WEBVTT 00:00:02.060 --> 00:00:07.580 Hi there, welcome to NECF. We're excited to share 00:00:07.580 --> 00:00:10.699 today's message with you. Don't go anywhere, 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:14.500 stay with us till the end for some valuable resources 00:00:14.500 --> 00:00:18.339 to enrich your faith. Here's today's sermon. 00:00:25.539 --> 00:00:34.960 Amen. Thank God for food. we've been ministered 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:44.060 to. I want to encourage us to don't use the food 00:00:44.060 --> 00:00:49.060 as a foil to sleep. If I see you sleeping, I 00:00:49.060 --> 00:00:54.539 will call your name. Amen. So let's turn to Matthew 00:00:54.539 --> 00:00:58.299 16 once again. Hope you're enjoying our time. 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:17.109 Alright. Matthew chapter 16. Matthew 16. And 00:01:17.109 --> 00:01:23.989 I'm reading from verse 13 once again. When Jesus 00:01:23.989 --> 00:01:30.170 came to the region of Caesarea, Caesarea Philippi, 00:01:30.170 --> 00:01:36.079 he asked his... disciples saying, who do men 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:41.140 say that I, the son of man, am? So they said, 00:01:41.260 --> 00:01:48.159 some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:52.700 others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said 00:01:52.700 --> 00:01:58.620 to them, but who do you say I am? Simon Peter 00:01:58.620 --> 00:02:06.099 answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son 00:02:06.099 --> 00:02:10.560 of the living God. Jesus answered and said to 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:15.419 him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh 00:02:15.419 --> 00:02:19.979 and blood has not revealed this to you, but my 00:02:19.979 --> 00:02:25.780 Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you 00:02:25.780 --> 00:02:30.889 that you are Peter. And on this rock, I will 00:02:30.889 --> 00:02:35.990 build my church and the gates of Hades shall 00:02:35.990 --> 00:02:39.729 not prevail against it. And I will give you the 00:02:39.729 --> 00:02:44.650 keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you 00:02:44.650 --> 00:02:50.050 bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And whatever 00:02:50.050 --> 00:02:54.770 you lose on earth will be lost in heaven. Hallelujah. 00:02:55.990 --> 00:03:02.110 So we are down to verse 17. where Jesus replied, 00:03:02.389 --> 00:03:09.409 Jesus responded to the revelation that we see 00:03:09.409 --> 00:03:14.689 Peter made about Jesus Christ. And there are 00:03:14.689 --> 00:03:19.349 some key and very vital words that we will study 00:03:19.349 --> 00:03:23.710 from the response of Jesus Christ to Peter. Firstly, 00:03:23.789 --> 00:03:27.469 Jesus said to Peter, said to him, Blessed are 00:03:27.469 --> 00:03:33.120 you. Or we say blessed or blessed are you. Simon 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:39.960 Barjona. For flesh and blood has not revealed 00:03:39.960 --> 00:03:45.199 this to you. But my father who is in heaven. 00:03:46.379 --> 00:03:51.419 So one thing that is crucial in this verse is 00:03:51.419 --> 00:03:55.780 the idea of God's blessing. And I don't want 00:03:55.780 --> 00:03:59.219 to go detail into it. because I know that we 00:03:59.219 --> 00:04:02.259 have a teaching in church, Pastor Victor, I think 00:04:02.259 --> 00:04:04.800 you taught about the blessings of Abraham, right? 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:09.960 So please, I would love you to find time and 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:13.460 go back to the church website and go through 00:04:13.460 --> 00:04:16.379 that. What does it mean, blessed? When Jesus 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:19.500 Christ said, blessed are you, Simon Barjona, 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:26.199 what does it mean by blessed? What does it mean? 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.759 Jesus called Peter blessed. What does it mean 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:35.319 to be blessed? Now blessing or blessed is never 00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:42.220 used especially in the New Testament. The Gospels 00:04:42.220 --> 00:04:47.600 and the Epistles will see clearly that it's never 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:51.980 used for anything material. Alright? So when 00:04:51.980 --> 00:04:55.879 Peter When Jesus said Peter is blessed, it's 00:04:55.879 --> 00:04:58.500 not meaning that you are rich in money or immaterial 00:04:58.500 --> 00:05:02.680 things. That's one thing that we should note. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:06.839 That the blessing here is not a material blessing. 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:11.279 It's not because he has gained something material. 00:05:11.339 --> 00:05:16.399 That is why he is blessed. The blessing is a 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:25.300 product of his faith in The word of God. The 00:05:25.300 --> 00:05:29.360 faith he had in what the prophets have said about 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:36.399 who Jesus is. And the word bless is the word 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:40.779 mercurius. And there's another one which I wouldn't 00:05:40.779 --> 00:05:44.019 want to just go into that. But it means fortunate. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:50.899 It means to be well spoken of. So Peter rather 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:59.040 He is fortunate. He is fortunate. He is fortunate 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:04.579 in the understanding of what he has concerning 00:06:04.579 --> 00:06:09.360 the Christ. The blessings or the fortune is to 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:13.100 be found in the riches of God in Christ Jesus. 00:06:14.420 --> 00:06:18.819 That is in the revelation of who Jesus is. It 00:06:18.819 --> 00:06:22.589 has to do with the gospel. It has to do with 00:06:22.589 --> 00:06:26.250 the gospel. The blessing of the believer has 00:06:26.250 --> 00:06:28.730 to do with what? With the gospel and all that 00:06:28.730 --> 00:06:30.709 Jesus has done. The gospel is actually what Jesus 00:06:30.709 --> 00:06:33.670 has done. So the blessings of the believer is 00:06:33.670 --> 00:06:37.949 enshrined in the finished work of Christ. John 00:06:37.949 --> 00:06:50.089 20 verse 29. John chapter 20 verse 29. Jesus 00:06:50.089 --> 00:06:53.980 said to him, Thomas, that's Thomas when he was 00:06:53.980 --> 00:07:00.800 in unbelief. Thomas, because you have seen me, 00:07:00.899 --> 00:07:04.160 you have believed. Blessed are those who have 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:09.560 not seen and yet have believed. So Jesus Christ 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:17.439 here is calling Thomas a blessed man. No, not 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:22.160 Thomas. He's saying that it is a blessing to 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:25.920 what? To believe. It's a blessing to believe. 00:07:25.980 --> 00:07:28.720 It's fortunate. It's to be fortunate to be found 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:33.339 in what Christ has done. Blessed are those who 00:07:33.339 --> 00:07:37.579 have not seen, but they have believed. And we 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:40.199 see that Peter, in the same way, believed what 00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:44.720 Jesus Christ is in regards to what the prophets 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.060 have written about him. That he is the Messiah. 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:49.660 He is the one that Christ, that is the one that 00:07:49.660 --> 00:07:53.339 will come to die for the forgiveness of the sins 00:07:53.339 --> 00:07:57.680 of men. And he said flesh and blood. Flesh and 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:00.360 blood simply means this information you've received 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:04.620 is not from men. Alright? This information is 00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:08.540 not from men but is a revelation that is from 00:08:08.540 --> 00:08:14.600 God. It's a supernatural revelation. So flesh 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:17.019 and blood have not revealed this to you. So what 00:08:17.019 --> 00:08:19.379 does it mean revealed? That is what I really 00:08:19.379 --> 00:08:23.199 want us to focus on this moment. All right? Maybe 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:24.660 tomorrow we'll come around and we'll look at 00:08:24.660 --> 00:08:28.459 more about Peter himself. But what does it mean 00:08:28.459 --> 00:08:31.939 to have revelation? What does it mean revealed? 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.240 Why would Jesus say, you know, flesh and blood 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:40.279 have not revealed this to you? How did Peter, 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:47.299 God is revelation? Revelation is important for 00:08:47.299 --> 00:08:50.840 us in life and ministry. Now the word revealed 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:59.259 as in Matthew 16 verse 17. Matthew 16 verse 17. 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:03.059 Blessed are you Simon for flesh and blood has 00:09:03.059 --> 00:09:09.379 not revealed. The word revealed here is translated 00:09:09.379 --> 00:09:23.620 from the Greek word apocalypto. And the word 00:09:23.620 --> 00:09:29.740 means to uncover. It means to uncover. It means 00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:34.840 to make known or disclose something. Especially 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:37.899 something that is hidden. To disclose something. 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:41.059 To make known something. To uncover something. 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:48.779 So this revelation is not just a feeling. This 00:09:48.779 --> 00:09:51.799 uncovering that Peter had is not just an emotional 00:09:51.799 --> 00:09:57.559 feeling, but an understanding that comes by faith 00:09:57.559 --> 00:10:03.039 in the written word of God. In the written word 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:08.360 of God. Hallelujah. In the cell meetings, we've 00:10:08.360 --> 00:10:12.120 been talking about the issue of rapture. And 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:15.639 we told you that the word rapture is not, is 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:18.460 new. I mean, rapture per se, the doctrine of 00:10:18.460 --> 00:10:25.679 rapture is new in the Christian faith. And we 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:32.519 made mention of a man and their beliefs and how 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:40.220 that they depend on inspiration, right? Apart 00:10:40.220 --> 00:10:47.639 from scripture, we saw that the doctrine of rapture 00:10:47.639 --> 00:10:50.279 was not found in the explanation of scriptures, 00:10:50.580 --> 00:10:53.820 but rather an inspiration that they have. So 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:58.720 this revelation is not an inspiration that Peter 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:03.779 had. It's not an inspiration that he had apart 00:11:03.779 --> 00:11:06.980 from what is written and can be seen in scriptures. 00:11:07.220 --> 00:11:11.679 It's actually faith. In what has been taught 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:15.220 in scriptures. So the revelation he had. Is not 00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:17.779 something new from anywhere. In fact this is 00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:20.419 not the first time. He had this revelation. It's 00:11:20.419 --> 00:11:25.320 seen in scriptures. Alright. It's littered around 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:27.620 all through scriptures. So this concept is not 00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:30.899 new. It's what God has been doing. Has revealed 00:11:30.899 --> 00:11:33.779 to Moses. And has revealed to Abraham. And all 00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:39.259 the men of old. So it's not just an emotional 00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:44.500 thing, but Peter had faith in the written word 00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:47.240 of God. So the written word of God is fundamental 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:49.879 to any revelation that we are going to have. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.139 Without an understanding of the written word 00:11:53.139 --> 00:11:58.399 of God, then our revelation, whatever inspiration 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:02.899 we have, is questionable. Faith is the access. 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:06.419 to the revelation of the mystery of God, the 00:12:06.419 --> 00:12:11.799 mystery of God. Faith is an access to how we 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:15.559 understand or we have, you know, an uncovering 00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:27.659 of the mystery of God. It is given to us who 00:12:27.659 --> 00:12:31.259 believe. It is given unto us believers. The scripture 00:12:31.259 --> 00:12:36.600 says, To understand the mysteries of the kingdom. 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:41.139 It is unto us who are believers. That God has 00:12:41.139 --> 00:12:44.440 given the ability to have the revelation of mysteries 00:12:44.440 --> 00:12:48.720 in scriptures. Mark chapter 4 verse 10. We will 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:57.019 see. Mark chapter 10 verse 4. Mark chapter 4 00:12:57.019 --> 00:13:02.129 verse 10. But when he was alone. Those around 00:13:02.129 --> 00:13:04.250 him with the twelve asked him about the parable. 00:13:04.350 --> 00:13:07.870 Jesus would teach in the parables, in signs and 00:13:07.870 --> 00:13:10.789 symbols and speak in parables to the people. 00:13:11.889 --> 00:13:15.029 Then the disciples would come. Mark chapter 4, 00:13:15.149 --> 00:13:23.769 verse 10. But when he was alone, those around 00:13:23.769 --> 00:13:27.610 him with the twelve asked him about the parable. 00:13:29.409 --> 00:13:34.110 And he said to them, To you, it has been given 00:13:34.110 --> 00:13:39.970 to do what? To know the mystery of the kingdom 00:13:39.970 --> 00:13:45.830 of God. Today, it has been given to us who are 00:13:45.830 --> 00:13:50.429 believers. It has been given to know the mystery 00:13:50.429 --> 00:13:54.549 of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, 00:13:54.730 --> 00:13:58.950 who are the outsiders? Those who are not in faith, 00:13:59.070 --> 00:14:03.330 right? Those who are unbelievers. Those who are 00:14:03.330 --> 00:14:07.529 outside. All things comes in what? In parable. 00:14:08.509 --> 00:14:14.470 Why? So that seeing, they may see and not perceive. 00:14:15.110 --> 00:14:18.570 This is a quotation from Isaiah. And hearing, 00:14:18.649 --> 00:14:22.549 they may hear and not understand. Lest they see. 00:14:23.409 --> 00:14:27.690 Lest they should turn and their sins be forgiven 00:14:27.690 --> 00:14:32.120 them. And he said to them, do you not understand 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:35.159 this parable? How then will you understand parables? 00:14:37.580 --> 00:14:39.820 Then he began to explain to them what he meant 00:14:39.820 --> 00:14:43.340 by what he says, the parable of the sower. Because 00:14:43.340 --> 00:14:48.179 the children of God have access to the revelation 00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:52.000 of God. Hallelujah. But to those who are outside, 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:56.120 to them it's parables. To them are mysteries. 00:14:58.100 --> 00:15:03.529 Okay? For to us, it's a revelation that we've 00:15:03.529 --> 00:15:05.649 known, we've received. To them, it's a mystery. 00:15:07.870 --> 00:15:12.409 And sometimes it seems, why would Jesus call 00:15:12.409 --> 00:15:17.190 Isaiah and say, sin, they may not see. Let's 00:15:17.190 --> 00:15:27.570 go back to that, verse 11. Mark 4, 11. Verse 00:15:27.570 --> 00:15:33.919 12. Verse 12. So that seeing, they may see and 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:36.840 not perceive. And hearing, they may hear and 00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:39.940 not understand. Lest they should turn and their 00:15:39.940 --> 00:15:44.019 sins be forgiven. It seems as though God shows 00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:48.419 speciality in revelation. It shows as though, 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:53.679 you know, God hides some things from some people. 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.860 And sometimes we do. Think as if there are some 00:15:57.860 --> 00:16:00.000 people that have some special revelations that, 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:02.340 you know, it's only them that can have this special 00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:06.039 revelation of scriptures. Or, you know, a divine 00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:08.039 inspiration from God is just for some specific. 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:14.539 Does God hide information from people and reveal 00:16:14.539 --> 00:16:20.139 it to some special people? Luke chapter 10 verse 00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:33.440 20. Luke 10 verse 20. Nevertheless, do not rejoice 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:35.779 in this, that the Spirit are subject to you, 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:38.159 but rather rejoice that your name are written 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:46.279 in heaven. In that hour, Jesus rejoiced in the 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:50.759 Spirit and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of 00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:53.720 heaven and earth, that you have hidden these 00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:59.990 things from who? Who is he leading to? From the 00:16:59.990 --> 00:17:04.809 wise and the prudent and reveal them to who? 00:17:05.210 --> 00:17:09.869 To babes. Even so, father, for so it seems good 00:17:09.869 --> 00:17:14.210 to your side. So, at reading of this text, we 00:17:14.210 --> 00:17:19.990 see clearly that Okay, verse 22. All things have 00:17:19.990 --> 00:17:22.549 been delivered to me by my father and no one 00:17:22.549 --> 00:17:25.289 knows who the son is except the father. And who 00:17:25.289 --> 00:17:27.029 the father is except the son and the one whom 00:17:27.029 --> 00:17:30.990 the son wills to reveal him. The son wills to 00:17:30.990 --> 00:17:33.609 reveal him. So it seems as though, you know, 00:17:33.650 --> 00:17:39.509 God concealed the revelation. Okay? Some people 00:17:39.509 --> 00:17:43.690 say, ah, there is only Peter that got the revelation. 00:17:44.450 --> 00:17:46.630 But no, the Bible didn't tell us there is only 00:17:46.630 --> 00:17:49.349 Peter. All right? Peter has always been the spokesperson 00:17:49.349 --> 00:17:55.259 of all. Okay? So let's not accuse others. of 00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:58.759 what the scripture did not say about them, right? 00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:01.819 You know, Peter has always been a spokesperson 00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:05.220 to all of them. But then it seems as though some 00:18:05.220 --> 00:18:08.480 people have been apportioned to have special 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.180 revelation. As I said earlier on, to us is given 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:14.880 to understand the mysteries of the kingdom. Does 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:17.619 that mean that God has deliberately concealed 00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:22.279 this mystery so that others will not know? And 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:24.700 when we read scriptures like this, It seems so 00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:27.039 because rightly Jesus said that he has hidden 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:29.480 it to who? To the wise and the prudent and has 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:32.059 revealed it to who? He has revealed it to babes, 00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:34.779 to children. The word babes there means to children. 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:46.339 Okay? Matthew 11, 25. Matthew 11, verse 25. Matthew 00:18:46.339 --> 00:18:50.240 11, verse 25. At that time, Jesus answered and 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:53.880 said, I thank you, Father. Of heaven and the 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:58.339 earth. That you have hidden these things. From 00:18:58.339 --> 00:19:02.700 the wise and who? And prudent. On the line wise 00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:07.480 and prudent. Wise and prudent. And have revealed 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:11.059 them to babes. To children. Even so father. For 00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:14.759 it seems good in your sight. So it seems good 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:17.140 to the father. That the revelation of the kingdom. 00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:21.140 Be unto babes. And not to the wise and the prudent. 00:19:21.660 --> 00:19:26.660 And I ask, does God hide revelation? Does God 00:19:26.660 --> 00:19:29.279 conceal revelation? Why would Jesus say that 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:33.839 God has hidden it from the wise? Why would it 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:37.319 be that Jesus is making this statement that the 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:42.259 revelation has been hidden to the wise? Now, 00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:47.539 remember the context of Matthew 11, 20? The context 00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:52.200 is that Jesus... Was rebuking the unbelief of 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:57.980 the cities. Let's look at verse. Yes. Matthew 00:19:57.980 --> 00:20:11.339 20. Let's look at 20 to 24. We see that the context 00:20:11.339 --> 00:20:15.599 that Jesus was rebuking the unbelief. Of the 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:28.920 people. Yes. Then he began to rebuke the cities 00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:31.420 in which most of his mighty works has been done. 00:20:31.819 --> 00:20:35.140 Jesus has done mighty works in these cities because 00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:40.099 they did not repent. They did not turn to believe 00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:46.019 in Jesus Christ. Woe unto you, Chorazin. Woe 00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:51.319 unto you, Bethsaida. For if the mighty works 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:54.480 which were done in you had been done in Tyre 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:57.859 and Sidon, They will have repented long ago in 00:20:57.859 --> 00:21:02.559 sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:06.380 be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day 00:21:06.380 --> 00:21:12.640 of judgment than for you. And you, who are exalted 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:16.220 to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. For 00:21:16.220 --> 00:21:19.619 if the mighty works which were done in you had 00:21:19.619 --> 00:21:24.519 been done in Sodom, it will have remained till... 00:21:24.730 --> 00:21:28.150 this day. But I say to you that it shall be more 00:21:28.150 --> 00:21:30.910 tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of 00:21:30.910 --> 00:21:38.529 judgment than for you. At that time Jesus answered 00:21:38.529 --> 00:21:42.210 and said, Oh, I thank Father, Lord of heaven 00:21:42.210 --> 00:21:44.230 and earth, that you have hidden these things. 00:21:44.309 --> 00:21:48.490 Which things has he hidden? Revelation. That 00:21:48.490 --> 00:21:51.069 you have hidden these things from the wise and 00:21:51.069 --> 00:21:53.569 prudent. And I've revealed them to the babes. 00:21:53.650 --> 00:21:56.990 So these people refuse to believe. They choose 00:21:56.990 --> 00:22:02.190 to live in unbelief. Alright? They choose to 00:22:02.190 --> 00:22:05.730 live in unbelief. That is the context of Jesus' 00:22:05.970 --> 00:22:09.170 statement here. So what category of people are 00:22:09.170 --> 00:22:12.250 those in whom God said to hide things from? He 00:22:12.250 --> 00:22:14.150 said to hide things from. Who are those categories? 00:22:16.250 --> 00:22:20.680 The wise and prudent, right? The mysteries of 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:24.819 the kingdom are hidden to who? To the wise and 00:22:24.819 --> 00:22:30.019 what? And prudent. The mysteries of the kingdom 00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:36.819 is hidden to who? To the wise and the prudent. 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:40.400 And who are those in which receive revelation? 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:51.319 Babes, children. Okay? So, now. Babes or children 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:55.019 can have different meaning in scripture. Depending 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:58.599 on the context of his use, it can have different 00:22:58.599 --> 00:23:01.400 meaning in scripture. Whenever you see a child 00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:03.380 or a baby, it doesn't mean the same in every 00:23:03.380 --> 00:23:06.140 part of scripture. So, as we always teach in 00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:10.359 church, we say context is very important in interpreting 00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:14.140 scriptures. Now, let's see some places in which 00:23:14.140 --> 00:23:17.059 the word babes or children is used. 1 Corinthians 00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:25.460 3, verse 1. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 1. And I, 00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:28.000 brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:34.400 people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 00:23:34.940 --> 00:23:40.400 Okay? As to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:44.460 and not with solid food, for until now you were 00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:47.480 not able to receive it, and even you are still 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:51.549 not able. For you are still, are you still carnal? 00:23:52.009 --> 00:23:53.970 This is no secret. It's not saying that they 00:23:53.970 --> 00:23:57.490 are carnal, right? But their behavior is what? 00:23:58.029 --> 00:24:01.329 It's like carnal people. For where there are 00:24:01.329 --> 00:24:04.309 envy, strife, and division among you, are you 00:24:04.309 --> 00:24:08.049 not carnal and behaving like where? Like ordinary 00:24:08.049 --> 00:24:10.349 men, which means that they are not ordinary men, 00:24:10.390 --> 00:24:12.970 but they are behaving like ordinary men. So, 00:24:12.990 --> 00:24:19.059 go back to verse 1. Go back to verse 1. So, He 00:24:19.059 --> 00:24:22.460 says, as to babes in Christ, meaning that they 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:26.440 are children when it comes to the things of Christ. 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:28.339 They are not matured in the things of Christ. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:31.539 So here, the word babes or children is referring 00:24:31.539 --> 00:24:37.259 to what? Level of maturity of the believer. The 00:24:37.259 --> 00:24:42.039 Corinthian church in which perform many, many, 00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:47.019 you know, activities of the spirit. prophetic 00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:49.440 words, healing and all those things, he's calling 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:52.779 them children because of their behavior, their 00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:55.839 character, right? He's showing that they are 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:58.660 not mature. Some of them are saying, oh, I'm 00:24:58.660 --> 00:25:01.140 for Pastor Kostin. Oh, this one, I said, oh, 00:25:01.180 --> 00:25:04.460 I belong to Pastor Victor's camp. And there's 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:08.799 division among the church. And we'll see he's 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:11.839 asking them, is Jesus Christ divided? Why are 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:13.240 you behaving like babies? Why are you behaving 00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:16.000 like kids? So babes or children here is referring 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:20.279 to what? The spiritual development of the believer. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:29.200 1 Corinthians 13 verse 11. 1 Corinthians chapter 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:35.369 13 verse 11. When I was a child, I spoke as a 00:25:35.369 --> 00:25:37.309 child, I understood as a child, I taught as a 00:25:37.309 --> 00:25:40.029 child, but when I became a man, I put away childish 00:25:40.029 --> 00:25:47.029 things. For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but 00:25:47.029 --> 00:25:49.829 then face to face now, I know in part. When I 00:25:49.829 --> 00:25:54.269 shall know, thus I also am known. Chapter 14, 00:25:54.329 --> 00:26:00.630 verse 20. 14, verse 20. 1 Corinthians 14, 20. 00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:07.500 Brethren, do not be children in understanding. 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:14.859 However, in malice be babes, but in understanding 00:26:14.859 --> 00:26:20.619 be what? Be matured. Let's go back again and 00:26:20.619 --> 00:26:23.460 look at this. He says, brethren, do not be children 00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:28.500 in understanding. So, is it okay to remain a 00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:33.000 child when it comes to understanding? Nobody 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:35.859 wants Going to give birth to a child and the 00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:39.759 child remains a baby. You know, he's 10, he's 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:44.740 still a baby. 20, still a baby. The will of God 00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:46.779 for the believer is that we grow to maturity. 00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:50.779 Alright? So the level we are right now, that 00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:54.859 is not the end goal for us. God desires that 00:26:54.859 --> 00:26:57.839 we grow beyond this level of knowledge. That 00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:01.500 we mature in knowledge. That we begin to We begin 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:04.299 to take responsibilities. Responsibility is a 00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:08.740 product of growth. And growth comes by knowledge. 00:27:15.240 --> 00:27:22.720 So Ephesians 4 verse 14. That we will not be 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:27.480 children. Ephesians 4 verse 14. That we should 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:30.839 no longer be children. The previous scripture 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:36.220 we see, it says as to regards to malice, you 00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:39.019 know, we should be babes when it comes to these 00:27:39.019 --> 00:27:43.559 things. As to what is evil, we should be babes. 00:27:43.559 --> 00:27:45.940 But when it comes to maturity, we should grow. 00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:47.920 When it comes to godly things, we should grow. 00:27:48.500 --> 00:27:50.920 That we should no longer be children tossed to 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:54.640 and fro and carried about with every wind of 00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:58.900 doctrine. By trickery of men. In the cunning 00:27:58.900 --> 00:28:02.940 craftiness. Of deceitful plotting. But speaking 00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:05.880 the truth in love. May grow up in all things. 00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:11.500 In him who is. The head Christ. From whom the 00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:14.779 whole body. Join and knit together. Every joint 00:28:14.779 --> 00:28:16.240 that supplies. According to the effective working. 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:20.019 By which every part does its share. Causes growth 00:28:20.019 --> 00:28:22.680 of the body. For the divine of his self and love. 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:28.950 So God intend. That we grow. God's intention 00:28:28.950 --> 00:28:34.369 for us is that we grow. 1 Thessalonians chapter 00:28:34.369 --> 00:28:41.069 2 verse 7. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 7. 00:28:47.890 --> 00:28:51.690 It says, but we were gentle among you just as 00:28:51.690 --> 00:28:56.460 nothing mother cherishes her own children. Just 00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:59.940 as her nursing mother cherishes her children 00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:02.740 so affectionately longing for you, we are pleased 00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:04.940 to impart to you not only the gospel of God, 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:08.400 but also our own lives because you have become 00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:13.640 dear to us. So when it comes to faith in the 00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:19.099 gospel, we must be like babes, right? Our conduct 00:29:19.099 --> 00:29:22.460 towards the gospel, our attitude towards the 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:29.099 gospel message is... To be like babes. What do 00:29:29.099 --> 00:29:33.779 babies do? What is the attitude of babies? A 00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:35.660 child believes everything the father told him, 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:42.240 right? He doesn't argue. He believes all. Innocence. 00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:51.799 But in the gospel, we act as babes. We must be 00:29:51.799 --> 00:29:56.170 like babes. When it comes to the gospel, believing 00:29:56.170 --> 00:30:01.190 it completely and obeying. Believing the gospel 00:30:01.190 --> 00:30:05.130 completely and obeying. That should be our disposition 00:30:05.130 --> 00:30:08.730 as babes, as we got the gospel. But when it comes 00:30:08.730 --> 00:30:12.529 to growing in the truth, we must not remain babes. 00:30:13.549 --> 00:30:18.630 We must keep on growing and mature. Hallelujah. 00:30:19.609 --> 00:30:25.220 So, the word babes, Must be defined within the 00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:28.339 context of his usage in the text. So that we 00:30:28.339 --> 00:30:32.579 will not mistake one for another. The Bible is 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:34.000 not saying that you should remain a child. No. 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:40.380 The Bible is saying you should grow. Amen. You 00:30:40.380 --> 00:30:44.160 should grow. Be mature. Be an adult. Grow. Take 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:47.819 responsibility. And we grow by the word of God. 00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:52.440 By the teaching of the word of God. And by practicing 00:30:52.440 --> 00:31:02.390 it. So from Matthew 11, 25 -26, God's revelation 00:31:02.390 --> 00:31:06.269 is unto those who believe. That is the babes' 00:31:06.269 --> 00:31:09.450 belief, right? It's unto those who believe, just 00:31:09.450 --> 00:31:13.569 as babes. The babes receive the gospel by faith, 00:31:13.750 --> 00:31:17.009 while the wise and prudent are the unbelieving 00:31:17.009 --> 00:31:20.470 ones, who by the wisdom and the knowledge of 00:31:20.470 --> 00:31:25.589 this world reject the faith. The wise and prudent 00:31:25.589 --> 00:31:29.470 are those who think that they know it all. They 00:31:29.470 --> 00:31:35.470 are smart. They are well educated. But you know, 00:31:35.589 --> 00:31:38.150 it's the opium of the masses. It's for control. 00:31:39.970 --> 00:31:44.309 You know, with my PhD, my education, you people 00:31:44.309 --> 00:31:46.289 are, you believe in God because you didn't go 00:31:46.289 --> 00:31:47.670 to, because you are not learned, you didn't go 00:31:47.670 --> 00:31:52.150 to school. You know, it's because you are poor. 00:31:52.269 --> 00:31:55.670 That's why you trust in God. In their own wisdom 00:31:55.670 --> 00:31:59.769 and their own prudence, they rejected what? They 00:31:59.769 --> 00:32:04.569 rejected the faith. So the gospel is hidden to 00:32:04.569 --> 00:32:10.890 the wise and the prudent of this world. So if 00:32:10.890 --> 00:32:13.170 you believe that, if you see yourself as a wise 00:32:13.170 --> 00:32:17.589 and intelligent and brilliant and the Bible says 00:32:17.589 --> 00:32:21.569 the fool, right, says in his heart that there 00:32:21.569 --> 00:32:25.059 is no God. So your wisdom is actually foolishness. 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:31.119 So the gospel is a mystery to the wise. It's 00:32:31.119 --> 00:32:36.500 a mystery to the prudent of this world. He cannot 00:32:36.500 --> 00:32:40.380 wrap his mind around worshiping a man called 00:32:40.380 --> 00:32:46.359 Jesus. He cannot wrap his mind. He can't see 00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:50.140 the intelligence in the idea that somebody died 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:53.650 and then all are forgiven. By believing. Come 00:32:53.650 --> 00:32:58.869 on. The wise and the prudent of this world wouldn't 00:32:58.869 --> 00:33:02.529 want to acknowledge that forgiveness is free 00:33:02.529 --> 00:33:08.190 gift in Christ Jesus. So it becomes hidden to 00:33:08.190 --> 00:33:15.650 him. It becomes a hidden mystery. Father, we 00:33:15.650 --> 00:33:17.769 see Paul describes this wise and the prudent 00:33:17.769 --> 00:33:36.589 of this world. Romans chapter 1 verse 18. Romans 00:33:36.589 --> 00:33:40.109 chapter 1 verse 18. It says for the wrath of 00:33:40.109 --> 00:33:44.509 God. The wrath of God. I believe we're going 00:33:44.509 --> 00:33:46.029 to do a teaching about the wrath of God very 00:33:46.029 --> 00:33:50.019 soon. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven 00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:55.859 against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of 00:33:55.859 --> 00:34:00.140 men. Who suppresses? Okay, let's see. The ungodliness 00:34:00.140 --> 00:34:01.500 and unrighteousness of men. What do they do? 00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:06.200 They suppress the truth in righteousness. Suppressing 00:34:06.200 --> 00:34:10.119 simply means they reject the truth. Verse 19. 00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:14.739 Because what may be known of God is manifest 00:34:14.739 --> 00:34:18.750 in them. For God has shown it to them. So they 00:34:18.750 --> 00:34:22.070 are not without knowledge. For since creation 00:34:22.070 --> 00:34:26.369 of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly 00:34:26.369 --> 00:34:29.789 seen, being understood by the things that are 00:34:29.789 --> 00:34:35.590 made and his eternal power and Godhead. So that 00:34:35.590 --> 00:34:38.829 they are without what? They are without excuse. 00:34:40.329 --> 00:34:45.550 The Pharisees knew what Christ was saying. Alright? 00:34:46.059 --> 00:34:48.260 They were not in ignorance. They know what he 00:34:48.260 --> 00:34:52.780 was saying. Because although they knew God, they 00:34:52.780 --> 00:34:57.059 did not glorify him as God. Nor were thankful, 00:34:57.219 --> 00:35:01.079 but became futile in their thoughts. So the wise 00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:04.699 is in their mind, in their thoughts, and their 00:35:04.699 --> 00:35:07.199 foolishness, and their foolishness were what? 00:35:07.300 --> 00:35:13.840 Were darkened. Professing to be what? To be wise. 00:35:13.980 --> 00:35:17.840 We're intelligent. Come on. You have to intelligently 00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:22.360 explain this to me. So in their intelligence 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:28.239 and their wisdom, they became fools. Right? And 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:30.199 changed. Look at what their foolishness has brought 00:35:30.199 --> 00:35:33.559 them. They changed the glory of the incorruptible 00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:40.300 God into what? Into idols. Into image. Today, 00:35:40.300 --> 00:35:45.590 it's not fancy. carve a wood and kneel down and 00:35:45.590 --> 00:35:50.550 worship. So, we have it in form of money. The 00:35:50.550 --> 00:35:54.710 glory in, yeah, they changed the glory of the 00:35:54.710 --> 00:35:58.409 incorruptible God into an image made with corruptible 00:35:58.409 --> 00:36:02.429 man, made like corruptible man and birds and 00:36:02.429 --> 00:36:07.650 four -footed animals and creeping things. Therefore, 00:36:07.730 --> 00:36:10.710 God also, see, this verse says, God gave them 00:36:10.710 --> 00:36:18.639 up. To uncleanness. So God hides. And God gives 00:36:18.639 --> 00:36:22.079 up people. God gave them up. Really. God also 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:25.760 gave them up to uncleanness. In a loss of their 00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:28.360 hearts. To dishonor their bodies among themselves. 00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:30.780 This is the result of them rejecting the truth. 00:36:32.039 --> 00:36:36.079 Who exchange the truth of God for the lie. And 00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:38.579 worship and serve the creator. Rather than the 00:36:38.579 --> 00:36:42.340 creator. Who is blessed forever. Let's see more. 00:36:43.139 --> 00:36:46.980 For this reason, they say again, God gave them 00:36:46.980 --> 00:36:52.119 up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged 00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:59.940 natural use for 26. For what is against nature. 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:02.860 This is a product of rejecting God. For this 00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:05.300 reason, God gave them up, right? Yes, verse 27. 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:09.820 Likewise also, men leaving the natural use of 00:37:09.820 --> 00:37:12.889 the woman. burned in their lust for one another, 00:37:13.090 --> 00:37:16.769 men with men committing what is shameful and 00:37:16.769 --> 00:37:19.809 receiving in themselves the penalty of the error 00:37:19.809 --> 00:37:23.369 which was due. And we see that the depravity 00:37:23.369 --> 00:37:27.469 of mankind is a product of what? Of the rejection 00:37:27.469 --> 00:37:31.329 of God. Thinking that they are wise, they rejected 00:37:31.329 --> 00:37:36.010 the truth about God. And the Bible says that 00:37:36.010 --> 00:37:39.210 God gave them up. Now we're going to look at 00:37:39.210 --> 00:37:44.170 what does it mean God gave them up. But the product 00:37:44.170 --> 00:37:49.230 of the depravity of man is from what? From his 00:37:49.230 --> 00:37:54.030 rejection of God in unbelief. So these men that 00:37:54.030 --> 00:38:01.570 claim to be wise are actually fools. To them, 00:38:01.570 --> 00:38:05.449 it's not given to understand the mystery of the 00:38:05.449 --> 00:38:09.039 kingdom of God. Because the mystery of the kingdom 00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:14.559 of God is received by faith. Faith in who God 00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:18.380 is as revealed in Christ Jesus in the scriptures. 00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:27.219 By the wisdom of this world, which refers to 00:38:27.219 --> 00:38:31.679 what? Human philosophy. You know? The education 00:38:31.679 --> 00:38:38.699 system. The ideology of men. So by the wisdom 00:38:38.699 --> 00:38:44.920 of this world, men cannot know God. By the wisdom 00:38:44.920 --> 00:38:50.460 of this world, men cannot know God. 1 Corinthians 00:38:50.460 --> 00:39:02.719 chapter 1 verse 17. 1 Corinthians 1. Is it the 00:39:02.719 --> 00:39:11.530 right place? 1 verse 17. Yes, yes. For Christ 00:39:11.530 --> 00:39:14.070 did not send me to baptize, but to preach the 00:39:14.070 --> 00:39:18.329 gospel. Not with what? With wisdom of words. 00:39:18.409 --> 00:39:20.670 Not with the wisdom of men. Not with the wisdom 00:39:20.670 --> 00:39:24.389 of words. Lest the cross of Christ should be 00:39:24.389 --> 00:39:27.909 made of no effect. So the wisdom of this world 00:39:27.909 --> 00:39:34.309 conceals the truth about Christ. It hides the 00:39:34.309 --> 00:39:36.809 truth about Christ. The wisdom of this world 00:39:36.809 --> 00:39:45.659 limits men from seeing Who Christ is. For the 00:39:45.659 --> 00:39:48.559 message of the cross, right? The cross refers 00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:52.039 to all that Christ has achieved. All that Christ 00:39:52.039 --> 00:39:54.420 has done. The cross is not just a tree. The message 00:39:54.420 --> 00:39:56.940 of the cross, the cross refers to all that Christ 00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:59.579 has achieved in his death, his suffering, his 00:39:59.579 --> 00:40:01.860 death, his burial, and his resurrection. For 00:40:01.860 --> 00:40:04.699 the message of the cross is what? The entire 00:40:04.699 --> 00:40:08.000 message about Christ is what? Is foolishness. 00:40:08.679 --> 00:40:13.239 To those who are world. Who are perishing. But 00:40:13.239 --> 00:40:17.519 to us. Who are saved. Hallelujah. It is what? 00:40:17.619 --> 00:40:21.980 It is the power of God. It is the power of God. 00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:26.320 For it is written. I will destroy the wisdom 00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:32.000 of the wise. And bring to nothing the understanding 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:38.179 of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is a 00:40:38.179 --> 00:40:44.000 scribe? Where is a disputer of this age? Has 00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:46.760 not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 00:40:47.719 --> 00:40:52.199 For since in the wisdom of God, the world through 00:40:52.199 --> 00:40:56.280 wisdom did not know God. The world through wisdom. 00:40:56.340 --> 00:40:59.420 That means the world has its own wisdom. The 00:40:59.420 --> 00:41:02.400 world has its own wisdom. But through the wisdom 00:41:02.400 --> 00:41:07.320 of the world, God cannot be known. It pleased 00:41:07.320 --> 00:41:12.420 God through the foolishness of the message. Preach 00:41:12.420 --> 00:41:15.300 to save. It pleased God through the foolishness 00:41:15.300 --> 00:41:19.139 of the message. Preach to save those who believed. 00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:25.539 For Jews, what do Jews request? You always see 00:41:25.539 --> 00:41:27.920 them, show us a sign, show us a sign. They request 00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:31.739 for a sign. And Greeks, what? They are philosophers. 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:38.760 You read through history? Pluto? Oh, Plato. All 00:41:38.760 --> 00:41:43.739 the philosophers, political thoughts, economic 00:41:43.739 --> 00:41:49.719 thoughts, history. The Greeks are so... See, 00:41:49.760 --> 00:41:52.460 Greeks are very, very important in knowledge. 00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:57.300 You can't take it away from the Greeks. Somebody 00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:58.880 will just go and do once more on the graduate 00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:05.219 and say there's no God. No, I believe in science. 00:42:07.280 --> 00:42:09.280 Science that you don't even, you are not, you 00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:12.539 are not even a qualified scientist. You don't 00:42:12.539 --> 00:42:14.099 even created one thing from the knowledge you 00:42:14.099 --> 00:42:16.300 have of that science or the technology you have. 00:42:16.579 --> 00:42:22.280 You know, this generation is AI, you know. So, 00:42:22.300 --> 00:42:28.119 verse 23. But we preach Christ crucified. Hallelujah. 00:42:28.840 --> 00:42:33.099 To the Jews is a stumbling block. And to the 00:42:33.099 --> 00:42:36.719 Greeks, it is foolishness. But to those who are 00:42:36.719 --> 00:42:40.599 called, both the Jews and the Greeks, Christ 00:42:40.599 --> 00:42:44.440 is what? Is a power of God and the wisdom of 00:42:44.440 --> 00:42:49.400 God. Because the foolishness of God. Now, we 00:42:49.400 --> 00:42:51.099 are not saying that God is foolish. This is just 00:42:51.099 --> 00:42:55.280 a contrast. This is a language used to describe, 00:42:55.420 --> 00:42:59.440 you know, what the writer is describing here. 00:43:00.059 --> 00:43:07.179 God is not foolish. Okay. Because the foolishness 00:43:07.179 --> 00:43:11.159 of God, if it's actually foolishness, is wiser 00:43:11.159 --> 00:43:14.219 than men. And the weakness of God, is God weak? 00:43:14.820 --> 00:43:18.260 There's no weakness in God. He's stronger than 00:43:18.260 --> 00:43:25.519 man. For you see, you're calling brethren, for 00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:28.820 you see, you're calling brethren, that not many 00:43:28.820 --> 00:43:33.340 wise, how did I read it? That not many wise according 00:43:33.340 --> 00:43:37.940 to the flesh. Not many mighty. Not many noble 00:43:37.940 --> 00:43:42.880 are called. You are called not because you are 00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:47.239 wealthy. Not because you are intelligent. Not 00:43:47.239 --> 00:43:50.880 because. But God has chosen the foolish things 00:43:50.880 --> 00:43:56.340 of the world. To put. To shame the wise. It's 00:43:56.340 --> 00:44:01.849 pride. It's pride in man. And God has chosen 00:44:01.849 --> 00:44:05.190 the weak things of the world to put to shame 00:44:05.190 --> 00:44:10.070 the things which are mighty. And the best things 00:44:10.070 --> 00:44:13.469 of the world and the things which are despised. 00:44:14.210 --> 00:44:17.309 The things which are despised, God has chosen. 00:44:17.469 --> 00:44:19.769 And the things which are not to bring to nothing 00:44:19.769 --> 00:44:26.809 the things that are. And no flesh, that no flesh 00:44:26.809 --> 00:44:31.550 should glory in his presence. But of him you 00:44:31.550 --> 00:44:34.570 are in Christ. Hallelujah. You are in Christ 00:44:34.570 --> 00:44:38.250 Jesus who became for us wisdom from God. Hallelujah. 00:44:38.849 --> 00:44:44.690 Jesus is our wisdom and righteousness and sanctification 00:44:44.690 --> 00:44:49.769 and redemption. That as it is written, he who 00:44:49.769 --> 00:44:53.170 glories, let him glory in what? Let him glory 00:44:53.170 --> 00:44:57.809 in the Lord. Not in wisdom. Not in intellect. 00:44:58.889 --> 00:45:05.409 Not in your resources. But that you glory in 00:45:05.409 --> 00:45:10.650 the Lord. So by wisdom of this world, men cannot 00:45:10.650 --> 00:45:16.929 come to know God. And also, by human wisdom, 00:45:17.050 --> 00:45:19.929 we cannot preach God to the world, brethren. 00:45:20.389 --> 00:45:23.309 We cannot use the wisdom of this world to preach 00:45:23.309 --> 00:45:29.030 the gospel to the world. Hallelujah. I see many 00:45:29.030 --> 00:45:30.690 times, you know, people want to preach, they 00:45:30.690 --> 00:45:33.590 begin to bring in some certain things, trying 00:45:33.590 --> 00:45:36.030 to use the things of the world, the definitions 00:45:36.030 --> 00:45:41.610 of the world. You see? Let me tell you one thing 00:45:41.610 --> 00:45:45.230 about, one example. Riches in the kingdom of 00:45:45.230 --> 00:45:48.150 God, right, is not the same thing as riches in 00:45:48.150 --> 00:45:56.750 the world. Okay? In the kingdom of God, riches. 00:45:58.119 --> 00:46:01.099 is defined by what? Listen, I'm talking about 00:46:01.099 --> 00:46:04.300 material wealth, not even spiritual. Listen, 00:46:04.460 --> 00:46:07.579 material riches in the kingdom of God is not 00:46:07.579 --> 00:46:13.420 in the accumulation of resources. Okay? It's 00:46:13.420 --> 00:46:18.079 in how much you give. That is how we quantify 00:46:18.079 --> 00:46:22.000 who is rich in the kingdom of God. The other 00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:25.599 way around is the world's way of defining who 00:46:25.599 --> 00:46:28.539 is rich. In how much you are able to accumulate 00:46:28.539 --> 00:46:30.619 and keep in your bank. They say, how much is 00:46:30.619 --> 00:46:34.780 your net worth? That's how the major riches in 00:46:34.780 --> 00:46:40.579 the world. So, our vocabulary must be distinct 00:46:40.579 --> 00:46:43.300 and aligned with what the scripture teaches. 00:46:47.719 --> 00:46:51.420 By the wisdom of men, we cannot preach God to 00:46:51.420 --> 00:46:54.860 them. 1 Corinthians 2, let's go to chapter 2. 00:46:55.760 --> 00:46:57.840 From verse 1, we see Paul when he came, he says, 00:46:57.960 --> 00:47:00.639 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not 00:47:00.639 --> 00:47:04.260 come with excellency of word, excellence of speech, 00:47:04.420 --> 00:47:08.019 or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony 00:47:08.019 --> 00:47:13.280 of God. He didn't come with sweet words. He didn't 00:47:13.280 --> 00:47:16.579 come with human wisdom. He didn't come with, 00:47:16.639 --> 00:47:19.219 you know, he didn't display his intellectual 00:47:19.219 --> 00:47:25.590 capacity in preaching about Christ. For I determined 00:47:25.590 --> 00:47:29.329 not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ 00:47:29.329 --> 00:47:34.510 and him crucified. So when you're going for evangelism, 00:47:34.630 --> 00:47:36.550 you're not going there to show your intellectual 00:47:36.550 --> 00:47:41.230 ability. You're not going there to show that 00:47:41.230 --> 00:47:42.869 you are intelligent or you are smart or you are 00:47:42.869 --> 00:47:45.510 brilliant. You are there to show people the intelligence 00:47:45.510 --> 00:47:52.619 of God, which is the cross. Hallelujah. The more 00:47:52.619 --> 00:47:57.300 you try to modernize it, you go off point. Let's 00:47:57.300 --> 00:48:00.019 look at how Paul said it. He said, for I determined 00:48:00.019 --> 00:48:03.440 not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ 00:48:03.440 --> 00:48:08.579 and him crucified. Why? I was with you in weakness, 00:48:08.719 --> 00:48:12.980 in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech 00:48:12.980 --> 00:48:17.500 and my preaching were not with persuasive words 00:48:17.500 --> 00:48:23.059 of human wisdom. He didn't use persuasive words 00:48:23.059 --> 00:48:26.480 of human wisdom on them, but in demonstration 00:48:26.480 --> 00:48:33.019 of what? Of the spirit and of power. That your 00:48:33.019 --> 00:48:37.420 faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but 00:48:37.420 --> 00:48:42.519 in what? But in the power of God. In the power 00:48:42.519 --> 00:48:50.150 of God. So, how do we explain the idea? Of God 00:48:50.150 --> 00:48:54.869 hiding things from the wise and prudent. How 00:48:54.869 --> 00:48:57.289 do we explain this? Isn't God now responsible 00:48:57.289 --> 00:49:01.250 for their unbelief? Since he has hidden it from 00:49:01.250 --> 00:49:06.769 them. Is God not responsible for their unbelief? 00:49:06.789 --> 00:49:11.110 Since God has hidden it from them. Now let's 00:49:11.110 --> 00:49:15.030 go back to that text in Luke. The word hide as 00:49:15.030 --> 00:49:18.840 used in Luke. Luke chapter 20 verse 22. and Matthew 00:49:18.840 --> 00:49:29.679 11 .25. Luke 20. Is it Luke 20? Luke 10 .20 rather. 00:49:37.940 --> 00:49:40.460 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the 00:49:40.460 --> 00:49:42.519 spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice 00:49:42.519 --> 00:49:46.119 because your name are written in heaven. Next. 00:49:46.539 --> 00:49:50.260 In that hour, Jesus rejoiced in the spirit and 00:49:50.260 --> 00:49:54.500 said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and 00:49:54.500 --> 00:49:57.800 earth, that you have hidden these things from 00:49:57.800 --> 00:50:00.659 the wise and prudent and revealed them to the 00:50:00.659 --> 00:50:04.360 babes. Even so, Father, for it seems good in 00:50:04.360 --> 00:50:08.480 your sight. Now, this hide in this text is a 00:50:08.480 --> 00:50:12.300 figure of speech. In literature, you know, we 00:50:12.300 --> 00:50:14.599 call it a figure of speech. We are writing, right? 00:50:16.139 --> 00:50:21.800 It's called metonymy. There are different classes 00:50:21.800 --> 00:50:25.019 of metonymy. If you go out, you can make research 00:50:25.019 --> 00:50:27.599 about it. If you've got a speech called metonymy, 00:50:27.619 --> 00:50:32.039 M -E -T -O -N -Y, M -Y. Especially the metonymy 00:50:32.039 --> 00:50:35.380 of the effect of the cause. Now, let me explain 00:50:35.380 --> 00:50:38.659 this in simple language. It's a situation in 00:50:38.659 --> 00:50:46.920 which we have more than one character. In an 00:50:46.920 --> 00:50:49.440 event, an event happens with having more than 00:50:49.440 --> 00:50:52.599 one character, but one character is mentioned. 00:50:53.760 --> 00:50:56.980 Often, the one that is not active in that event 00:50:56.980 --> 00:51:01.880 is accorded as responsible for that action. Do 00:51:01.880 --> 00:51:04.519 you understand what I just explained now? Okay, 00:51:04.539 --> 00:51:09.360 let me explain it in... I and Pastor Victor and 00:51:09.360 --> 00:51:13.360 Pastor Chidi, something happened, right? And 00:51:13.360 --> 00:51:16.730 then... Of course, we went to Pastor Chidi's 00:51:16.730 --> 00:51:21.170 house. And I did something. And because Pastor 00:51:21.170 --> 00:51:23.829 Chidi is his house and they say it is Pastor 00:51:23.829 --> 00:51:27.969 Chidi that did it. You understand? I'll give 00:51:27.969 --> 00:51:31.570 you examples in scripture. For example now, in 00:51:31.570 --> 00:51:35.610 Exodus chapter 9 verse 12. The example of Pharaoh. 00:51:37.809 --> 00:51:44.480 Exodus chapter 9 verse 12. But the Lord had in 00:51:44.480 --> 00:51:48.039 the heart of Pharaoh and he did not heed them. 00:51:49.380 --> 00:51:52.699 Just as the Lord has spoken to Moses. So was 00:51:52.699 --> 00:51:55.460 it God that had in the heart of Pharaoh or Pharaoh 00:51:55.460 --> 00:52:00.000 refused to believe what Moses said? He what? 00:52:04.440 --> 00:52:08.579 He refused to believe, right? So in this story 00:52:08.579 --> 00:52:13.090 now, it is reported that God hardened his heart. 00:52:15.010 --> 00:52:17.570 The Bible said God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, 00:52:17.610 --> 00:52:22.070 but in reality, right, Pharaoh hardened his heart 00:52:22.070 --> 00:52:30.030 against the word of God. Okay? Let me give you 00:52:30.030 --> 00:52:35.530 another example. Which one would I give? Another 00:52:35.530 --> 00:52:37.349 metonymy, but it's not a metonymy, of course, 00:52:37.349 --> 00:52:46.349 an effect. Let's say the chief of staff to the 00:52:46.349 --> 00:52:51.789 president of America, for example, now, says 00:52:51.789 --> 00:52:59.769 something bad about Russia, for example, now. 00:53:01.250 --> 00:53:04.289 If it's going to be written, who will say that 00:53:04.289 --> 00:53:09.860 thing? The White House, right? What does the 00:53:09.860 --> 00:53:15.019 White House mean? The president. Why? Because 00:53:15.019 --> 00:53:18.460 the president is what? He's the president. He's 00:53:18.460 --> 00:53:23.480 the one that appointed him. But in, of course, 00:53:23.500 --> 00:53:25.400 in real sense, the president did not say, but 00:53:25.400 --> 00:53:27.280 the White House, the White House refers to the 00:53:27.280 --> 00:53:28.840 president, it refers to the seat of the president. 00:53:29.219 --> 00:53:31.920 Isn't it? So if the news will write that, they 00:53:31.920 --> 00:53:33.519 will refer to us, the White House. And when you 00:53:33.519 --> 00:53:35.280 say the White House, first you know that it is 00:53:35.280 --> 00:53:40.659 Donald Trump. Are we together? So in this, it's 00:53:40.659 --> 00:53:43.199 a way of communication. And the people responsible 00:53:43.199 --> 00:53:47.440 here, we see here, there is a Pharaoh disbelieved 00:53:47.440 --> 00:53:50.119 the word and he did not act in obedience to what 00:53:50.119 --> 00:53:55.239 Moses said. But it is recorded as God had in 00:53:55.239 --> 00:53:57.820 his heart. Romans chapter 1 verse 24, we saw 00:53:57.820 --> 00:54:05.159 earlier on. 1 24 says, therefore God also gave 00:54:05.159 --> 00:54:07.280 them up to uncleanness. When we read earlier 00:54:07.280 --> 00:54:10.539 on. Was it God that gave them up or they refused 00:54:10.539 --> 00:54:16.659 to believe God? There is two options. If you 00:54:16.659 --> 00:54:18.159 believe God, this is the outcome of believing 00:54:18.159 --> 00:54:20.780 God. This is the outcome of disbelieving God. 00:54:21.179 --> 00:54:23.559 When you disbelieve God, what will happen? A, 00:54:23.699 --> 00:54:25.940 B, C, D will happen. When you believe God, what 00:54:25.940 --> 00:54:28.320 will happen? A, B, C will happen. And you choose 00:54:28.320 --> 00:54:33.239 to believe God, right? Or you choose to disbelieve 00:54:33.239 --> 00:54:35.820 God. So we see the action, the result of your 00:54:35.820 --> 00:54:39.750 action. It's what we see as a result of their 00:54:39.750 --> 00:54:43.869 disobedience. So, verse 28 also mentioned that 00:54:43.869 --> 00:54:46.989 24, 28 we see also, God gave them up to loss 00:54:46.989 --> 00:54:48.670 of their heart to dishonor their bodies among 00:54:48.670 --> 00:54:56.170 themselves. Verse 28. Verse 28. And even as they 00:54:56.170 --> 00:54:59.250 did not like to retain God in their heart, in 00:54:59.250 --> 00:55:03.909 their knowledge, God gave them over to the base 00:55:03.909 --> 00:55:06.429 mind. To do those things which are not fitting. 00:55:06.630 --> 00:55:08.869 As though God is responsible for the things they 00:55:08.869 --> 00:55:12.150 did. But the action here. Is the action in not 00:55:12.150 --> 00:55:18.210 retaining God. Okay. Then we see the result in 00:55:18.210 --> 00:55:23.269 their lives. So the text said God gave them up. 00:55:23.349 --> 00:55:26.690 But in reality. They chose not to believe in 00:55:26.690 --> 00:55:28.809 God. And we see the consequence of their action. 00:55:28.849 --> 00:55:32.269 In all that we see in the text. So in reality. 00:55:32.940 --> 00:55:37.699 God does not hide the truth from people. Hallelujah. 00:55:39.000 --> 00:55:42.320 God's desire is that all men should be saved. 00:55:45.219 --> 00:55:47.599 God's desire is that all men should be saved. 00:55:48.539 --> 00:55:51.559 God has not sat down and written a certain list 00:55:51.559 --> 00:55:53.179 of some people that these are the only ones that 00:55:53.179 --> 00:55:57.860 will be saved. Some people believe that there 00:55:57.860 --> 00:55:59.980 are some numbers that God has decided that these 00:55:59.980 --> 00:56:01.980 are the only ones that will make heaven. The 00:56:01.980 --> 00:56:06.679 rest, God has destined them for judgment. How 00:56:06.679 --> 00:56:11.179 come you are inside that number? What makes you 00:56:11.179 --> 00:56:14.139 special than others that you say God has destined 00:56:14.139 --> 00:56:16.760 them for destruction? So you mean God will sit 00:56:16.760 --> 00:56:18.559 down and the thing that God will do is that he 00:56:18.559 --> 00:56:22.380 will prepare men for destruction. Then there's 00:56:22.380 --> 00:56:27.420 no love in that God. From the foundation of the 00:56:27.420 --> 00:56:30.400 world, he knows. And he prepared them for what? 00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:32.260 For destruction. That is what God sat down and 00:56:32.260 --> 00:56:36.719 did. Then that is a misrepresentation of the 00:56:36.719 --> 00:56:44.159 character of God. So, God does not hide the truth 00:56:44.159 --> 00:56:49.179 from people. God is light. And in him there is 00:56:49.179 --> 00:56:52.760 no what? There is no darkness. To say that God 00:56:52.760 --> 00:56:55.019 hides, it means that there is darkness in God. 00:56:56.460 --> 00:57:01.739 So God does not hide his truth. God's revelation 00:57:01.739 --> 00:57:08.039 is a matter of faith in the word of God. We who 00:57:08.039 --> 00:57:11.019 believe in the word of God have the revelation 00:57:11.019 --> 00:57:16.719 of the mysteries of God. Alright? So we believe, 00:57:16.800 --> 00:57:20.780 we act on faith on what God has said. We act 00:57:20.780 --> 00:57:25.900 as children. Just as children believe and they 00:57:25.900 --> 00:57:30.000 obey, we act and we believe and we obey. Just 00:57:30.000 --> 00:57:38.039 like children. So to us, God's revelation is 00:57:38.039 --> 00:57:41.360 a matter of faith in the word of God. We believe 00:57:41.360 --> 00:57:47.300 in the word of God. We who believe in the word 00:57:47.300 --> 00:57:51.800 of God have revelation of the mysteries of God. 00:57:52.250 --> 00:57:54.389 1 Corinthians 2 .6. Let's continue. 1 Corinthians 00:57:54.389 --> 00:57:59.630 2 .6. We see when Paul was talking about contrasting 00:57:59.630 --> 00:58:05.010 the wise and the prudent and the babes. Say, 00:58:05.070 --> 00:58:10.170 however we speak wisdom among those who are mature, 00:58:10.449 --> 00:58:17.250 yet not wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers 00:58:17.250 --> 00:58:21.550 of this age who are coming to nothing. But we 00:58:21.550 --> 00:58:26.929 speak what? The wisdom of God in a mystery. The 00:58:26.929 --> 00:58:31.190 hidden wisdom which God ordained when? Before 00:58:31.190 --> 00:58:36.389 ages for our glory. Which none of the rulers 00:58:36.389 --> 00:58:40.110 of this age knew. For had they known, they would 00:58:40.110 --> 00:58:44.210 not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as 00:58:44.210 --> 00:58:48.530 it is written, I have not seen nor heard. nor 00:58:48.530 --> 00:58:51.170 have entered into the heart of man the things 00:58:51.170 --> 00:58:53.510 which God has prepared for those who love him. 00:58:54.710 --> 00:58:58.090 He's actually prepared for those whom God loves. 00:58:59.469 --> 00:59:03.309 But God has what? God has revealed it to who? 00:59:04.590 --> 00:59:12.409 Huh? To who? To us. How? Through his spirit. 00:59:12.650 --> 00:59:16.909 So we have the revelation of God through his 00:59:16.909 --> 00:59:20.409 spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, 00:59:20.449 --> 00:59:26.210 the deep things of God. Colossians 1, verse 24. 00:59:35.769 --> 00:59:39.190 I now rejoice in my suffering for you and fill 00:59:39.190 --> 00:59:43.610 up in my flesh what is lacking in the affliction 00:59:43.610 --> 00:59:45.949 of Christ for the sake of his body, which is 00:59:45.949 --> 00:59:51.619 a church. Of which I became a minister. According 00:59:51.619 --> 00:59:53.800 to the stewardship. From which was given to me. 00:59:53.900 --> 01:00:00.400 For you to fulfill. The word of God. The mystery. 01:00:00.780 --> 01:00:02.699 This is the word of God. The mystery which has 01:00:02.699 --> 01:00:05.960 been hidden from ages. And from generations. 01:00:07.119 --> 01:00:12.920 But now. Has been revealed to his sense. To them. 01:00:13.780 --> 01:00:18.320 God willed. To make known. What are the riches 01:00:18.320 --> 01:00:25.480 of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles? 01:00:25.519 --> 01:00:29.179 Which is what? Which is Christ in what? In you, 01:00:29.380 --> 01:00:34.500 the hope of glory. Christ in you, the hope of 01:00:34.500 --> 01:00:39.860 glory. Mystery revealed to the believer. Mystery 01:00:39.860 --> 01:00:44.360 is what? Is revealed. Hallelujah. To us, it is 01:00:44.360 --> 01:00:48.719 given. To you, It is given to know the mysteries 01:00:48.719 --> 01:00:54.260 of the kingdom. So we are not in darkness. We 01:00:54.260 --> 01:00:56.559 are not in darkness not to know what God has 01:00:56.559 --> 01:01:00.619 done. Amen? We are not in darkness to know what 01:01:00.619 --> 01:01:03.079 God has done in Christ because we believe just 01:01:03.079 --> 01:01:10.940 as babes believe. That is why the gospel can 01:01:10.940 --> 01:01:14.000 be understood by someone that went to school. 01:01:15.119 --> 01:01:16.820 And can also be understood by someone that did 01:01:16.820 --> 01:01:20.059 not go to school. Even if you cannot read and 01:01:20.059 --> 01:01:21.460 write, you can understand the gospel and you 01:01:21.460 --> 01:01:23.980 can believe the gospel. And you can also preach 01:01:23.980 --> 01:01:33.500 the gospel. Hallelujah. Because it's for those 01:01:33.500 --> 01:01:37.539 who have the minds of children who believe and 01:01:37.539 --> 01:01:42.260 obey unto them is given the understanding of 01:01:42.260 --> 01:01:45.929 the mystery of God. The mystery in the Greek 01:01:45.929 --> 01:01:53.750 word is a word mysterion. Mysterion. M -Y -S 01:01:53.750 --> 01:01:58.949 -T -E -R -I -O -N. Let me spell it again. M -Y 01:01:58.949 --> 01:02:04.489 -S -T -E -R -I -O -N. Mysterion. It means something 01:02:04.489 --> 01:02:12.449 hidden. A secret. And this hidden stuff is... 01:02:12.539 --> 01:02:15.019 It's what should be taught, actually, in this 01:02:15.019 --> 01:02:18.079 context. It's what should be taught, said, and 01:02:18.079 --> 01:02:22.019 declared. It's something that should be taught, 01:02:22.159 --> 01:02:30.280 said, and declared. Now, let's have a short study. 01:02:31.139 --> 01:02:34.039 How the Bible explains this mystery. What the 01:02:34.039 --> 01:02:36.980 Bible calls this mystery. The Bible explains 01:02:36.980 --> 01:02:41.360 this mystery in several ways. It is called the 01:02:41.360 --> 01:02:44.539 mystery of the kingdom of heaven. In scriptures 01:02:44.539 --> 01:02:48.340 you will see it. Mystery of the kingdom of heaven. 01:02:48.599 --> 01:02:53.059 Matthew chapter 13 verse 11. Matthew 13 verse 01:02:53.059 --> 01:02:57.940 11. He answered and said to them. Because it 01:02:57.940 --> 01:03:01.300 has been given to you to know what? The mysteries 01:03:01.300 --> 01:03:06.539 of what? Of the kingdom of heaven. But to them 01:03:06.539 --> 01:03:08.960 it has not been given. So here it is represented 01:03:08.960 --> 01:03:12.579 as the mysteries of what? Of the kingdom of heaven. 01:03:13.340 --> 01:03:16.820 It is also the mysteries of the kingdom of God. 01:03:18.360 --> 01:03:21.900 Kingdom of heaven. Same thing. The mysteries 01:03:21.900 --> 01:03:24.519 of the kingdom of God. Mark chapter 4 verse 11. 01:03:26.800 --> 01:03:31.480 Mark 4 11. He answered and said to them. Mark 01:03:31.480 --> 01:03:34.429 4 11. And he said to them. To you it has been 01:03:34.429 --> 01:03:37.809 given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. 01:03:38.269 --> 01:03:41.670 But to those who are outside, all things come 01:03:41.670 --> 01:03:46.869 in what? Parable. All things comes in parable. 01:03:46.949 --> 01:03:50.170 Mystery of the kingdom of God. Look at verse 01:03:50.170 --> 01:03:53.250 10. Mystery of the kingdom of God. We've seen 01:03:53.250 --> 01:03:57.050 mystery of the kingdom of heaven. It's the same 01:03:57.050 --> 01:04:01.900 thing as mystery of the kingdom of God. And he 01:04:01.900 --> 01:04:04.380 said to you, it has been given to know the mysteries 01:04:04.380 --> 01:04:07.760 of the kingdom of God. But to the rest it is 01:04:07.760 --> 01:04:10.119 given in parables that seeing they may not see, 01:04:10.219 --> 01:04:12.940 hearing they may not understand. And the reason 01:04:12.940 --> 01:04:15.880 that they will see and not see, right, is because 01:04:15.880 --> 01:04:20.760 of unbelief. It's because of unbelief. So we 01:04:20.760 --> 01:04:24.300 see the mysteries of the kingdom of God, mysteries 01:04:24.300 --> 01:04:27.619 of the kingdom of heaven. We also see in scriptures 01:04:27.619 --> 01:04:31.559 the mysteries of God. All is the same thing. 01:04:32.139 --> 01:04:36.679 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 1. 1 Corinthians 01:04:36.679 --> 01:04:42.500 chapter 4 verse 1. Let a man consider us as servants 01:04:42.500 --> 01:04:46.900 of Christ and stewards of what? The mysteries 01:04:46.900 --> 01:04:51.320 of who? Of God. Alright. Still the same thing. 01:04:51.400 --> 01:04:58.480 The mysteries of God. Colossians 2 verse 2. Colossians 01:04:58.480 --> 01:05:10.239 2 verse 2. And their hearts may be encouraged. 01:05:11.860 --> 01:05:16.099 Being knit together in love and attaining to 01:05:16.099 --> 01:05:20.440 all riches of the full assurance of understanding 01:05:20.440 --> 01:05:25.880 to the knowledge of the mystery of God. Mystery 01:05:25.880 --> 01:05:29.320 of God. Both of the Father and of the Christ. 01:05:30.119 --> 01:05:33.000 Mystery of God. Both of the Father and of the 01:05:33.000 --> 01:05:36.070 Christ. In whom? Are hidden all the treasures 01:05:36.070 --> 01:05:42.130 of the wisdom. Of wisdom and knowledge. Mysteries 01:05:42.130 --> 01:05:46.230 of God. We will also see this same mystery. As 01:05:46.230 --> 01:05:50.630 the mystery of Christ. The mystery of Christ. 01:05:52.650 --> 01:05:55.909 The mystery of Christ. The same thing. Ephesians 01:05:55.909 --> 01:06:02.989 chapter 3 verse 4. The mystery of Christ. By 01:06:02.989 --> 01:06:06.570 which when you read, let's go back to verse, 01:06:06.670 --> 01:06:11.849 let's go from verse 1. From verse 1. For this 01:06:11.849 --> 01:06:14.570 reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus 01:06:14.570 --> 01:06:19.550 for you, Gentiles, indeed you have heard of the 01:06:19.550 --> 01:06:22.349 dispensation of the grace of God. This dispensation 01:06:22.349 --> 01:06:26.610 is what? The stewardship, the administration 01:06:26.610 --> 01:06:31.309 of the grace of God which was given to me for 01:06:31.309 --> 01:06:36.159 you. Even did, yes, how that by revelation, by 01:06:36.159 --> 01:06:41.860 what? By revelation, he made known to me the 01:06:41.860 --> 01:06:48.119 mystery as I have briefly what? Written. Already. 01:06:48.239 --> 01:06:54.400 By which when you read, when you read, you may 01:06:54.400 --> 01:06:59.760 understand my knowledge, he called it in the 01:06:59.760 --> 01:07:05.420 mystery of Christ. which in other ages was not 01:07:05.420 --> 01:07:10.380 made known to the sons of men. Which ages? Of 01:07:10.380 --> 01:07:12.159 course, going back to the times of the prophets, 01:07:12.340 --> 01:07:14.980 right? Made known to the sons of men, and it 01:07:14.980 --> 01:07:18.280 has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy 01:07:18.280 --> 01:07:22.000 apostles and prophets. Apostles and prophets, 01:07:22.260 --> 01:07:25.719 yes. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs 01:07:25.719 --> 01:07:29.159 of the same body and partakers of his promise 01:07:29.159 --> 01:07:33.590 in Christ through the gospel. So he called it 01:07:33.590 --> 01:07:36.929 the mystery of Christ. The mystery of God is 01:07:36.929 --> 01:07:40.030 a mystery of the kingdom of heaven, is a mystery 01:07:40.030 --> 01:07:43.309 of the kingdom of God, is a mystery of God, is 01:07:43.309 --> 01:07:48.769 the same thing as a mystery of Christ. Mystery 01:07:48.769 --> 01:07:57.030 of Christ. Colossians 4, verse 3. Meanwhile, 01:07:57.130 --> 01:08:00.969 pray also for us. That God will open us a door 01:08:00.969 --> 01:08:05.250 for the world to speak what? To speak the mystery 01:08:05.250 --> 01:08:10.550 of Christ for which I am also in chain. So is 01:08:10.550 --> 01:08:14.769 this mystery also the gospel? Huh? Is it also 01:08:14.769 --> 01:08:19.489 the gospel? We will see that it is also referred 01:08:19.489 --> 01:08:23.149 to as a mystery of the gospel. Ephesians 6 verse 01:08:23.149 --> 01:08:30.130 19. Same thing. Ephesians 6 verse 19. And for 01:08:30.130 --> 01:08:33.550 me, that all trans may be given to me, that I 01:08:33.550 --> 01:08:37.310 may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery 01:08:37.310 --> 01:08:42.250 of what? Of the gospel. Hallelujah. The mystery 01:08:42.250 --> 01:08:45.289 of the gospel. So what should be the response 01:08:45.289 --> 01:08:50.050 to the gospel? Faith, right? Faith. The mystery 01:08:50.050 --> 01:08:53.329 is also the mystery of the faith. The mystery 01:08:53.329 --> 01:08:58.710 of faith. 1 Timothy 3, verse 19. 1 Timothy 3, 01:08:58.869 --> 01:09:01.630 verse 9. Verse 9, not 19, verse 9. 1 Timothy 01:09:01.630 --> 01:09:06.909 3, verse 9. It says, holding the mystery of what? 01:09:07.489 --> 01:09:12.510 Of the faith with a pure conscience. The faith 01:09:12.510 --> 01:09:15.850 entails all that pertains to Christ. The faith 01:09:15.850 --> 01:09:18.189 entails all that pertains to the kingdom of God. 01:09:18.329 --> 01:09:21.789 The faith means all that pertains to the kingdom 01:09:21.789 --> 01:09:24.670 of heaven, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of 01:09:24.670 --> 01:09:28.439 Christ. There's no difference between the kingdom 01:09:28.439 --> 01:09:31.279 of God and the kingdom of heaven. It's the same 01:09:31.279 --> 01:09:38.720 thing. Agreed? So this mystery is one. Alright? 01:09:40.399 --> 01:09:44.140 It's also referred to as the mystery of godliness. 01:09:45.579 --> 01:09:49.920 1 Timothy 3 verse 16. The mystery of what? Of 01:09:49.920 --> 01:09:54.460 godliness. And without controversy, great is 01:09:54.460 --> 01:09:58.109 the mystery of what? Godliness. And he explains 01:09:58.109 --> 01:10:02.590 it. God was manifested in the flesh. Justified 01:10:02.590 --> 01:10:06.409 in the spirit. Seen by angels. Preached among 01:10:06.409 --> 01:10:10.250 the Gentiles. Believed in the world. And received 01:10:10.250 --> 01:10:15.590 up in glory. Hallelujah. So all this refers to 01:10:15.590 --> 01:10:17.489 the same. So when we are talking about mystery. 01:10:17.770 --> 01:10:24.420 There are not many mysteries. Hallelujah. Even 01:10:24.420 --> 01:10:26.739 when Paul was talking about marriage, he said 01:10:26.739 --> 01:10:29.939 he's referring to the same thing. He's talking 01:10:29.939 --> 01:10:36.039 about Christ and the church. Amen? To you and 01:10:36.039 --> 01:10:40.779 I is given to know the mystery, the mystery of 01:10:40.779 --> 01:10:45.500 God. To know the mysteries of the kingdom. Do 01:10:45.500 --> 01:10:48.439 you know why? Because we have a responsibility. 01:10:51.340 --> 01:10:53.979 We have a responsibility. So to us, it's given 01:10:53.979 --> 01:10:57.619 because we have, of course, we are safe and we 01:10:57.619 --> 01:11:00.800 are part of the mystery because Christ in us 01:11:00.800 --> 01:11:05.239 is a mystery. Hallelujah. God, indwelling man, 01:11:05.460 --> 01:11:07.920 the kind of man cannot understand that ideology. 01:11:11.800 --> 01:11:13.720 The man that is not born again cannot understand. 01:11:13.779 --> 01:11:17.619 How can you say God lives in you? It doesn't 01:11:17.619 --> 01:11:21.670 make sense. But that is the wisdom of God. That 01:11:21.670 --> 01:11:24.189 is the mystery of God revealed to us. For to 01:11:24.189 --> 01:11:27.710 us, it's not a mystery, it's a revelation. Hallelujah. 01:11:28.590 --> 01:11:40.189 Amen? And Paul made it very clear that this revelation 01:11:40.189 --> 01:11:43.670 of the mystery are from the teachings of the 01:11:43.670 --> 01:11:47.989 prophets. Okay? It is a message of God through 01:11:47.989 --> 01:11:51.539 the mouth of the prophets. Right? Romans chapter 01:11:51.539 --> 01:11:54.079 16 verse 25. I think we saw this text earlier 01:11:54.079 --> 01:11:59.300 on. Romans 16, 25, 27. This mystery is not so 01:11:59.300 --> 01:12:02.720 mysterious. This mystery did not appear mysteriously 01:12:02.720 --> 01:12:10.300 from nowhere. Okay? It didn't appear mysteriously 01:12:10.300 --> 01:12:14.760 from nowhere. That is why we saw what Peter said. 01:12:14.979 --> 01:12:18.000 What Peter said is written by the prophets. It's 01:12:18.000 --> 01:12:22.579 what the prophets have said. To him who is able 01:12:22.579 --> 01:12:26.420 to establish you according to my gospel. And 01:12:26.420 --> 01:12:29.479 the preaching of Jesus Christ. According to what? 01:12:29.659 --> 01:12:34.159 According to the revelation of the mystery kept 01:12:34.159 --> 01:12:39.439 secret. Since the world began. But now made manifest. 01:12:40.560 --> 01:12:45.560 How? And by the prophetic scriptures. So Paul's 01:12:45.560 --> 01:12:49.520 mystery is not that he got it somewhere. He believed 01:12:49.520 --> 01:12:52.220 the word. He understand the word. He believe 01:12:52.220 --> 01:12:53.880 therefore he got understanding by the spirit. 01:12:55.520 --> 01:12:59.300 Hallelujah. He believe by the spirit he got understanding. 01:12:59.359 --> 01:13:04.520 So he's able to write. Amen. But now made manifest 01:13:04.520 --> 01:13:09.199 by the prophetic scriptures. Made known to all 01:13:09.199 --> 01:13:13.239 nations according to the commandment of the everlasting 01:13:13.239 --> 01:13:18.000 God for obedience to the faith. Verse 7. To God 01:13:18.000 --> 01:13:22.869 alone. wise, the glory through Jesus Christ forever. 01:13:23.069 --> 01:13:27.310 Amen. So clearly we see here that, as I said, 01:13:27.409 --> 01:13:30.130 the mystery didn't just appear mysteriously. 01:13:30.829 --> 01:13:34.390 It is in the writings of the prophets, started 01:13:34.390 --> 01:13:37.829 with Moses, right from Genesis chapter 1 verse 01:13:37.829 --> 01:13:40.810 1, that's when the mystery was revealed, was 01:13:40.810 --> 01:13:43.350 stated, coming down to the writings of the prophets, 01:13:43.569 --> 01:13:48.939 to the Psalms, and then we see, manifested in 01:13:48.939 --> 01:13:51.659 the epistles, revealed in Christ in the epistles, 01:13:51.899 --> 01:13:56.560 then we see after his resurrection, glorified 01:13:56.560 --> 01:14:05.180 in us. Hallelujah. So Jesus is a centrality of 01:14:05.180 --> 01:14:08.859 this mystery. Listen, when we say mystery, we're 01:14:08.859 --> 01:14:13.220 not talking about portals. We're not talking 01:14:13.220 --> 01:14:15.800 about something that is new. You're looking for 01:14:15.800 --> 01:14:18.260 fresh revelation. What we're saying is that it's 01:14:18.260 --> 01:14:21.779 a revelation of Christ. Don't go and then be 01:14:21.779 --> 01:14:24.020 looking for some fresh revelation to give people. 01:14:25.399 --> 01:14:30.199 There's no new revelation. Alright? It's to the 01:14:30.199 --> 01:14:33.159 unsafe that it is a revelation. It's a mystery 01:14:33.159 --> 01:14:35.880 to the unsafe, rather. But to us, it's a revelation. 01:14:36.659 --> 01:14:39.380 There's no mystery. You cannot come and be talking 01:14:39.380 --> 01:14:41.220 to believers and then you are telling them potters 01:14:41.220 --> 01:14:47.579 and who do you want to impress? Believers have 01:14:47.579 --> 01:14:49.500 common knowledge with the one you have. They 01:14:49.500 --> 01:14:51.920 have show to them what Christ has done. That's 01:14:51.920 --> 01:14:56.760 what is necessary. Amen? So we don't come here 01:14:56.760 --> 01:15:01.159 and begin to tell you our experiences or anything 01:15:01.159 --> 01:15:03.520 that we've achieved on our own. But we show you 01:15:03.520 --> 01:15:06.319 what Christ has done. What Christ has revealed. 01:15:07.839 --> 01:15:10.699 Hallelujah. So Jesus Christ is the center of 01:15:10.699 --> 01:15:13.699 this mystery. He is the centrality of this mystery. 01:15:14.979 --> 01:15:17.920 Colossians chapter 2 verse 1. You will see that 01:15:17.920 --> 01:15:21.000 Jesus Christ is the center of this mystery. For 01:15:21.000 --> 01:15:25.659 I want you to know what a great conflict I have 01:15:25.659 --> 01:15:33.779 for you and those in Laodicea and for as many 01:15:33.779 --> 01:15:37.279 as have seen my face in the flesh. that their 01:15:37.279 --> 01:15:41.000 hearts may be encouraged, being knit together 01:15:41.000 --> 01:15:45.359 in love and attending to all riches, of the full 01:15:45.359 --> 01:15:48.399 assurance of understanding, to the knowledge 01:15:48.399 --> 01:15:52.699 of the mystery of God, both of the Father and 01:15:52.699 --> 01:15:56.880 of Christ. So you see, Jesus Christ is in the 01:15:56.880 --> 01:16:00.020 center of this, right? Jump to chapter 4, verse 01:16:00.020 --> 01:16:06.979 3. Chapter 4, verse 3. Colossians 4 verse 3. 01:16:14.720 --> 01:16:18.460 Praying also for us that God will open us a door 01:16:18.460 --> 01:16:22.520 for the word to speak the mystery is of Christ 01:16:22.520 --> 01:16:27.039 for which I am also in chains. The mystery is 01:16:27.039 --> 01:16:29.340 of Christ and is revealed to us and we know what 01:16:29.340 --> 01:16:39.170 it is. Hallelujah. Ephesians 1 verse 3. Ephesians 01:16:39.170 --> 01:16:44.350 1 verse 3. It says, blessed be the God and the 01:16:44.350 --> 01:16:47.369 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed 01:16:47.369 --> 01:16:49.630 us with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly 01:16:49.630 --> 01:16:54.890 places. Heavenly place. In Christ. In the heavenlies 01:16:54.890 --> 01:16:58.670 in Christ. Just as he chose us in him before 01:16:58.670 --> 01:17:00.850 the foundation of the world that we should be 01:17:00.850 --> 01:17:06.489 holy and without blame before him in love. This 01:17:06.489 --> 01:17:08.840 is the mystery explained. Having predestined 01:17:08.840 --> 01:17:12.520 us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself 01:17:12.520 --> 01:17:16.220 according to the good pleasure of his will. To 01:17:16.220 --> 01:17:18.760 the praise of the glory of his grace by which 01:17:18.760 --> 01:17:22.699 he made us accepted in the beloved. In him we 01:17:22.699 --> 01:17:26.199 have redemption through his blood the forgiveness 01:17:26.199 --> 01:17:29.800 of sins according to the riches of his grace. 01:17:32.420 --> 01:17:36.119 Which he made to abound to us in all wisdom. 01:17:37.199 --> 01:17:40.579 Now this wisdom and prudence is not of the world. 01:17:42.039 --> 01:17:44.479 Alright? There's a wisdom and prudence of the 01:17:44.479 --> 01:17:47.420 world. The wisdom and prudence of God is in Christ. 01:17:48.779 --> 01:17:52.640 Having made known to us what? The mystery of 01:17:52.640 --> 01:17:56.659 his will. The mystery of his will. According 01:17:56.659 --> 01:18:01.279 to his good pleasure which he proposed in himself. 01:18:02.260 --> 01:18:05.439 That in the dispensation of the fullness of time. 01:18:06.090 --> 01:18:10.310 He may gather together in one all things in Christ. 01:18:10.369 --> 01:18:13.170 Christ is the centrality of this mystery. He 01:18:13.170 --> 01:18:16.250 gathered all things in Christ, both which are 01:18:16.250 --> 01:18:21.649 heavenly, which are unseen, and which are on 01:18:21.649 --> 01:18:25.369 earth. What is on earth? Us. On earth means us, 01:18:25.529 --> 01:18:30.930 in him. Hallelujah. So Jesus Christ is the center 01:18:30.930 --> 01:18:36.770 of this mystery. Jump to chapter 3, verse 3. 01:18:39.170 --> 01:18:43.710 Chapter 3, verse 3 to 9. How that by revelation 01:18:43.710 --> 01:18:48.470 he made known to me the mystery, as I have briefly 01:18:48.470 --> 01:18:54.229 written already, by which when you read, when 01:18:54.229 --> 01:18:56.590 you study, this read is not just read, when you 01:18:56.590 --> 01:19:02.170 study, when you chew over it, when you expertise 01:19:02.170 --> 01:19:07.140 in it, You may understand my knowledge in the 01:19:07.140 --> 01:19:12.140 mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not 01:19:12.140 --> 01:19:16.159 made known to the sons of men, as it has now 01:19:16.159 --> 01:19:19.020 been revealed by who? By the Spirit to his holy 01:19:19.020 --> 01:19:25.520 apostles and prophets. Are you a prophet? Are 01:19:25.520 --> 01:19:29.220 you a prophet? Are you an apostle? You are not 01:19:29.220 --> 01:19:32.760 the apostle, but you are an apostle. You are 01:19:32.760 --> 01:19:35.960 a prophet. Hallelujah. Do you have the revelation 01:19:35.960 --> 01:19:38.739 of Christ? Yes, you have the revelation of Christ. 01:19:39.300 --> 01:19:42.819 Amen? You have the revelation of Christ. Hallelujah. 01:19:44.039 --> 01:19:46.960 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the 01:19:46.960 --> 01:19:49.720 same body. They should be inclusive in this that 01:19:49.720 --> 01:19:52.659 God has done. Of the same body and partakers 01:19:52.659 --> 01:19:57.319 of his promise in Christ through the gospel of 01:19:57.319 --> 01:20:05.409 which I became a minister. So Paul is a minister 01:20:05.409 --> 01:20:11.789 of what? Of mystery. Of who? Of Christ. Does 01:20:11.789 --> 01:20:15.770 it give you a hint? They are also a minister 01:20:15.770 --> 01:20:20.789 of what? Of the mystery. To which I became a 01:20:20.789 --> 01:20:23.229 minister according to the gift of the grace of 01:20:23.229 --> 01:20:26.489 God given to me by effective working of his power. 01:20:27.289 --> 01:20:32.390 To me who am less. Than the least. Is there anything 01:20:32.390 --> 01:20:36.470 like less of the least? I don't know what Paul 01:20:36.470 --> 01:20:41.609 was thinking. Who am the less. Than the least. 01:20:41.750 --> 01:20:46.390 Of all the saints. His grace was given me. Was 01:20:46.390 --> 01:20:49.229 given. That I should preach among the Gentiles. 01:20:50.189 --> 01:20:56.470 The unsearchable riches of Christ. And to make 01:20:56.470 --> 01:21:00.340 all see. What is the fellowship? So listen, as 01:21:00.340 --> 01:21:03.119 you are reading what Paul, be reading yourself 01:21:03.119 --> 01:21:08.300 in the writings of Paul. Alright? To make all 01:21:08.300 --> 01:21:12.619 see what is the fellowship of what? Fellowship 01:21:12.619 --> 01:21:15.899 here means what? Sharing, right? Fellowship here 01:21:15.899 --> 01:21:19.960 means what? Distribution of the mystery which 01:21:19.960 --> 01:21:22.479 from the beginning of ages has been hidden in 01:21:22.479 --> 01:21:25.260 God who created all things through Jesus Christ. 01:21:29.680 --> 01:21:33.539 To the intent now. That the manifold wisdom of 01:21:33.539 --> 01:21:41.720 God. Hallelujah. Wisdom of God. Might be made 01:21:41.720 --> 01:21:47.779 known. By who? By angels. Who is the church? 01:21:48.939 --> 01:21:51.720 We are the church. Hallelujah. So what are we 01:21:51.720 --> 01:21:54.859 to do? We are to make known. The manifold wisdom 01:21:54.859 --> 01:22:01.359 of God. Seen in the mystery of Christ. Be made 01:22:01.359 --> 01:22:04.140 known by the church to the principalities and 01:22:04.140 --> 01:22:10.539 the powers in the heavenlies. Hallelujah. According 01:22:10.539 --> 01:22:12.260 to the eternal purpose which he accomplished 01:22:12.260 --> 01:22:17.739 in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is powerful. In 01:22:17.739 --> 01:22:21.140 whom we have what? We have boldness and access 01:22:21.140 --> 01:22:27.399 with confidence to faith in him. So we are now. 01:22:28.869 --> 01:22:34.029 ministers of Christ, you and I. Why? Because 01:22:34.029 --> 01:22:37.970 we know the mysteries of Christ. Amen? We know 01:22:37.970 --> 01:22:42.789 the mystery of Christ. We are now ministers of 01:22:42.789 --> 01:22:45.210 Christ. We are custodians of the mystery of Christ. 01:22:45.649 --> 01:22:51.350 We are stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Corinthians 01:22:51.350 --> 01:22:55.510 4, verse 1 to 2, we saw. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 01:22:55.510 --> 01:23:03.800 4. 1 Corinthians 4 verse 1 and 2. It says 4 verse 01:23:03.800 --> 01:23:08.699 1. Let a man so consider us as servants of Christ. 01:23:09.420 --> 01:23:18.479 And what? Who is a steward? Who is a steward? 01:23:21.220 --> 01:23:27.529 Steward is a Greek word oikonomos. O -I -K -O 01:23:27.529 --> 01:23:34.350 -N -O -M -O -S. O -I -K -O -N -O -M -O -S. Oikonomos, 01:23:34.369 --> 01:23:42.510 which means the manager of household. You are 01:23:42.510 --> 01:23:44.750 a manager of, what does a manager of a household 01:23:44.750 --> 01:23:48.789 does? He manages a household, and he does what? 01:23:49.869 --> 01:23:52.069 If there are people, you serve them their needs, 01:23:52.229 --> 01:23:55.470 their food, in time and in season. A manager 01:23:55.470 --> 01:23:59.850 of household. Or household affairs. So he says. 01:23:59.989 --> 01:24:03.829 Let a man so consider us as. The servants of 01:24:03.829 --> 01:24:06.310 Christ. And the ergonomist. A servant serve. 01:24:07.710 --> 01:24:11.510 Of Christ. Which is what? Stewardship of what? 01:24:11.609 --> 01:24:14.390 Of the mysteries. You are the servant of the 01:24:14.390 --> 01:24:17.550 mysteries of God. You serve the mysteries of 01:24:17.550 --> 01:24:24.159 God. To men. Moreover. What is required of that 01:24:24.159 --> 01:24:27.399 servant? What is required of that economist? 01:24:28.380 --> 01:24:31.079 What is required of that manager of the mysteries, 01:24:31.319 --> 01:24:36.699 the steward of the mystery? It is required at 01:24:36.699 --> 01:24:41.239 a steward, in stewards that one be found what 01:24:41.239 --> 01:24:43.899 faithful. Faithfulness will mean that you are 01:24:43.899 --> 01:24:48.279 doing what you have been entrusted to. Amen? 01:24:48.960 --> 01:24:53.039 So you are a steward of the mysteries of God. 01:24:54.380 --> 01:24:58.979 So God is equipping you now to do what? To be 01:24:58.979 --> 01:25:02.100 an effective steward of the mysteries of God. 01:25:03.300 --> 01:25:06.539 Hallelujah. It is no longer concealed to you. 01:25:06.579 --> 01:25:10.560 It's a revelation. Amen? So you are to explain, 01:25:11.300 --> 01:25:15.260 to teach. We are the ministers and the managers 01:25:15.260 --> 01:25:18.300 of God's work. Therefore, We must be faithful 01:25:18.300 --> 01:25:22.340 to God's work. Faithfulness is required of the 01:25:22.340 --> 01:25:35.800 believer. 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse 9. Give me 01:25:35.800 --> 01:25:42.720 from verse 8. Likewise, deacons. Who is a deacon? 01:25:44.779 --> 01:25:48.600 A believer. That have grown, have matured, and 01:25:48.600 --> 01:25:50.800 have come to the place of what? Responsibility 01:25:50.800 --> 01:25:55.500 in a church. Alright? If you are a team leader, 01:25:55.560 --> 01:25:59.720 you are a deacon. Amen? You are a pastor in training. 01:26:00.460 --> 01:26:04.779 Alright? That's what a deacon is. Like what deacons, 01:26:04.819 --> 01:26:07.800 if you are in training center, you are a deacon. 01:26:11.500 --> 01:26:13.880 Oh, you don't know? You think we don't know what 01:26:13.880 --> 01:26:19.029 we are doing there? Just the idea. You're already 01:26:19.029 --> 01:26:23.090 implicated. Like was Dickens, must be what? Must 01:26:23.090 --> 01:26:25.869 be reverent. Not double -tongued. Not given to 01:26:25.869 --> 01:26:28.130 too much alcohol. In fact, if we catch you, don't 01:26:28.130 --> 01:26:32.350 even drink. Talk more or say too much. Not greedy 01:26:32.350 --> 01:26:37.470 for money. Holding the mystery of the faith with 01:26:37.470 --> 01:26:40.810 what? With a pure conscience. Your disposition 01:26:40.810 --> 01:26:42.670 towards the mystery is not for what you gain 01:26:42.670 --> 01:26:46.720 from it. With a pure conscience. They say you 01:26:46.720 --> 01:26:48.119 should do follow up. You are following up somebody 01:26:48.119 --> 01:26:51.680 for a bad conscience. I don't want to call names. 01:26:54.239 --> 01:26:58.159 But from what? A pure conscience. Holding on 01:26:58.159 --> 01:27:00.460 the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 01:27:01.859 --> 01:27:10.340 Ephesians chapter 6 verse 19. Ephesians 6 verse 01:27:10.340 --> 01:27:16.619 19. And for me, Look at Paul saying. Pray for 01:27:16.619 --> 01:27:20.220 me. That's the context. That I may have utterances. 01:27:21.800 --> 01:27:25.619 That utterances may be given to me. That I may 01:27:25.619 --> 01:27:31.579 open my mouth boldly. To make known. What? The 01:27:31.579 --> 01:27:36.380 mystery of the gospel. It takes boldness. Alright. 01:27:36.760 --> 01:27:39.619 It takes boldness. Boldness by the spirit of 01:27:39.619 --> 01:27:42.800 God. To declare the mystery of the gospel. Because 01:27:42.800 --> 01:27:46.779 you will be rejected for it. Persecution will 01:27:46.779 --> 01:27:50.359 come on the account of this mystery. It requires 01:27:50.359 --> 01:27:55.220 boldness. It requires sacrifice. To do what? 01:27:55.300 --> 01:27:58.500 To preach this gospel. If you go somewhere, you 01:27:58.500 --> 01:28:00.460 will be denied opportunities on the account of 01:28:00.460 --> 01:28:04.359 this gospel. But you must preach it. So, utterance 01:28:04.359 --> 01:28:07.560 may be given that you have the ability to speak 01:28:07.560 --> 01:28:11.340 it, the wisdom of God to communicate it. That 01:28:11.340 --> 01:28:14.060 utterance may be given to me that I may open 01:28:14.060 --> 01:28:17.979 my mouth boldly to make known the what? The mystery 01:28:17.979 --> 01:28:26.539 of the gospel. Mystery of the gospel. So, this 01:28:26.539 --> 01:28:32.140 mystery is relative. Amen? What do I mean by 01:28:32.140 --> 01:28:39.140 his relative? To the unsafe is what? It's a mystery, 01:28:39.260 --> 01:28:43.220 right? To us who believe is no longer what? It's 01:28:43.220 --> 01:28:46.579 no longer a mystery. The gospel is a mystery 01:28:46.579 --> 01:28:50.340 to the unsafe. How is it made known to the unsafe? 01:28:52.579 --> 01:29:00.300 Through preaching and explanation. Are we together? 01:29:01.000 --> 01:29:05.260 So the mystery is not received revelation, no. 01:29:06.000 --> 01:29:12.920 It's by explanation. Hallelujah. It's by explanation. 01:29:13.500 --> 01:29:16.380 Now, who has the responsibility to make this 01:29:16.380 --> 01:29:20.960 explanation? You and I. That is why we are here. 01:29:21.380 --> 01:29:25.319 That God will empower us to give what? To give 01:29:25.319 --> 01:29:29.340 this explanation to the nations, the world around 01:29:29.340 --> 01:29:35.300 us. That is why God is spending time on us so 01:29:35.300 --> 01:29:39.239 that we will be equipped. We will have utterances. 01:29:41.600 --> 01:29:43.359 Some of us, the utterance we need, first of all, 01:29:43.380 --> 01:29:45.239 is to sit down and learn. Then you will have 01:29:45.239 --> 01:29:48.880 what to say. Amen? When you sit down and you 01:29:48.880 --> 01:29:52.140 learn, you will have what to say. You will know 01:29:52.140 --> 01:29:55.239 how to say it. You will know when to say it. 01:29:59.470 --> 01:30:03.369 Your degree of boldness is directly proportional 01:30:03.369 --> 01:30:06.989 to the level of knowledge you know. But you become 01:30:06.989 --> 01:30:12.510 a fool if you are bold in ignorance. Do you understand? 01:30:13.109 --> 01:30:15.090 Because you will just go and make a mockery of 01:30:15.090 --> 01:30:16.770 it. You know those sons of Siva that we saw? 01:30:18.850 --> 01:30:22.189 They say in the name of Jesus Christ who Paul 01:30:22.189 --> 01:30:26.109 preached, they want to cast out demons. It doesn't 01:30:26.109 --> 01:30:33.500 work like that. So we have a stewardship. And 01:30:33.500 --> 01:30:37.140 this stewardship is what? Is the gospel, the 01:30:37.140 --> 01:30:40.159 mystery of the gospel. And it is known through 01:30:40.159 --> 01:30:47.659 preaching and explanation. So for Peter, go back 01:30:47.659 --> 01:30:50.340 to Matthew 16 verse 17. We're coming back to 01:30:50.340 --> 01:30:58.079 where we started. Matthew 16 verse 17. For flesh 01:30:58.079 --> 01:31:00.460 and blood has not revealed this to you, will 01:31:00.460 --> 01:31:08.000 it mean what? What will it mean? Huh? Hello? 01:31:09.260 --> 01:31:13.979 All this explanation for you to keep quiet? What 01:31:13.979 --> 01:31:17.539 will what? It says for flesh and blood has not 01:31:17.539 --> 01:31:20.359 revealed this to you. So what does reveal this 01:31:20.359 --> 01:31:24.859 to you, what will reveal this to you mean? Hmm? 01:31:30.339 --> 01:31:32.479 Revelation. I'm looking for, what does that revelation 01:31:32.479 --> 01:31:39.899 mean? That he believed, alright? Simply, that 01:31:39.899 --> 01:31:44.659 he believed in what was said about Jesus Christ 01:31:44.659 --> 01:31:48.920 from the writings of the prophets. That is a 01:31:48.920 --> 01:31:55.779 revelation. Faith in what has been written about 01:31:55.779 --> 01:31:59.239 Jesus Christ. To reveal as seen in the case of 01:31:59.239 --> 01:32:01.460 Peter is faith in the explanation of the Old 01:32:01.460 --> 01:32:04.380 Testament scriptures. What we call the Old Testament 01:32:04.380 --> 01:32:15.420 scriptures. Hallelujah. So, I just want us to 01:32:15.420 --> 01:32:17.939 pray. We'll stop here for now because of time. 01:32:19.279 --> 01:32:23.659 We'll be praying that prayer in Ephesians chapter 01:32:23.659 --> 01:32:31.109 6 verse 19. That God will grant us utterance. 01:32:34.489 --> 01:32:36.609 Let's rise on our feet. As we write about our 01:32:36.609 --> 01:32:40.750 writings, let's rise on our feet. And for me, 01:32:40.789 --> 01:32:46.949 that utterance may be given to me, that I may 01:32:46.949 --> 01:32:50.489 open my mouth boldly. Now we know the mystery 01:32:50.489 --> 01:32:54.850 of God. Hallelujah. We know the mystery of God. 01:32:56.199 --> 01:32:59.840 That I may open my mouth boldly to explain, to 01:32:59.840 --> 01:33:05.939 preach, to teach the mystery of the gospel. Let's 01:33:05.939 --> 01:33:07.399 open our mouths and begin to pray. We're going 01:33:07.399 --> 01:33:09.979 to take some time now and pray. Please, let's, 01:33:09.979 --> 01:33:13.739 from all the things that we've learned, let's 01:33:13.739 --> 01:33:23.079 ask God to help us. Thank you for listening to 01:33:23.079 --> 01:33:26.880 today's sermon. Your journey matters to us. Let's 01:33:26.880 --> 01:33:30.159 keep walking together. Visit our website for 01:33:30.159 --> 01:33:32.920 more resources and follow us on social media 01:33:32.920 --> 01:33:36.460 to stay updated. Feel free to check the show 01:33:36.460 --> 01:33:40.000 notes for additional insights. If today's message 01:33:40.000 --> 01:33:43.340 was a blessing, share it with a friend. Till 01:33:43.340 --> 01:33:45.079 next time, be blessed.