Podcasts about achaia

Acts 18:22-28 English Standard Version22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Faithful Stewardship, Disciplined Giving Please turn to 2 Corinthians 8. Our sermon text will begin with verse 16 and will continue through chapter 9 verse 5. You can find that on page 1150. I think, of all the passages we've studied so far in 2 Corinthians, this one has the most context. It has a lot of specifics about the churches and people. Multiple associates of the apostle Paul's are referenced. Some are named and others are not. The big picture is that Paul is sending 3 delegates to Corinth. That includes Titus. They are being sent to collect the offering that the Corinthians had promised. By the way, Paul calls this delegation his “brothers.” They are not literal brothers. Rather, they are spiritual brothers in the faith. Even though this is a narrative, we learn important things about (1) integrity in financial stewardship and (2) obedience in giving. As I read, listen for those examples. Reading of 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5 Prayer As you may know, our philosophy of preaching involves working through books of the Bible. One of the benefits of doing that is that we are forced to deal with difficult or uncomfortable subjects as they come up in the Scriptures. That's a good thing. Well, starting last Sunday, we've come to one of those sensitive topics. Giving. I think this is the first time we've had a sermon (or sermons), that focuses on giving or stewardship. I mention that because if you are visiting or have been visiting, these chapters on giving are part of the message of 2 Corinthians. In other words, we didn't pick these two chapter so we could focus on giving. Rather they picked us. They are just part of the message of 2 Corinthians. And even though it is sensitive, it is important for us. Truly, matters of giving are matters of the heart. As we learned last week, God's grace is the foundation to these 2 chapters. Giving is called an “act of God's grace.” It is God who gives his grace to the giver… He turns his or her heart to give. Furthermore, it is God who blesses the receiver. He likewise bestows his mercy and grace on them. And at the very heart of God's grace is the grace of God in Christ. Remember, chapter 8 verse 9 is key to it all. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” Jesus Christ, God the son, became a man for us. He, in humility, bore our sin on the cross. Jesus endured the shame. You see, he became poor in that way… And through that amazing grace, he has given us riches. Not earthly riches, but riches of his mercy and kindness. In Christ, we have been given peace with God. We have been given the righteousness of Christ. We are now honored not because of any goodness of our own, but only because of the goodness of God in Christ. The grace of God in Christ is what's it's all about. That is why these 2 chapters over and over emphasis the heart. It is about God's transforming grace in us. And an outworking of that grace is a heart desire to give. If you don't remember anything else about last week and this week, remember this. The act of grace in giving is God's act of grace in Christ. Now, if you are still evaluating Christianity, I want you to know that giving will not put you in the good graces of God. You will not merit his favor by donating. Not at all. God does not want or need your money. Rather, he wants you to give something far more difficult to give. He wants you to give your life to him. Jesus said, “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” To put it in terms of 2 Corinthians 8. God's grace is what enables us to recognize our spiritual poverty and recognize our need for the riches of God's mercy. If you are not a believer in Christ, don't give your resources, give your heart. Let me make one final opening comment. There's an really underlying theme that spans both of these chapters, but it is not explicit. And that theme is the unity of the visible church. You see, part of the message of chapter 8 and 9 is that those in the church around the world are united to one another. The Macedonians are brothers and sisters in Christ with the Corinthians. And both the Macedonians and the Corinthians are united together with the poor Christians in Jerusalem. Paul is calling on the church to support the needs of one another no matter the tribe, tongue, or nation. We share something far more important than our culture or language or ethnicity. We share in Christ. To be sure, I'm not diminishing the importance of culture or ethnicity, rather I'm saying that the thing that unites all believers together (all around the world) is Jesus. There are many Christians and churches around the world that have many needs – some are enduring the consequence of war like Christians in Gaza or Ukraine. Others like in Africa or Southeast Asia are in environments of extreme poverty. I don't know what burdens God has placed upon each of you to give… or how we as a church can best support those brothers and sisters in Christ. But God has called us to do so in some way. Perhaps we can find ways to give and support those in deep need. Ok, with that background in mind, let's now shift our attention to these specific verses. We'll consider two main things this morning. #1. The Stewardship of Giving #2. The Discipline of Giving Stewardship… meaning that the resources of the church are God's resources. His kingdom resources – we are stewards and therefore we have the responsibility to administer them with integrity. And discipline… meaning spiritual discipline. we have the responsibility to follow through on the call to give. Giving is a discipline just like other areas of the Christian life. #1 - The Stewardship of Giving And both of these points are exemplified in our passage this morning. In other words, stewardship and discipline are principles modelled for us in these verses. Remember, the apostle Paul is in Macedonia. He's in the northern part of ancient Greece. He's experienced their generosity. In the beginning of chapter 8, he uses the Macedonians as an example for the Corinthians to follow. And now Paul turns his attention to the Corinthians. And one of the things we learn is that the Corinthians had promised to give to the church in Jerusalem. Their promise happened before the false teachers had stirred up dissent. But, nonetheless, they had promised to contribute. Now, Paul recognized the sensitivity of everything that had happened. And because of that, he wanted to ensure the utmost integrity in giving. In other words, he doesn't want anyone to question the legitimacy of the giving. He doesn't want the Corinthians to think that he is taking any of the contributions. He doesn't want his presence to coerce the Corinthians or make them think that this is just his own personal agenda. And so, to address that, here's what he does: he sends this delegation of three men to collect their gifts. Titus is one of them. He was well known by the Corinthians. In fact, Titus had just returned to Paul after visiting with them. And then two other brothers are mentioned. Look at verse 18 – “With him [with Titus] we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.” This brother, whoever he is, had a reputation of faithfulness among the churches. And he was a great preacher of the Gospel. We don't know who he was. Some scholars and pastors have made educated guesses. I have my thoughts. But he is not named because it does not matter to us. Ok, then there's a third guy mentioned in verse 22. It says, “And with them [you know, with Titus and the other brother] we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters...” We get the sense from the end of verse 22 that he was also known by the Corinthians. So, this delegation was sent… But why did they go? Well, look at verses 20. It captures their purpose. It says, “We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us.” They wanted to be blameless. Do you see that? They wanted to be above reproach. They were overseeing financial gifts and wanted all to be assured of their integrity in handling the donations. And why did they want to be so careful? Verse 21 answers that: “…for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.” Integrity all around. First, to honor God because they recognized they were stewards of the gifts. And second so that the Corinthians knew of their care in the administration of the gifts. Do you see it now? How this is an example of Godly stewardship and integrity. Stewardship and integrity is just as critical today as it was 2000 years ago. In 2020, a study estimated that 6.5% of donations given by Christians globally is lost to fraud and embezzlement. 6.5%. The study was referring to Christians around the world giving to churches, to charities, and to other non-profits. 6.5% translates to about 52 billion dollars annually. It's just an estimate, but it gives us an order of magnitude of the severity of the problem. That is sad to hear. I suspect some of you know believers who have gotten caught up in fraud of some kind. Or you know of churches that have gone through financial scandals. When I moved to Atlanta in the mid-1990s, I worked for a Christian ministry. That ministry was duped by a so-called Christian philanthropist. He promised that if they invested in his financial firm, he would double or triple their investment in one year. Churches, ministries, and Christian universities were all fleeced by this guy. It turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. And these organizations, like the one I worked for, lost a combined 135 million dollars in the scam – about 300 million in todays dollars. Poor handling of money by Christians or worse theft or even worse scandals, like that one, tarnish the name of Christ. It fosters mistrust inside the church. And its hypocrisy turns people away from Christ and the Gospel. It's tragic. We are called as the church to faithfully steward the resources entrusted to us. Let me highlight 4 principles from this text: 1. Those who handle money need to love the Lord and love his church. In this chapter, the word “earnest” is used 7 times. It testifies to a heart-motivated love for the people of God, or the church of God or an earnestness to faithfully fulfill the responsibility. The word earnest is only second to the word grace in chapter 8. Those who handle money need to have an earnestness that comes from a heart transformed by God's grace. 2. Those given this responsibility need to be tested. They need to be trustworthy. They need to have credibility and experience testified by others. In the case of the delegates, each one of them fulfilled this principle in different ways. Titus was known and proven faithful. The second brother was appointed by the churches (plural) – he had that proven credibility. And the third delegate was “tested.” That's the word used right there in verse 22. He was tested and found earnest. 3. Finances should never be handled by one person. No, there needs to be a team and there needs to be governance. In this example, there were 4 people – the three delegates and Paul from a distance. Just so you know, here at Tucker Pres, we have a finance team, we have a bookkeeper, and we have a third-party accountant. Multiple people involved. 4. And last, #4, transparency. Isn't that what Paul was modelling? He was being transparent so that there would be no questions about their integrity as they oversaw the gifts. So, a love of the Lord… a tested and proven faithfulness… multiple financial overseers… and transparency And every single aspect of this faithful stewardship is to give honor to Christ. As verse 19 puts it, “for the glory of the Lord” and as verse 23 says, “the glory of Christ.” We seek integrity as stewards to honor God because of his grace given to us. #2. The Discipline of Giving Which now brings us to main point number 2. The discipline of giving. Here's the thing. We are called not only to desire to give, but we are called to actually give. Earlier in chapter 8, Paul called the Corinthians to “complete the work.” He says in verse 11, “finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it.” And really, the beginning of chapter 9 emphasizes that. I think you would agree, it's much easier to have the desire to give sacrificially, than to actually give sacrificially. I read a story once of farmer who one day came home with great excitement. He reported with great joy to his wife and family… that their best cow had given birth to twins. He said to his family, “you know when these twin calves were born… I had a sudden urge that we should dedicate one of these calves to the Lord. We will bring them up together, and when the time comes, we will sell one and give the proceeds to the Lord's work.” His wife and children thought that was tremendous idea. But she asked him, “which calf will you dedicate to the Lord?” He replied, “Oh, there is no need to bother about that now…. we will care for both of them well, feed them well, and when the time comes we will offer one to the Lord.” Well, after a few months, the farmer came home one day and he was dejected. His wife asked, “honey, what is troubling you?” He answered, “I have bad news to give you. One of the calves has died…” and then he said, “It was the Lord's calf.” You see, he had the desire to give, but that was not matched with following through. Giving is one of the disciplines of the Christian life. It is an outworking of the grace of God's work in us. It's similar to seeking discipline in our call to purity of thought and word and deeds… or discipline to pursue peace with others. Or discipline in being faithful to serve others or take a sabbath rest and worship. Or pursuing discipline to follow through on the call to pray and read the Word. As we mature in our faith, God matures us in those disciplines. Let me put it this way: giving testifies that the grace of God is at work in your life. Look at chapter 8 verse 24. Paul says, “Give proof before the churches of your love.” “Give proof.” He was exhorting them to follow through and give to the needs of the saints. It would be a demonstration of their love and their faith. I mentioned last week that I do not have access to see who gives what offerings to the church. I do not want access. But I had a very interesting conversation with another pastor a few years ago. He would purposefully look at membership giving. Now, not all the time, but he would occasionally ask for a summarized list of members and their annual giving. That kind of shocked me. But he gave a couple of reasons. He mentioned that little to no giving indicated either a need for spiritual growth or it indicated a need for financial help. In other words, he would give attention to these people. It's like the opposite of showing partiality to someone with more means. This pastor experienced that a lack of giving often indicated a struggle in the Christian life or a struggle in faith or as I mentioned, an unknown need. To be sure, his purpose in coming alongside people was not so that they would give and therefore help the church finances… that was not the reason… rather it was so he could pastor and care for his flock well. I'm not suggesting that the elders or I will do that here at TPC. No. But it is true that our money often redirects us away from loving God. Giving or not giving can be a good indication of where our heart is. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” To say it again, when we are faithful to give generously and sacrificially, according to our means, it testifies to God's work of grace in us. And when we give it has the effect of encouraging others to also support the needs and work of the church Look at chapter 9 verse 2. Paul writes, “for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia [by the way, Corinth is in the region of Achaia] …that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them.” There was a mutual stirring up of generosity. The Macedonians gave joyfully. We learned that last week. And they were encouraged by the desire of the Corinthians to give. That is why Paul wants to see the Corinthians fulfill their desire. That's the reason the delegation was sent! It was not, as verse 5 mentions, to “exact” a gift. Paul does mention that not giving would cause humiliation. But that is because they had promised to give. It was not coercion. He is clear about that. Rather, he wants them to honor their promise. And by doing that, it would encourage the Macedonians and bless the Christians in Jerusalem. So really, the Macedonians were an encouragement to the Corinthians to give, and the Corinthians were an encouragement to the Macedonians to give. And all of that would be an encouragement to the believers in Jerusalem, who would themselves give back to the Macedonians and Corinthians… and encourage them. We learned that last week. All of it accomplished the building up of one another in good works and godliness… And all of it was because of the grace of God in Christ, who is glorified in it all. Conclusion To summarize, faithful stewardship and disciplined giving are both expressions of God's grace in Christ. Stewardship is managing the resources that God has entrusted to his church and doing that with the utmost of integrity. When we fulfill that responsibility, as Paul and the delegates modelled for us, Christ is exalted and his bride, the church, reflects his righteousness. Likewise, disciplined giving honors Christ in our lives. It testifies to God's work in us who is transforming us into the image of his son. And to say it one more time, it's all motivated by the grace of God in Christ… who gave up the riches of heaven and became poor to take us out of our poverty and make us rich in his mercy. So, in matters of giving in and to the church, may we seek integrity and faithfulness, all to give honor to God in Christ for his grace. Amen.  

A Triumphant Church Supports the Ministry 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 16 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. 5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. 12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. 15 Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people. 19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. I. Supporting the Ministry Gives with Purpose II. Supporting the Ministry Promotes Community III. Supporting the Ministry Perseveres in the Faith IV. Supporting the Ministry Unifies the Body of Christ

교회의 사역목표 (4): 주님의 도를 걸어갑시다 Expedition of the Way 사도행전 (Acts) 19:21-41 [새번역/ESV] 21 이런 일이 있은 뒤에, 바울은 마케도니아와 아가야를 거쳐 예루살렘으로 가기로 마음에 작정하고 "나는 거기에 갔다가, 로마에도 꼭 가 보아야 하겠습니다" 하고 말하였다. Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 그래서 자기를 돕는 사람들 가운데서 디모데와 에라스도 두 사람을 마케도니아로 보내고, 자기는 얼마 동안 아시아에 더 머물러 있었다. And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 23 그 무렵에 주님의 '도' 때문에 적지 않은 소동이 일어났다. About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 데메드리오라고 하는 은장이가 은으로 아데미 여신의 모형 신전들을 만들어서, 직공들에게 적지 않은 돈벌이를 시켜주었다. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 그가 직공들과 이런 일에 종사하는 사람들을 모아 놓고 말하였다. "여러분, 여러분이 아시는 바와 같이, 우리는 이 사업으로 잘 살고 있습니다. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 그런데 여러분이 보고 듣는 대로, 바울이라는 이 사람이 에베소에서뿐만 아니라, 거의 온 아시아에 걸쳐서, 사람의 손으로 만든 신은 신이 아니라고 말하면서, 많은 사람을 설득해서 마음을 돌려놓았습니다. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 그러니 우리의 이 사업이 명성을 잃을 위험이 있을 뿐만 아니라, 위대한 아데미 여신의 신전도 무시당하고, 또 나아가서는 온 아시아와 온 세계가 숭배하는 이 여신의 위신이 땅에 떨어지고 말 위험이 있습니다." And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

사도행전 (Acts) 19:21-41 [새번역/ESV] 교회의 사역목표 (4): 주님의 도를 걸어갑시다 Expedition of the Way 사도행전 시리즈 54 2025-05-25 주일 예배 설교 21 이런 일이 있은 뒤에, 바울은 마케도니아와 아가야를 거쳐 예루살렘으로 가기로 마음에 작정하고 "나는 거기에 갔다가, 로마에도 꼭 가 보아야 하겠습니다" 하고 말하였다. Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 그래서 자기를 돕는 사람들 가운데서 디모데와 에라스도 두 사람을 마케도니아로 보내고, 자기는 얼마 동안 아시아에 더 머물러 있었다. And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 23 그 무렵에 주님의 '도' 때문에 적지 않은 소동이 일어났다. About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 데메드리오라고 하는 은장이가 은으로 아데미 여신의 모형 신전들을 만들어서, 직공들에게 적지 않은 돈벌이를 시켜주었다. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 그가 직공들과 이런 일에 종사하는 사람들을 모아 놓고 말하였다. "여러분, 여러분이 아시는 바와 같이, 우리는 이 사업으로 잘 살고 있습니다. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 그런데 여러분이 보고 듣는 대로, 바울이라는 이 사람이 에베소에서뿐만 아니라, 거의 온 아시아에 걸쳐서, 사람의 손으로 만든 신은 신이 아니라고 말하면서, 많은 사람을 설득해서 마음을 돌려놓았습니다. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 그러니 우리의 이 사업이 명성을 잃을 위험이 있을 뿐만 아니라, 위대한 아데미 여신의 신전도 무시당하고, 또 나아가서는 온 아시아와 온 세계가 숭배하는 이 여신의 위신이 땅에 떨어지고 말 위험이 있습니다." And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” 28 거기에 서 있는 사람들이 이 말을 듣고 격분해서 "에베소 사람의 아데미 여신은 위대하다!" 하고 소리를 질렀다. When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 그래서 온 도시는 큰 혼란에 빠졌고, 군중이 바울의 동행자들인 마케도니아 사람 가이오와 아리스다고를 붙잡아서 한꺼번에 극장으로 몰려 들어갔다. So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. 32 극장 안에서는, 더러는 이렇게 외치고, 더러는 저렇게 외치는 바람에, 모임은 혼란에 빠지고, 무엇 때문에 자기들이 모여들었는지조차 알지 못하는 사람이 많았다. Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 34 그러나 군중은 알렉산더가 유대 사람인 것을 알고는, 모두 한 목소리로 거의 두 시간 동안이나 "에베소 사람의 아데미 여신은 위대하다!" 하고 외쳤다. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35 드디어 시청 서기관이 무리를 진정시키고 나서 말하였다. "에베소 시민 여러분, 우리의 도시 에베소가 위대한 아데미 여신과 하늘에서 내린 그 신상을 모신 신전 수호자임을 모르는 사람이 어디 있습니까? And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? 36 이것은 부인할 수 없는 사실이니, 여러분은 마땅히 진정하고, 절대로 경솔한 행동을 해서는 안됩니다. Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 신전 물건을 도둑질한 사람도 아니요 우리 여신을 모독한 사람도 아닌 이 사람들을, 여러분은 여기에 끌고 왔습니다. For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 그러므로 데메드리오와 그와 함께 있는 직공들이 누구를 걸어서 송사할 일이 있으면, 재판정도 열려 있고, 총독들도 있으니, 당사자들이 서로 고소도 하고, 맞고소도 해야 할 것입니다. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 여러분이 이 이상으로 해결하고자 하는 어떤 문제가 있으면, 그것은 정식 집회에서 처리되어야 할 것입니다. But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 우리는 오늘 일어난 이 일 때문에, 소요죄로 문책을 받을 위험이 있습니다. 우리는 이 소요를 정당화할 수 있는 아무런 명분이 없습니다." For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 이렇게 말하고서, 그는 모임을 해산시켰다. And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Waren die Dorer Invasoren aus dem Norden, die die Bevölkerung Griechenlands nach der Bronzezeit und während der Eisenzeit unterwarfen? Wer waren die vier großen Stämme der Griechen, die einen Großteil ihrer Geschichte prägten? Und wie erklärten sich die Griechen ihre Herkunft und Entstehen?Das alles erfahren wir in der neuen Folge!Quellen:Aischylos, EumenidenAntoninus Liberalis, MetamorphosenApollodor, BibliothekeApollonios Rhodios, ArgonautikaDiodor, BibliothekeDionysios von Halikarnassos, Antike römische GeschichteEphorosHerodot, Historien Homer, IliasHomer, OdysseeThukydides, Geschichte des Peloponnesischen KriegesPlaton, Nomoi , Politeia Pausanias, Beschreibung GriechenlandsOvid, MetamorphosenTyrtaios, Fragmente zur dorischen Herkunft Spartas und zur Dreiteilung der Dorer (Pamphyloi, Dymanes, Hylleis)Stephanus von Byzanz Strabon, Geographika LiteraturAllan, Introduction. The Children of Heracles, 2001Baumbach, A Doric Fifth Column?, 1980Beckman/Bryce/Cline, The Ahhiyawa Texts, Atlanta, 2011Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek, 2009Blegen, The Mycenaean Age, the Trojan War, the Dorian Invasion, and Other Problems, 1962Bromiley, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1994Buck, Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, 1933Carlier, Aegeum, 1995Caskey, Studien zur minyschen KeramikChadwick, The Mycenaean World, 1976Chadwick/Ventris, Documents in Mycenaean Greek, 1973Cline, After 1177 BC: The Survival of Civilisations, 2024Cook, Greek Painted Pottery (3rd ed.), 2013 [1960]Daniel, The Dorian Invasion: The Setting, 1948Deger-Jalkotzy, Die Erforschung des Zusammenbruchs der sogenannten mykenischen Kultur und der sogenannten Dunklen Jahrhunderte, 1991Dickinson, The Irrelevance of Greek 'Tradition', 2020Drews, The Coming of the Greeks: Indo-European Conquests in the Aegean and the Near East, 1988Ebd., The End of the Bronze Age: Changes in Warfare and the Catastrophe ca. 1200 B.C., 1993Finkelberg, „From Ahhiyawa to Ἀχαιοί“, 1988Foley, A Companion to Ancient Epic, 2005Hall, Ethnic Identity in Greek Antiquity, 1997Ebd., Hellenicity: Between Ethnicity and Culture, 2002Ebd., Dorians, 2006Ebd., A History of the Archaic Greek World, ca. 1000–479 BC, 2014Hooker, Die griechische Rückerinnerung im Lichte neuer Forschungen, 1985Howatson, Heracleidae, 2013Jung, ΧΡΟΝΟΛΟΓΙΑ COMPARATA. Vergleichende Chronologie von Südgriechenland und Süditalien von ca. 1700/1600 bis 1000 v. u. Z., 2006Karageorghis, The Peoples of the Sea, 2005Kaser, Balkan und Naher Osten. Einführung in eine gemeinsame Geschichte, 2011Kennell, Spartans: A New History, 2010Kline, After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations, 2024Knapp & Manning, Crisis in Context: The End of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean, 2016Kosmin, The Land of the Elephant Kings, 2014 Kustrin & Mangan, Lasting Legacy? Spartan Life as a Germanic Educational Ideal: Karl Ortfried Müller, 2003Luraghi, The Ancient Messenians: Constructions of Ethnicity and Memory, 2008Mackenzie, Peoples, Nations and Cultures, 2005  Malkin, The Return of Odysseus, 1998 Meyer, RE, 1893Middleton, Getting Closer to the Late Bronze Age Collapse in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, c. 1200 BC, 2024Musti, Introduzione. In: Le origini dei Greci: Dori e mondo egeo, 1985Myres, Homer and His Critics, 1954Nilsson, Poseidon und die Entstehung des griechischen Götterglaubens (Review), 1953Papadopoulos, Greece in the Early Iron Age: Mobility, Commodities, Polities, and Literacy, 2014Reinhardt, Der antike Mythos. Ein systematisches Handbuch, 2011Robertson, The Dorian Invasion and Corinthian Ritual, 1980Schnapp-Gourbeillion, L'invasion dorienne a-t-elle eu lieu?, 1986 [1982]Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, 1856Thomas, Found: The Dorians: Archaeology and Greek Linguistics at the End of the Late Bronze Age, 1978Toepffer, Achaia, RE, 1893Walter, An der Polis teilhaben, 1993Waters, Ancient Persia, 2014 Wendt, Fischer Lexikon Sprachen, 1961Brockhaus u. Dtv, Achaier, 1982

In this powerful session, Rick and Doc examine Paul's reflections on mission delays, his longing for fellowship, and his commitment to supporting the saints in Jerusalem. They highlight Paul's perseverance despite hindrances—whether from Satan, divine timing, or life itself—and his desire for rest and support from the Roman believers on his journey to Spain. The discussion emphasizes the tension between calling and community, the responsibility to support gospel work financially, and the blessings of spiritual reciprocity. The hosts draw modern parallels, reminding viewers that the path of ministry may involve detours, but obedience and persistence glorify God.Rick Wiles, Doc Burkhart. Airdate 5/14/25You can partner with us by visiting FaithandValues.com, calling 1-800-576-2116, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961.Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves!AmericanReserves.comIt's the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today!Amazon.com/Final-DayApple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books!books.apple.com/final-dayPurchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today.Sacrificingliberty.comThe Fauci Elf is a hilarious gift guaranteed to make your friends laugh! Order yours today!Trunews/faucielf

‘I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints)'—1 Corinthians 16:15

Send us a textChapter 16CHAPTER 16.  1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:  2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.  3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:  4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.  5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.  6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.  7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.  8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.  9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.  10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.  11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.  12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.  13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.  14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.  15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.  16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.  17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.  20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.  21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.  22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.  23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.  24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,  26 But now is made manifest, and by t

26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

사도행전 (Acts) 18:23-19:10 [새번역/ESV] 믿을 때에 성령을 받았습니까? Did You Receive the Holy Spirit When You Believed? 사도행전 시리즈 52 2025-04-06 주일 예배 설교 사도행전 (Acts) 18:23-19:10 [새번역/ESV] 23 바울은 얼마동안 거기에 있다가, 그 곳을 떠나 갈라디아 지방과 부르기아 지방을 차례로 두루 다니면서, 모든 신도를 굳세게 하였다. After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 24 그런데 알렉산드리아 태생으로 아볼로라는 유대 사람이 에베소에 왔다. 그는 말을 잘하고, 성경에 능통한 사람이었다. Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 그는 이미 주님의 '도'를 배워서 알고 있었고, 예수에 관한 일을 열심히 말하고 정확하게 가르쳤다. 그렇지만 그는 요한의 세례밖에 알지 못하였다. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 그가 회당에서 담대하게 말하기 시작하니, 브리스길라와 아굴라가 그의 말을 듣고서, 따로 그를 데려다가, [하나님의]'도'를 더 자세하게 설명하여 주었다. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 아볼로는 아가야로 건너가고 싶어하였다. 그래서 신도들이 그를 격려하고, 그 쪽 제자들에게 아볼로를 영접하라고 편지를 보냈다. 그는 거기에 이르러서, 이미 하나님의 은혜로 신도가 된 사람들에게 큰 도움을 주었다. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 그가 성경을 가지고, 예수가 그리스도이심을 증명하면서, 공중 앞에서 유대 사람들을 힘있게 논박했기 때문이다. for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. 1 아볼로가 고린도에 있는 동안에, 바울은 높은 지역들을 거쳐서, 에베소에 이르렀다. 거기서 그는 몇몇 제자를 만나서, And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 "여러분은 믿을 때에, 성령을 받았습니까?" 하고 물었다. 그들은 "우리는 성령이 있다는 말을 들어보지도 못하였습니다" 하고 대답하였다. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 바울이 다시 물었다. "그러면 여러분은 무슨 세례를 받았습니까?" 그들이 "요한의 세례를 받았습니다" 하고 대답하니 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 바울이 말하였다. "요한은 백성들에게 자기 뒤에 오시는 이 곧 예수를 믿으라고 말하면서, 회개의 세례를 주었습니다." And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 이 말을 듣고, 그들은 주 예수의 이름으로 세례를 받았다. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 그리고 바울이 그들에게 손을 얹으니, 성령이 그들에게 내리셨다. 그래서 그들은 방언으로 말하고 예언을 했는데, And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 모두 열두 사람쯤 되었다. There were about twelve men in all. 8 바울은 회당에 들어가서, 석 달 동안 하나님 나라의 일을 강론하고 권면하면서, 담대하게 말하였다. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 그러나 몇몇 사람은, 마음이 완고하게 되어서 믿으려 하지 않고, 온 회중 앞에서 이 '도'를 비난하므로, 바울은 그들을 떠나, 제자들을 따로 데리고 나가서, 날마다 두란노 학당에서 강론하였다. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 이런 일을 이태 동안 하였다. 아시아에 사는 사람들은, 유대 사람이나 그리스 사람이나, 모두 주님의 말씀을 듣게 되었다. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

사도행전 (Acts) 18:23-19:10 [새번역/ESV] 믿을 때에 성령을 받았습니까? Did You Receive the Holy Spirit When You Believed? 사도행전 시리즈 52 2025-04-06 주일 예배 설교 ------- 사도행전 (Acts) 18:23-19:10 [새번역/ESV] 23 바울은 얼마동안 거기에 있다가, 그 곳을 떠나 갈라디아 지방과 부르기아 지방을 차례로 두루 다니면서, 모든 신도를 굳세게 하였다. After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 24 그런데 알렉산드리아 태생으로 아볼로라는 유대 사람이 에베소에 왔다. 그는 말을 잘하고, 성경에 능통한 사람이었다. Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 그는 이미 주님의 '도'를 배워서 알고 있었고, 예수에 관한 일을 열심히 말하고 정확하게 가르쳤다. 그렇지만 그는 요한의 세례밖에 알지 못하였다. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 그가 회당에서 담대하게 말하기 시작하니, 브리스길라와 아굴라가 그의 말을 듣고서, 따로 그를 데려다가, [하나님의]'도'를 더 자세하게 설명하여 주었다. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 아볼로는 아가야로 건너가고 싶어하였다. 그래서 신도들이 그를 격려하고, 그 쪽 제자들에게 아볼로를 영접하라고 편지를 보냈다. 그는 거기에 이르러서, 이미 하나님의 은혜로 신도가 된 사람들에게 큰 도움을 주었다. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 그가 성경을 가지고, 예수가 그리스도이심을 증명하면서, 공중 앞에서 유대 사람들을 힘있게 논박했기 때문이다. for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. 1 아볼로가 고린도에 있는 동안에, 바울은 높은 지역들을 거쳐서, 에베소에 이르렀다. 거기서 그는 몇몇 제자를 만나서, And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 "여러분은 믿을 때에, 성령을 받았습니까?" 하고 물었다. 그들은 "우리는 성령이 있다는 말을 들어보지도 못하였습니다" 하고 대답하였다. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 바울이 다시 물었다. "그러면 여러분은 무슨 세례를 받았습니까?" 그들이 "요한의 세례를 받았습니다" 하고 대답하니 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 바울이 말하였다. "요한은 백성들에게 자기 뒤에 오시는 이 곧 예수를 믿으라고 말하면서, 회개의 세례를 주었습니다." And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 이 말을 듣고, 그들은 주 예수의 이름으로 세례를 받았다. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 그리고 바울이 그들에게 손을 얹으니, 성령이 그들에게 내리셨다. 그래서 그들은 방언으로 말하고 예언을 했는데, And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 모두 열두 사람쯤 되었다. There were about twelve men in all. 8 바울은 회당에 들어가서, 석 달 동안 하나님 나라의 일을 강론하고 권면하면서, 담대하게 말하였다. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 그러나 몇몇 사람은, 마음이 완고하게 되어서 믿으려 하지 않고, 온 회중 앞에서 이 '도'를 비난하므로, 바울은 그들을 떠나, 제자들을 따로 데리고 나가서, 날마다 두란노 학당에서 강론하였다. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 이런 일을 이태 동안 하였다. 아시아에 사는 사람들은, 유대 사람이나 그리스 사람이나, 모두 주님의 말씀을 듣게 되었다. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

사도행전 (Acts) 18:1-17 [새번역/ESV] 고린도 가운데서 머물다 Paul Stayed in Corinth 사도행전 시리즈 50 2025-04-06 주일 예배 설교 사도행전 (Acts) 18:1-17 [새번역/ESV] 1 그 뒤에 바울은 아테네를 떠나서, 고린도로 갔다. After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 거기서 그는 본도 태생인 아굴라라는 유대 사람을 만났다. 아굴라는 글라우디오 황제가 모든 유대 사람에게 로마를 떠나라는 칙령을 내렸기 때문에, 얼마 전에 그의 아내 브리스길라와 함께 이탈리아에서 온 사람이다. 바울은 그들을 찾아갔는데, And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 생업이 서로 같으므로, 바울은 그들 집에 묵으면서 함께 일을 하였다. 그들의 직업은 천막을 만드는 일이었다. and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 바울은 안식일마다 회당에서 토론을 벌이고, 유대 사람과 그리스 사람을 설득하려 하였다. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 실라와 디모데가 마케도니아에서 내려온 뒤로는, 바울은 오직 말씀을 전하는 일에만 힘을 쓰고, 예수가 그리스도이심을 유대 사람들에게 밝혀 증언하였다. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 그러나 유대 사람들이 반대하고 비방하므로, 바울은 그의 옷에서 먼지를 떨고서, 그들에게 말하였다. "여러분이 멸망을 받으면, 그것은 오로지 여러분의 책임이지 나의 잘못은 아닙니다. 이제 나는 이방 사람에게로 가겠습니다." And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 바울은 거기를 떠나서, 디디오 유스도라는 사람의 집으로 갔는데, 그는 이방 사람으로서, 하나님을 공경하는 사람이고, 그의 집은 바로 회당 옆에 있었다. And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 회당장인 그리스보는 그의 온 집안 식구와 함께 주님을 믿는 신자가 되었다. 그리고 고린도 사람 가운데서도 많은 사람이 바울의 말을 듣고서, 믿고 세례를 받았다. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 그런데 어느 날 밤에, 환상 가운데 주님께서 바울에게 말씀하셨다. "무서워하지 말아라. 잠자코 있지 말고, 끊임없이 말하여라. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 내가 너와 함께 있으니, 아무도 너에게 손을 대어 해하지 못할 것이다. 이 도시에는 나의 백성이 많다." for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 바울은 그들 가운데서 하나님의 말씀을 가르치면서, 일 년 육 개월 동안 머물렀다. And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 그러나 갈리오가 아가야 주 총독으로 있을 때에, 유대 사람이 한패가 되어 바울에게 달려들어, 그를 재판정으로 끌고 가서, But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 "이 사람은 법을 어기면서, 하나님을 공경하라고 사람들을 선동하고 있습니다" 하고 말하였다. saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 바울이 막 입을 열려고 할 때에, 갈리오가 유대 사람에게 말하였다. "유대 사람 여러분, 사건이 무슨 범죄나 악행에 관련된 일이면, 내가 여러분의 송사를 들어주는 것이 마땅할 것이오. But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 그러나 문제가 언어와 명칭과 여러분의 율법에 관련된 것이면, 여러분이 스스로 알아서 처리하시오. 나는 이런 일에 재판관이 되고 싶지 않소." But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 그래서 총독은 그들을 재판정에서 몰아냈다. And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 그들은 회당장 소스데네를 붙들어다가 재판정 앞에서 때렸다. 그러나 갈리오는 이 일에 조금도 참견하지 않았다. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

If you're curious about how to become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (this is an EXTERNAL resource, not owned by the Morning Mindset. Please do not leave messages for Carey there. See below for contact info). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ⇒Check out all of Carey's books - for adults and kids, fiction and non-fiction : https://CareyGreen.com/books ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Romans 15:26–29 - [26] For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. [27] For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. [28] When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. [29] I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. (ESV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORT OUR WORK: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen _ Venmo: @CareyNGreen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT US AT: Carey@careygreen.com  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/

True faith must show character. By Pastor George Lehman   2 Timothy 3:16 (Amp) - Every Scripture is God breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought purpose and action.)  Ephesians 4:23-24 (Msg)- A life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in us.  Acts 17:11 (NIV) – Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 1 Thessalonian 1:3 (AMP) – Recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith and service motivated by love and unwavering hope in [the return of] our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 1 Thessalonian 1:8 (AMP) –  For not only has the Word concerning and from the Lord resounded forth from you unmistakably in Macedonia and Achaia, but everywhere the report has gone forth of your faith in God [of your leaning of your whole personality on Him in complete trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. So we [find that we] never need to tell people anything [further about it]. James 1:26-27 (LB) – 26 Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn't control his sharp tongue* is just fooling himself, and his religion isn't worth much. 27 The Christian who is pure and without fault, from God the Father's point of view, is the one who takes care of orphans and widows, and who remains true to the Lord—not soiled and dirtied by his contacts with the world. *What's in you comes out of you. A sharp tongue: Destructive power of words, causing harm and division, gossip and lies.   There is so much counterfeit Christianity in our day and age. James said, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious”. Many people consider themselves religious. So many think they can go through the bible picking and choosing commands they want to obey. Then believe they are good religious people.  People don't change because they believe they are okay. Credibility in the Christian's life involves knowing Christ and sowing consistency of lifestyle. A genuine Christian character is evident in three ways: By our conversation Our concern and Our conduct The evidence of our conversation. James said: “Those who consider themselves religious but don't control their tongue” are deceiving themselves and their religion is useless - James 1:26. In short, it's just an empty show and will have zero kingdom effect on anyone. The word deceived can also mean ‘cheat'. People who can't control what comes out their mouth… …whether it is filthy language or *gossip or *slander or lies or whatever, are only cheating themselves in the process. *Gossip[skinder] =idle talk or rumour about a person behind their back. *Slander [laster] = malicious, false, defamatory to cause hurt. The only one that loses is you! Our character is often revealed in our conversation before anyone has a chance to observe our conduct.  You'll know what will follow that mouth. Our behaviour will always match our speech. James says, “Control your tongue”. The evidence of our concern. True faith is demonstrated by our character and our character is evident in what concerns us. What concerns us must be what concerns God. James 1:27a (NIV) – Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after orphans and widows in their distress… Clearly God is concerned about the orphans and the widows. The things we are concerned about reveal our true character. As Christians we are to show mercy and kindness to people in such need. Especially to those who can never repay the help. Keep in mind what Paul told Timothy: 1 Timothy 5:3-4 & 8-9 (NIV) – 3Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 8If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 9No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband After all, a true sign of Christian character is a genuine concern for anyone in need. “To add value to others, one must first value others”. -Maxwell It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.  If God can get it through you, He'll get it to you. The evidence of our conduct. We get this right – our conversation and concerns will be right. James completed this initial chapter with a firm warning to us to keep “unpolluted from the world”. James 1:27 The tragedy is that this world system has polluted many who are called by His name. Paul warned the church because he saw the pollution taking hold of the church. 2 Corinthians 11:3 (NLT) – But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. How many of you have seen in a department store – there's a table with all sorts of odds and ends – skirts, dresses, shorts, sweaters piled up on it. The big sign above it reads: “Slightly soiled…greatly reduced in price.” Just let those words penetrate your heart when you think of them. Slightly soiled Greatly reduced in price How many Christians have had those words written across their lives… …because of their inconsistent and ungodly conduct.  People ‘de-value' themselves. The truth is, if you allow your life to become spotted and stained by sin….… you lose much of the value of your Christian witness. When James challenged us to keep unspotted or unpolluted from the world… …it was not a calling to become a monk and isolate yourself. James was talking about insulation, not isolation. Jesus prayed this over us: John 17:14 (NIV) – I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. Jesus left us an example… in the world but not of the world. We are to take His glorious, good news, the gospel, into a dying world. Letting our character shine brightly and credibly as we insulate ourselves from the world's influence. First by knowing Christ, then by sowing consistency in our lives and finally by showing godly character in our conversations, our concerns and our conduct. The world is watching and waiting to see credibility. 2 Corinthians 8:21 – For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.  

Join us on Patreon for Daily Prayer Matins - Friday after Ash WednesdayIn the Name of the Father and of + the Son and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.The Invitatory and PsalterLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.O God, make speed to save us;O Lord, make haste to help us. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,world without end. AmenPraise the Lord;The Lord's name be praised ¶ Then follows the Invitatory Psalm with a Lenten antiphon.  Lenten AntiphonThe Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. VeniteCome, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God,and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!Harden not your hearts,as your forebears did in the wilderness, *at Meribah, and on that day at Massah,when they tempted me.They put me to the test, * though they had seen my works.Forty years long I detested that generation and said, * "This people are wayward in their hearts;they do not know my ways.”So I swore in my wrath, * "They shall not enter into my rest.”Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,world without end. Amen Lenten AntiphonThe Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. The PsalmsAntiphon 1They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:1-23Save me, O God, for the waters have risen up to my neck.I am sinking in deep mire, and there is no firm ground for my feet.I have come into deep waters, and the torrent washes over me.I have grown weary with my crying; my throat is inflamed; my eyes have failed from looking for my God.Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; my lying foes who would destroy me are mighty. Must I then give back what I never stole?O God, you know my foolishness, and my faults are not hidden from you.Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel.Surely, for your sake have I suffered reproach, and shame has covered my face.I have become a stranger to my own kindred, an alien to my mother's children.Zeal for your house has eaten me up; the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.I humbled myself with fasting, but that was turned to my reproach.I put on sack-cloth also, and became a byword among them.Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, and the drunkards make songs about me.But as for me, this is my prayer to you, at the time you have set, O Lord:“In your great mercy, O God, answer me with your unfailing help.Save me from the mire; do not let me sink; let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters.Let not the torrent of waters wash over me, neither let the deep swallow me up; do not let the Pit shut its mouth upon me.Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind; in your great compassion, turn to me.”“Hide not your face from your servant; be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.Draw near to me and redeem me; because of my enemies deliver me.You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor; my adversaries are all in your sight.”Reproach has broken my heart, and it cannot be healed; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I could find no one.They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink. Antiphon 1They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.Antiphon 2Christ for us became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Psalm 117Praise the Lord, all you nations; laud him, all you peoples.For his loving-kindness toward us is great, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Hallelujah! Antiphon 2Christ for us became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,world without end. Amen ReadingsRomans 15English Standard VersionWe who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,    and sing to your name.”And again it is said,“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”And again,“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,    and let all the peoples extol him.”And again Isaiah says,“The root of Jesse will come,    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;in him will the Gentiles hope.”May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written,“Those who have never been told of him will see,    and those who have never heard will understand.”This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.The Word of the LordThanks be to God Matthew 25:1-30English Standard Version“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.' But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'The Word of the LordThanks be to God Canticle #14 A Song of PenitenceO Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, * God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of all their righteous offspring:You made the heavens and the earth, * with all their vast array.All things quake with fear at your presence; *they tremble because of your power.But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; * it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.O Lord, you are full of compassion, *long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.You hold back your hand; *you do not punish as we deserve.In your great goodness, Lord,you have promised forgiveness to sinners, *that they may repent of their sin and be saved.And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, *and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, *and I know my wickedness only too well.Therefore I make this prayer to you: *Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.Do not let me perish in my sin, * nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, * and in me you will show forth your goodness.Unworthy as I am, you will save me,in accordance with your great mercy, *and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, * and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen. The Apostles' CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And with your spirit.Let us pray.Lord, have mercy upon us.Christ, have mercy upon us.Lord, have mercy upon us.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety.Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth.Let your way be known upon earth;Your saving health among all nations.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O God;And sustain us with your Holy Spirit. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Prayer for MissionLord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. A time for intercessions and thanksgivings may follow. A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.Let us bless the Lord.Thanks be to God.May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.Romans 15:13

We stand on Jesus' promise that the gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. As we see this being fulfilled, we know the end is near and Jesus' return is soon.Main Points:1. There are still locations in our world where the gospel message is not being preached. There are places where there are no churches, no missionaries, no translations of the Bible in local languages, and no access to the salvation message.2. With the use of the ever-increasing tools of technology the message of Christ is spreading faster than ever before. My prayer is that a new generation of missionaries will hear the call of God and will take the gospel to people still waiting to hear.3. The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news. We cannot be silent. We cannot keep such good news to ourselves. We must tell others. We must let people know that Jesus saves. Let's determine that we will be a part of preaching the gospel locally and globally as a testimony to all.Today's Scripture Verses:Matthew 24:14 - “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”1 Thessalonians 1:8 - “The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.” Matthew 28:19 - “Go and make disciples of all nations…”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Send us a textRomans 15:1-33 KJV  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  (2)  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.  (3)  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.  (4)  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.  (5)  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:  (6)  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (7)  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.  (8)  Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:  (9)  And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.  (10)  And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.  (11)  And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.  (12)  And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.  (13)  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.  (14)  And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.  (15)  Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,  (16)  That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.  (17)  I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.  (18)  For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,  (19)  Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.  (20)  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:  (21)  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.  (22)  For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.  (23)  But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;  (24)  Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.  (25)  But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.  (26)  For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.  (27)  It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.  (28)  When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.  (29)  And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.  (3

Acts 19:1-41 NIVWhile Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John's baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer. About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.

I recently heard a story of a young couple who began to feel that their well-funded, organized, all-American lifestyle was starting to feel empty and meaningless.  So, they decided to have children, which ultimately didn't work out, as they could not conceive.  The next step for them was taking care of foster children and then adopting a couple of their foster kids.  Along the way of working in the foster care system, though, they recognized an ongoing problem:  most of the young, single mothers who were losing their kids to foster care did not have the ability or resources to do anything for themselves and improve their lives.  They began to form a plan for how they might affect a change to this problem.             The couple came up with an idea: they would open their home to the foster system, but instead of just taking in a child with an at-risk mother, they would bring the mother, with her child, into their home for the long term!  They would nurture and care for the child and nurture, support, and train the young mother to care for her own child.  This was an intrusive, complicated, expensive, and life-changing decision on their part – and they were convinced this was what God was calling them to do!             Their experience with the young mother they 'adopted' and the mother's baby was heartwarming.  It was busy and expensive, of course, and interrupted their home life more than they could have imagined.   But the positive results were priceless.  They formed a forever bond with the young mother and her child and helped her navigate young motherhood.  Too, when the young mother began to respond to their nurture and instruction, she grew and matured and took on characteristics that would benefit her and her child for the rest of their lives.  Another thing:  the young couple performing this 'ministry' to a young family were growing in their faith due to how God worked through their efforts and prayers. As the mother said, she spoke of how she felt God's presence in her life, "I'm just loving him more and more each day."   What a lesson in real-life ministry!  When people give of themselves in ministry, they benefit those they serve and grow in their faith as they serve others, open their lives to those in need, and trust in God for strength and guidance. This is precisely what the Bible teaches!             In the book of I Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul speaks of how God had worked in these very ways.  The Christians in Philippi had given to his ministry, and when Paul worked in the distant city of Thessalonica, peoples' needs were met, they were nurtured in their faith, and those who worked the ministry were blessed.  Paul wrote this, first in Philippians 4: 15-16, "And you also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica, you sent a gift more than once for my needs."  Paul here commends the Philippian Christians for their giving to his missionary efforts in Thessalonica.  Later, in his letter to the new Christians, he wrote, "You also became imitators of us. . . so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia."  I Thessalonians I:6-7.  Paul commended the Philippian Christians for giving to the ministry in Thessalonica. He then commended the Thessalonian Christians, who had received generous gifts from the Philippians because they had grown in the faith and were great witnesses of the power of the Gospel!              When you give, others are healed; when you give, you are also healed.  This is just one of the reasons God wants us to give to others all our gifts and possessions!              Please give – that God might work in your lives and the lives of others – it is part of God's plan for his people.   Your support is invaluable in spreading the message of our ministry. By sharing our podcasts with your friends and family, you play a significant role in building a community of believers who find strength in our shared faith. We sincerely appreciate your contributions and urge you to inspire others to join us in this mission. Your involvement is significant and integral to our ministry's success, helping to keep our community connected and thriving.   Your financial contributions are the backbone of our ministry. They enable us to run outreach programs, maintain our facilities, and provide resources for our community. Your generosity is a testament to your commitment to our mission, and we deeply value your role in making this ministry a reality. Your contributions are used with transparency and accountability, making a real difference in the lives of those we serve. You can contribute here https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   To stay updated on all things FBC, download our App here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms are not just for information but also for engagement. They are a great way to connect with our community, support our mission, and be part of our journey.   Thank you for your continued support and involvement. We look forward to continuing this journey with you as an integral part of our ministry. See you next week!

Welcome back to the podcast! We've previously looked at seven marks of a healthy church in Acts 2:42, and today we'll revisit that topic. We're going to look at five more marks to help you view your own church, or a church you're curious about, through a biblical lens!--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --Q. How do I know if a church is healthy? This is a question we get all the time when people are moving to a new areaWhat should you look for in a church? How do you know it's functioning biblically?To be sure: there is no perfect church out thereToday's message is not intended to be overly criticalBut there are healthy churches and there are unhealthy churchesAnd the litmus test is easier than you thinkNote: We answered this the first time back in Acts 2The question for that lesson was: How Do You Grow a Church?The basic idea was that healthy things growThe seven marks of the early church, a healthy, growing church: baptisms, biblical teaching, authentic community, commitment to prayer, financial generosity, friendliness to outsiders, and dependency on Christ. Acts 2:42-47Today we're going to answer the question againThis time almost 30 years laterThe events in Acts 2 take place around 30 AD, the year of the Ascension. The events in Acts 20 take place during Paul's third missionary journey, which occurred around 53–57 AD.Paul is sharing his final thoughts with the elders in Ephesus. We'll extract 5 marks of a healthy church. Acts 20:16-17 (NLT) 16 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn't want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.Didn't want to be delayed by the church, but sent for eldersI get it! Hard to get out of church sometimes because of all the relationships!So he sent only for the eldersIn a hurry: Probably because he was bringing offering for the believers in JerusalemPaul wrote Romans from Corinth during the timeframe of Acts 20Romans 15:25-27 (NLT) 25 But before I come [to Rome], I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. 26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.Pentecost marked the birth of the church (Acts 2)But it probably also

Welcome back to the podcast! We've previously looked at seven marks of a healthy church in Acts 2:42, and today we'll revisit that topic. We're going to look at five more marks to help you view your own church, or a church you're curious about, through a biblical lens!--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --Q. How do I know if a church is healthy? This is a question we get all the time when people are moving to a new areaWhat should you look for in a church? How do you know it's functioning biblically?To be sure: there is no perfect church out thereToday's message is not intended to be overly criticalBut there are healthy churches and there are unhealthy churchesAnd the litmus test is easier than you thinkNote: We answered this the first time back in Acts 2The question for that lesson was: How Do You Grow a Church?The basic idea was that healthy things growThe seven marks of the early church, a healthy, growing church: baptisms, biblical teaching, authentic community, commitment to prayer, financial generosity, friendliness to outsiders, and dependency on Christ. Acts 2:42-47Today we're going to answer the question againThis time almost 30 years laterThe events in Acts 2 take place around 30 AD, the year of the Ascension. The events in Acts 20 take place during Paul's third missionary journey, which occurred around 53–57 AD.Paul is sharing his final thoughts with the elders in Ephesus. We'll extract 5 marks of a healthy church. Acts 20:16-17 (NLT) 16 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn't want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.Didn't want to be delayed by the church, but sent for eldersI get it! Hard to get out of church sometimes because of all the relationships!So he sent only for the eldersIn a hurry: Probably because he was bringing offering for the believers in JerusalemPaul wrote Romans from Corinth during the timeframe of Acts 20Romans 15:25-27 (NLT) 25 But before I come [to Rome], I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. 26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.Pentecost marked the birth of the church (Acts 2)But it probably also

Sunday Service (1/19/25) // Acts 18: 24-28 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch PayPal/Credit: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... #DanielBatarseh | #mbchicago | #mbcchicago | #Bible | #BibleStudy | #livechurch | #churchlive | #chicagochurch | #chicagochurches | #versebyverse | #church | #sermon | #sermons | #sermononline | #chicago | #gospelofmark | #baptism | #bookofmark | #newtestament | #scripture | #verses | #lessons` Acts 18: 24-28 (ESV) Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit,[a] he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. Footnotes Acts 18: 25 Or in the Spirit

“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. (1 Thess 1: 4 – 7)The Thessalonians imitated Paul. They likely saw and heard every (or most) parts of his life as he “lived among them”. In fact, even though the message of Jesus was costly to them causing severe suffering by those who would persecute them, something about the lives of Paul and his team touched and inspired them deeply. Paul is quick to point out the Holy Spirit's role in their conversation and subsequent living. The presence of the Spirit was proof of God's choosing and the joy in their hearts, despite daily hardships, was powerful evidence of God's grace upon them. But Paul also recognises that his life and example has influenced them. The Thessalonians imitated Paul. Yes, they sought to imitate the Lord, as Paul taught them about the life of Jesus, but they imitated him, (and his companions Silas and Timothy) too. They welcomed Paul's message, his teaching and tried to live how they lived. The Thessalonian believers then modelled Godly lives and Paul's teaching to “all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.”This is quite profound and hugely challenging, especially if we ask, “is anybody imitating me as a representative of Jesus?” Is anybody watching the way we live and wanting to copy it to the glory of God? Are you, am I inspiring others, who in turn will inspire still more to follow Jesus?Well, before we dive into a hole of discouragement, perhaps we can take a step back and ask who is influencing you? Who is influencing me? Is it popular culture? My sporting hero, or that person on social media? Is the TV or the internet influencing me? Perhaps the primary question to ask is “am I following Jesus”? Paul said, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3: 8). To him, knowing Jesus was the most important thing. Jesus wasn't just an influencer to Paul, he was everything. No wonder Paul could confidently write to the Thessalonians about the fact that they imitated him. Because he wanted them to imitate Jesus. He sought to live as an example of his saviour, so that they might be inspired by a visible example of a life submitted to Christ.  So, if we want to inspire others, if we want to model a godly life, then let's ask ourselves this: are you living a life submitted to Jesus? If we are seeking to do that, then that is, surely, the best way to become a model to others. 

Scripture Reading: Acts 19:10–41 11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul's hands, 12 so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 (Now seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) 15 But the evil spirit replied to them, “I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; fear came over them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 18 Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. 19 Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total 50,000 silver coins. 20 In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail. 21 Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed on for a while in the province of Asia. 23 At that time a great disturbance took place concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought a great deal of business to the craftsmen. 25 He gathered these together, along with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity comes from this business. 26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness.” 28 When they heard this they became enraged and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 The city was filled with the uproar, and the crowd rushed to the theater together, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions. 30 But when Paul wanted to enter the public assembly, the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the provincial authorities who were his friends sent a message to him, urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 So then some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had met together. 33 Some of the crowd concluded it was about Alexander because the Jews had pushed him to the front. Alexander, gesturing with his hand, was wanting to make a defense before the public assembly. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. 35 After the city secretary quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven? 36 So because these facts are indisputable, you must keep quiet and not do anything reckless. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there. 39 But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause we can give to explain this disorderly gathering.” 41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.OutlineJesus is King not MagicAn anti-magic apologeticA brief primer on exorcismsSceva and his sonsThe reverse exorcismJesus and Paul are well known in the unseen realmPaul is recognized; Jesus is glorifiedMagic books are destroyedPaul's Focus Turns to RomeA Great Disturbance Concerning the WayNo reason to lie about itThe cult of ArtemisIdols of ArtemisDemetrius and the silversmithsThe Artemis templeThe accusation: challenging the goddess and the templeThe riot (or assembly?)Paul wishes to defend himselfThe Jews get blamedThe city clerk to the rescue

1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Acts 18:1-17 English Standard VersionPaul in Corinth18 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”- Isaiah 40:3 Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 1Beatus vir qui non abiitBCP p. 585Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *nor lingered in the way of sinners,nor sat in the seats of the scornful!Their delight is in the law of the Lord, *and they meditate on his law day and night.They are like trees planted by streams of water,bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *everything they do shall prosper.It is not so with the wicked; *they are like chaff which the wind blows away.Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, *nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *but the way of the wicked is doomed. Psalm 2Quare fremuerunt gentes?BCP p. 586Why are the nations in an uproar? *Why do the peoples mutter empty threats?Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt,and the princes plot together, *against the Lord and against his Anointed?“Let us break their yoke,” they say; *“let us cast off their bonds from us.”He whose throne is in heaven is laughing; *the Lord has them in derision.Then he speaks to them in his wrath, *and his rage fills them with terror.“I myself have set my king *upon my holy hill of Zion.”Let me announce the decree of the Lord: *he said to me, “You are my Son;this day have I begotten you.Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance *and the ends of the earth for your possession.You shall crush them with an iron rod *and shatter them like a piece of pottery.”And now, you kings, be wise; *be warned, you rulers of the earth.Submit to the Lord with fear, *and with trembling bow before him;Lest he be angry and you perish; *for his wrath is quickly kindled.Happy are they all *who take refuge in him! Psalm 3Domine, quid multiplicatiBCP p. 587Lord, how many adversaries I have! *how many there are who rise up against me!How many there are who say of me, *“There is no help for him in his God.”But you, O Lord, are a shield about me; *you are my glory, the one who lifts up my head.I call aloud upon the Lord, *and he answers me from his holy hill;I lie down and go to sleep; *I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.I do not fear the multitudes of people *who set themselves against me all around.Rise up, O Lord; set me free, O my God; *surely, you will strike all my enemies across the face,you will break the teeth of the wicked.Deliverance belongs to the Lord. *Your blessing be upon your people! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsa. 1:10-20A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.Hear the word of the Lord,        you rulers of Sodom!    Give ear to the teaching of our God,        you people of Gomorrah!    “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?        says the Lord;    I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams        and the fat of well-fed beasts;    I do not delight in the blood of bulls,        or of lambs, or of goats.            “When you come to appear before me,        who has required of you        this trampling of my courts?    Bring no more vain offerings;        incense is an abomination to me.    New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—        I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.    Your new moons and your appointed feasts        my soul hates;    they have become a burden to me;        I am weary of bearing them.    When you spread out your hands,        I will hide my eyes from you;    even though you make many prayers,        I will not listen;        your hands are full of blood.    Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;        remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;    cease to do evil,    learn to do good;    seek justice,        correct oppression;    bring justice to the fatherless,        plead the widow's cause.            “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:    though your sins are like scarlet,        they shall be as white as snow;    though they are red like crimson,        they shall become like wool.    If you are willing and obedient,        you shall eat the good of the land;    but if you refuse and rebel,        you shall be eaten by the sword;        for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. 1 Thess. 1:1-10A Reading from the First Letter to the Thessalonians.Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,  To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:  Grace to you and peace.  We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.   The CollectsAdvent 1Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

1 Thessalonians 1:2-8 2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. 

Scripture Reading: Acts 18:18–19:10 18 Paul, after staying many more days in Corinth, said farewell to the brothers and sailed away to Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because he had made a vow. 19 When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila behind there, but he himself went into the synagogue and addressed the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent, 21 but said farewell to them and added, “I will come back to you again if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus, 22 and when he arrived at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem and then went down to Antioch. 23 After he spent some time there, Paul left and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak out fearlessly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. 19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples there 2 and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John's baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, 6 and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. 7 (Now there were about twelve men in all.)8 So Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were stubborn and refused to believe, reviling the Way before the congregation, he left them and took the disciples with him, addressing them every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.OutlinePaul Returns to AntiochA geographic transition from Corinth to EphesusPaul makes a vowCenchrea to EphesusPaul leaves Priscilla and Aquila behindEphesus to Caesarea (maybe) to Jerusalem to Antioch to Galatia and PhrygiaApollosApollos, instructed in the way of the LordHow did Apollos have incomplete knowledge?Apollos is further instructed by Aquila and PriscillaThe Twelve-ish DisciplesApollo vs the disciplesWho were the disciples?The disciples receive the SpiritPaul the SageFirst to the Jew then to the GentilePaul opens a schoolPaul's success in “all” of Asia

We already knew Paul intended to complete the third missionary journey, then go to Jerusalem, and then he planned to go to Rome. Back in Ephesus:Acts 19:21: Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."While we survey the chapter, I want you to think like a X-ray machine. We're going to see what is here, but we are also going to look beneath the surface at what I'm calling Fingerprints Of The Invisible Hand a case study on the Providence of God.If the Providence of God can be described as His invisible hand at work in the world, in Acts 23 we can see Ten Fingerprints Of The Hand Of God. These are samples of the kinds of things that you do or you encounter all the time.1 - Your Life Circumstances (1)2 - Evil People Who Trouble You (2)3 - Working Despite Your Blunders (3-5)4 - The Foibles Of Sinners (6-9)5 - People Who Don't Know It (10-11)6 - Murderers And Liars (12-15)7 - Overhearing And Whistleblowing (16-22)8 - Clueless Unbelievers (23-24)9 - Self-Serving Pomposity (25-33)10 - Responsibility-Dodging Bureaucracy (34-35)

Scripture Reading: Acts 18:1–17 18 After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome. Paul approached them, 3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them (for they were tentmakers by trade). 4 He addressed both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade them. 5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 When they opposed him and reviled him, he protested by shaking out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it believed and were baptized. 9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, 10 because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews attacked Paul together and brought him before the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God in a way contrary to the law!” 14 But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, I would have been justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews, 15 but since it concerns points of disagreement about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of these things!” 16 Then he had them forced away from the judgment seat. 17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and began to beat him in front of the judgment seat. Yet none of these things were of any concern to Gallio.OutlinePaul in CorinthPaul: itinerant on purpose?CorinthSin cityA cultural transition towards RomeJews are Expelled from RomeJews are expelledWhat does expulsion mean?The extent of the expulsionWhen were the Jews expelled?Expelled because of “Chrestus”Paul the TradesmanAquila and PriscillaBirds of a (trade) featherPaul accepts the “humiliation” of trade workTentmaker? Or Leatherworker?Paul and the SynagogueReasoning in the synagoguePaul devotes himself entirely to ministryPaul stays with Titius JustusCrispus, the synagogue ruler, accepts ChristPaul is Persecuted UnsuccessfullyPaul has a dreamHistoricity of Paul's appearance before GallioPaul is prosecuted once morePaul is innocent; the accusers are punished

Send us a textWhat happens when a determined apostle faces relentless opposition? Journey with us as we uncover the trials and triumphs of Paul in Corinth. You'll gain insights into his unwavering resolve in the face of legal challenges before the proconsul Gallio, and the profound impact of his ministry. As Paul encounters significant allies like Priscilla and Aquila, we highlight the strength and resilience needed to pursue a higher calling amidst adversity. Through this narrative, the profound complexities of his mission come to light, offering a blend of historical intrigue and spiritual inspiration.We also shift our focus to the eloquent Apollos, whose fervent teaching in Ephesus is reshaped by the mentorship of Priscilla and Aquila. Explore how Apollos evolves into a powerful advocate for Christ in Achaia, demonstrating the transformative power of guidance and open-mindedness. This episode not only celebrates mentorship and collaboration but also emphasizes the importance of a willingness to grow and adapt. Whether you're well-versed in scripture or just curious about these historical narratives, our exploration promises to both enlighten and inspire.Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

Sermon Series: The Return of the King: The Gospel and the Future Sermon Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-15 Sermon Title: “The Right & Wrong Way to Wait on Christ's Return” Sermon Slides: SLIDE 1 – Sermon Title Slide SLIDE 2 – Today's Big Idea: Waiting on Christ, Should Sanctify Us in Christ. So, We Wait Well … When We Fervently Pray and We Faithfully Work. SLIDE 3 – Point 1: We Wait for Christ Well … by Fervently Praying to God for His Church (vv. 1-5) SLIDE 4 – Gordon Fee (1934-2022) – “The word ‘finally' has been suggested … [to be] a movement toward secondary matters, it is much more likely, in light of Paul's later habits … he has saved the final word for the matter that concerns him [most].” SLIDE 5 – Ephesians 2:19-21 – “So then … you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” SLIDE 6 – Matthew 13:1-9 – “Jesus … told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up … but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” SLIDE 7 – 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 – “For we know, brothers … that [God] has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction … you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia … your faith in God has gone forth everywhere … how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God … and to wait for his Son from heaven.” SLIDE 8 – Insert Copy of Point #1 of Sermon SLIDE 9 – Isaiah 55:10-11 – “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” SLIDE 10 – Luke 18:2-8 – “[Jesus] said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.' For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice …'' And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? … Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” SLIDE 11 – Insert Copy of Point #1 of Sermon SLIDE 12 – Point 2: We Wait for Christ Well … by Faithfully Working with God in His Church (vv. 6-15) SLIDE 13 – John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” SLIDE 14 – Matthew 11:28-29 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” SLIDE 14 – Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” SLIDE 15 – Insert Copy of Point #2 of Sermon SLIDE 16 – Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” SLIDE 17 – Insert Copy of Point #2 of Sermon SLIDE 18 – Four Uses of This Sermon for Our Church and Lives. SLIDE 19 – When We Don't Wait Well on Christ … What Shows is a Wrong Mentality. SLIDE 20 – When We Don't Wait Well on Christ … What Shows is a Deficient Theology. SLIDE 21 – James 2:17 – “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” SLIDE 22 – 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 – “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.” SLIDE 23 – Spiritual Rest and Spiritual Idleness … Are Different Things. SLIDE 24 – When We Wait Well on Christ … What Grows is a Steadfast, Confident, Expectant Love for Jesus!

As Paul and his companions travelled to bring the message of Christ their reception was different in each place.  We have had the same experience ourselves. What is very pleasing is that in countries in which we did not expect to have much if any success in teaching the truth about the Bible, some progress has, most remarkably been made. We think of Nepal, then of Bangladesh, then Cambodia and now there is some response to our efforts to spread the truth of God's word in Burma, time will tell, how much. Today we are reading Paul's letters to the believers in Thessalonica and noted his comments in the first chapter that “they received the word in much affliction” [v.6], also how they “became an example … for not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere” [v.7,8] No wonder Paul is so enthusiastic in what he writes! In the 2nd chapter he recalls; “we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict … we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery … nor with a pretext for greed …” [v.2,4,5].  It is tragic that so often the motive in preaching has been wrong and those with the wrong motive God will judge.  Those with the right motive accept Paul's call to “walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” [v.12]  Finally, we noted the point he made at the end of the 1st chapter – that we “wait for his son from heaven … Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” This reminded us of what we read in Hosea today, the fate of those who have no time for God, ”they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away… or like smoke from a window” [13 v.3] to become no more, not even to know they ever existed.     We must each ask ourselves, ‘What does God find when he tests my heart?'

Sermon Summary: Shockwaves of gospel impact were felt all over Macedonia and Achaia, and the epicenter of it all was the embattled congregation in Thessalonica. In this text, we learn that there is no limit to how God can use a faithful church, but the only church God uses is one that is rooted and grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ.   Series Summary: Called the "Cinderella Epistles of the New Testament" by some, 1-2 Thessalonians are an often overlooked treasure of gospel hope for those who follow Jesus. Despite intense persecution, the Church of the Thessalonians persevered in the faith, longing for the day that Jesus returns to deliver his people and judge the wicked. Exemplifying the unique and genuine bond that arises through a shared faith and struggle, the Apostle Paul wrote to remind the beleaguered Thessalonians of their hope in Christ and to instruct them on how to carry on until he comes. Join us as we study these divinely inspired letters!   Preached on Sunday, October 27, 2024

He was a physician from Antioch, a disciple and traveling-companion of the Apostle Paul, who refers to him as the 'beloved physician.' He wrote not only his Gospel but the Acts of the Apostles, dedicating both to Theophilus, who according to one tradition was the Governor of Achaia, a convert. Much of the Acts of the Apostles is written in the first person, describing his own travels with the St Paul. He lived to an old age and died in Achaia, possibly in Patras. Most ancient authors say that he died as a Martyr. Church traditions about St Luke are somewhat contradictory. According to many, he was one of the Seventy and thus an eye-witness to Christ's ministry on earth. (He is usually considered to be the companion of St Cleopas on the Road to Emmaus). According to others, he never met Christ himself but was converted by the preaching of the Apostle Paul. Church tradition holds that St Luke was the first iconographer, and painted an image of the Most Holy Theotokos from life. He is considered the patron of iconographers. Several icons attributed to St Luke himself are still in existence.

1 And after these things the Lord appointed also other seventy-two: and he sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself was to come.Post haec autem designavit Dominus et alios septuaginta duos : et misit illos binos ante faciem suam in omnem civitatem et locum, quo erat ipse venturus.  2 And he said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest.Et dicebat illis : Messis quidem multa, operarii autem pauci. Rogate ergo dominum messis ut mittat operarios in messem suam.  3 Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves.Ite : ecce ego mitto vos sicut agnos inter lupos.  4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes; and salute no man by the way.Nolite portare sacculum, neque peram, neque calceamenta, et neminem per viam salutaveritis.  5 Into whatsoever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house.In quamcumque domum intraveritis, primum dicite : Pax huic domui :  6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you.et si ibi fuerit filius pacis, requiescet super illum pax vestra : sin autem, ad vos revertetur.  7 And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house.In eadem autem domo manete, edentes et bibentes quae apud illos sunt : dignus est enim operarius mercede sua. Nolite transire de domo in domum.  8 And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.Et in quamcumque civitatem intraveritis, et susceperint vos, manducate quae apponuntur vobis :  9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.et curate infirmos, qui in illa sunt, et dicite illis : Appropinquavit in vos regnum Dei. St Luke was very probably born of pagan parents at Antioch. Converted, he became the missionary companion of St Paul, who called him "the most dear physician" and " his fellow laborour". After the death of his teacher, according to reliable authority, he preached the Gospel in Achaia, where he died at a ripe old age. He earned undying glory by his writing of the Third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”Rev 4:8 (ESV) Confession:*Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Almighty and most merciful Father,we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done;and apart from your grace, there is no health in us.O Lord, have mercy upon us.Spare all those who confess their faults.Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord.And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryO Lord, open our lips,and our mouths shall show forth your praise. Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Cast us not away from your presence, and take not your holy Spirit from us. O give us the comfort of your help again, and sustain us with your willing Spirit.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. PsalmsPsalm 96Cantate Domino1Sing to the Lord a new song; *sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.2Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; *proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.3Declare his glory among the nations *and his wonders among all peoples.4For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *he is more to be feared than all gods.5As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; *but it is the Lord who made the heavens.6Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! *Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!7Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; *ascribe to the Lord honor and power.8Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; *bring offerings and come into his courts.9Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; *let the whole earth tremble before him. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. The LessonsIsaiah 45:1-7English Standard Version45 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,    whose right hand I have grasped,to subdue nations before him    and to loose the belts of kings,to open doors before him    that gates may not be closed:2 “I will go before you    and level the exalted places,I will break in pieces the doors of bronze    and cut through the bars of iron,3 I will give you the treasures of darkness    and the hoards in secret places,that you may know that it is I, the Lord,    the God of Israel, who call you by your name.4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,    and Israel my chosen,I call you by your name,    I name you, though you do not know me.5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,    besides me there is no God;    I equip you, though you do not know me,6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun    and from the west, that there is none besides me;    I am the Lord, and there is no other.7 I form light and create darkness;    I make well-being and create calamity;    I am the Lord, who does all these things.1 Thessalonians 1English Standard Version1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:Grace to you and peace.2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.Matthew 22:15-22English Standard Version15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. IntercessionTake a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsProper 24Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

2 Corinthians 1:1-11 ESVGreeting1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.God of All Comfort3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.

09/15/2024 Paul Bang 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 11 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. 7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Sep 8, 2024  GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCHJulian Solis, Spiritual Formation PastorLiving On MissionActs 21:1-161. Live on mission, selflessly with your Church2. Live on mission to your church3.Live on mission for the name of Jesus Acts 19:2121 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”Acts 20:22-2422 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.Acts 23:1111 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”Mental Worship1. What step you can take toward Christian community?2. How can you further share your life & gifts with the church to enrich the lives and ministry of others?3. Do you find it difficult to discuss important decisions with Christian friends? Why or why not?4. How does this passage challenge your perspective about the cost of following Christ?5. Ask the Lord to empower you to fulfill his purpose, and how He wants you to reflect Christ today.

Istrouma Baptist Church (ASC) Sep 1, 2024 ========== September 1 l Acts Welcome! We're glad you've joined us today for our Sunday morning worship service! For more information about Istrouma, go to istrouma.org or contact us at info@istrouma.org. We glorify God by making disciples of all nations. ========== Connection Card https://istrouma.org/myinfo When God's Will is Puzzling Acts 21:3-14 ‭‭Acts‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬-‭14‬‬ When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home. When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” 1. Paul's Plan ‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬‬ Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭22‬‬ And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 2. Mixed Messages - Listen to wise council but always compare it to scripture and God's revealed will for you. - Following Jesus may be controversial. 3. Discerning God's will - Be saved - Love Him - Be Sanctified - Begin with the Word - Be Spirit filled - Get wised counsel - IYKYK - IYKO

Saturday Morning Service (8/24/24) Maranatha Shabiba (Young Adults) Ministry Follow us to remain connected: Web: https://MaranathaShabiba.org Facebook:   / maranathashabiba   Instagram:   / maranatha.shabiba   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: conference@mbchicago.org Credit/PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... Maranatha Bible Church (MB Church) (Northwest Chicago Area) #MaranathaShabiba | #DanielBatarseh | #mbcchicago | #mbchicago Acts 18:1-17 (ESV) Paul in Corinth 18 After this Paul[a] left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews[b] made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this. Footnotes a. Acts 18:1 Greek he b. Acts 18:12 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verses 14 (twice), 28

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_________________OpeningBlessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.Come, let us worship God our King.Come, let us worship Christ, our King and our God.Come, let us worship Christ among us, our King and our God.Holy God,holy and mighty,holy immortal one,have mercy upon us. (3x)Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. From Psalm 51Open my lips, O Lord, *and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.Create in me a clean heart, O God, *and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence *and take not your holy Spirit from me.Give me the joy of your saving help again *and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. A PsalmPsalm 49Hear this, all you peoples; hearken, all you who dwell in the world, you of high degree and low, rich and poor together.My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and my heart shall meditate on understanding.I will incline my ear to a proverb and set forth my riddle upon the harp.Why should I be afraid in evil days, when the wickedness of those at my heels surrounds me,The wickedness of those who put their trust in their goods, and boast of their great riches?We can never ransom ourselves, or deliver to God the price of our life;For the ransom of our life is so great, that we should never have enough to pay it,In order to live for ever and ever, and never see the grave.For we see that the wise die also; like the dull and stupid they perish and leave their wealth to those who come after them.Their graves shall be their homes for ever, their dwelling places from generation to generation, though they call the lands after their own names.Even though honored, they cannot live for ever; they are like the beasts that perish.Such is the way of those who foolishly trust in themselves, and the end of those who delight in their own words.Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; Death is their shepherd; they go down straightway to the grave.Their form shall waste away, and the land of the dead shall be their home.But God will ransom my life; he will snatch me from the grasp of death.Do not be envious when some become rich, or when the grandeur of their house increases;For they will carry nothing away at their death, nor will their grandeur follow them.Though they thought highly of themselves while they lived, and were praised for their success,They shall join the company of their forebears, who will never see the light again.Those who are honored, but have no understanding, are like the beasts that perish. Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. The Readings1 Corinthians 16:13-24English Standard VersionBe watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.The Word of the LordThanks Be to God Matthew 21:33-42English Standard Version“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:“‘The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;this was the Lord's doing,and it is marvelous in our eyes'?The Word of the LordThanks Be to GodThe Apostles' CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. ExamenIn God's presence, think through the day ahead:the work you will do, the people you will encounter, the dangers or uncertainties you face, the possibilities for joy and acts of kindness, any particular resolutions you need to renew, consider what might draw you from the love of God and neighbor, the opportunities you will have to know and serve God and to grow in virtue, remember those closest to you and all for whom you have agreed to pray, ask God's blessings, guidance, and strength in all that lies before you. Gather up these thoughts and reflections in the wordsOur Savior taught us to say: The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The Collects of the DayAlmighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Closing PrayersA Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen.Lord, have mercy! (3x)God, be gracious to us and bless us and shine Your countenance upon us and have mercy on us.This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!The Father+ is my hope; the Son, my refuge; the Holy Spirit, my protection: All-Holy Trinity, glory to You!Amen!

He was a priest in Achaia. In the time of the Emperor Decius, when Antipater was governor of Achaia, the persecutors entered the church on the Feast of the Nativity, dragged Myron away from the service and put him to torture. He endured many horrible tortures, but would not worship the idols. Finally he was thrown to wild beasts. When Antipater saw the beasts greeting Myron affectionately, the persecutor seized a sword and slew himself. The Saint was then sent to Cyzicus, where he was beheaded by the proconsul.

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_________________OpeningBlessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.Come, let us worship God our King.Come, let us worship Christ, our King and our God.Come, let us worship Christ among us, our King and our God.Holy God,holy and mighty,holy immortal one,have mercy upon us. (3x)Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. From Psalm 51Open my lips, O Lord, *and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.Create in me a clean heart, O God, *and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence *and take not your holy Spirit from me.Give me the joy of your saving help again *and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. A PsalmPsalm 46Deus noster refugiumGod is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;Though its waters rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown; God shall help her at the break of day.The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, what awesome things he has done on earth.It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.“Be still, then, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Psalm 47Omnes gentes, plauditeClap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a cry of joy.For the Lord Most High is to be feared; he is the great King over all the earth.He subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of the ram's-horn.Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.For God is King of all the earth; sing praises with all your skill.God reigns over the nations; God sits upon his holy throne.The nobles of the peoples have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham.The rulers of the earth belong to God, and he is highly exalted. Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. The Readings2 Corinthians 11:5-21English Standard VersionIndeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that.The Word of the LordThanks Be to God Mark 4:1-9English Standard VersionAgain he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”The Word of the LordThanks Be to GodThe Apostles' CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. ExamenIn God's presence, think through the day ahead:the work you will do, the people you will encounter, the dangers or uncertainties you face, the possibilities for joy and acts of kindness, any particular resolutions you need to renew, consider what might draw you from the love of God and neighbor, the opportunities you will have to know and serve God and to grow in virtue, remember those closest to you and all for whom you have agreed to pray, ask God's blessings, guidance, and strength in all that lies before you. Gather up these thoughts and reflections in the wordsOur Savior taught us to say: The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The Collects of the DayGrant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Closing PrayersA Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen.Lord, have mercy! (3x)God, be gracious to us and bless us and shine Your countenance upon us and have mercy on us.This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!The Father+ is my hope; the Son, my refuge; the Holy Spirit, my protection: All-Holy Trinity, glory to You!Amen!

OpeningBlessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.Come, let us worship God our King.Come, let us worship Christ, our King and our God.Come, let us worship Christ among us, our King and our God.Holy God,holy and mighty,holy immortal one,have mercy upon us. (3x)Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. From Psalm 51Open my lips, O Lord, *and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.Create in me a clean heart, O God, *and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence *and take not your holy Spirit from me.Give me the joy of your saving help again *and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. A PsalmPsalm 44Deus, auribusWe have heard with our ears, O God, our forefathers have told us, the deeds you did in their days, in the days of old.How with your hand you drove the peoples out and planted our forefathers in the land; how you destroyed nations and made your people flourish.For they did not take the land by their sword, nor did their arm win the victory for them; but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your countenance, because you favored them.You are my King and my God; you command victories for Jacob.Through you we pushed back our adversaries; through your Name we trampled on those who rose up against us.For I do not rely on my bow, and my sword does not give me the victory.Surely, you gave us victory over our adversaries and put those who hate us to shame.Every day we gloried in God, and we will praise your Name for ever.Nevertheless, you have rejected and humbled us and do not go forth with our armies.You have made us fall back before our adversary, and our enemies have plundered us.You have made us like sheep to be eaten and have scattered us among the nations.You are selling your people for a trifle and are making no profit on the sale of them.You have made us the scorn of our neighbors, a mockery and derision to those around us.You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughing-stock among the peoples.My humiliation is daily before me, and shame has covered my face;Because of the taunts of the mockers and blasphemers, because of the enemy and avenger.All this has come upon us; yet we have not forgotten you, nor have we betrayed your covenant.Our heart never turned back, nor did our footsteps stray from your path;Though you thrust us down into a place of misery, and covered us over with deep darkness.If we have forgotten the Name of our God, or stretched out our hands to some strange god,Will not God find it out? for he knows the secrets of the heart.Indeed, for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.Awake, O Lord! why are you sleeping? Arise! do not reject us for ever.Why have you hidden your face and forgotten our affliction and oppression?We sink down into the dust; our body cleaves to the ground.Rise up, and help us, and save us, for the sake of your steadfast love. Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. The Readings2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5English Standard VersionBut thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.The Word of the LordThanks Be to God Mark 3:13-19English Standard VersionAnd he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.The Word of the LordThanks Be to GodThe Apostles' CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. ExamenIn God's presence, think through the day ahead:the work you will do, the people you will encounter, the dangers or uncertainties you face, the possibilities for joy and acts of kindness, any particular resolutions you need to renew, consider what might draw you from the love of God and neighbor, the opportunities you will have to know and serve God and to grow in virtue, remember those closest to you and all for whom you have agreed to pray, ask God's blessings, guidance, and strength in all that lies before you. Gather up these thoughts and reflections in the wordsOur Savior taught us to say: The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The Collects of the DayGrant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Closing PrayersA Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen.Lord, have mercy! (3x)God, be gracious to us and bless us and shine Your countenance upon us and have mercy on us.This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!The Father+ is my hope; the Son, my refuge; the Holy Spirit, my protection: All-Holy Trinity, glory to You!Amen!