The Acts of the Apostles of Today

Original URL   Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Transcript

now I know most people here uh

follow the daily reading plan so I thought this evening it would be nice if we could discuss some of the events that we've been reading about in The Acts of the Apostles and determine if any of those events from history uh have any uh bearing now 2 000 years later for us who uh the present-day Apostles and disciples

and as Jason said rather than to wait till the end of class to deal with questions I prefer a group appreciation and the exchange of ideas on an ongoing basis during the class so to that end I encourage people to speak up and interject their own opinions at any time that I come up for air

and I like to do that because then the thought is still fresh in our minds

so if you could leave your video on and your mic's open that would be terrific I'll also be uh looking for volunteers to read throughout the class so if you have your Bible handy that would be great

so first I want to start off [Music]

these readings from Acts

[Music]

excuse me

uh with the uh recorded conversations of the Ethiopian uh solo classes and Cornelius I wanted to look at these examples from the 8th 9th 10th and 11th chapters of uh Acts

and again that's the conversations with the Ethiopians of Saul and with Cornelius three men who represent the three major races of mankind that being the black race the Asian race and the European race all of whom I descended from Noah's sons hands a ham Shem and Jacob

so starting over in verse in chapter 8. that's where we read about the uh um conversation between Philip and the man of Ethiopia who would have been a descendant of ham uh like Peter A Philip is charged by an angel of God to rise up and go to the specific man

now I'm not sure if the messenger who brought that instruction to

Philip uh would have been a Immortal Angel sent by God or rather he was a mortal man serving in the capacity of a messenger I don't think it really matters but if anyone wishes to interject at this time please feel so please feel free to do so

if not regardless of the nature of this messenger Philip goes on his way and finds the man of Ethiopia sitting in his Chariot reading from the 53rd chapter of Isaiah which is a prophecy of the death of Jesus Christ

so I guess the first question uh would be well clearly Ethiopia is a gentile population

and he held a very high position of responsibility within the Royal household

apparently this man desired to Worship in Jerusalem which is a distance of over a thousand miles from EPL so he wasn't just there as a random tourist he would travel with a purpose and with an intent

so I guess that would beg the question could he have been a convert to Judaism

any thoughts on that

if not uh yeah but Bob he I don't I've always thought of him the eunuch as being being a Jew that he was born a Jew that he you know he was in a position of authority and power within uh Candace's um you know court and you know he was he was part of that group of uh you know Jews that kind of spread out all over the world and you know made a made a name for themselves as people that were highly intelligent that knew how to read and write which was an incredible skill uh which all all kind of goes back to uh the law and the importance of reading and the importance of writing and passing on the word of God you know the laws of the Torah to the Next Generation so

um yeah I I I I've always thought of him as just a natural Jew okay

very good I'm not dogmatic about this at all yeah well we're not told so I guess we can't be dogmatic I just wanted to get to opinions and see what people would think

um I think Bob that uh Rich's point about his literacy ability to read I think is a good one and it lends Credence to the idea that you know as a Jew he would have learned to have read the scriptures and studied the scriptures and of course if he's reading Isaiah um it was probably written in Hebrew or I suppose by then it was probably translated into Greek I don't know how many other languages it would have been available in obviously English hadn't come around yet [Laughter]

but

um you know I mean he would have obviously had to have been a man of Education he was certainly a man of responsibility uh Steve is that your hand up yeah um I was just wondering

um if he was uh

uh a scribe or or something like that because not that many Jews

would know how to read and write I mean uh you know I don't think that many knew how to do that so the question is was he from a particular uh place in Jewish Society and he knew how to read

um

yeah usually in the ancient world um yeah the scribes were definitely like an upper class or a special class of people because they had this amazing um ability to copy down language

uh and you know they were highly sought after you know a good scribe

uh you know was worth you know millions of millions of gold coins if you wanted to put it in in that type of uh you know framework but you know we remember as well that Ezra was a scribe he was a scribe of the law

um but he also had a tremendous tremendous amount of power I mean he brought back on the Jewish people so oftentimes scribes also had uh the air of the the ruler at that time whether it was a king or a queen

and we know he was involved in keeping the Queen's treasury so he certainly must have been a man who had the skills of a scribe of a mathematician a treasurer obviously a man of the great importance

so um the uh the uh the observation Richard is a uh is a good one

um I suppose the the one thing that might confuse me on that the only thing that might cause me to wonder uh of course he's from Ethiopia which uh in general would be considered a a gentile population

um even though Jews were scattered all around

um as a eunuch uh Jewish law would have forbidden him to be admitted into the community

we know that in uh Deuteronomy um chapter 23 where it lists all the various the qualifications a person has uh what are these qualifications is that nobody uh let's see Deuteronomy 23 1 no one whose testicles have been crushed or whose penis has been cut off may be admitted into the community in the Lord

so he was obviously in a difficult situation

and um

if he go ahead

I guess yeah you can finish your thought and I'll jump in when you're done okay I was gonna say if he

why would he go to Jerusalem for the intended purpose to uh worship and why would he be uh reading the words of a uh a Jewish prophet if uh if he were a gentile

um perhaps he was intrigued by the doctrine of the Old Testament the Laura Moses but because of his physical condition he was not eligible to worship uh even though he'd gone to Jerusalem for that purpose so I think that's what I kind of find a bit confusing that's why I bring up the question it seems like either either possibility is possible and yet both possibilities have

um a problem

so that's where we're at with that so again anybody has any further uh thoughts on the subject I'm wide open

yeah I was going to say Bob that there's a that passage in Matthew where um we read about some eunuchs being born that way and others uh there are eunuchs who have been made Unix by others very good um just cross that one off my list okay

you had that brought you had that one that was coming up perfect timing speed perfect yeah okay so you know the I guess what what goes on in my mind is this idea that if he's going to be serving in candacey's court you know that he may be one of these Unfortunate Souls that they say look we don't trust you so uh you're going to work with the queen we're going to make you a eunuch young man I think that's a very likely possibility

um obviously the Queen's uh the queen was the top priority and if he had to suffer so bad Steven correct yeah

I was I think I remember reading where uh especially back at that time they would make units because they wouldn't want somebody who's up high uh to go and then have children which then they'll think oh maybe I won't rule but my son will roll or whatever so they made in Munich so that they didn't have to worry about that

but even so if he is a unit he is still limited to his uh availability to go to worship

um he now he would not have been a naturally born Israeli obvious obviously

um so

he was kind of well I hate to say he was stuck between a rock and a hard place given his condition but nevertheless uh he really was because if he wasn't eligible to worship as he desired to

then I can see where he would have been a man greatly described basically a man without two countries because he's more than a thousand miles away in Jerusalem uh with a good represent intent and yet he's stuck in this very precarious situation

are you going to get into uh some of the later chapters in Isaiah like Beyond 53 no

so go right ahead if you'd like to Steve yeah sure so you know it tells us that the eunuch went away rejoicing yeah and if he started reading in Isaiah 53 and uh you know continue reading along the scroll uh there are passages very shortly after 53 that speak about the ability of those who were quote unquote dry trees having the ability to Worship in the coming Kingdom in the temple

um

see if I can find it yeah so uh chapter Isaiah chapter 56 if you'd like to turn it up so this is you know same same scroll that he's reading from just a couple of chapters later in our in our books

um and it says in verse three let not any eunuch complain I'm only a dry tree

for this is what the Lord says to the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths who choose what pleases me and hold fast my Covenant to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name

better than Sons and Daughters I will give them an everlasting name that cannot be cut off

very good so it seems it seems to me that you know the context is such that here's a man that's excluded from Worship in Jerusalem as you point out and now as as someone's explaining the scroll to him he realizes that despite sort of his physical impurity that prevents him from uh worshiping he will eventually through God's grace be given the ability to worship and to have a name that can't be cut off very good very good

um actually I would like uh if anybody has their Bible open to Acts chapter 8 uh could I have a show of hand somebody who would be willing to read a few verses why

Ellen

um if you could please read Acts chapter 8 verses 35 through 38. okay then Philip again with the passage of scripture and told him the good news about Jesus as they traveled along the road they came into some water and the eunuch said look here is my water why shouldn't I be baptized and he gave orders to stop the Chariot demos developing you and it went down into the water and they'll baptized him thank you by the time that uh this gentleman and Philip were finished it was obvious that there was only one thing that could possibly hinder this man from being baptized

and that would have been his own disbelief and since they were in the desert it makes sense that they must have been at an oasis since water was available and after his confession of faith he was baptized

and I think that probably

um opened a whole new world to this man who I think probably felt isolated in many ways even though as Steve pointed out he did have a

he did have a path of Hope he probably felt like he was somewhat isolated and this was a brand new stock for him and obviously a uh a step in the right direction it was a truly amazing encounter and of course it was the first of the three encounters all together and I think it was probably um you know the kind of a situation that uh completely saved this man's sanity and put him on a whole new path that he could enjoy for the rest of his life

so anybody have any other thoughts on that before we move on to uh

um chapter nine

okay

so when we get to chapter nine we read about solved who would of course been a descendant of Hashem

and uh I don't know any better way to put it than he was a villain of such a degree in the eyes of the early Christians

but if ever there was a man in need of a change of name that was Saul

this man had to have a new identity he was not going to be able to survive going through life uh being known as solved he really had to put on another name

um and not only put on the name of Jesus but he had to get rid of the old name because he was just a little bit too well known in his hometown

so um

after after World War II Bob you didn't see many uh boys being named Adolf non-exam and I've never run into anyone with a surname Villas so yeah

yeah

it it really it would have been literally on that line I think it really would have been

um and I'll tell you the honest truth I had a tough time [Music] um trying to simplify a list of the accomplishments of uh Paul

um we know how um he was struck blind on his way to Damascus for three days he was without sight

he didn't eat he didn't drink he couldn't see and you know that's not unlike uh Jonah when he was in the great fish personally I think Jonah was dead but even if he was alive for those three days he couldn't have been able to see he couldn't have been able to eat he couldn't have been able to drink

and when Jesus was in the Tomb and we know he was dead he obviously couldn't see drink or eat either

so I you know I think there's a um know a strong connection to be made there

and um it this time the job didn't fall to Phillip this time it fell to uh ananias and again considering uh Saul's reputation

um if we were to look up the phrase in the dictionary strong of Faith there would probably be a picture of ananias right there if there were any pictures of ananias

um I mean we're speaking of a man who just days before had literally dragged Christians before the authorities and it stood by at the stoning of Stephen

um could I get somebody to do another reading please

Jason thank you could you please read Acts chapter 9 verses 10 through 18. Acts chapter 9 verses 10 through 18. and it was a certain disciple at Damascus named ananias and to him said the Lord and Division ananias

and he said behold I am here Lord and the Lord said unto him arise and go into the street which is called straight an inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of tashus for behold he prayeth and hath seen in a vision a man named ananias coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight

then ananius answered Lord I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to thy sayings of Jerusalem in here he hath this Authority from the chief peace to bind all that call on thy name the Lord said unto him go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me to be in my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake and ananias went his way and entered into the house and putting his hands on him said brother Saul the Lord even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales and he received sight forthwith into Rose

and was baptized

I mean that's amazing and again I don't want to under emphasize

the character of this man

um

ananias

I mean he he could have you know no I'm no way Jose am I getting near this guy he's a he's dangerous he's uh powerful uh I would last 10 seconds in front of him there is no way that I'm getting anywhere near this saw he has Authority he has the paperwork he's Licensed to Kill literally

I'm not getting involved but that's not what happened and what a testimony to a man's faith

that he would you know take the word of God and say okay this is what I've been required to do this is what I'm going to do and he did it and he went in under he went right out into the street and under Paul and it says he put his hands on him he embraced him

brother Saul he calls him

you have been chosen

God has a plan and a purpose for you and even though we may not be Us in you know in that same situation uh directly nevertheless you know we should consider ourselves in a situation where we're of the same world you know we are one inch away from the corruption and the uh sin of society and yet by the grace of God we have um taken the opportunity to put on the name of Christ through baptism through our own accord and even though we do live in a uh world full of uh evil we have the opportunity for everlasting life because we've made this decision

now we may not have been cast into it in the situation of uh Saul and I don't think any of us had his kind of background either but nevertheless I mean it's something that we don't want to take for granted God went to the time and trouble to reach out to his creation and give his son as a sacrifice

and say look it here's the situation because of the fact that you men this creation has sinned and you disobeyed me you're going to die

and that's exactly what we deserve but I'm going to make I want to make available a way to get around death

now we live in a world now where you know we're worried about the covet virus and we worry about cancers and heart conditions and all sorts of other things that people can die of

and yet at the end of the day it doesn't matter because we have one thing that can keep us from death

we have the name of Christ in US and when we put on Christ we become Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise and as such we have the opportunity for everlasting life

and that is such an amazing opportunity

and again something that we just simply cannot take for granted

excuse me and you know we think of the boldness of ananias but we also have to consider the fact that we too uh have been bought with a price and because of The Obedience of Jesus to do his father's will now we have a hope of everlasting life as well and we'll probably never have to suffer the kind of uh problems that uh Paul went through because after his converging I mean he went through so much

I mean just as travels alone I mean I don't know how many thousands of miles that man must have traveled I think I remember once adding it up and it was several thousand miles

for all the uh Journeys he took

and you know you consider you know what he went through with the imprisonments and the beatings and being kicked out of town and being bitten by a deadly snake and I mean the list just goes on and on we could sit here for an hour easy you know just coming up with you know events in this man's life never mind exploring the um the events in any kind of detail so when those was about three years of Paul's uh Ministry

you know he he accomplished more in those three years than most men you know would accomplish in a lifetime and you know such an amazing transformation

to go from one extreme to another and to his credit to accept that

and

to um know to listen to the uh to the offer that was placed before him because God had chosen him and and that's just an amazing thing anybody have any particular special

um uh thoughts on about Paul or anything about his ministry that really uh

really touches home with them okay Bob yeah Jason bring a lot of good points out there and I I think it just shows how these are real people and when ananias his first response is uh I don't really think so I'm not comfortable doing that given a situation

but he goes anyways he does something that he's uncomfortable with and that allows him to grow and it allows Paul to grow and the idea where he puts his hands on on Saul and says brother brother Saul and no doubt that made a huge impression on Paul and if in in possibly when he was regulations chapter 3 uh where Paul says for all of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek slave nor a free male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus and if you belong to Christ then you are Abraham's seed and is according to the promise so

Paul he had just feeling that inclusion now once he's been exposed to gospel and recognizes that it's for everybody it's for Jew it's for Gentiles the Ethiopian it's for For All Mankind uh there's no exclusions and that really comes through in the in the power of uh Paul's words

absolutely

and um you know we look at uh people like this through history and we say you know how how could anybody live a life like that well you know we have a great opportunity before us as well I mean we have

um we have luxuries at our disposal can you imagine Paul if he had been able to jump into his automobile and drive where he was going or hop on a plane and uh go up to Greece and to the various places he uh visited you know just in a couple of hours

I mean if you look at what he accomplished with the uh tools he had at his disposal can you imagine what he could do if he had the uh benefits that we have today instead of his parchments he wanted his Apple iPad okay bring me my iPhone 14. seriously I mean what this

is such a small amount of time it's really incredible and you know again you know not to beat a dead horse but I mean when an ananias goes up and he puts his hands on him as Jason was just saying remember Paul is uh Saul is still blind at this point he hasn't gotten his eyesight back yet

and to have somebody just come up and put their arms on you and I call you by name and basically you know tell you hey everything is going to be fine and God has chosen you for a particular uh reason now of course any Paul believed in God obviously he was a Pharisee

um you know everything that he's been going up to that point was because he thought that's what God wanted him to be doing

he wasn't a criminal I'll try and you know he wasn't Billy the Kid out murdering and stealing he thought he was doing something with a purpose and a cause in accordance with God's will

and you know that kind of attitude can still be around today you know people do all sorts of things because they think they're doing it for a good reason when in fact they're not

and

I think that's uh you know again something I think that we can draw a lesson from out of the acts

no we can't always rely on doing things our way Jason

sorry you mentioned there as well that long list of um things that Paul went through you know Shipwrecked he was beaten twice you know and just everything he suffered and going back to the verses that we read the where Christ says for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my namesake and just wonder if that wasn't the back behind as he as he was being a servant and and doing everything that was asked of him to spread the gospel

absolutely and he kept this up right up until the end now

I know it's a popular um thought that Paul would probably beheaded but of course the scriptures don't tell us what really happened to Paul but either he was probably executed or he died in confinement that would be you know the most likely scenario I think but either way I mean he was worn down to the very last molecule really I mean he gave every ounce of what he had

for his faith

and if he was executed he did so gladly if he died in prison he did so gladly

and you know I think it's just an amazing thing we don't usually have to worry about things like that in this day and age

um but you know it certainly was a reality for him and I think it's something that we really do need to draw a lesson from Stephen I believe your hands up yeah

um just where Paul goes and talks about how

his persecution it always bothered him uh of of Jews and so that was a great motivator for him throughout his life I think and it was always in the back of his mind and he had persecuted these people and and he had persecuted the Lord and and he just it always motivated him so that that's one thing I think that helped him to continue on he was motivated by that

oh absolutely I mean he probably never got that out of his head north study you know it was a great motivator and I'm sure we have a lot of people living today who come to a knowledge of the truth who have a past that they're probably not uh very happy with

and

there's nothing wrong with that because

you know as the saying goes what doesn't kill us makes us stronger and I think in this case that's true

I think you'll learn you can learn from your mistakes we should learn from our mistakes because whether we grew up with a bible-based background or not irrelevant I mean we are all sinners we have all done things that we regret I assume does anybody here with nothing to regret you can put your hand up but I'm pretty confident that's true uh certainly is in my case and again it goes right back to what I was saying 10 minutes ago because we have the Hope in Christ who died for us we have the opportunity of Salvation because if we had to rely on our own character and our own morals and our own abilities to gain salvation from debt we weren't gonna We're not gonna do it because each and one every one of us is going to grow old someday and die

unless Christ comes back first

but that's the situation that we have put ourselves in

it's not it's not God's fault that uh people suffer it's not God's fault that people grow old and die it's man's fault because we're the ones who couldn't do what we were told

and it's just as simple as that it was in God's mercy that he has given us an opportunity for everlasting life

you know the old saying you know you know why do bad things happen to good people

because all us quote unquote good people are sinners

that's why not God's fault softball

somebody suggested that the title of that book should be uh why good things happen to bad people

yeah well I I would say that's probably not far off Steve

and yeah I mean I mean

yeah I was gonna say when I think of uh Paul

and all of the remarkable things that he achieved in in his you know missionary service to the Lord I think the thing that's most remarkable to me

is his ability to um I don't know change his mind

you know it's a hard thing to change your mind especially on something that you are zealous about

now in Paul's kit in Saul's case you know he had a an experience where he you know came face to face with the Risen Jesus but nevertheless it would have been you know it seems to me that it would have been very easy for him to sort of go into Arabia and just disappear and to sort of live a quiet life and to you know just be like you know oh my bad sorry about that but I'm not gonna you know but he didn't you know he he went all in and to me that's just a room to me I think that's the most remarkable thing when I consider that man

I agree okay well let's see here we've got about 10 minutes or so 15 minutes so I'd like to uh finish up uh in chapter 10 uh with the Cornelius

who of course would have been the descendant of Jacob

and it might be worth noting that to when Philip was directed to go to the eunuch uh there was no hesitation or confrontation from either of these men in fact Philip ran up to Fiona he ran up to Greenland he was warmly welcomed

now when ananiah was sent out to the street to approach Saul there was some hesitation on his path oh whoa wait a minute uh you know are you sure about this

um but he nevertheless he went out and he embraced Saul

and uh but in the case of Peter

um

Peter being sent to Cornelius there was some pretty heavy resistance on Peter's pot accompanied by verbal confrontation between he and God

now clearly we know Cornelius uh was a gentile and clearly Peter was known for not hobnobbing when the Gentile population I think that's a fair statement

um in fact I I believe the lessons that uh Peter was taught as a result of his uh interaction with Cornelius was probably every bit of as important to him as it was to Cornelius

now Peter uh from at the very beginning uh he flat out refused to eat anything that was uncommon or clean God sends his vision of all these unclean animals rise up Peter kill and eat oh no now I know a test when I see one no you know

you know I'm not getting close to this stuff no thank you [Music]

well Peter what God has cleansed you don't call it common

and then Peter came to Cornelius having realized that God had shown him not to call any man come or unclean because again this man was a chosen vessel

of God

therefore it was a lesson for Peter and I think for all of us

to remember that what God has cleansed be it food to eat or people called to the Waters of baptism that we do not regard them as common

or unclean or undeserving because every person on earth is deserving of repentance and deserving of the Waters of baptism if they so choose to repent

you know there's nothing special about any of us certainly uh we were fortunate enough to have whatever opportunities came to us to bring us to a realization of the things concerning the kingdom of God

and there's nothing

there's nothing special about us compared to anyone else who should have the same opportunity and the same privilege if they so desire

and in today's reading of Acts chapter 11. it says and the apostles and the brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God and when Peter was come up to Jerusalem they that were of the circumstances circumcision contended with him yeah contended can you imagine being there I think contended is probably putting it very mildly

yeah Peter I think we'd like to have a word with you but we we might even want to kill you so you know get on over here

um it was obviously a radical thing

repeated a break with tradition but apparently Peter's explanation satisfied the Brethren of that day because when they had heard these things they held their peace and they glorified God

saying then half God also to the Gentiles granted repentance

unto life

and you know that is to their credit I mean they really were very

very sincere with their opinions and varied sincere with the ways that they felt they should be worshiping and to have something of such a magnitude you mean the Gentiles

have a path of salvation can you imagine such a thing

we have a descendants of Abraham of Isaac and Jacob

and you know forgetting the fact that Abraham was a gentile because there was no such thing as a Jew then

um only the Jews would have any path to Salvation

so for this concept to come along then Gentiles could be saved

it was unheard of

and yet to their credit

they embraced it

so I think that even today we need to be careful that we don't let tradition get in the way of doing what's right because we're very fortunate to live in a Time where there remains a population who seek to believe the things concerning the kingdom of God

and

to that end it calls for building one another up

and to refrain from tearing others down

in so doing we rejoice in the knowledge that mankind through baptism into Christ Jesus can receive the gift of everlasting life

therefore let us consider the value of these chapters and the value of the Acts of the Apostles and may we as modern day Apostles and disciples rejoice in the lessons

of history as well as in this life and may we continue to watch and pray every day

so that's uh pretty much what I would like to cover tonight

um the history of those three events and how they culminate in today's reading and the benefits that we hopefully as Apostles and Disciples of this generation uh can um can take with us for the rest of our mortal existence so that's what I have tonight if anyone else has anything they would like to interject please feel free to do so at this time brother Jim boyko good evening are you at your parents house yeah I am yeah I am thanks uh so thanks for class Baba you asked us to reflect on Paul and I didn't come to mind right away but when we were doing uh kids Sunday school just a couple weeks ago or months ago we were going through Paul's missionary Journeys and it was just to me it was incredible that he did the same thing over and over again

um that is go to a synagogue preach to the Jews you know start to have some success get run out of town sometimes get in bigger trouble than that and then go and do the same thing all over again in the next city and then to retrace his steps knowing all the terrible stuff that people had thought about him uh and done to him while he was there uh he wasn't afraid to go back for more so maybe you've made that point um in your class at some point but it just to me that's a lesson for us in being persistent and also not afraid

um yeah we did touch on that Jim but it certainly Bears to be repeated and it's the truth I mean here's a man he had no way I mean there was no great form of communication you couldn't pick up your cell phone you couldn't send the telegram you couldn't do anything I mean the only way to get a message from point A to point B is to have somebody uh take it that and he was already on his way there so it's not like he could you know send somebody in advance unless it was well in advance to let someone know he was coming and sometimes he did do that but in general um you found out about the future the same way everybody else did you know you went from day to day

and from place to place

and I mean that was one of the things that was described of the modern of the uh first century Believers wherever they went wherever they found faith that is where they fellowshipped

and uh we who consider ourselves to be first century believers you know certainly should be able to benefit from that brother Stephen yeah

we think of Cornelius

and

you notice it says and he and all his family were devout God fearing he gave generously to those in need and praise to God regularly yes so we can see here

uh Gentile

going and deciding

since he was there he found out about this and he decided this was something he was interested in doing and not only him but he his whole family were devout he he was an example and so his entire family and and also in in Roman times the slaves and every and children

they were all considered a family and uh he was the uh father of the family and the family was an extended family including the slaves so that's quite something we consider Cornelius his whole family was devout so it was not just children but it was slaves and everybody you know I had meant to read that passage and I apologize I admitted that

um but I had originally had that in my notes as a passage to read and I forgot I apologize but obviously

um you know it's to his credit

um

and obviously God knows what he's doing

and it just goes right back to what he said to Peter when I call somebody you know you you don't stand in the way you don't call that common or unclean

because God's a Creator and we're not here except for the fact that he decided to create

we're not here because of anything we ever did we're here because that's that's the way he wants it