually dealt with when it came to being identified with those whom he ate with You see it in Mark 2 verse 16 when it says when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners They said to his disciples How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners? because to to eat and drink with them is to be identified with them and so They're upset that the apostle Peter has gone and eaten with Gentiles And so Peter has to rehearse what has happened He has to begin to speak to them and it says here in verse 4 Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning Saying I was in the city of Joppa praying and in a trance I saw a vision an object descending like a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners And it came to me when I observed it intently and considered I saw four-footed animals of the earth wildebeest creeping things and birds of the air And I heard a voice saying to me rise Peter kill and eat But I said not so Lord for nothing common or unclean has any time entered my mouth But the voice answered me again from heaven what God has cleansed. You must not call common Now this was done three times and all were drawn up again into heaven At that very moment three men stood before the house where I was having been sent to me from Caesarea Then the spirit told me to go with them doubting nothing Moreover these six brethren accompanied me and we entered the man's house and he told us how he had Seen an angel standing in his house who said to him send men to Joppa Call for Simon whose surname is Peter who will tell you the words or you words by which you and all your household will be saved and As I began to speak the Holy Spirit fell upon them as upon us at the beginning I remembered the word of the Lord how he said John indeed baptized with water But you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit if therefore God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we Believed on the Lord Jesus Christ who was I that I could withstand God And so he rehearses. This is why it's called Peter's defense. He's rehearsing what had taken place He's sharing with them how that these things had had had occurred And so they had a religious as well as a cultural opinion concerning the the Gentiles So how did Peter deal with that? Well notice with me what we just read. He gave an orderly explanation Of how it all came about He didn't react with pride After all I'm an apostle. Who are you to question me concerning how God has led me. He didn't react with pride He didn't tell them to be quiet and to leave it alone in and he didn't belittle them for asking He simply gave a synopsis of all about how all of this came about and That to me is a model of ministry by the way I believe that we ought to be able I as a pastor teacher I should be prepared to be able to explain to people there at times people want to know certain things as a matter of fact I am on panels quite often and I answer questions related to to things and all Pertaining to church order and Calvary traditions and various things like that I do it all the time and I'm asked questions and I give answers I think it's a wise thing to do and that's what we see here in scripture He didn't say you know, you have no right to ask me. I'm an apostle. Who are you? I'm an a-postle. You're not even a B-postle. So leave it alone. No, he didn't do that So what he does he's just sharing this is how it took place And I want you to notice what he says in verse 15 how he says I began to speak as I began to speak Notice the Holy Spirit fell upon them as upon us at the beginning Holy Spirit fell upon them in the same way that he did on us As he was preaching they received the message They mixed with it faith It produced the fruit of salvation He gave the gospel When you read what he had to say in uh in chapter 10 You see that he gave the gospel You'll see that he pointed that Jesus was anointed by the spirit And with power As you read it you see that he's he said that Jesus did good That he delivered people who were possessed he healed the people who were sick As he was preaching he made it clear that Jesus was put to death But he also centered on the reality of Jesus being resurrected And as you go through his sermon he concluded by promising forgiveness of sins To anyone who trusted in Jesus and as he was preaching God was moving God was moving in the hearts of those who were there. That's how you by the way got saved That's how you got saved God when you are hearing the message And the word of god and i'll develop this with you And as the word of god was being preached god was doing a work in you Bringing conviction by the spirit And an awareness of fact of salvation And what he did Is he brought him to faith and they received the power of the holy spirit they were saved Because even as we see in chapter 10 They had assembled to hear all the words that god had commanded peter to say and it if i approached the word of god with that heart But and that to me i don't want you to don't let that get past you If you listen to the word of god Not just the opinions of the preacher If you listen to the word of god With a heart to obey All things that he has commanded god doesn't work in you That's how it works i'll develop that in a second But the book of romans chapter 10 verse 17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of god So one thing that we need to remember This is very very practical and important and especially this our day We need to remember that it is the proclamation It's the preaching and teaching of the word of god and it's the receiving of the gospel That saves you we need to remember that god's word is the seed that produces salvation it It isn't the music that does that It isn't the personality of the preacher that does that It isn't the environment of the people of god that produces salvation That is so basic that is so basic But if there's anything that is true of the church in the 21st century in the year 2017 Is that it is very slowly Being twisted to an entertainment oriented group of people Absolutely People who have no heart to hear the word of god and to obey it There's no doubt about that And what we're ending up with right now is people Who will choose the place they attend Based on how they feel when they leave and how they feel while they're there And when they're uncomfortable because the conviction of the spirit may reach their heart Rather than saying woe unto me. I'm a sinner god help me. I want to be a better person We simply say I was condemned. I felt judged When in reality what god is doing is convicting you so that he can turn you from your sin So that you might be blessed by him and have the life that you've always desired to have But instead of us saying god reveal my heart We have a tendency of saying Don't judge me I wonder what would happen if the lord were able to really show me the condition of my heart If I would really be open to seeing that Because I know of all people I can be most self-deceived and think i'm doing just fine. Thank you very much when in reality my pride My arrogance my lack of humility could be keeping me from the blessings of god And so we have to be very careful that we understand That when the word of god is being proclaimed if you want to change And there's a desire you need to have God will give you the ability to And as he speaks the word to you through his bible What happens is the word of god takes root And transformation can occur when uh Paul was writing to timothy in second timothy in chapter three Verse 15 this is what he said to timothy He said you have known listen you have known the holy scriptures Which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in christ jesus It's the word of god when received by faith that produces the ability to be saved It doesn't come any other way It comes through the word of god That's why i've had young parents asked me in the past About doing devotions with their children And they'll ask me What do you recommend When my kids were small and we did what we called family devotions, which was a time set aside every night Before they went to bed Where I would have them seated in front of me in the front room And I would have them in front of me and This is what would happen, you know and they were kids they were small growing up And a lot of times when they're little kids they'll they'll start You know bouncing into each other and getting irritated because he's too close to me. Oh, he's looking at me You know those kinds of things And there's that griping and oh don't touch me and I'd say marie you're being a bad example to the children You got to stop that They would start that And do you know this is the truth before the lord? This is a fact I would sit down on the couch and my children would sit on the carpet in front of me I'll four the little ones there sometimes marie would be And they would be making noise. This is this is how it happened every night I gave my kids devotions every night five out of seven days of the week Five out of seven days the only two days they did not receive devotions at night or wednesdays and sundays And sunday nights why not wednesday night sunday night because they were in church wednesday night and sunday night And when they sat down and they would be doing that as kids do All I would do is this I'd have my bible on my lap And I would open it like this And when I opened it I taught them to be quiet I taught them to be quiet and I said when this book is open Your mouth is closed I taught my children that from the time they were small Because god's word when spoken should be heard And you can't hear and talk at the same time So you need to listen So I taught my children to reverence the word of god. Am I saying I raised perfect kids? No, I didn't of course I didn't they received their mother's nature. How could I? I tried I really did No, they received my nature the ademic nature that old man Their sinners by nature They have to die to those things But they also are encouraged to discipline themselves to hear the things that are important And no, they weren't perfect and I would never stand up and some of you know my kids and you'll say hey man faster They're not perfect and that's true. They're not But you know what? I just poured into them and you know as old as they are to this day. I still pour into them I still pour into them because not only am I their father But I'm also their pastor And I pour into my children Because I know that the enemy is after my children and he's after my grandchildren So you pour into them and that's what you do Because I knew that I could pour into them the word of god and the word of god Is what it's going to be active in their salvation So it wasn't going to be me reading just story books Of bible characters though. I did that and it wasn't going to be just me reading history of of great missionaries and great and great Pastors and teachers which they got It was going to be the word of god And that's how it works. It's the word of god that saves you In first Corinthians 118 the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing But to us who are being saved It is the power of god And so he says in verse 15 as I began to speak the holy spirit fell upon them As upon us at the beginning Then I remembered the word of the lord how he said john indeed baptized with water You shall be baptized with the holy spirit if therefore god gave them the same gift As he gave us when we believed on the lord jesus christ Who was I that I could withstand god?  He's saying if you have an argument argue with god argue with god And remember the apostle peter had argued with god and you you don't win arguments with god You just don't You know and peter had argued with god when god said rise up peter slay slay and eat. He says not so lord I've never eaten anything on kosher peter had had an argument with lord And then god just silenced him. He says don't call unclean what I call clean End of story no more conversation. No more argument So one if you have an argument concerning how god can pour his holy spirit upon you You're arguing with god don't argue with with the apostle Because arguing with god is not a good idea Isaiah 40 verse 13 asks the question who has understood the mind of the lord or instructed him as his counselor Who here has this last time god called you or Texted you and said listen. I have a problem and I Did you give me some advice? I don't know what to do Jesus is busy and I don't know where the spirits taken off to I don't think so How about how about job 21 verse 22 can anyone teach knowledge to god? Since he judges even the highest There are a whole lot of people who don't know god who think that they can instruct god That's simply because they don't know him And so when it's not a good idea to argue with the lord but two Uh, he points out that god is the one who gives the gift. He said god gave them the same gift God gave them the same gift which is in reference to the holy spirit So the important thing to note in this is that the spirit is given as a gift of grace And is not received by human efforts God promised this gift Christ purchased it The word reveals it And thousands have experienced it somebody said and that's true And so this is a gift You do not receive the power of the holy spirit through any efforts on your part You don't receive the power of the holy spirit through doing spiritual things or Anything like that Jesus said that the father will give the spirit to those who ask And if there's anything and this I want to emphasize for just a moment If there's anything that the church the body of christ needs right now It's a refreshing in the power of the holy spirit You have got many of you have got to be tired because you're trying so hard to be good You've got to be tired You've got to be trying so hard to be good And the bottom line is It's good to be disciplined in the things that walk in worthy I would never say be sloppy and just run around doing nasty things, of course But you know the holy spirit has been provided as a grace to us You receive the power of the holy spirit By turning from your sin and turning to him And he say to god Lord without you I can do nothing And and and you have promised that you have said your father gives Gives gives a holy spirit and you have said even even an evil father would not give a serpent Or a rock to a child who was hungry for an egg or bread Even so you said I be an evil father Know how to give good gifts to my children even so You are a good father and you will give your spirit to those who but ask You know on on an occasion. We already saw it in chapter five in the book of acts verse 32 We saw how peter said that the holy spirit is given to those who obey him You know, we say god be merciful to me a sinner.  I hate what I do in the flesh. I hate the way I can be When my flesh is dominant. I need your power lord And I'll tell you what, you know, you know in many ways using just a very poor illustration, you know I'm a leaky vessel I need to be refilled I need to be refilled My flesh can dominate I can begin to gravitate towards the the things of my flesh And resist even the power of the spirit So I need to be renewed in the power of the spirit On a daily basis in sense. I I know that the promise of god not by my Nor by power but by my spirit say that the lord of host is still applicable to us today I know that jesus said you shall receive power after that the holy spirit has come upon you I know that he has promised to give the holy spirit to those who believe and to those who ask And if there's anything guys that you need right now if there's anything You need in this church needs in the church in the united states and throughout the world needs It's a it's an inundation. It's an outpouring of the holy spirit in our life You see one of the things that happened Let me give you a short and brief illustration that contains a bit of a history lesson But what you need to do is you need to remember and some of you were alive and others were not yet born When god was doing a revival here in the united states and he began to pour his holy spirit out through what was called and has been referred to as the jesus movement And what happened at that time is something i believe god wants to continue to do and that is That he began to pour his spirit out on young people and all people really because calvary chapel A lot of times i think of calvary in my early days when i was 20 years old And i saw a lot of young people part of the reason i saw a lot of young people is i went to what would have been Youth kinds of things and so there are going to be a lot of young people there But in in the reality of the actual church life, there were there were old people in their 80s sitting next to hippies in their in their teens It was made up of Businessmen and and people who walked into the church barefooted Pastor chuck tells used to tell human stories about how offended the elders would get because the hippie kids would walk in barefooted And i was one of those hippie kids who would walk in barefooted because shoes were just who needs them and and i and i would walk in Barefooted i was always barefooted And i went to church barefooted and it we didn't even think about it. I never wore shoes anywhere supermarkets Anywhere i did not wear shoes as a matter of fact when this church began My mother's the one who made me wear shoes when i taught because i would teach barefoot I would kick my shoes off and teach barefooted that's that's just me at home I never wear shoes at home and i'm still a hippie at heart, you know And we would sit there and i still remember sitting in in The the pews there and and the communion cup holders. I i remember getting my big toe stuck in one You know, that's the truth and and so it made me laugh When i heard chuck say how the elders were mad because the hippie kids would get their toes stuck In the communion cup holders and that's true because i had it happen to me It's it's not something you try to do, you know, you just cross your feet and before you know it you're pulling your Foot out, you know because your toe got stuck in and so i remember that with humor and all but What happened what happened was God began to move in through two things the word and the spirit The word and the spirit You know pastor chuck would be invited to come to conferences They wanted to hear the secret of how he's reaching through his ministry all these hippies He said on one occasion he was invited to go speak and the guy who invited him More than likely expected him to be one of these preachers who cried and got very emotional And chuck said at the end of his message the only one crying in the congregation was the guy who invited him Because he was sad that he invited him because he didn't have the emotionality and the personality Because what chuck did is he modeled to guys like me the power of the word of god And so he taught us as my pastor he taught us to love god's word But secondly we were taught to rely on the power of the holy spirit I just got today an invitation from somebody who said he wants to show me How to how he built his big church His words I will teach you how I built my church Well, I guarantee you if he built it it will not last because jesus christ said Pond this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it When it's built by jesus it lasts when it's built by men It dies and any movement and any church that is built on the personality of a pastor Or the entertainment factor of the church or the production of the entertainment factor of worship Any church that is built on a man is going to fail It always will but when the church is built on jesus christ and his word and the power of the holy spirit It continues and for those of you who do home bible studies and do ministry never forget that It is the word of god and the power of the holy spirit And that's what we see taking place here. He is saying as I was Sharing god brought them into the kingdom of god through the power of the word and the power of the holy spirit And that's how god works. That's why we don't put our trust in men We put our trust in the lord Now as this is taking place verse 18 when they heard these things they became silent And the glorified god saying then god is also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life Often all we need to do is give a biblical explanation And the problem is solved now Those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over steven traveled as far as finicia cyprus Antioch preaching the word to no one but the jews only But some of them were men from cyprus and sirene who when they had come to antioch spoke to the hellenists preaching The lord jesus the hand of the lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the lord The news of these things came to the ears of the church in jesus And they sent out barnabas To go as far as antioch when he came and had seen the grace of god He was glad encouraged them all that they with purpose of heart should continue with the lord He was a good man full of the holy spirit and of faith Great many people were added to the lord Then barnabas departed for tarsus to seek sol and when he had found him he brought him to antioch So it was that for a whole year They assembled with the church and taught a great many people and the disciples were first called christians in antioch and so Persecution had arisen remember persecution had arisen after steven had been martyred We know that in acts chapter eight verse one It states that a great persecution arose against the church at jerusalem So when this persecution happened What did the christians do did they stop speaking out of fear of being persecuted? Well answers no they took the message out of jerusalem and took it into the world So instead of stifling the message the believers were more intent on sharing it Now as it states here and in verse 19 at first they spoke only to the jews But when it goes on into verse 20 It's as some of them were men from cyprus siren who and siren who when they had come to antioch spoke to the halanist preaching the lord jesus So they continued to go out and preach it to those who would hear And god had made it already clear That uh the message was to go out to all people and the result is verse 21 That the hand of the lord is with them and a great number believe and a great number turned to the lord again Take the word of god and proclaim it and see what happens people turn to the lord See sometimes you may be afraid to speak in the name of jesus christ We're living in a time and and i'm speaking to people who know this When you can actually be self-conscious about mentioning the name of jesus You've been basically forbidden to do so by our society for a little bit of time now but the fact is If you really Trust the lord if you really do and you really believe the message you're gonna share it Jesus in luke 21 15 said it like this. He said i'll give you a mouth in wisdom Which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist um, you just need to You just need to um really believe the message I'll say it like this very briefly I'm pretty open with my faith I'm an old man now I'm pretty open with my faith, but you know what I was open with my faith When I was 20 I was open with my faith when I was in the army I was open about my faith when I got out of the army when I went to college when I went to secular school I've been around educated people I've felt so stupid Because compared to them I am I am I remember professors went in particular. She had two I believe it was two Two masters degrees in a doctorate And I remember how intimidated I was by her Yet I shared with her why because the truth is the truth I've I I have as a young college student speaking to Extremely liberal extremely progressive professors.   I discovered a long time ago when I tried to that I can't I I can't I can't there have been times forgive me. It sounds like I'm boasting about myself. I'm not I'm trying to illustrate something There have been times when when I would fold my arms and I would bite my tongue and I would say don't say anything Don't say anything and my body literally vibrates. My body begins to shake I'd be shaken. There were times when my mom saw this happening I'm in a bible study.  Listen when you fall in love with the lord You can't help it You can't you can't help it. I I can I we have classes here. You want to learn how certain scriptures can be used In street witness. Yes door-to-door witness. Yes ministering to to cult members and Muslims. We can help you that we can equip you with that Yes, but if you don't have a belief that Jesus Christ is everything and the power of the holy spirit is necessary You'll just be educated but not usable when you have in your heart a burning desire for people to know god He'll give you opportunities to speak about him. That's how it works What do you have that's more important than heaven?  Do you understand that do you believe that? Because if you do get on your face before god and say god give me opportunity to share with them Lord at least to give him an opportunity to know you we need that today We need that today guys. We really really do i'm watching my nation go down And down and down because the church is silent and too caught up wanting to party Too caught up wanting to party Too caught up arguing with men like me. I can drink and go to heaven You're a good evangelist for alcohol. How good are you for jesus? How good are you for jesus? Because a lot of people are good for sin, but they're not good for him We got to be aware of that What is your priority and where's your power come from? It comes from the word of god And the spirit of god that's where it comes from. That's where it comes from And we need to understand that sometimes people are afraid to speak The fact of the matter is open your mouth jesus said and i will fill it I will give you opportunities and you will blow your mind There's hardly anything more exciting than to see someone's eyes open up to jesus and get saved hardly anything is exciting I don't think there is anything as exciting as that Listen, we need to remember that when you're faithful to him, he uses you The bible tells us here that the hand of the lord was with them and a great number believed Again, the jesus movement Was not centered on one person god used many people to take the gospel out to an unsaved world And there were people many people young and old turned to turning to the living Living for jesus christ and sharing him And and that's the bottom line and and one of the things that will ultimately stifle the move of the spirit Is when we begin to give credit to to individuals and begin to honor people Over the one who's saving people we have to be very careful with that We need to be careful to give all glory to the lord We need to remember also that successful ministry isn't based on externals Some people think that you need to be eloquent you need to be energetic You need to be charismatic you need to be handsome persuasive funny inventive culturally sensitive young you name it Now what you need to be is In love with jesus christ If you want to be used by the lord and you want the hand of the lord to be upon you Then seek the lord and ask him to fill you with this spirit verse 21 says god's hand was with them And a great number believed and turned to the lord They were converted And finally in verse 22 following it goes on to say and i'll close at verse 30 News of these things came to the ears of the church in jesus them They sent out barnabas to go as far as antioch When he came and had seen the grace of god he was glad and encouraged them all That with purpose of heart they should continue with the lord He was a good man full of the holy spirit and of faith Great many people were added to the lord barnabas departed for tarsus to seek salt And when he had found him he brought him to antioch So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people And the disciples were first called christians in antioch These days in those days These days prophets came from jesus them to antioch Then one of them named agbas stood up and showed by the spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world Which also happened in the days of claudius caesar Then the disciples each according to his ability determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in judia This they also did and sent it to the elders by the hands of barnabas and sol and so 22 following in 22 barnabas lives up to his name Barnabas means son of encouragement And so what he's doing is he's encouraging the church As he sees god moving through his grace And his encouragement is that they with purpose of heart should continue with the lord And one of the ways that is made possible is simply remain faithful to him and faithful to his word So as a genuine minister barnabas is concerned that these new believers grow Notice how he's described as being a good man a man who's filled with the spirit and with faith And that's why he exhorts them to continue with the lord It says in verse 25 that he departed for tarsus to seek sol they were friends So he went to seek him and in verse 26 so when he found him he brought him to andioc Now andioc was the capital of syria. It was the third largest city next to roman alexandria When you look at andioc in ancient history during that day It was a city that was known for commerce as well as culture It was also known for sexual immorality that people were worshipers of artemis and apollo as well as The syrian worship of astarte and astarte had a cult of ritual prostitutes So Barnabas wanted sol the work alongside Of him in the ministry at andioc why well sol was a hebru scholar who was fluent in greek He was acquainted with gentile culture He'd be a great asset in discipling and winning converts The work was too big for barnabas alone. So he needed help It says in verse 26 when when sol arrived they taught a great many people So it's always good to minister with more than one person And then it says the disciples were first called christians in andioc It was here that they are now referred to as christians up until that time when you've come into this chapter here They've been referred to as disciples or brothers believers They're referred to as saints. They're followers of the way But now they're being called christian the word christian by the way means little christ literally that's what it means Little christ like christ christ like or little christ It may have been used in a derogatory fashion at first. Here come those little christs And by the way, they still say that that way today Now as this is all taking place in conclusion verses 27 through 30 There were prophets who came from jerusalem to antia Prophets were used in the church primarily to preach as well as to Predict events of the future We know that the apostles were referred to as the building block They were the transmitters of god's word to men But prophets were used to confirm the word that was preached as well as revealing events to come into in the future Here we're introduced to agabus And he predicts widespread famine and that did occur during the time of claudius, which was between the years of 41 and 54 ad What happens and we'll close with this Is there's a famine that occurs that he had prophesied How did the church respond? Verses 29 and 30 they cared for him The disciples each according to his ability determined to send relief to the brother and dwelling in judia once again The church took care of the need they cared about those in need That's been the mark by the way of the church throughout our history Is to care for those in need they heard That there was a need and according to their ability They sent relief to the brother and who were dwelling in judia or down south Now they had this Finances that they were going to give to them. How did they get it to them? It says in verse 30 they sent it to the elders by the hands of barnabas and sol couple of thoughts and then we'll close One I want you to notice this. This is something that'll pass you by if I don't point it out because it passes me by too Verse 30 this they also did and sent it to the elders That's the first mention of elders in the church The elders this is the first time elders in the church are mentioned You will see the word elder also Translated by the word bishop It can also describe The pastor teacher It is it is an overseer And so it's given us an insight into the fact that the church had leadership They were the elders They were the overseers of the church and their responsibility was in teaching and leading the body of christ A second thing I want to point to is they sent it to the elders by the hands of barnabas and sol So it was sent By the men who were trusted to carry sums of money If there's anything that you need in ministry It's trustworthy people when it comes to finances trustworthy because There have been many many people in churches Who have robbed god stealing? Offerings stealing money. I was reading recently of a church That had on a sunday morning there Not the whole offering but a good portion of their offering was stolen $600,000 Let that number sink for just a moment Somebody stole From this church It's a very huge church, obviously $600,000 There's just something about filthy lucre that draws people's hearts That you'd even steal from god That you'd even steal from god And so when it comes to finances You always want the most trustworthy people to be around the finances You always do And that's giving us some insight Into barnabas and sol They were men of integrity Somebody said the character and labors of these men Had marked them out as the most fit to be bearers of this help And it was from jerusalem that barnabas had been sent at first to anteo He was a trustworthy man sol was a trustworthy man And in matters of finance you need to always have trustworthy people Because it's amazing how even a little money can turn a person's heart So whenever you handle finances, you need to have Trustworthy people in our fellowship. I have very trustworthy people who handle the finances I never handle them at all. Just so that you know, I don't know who gives in this church I don't I don't I don't ask that question. I don't know who gives I I Don't count the money. I don't handle the money. I don't carry the money I don't even really ever see the money. That isn't something I do I have trusted people who do all of that for me We have teams of people who take care of that all the offerings Anything we have I'll have two or three people who handle it. They keep each other in check They're overseen to make sure that they don't take the money Because there are a lot of people who steal We do the best that we can to keep that from happening here just letting you know We're very careful with the finances. We learned that from scripture. They had barnabas. They had sol They were trusted. They handled the money We'll stop here and we'll pick up next time chapter 12