Wednesday Night Bible Study

Thank you for your giving. Thank you musicians for always blessing us with praise from your instruments. We welcome you to Wednesday night worship in the word. So good to see everyone here in the house of the Lord tonight. I realize that we do have several who have journeyed to uh uh camp tonight, our youth camp, and we're praying for them as Pastor Anony's already intimated to you. And I'm also glad to have uh the the students that are here, the Kids Quest folks, uh this summertime. I realize we have folks journeying, but I'm glad to have uh our uh some of our classes that normally meet on Wednesday night. I'm glad to have you here in the sanctuary tonight and I am uh uh appreciative of your uh continued uh support and being part of First Apostolic Church. I also want to say a word of thanks to Pastor Whitley even in his uh absence. Sister Jamie and I were out of town last week and thank you Pastor Whitley uh for teaching Bible. What a marvelous job he did. And I realize it's been a few weeks because of activities that our Wednesday evening schedule has been a bit different. So I encourage everyone to get back on schedule, be in the house of the Lord for Wednesday night worshiping the word. I also want to remind us concerning camp meeting coming up to have all hands on deck. all of our uh um uh staffs, all of our support staff uh from greeters to ushers uh to uh security team to our technicians for sound and audio. Uh we are the host church for camp meeting and I need all hands on deck. We do need ushers who are willing to serve just as we did at general ministry conference and our evening services. we will likely have a full house and we need extra ushers to help uh direct and seat and receive the offerings. So, if you would uh if you're would make yourself available, if you would see uh Brother Harvey or Brother Dillard or uh uh Brother Bounds, uh Brother Widner, any of those folks, and make yourself available to help ushering, we would greatly, greatly appreciate it. Excited about camp meeting coming up in just a couple of weeks. I want to take you to the book of Acts tonight for our study. The book of Acts, the ninth chapter. We're going to read a little bit about Saul. The book of Acts, the ninth chapter. We're going to read a few verses beginning with verse number one. Acts nine, beginning with verse number one. And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went into the high priests, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any in this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus. And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Our curriculum takes us tonight to a title that simply was titled Paul's new birth experience, but I've subtitled it for myself to say, "What road are you on and what are your intentions?" Let's pray. Savior, I love you. God, I'm grateful for your word and the testimonies of salvation that your word gives us as an example to guide and direct our lives. Now Lord, let us let your words guide us, sink into our hearts, direct us and order us. Lord, I thank you for this opportunity. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen and amen. What road are you on and what are your intentions? One of the most iconic stories in the Bible is the Apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus. At this time, the Bible still referred to him as Saul. And we'll get into more in depth about that, his name in a few minutes. But it's a common misunderstanding that immediately Saul's name would be changed to Paul. But really and truly, if you study it out just a bit, the two names Saul and Paul are two different dialects. Same name pronounced differently. They are the same name. In Rome, it would be Paul. In Hebrew, it would be Saul. History tells us that after his conversion, Saul would spend time with Jesus in Arabia. Then he would return to Damascus. Later he would go to Jerusalem. And then he would travel to Tarsus by way of Cesaria. He would eventually end up at Antioch. And notice this because this is a a part of Saul's life that we sometimes do not spend a lot of time on. We we talk about his conversion and then boom, we just zoom ahead many times in reviewing Saul's life to his missionary journey, his writings uh to the churches. But there was some preparation time for ministry for Saul. He had to spend some time learning the ways of God's people. When he went to Antioch, he was part of a faithful ministerial team for many years. In fact, possibly over a decade. He served there before he was commissioned as a missionary during a prayer service. You can read about that in Acts the 13th chapter. But during this entire time, he would still be known as Saul because he was primarily moving among the Hebrews and that's what his name was in the Hebrew tongue. His missionary journeys, his letters written to various churches would come later on in his ministry. But before he was a missionary, before he wrote a single epistle, before he became one of the most influential Christian ministers in the New Testament church, he was simply Saul, a zealot Pharisee who in route to Damascus to persecute the Christians would have an unexpected lifechanging encounter. What was Saul's intentions on the road to Damascus? Where was he going? And what was his intentions? He was headed to Damascus. The Bible says he was breathing out threatenings and slaughterings. Now, that's pretty rough. He he was zealous but he was giving threats if you will and threats to slaughter. Now understand he was already complicit to the death of Stephen. While he may not have thrown a stone, he stood and held the cloaks of those who did stone and murder Stephen because of his faith. He was zealot to the point of wanting letters of authority from the priests to bind and bring back men and women who were in the way the Christian way who were followers of Christ. But we read already as our text what would happen to Saul on the road to Damascus. But what I find interesting if as you go through the New Testament, you can find several accounts where Saul who would become Paul was not ashamed to testify to what he had been and what he had become. Too many WANT TO BRAG ABOUT WHAT they've been without really being reminded of what they've become. BUT HE ALWAYS TOOK THE time to give his pedigree and what he used to be. He was not ashamed to say, "I I was a zealot. I was a Pharisee. I thought I had this pedigree and I I determined that I was going to destroy Christians." But he would not stop there. He would always begin telling what happened on the road to Damascus. In fact, in Philippians 3:4, he said this, "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinkketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more." He said, "I was struck on myself because of my education, my dual citizenship. I knew everything there was to know about uh the Old Testament law. I knew everything there was about FOLLOWING ALL THE TRADITIONS OF THE Pharisees and Judaism. And he starts giving his pedigree. He he says, "I was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. All of that stuff in my earlier days, he said, I count it loss now. Because if you go ahead and read the rest of that passage, he once again tells word for word about hearing a voice from heaven when we stricken by a great light and asking, Lord, who art thou? a voice from heaven say, "I am Jesus who thou persecuteth." He was extremely knowledgeable of Hebrew law and prophecy. He sincerely believed. He was doing God's work as he zealously persecuted the Christians. As I said, he was complicit in the brutal execution of Steven. He had broken into houses in Jerusalem looking for Christian. He had persecuted and imprisoned Christians. But his murderous intent, all of it would change with his Damascus road experience. We should all notice here that you can have good intentions, but you can be very wrong. Let me say that again. You can have good intentions, but you can be very wrong. He was sincerely wrong. The old saying is the road to hell is paved with good intentions. You see Saul because of his upbringing and because of his religious and ethnic prejudices thought he was doing a work for God, but instead he was persecuting God's true people. We all need to be careful about what road we find ourselves traveling in life. You can find yourself traveling the road of financial security at the expense of your wife, your family, and serving God. You can find yourself on the road to fame and notoriety at the expense of compromising your convictions and the precepts of serving God. You can find yourself on the road to success in business at the at the expense of one's honesty and integrity. You better make sure you're on the right road. Isaiah 35:8 said, "And a highway shall be there, a way, and it shall be called the high the way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those the wayfairing men, though fools shall not heir therein. No lion shall be there, nor any revenous beast shall go up thereon. It shall not be found there, but the redeemed that shall walk there. We need to be cautious about what road we're on and what our intentions are as we travel that road. Jesus said it this way in Matthew 7:13, "Enter ye in the STRAIGHT GATE, FOR WIDE IS THE GATE, and broad is the way that leadth to destruction, and many there be which go in there. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadth unto life, and few there be that find it." We can find ourselves on the most populated road of Broadway, but headed in the wrong direction with bad intentions. But I've got good news for all. Even if you've traveled on the wrong road, God has a plan to recruit folks and turn them around and put them on a different path. Saul as a persecutor of the Christians had a plan, but God had a plan for him. He knew this zealous Saul would make an excellent warrior for his cause. And let me pause here and say this. God calls people who sometimes appear successful in the world. God's call is not to call lazy folks to come and be lazy for him. God's not needing any more lazy workers in his kingdom. God's needing folks to be called that were zealous in the world so they need to be zealous serving God. God's looking for folks who have a desire to succeed because he can change what's important to achieve and he can change their intentions. Never mistake, God calls people from all walks of life. In the infancy of Saul's conversion, there were many Christians who were suspicious of his intentions, even though he was now intent on following Christ. But I've got news for you. If God can change Saul, he can change anybody. If God can change Saul, he can change you. Don't ever feel like that you've done too much or you've headed down the road too far. If there's breath in your lungs, what did Pastor Anthony preach Sunday? There's still time. There's still time to turn around and go in a different direction. God has a call for everybody. God would have to blind Saul so he could see spiritually. Saul knew that this experience could have only happened by the power of God. And then to hear the voice of Jesus speak to him from heaven, he realized that it was time to change his ways. But I want us to go a little further in Acts nine. We stopped by reading verse six. And I want you to see what's in six. We're studying this passage tonight. Verse six says, "And he trembling," speaking of Saul, "and astonished said, 'Lord, what will thou have me do?" If you're going to really get converted, that's going to be the first statement you make to God. Lord, what would you have me do? Too many folks want to have conversion this way. Jesus, this is what I want to do. Jesus, I want to serve you. Now, let me tell you how I want to serve you. THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. THIS NO. Saul said, "Lord, what would you have me do?" Oh, God, give me that spirit that when I hear his voice speaking to me, I'll say, "What would you have me do?" And here's what the Lord said. He said, "Arise." He said, "Get up. Don't stay where you are. Get up. Go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Notice, the Lord told him where to go, but told him he must be teachable. What a valuable lesson we all can learn. If we're going to truly be converted, we're going to say, "Lord, what would you have me do?" And then we're going to say, "I'm willing to be taught." Too many are afraid to hear teaching. I hear folks that that so many times they God's told them to do everything. You know, God told me to get up. God told me to go to Wiggles. God, there's some things that that good common sense tells you to do. God didn't have to tell you to get out of bed. He He didn't HAVE TO TELL YOU STOP by Wagles to get milk. YOUR YOUR WIFE already told you to do that. Some things we overspiritualize, BUT WE MUST FIND OURSELVES TO BE TEACHABLE from the word of God, from the man of God, to put ourselves in positions TO HEAR TEACHING. THAT'S WHY WE GO TO THE HOUSE OF GOD AND HEAR BIBLE TEACHERS. THAT'S WHY WE GO TO CAMP meetings and conferences AND REVIVAL TO BE TAUGHT, TO BE TEACHABLE, TO RECEIVE. BECAUSE GOD TAKES GOD CALLED MEN AND WOMEN AND WILL TEACH us his word. IF YOU CAN'T LISTEN TO THE TAUGHT WORD OF GOD, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THIS GREAT VOICE THAT ALWAYS SPEAKS TO YOU. JESUS TOLD HIM WHERE TO GO TO GET SOME TEACHING. Verse seven said, "And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were open, he saw no man, and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus, and he was three days without sight, neither did eat nor drink." Verse 10. AND THERE WERE CERTAIN DISCIPLES at Damascus, or rather a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananas. And to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananas. And he said, Behold, I'm here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, go into the street which is called straight, and inquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he prayth." Notice Saul had developed a prayer life immediately when he got converted. Converted people will have a prayer life. And God was seen to that his prayer was answered. And he hath seen in a vision a man named Ananas coming in, putting his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. Now understand, get the picture. God was directing Saul to go into the city, blind, hadn't eaten for three days. He's got a vision of Ananas coming to him. And God appears unto Ananas and starts giving Ananas direction. And Ananas is afraid to witness to him. Sometimes we who are already called and disciples can let fear interfere with what God has called us to do. Ananas answered said, "Lord, I've heard by many of the of this Man, I I know who you're sending me to see. How much evil he hath done to the saints at Jerusalem. Lord, did you not hear what he did with Steven? He the coach the coach while they stoned him. And I hear HE HATH AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF PRIEST TO BIND ALL THAT CALL on thy name. The Lord was having to convince Saul to get a man to teach him. And he was having to get Ananas convinced to teach him. The Lord said unto him, speaking to Ananas, "Go thy way, for he's chosen." He's a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. I want you to notice something right here. Don't let this slip by. The first person that would teach and minister to Saul, Ananas, already knew the specific call of Saul's ministry. He said he's called to the Gentiles. Now again, we talked about at the g the beginning. History tells us it would be decades before Saul would actually go on his mission field and start ministering to the Gentiles, but he was called to do it many years before. Let me tell you, you've got to work where you're called until God put you where he desires for YOU TO BE. SAUL WAS NOT READY RIGHT after he got up off the road to Damascus to go minister to the Gentiles. There was a proving time. There was a learning time. He would have to work in the ministry with others. He would have to be with the OTHER DISCIPLES OF CHRIST for decades. Let us learn from that. There is a teaching time. There's a learning time. Don't get too anxious to go on your mission field. God may be training you, preparing you for a unique call. For you see, at this time, we find no record of anyone who was reaching out to the Gentiles. There was a strict ethnic division that had gone on. Let me ask you, can you allow God to redirect your paths as he did Saul? Saul's conversion is our example. Saul was transformed and his path redirected. While hopefully none of us will ever erly or have the authority to jail and murder folks like Saul did, we still have to be willing to follow teaching and be led. Take a moment. Think about your own conversion. We have such a diverse group of people in this room. Think where God really brought you from. Think about it just a minute. Think how blessed you are, how fortunate you are. You You might not have been on the road to Damascus, but God gave you direction. Some of us have been blessed enough to grow up in the church. Others of us, someone led us to Christ. and where we are right now. We need to find some satisfaction in our conversion and know that God is still using us. Whatever we're involved in, if you don't feel like God is using you, CALL ON HIM. ASK TO HEAR HIS VOICE. ASK for teaching that will give you direction. I said that Saul was free to give his testimony and we read it once, but in Acts the 22nd chapter, we find him once again with the opportunity to testify. And I want you to notice this. Acts 22. Now we read in our text the event. Philippians, we read he retold it. Now in Acts 22, he's retelling it again. He was not ashamed of his testimony. He said, "I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cecilia, Cecilia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Galo, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day." Now he's getting an opportunity to give his testimony to those who oppose who he is and oppose what he's preaching. And I persecuted this way under the death binding and delivering into prison both men and women. He told what he had been. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estates of the elders, from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them to which were there bound unto Jerusalem for to be punished. He told his pedigree. He was uniquely qualified to articulate and argue the intricacies of Jewish law. God placed him at the right place at the right time. He'll do the same for you. Some of us may find ourselves working in the secular world thinking it's only a job. God may have placed you there for one individual. Take advantage at the right time. You may be the only person in your family that has the precious revelation of who Jesus really is. Don't feel alarmed or alone. God may have called you for such a time to win your family to minister in a very special way the whole truth of who he is. You see, he would tell his pedigree, but when he was confronted with with the reality of Jesus identity, Saul would suddenly completely begin disdaining the old covenant law. In fact, I I find it interesting the way he worded it in 2 Corinthians 36. He said, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament?" Now, he's differentiating here between the Old Covenant that he could argue well because of his history in Judaism, his phariseical background. He knew all the intricacies. He could could uniquely know where those who would oppose him were going. But he said, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter kleth, but the spirit giveth life." HE SAID THAT OLD COVENANT was a covenant of death. This is the way he said it. But if the ministration of death written and engraved in stones was glorious, there was a time that the ten commandments WAS GLORIOUS AND IT WAS OUR LEADER. BUT HE SAID, "IF THAT WAS THE MINISTRATION or the ministry of death, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away with, how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious." He's saying this new covenant IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. WHEN JESUS CAME ON the scene, now we are in a dispensation of grace. The NIV takes that same passage and it's interesting to read this version of 2 Corinthians 3:6. It says, "He has made us competent as ministers of the new covenant." Not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter kills and the spirit gives life. The greater glory of the new covenant. Now, if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness? I say yes and amen, Saul. It has been revealed to you this new covenant that we all enjoy. Saul had undergone a total transformation. He was transitioning away from the old covenant laws. But you see, under the old covenant, his training, his pedigree were points of pride. But indeed now Saul was able to recite their heritage, their education, and their personal qualifications, but he would say, "My credentials are now rubbish. They're they're worthless because I've got a new covenant experience." His mindset was changed. He had abandoned his former pride of his dual citizenship of being a Roman citizen and also being Hebrew. He could have chosen to reject the gospel, but he had embraced it even in his blindness. So, here's where I want to take us back to what we talked about at the beginning, the name Saul. There are multiple theories that surround the reason for Saul going by the name Paul. But it is indeed worth noting as we said ear earlier Saul is a Hebrew name and Paul is a Greek name. Since Paul would later be known as the apostle to the Gentiles, I submit for necessity of ministry ministering to a gentile world, he would eventually be called Paul. In fact, Romans 11 says this, this was Saul identifying himself. He said, 'For I speak to you Gentiles, in as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office, if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some. Greek was the common language of the Roman world. The name change to Paul was pragmatic or just the practical thing to do. His missionary efforts would be readily accepted by non-Jews if he used a Greek and Roman name rather than a distinctly Hebrew name. This ideology can be backed up if you read Acts 13 verse beginning at verse number 4 through 12. I won't read it but I'll paraphrase. Paul and Barnabas were witnessing to a Roman proconsel named Sergius Paulus and he was a gentile. During this evangelistic effort, there would be a false prophet who would rise up against Saul and Barnabas hoping to dissuade Sergius Paulus from converting to Christianity. Now he's on his missions journey now with Barnabas. The false prophet's name was Bar Jesus and in Hebrew it was Ilamus in Arabic which literally means sorcerer or magician. Now, I want you to get the picture because again, we we we sometimes leave out in any detail this transition time of Saul fulfilling his ultimate call as the missionary to the Gentiles because that's where we find ourselves eventually in that bloodline. Saul filled with the Holy Ghost rebuked Ilamus or Bar Jesus and struck him immediately with blindness. And this miracle was so profound that it in that miracle itself impacted this Sergius Paulus and he was converted. And during that time in Acts 13:9, the writer Luke recorded Saul and says also known as Paul and from that time on he would be called Paul. The transition was now complete. He had started on his missionary journey to the Gentiles. By listing Paul's name change, he would never be called Saul again in the scriptures. Luke signaled that this was the time that he'd become primarily the apostle to the Gentiles. You see, he stopped being an enemy and an outcast and became part of the covenanted people. And with that, I would tell you this. He began starting a unification of the waring or disdaining ethnicities in that part of the world of that day. Ephesians 2 18, he pins these words to the Ephesians. For through him we have we both have access by one spirit unto the father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. Who's he speaking to? He's speaking to the Ephesians. Now, he's letting it be known this is not some exclusive call, an exclusive covenant for Jews only. HE'S SAYING WE'RE ALL FELLOW SAINTS. WE'RE ALL fellow citizens of the household of God. The new covenant, it was no longer determined BY THE MINISTRY OR THE COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION, which was dividing their humanity. Instead, this new covenant was the power of Jesus Christ dwelling in all mankind, neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free. Paul understood unequivocally, that there were some walls that needed to be broken down. There was some divisions that needed to be abolished that the old covenant law could not do. Ephesians 2:13 says, "But now in Christ, ye who were some ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he's our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the immnity, even the law of commandments contained an ordinance for to make in himself of twain, one new man, so making peace, that and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the immnity thereby. die. Instead of circumcision, Jesus had implemented a new covenant, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in every one of us. This was the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy. In the last days, I'll pour out my spirit upon some flesh. In the last days, I'll pour out my spirit on a select few. one ethnicity, one color, one creed a thousand times. No, he said, "I'll pour out my spirit upon all flesh." 1 Corinthians 12:13. Paul would write this to the Corinthians. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jew or Gentile, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. That's why, hear me, First Apostolic Church, we are not a church of exclusion. We are a church of inclusion. Heaven help any church that closes their doors to any type of people or any certain ethnicity. You see, again, going back to Paul's history, his radical evangelistic inclusion message should be the template for the church today. Paul refused to let any human dividing line divide us. He witnessed to everyone regardless of their skin color, their ethnicity, their language, their nationality, whether they were rich or poor, whether they were in authority, or had none. Paul's time. You remember me saying that he had to serve out, if you will, a ministry apprenticeship before he would follow his missions journey. There's something I want to point out to you, and I'm I'm headed toward a close, but I want to point this out as an example to us in the learning time for Saul, who would become Paul. In Acts 13:1 it says, "Now there were in the church that was at Antioch." I told you he he ministered faithfully in Antioch for a good long while. There was in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers. Here's who he ministered with. This was his fellow ministers at Antioch. Barnabas, Simeon that was called Niger, Lucas ofSirene, Manan which had been brought up with Herod the tetriarch and Saul. Now what does all that mean? after he was part of this ministry. Saul was a converted Pharisee, but he had a diverse bunch of ministers that he worked with. This group included Barnabas, who was a Levitical Jew from Cyprus. You got a Pharisee and a Levitical Jew, a Levite if you will. Simeon called Niger. Lucas, an African from Sirene, which is present day Libya. Manan described his relationship with Herod the tetriarch. So he was likely a wealthy upper class gentile. That was a diverse bunch of guys that was ministering. Heaven help us if we ever want all the church to look like me and act like me and talk like me. I'm thankful that God has allowed First Apostolic Church so many diverse ethnicities to be part of our assembly. Heaven help any church that starts thinking that they're above anyone else and they're greater than anybody else. Every color, every creed, every ethnicity. Let me tell you, we must be a church that invites all into our doors because all deserves to hear the wonderful new covenant message. I've got news FOR YOU. FORGET WORRYING ABOUT some some prejudice. Thank God that Saul was called to the Gentiles because that's who we would be today. We welcome everyone that comes through the doors. I don't welcome anyone to come through the doors and stay in sin. That would be so unfair. I welcome everyone to come into the door and get the same transformation that we've had. Oh, they they may dress a little different than us. They they may have a different dialect. THEY MAY TALK A LITTLE DIFFERENT. BUT LET ME TELL YOU, when the HOLY GHOST MOVES IN, THERE WILL BE A COMMON GROUND THAT TAKES over and LEADS FOLKS AND GUIDES FOLKS TO HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. IT CROSSES ALL ETHNIC BOUNDS. IT CROSSES ALL CULTURAL BOUNDS. HEAVEN HELP US WHEN WE THINK OUR CULTURE IS THE ONLY CULTURE THAT GOD MINISTERS TO. HE LOVES EVERYBODY AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THIS GOSPEL TO A LOST WORLD. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. Stand with me. If Paul welcomed all believers as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, present day believers, we're without excuse. Every person, regardless of how different each one may seem from us, is still a child of God. They're made in his image. And God is wanting to transform them by the power of his indwelling, the Holy Ghost. He's just waiting on us to tell them about him. Let's pray. God, I love you. God, I pray that your word would be an example to us once again. Lord, let us never take the posture that we are spiritually superior to anyone else. But Savior, instead let us step through every open door. God, as our life goes on, the revolution that has taken place in our lives, taking us from a sinful life, Lord, to a transformed life. God, I pray that we do not keep this gospel hid, but instead we minister to the lost. God, I know that your word will help us be teachers just as Saul would receive teaching. God, now I pray that we be a guide, a direction, and a light to a lost world that we can lead all to this new covenant experience. Lord, for all this, we're grateful and thankful in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. And amen. Lord bless you. Preacher brothers and sisters, please remember Sunday morning coming for a great time in the Lord. You're dismissed in Jesus name.