A Simple Presentation into The Book of ACTS - Intro - Bro. Ernie Perez

Today, we begin a new Series on SDU with Bro. John. "Ernie" Perez.  Bro. Ernie is one of the most brilliant Bible Expositors I have ever met.  We are privileged that he has agreed to come and give SDU Listeners & E3 School of Ministries Students an in-depth study into The Book of ACTS.  In our M3 School of Ministries we offer Ministerial Licensing under the guidance of Bro. Ernie and Bro. Mark; both you will meet in this study. 

 In this Introduction, you will step into the fascinating world of early Christianity with Brother Ernie Perez's refreshingly straightforward exploration of the Book of Acts. Drawing from his 50+ years of ministry experience, Brother Ernie strips away theological complexity to reveal the powerful foundations of the Christian church.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever," Brother Ernie reminds us, challenging the notion that today's church should operate differently than the one we see in Acts. If our Savior hasn't changed, why should His church? This core insight frames a discussion that will transform how you understand Christian community and practice.

Brother Ernie doesn't just teach about Acts—he provides practical tools for your own Bible study journey. His four principles for interpretation offer a roadmap anyone can follow without needing expertise in biblical languages or history. These simple yet profound guidelines empower you to discover biblical truths for yourself rather than depending solely on others' interpretations.

Perhaps most provocatively, Brother Ernie challenges our modern church governance models by highlighting that the early church functioned as a Spirit-led theocracy rather than a human democracy. "God's church is not a democracy," he states, inviting us to reconsider how authentic church leadership should operate under divine guidance rather than popular vote.

Experience miracles, witness the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and discover the original blueprint for Christian living in this powerful introduction to Acts. Whether you're a long-time believer or new to faith, this teaching will deepen your understanding of what it means to be part of Christ's church as it was originally intended.

Ready to rediscover the vibrant, Spirit-filled Christianity of the first believers? Join us for this illuminating journey through Acts, and prepare to have your perspective transformed by timeless biblical principles presented with clarity and conviction.

Ways to Give at www.m3mi.org...Thank you for your seed!  :)

Transcript

Introduction to Simple Discipleship Unfiltered

Speaker 1 0:13

Hey y'all, welcome to Simple Discipleship Unfiltered. I'm your host, Sister Diana. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey today. Can we be real? Being a Christian is not always easy, but you are not alone. So grab you a drink, grab you a snack. Let's open the word and see what Jesus has to say today. Hey, welcome to Simple Discipleship Unfiltered. I'm Sister Diana, and I'm joined today by Brother Ernie. John Ernie Perez, right, how do you want to go by?

Speaker 2 0:49

That's fine.

Speaker 1 0:51

I know you as Brother Ernie.

Speaker 2 0:52

That's good, brother.

Speaker 1 0:53

Ernie is good we're going to call you Brother Ernie. We're doing a special thing with Simple Discipleship. We're going to be recording a study on the simple presentation of the book of Acts presented by Brother Ernie weekly, also on Simple Discipleship, unfiltered here and also you'll be able to see it on YouTube video. So, brother Ernie, why don't you just tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and kind of give us a little intro into what we're going to see with the book of Acts?

Speaker 2 1:27

Well, I started serving the Lord back in 1971. Started trying to teach from the Word of God by 1972 and started ministering out of the local assembly just before we married, the wife and I, in 1973. I've been an ordained minister for, I guess, since 1986 or 87. I pastored for years. Pastored on the Navajo Indian Reservation, pastored in Pecos, Texas, Pagosa Springs, Colorado, shortly. I've been on the staff at several churches. I've done everything from be a Sunday school teacher to an outreach director and an assistant pastor, men's ministry If it has to do with ministry, whatever was put before me by the Lord, I tried to do that.

Speaker 2 2:18

And so now, obviously at my age, we're slowing down a little bit, but have this opportunity for M3 Ministries to do this for the Book of Acts. It's a very simple presentation, a simple interpretation by a very simple man. It's not going to be a lot of Greek and Hebrew. We're going to try to present the Word of God to you simply. Hopefully you'll enjoy it. And if you agree, great. If you disagree, great. I'm not doing it for you to agree, but if it makes you study and you enjoy the word of God, I'm a success.

Speaker 1 2:55

Yes, yes, that's what I love about you. That's what I love about you and Sister Patty is that your focus is on sharing what Jesus has done in and through you, to us and everybody that's listening now, so that the legacy of who you are because you are brilliant in the word, but I'm just going to say it, you don't have to agree, but you are brilliant in the word, and so I felt so strong. The Lord wanted us to have this recorded of you, by you, so that generations after you can learn and glean from what God has shown you.

Speaker 2 3:33

Well, that's quite the compliment. I thank you so much. I don't view myself as brilliant, but thank you for the compliment. I'll do the best I can.

Speaker 1 3:45

All right, we're going to get started and we're going to go ahead and start our video presentation and then we'll come back and close the Simple Discipleship.

Speaker 2 3:57

Okay, welcome to a simple presentation. I'm going to study in the Book of Acts, done by a simple man. This is done on behalf of M3 Ministries and their school of ministries, e3 School of Ministries. These things will be preserved and you'll be able to find them on their YouTube page as well as on their podcast. So with that, we've already prayed before we came on here, so we're going to dive right into an introduction into the book of Acts.

Speaker 2 4:35

I will tell you, for the sake of this study, I'll be reading from the King James translation of the Bible, simply because it's what I cut my teeth on. So if you use that translation, it'll read word for word, the same If you use another translation. We all love the word of God. Let's just do the best we can. Okay, so we're going to start. I want to tell you the author of the book of Acts is Luke, and Luke wrote the gospel of Luke and he is called the beloved physician. So if you want to look quickly in Colossians, chapter 4, and for time's sake, I'll probably be reading quicker than you can get there, so if you want to take a note, please go ahead. Colossians, chapter 4, verses 7 through 14, as Paul is closing out his letters to the church at Colossae, he says, picking up at verse 7 all my state shall Titicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister and a fellow servant in the Lord, whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he might know your estate and comfort your hearts with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son, barnabas touching, whom you receive, receive commandments. If he come unto you, receive him. And Jesus, which is called justice, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluted you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect. And so.

Speaker 2 6:29

Luke was one of those who traveled with the apostle Paul on his missionary journeys. He is the author of the book of Luke. You will find times where he is writing from the perspective of having completed research. Other times he will start saying we, we did this and we, we did that, meaning that is a part of the book where he was journeying with the apostle Paul.

Author and Purpose of Acts

Speaker 2 7:09

Now the book of Acts is a second letter to a fellow or a church with a nickname people debate, which it is is whose name is Theophilus. So if you'll turn with me to Luke, chapter 1, and we'll look at verses 1 through 4, and see how this book opens, and then we'll look at Acts, chapter 1, verse 1. So Luke 1, beginning with verse 1 and stopping at verse four, for as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order most excellent Theophilus. That is the audience. Whether that is one person or maybe an affectionate name for a church, we could debate, but it's not worth it. Verse 4 says that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. So early on in Luke's life he came in contact with the ministry of Jesus Christ and he began to chronicle these things. He began to write them down. He says here that he had a perfect understanding of the gospel. That is quite a statement. So this physician was quite an educated man and evidently a self-styled journalist and historian.

Speaker 2 9:06

Now let's go back to Acts, chapter 1, and we'll look and see how he starts the book. Comparing that with how he started the book of Luke, the former treatise, the first letter, the first history, have I made, o Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. So this is volume two. I've written you one other, until the day in which he was taken up. After that he, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. Jesus never gave suggestions. He gave commandments To whom also? He showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God and being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the father which saith. He. You have heard of me, remember. Luke says he had a perfect understanding, first of the gospel story, which is the, the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the ministry of John the Baptist and the training ground of the apostles.

Speaker 2 10:34

Now we're coming to the book of Acts. Luke's experience is from both eyewitnesses of Jesus' life and then from testimonies of Jesus life that he gathered and garnered. Okay, so from eyewitnesses of Jesus life, death and resurrection. This is key. The gospel story is not just about Jesus suffering and death. It is about his resurrection and dominion over sin and Satan and about us moving into his kingdom. So Luke, though he was a physician, appears to be a researcher, a self-styled journalist and historian. He was in Rome with Paul when Paul was imprisoned there, and he traveled with Paul during his missionary journeys.

Speaker 2 11:27

If you will look at Acts, chapter 16, we'll turn there momentarily and I want you to see something Luke wrote into the book of Acts. Acts, chapter 16, luke is writing. Acts, chapter 16, luke is writing in verse 11. He writes therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia and next to Neapolis. What I wanted you to see is he's talking about traveling with Paul and he says we came. So this is an experience that he was a part of personally. This wasn't a part of research that he did. This is a part of his life experience.

Speaker 2 12:26

Now, the book of Acts is a history of the establishing and growth of the church. And if you look at Acts, chapter 28, we're going to skip to the end of the book for just a moment Now, being that we're teaching this the way we are, there's not a lot of time for questions, but there's awful then when you get done, there's awful lot of time for you to research anything and to use the information from YouTube and send in any questions. You have All right. So we're looking at Acts, chapter 28, and we're going to read verses 30 and 31. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him. Paul had gotten into a legal entanglement with the traditional Jews who held on to the law of Moses, ended up appealing his decisions in the Roman court of law and was sent to Rome to appeal to Caesar.

Speaker 2 13:32

Now I want you to notice here we're closing out the book of Acts. Luke is closing it out talking about Paul continuing to preach the gospel for two whole years, preaching and teaching the gospel, no one hindering him, and there is no amen at the end of this. So there was evidently more history intended to be written, but whether Luke didn't live that long or whether that history was lost? We cannot say, but we do have the foundation of the church being established in the 28 chapters that are recorded as written by Luke, who traveled with the Apostle Paul himself, who claims to have had a perfect understanding of the gospel from the time he was first exposed to it. I want you to turn now to Hebrews, chapter 13. Of course, the Hebrew church was founded during the time of the book of Acts, right. The first believers were Hebrews, they were Jews, they were the first believers that Jesus had convert to himself.

Speaker 2 14:47

Now let's look at Luke, chapter 13, something that we all believe the apostle Paul wrote. We don't have definitive evidence, but it seems like Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, hebrews, chapter 13, verse 8, he says this to the Hebrew church Hebrews, chapter 13, verse 8, he says this to the Hebrew church. He writes Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. It's important for us to understand. We have the same Savior today who walked the shores of Galilee, who traveled through Israel. The same Savior who was beaten, crucified, died and was resurrected from the dead. The same Savior who poured out the baptism of the Holy Ghost on all believers. He is the same Savior, so isn't it logical that his church should be the same church. We make a mistake. I don't care who tells you. We're no longer the church of the book of Acts. There is no place in the Bible that says to us that after the book of Acts the church changes. It is the foundation of the establishing of God's church. Therefore, it is the pattern for us here to teach who Jesus is, how to get right with Jesus, how to come into a right relationship with Jesus. That's the book.

Speaker 2 16:19

The other books, from Romans to Revelation, are written to people who have already encountered Jesus. They have been saved. Maybe some of them backslid. They have been saved, but they're not walking in salvation the way they can. They have weaknesses that they must grow out of. They have bad habits that must be overcome. They have strengths that the writers of the letters wanted to encourage them in. But the pattern of salvation for those who have never met Jesus Christ is established in the book of Acts and we have no reason to change that. Paul established this by writing to the Hebrew church that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. So we should be satisfied with that.

Four Principles for Bible Study

Speaker 2 17:15

We should never be satisfied with being less than a powerful church today than the church that was in the book of Acts, and I will readily admit to you, though, I have seen much of what has occurred in the book of Acts in our ministry, my wife and I. We have seen the miracles. We have seen the dead raised, but we haven't seen every person that we've prayed for healed. That didn't happen in our lives. But we've seen blind eyes open, broken bones healed, aids, healed cancer, healed, the dead raised. God can do all these things still, but let us remember we don't command God, he commands us. So, before you step off into a lot of activities, we always want to hear, we always want to know, by our spirit or by a voice from heaven. This is what God wants right now, and I want to step into it that his name will be glorified.

Speaker 2 18:15

Now, as we are going through this study, I'm going to give you a few guidelines study. I'm going to give you a few guidelines when you have questions about interpretations. I'm going to give you a summary of four rules that you can use without having to know Greek, hebrew, aramaic or be a scholar of biblical history. You can use the Bible itself, prayer and study, and you can verify from the Word of God and from God Himself, whether or not you are on the right path. The first thing we're going to use is called.

Speaker 2 18:52

The first rule is called the principle of first mention. Now, what this means is, if you don't understand if a word is being used symbolically or not, look for the first time it's used. Look for the first time that phrase is used in Scripture, and then you use it the same way from there to Revelation. You don't change and make the word of God inconsistent. God is not an inconsistent God and he's not confused about what he's trying to say. So see how the language was used the first time. When you understand that. If you think it's symbolic, then look for how it's used every other time in scripture. Now the second rule is called the principle of context and using this principle when you're reading and you're not understanding a biblical concept. So ask yourself this question which covenant is this writing under? Is this person under?

Speaker 2 20:06

There are several covenants in Scripture. We oftentimes simplify things by saying the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, or the Old Testament and the New Testament. But in the Old Testament you have the first covenant God made with Adam. Then, when they left the garden, they have a new covenant made with adam. Then, when they left the garden, they have a new covenant they're doing everything according to their conscience. Then god makes another covenant with noah. It doesn't do away with the other two, but it brings into focus. Now, according to this covenant, noah, I'm never going to destroy the earl, the world with a flood again. Then God makes a covenant with Abraham based on what will happen for his descendants and what will happen in the land of Israel. So God made a covenant with David about his descendants ruling. God made a covenant with Solomon about repentance people who will repent and turn to Israel and believe in the God who is the God of Abraham, isaac and Jacob, and turn towards the temple that is built in Jerusalem, in that city. So all those covenants have different writers who wrote under them.

Speaker 2 21:22

You want to understand the covenant. You want to understand who wrote it down, who wrote the book and then why it was written. Many times in the beginning of books that you read, there will be statements that tell you the purpose of the book. There will be statements that tell you these are the questions that are being answered. These are the issues that are being dealt with. This is why you don't want to just interpret a scripture by itself. Even the scriptures that I give you, that's just one single scripture. When this study is over, you go back and you see that book and you see that chapter and you see what came in before and after and satisfy yourself, because on judgment day god is not going to ask you what was brother ernie's opinion. He's going to want to know what happened between you and him. All right.

Speaker 2 22:22

Next we're going to talk about, uh, the use of the principle of complete mention, that is, verifying meaning of scripture using all similar or related scriptures. If you haven't studied greek, if you don't get that privilege, if you don't get that privilege, if you don't get the opportunity to study Hebrew and Aramaic, you can still hear from heaven. If you have the opportunity to go deeper in those studies, it's great, go for it. But this is a simple presentation from a simple man to give you a simple beginning in the word of God and then, through your own relationship with God and your own study, talk to him and hear from him. Hear from him with a voice, in dreams, in visions, through prophetic utterance, but hear from God for yourself. Okay, none of us who minister the word of God are substitute saviors. We're not substitutes for your personal experience with Christ. We are called to be facilitators in you developing that relationship and to help you do that. So there's some decisions we just don't make for you. We let you and Jesus work it out. That is the goal Now.

Speaker 2 23:50

Lastly, I want to talk to you about this Rule number four always pray and ask God for guidance. Pray and ask God for guidance. Then be quiet and spend time listening. It may be that God will choose to speak to you in an audible voice. The world is full of examples where that has happened. It may be that he'll put a deep impression within your spirit and your mind that you can't get away from it. May be you'll have a dream or a vision or a prophecy will come forth, but God wants to speak to us. He wants to speak to us when we read the Bible, by causing it to make sense to us and causing us to understand it. He wants to speak to us in our hearts and minds, where we're having personal communication with God.

Speaker 2 24:53

Please remember, there is no substitute for personal communication with God, and if you wonder whether or not you're having the right communication, look for it in the Word of God to be verified. Could it be an imitating spirit? Sure, always there's false doctrines everywhere. So what do you? Do you get familiar with the Word of God? The word of God? You can't just use preachers and teachers as substitute for talking to Jesus. Again, we are facilitators to help you build your relationship with Jesus. The key is he is your savior and there is no substitute for him.

Christ's Final Instructions

Speaker 2 25:44

So let's talk about acts, chapter 1, the first 12 verses. We've already read earlier the first four verses, so I'm going to pick up at verse 5. Remember, this is the second book that luke is writing and it's on the heels of his gospel, for john, truly baptized with water. These are the words of jesus to his disciples. But you shall be baptized with the holy ghost not many days hence. Not, you might be not some of you.

Speaker 2 26:26

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him saying Lord, wilt thou at this time, restore again the kingdom to Israel? They were looking for a political empire, for the Messiah to set up a political empire. They still didn't understand everything. Verse 7, jesus. He said to them everything. Verse 7, jesus. He said to them it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his own power. In other words, in a very polite way, he said that's really nothing for you to worry about, that's not your concern, that's nothing that I'm dealing with here, he says. But you shall receive power after that.

Speaker 2 27:12

The Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and into the uttermost part of the earth. The reason for the baptism of the Holy Ghost is more than to help you speak in tongues. It's more than you having to chill up and down your spine. It's to give you power to witness what Christ has done, not only in history but in your life as an individual. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up in the cloud, received out of their sight, and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven. As he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said Ye, men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which has taken up from you into heaven shall so come again, in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. In other words, you got work to do to be ready for his return, because he's definitely coming back. Just like you saw him go up, you're going to see him come back. There is a generation that will see Jesus split the eastern sky and come back to take his church to be with him. The angel said what are you standing around here for? He is coming back. He told you he was raised from the dead. Right, he is raised from the dead. He tells you he's coming back again. Get busy with the job at hand. Then return day unto Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. So it wasn't far to walk. I believe that's about a furlong, a sixth of a mile, if I remember correctly.

Speaker 2 29:05

Now we look at how Acts, chapter 1, starts, and then look at Luke and how it's ending up In Luke, chapter 24, I'm going to start reading at verse 36. And when they had thus spake, jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them, peace be unto you. So they were in a room in a house, possibly the upper room, having a conversation with the risen Christ, or sorry about the risen Christ. And then he appears, verse 37 says. But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. Listen, it's not easy to see somebody raised from the dead, especially someone who just peers in your room like beam me up, scotty. And there he is. He didn't walk through the walls, he didn't walk through the doors, he didn't come through the window. There was not a knock or a doorbell Poof. He appeared. I'm sure they were terrified, verse 38. There was not a knock or a doorbell Poof. He appeared. I'm sure they were terrified, verse 38,.

Speaker 2 30:12

And he said unto them why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see me have. This is not a ghost, this is me, jesus of Nazareth, risen from the dead. And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and feet. I'd be hesitant myself to reach out and touch him. He showed them his hands and feet and while they yet believed, not for joy, wondered, he said unto them have you here any meat? That's not enough. Give me something to eat. And they gave him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb, and he took it and did eat it before them. Ghosts have no need for eating.

Speaker 2 31:15

He was demonstrating the reality of his resurrection and he said unto them these are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning me. Which tells us why we need to understand the Old Testament, why we need to read it, then open to their understanding that they might understand the scriptures. Which tells us we need to ask God, open my understanding and not just depend upon my personal education or ability, but study prayerfully, take advantage of good, sound biblical teachers, take advantage of prophets and apostles, take advantage of good preachers, but more than that, be sure that you are yourself in the word of God Elsewise, how will you know that these are good preachers? But, more than that, be sure that you are yourself in the word of God. Elsewise, how will you know that these are good preachers, that these are good teachers, if you cannot confirm it with your own personal experience? In the word of God, the onus is on you to walk with Jesus, not on your pastor, not on the apostle that you're friends with or the prophet that is your partner. No, the onus is on you, it's between you and Jesus. And he said unto them thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. They were finding out now how it was written and that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Jesus' parting words, as Luke remembered them as they came according to his research Repentance is a foundation stone in your relationship with Jesus Christ, and if you haven't repented, you haven't had faith, and you are witnesses of these things. You've been all with me in my ministry, and now that I'm risen from the dead and behold, I send the promise of my father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high. And that's how he opens up the second letter to Theophilus you got to have Holy Ghost power. You got to have Holy Ghost power in order to effectively serve the Lord.

Speaker 2 33:53

Okay, so they at this point received a prophetic word from Jesus about receiving power. The Holy Ghost, just like the word of God, came to Abraham saying I have made you a father of many nations, when Abraham had no children, according to Romans 4 and 17,. Jot that down and you can verify that. In Genesis 12 and in Genesis 17, 4 through 6, god made promises to Abraham and said I count it already done. You're going to receive power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you. Now the apostles are going to have power to remit or retain sin, and when we come back next week before I begin the next lesson, we'll review this a little bit and talk about how the apostles will have power to remit sin. Do I have a few more minutes? Okay, let's do that now.

Speaker 2 34:54

Let's look at Acts 1, verses 13 through 26. Jot that down. This is where another disciple is chosen to fill the spot for Judas. Then the disciples returned to an upper room where Mary and Jesus and many of his family members, his brethren and many of the women were included, and his family members. Some of them are named in Matthew 13, verses 55 through 56, and in Mark 6 and 3. And there were unnamed women present and there was approximately 120 people in total that were in the upper room.

Speaker 2 35:46

Now Peter asserts authority that a disciple must be selected to replace Judas, and a selection was made after two men were deemed qualified, and it says the lot fell on Matthias. This was not an election. They would not consider you to be an apostle if to be one of the 12, in particular If you had not walked with Jesus in his earthly ministry. If you were going to be one of the original 12 apostles, that was a requirement. But it says the lot fell on Matthias. How did that happen? It means they didn't have a democratic process.

The Church is a Theocracy, Not Democracy

Speaker 2 36:28

The church in the book of Acts was not a democracy, it was a theocracy. People were used to hearing prophecy and preaching that they could say this is the spirit of God and we know it and we agree on it and we'll go forward with it. Key decisions are made in the book of Acts by the brethren where no vote is taken. God's church is not a democracy. It wasn't in the book of Acts, it shouldn't be in our day and time. But because we have not submitted to God thoroughly like the church in the book of Acts did at least the effort they made, we are not sensitive enough sometimes to understand this is the will of God for the moment, and so we move in fear instead and we say, well, let's take a vote Now. Can God use voting? Sure, but it's not the process that was used in the book of Acts and don't? We want to go back to be that church? We want to be that church that was in the book of Acts. So I am going to correct myself.

Speaker 2 37:51

We will come later and talk about the apostles involvement in remission of sin. That's important because we know only Jesus can remit sins. So mark that down somewhere and make a note of it. Mark it down that God's church is not a democracy. And I'm not trying to make ripples in the church where you attend. People go there, we're sure, because they love God and they want to follow God and they're praying about their life. But we have let the American dream become the example of a successful church.

Speaker 2 38:30

The gifts and callings of God. You don't move into them like you move up the corporate ladder. You are selected by God and trained by God, where that his apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists can see the hand of God on you and agree on that. This is the fact and lay hands on you and you will be commended to the calling that God has given you. But your calling Is not the result of a democratic process. If it is, you have been misled.

Speaker 2 39:17

When you come to your pastor, to your apostle, and say I'm called of God to do thus and so you're looking for a witness for them to be able to tell you. You know what I see it in your life. If they tell you come back later, don't give up. Say okay, go back and tell Jesus. They didn't understand Lord. If I've got it right, lord in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established. That's God's plan. If you've got a calling, god will establish it for you where you don't have to wonder okay, so what? I'm going to wrap this up now and invite you to come back next week. I hope you enjoy this study.

Speaker 2 40:07

In the meantime, read the book of Acts. Look for scriptures related in the gospels, because everything that was taught in parables in the gospels is being taught factually, without parables, in the book of Acts. No more parables. In the book of Acts, being born again is going to be described exactly what it means, not, like he told Nicodemus, being born of water and spirit. No, he's going to make it plain. He's going to make it plain and we're going to enjoy learning about it. So with that, I will see you next time. Thank you for your kind attention. May the Lord bless you so much you become his blessing in the lives of others. In Jesus' name.

Speaker 1 40:55

Brother Harry, thank you so much for being with us today on Simple Discipleship, Unfiltered. What a powerful word from the Lord, I believe. What a powerful word from the Lord, I believe, and I'm so excited for this study as we continue with you weekly on this for however long that it takes. I'm just grateful to the Lord that you're here with us. You know we end every podcast we say this to everyone To go show some love, show some compassion, give mercy and go to our website at wwwm3miorg, scroll to the More tab and select Contact Us. Also, if SGU has been a blessing to you, you can also go to our website and select Sow a Seed.

Speaker 1 42:00

There are several ways that you can give, whether it's Zelle Venmo Cash App or if there's an address to send a check or money order. All your gifts are tax deductible and we thank you so much for sowing your seed with us. I want you to remember this. A wise person once said that a person has given you their time. They have given you their most precious gift because they can never, ever get it back. Thank you for sharing this day with me. We love you. We'll see you soon.