Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / Life in the Spirit: The Walk and the Work (Part 1)

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Life in the Spirit: The Walk and the Work (Part 1) · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. authority in the name of Jesus, right?
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So this is just going to be part of it, right?
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So what we are looking at today is the walk and
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the work in the spirit, right? That is believers'
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responsibility and their conduct, right? In the
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spirit. That is what we are going to look at.
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Or we can call it. Life in the spirit. Life in
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the spirit. Alright. So turn with me to the book
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of. Matthew chapter 28. From verses 18. Matthew
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28. From verses 18. So one of the. The focal
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point of this teaching is we're exploring realities
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that every believer must carry. That is, the
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first one is the walk. That is how we live. And
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the work, which is what we are called to do.
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And both of them are as a result of discipleship.
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I believe, Marcel, Ifania has also taken us through
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this route. So it's just going to be something
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we're going to move out very quick. Matthew 28.
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From verses 18 to 20. And Lord, I am with you
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always, even unto the end of the age. One of
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the instructions we see here Jesus giving to
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the disciples is that they should go and teach.
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They should go and teach, which is to disciple.
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It means to disciple and to train. It means to
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disciple and to train. Another thing we saw there
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is that he says, go and teach them to observe.
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All things whatsoever I have commanded thee.
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Right. Whatsoever I have commanded thee. That
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means there was an instruction that was given
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to the disciples. Right. On how they were to
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carry out this work of ministry, which is making
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disciples. So, one thing we are going to look
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at is what discipleship really means. So, discipleship
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is not a passive word. or passive attendance
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that I'm just attending church or I'm attending
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services passively. No. If you look at the instruction
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in Matthew chapter 28, just put it up. From verses
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19, just put 19. It says, Go therefore and teach
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all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
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Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching
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them to observe all things that whatsoever I've
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commanded you. And lo, I am with you always,
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even unto the end of the age. So, you see that
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there were activities also that was happening
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to the disciples when they were sent. That is,
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they were to preach, they were to rise disciples.
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Why? Because whatsoever has happened to them,
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they were to replicate it also to other people.
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Alright? So, One thing we see there is that the
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disciple, who is the disciple? The disciple is
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the learner. Pastor Ifanyi has spoken about this.
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So one thing that happens is that there is a
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learner. There is a training that is happening,
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right? And how are they training them? That is,
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they are instilling doctrine in them, right?
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To instill doctrine in them. That is, they are
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explaining, they are expounding a thing. They
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are imparting instruction. And this, how are
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they doing it? You see in Luke chapter 24, we
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see a pattern. Luke chapter 24, let's just go
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there quickly. Luke chapter 24 from verses 25.
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We see a pattern. It says, and to enter into
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his glory. And beginning at Moses and all the
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prophets, he expounded unto them the things,
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expounded unto them in all the scriptures the
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things concerning himself. Right? Verse 5. Verse
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4. It says, And he said unto them, These are
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the words which I spoke unto you while I was
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yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled
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which were written in the law of Moses and the
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prophets and in the Psalms concerning me. And
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then opened he their understanding that they
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might understand the scriptures. So, When the
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apostles are going to preach the word of God,
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what are they talking about? That is the sufferings
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of Christ and the glory that followed. That is
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the gospel. That is what they are teaching the
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believers about. So, there is not only, one thing
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also we are going to note is that there is not
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only teaching that is happening, right? There
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is also A component of it that they are going
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to practice, right? What they were taught. We
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are going to look at something that during Jesus,
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when Jesus was with his disciples, one thing
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that happens that you teach them, after he teaches
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them, he sends them forth. They come back. If
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there is anything that goes wrong, he corrects
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them. Then he sends them back again. So it wasn't
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a passive learning only, but it was followed
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with practical things. There were activities,
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right? Let's open Matthew chapter 14. Let's start
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with Matthew 10, sorry. Then we'll go to 14.
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Matthew 10. You see Jesus sending forth his disciples
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to preach, which is part of the training. Matthew
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chapter 10. From verses 1 it says, And when he
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had called unto him his twelve disciples, he
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gave them power against unclean spirits to cast
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them out. and to heal all manner of sickness
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and all manner of disease. Then let's jump to
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verse 5. It says, The kingdom of heaven is at
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hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, rise
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the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received,
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freely give. So he told them, prior to this,
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the disciples were moving around with the Lord
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Jesus Christ. So they saw him preach. They saw
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him cast out demons. That is, they learned by
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precept and also by, Jesus taught them by precept
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and by example. They observed the life of Jesus.
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Now Jesus is sending them to do the same thing.
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They were to preach, they were to cast out demons,
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they were to heal. So, discipleship is not only
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coming to the church, sit, learn, and go. No.
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The activities that come in, we go out for evangelism.
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During catatismus, we minister one to another.
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We speak in tongues, we interpret tongues. We
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are taught that. We are taught how to flow in
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the spirit, with the spirit, right? Then we minister
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one to another. We edify one another. That's
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practical discipleship. That is active learning
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also. So we're going to look at another instance
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also. So the first one, Jesus sent the disciples
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to preach. The second one is Matthew chapter
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14. Matthew 14. Just four scriptures from 10.
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Matthew 14. Let's read from verses 13. They followed
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him on foot and out of the cities. And Jesus
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went forth and saw a great multitude and was
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moved with compassion towards them and healed
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their sick. Right. Let's continue. You're going
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to see something as you go down that the disciples
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also ministered to the physical needs of people.
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That is, they served. They were taught how to
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serve also, the work of service. 15. And when
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it was evening, the disciples came to him saying,
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this is a desert place. And the time is now past.
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Send the multitude away, that they may go into
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the villages and buy themselves rituals. But
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Jesus said unto them, They need not depart. Give
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ye them to eat. And they said unto him, We have
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here but five loaves and two fishes. And he said,
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Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the
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multitude to sit down. So they are serving. We
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see service. It is part of discipleship. In chapter
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10, he's sending them to preach, to heal. In
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chapter 14, they are to serve. They shared food
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to the people. So it's also part of discipleship.
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Let's also look in the same. That is verse 31.
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Verse 31. Verse 31, previously, Jesus said, come
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walking on the water, on the sea. Then Peter
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and other disciples were in the boat. Then Peter
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said, Lord, if it is you, bid me to come. And
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Jesus said, come. Then Peter walked on the water.
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But immediately when he saw the boisterous winds,
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he said, he doubted and he started to sink. Immediately
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Jesus goes and stretched forth his hand and brought
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him. They went into the ship. And immediately
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he says, why have you doubted? Right. What was
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happening there is that Peter walked. There was
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an element of faith in the beginning. Then later
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on, doubt crept in. And the Lord brought him
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in and started also to explain to him, why have
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you doubted? So, there was a problem. There's
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doubt. Jesus brings him in. He addresses the
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doubt. It is part of discipleship. There's a
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failure. The pastors will see. Your team leader
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will see. Okay, you did this wrong. Come here.
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This is how you do it. Practical. Then lastly,
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let's also look at the last example. Matthew
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17, 14. Matthew 17, 14 to 21. Pastor Fred is
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also taught us in this direction. There was a
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man who had a son who was having seizures and
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he was greatly tormented by demons. So the apostles,
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the man brought the son to the apostles and the
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apostles were not able to cast the demons. The
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same people in chapter 10 that went, cast out
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demons. Well, later on you hear a report telling
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them that, Lord, the demons are subject to us.
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So may that they came back with a report of what
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they have. But in chapter 17, you see a problem.
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So let's read it. They are not able to cast out
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demons. And see how Jesus' reaction to that.
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And when they were come to the multitude, there
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came him a certain man, kneeling down to him
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and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he
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is lunatic and so vexed. For oftentimes he falleth
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into the fire and oft into the water. And I brought
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him to thy disciples, and they couldn't cure
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him. The same people. That's in chapter 10. They
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went to cast out devils. Then Jesus answered
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and said, All faithless and perverse generation,
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how long shall I be with you? How long shall
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I suffer you? Right? Bring him hither to me.
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And Jesus rebuked the devil and he departed out
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of him. And the child was cured from that very
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hour. Then came his disciples now. Verse 19.
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Then came his disciples to Jesus apart, privately.
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You know, you cannot ask this question in public.
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So they came to us to inquire. How is it that
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we're not able to do this? Is there something
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special? Let's see. So, they come to Jesus apart
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and said, why could we not cast him out? 20.
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And Jesus said unto them, because of your unbelief,
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for verily I say unto you, if you have faith
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as of a grain of mustard seed, You shall say
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unto this mountain, Remove hands to yonder place,
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and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible
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unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out by
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prayer and by fasting. There is an issue. There
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is an issue of unbelief that happened here to
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the disciples. So Jesus now addresses that unbelief.
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Pastor Fred has stood in this line. So I'm not
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going to do much more here. So he brings them
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in. He never rebukes them. He brings them in.
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He teaches them. Later on in chapter 28, let's
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go back to chapter 28. This is after verse 17.
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Chapter 28, we see this is when Jesus was giving
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the great commission. Verse 18, it says, And
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Jesus said unto them, All power is given unto
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me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and teach
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all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
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Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching
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them to observe all things whatsoever I have
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commanded you. And lo, I am with you always,
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even unto the end of the world or the age. Also,
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let's see the same account in Mark chapter 16.
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You see that Jesus didn't tell them, no, no,
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you guys are not qualified. Stop, stop, stop.
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I'm looking for another pack of people. No. He
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is the discipler. He finds an error. He finds
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where there is a problem. He brings them in.
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He teaches that. He addresses that problem. They
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send them again. So, let's look. Mark 16. 15.
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Mark 16, 15. And he said unto them, Go ye into
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all the world and preach the gospel to every
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creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall
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be saved, but he that believeth not shall be
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damned. And these signs shall follow them that
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believe in my name. They shall cast out devils.
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They shall speak with new tongues. They shall
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take up serpents. And if they drink any deadly
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thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay
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hands on the sick and the sick will recover.
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So you see that even at the end, Jesus still
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sent them again. So you see, discipleship, what
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is happening? They are trained, number one, by
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precepts. Jesus showed them by precepts. Many
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times Jesus took them when he healed the people,
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when he performed miracles, they were dead. Now
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Jesus is now telling them, now we can go and
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do the same. Let's look at another instance where
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Apostle Paul taught a church. That is, He's a
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pastor in that church, Galatian church. Then
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he was absent. Then some guys came in and they
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preached another gospel, which is not another.
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Then there was now a problem again because there
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was a shift that happened. Now they were towards
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legalism. Then Apostle Paul comes again and corrects
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them again. That is part of discipleship also.
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Let's look at it. That is Galatians chapter 3
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verses 1 to 3. Galatians. Just after 2 Corinthians.
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So all foolish Galatians who have bewitched you
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that you should not obey the truth. Before whose
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eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth,
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crucified among you, this only would I learn
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of you. Receive ye the Spirit by the works of
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the law or by hearing of faith. Are ye so foolish,
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having begun in the Spirit? Are ye now made perfect
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by the flesh? That is, in the beginning they
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received this gospel by faith. If you want to
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see something, go to chapter 1. You'll see where
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the problem came in. Chapter 1. Verse 6. It says,
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I marvel that ye are so soon more from him that
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called you into the grace of Christ and to another
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gospel, right? That is, which means different,
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totally different. The gospel is totally different.
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These were people that were taught. They understood
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the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ through faith.
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In Christ Jesus. But later on, other people came.
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And what happens? Apostle Paul does not leave
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it there. He comes back and he reteaches them
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again. Let's see. Verse 7. It says, Which is
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not another, but there are some that trouble
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you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. Some
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that trouble you and would pervert the gospel
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of Christ. Which is Sarazo. That's the word there.
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is the word Tarazo. The reason why they preach
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another gospel is that they will trouble you.
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That is, they will unsettle you. That which you've
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been assured of, right? They will come and move
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it. That you are left with anxiety. You are left
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with, you are no longer assured. There's no assurance
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anymore. Why? Because they will come and tell
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you, you have received it by faith. Another person
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will come and say, you have to do works. So Apostle
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Paul will come and say, that is another gospel
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in correcting that error. What it does is that
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it unsettles the believer. But it does not leave
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it that way. It comes back. It teaches them again
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like a father. Then they continue. So, number
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one, we see that Jesus modeled the pattern of
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discipleship from the scriptures we write. Jesus
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modeled the pattern of discipleship. He sent
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the apostles to preach as we saw in Matthew chapter
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10. Involved them in practical service in Matthew
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chapter 14. Jesus corrects Peter after he doubted.
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That is Matthew chapter 14, 31. And he had them
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to exercise authority which now we saw in Matthew
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17, 14 to 21. So what we see in discipleship
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is that there is training. Number one, which
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is transmission of knowledge, information. Then
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number two, we have training, which is application
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of the knowledge, which leads to formation of
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habits. Evangelism is a habit that is built.
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We are taught the word of God. We go out, we
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preach the gospel, we do it again, we do it again,
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we come in church, we minister to one another,
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we speak in tongues, we interpret tongues. Over
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time, it becomes a habit. There is something
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that is formed within you. That same thing, it
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is when you go out of this place, when you go
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out of Cyprus, where you find yourself anyway,
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in your cell meeting, among your friends, it
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is the same thing that you also do there. That
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is the practicality of what you have been taught.
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then you also rise disciples. So, we saw some
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that discipleship is not complete without training,
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without exercise, what you've been taught. So,
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in three weeks, just very near, we have Catechismas.
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We'll come here, we'll sit down, we are told
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the word of God from morning to evening, morning
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to evening, morning to evening. Pastor Koso last
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time, he taught us about the gifts of the Spirit.
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After that, what happened? we practiced it. That
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is, information was given, then what followed
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was the practice of that which was taught. That
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is proper discipleship. Something fun is that
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you cannot be properly discipled through online
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meeting. You can receive information, which can
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also be another gospel. That is, if you see it,
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then there is not the practicality of that. You
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know, discipleship is good, discipleship is,
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you know the Great Commission, God says go, but
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the practicality of it is not there. Therefore,
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that is incomplete discipleship. You cannot have
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a disciple who is not near you. You cannot have
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a disciple in Zimbabwe. If you have a disciple,
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you carry him out, He comes to your house, he
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comes to your place, or she comes to your place,
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you teach the Word of God. After that, you pray.
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After praying, you take them out, you evangelize.
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You teach them the things of the Spirit, like
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we are being taught here. Then also, you demonstrate
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it, then they learn from it. When you see that
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there is a problem, there is a misunderstanding
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in some aspects, you bring them back, you re
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-teach it, you correct them, you do it again.
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Again and again, again and again, discipleship
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does not stop. So we see habits being formed.
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We see responsibility, which we call the work.
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A believer is taught about the work of ministry
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during discipleship. Now, the gospel can be preached
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to you. Someone preached to me. I believed. I
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don't know which one saved me. I'm part of those
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people. Many people preach to me. But I never
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knew that I also need to go out and preach. Or
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they will just preach to you, leave you there.
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But that is not discipleship. Yes, you are saved.
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But the greatest work comes after you are saved.
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What's next after you are saved? Which is discipleship.
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That is where you are modeled. That's where you
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see character development. That is... Where you
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see yourself working effectively in God's calling
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for your life. So, I'll just read this discipleship
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model. We preach the gospel. The person believes.
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Stay with the person. Teach them. Guide them
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into practice. Then ensure that they are growing.
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Those are the things you can take note of when
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you have a disciple. So, most people will still
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get conversion. I want this all, you leave this
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all. In fact, some people will say, choose a
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church which you are comfortable going. No. Take
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that disciple to your own local church. So, one
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thing also that happens in discipleship is that
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teaching is continuous, repetitive, And reinforcing,
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this is Jesus' model. You teach continuously,
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you repeat the same thing. You teach again, you
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repeat the same thing. It's not the first time
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you teach a person and just assume that they've
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understood it. No. I believe that when the disciples
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saw Jesus doing it, they were like, we can do
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the same thing. Yes, it's easy. But Jesus will
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bring them back, teach them again, send them,
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they find an error, comes back, they didn't do
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this correctly, let's correct them, go back.
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That's the model. So, the call of this teaching,
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like I said from the beginning, is we're going
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to look at the walk, which is the conduct, walk,
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W -A -L -K, W -A -L -K, and the wake, W -O -R
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-K. The walk, Under the word W -A -L -K, we're
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going to look at the conduct of the believer.
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How the believer ought to live. Then we're going
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to look at the work, W -O -R -K. That is the
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assignment of the believer. What the believer
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does here in the earth. Those are the two things
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we're going to be looking at. So, a Christian
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life is a trained walk, purposefully, right?
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And we know that this is enabled by the Spirit
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of God. So, in discipleship, one of the things
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we're going to be told or being trained in, they
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have started already. Me, I've been here from
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2021. That's five years from now. Five years
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to now, yeah. And it's the same thing that has
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been taught to me. Over and over again, some
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of the things which I was taught in 2022, I understood
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them in 2025. That is when they started making
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sense. So look, there's a gap of about three
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years. I understood them in 2025, 2024. I was
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talking to Pastor Fred. And I said that my first
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Catholicism was in 2022. Pastor Olu taught about
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the kingdom of God. That is 1 Matthew chapter
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16. I thought that I understood it. This is 2022.
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2023 came first. 2024 came in the middle of 2024.
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Now it's making sense. After two years, there's
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a repetition of what we are being taught over
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and over. There's consistency. I'm around for
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all the meetings. I'm being told the same thing.
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Now my mind is catching up. Now I can understand.
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I can put all things together now. And it's making
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sense. That is continuity. A disciple is a person
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who is always available to be taught. Always.
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You cannot say, I am a disciple of so and so.
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When you say prayer meeting, you are not there.
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Karatismas, you are not there. You come in one
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Sunday, you jump two, you come in. No, that's
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not discipleship. You are a visitor. You are
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a visitor. You come and go. Pastor Poston will
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say, you are a UFO. I identify flying objects.
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Okay. So, one thing also that happens in discipleship
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is all of us are going through it. In fact, right
30:02
now online, there are many things that are happening.
30:04
We hear different things that are happening.
30:05
You go back home, you hear something else. You
30:08
go another place, you hear something else. The
30:09
same thing is being taught in different ways.
30:11
Here you come, salvation is eternal. You go to
30:14
another place, you can lose it. you go online,
30:21
it is possible for you to lose. You come to church,
30:24
you cannot lose. One thing is happening is that
30:26
if you are not grounded in the truth, that kind
30:29
of gospel unsettles you. That's why you start
30:32
seeing questions. Ah, pastor, that thing you
30:34
say, eternal salvation, ah, I don't think it's
30:38
like so. Why? What happens is that there is something
30:41
else that has been preached. It's troubled the
30:44
person. That is what Galatians says, that gospel,
30:46
it unsettles you. Those kinds of gospel, it disturbs
30:50
you. It brings anxiety. You're not going to show
30:52
that to yourself. You're not going to even show
30:53
that internal life is really everlasting. So,
31:01
in discipleship, we are trained how to think.
31:05
Number one. We are trained how to think. Interpretive
31:09
kind of thinking. Let's look at something. So,
31:16
Proper discipleship trains a person to think
31:18
correctly. A properly discipled believer does
31:22
not just know verses in passing, just quoting
31:24
verses. No. He knows how to reason with the scriptures
31:28
because he has taught how to do it. To ask the
31:32
rightful questions and to interpret rightly,
31:37
which is exegesis, right? Exegesis. E -X -E -G
31:43
-E -S -I -S. which is a skill of asking intelligent,
31:48
interpretive questions. So, the reason why many
31:59
people or some believers, you hear something,
32:03
you flow with it, is because the way you reason
32:06
with the scriptures is not right. By the time
32:09
someone will come and tell you that You need
32:17
to be circumcised. That is the Galatians situation.
32:20
You need to be circumcised. Salvation, yes, you
32:24
are served, but you need to be circumcised for
32:28
you to be really, really served. Oh, you are
32:34
served, but you can still miss rapture. Yeah,
32:40
you know, when the Lord comes, What you're doing
32:45
in that moment, if it's not in both plans, you
32:47
miss the first flight, you catch the second one.
32:50
That is if when the second one comes, you catch.
32:53
No. When you are being taught rightly, you ask
32:57
critical questions. Okay. How is it that Galatians,
33:01
for instance, the Galatians, how is that they
33:03
receive salvation by faith? How then are you
33:06
saying that you are perfected by your own works?
33:08
How is that possible? When initially it was not
33:11
about me. Let's look at examples. Matthew chapter
33:19
19 verse 3 is an example of a question that was
33:24
asked. That was asked Jesus. Okay, before we
33:28
go to Matthew, let's read 2 Timothy 2 .23. 2
33:35
Timothy chapter 2 verse 23. But foolish and unlearned
33:46
questions avoid knowing that they do gender strife.
33:50
That is, this is talking about useless questions,
33:55
right? I'm talking about we are going in the
33:59
direction of how to really ask proper questions.
34:04
But there are some questions like this. Which
34:07
gender strife? Avoid them. That's one. Number
34:11
two. Let's check. There's a situation that happens
34:17
in Matthew 19, where the Pharisees came to ask
34:20
Jesus a question, not to learn. This is to tempt
34:23
you. Another instance, let's just read it. Matthew
34:28
19, verse 3. What we're just trying to see is
34:31
that when you are discipled properly, you'll
34:35
be able to ask proper questions that builds,
34:39
that advises you. But we're just seeing... An
34:42
example of these guys, these fellows. That is
34:44
Matthew chapter 19. Matthew 19. This kind of
34:50
question is not to learn. Matthew 19 from verses
34:54
3. And the Pharisees also came unto him, tempting
34:57
him and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man
35:01
to put away his wife for every cause? And he
35:07
answered and said unto them, Have ye not read
35:09
that he that made them from the beginning? made
35:11
them male and female, and said, for this cause
35:15
a man shall leave his father and mother and shall
35:18
cleave into his wife. Then it continues. This
35:21
kind of question, number one, is it is not a
35:23
question to learn. It is to tempt. These guys,
35:28
their motive is not to come to learn. They are
35:30
just trying to find a way to trap him. Let's
35:34
look at another one. This one is different. It's
35:38
the opposite. Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2.
35:46
This is how a believer or a person who is being
35:50
trained thinks. This is a model from Christ.
35:53
Luke chapter 2. From verses 46 to 47. And it
36:02
came to pass that after three days they found
36:06
him. and they found him in the temple. What was
36:10
he doing? Sitting in the midst of the doctors,
36:13
both hearing them and asking them questions.
36:17
This is talking about Jesus. They've come for
36:24
an occasion, then on their way back, Jesus stayed
36:28
behind. Then the parents found out after some
36:30
time that the child was not with them. So they
36:33
went back to look for the child Jesus, our Lord.
36:39
They went back. Then they said they found him
36:41
sitting in the midst of the elders. What was
36:44
he doing? And they found him in the temple sitting
36:50
in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them
36:53
and asking them questions. And all that had him
36:58
were astonished at his understanding and answers.
37:04
And when they saw him, they were amazed. And
37:08
his mother said unto him, son, they were looking
37:11
for him. So one thing we see about Jesus is that
37:13
he was asking proper questions. To what end?
37:20
That he may understand. So part of discipleship
37:26
is you are taught how to think critically. You
37:31
are taught how to reason with the scriptures
37:34
and to understand them. That is a result of proper
37:39
discipleship. You cannot think this way if you
37:46
are not discipled properly with a good discipler.
37:56
So, we can see that We are taught how to think
38:03
properly. We are taught how to think properly.
38:09
Then let's see, lastly, that is Acts chapter
38:12
17 verses 11. Acts 17 verses 11. One person who
38:20
can ask you a question is Pastor Victor. You
38:25
go ahead and ask or you say something. You should
38:29
be prepared to think. Yes, that is proper discipleship.
38:33
It helps you. It helps you how to think properly.
38:37
It helps you how to see the scriptures. That's
38:40
one thing you see in Luke. Jesus meets the disciples
38:43
on the way. Then they were discussing about Jesus.
38:45
Jesus joins them. And they started telling Jesus
38:48
about Jesus. Have you not heard? What kind of
38:51
conversation are you having? Walking along, they
38:54
say, have you not heard what has happened here
38:56
recently about a man, Christ Jesus, who was crucified?
38:59
Oh, we thought that he was a prophet. But suddenly,
39:01
they killed him. Then Jesus texts them in verse
39:06
25 and he's told them, all ye fools are slow
39:09
of heart to believe all the prophets have spoken.
39:11
All know Christ has suffered all these things
39:13
and to enter into his glory. And beginning at
39:16
Moses, the prophets and the Psalms, he expounded
39:20
unto them the things concerning himself. You
39:22
go to 45 and it says that he opened their understanding
39:26
that they may understand the scriptures. That
39:29
is what Jesus was teaching them. He was remodeling
39:31
the way they think, the way they saw the scriptures,
39:35
the way they reasoned was the problem. But now
39:37
after they saw everything, that moment he said,
39:39
and their understanding was opened and they saw
39:43
that this was truly Jesus. So that is proper
39:47
explanation, proper. teaching that leads your
39:53
person to think critically when they approach
39:56
the scriptures. You cannot grow with nuggets.
40:02
You go on YouTube, you see one two -minute video,
40:05
one charge. You, this and this, one, two, one,
40:13
two, they will say many things. You cannot grow.
40:15
You won't. We have to sit down, being taught.
40:19
There's pain. Three years and above with Christ
40:21
Jesus. Being told the same thing. In fact, same
40:25
thing. From the beginning, Jesus was telling
40:28
them about his death. They never understood it.
40:33
In fact, some of them, they were looking for
40:34
a kingdom saying, when your kingdom comes, I'll
40:36
be on the right, I'll be on the left. The mother
40:38
came to plead on his children's behalf. But it
40:41
never meant that. But when he resurrected from
40:45
the dead, that is when they understood it. So,
40:51
let's continue. So, Acts 17 verse 11. Acts 17
40:57
verse 11. Acts 17 verse 11. These were the variants.
41:07
Variants. Acts 17 verse 11. These were more normal.
41:19
than those in Thessalonica, in that they received
41:23
the word of God, or they received the word, with
41:26
all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures
41:30
daily, whether those things were so. They were
41:37
reasoning. They were taught. They received the
41:40
word of the Lord with readiness of heart. They
41:42
went to search out the scriptures. This is because
41:45
the word of God was taught. There was a persuasion
41:48
that happened when the Word of God was preached
41:50
to these guys. And they went to search, to check
41:54
whether those things were so. So, discipleship,
42:04
discipleship produces a habit, that spiritual
42:11
habit. There's behavioral consistency. This is
42:16
the result of discipleship. And repeated exposure
42:20
to the scripture results in comfort. That is,
42:24
the believer finds comfort with the scriptures.
42:29
It produces dependence on the scriptures and
42:33
a scriptural worldview. This happens in training
42:39
rather than being shared with friends. And society
42:46
and culture, they have effect on people's lives.
42:50
But in discipleship, we are taught how to think.
42:54
You are taught how to conduct yourself. You are
42:59
taught how to be comfortable with the scriptures,
43:01
how to be grounded, how to be rooted, so that
43:04
when another gospel comes, you'll be able to
43:06
know. So let's go back to Mark 16. I'm just going
43:15
to read it in passing. We are looking at the
43:17
work. The work. The work, sorry. The work. The
43:21
work. The work. That is the disciples' responsibility
43:24
to what they are supposed to do. That is the
43:27
work. They are being taught. Jesus taught them
43:30
in chapter 16. He gave them an instruction to
43:33
go and do something. Let's see. And he said unto
43:36
them, Go ye into all the world and preach the
43:38
gospel to every creature. He that believeth and
43:41
is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth
43:43
not shall be damned, and these signs shall follow
43:45
them that believe. So there's key responsibilities
43:49
we see here. Those people that were disciples,
43:52
they were now being sent to preach, to teach,
43:57
to disciple. And one thing that is also going
44:01
to happen is that signs will be following. John
44:08
chapter 20, same also. We are talking about the
44:11
work. John 20, 21 to 23. And you see that in
44:20
this work, we are partners together with Christ.
44:23
We are partners together with God. There's a
44:27
responsibility. What's the responsibility? Go
44:29
and teach, go and disciple. And God is working
44:32
with us. John 20, verses 21 to 23. Just before
44:43
us, that's where John is. 20, verses 21 to 23.
44:53
Then said Jesus unto them, Peace be unto you,
44:56
as my Father hath sent me, even so sent I you.
45:01
And when he had said this, he breathed on them,
45:05
and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
45:08
Whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted unto
45:12
them. And whosoever sins you retain, they are
45:15
retained unto them. So they were taught. Now
45:20
there's a responsibility that comes in. Go and
45:23
preach. And what are they going to do? They say
45:26
that whosoever sins you remit are remitted, and
45:29
whosoever sins you retain are retained. What
45:33
the disciples are going to do is that they are
45:35
going to announce what God has done in Christ
45:38
Jesus. They are going to preach in the name of
45:42
Jesus. What does that mean? We have seen from
45:46
previous teaching last week that it entails what
45:49
God has done in Christ Jesus. What did God do?
45:53
He has forgiven. He has made pardon of sin available
45:56
through Christ Jesus. So that is what they are
46:01
going to To preach. They will preach. What does
46:06
God do? God has already forgiven sin. Mark. Micah
46:09
7 verse. 18. Micah 7 verse 18. They will be preaching.
46:16
What are they doing? They are announcing. What
46:19
God has done. Micah 4 verse 18. Micah 7 verse
46:24
18. It says. Who is. Who is a God like unto thee
46:30
that pardoned iniquity and passed it by the transgression
46:35
of the remnant of his heritage? He returned not
46:38
his anger forever because he delighted in mercy.
46:41
So God forgives the sin. What does the believer
46:44
do? The believer is announcing what God has done.
46:48
So he's working together with God. Let's also
46:53
see Psalm 103, verse 3. Wait, Pastor Emmanuel.
46:58
Read Psalm 103, verse 3. Bless the Lord, O my
47:05
soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy
47:08
name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not
47:10
all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities,
47:13
and who healeth all thy diseases. Who do what?
47:17
Who forgiveth all thy iniquities, and who healeth
47:19
all thy diseases. So it is God that forgives.
47:23
And the believer is announcing what God has already
47:26
done. So they are working together. A believer
47:29
works together with the Lord. Isaiah 43 verse
47:33
25 is the last one we'll look at. Isaiah. Isaiah
47:44
43 verse 25. I even, I am he that blotted away,
47:58
I blotted out thy transgression for my own sake,
48:02
and I will not remember thy sins. So God is the
48:05
one that forgives. God has already made a valid
48:07
provision for the forgiveness of sin. And what's
48:10
the responsibility of the believers? Responsibility
48:13
of the believer is to announce that which the
48:16
Lord has done in Christ Jesus. So we are co -laborers
48:20
together with the Lord. This is as a result.
48:25
of discipleship. This is when you know it. That
48:27
is when you come to understand it. Then you go
48:29
out and preach. That's the work. This is a responsibility.
48:41
So, we'll end on this section today, right? We're
48:46
going to read Galatians. This is the last one.
48:48
Then we'll do it there for a long time. Then
48:50
we'll continue on Wednesday. Galatians, let's
48:53
go to Galatians from verses 5. Galatians chapter
49:01
5 from verses 14. And in this part, what you
49:13
are going to see is, we said we have spoken about
49:16
the work and we are going to also look at the
49:18
work that is in the conduct. So we're going to
49:22
be looking in Galatians. We're spending more
49:25
time in Galatians chapter 5. Yes, there's something
49:29
that is, there's a way a believer ought to conduct
49:31
themselves. Let's see from Galatians chapter
49:34
5. Galatians chapter 5 from verses 14. Galatians
49:41
5 from verses 14. It says, for all the law, is
49:52
fulfilled in one word, even in this, thou shalt
49:56
love thy neighbor as thyself. And if ye bite
50:00
and devour one another, take heed that ye not
50:04
be consumed one of another. This I say then,
50:07
walk in the Spirit. Walk in the Spirit. Peripatao.
50:13
That's the way that appears there. It implies,
50:16
it can be literal. Or figurative. It can mean
50:23
literal movement. And also can mean. A manner
50:27
of life. How one ought to conduct himself. And
50:32
in this context. It's not literal. It's figurative.
50:36
Talking about how a believer. Ought to conduct
50:39
himself. Let's continue from verse 17. For the
50:43
flesh lusts against the spirit. And the spirit
50:45
against the flesh. And these are contrary. The
50:48
one to another. so that ye cannot do the things
50:52
that ye would. But if ye be led by the Spirit,
50:55
ye cannot be under the law. Now the works of
50:57
the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery,
50:59
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
51:02
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
51:05
strife, sedition, heresies, envying, murderous,
51:09
drunkenness, reveling, and such like, of which
51:15
I tell you before, as I have also told you. And
51:19
the time passed that they which do such things
51:22
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the
51:26
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, and
51:29
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith,
51:32
meekness, temperance. Against such there is no
51:35
law. And they that are Christ have crucified
51:38
the flesh with his affection and lust. If we
51:41
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
51:46
Let us not be... Desires of unglory provoking
51:49
one another and envying one another. So, I'll
51:58
give a background of Galatians. The way Galatians
52:03
is structured, you look from chapter 3, chapter
52:06
4. The way Paul was explaining or the way Paul
52:13
was moving. You see Abraham. You see the seed.
52:17
You see the land, you see Hagar, you see Sinai,
52:22
you see the promise, meaning the audience of
52:27
Paul. Paul assumes that his audience have a background
52:32
of the scriptures, that is Genesis to Malachi,
52:37
all that thought. So now when he comes and start
52:41
talking walk, he's teaching from the scriptures,
52:44
right? Genesis to Malachi. When it comes to the
52:47
walk in the spirit, Peribatau, the first one,
52:51
although the other walk in the spirit you see
52:53
in verse 25 is different. It's another shed.
52:56
The one in 16, when he's explaining to them,
53:00
the way he's building his argument is coming
53:04
from Genesis to Malachi. He assumes that his
53:07
audience, they know the scriptures already in
53:10
the background. So what then happens when he
53:13
now employs some of the terms? There's something
53:16
that is involved in the minds of his listeners.
53:18
That is the Old Testament. So when they say war,
53:21
in the Old Testament, there is a shed of... If
53:25
you go to your LXX, that is your Greek Septuagint,
53:28
the Old Testament of the Greek, you see that
53:31
the word peripatau is so close to the word that
53:34
is used in Genesis when it talks about... And
53:40
Enoch walked with the Lord and he was... Enoch
53:44
walked with the Lord. Noah walked with the Lord.
53:47
Same shed is the word halak. It also has two
53:50
sheds, which means either it can be literal or
53:55
also either it can be figurative. So, let's think.
54:00
So, Paul is teaching from that same position.
54:03
So, when he says walk, what comes to their mind?
54:07
Those instances. Right. Okay, I still have six
54:11
minutes. We can look at it. What comes in their
54:15
mind is those instances. We're going to read
54:29
some of those places. Genesis 12 verse 1. You
54:37
see that word halak. H -A -L -A -K -H will be
54:43
the root word. Most of the words are coming from
54:45
that root word where we're going to see it. Genesis
54:48
12. Genesis 12. And you see what is happening.
54:54
Genesis 12 .1. Genesis 12 .1. Now the Lord...
55:09
I said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country,
55:11
and from thy kindred, and from thy house, unto
55:14
the land which I will show thee. And I will make
55:20
of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee,
55:22
and I will make thy name great, and thou shalt
55:24
be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless
55:27
thee, and cast them that cast thee, and in thee
55:30
shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
55:32
So Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken unto
55:35
him, and went with him. And Abraham was 75 years
55:40
old when he departed out of Haran. That's one.
55:50
Get thee out of thy kindred unto the land that
55:53
I'll show thee. You see the way they're appearing.
55:56
Get thee out of thy land. One which is more...
56:01
I want you to look at this following one. We'll
56:04
come back to Genesis 12 later on. Let's look
56:07
at this one. That is Genesis 13, verse 17. Then
56:10
you tell me, what do you think? Is it literal
56:12
or is it figurative? Genesis 13, verse 17. It
56:17
says, Arise, walk through the land, and the land
56:20
of it, and in the bread of it, and I'll give
56:24
it to thee. Is it literal? Is it figurative?
56:40
So in this, also Abraham was returned to the
56:44
land. Yes, there's also a literal movement in
56:47
this. But when it's now explained much more by
56:51
the apostles, it goes beyond the land. It's now
56:55
used also figuratively, which you're going to
56:58
see on Wednesday. We're going to look much more
57:01
on it on Wednesday. So let's just look at these
57:06
ones, then we finish. I'm going to just read
57:09
them. Then you check them. Genesis 12, verse
57:13
22 to 24. And Enoch worked with God. And Enoch
57:18
worked with God. This is a Hebrew idiom. Number
57:24
one, you should know what is employed. It's a
57:26
Hebrew idiom. It's a Hebrew idiom, which is describing
57:30
Enoch's relationship with God. This expression
57:36
conveys an idea of one ordering his life according
57:41
to God's will. That is what's happening here.
57:44
The order is according to God's will. That is,
57:47
he's being faithful and obedient. That is the
57:50
idea here. Same with Genesis 6 verse 9. Noah
57:55
was a just man and Noah walked with God. That
58:00
walk again is the same word. And also talks about
58:04
a relationship, a fellowship, a participation
58:08
in what God was doing. Same thing you see in
58:12
Micah 6 verse 8. It tells the people to walk
58:15
with God. With the Lord. In Genesis also, chapter
58:24
3 verse 8. You see, and they heard the voice
58:28
of the Lord. God walking in the garden. So what
58:34
you see there in the garden, we have seen that
58:36
there is a temple narrative, man and God dwelling
58:38
together. So what that comes in your mind is
58:42
that that word is not figurative. That word is
58:46
figurative, sorry, not literal. It means a relationship
58:49
between man and God. Get this, we are going to
58:53
explain this much more on Wednesday. What you
58:57
see here is that There is a fellowship between
58:59
man and God. From the last chapters we read,
59:02
from the last verses we read, there's a fellowship,
59:05
obedience, walking in obedience. There is a participation
59:08
that is happening. If you want to look at all
59:12
the people we've gone through, they were preachers
59:14
of the gospel in their generations. They were
59:17
prophets of the Lord. What were they doing? They
59:19
were announcing the gospel of God. They were
59:22
announcing the message of God. That is, there
59:26
is a participation in there. So when our Paul
59:29
comes to Galatians and he employs the same thing,
59:33
the people's mind will definitely go back. Their
59:39
attention is drawn back to participation, fellowship,
59:45
and relationship for the Lord. So now when he
59:56
comes and says, In Galatians chapter 5, verse
59:59
16, we are going to continue from here. Galatians
1:00:02
5, verse 16. Galatians 5, verse 16. It says,
1:00:26
One thing here is figurative. What comes in their
1:00:28
mind is that there is, when they say walk in
1:00:32
the Spirit, it's talking about fellowship, participation.
1:00:35
It's what is required of a believer. That is
1:00:38
conduct here that is being spoken about. There's
1:00:41
a way a believer ought to conduct himself. Which
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we are going to look at in the following meeting.
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Then we are going to look at the fruit of the
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Spirit also. Because if you look at the discussion,
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There's 11 seconds. If you look at the discussion,
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the progression of discussion, you see that why
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Paul employed the word fruit of the Spirit. That
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is, there is something that is expected that
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when a believer walks in the Spirit, there is
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a result of that walk, which he calls the fruit
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of the Spirit, which is love, which we are going
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to discuss on Wednesday much more. We appreciate
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you being here today. We hope you carry this
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word with you throughout your week. Don't forget
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to check the show notes for additional insights.
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Stay connected with us through our website or
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follow us on social media. If you are encouraged,
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share this message with someone you care about.
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Until next time, stay blessed.