SPEAKER_11 0:00

Oh, I didn't I don't think I started it. Oh we have it.

unknown 0:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_11 0:06

The next verse, let's see. Can somebody read Acts chapter five? Verse. Forty-one and f uh no forty-two. Acts five, verse forty-two.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

And every day in the temple and from house to house they do not cease teaching and teaching that Christ was Jesus.

SPEAKER_11 0:41

And so what what sticks out to you? What sticks out to you in that short verse?

SPEAKER_13 0:58

Anybody?

SPEAKER_11 1:05

Every day. Is there anything that you do every day? I mean, school, work, every day. You're devoted to those things. But what if church was every day? Um it just seems like there's a lot of room for the average church. I mean, an hour on a Sunday, maybe, most people. And these people, their version of church was every day. And in what context did they meet? Where do they meet?

unknown 1:47

Houses.

SPEAKER_11 1:48

Houses, yes? In the temple or synagogues. And what is the difference? If if you might have read Acts in preparation for this, did you notice anything different about what happens in the temple and the synagogues versus what happens in homes? Like why were there two gathering places? Did anybody notice that? The different gatherings of home versus synagogues, Solomon's porticle. Well, the temple was where the Levitical priests back from the Old Testament would offer animal sacrifices, very ritualistic. And there's only one temple, the one in Jerusalem. And then you have synagogues, which are local gatherings around a rabbi. So this is like Ray's synagogue in some sense. It's probably a smaller gathering, possibly even in a home. And synagogues were all over the place, wherever this Jewish community would gather. The apostles picked up on the common gathering, because remember, in the beginning, these apostles were mainly Jewish men, and so where were they fishing for souls? Because at this point in history, who was the focus of salvation? The Jews. And so where would born-again Jews who were apostles, where would they go fishing for souls if, in their understanding, the salvation was for Jewish people?

SPEAKER_05 4:12

They gathered in the synagogues.

SPEAKER_11 4:14

Yeah, they would go, they would go to the temple in the synagogues. And so our modern-day church, and you could think of it as that is like a temple/slash synagogue, where not everyone who comes into the church is a born-again believer. It is a mixture of Christians and non-Christians. It's where evangelism takes place. And if you look at the scripture, not just evangelism, but that's when healings would happen. Supernatural signs and wonders would happen. And then people would see that, hear about it, and they would be added to the number of this group through that demonstration of power and through the preaching of the apostles. Holmes, it seemed like, especially in the context of persecution, it was a closed group. You knew everybody, no stranger is knocking on your door because it could be a Roman soldier arresting you. So it was a closed group of vetted out believers who are born again, baptized. So this is similar to, you know, Paul went house to house. Apostles went house to house, and they strengthened the believers there, but they also believers were gathered where they used to gather, which is the temple and the synagogues. And in that context, not only was the church hearing the preaching getting built up, but they're watching evangelists at work and God adding to their number. Does that make sense? Yeah? Okay. Let's see. To see this, uh, can also someone read Acts twenty verse eighteen to twenty-one. The last one in this section. No, Acts no. Um Acts eighteen, verse four. And Acts twenty, eighteen to twenty-one. Can someone read Acts eighteen, verse four?

SPEAKER_04 6:33

And Acts twenty. And you reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

SPEAKER_11 6:44

Okay, so by that point, we know that this is the uh Paul the Apostle. He was called to be an apostle to the Gentiles. So by this point, he is going to the synagogue and he is persuading both Jews and Greeks. And so it's clearly evangelism, but the church is there, witnessing what is happening and getting getting the preaching and teaching there. And also uh Acts twenty verse eighteen to twenty-one. Can somebody read those verses?

SPEAKER_10 7:29

When they arrived to declare it, they know that they have to be honest. I never shrink back from telling you what they needed to hear either publicly or in their homes. I've had one message for Jews and Greeks alike. The necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

SPEAKER_11 7:59

Yeah, so again, it's uh it's the public teaching, which is in the synagogue or the temple, and the private teaching for believers only, house to house. And so that's the mechanism of how the teaching went forth and how God added to their number in the early church. So, what is a one-line summary, theological summary from Acts 2, 42 to 47? Who are we or what is the church? Yes, even before the the what is the theological statement?

SPEAKER_04 8:39

Spirit and the word?

SPEAKER_11 8:41

Yes, word and spirit, conservative, charismatic. And then what is the one description, one quality of a church from this first section of verses that we can discern? Devoted. This church is devoted, meaning every day, whether it's publicly to watch evangelism happen through the apostles and even spirit-filled deacons and house to house. And it's every single day. So this I think challenges all of our view of a one hour on a Sunday view of church. So uh that's uh that's part one. Next section of verses. Can somebody read Acts five, verses one through six months? Amen. Um, and can someone read uh then just the next few verses, seven to eleven?

SPEAKER_14 10:56

About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened, Pira after telling me is this a person and Ananias got for the land. Yeah, she said that's the price. Peter said to her, after she conspires attack the spirit of the Lord, young man who carried your husband out the door, and they will carry you out also. At that moment, she fell down at a seed and died. Then the young man came in and finding her dead and carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear sees the whole church and all who heard about the user things.

SPEAKER_11 11:31

Okay, so what's another quality of this early church from this section of scripture, which is a really tough, tough one, tough pill to swallow. How would you characterize a church like this?

unknown 11:49

Serious?

SPEAKER_11 11:50

Serious? Okay, yep, very serious. What else? Yes, fear of the Lord was very high. Fear of the Lord is very high. Um, what else? Any anything else? I mean, I think fear of the Lord is one of the major takeaways that I want to talk a little bit more about. But any other observations or words that come to mind as you think about a quality of a church here?

SPEAKER_10 12:33

Pretty radical.

SPEAKER_11 12:34

Radical. Okay. Yeah, so another way to say radical or fear of the Lord is this church is holy. It is it's not a social club. Um Peter, how did he know about Ananias and Sapphira? That they held that. Yeah, they that they were saying that it was a full amount when it was not the full amount. How did Peter know that? Holy Spirit. It is a supernatural gift. This is not because Instagram or any uh uh spying on Peter's part, just supernaturally he knew. And isn't there a problem with selling your property and only giving, let's say, 50%? Is there any problem with that? So there's if there's no problem, why why was it what why is it this such a big deal? Lied to the Holy Spirit, yes. And who who um gave a full amount after he sold a field or property earlier in the book of Acts?

SPEAKER_10 14:04

Joseph, Barnabas.

SPEAKER_11 14:06

Barnabas. And what happened to Barnabas?

SPEAKER_05 14:12

He got praised.

SPEAKER_11 14:14

He got praised, he he got elevated into like leadership. Yeah, and so what's driving this deception? Yeah, what what what's the motive that's driving the the Ananias and Sapphira, this couple?

SPEAKER_05 14:31

Recognition? Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 14:33

Praise a man, yeah, recognition. Yeah, just what's your reaction when you when you read this section of scripture? And like, do you want to be a part of a church like this where you might lie and then you're gonna get like struck down and die in the meeting? I mean, is like how do you like how do you feel about yeah?

SPEAKER_10 14:59

Well, where does it say that they elevated him?

SPEAKER_11 15:06

He wasn't elevated right away, but he was traveling with the apostles. Like Paul and Barnabas were because he sold this film? Well, that's the first mention of Barnabas. And then next thing next thing you know, him and Paul are like a tag team doing uh church planting missions. So it's just kind of filling in the blank. It doesn't say explicitly, but that act of generosity definitely people notice this is this uh this person is uh called by God to lead through that. Yeah.

unknown 15:43

He was called son of, they gave him a name.

SPEAKER_11 15:45

They gave him they gave him a name, son of encouragement. Son of encouragement. We're gonna definitely circle back on this theme of generosity.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

Um the question, I guess, is like, does it really link to leading just because you're it's a strong enough motivation though, if you're getting praise, whether you get elevated to leadership or not, that crazy strong motivation.

SPEAKER_10 16:11

Could there be another motivation why they would apply, I guess? Because it's not like selling the field would necessarily equate to immediately put in a place a leadership or something.

SPEAKER_11 16:29

Not for sure, but in Barnabas' case, which it was done with a pure motive, it was the full amount, and he is given a title, nickname, and then he's with Paul in his ministry, and Ananias and Sapphira are watching it. So we're just kind of filling in the detail, it's not 100% sure, but they they hatched this plan together that we are gonna imitate Barnabas and say it's the full amount when it was not the full amount. And again, it's not an issue. If you give 50% of your assets away, that's an amazing, generous act.

SPEAKER_05 17:13

But the fact that they lied kind of the same thing is like when Moses took a census of the people, and so did David, but those just counting people one, two, three, David took a census of the people, and then what happened? 70,000 of them died.

SPEAKER_11 17:33

That's a good parallel, good parallel, yep.

SPEAKER_05 17:35

So it's kind of the motive. I think uh the pride or whatever it was. He took put competence in his army as a both uh God. So I think it was set under doesn't say, yeah. I mean we don't have we have to read the lines you know, fill in the blanks, so to speak.

SPEAKER_13 17:50

Yep, yep. Yeah, that's good. Similar.

SPEAKER_11 17:57

Yeah, this group was like holy means not like morally blameless, but it uh eventually does lead to that. But God has set apart a people unto himself, and this is not um a group that you casually stroll into, especially if you know people die like this. I mean, this is an act of judgment which causes awe that Peter knew that there's this kind of a gift that's an operation at this church, and the fear of, well, I better get my act together. I'd I better not be a hypocrite and pretend to be something I'm not. And um I just wonder, in our definition of church, is it is the bar so low? People can call themselves Christian without fear of the Lord, without holiness, with like private stuff going on that they think it's you know it's fine to still lead. Um the start of this church, God was making it clear uh this group is holy, set apart, and there should be this fear of the Lord and this awe through the signs and the wonders, operation of spiritual gifts. Um God doesn't strike down everyone, but it doesn't mean that God doesn't see it. Um eventually there is judgment for leaders who get away with it, um, but God sees it, and it's just his mercy that he doesn't strike us dead the first time you act this way, but the motives of the heart, very important. Um it is so subtle, like praise of man, focusing on people. I was part of a group where I got elevated because I was great at certain things, and you know, other people get jealous and that I I want to be like Ray, and other people feel insecure. Why is you know this person elevated? And I know the power of like a huge group where you are where you got kind of get handpicked for leadership, and all of the the eyes and the pressure and the it's it's really easy to lose yourself and um have a twisted motive and to focus on people and do it and not realize that our eyes are not on the Lord and He sees everything, and um so the holiness of the people, not just devotion, but the holiness of the people, the fear of the Lord stands out to me. And related to that, can somebody read uh the later in the chapter, Acts 5, 37 to 42.

unknown 20:56

What was that again?

SPEAKER_11 20:57

Uh wait, no, hold on. Oh, actually, no, I'm uh I'm getting ahead of myself. Um actually scratch that. So devotion, holiness, slash, fear of the Lord. These are qualities that I see in Scripture. And uh next section of verses. What about? Yeah, let's read Acts five. This is a new section. Acts five, thirty-seven, thirty-seven to forty-two. Can somebody read that?

SPEAKER_05 21:37

Thirty-seven and forty-two?

SPEAKER_11 21:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:01

He too perish, and all who follow him are scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this man or this undertaking is of man, they will fail. But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. So they took his advice. And when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. And they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were talking worthy, the sufferer of the song and for the name. And every day in the temple in front of house to house, they did not cease teaching, teaching that the prize at this point.

SPEAKER_11 22:41

Yes, so what is a word that stands out? Another quality of the church in this section. And would you say that this is a um a common thing in your church experience that generally Christians that you know have encountered something like this in their life? Probably not, right? So in some sense, I think in other countries, I've heard some stats that more Christians have died in recent years, decades, than in all history of the world combined. We just don't think about it, we don't actually see it because we are quite comfortable in America. The most suffering we get is someone who's unkind to us. Perhaps we're soft. Who could be beaten for their faith and rejoices? That person is unstoppable. There's another verse that says, if you've suffered in the flesh, you've ceased from sin. There's some threshold you cross in your spiritual growth because you go through something like this and even in the throne room of God, there is a there's a there's an incense bowl of prayers, and um it is it is the the prayers of the martyrs to get a special audience with the Lord. Um a church that knows how to suffer because of Christ, clearly is a quality in the first century and something that we don't know much about. Um I don't think we have to like invite suffering or look for suffering, but just to be the kind of person that if I'm in this position, how would I respond? Hopefully, all of us can just like this rejoice. Um maybe if we're on the mission field, it could happen to us where we would have to be in a situation, God forbid, where your life was threatened. Um these are the questions you want to you want to wrestle with. Like how would I how would I fare in that situation? Could I really do I really believe that much that I would die for this? Uh is Jesus that precious to me? Um a church that can rejoice in suffering is an unstoppable church, and we you know pastors give up all the time. And I would not even call it for any serious reason or anything that amounts to suffering. It's just yeah, oh go ahead, go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 26:26

Um when you say suffering, do you mean like in terms of should be persecution?

SPEAKER_11 26:31

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean there's all kinds of suffering, um, but this is a very unique suffering that Jesus suffered, persecuted, he was scorned, he was rejected by his own people, eventually nailed on the cross, and then he says, all of us who follow him will walk the same steps that he walked, and we will also be hated by this world. Um but I think in this country, um, it is part of the blessing that we have, I guess. In some sense, we're here and we are shielded and protected. Um but you leave America, you go to some countries, and it is so different. Um we just have to be aware. This is the this is like the biblical standard of church, a church that knows how to suffer well under persecution and rejoice and not give up, not throw in the towel just because my church is small, people are unkind, not enough money. Whatever reason, I got burned out, I worked too hard. Whatever reasons people have of throwing in the towel, I don't think it amounts to just standard Christian in the early church, not even leaders, just members. They're they're in a context where any day it might cost them their life when they say I'm a Christ follower. Um just just being aware of that, I think it's a challenge. Um, one thing I didn't say about fear of the Lord is uh Acts five. Can someone read verse twelve to sixteen? I forgot this one.

SPEAKER_09 28:49

To such an extent that we have to sick out into the streets and make them hearts and powers, so that when Peter came by at least to shadow my father and also the people from the cities and the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, being people who are sick or afflicted and unclean spirits, and we are all being healed.

SPEAKER_11 29:09

So put yourself in the uh in the mind of a non-Christian witnessing this very thing at Solomon's portico, which is connected to the temple in Jerusalem, as a public space where people are preaching, and that's where the apostles went. And this kind of stuff is happening. And you're watching this. What what do you what are you what are you uh noticing or or what are you what are you feeling as you see everything that's happening?

unknown 29:50

I guess verse seventeen. Yeah. No one dare to join them.

SPEAKER_12 29:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 29:59

Yes, yes. Yeah, ch l let's unpack that one. Any other comments about this section? So interesting.

SPEAKER_13 30:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 30:37

It's kind of mind blowing that you know that they were healed by a human shadow, kind of like wow, um God's the same yesterday, today, and forever. You know, we look at things like that, and we're like, Yeah. Okay, well, what are the signs and wonders in our church today? Yeah, yeah. The Bible says that signs and wonders would follow the believers. Yes. You know, and um, you know, a lot of times in uh, you know, we see the things going on, uh, whether it's in uh church on TV, things like that, Benny Hand. Jewish members throwing their jacket around and things like that. And it's like, man, Lord. You know that to me it shows a lack of reverence for God and and that point, but then it's like, man, Lord. Um I I believe that though, you know, I believe that God is the same. God is a healing heal. Yes. It's a miracle working God.

SPEAKER_13 31:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 31:32

You know, I uh it's I look forward to every day to see what God does today. Yes. You know, what he does here. You know, when um I anticipate God to move, the Holy Spirit to move in every individual's life. I wanna I wanna be a part of it. I want to see it, I want to witness it. You know we're we're uh peculiar people. Yeah. And it's an exciting time, especially these. I believe these are the last days, and this particular portion of scripture is a mind blow.

SPEAKER_13 32:06

Yeah. Just a shadow. Yep.

SPEAKER_05 32:16

You know, um yeah, I believe that. You know, I don't know if you ever heard that. God's word invented, I believe it, that's that old day.

SPEAKER_12 32:26

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 32:27

You know, uh starting times.

SPEAKER_11 32:34

Yeah. Um where is that in scripture that the signs and wonders follow believers? Did you know that's in the Bible? Does that sound familiar? There is the um the Bible-believing people's version of the Great Commission, which is in Matthew 28. Uh you make disciples of all nations, you teach them, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and then you have the charismatic version of the same Great Commission, where you lay hands and people are healed, and demons are cast out, and snakes bite you, and you're supernaturally protected. And it says these signs follow not apostles, not spirit-filled deacons in the book of Acts, but all believers. And that's that's from the mouth of Jesus. Um in the book of Mark. Yeah, book of Mark. Yeah. Um if I'm uh if I'm a uh a non-Christian and I'm watching what's unfolding in Acts chapter 5. Um I realize that this is not a normal group of people. This is not a normal religion where people just say nice religious things and do the ritual and they go home, but they're actually witnessing something visible, a sign or a wonder, a healing of deliverance. Um, and it is shattering people's paradigms. And so they are, they would not dare to join, and yet at the same time, they're drawn, and God is adding to the number, not because somebody's dragging them to church, but they watched a miracle, and the the Lord is just adding these people to the church through this demonstration of power and the preaching of God's word. Um and then suffering, suffering church. Lastly, the last section I want to cover, which has already been talked about. Can someone read Acts 2 45? And then can somebody read Acts 4, 32 to 37?

unknown 35:22

Is it Acts 2, 45?

SPEAKER_11 35:24

Just that verse, yes. In Acts 4, 32 to 37. Yes, and then can somebody read the next section, Acts 4, 32 to 37.

SPEAKER_00 35:47

And the congregation of those who believed were one of heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power, the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them. For there was not a needy person among them who offered owners of land or houses, but sell them and bring the proceeds at the sales and lay them at the apostles' feet. And they would be distributed to each as any had need. Yes, please. Translated means son of encouragement, and who owned a tract of land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

SPEAKER_11 36:35

Amen. So what do you what can you say about the generosity of this early church?

SPEAKER_02 36:44

That every single person is equally generous or like generous.

unknown 36:50

They're not me.

SPEAKER_11 36:52

Yes, yes. Does do these verses seem like normal uh in your experience of finances and church? Doesn't sound like what um I think it sounds pretty radical. Seems radical, yeah. Right. And actually I want Ron to share his view of money and what you do with the money the Lord gives you.

SPEAKER_05 37:34

My view of money?

SPEAKER_11 37:36

Yeah, because I've talked to you over the years.

SPEAKER_05 37:42

I I believe in my perspective, maybe um as we get older, um, maybe not so much age-wise. I was sharing with Pastor Livet uh that I just don't have very many wants. Not saying I don't I wouldn't want certain things, it's they're just definitely not important. Um our conversation was basically um I want to work for free. I I want to do things like um, I built, I would like to we're family, I would like to do things for my family without having a choice. You know, I would like to somehow, if God would provide for me to do things like that so that I can basically work for free. Because I I I mean I have responsibilities, but I don't but those are things that need to be taken care of. Absolutely. You gotta keep a roof over your head that's responsible. You know, you gotta pay your insurance and things like that. But as far as finances go, I don't I just don't, it's not it doesn't have me. I just uh I don't um I I don't know how I got here. I just life is short. Very, very brief. Even for you. Um ask God to give you a better perspective or a good perspective. I I'm I'm asking him every day to give me, help me to be responsible and to have the proper perspective, a biblical perspective of how I handle my finances. I don't give it away like a bonehead, but I believe that generosity is key. I'm never without. Uh I can ask the Lord for work and he always has provided for me. I'm never without. Um God has proven himself faithful and true every time. He has never, ever failed me. I I've I've been my faith has been tested, and it still is tested quite often. But it it it um it faith finances cannot have a hold of you. It becomes a burden, it becomes a weight that is just unbearable. Um Lord gives you what. And uh as long as your heart is is devoted to him, he'll lead you and guides you every step of the way. I truly believe that. You know, I was the reason I was asking Pastor earlier, our conversation was that Pastor, this is a young adult. Um I I want to know if anything we help with gas or what what what do what do I how do I help them? I just I got a little bonus and just I don't want to share it with my family. You know, um it's a blessing to be a blessing, you know. Like I said, you know, I I don't want to challenge anybody to go out and be generous in a way that you don't have put gas in your car, you know. But you know, um follow the Lord's direction when it comes to your finances. He'll he'll lead you. He really will. He really will. You know. I'm praying right now in the area of ministry so that I don't I would like to do more ministry and less work. You know, I'm I'm I'm getting physically tired. But I want to be able to do and pick and choose my jobs in a way that it would be beneficial for my family. I want to train people how to do things to be able to help handicapped people that can't afford to pay. You know, why why why can't I do things like that? Why can't is God too small that He can't open a door to where we can't do that as a family? I I I'm not gonna no, it's not it's not the God that I serve. But again, does it have this fact of approval on it? Is this what he wants? Is this a God-given desire, or is it is there a wrong motive or an intention in there that is driving me? So I I would say, Lord, show me, reveal me to me. You know, but as far as finances go, you know, um we we we work to live, we don't live to work. You know, there's a it's a there's a difference there, you know. Um I don't want to take away from hopes and dreams. Uh, one thing I'm dealing with is the men is that they're so eager to get back to work, get jobs, and have a wife, and I'm like, you know, all your responsibilities are waiting for you. As soon as you finish this way, they're waiting for you. But take the time that you have while you're on this ranch, build your relationship, get some strong legs so you can stand when the tests and the trials come. Build that love relationship with Jesus. Because if you're here because you're this is a homeless shelter, it's not the place for you. I mean, I'm not saying that God can't get a hold of you, but you guys have such an amazing opportunity while you're there on that ranch to really, really dig into the word and ask the Lord, Lord, what are you saying? Talk to me. I want to know your word. And he was just saying, I said, because you're not gonna know if you're being misled or deceived unless you know his word. You can go to a church and they can pump you up and put some fire come out of their fingertips. But you know, it's it's it's got to financially I'm I'm I'm praying for all of you. Uh I don't know all of you by name, I'm bad with them, but I'm praying for the group. I'm praying for my family here. And um I'm so grateful for you. I really am. You know, I I can be myself, you know. Um I don't feel ever feel judged here because of my past uh or anything like that. You know, I am so grateful, you know, and I tell you this God has shown me more and more that I should be. Once we lose gratitude for our salvation or for any little bit of finances or my brother next to me or sister, when we start losing our gratitude, it's kind of like a source viral. It's just a something happens. So stay grateful. That's key. Gratitude towards the Lord is key. Good times, bad times, stay grateful. And you'll I think the Lord will show you when you're losing gratitude. You know, it'll it'll it'll affect a lot of different areas of your life, relationships, work. It'll affect it. So stay grateful, you know, even for the little. And um I got I was telling Pastor, I got a little bonus, you know. I did a little project of, Pastor, do we have a gas fund for any of them or something? But you know, for family. He said, well, take care of your teeth first, but I'm like, I said, you know, I'm maintaining this on that, you know, but um, you know, I I don't know. You know, when if you look at the story of Zacchaeus, I don't know if you guys know the story when he just wanted to make things right. He wanted to write his wrongs, and he's just so overjoyed and uh just stirring up, you know, and I've been asking the Lord to reignite my first love, my love for him, and he's doing that. You know, and in this church since I've been here, I had been to, I hadn't found a church in years. It's very it was very difficult. I cried and pleaded with God, and uh this word brought me to go visit to go do a sink, and that's why I met Pastor Ray. So that was uh God answered my prayer after many, many years. It wasn't overnight, it took a long time. I came from a church that we were just talking about recognition, man, hanging around with the pastors and carrying their Bibles for them, you know, just hanging out with the it was like once you're with this group of big shots, it's like you were in the in the in the in the clique, you know, you're part of this. It was it was like that's the way it was, and uh and I ran. I ran from that because I something was wrong. Um I was allocated and we were preaching our ministry, the church banner. What was Jesus? I just wanted to challenge you and encourage you and thank you for being you for welcome into the family. And uh I'm here for you, and um, you know, I I love you. You know, thank you so much. You know, say grateful.

SPEAKER_11 46:47

Okay, yeah, uh Ron is a great challenge for me uh when I see how he stewards finances. Um I think there's a great danger for all of us to um we live in such abundance and plenty. You can like do a tithe to a church, autopilot, and then just chase after all the things that you want out of greed. And God only promises food, drink, and clothing, not even a roof over your head. He doesn't even promise that in God's word, and he just seeks, he just commands us to seek first his kingdom, and then the way it plays out in this early church is that somebody has property, somebody has lack, I will sell my property to meet that person's need. That's a different way to steward your money, and I and I see Ron doing that. So um, do we just blindly give into a fund, and this fund leads to a bigger building or renovation or bigger pastor salary? Or should you look at your money as this is God's money? How can I use it to actually meet somebody's need? And maybe everybody in your around your circle is their needs are met. That's why there's a global church. Maybe maybe everyone's need in this room is met. Maybe mostly in America because it's such a land of plenty. Maybe mostly the needs are met even by the government, but there are places in this world where people cannot even have enough food. And it is the abundance that the Lord has given to us is so that we can meet the needs of a fellow brother or sister, and that's a completely different way to do it. And so for me, it's like I I'm not going to a church right now, like every week, uh, the same one, and I'm not pastoring a church, so I'm not tithing to anywhere particularly, but you know, what when I get a chance to feed people or to you know, if somebody is has a need and they tell me my tithe goes there, or even beyond the tithe, that's just a different way to think. It's not autopilot. Um so yeah, that's great. And I I think there's a lot more that can be said about generosity. Let's look at um, let's end with Apostle Paul as one model of how a Christian might steward money. Can somebody read Acts 18? 1 through 3. And then somebody else, can you read Acts 20? 32 to 35, and then lastly, Acts 28, verse 30 and 31. So first Acts 18, 1 to 3. Can somebody read that?

SPEAKER_10 50:06

Then Paul left Athens and 1 to 1. There we came to contain with a Jew and followed one and others who had recently arrived in Italy and 127. They had left in the middle of the PlayStation before they all do so. Paul lived at one of them, but they were ten minutes.

SPEAKER_11 50:28

And then can somebody read Acts twenty uh verse no no yeah, Acts twenty, verse thirty-two to thirty-five.

SPEAKER_02 50:46

Now I commit to you to God and the word and of his grace, which I can't do to us and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I am not covering anyone's over or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that you can demon, I supply my own needs, and I need to mind companion. And everything I did, I showed you that by this time of hard working myself a week, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself. It is more it is more blessed to give than to receive.

SPEAKER_11 51:16

Amen. And then lastly, Acts twenty-eight, thirty, and thirty-one. Last one.

SPEAKER_01 51:38

He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

SPEAKER_11 51:50

So, Paul as a model steward, what can what what kind of lesson can we draw about radical generosity from his life? Was Paul supported by the church? No, he supported himself as a tent maker. And even while he's under house arrest, what is he doing? He's living somewhere at his own expense. And why did why did Paul live this way? Didn't he have a right to ask for money from the churches that he founded and pastored? Didn't he have a right? Why did he not?

SPEAKER_05 53:08

Well, you think he didn't cover the turbulent thing.

SPEAKER_13 53:11

Yep, yep. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 53:15

Maybe you would send an example to the up and coming pastors or the future. Yeah. Maybe we're sending an example to the should work. Yeah. Maybe there's a warning, maybe there's a safeguard to go with it. See as a financial benefit, you know. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_11 53:35

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_13 53:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 53:38

Yeah. I think it runs on to any anybody else, any other uh thoughts?

SPEAKER_08 54:00

Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_11 54:08

Yes, yes. Yes. I think this um view of our own finances from Paul's life, I think it applies not just for pastors, I think it applies to all believers, potentially. Because Paul, as a founder of multiple churches, in some sense he's like the spiritual parent. And the last thing as a parent that I would want to be to my children is to be a financial burden. I want to just make sure, don't worry about dad and mom, we got it covered. You just take care of yourself, and if you need help, we're here to help you. That was Paul's thought process, I think. He doesn't want to burden the sheep. They're struggling just to make ends meet. He doesn't want to add to their burden by extracting a salary when it was fully in his right to ask for, but he didn't want to burden uh the little ones, God's sheep, in that way. Um he also, I think, there were probably other ministers who did it for the money in Paul's day, and he wanted to not associate himself with such people, and and nobody could accuse him of being after people's wallets because he did not accept it. I think that's commendable. Um, just the fact that Paul himself and all the apostles, all of us, we received the gospel for free. It's not the pastor that saved us, and we have to give that pastor a salary. God saved us. God uses pastors, God uses evangelists and ministers, but we were saved for free. And I think Paul is showing that through his view of money, that I'm gonna preach for free. I don't want to be a burden, I want to communicate it as a free gift, you just have to receive. There's no strings attached. Um, and if we have this view, that the money that we have in our career, it's all tent making versus a lofty vocation, like I'm called to whatever profession. If you think of it differently and say, okay, every opportunity I have to earn money, it is tent-making. So my goal is not this career, my goal is not a huge whatever, but my goal is with this finances that the Lord has blessed me with, that He freely gave to me. Um, how can I in turn not be first not be a burden to others? But Paul says, even he he was not first he didn't burden people, but on top of it, he says, I will take away some of your financial burden because I've I've earned a few extra, you know, some cash, and now I'm gonna give it to you. Let me just remind you of Ron. You know, when Ron has money, he doesn't have a lot of money, but when Ron has money, the first question he asks is, Does somebody need this money? Um It's a great question. Like, why did God bless us with money? Isn't it tent making? Um this goes for pastors. Should we all be bivocational or fully vocational and do it all for free? It's a challenge to pastors. At least if a pastor did that, no one can blame them that you're doing it for money. Um for missionaries. I know everyone, you know, a lot of ministries, um, fundraise. It's different if you say, well, I can fundraise, or I'm gonna work. I'm gonna not burden other people. They got their own burdens, they got to sort out what to do with their own finances, and I am going to pay my way for missions. It's just a different mindset. Um again, I think in a land of such plenty, it is so easy to just feed off of other people's generosity. But Paul, he could have done that, and he is, I think he is a model, not just for pastors, but for all believers. Um He's given us able bodies, he's given us bright minds, opportunities, so that we can support ourselves and do missions, we can meet all of our ministry needs, and we have plenty to share with people with actual needs. And if all the needs here are met, most of the needs in America are met, then we look global. Like where are the actual needs? Which countries have needs, and we go and we meet those needs. Isn't that the picture of this early church and how they viewed money? Um to sum up, what are the qualities of well, first of all, theological statement from the book of Acts, Acts chapter 2? Two things, what are they? Theological terms.

unknown 59:36

Word and spirit.

SPEAKER_11 59:37

Word and spirit, conservative charismatics. I think that is actually a very biblical definition of a Christian. Uh, what are the things that um qualities of a church that we talked about today? Number one devotion. Devotion. And devotion to at least two things, which would be, would, which would be what apostles' teaching and in prayer and fellowship and breaking of bread, the Lord's Supper. Um second quality of it of this early church.

unknown 1:00:29

Holiness?

SPEAKER_11 1:00:29

Holiness slash fear of the Lord. All signs and wonders. I dare not join, but I'm drawn to join because of what the Lord is doing. This is not a social club, there's something supernatural. God is at work, he's confirming he's behind these apostles through signs and wonders, and also behind these believers. Um third quality of this church. They are rejoicing in suffering. And lastly, what is uh what is the quality of this church? Radical generosity. Okay, let's pray. Father, we're so thankful that we can just study the church that you birthed that was spotless and without blemish at its early stages, when it was a pure bride, filled with power, filled with love, dedicated, devoted to the apostles' teaching, prayer, fellowship, breaking of bread. They met every single day in the synagogues, in public spaces, at the temple, and house to house. These were very devoted people. Uh they were wholly set apart by you, fear of the Lord, awe, signs and wonders. They suffered and rejoiced when suffering, and they were radically generous. There's so much more that we could uh extract uh from uh from these chapters, but Lord, uh we we just want to wrestle with these things. It is our homework to uh to see how we could think of your bride differently as as we compare ourselves with with this text, the the original church that you birthed and uh that was ushered in by the by Jesus dying on a cross and being raised from the dead. Thank you, Lord. We pray that you bless every single person here as we leave this place. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I forgot to ask. Any uh before we close, any prayer request before we leave that you would like prayer for? So Ron has a prayer request for his um uh dental procedure, uh wisdom for the ranch long term, uh, maybe transitioning this year. Um and uh Elijah's final decision for college and transition for Noah for college as well.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:07

Um you're moving out. End of August. Oh? When?

SPEAKER_11 1:03:14

End of August. Yeah, Timothy and these three are gonna be roommates sitting next to each other.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:22

Okay, you guys have all all the furnishings and everything. I was telling uh your wife that we did an estate move and they give us all the furniture. Uh I'm I'm stuck with all the furniture.

SPEAKER_11 1:03:34

I see, you have a lot of extra furniture.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:35

But we have a bunch of furniture, so if you guys want to take a look at what's up there that's stored there. Some pretty nice pieces there.

SPEAKER_11 1:03:43

Then Shiok has someplace he's moving back to Korea. Um Cambria missions at Cambodia. Uh is it going to be in uh what is it July or August?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:53

All of July.

SPEAKER_11 1:03:54

All of July. All of July. She's going to Cambodia for missions.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:59

Um all of July.

SPEAKER_11 1:04:02

Ron is a little hard of hearing. Yeah, yeah. Did she hear that? Yeah, yeah. One year. One here. One here. I'm very pleased with any other prayer requests?

SPEAKER_10 1:04:19

Sean, you said your knees, they're doing it.

SPEAKER_14 1:04:22

Yeah, well, I'll do all right.

SPEAKER_11 1:04:26

And you have a and you have a second uh uh you have a last interview for a second job.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:31

Uh on Monday.

SPEAKER_11 1:04:32

For Monday. Monday at one o'clock, if you can remember. One o'clock to Sean for his um he's trying to supplement his current job with a second job. Anything else? All right, well, you're f you're feel free to hang out longer. We have a lot of extra food. Um you guys can play games, you guys can watch a movie, you guys can eat second dinner, you can take food home. Uh it's wide open. Do whatever you guys would like. Thank you. Thank you for coming. We'll try to do this uh once a month.