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Alright, that's controversial to ask that I be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Not controversial to me, we've been learning about this as we've been going chapter by chapter through the book of Acts. Look at Acts 11 verse number 26, it says that when he had found him and brought him unto Antioch and it came to pass that a whole year, they assembled together with the church and taught much people and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. The first photo for the sermon tonight is Christians first in Antioch. Christians first in Antioch. Antioch was a city in ancient Syria but now modern day, modern day is basically Turkey. It's what we know as Turkey, that region is that. We're going to look at a few places here, it helps to understand geographically a little bit how things operate. For example, we're going to see the Isle of Cyprus mentioned and in the Isle of Cyprus back in the day they would speak in Greek. And then you'll see that men of Cyprus speaking to the Grecians, why? Because they can speak Greek. But then there's also like even today, like if you look at one of the two main languages in Cyprus, sorry in Cyprus it's Greek and Turkish. So that makes sense if Antioch is in Turkey for them to have the same kind of language. So I say that just so you're going to kind of understand why there are men that are preaching from these areas and why Barnabas is called later on in this chapter to Antioch because Barnabas was from Cyprus originally. So he could speak the language of the common tongue of the people in that day. And so just understanding the geography also helps understand the reasons why certain preachers are there at certain times. Now let's start there in verse number one, it says, And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And the Gentiles there of course is Cornelius and his house. Remember when Peter was called to Cornelius' house, he preached to them all, they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and they were baptised by the Holy Ghost, they were able to speak in tongues, they were given that special gift. And now the Jews hear about, the Jewish Christians, the Israeli believers, they've heard about the Gentiles receiving the word of God and for them that's surprising. Remember even Peter, in the previous chapter even Peter had a hard time coming into the house of a Gentile and fellowshiping with them. And we're going to look at all this in a moment, look at verse number two. The Jews are having a hard time with this understanding why the Gentiles also received God's word. And verse number two says, And of course these are Jewish believers, these are Jewish believers of Jesus Christ. Because Peter you went to Cornelius' house, you went to the Gentiles, you spent days with them, you sat, you slept in the house, you ate with them, how could you do this? Don't you know that we as Jews are to be separate from the Gentiles? And of course that was kind of what we said, that's Peter's mentality in the previous chapter at the very beginning. Now most of the first half of this chapter is a retelling of the previous chapter so I'm not going to go into any great depth but then Peter explains why he went to Cornelius, why he went to preach to the Gentiles. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning and expanded it by order unto them saying. So he repeats what happened in the previous chapter, let's read it, verse number five. And this was done three times. So he's retelling the vision that he had about those animals that came down. And then at the end of the day the animals that are called common or unclean were then received up to heaven. Again expressing that the new covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ is to go throughout the whole world and it doesn't matter of your physical nation, all nations are welcomed into the kingdom of heaven and the unclean animals was of course illustrative of the Gentiles. And then it says in verse number 12. So Peter says, look, I've got six others here with me. You know, they're all witnesses, they came and what I'm telling you is the truth, right? You can ask these other six men, they saw it, they've seen these Gentiles, believe on Christ. Okay, so he's appealing to others that were with him. And in verse number 13 it says, Now what is this? Of course, we've seen already to be baptized by the Holy Ghost, you must already be saved. And that's why it says that like, as I began to speak to the Holy Ghost, he's basically saying, look, I didn't even get to finish preaching and these guys are getting saved. I'm still expounding. And essentially we know from the Jesus chapter, they were to trust, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you know, they were commanded to be saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's what they did. They believed on Christ. He's not even done preaching. They've done, they're doing that. And so the Holy Ghost falls upon them at the beginning. And then it says there in verse number 16, So what is this being baptized with the Holy Ghost? Look at verse number 17, And that like gift is the gift of tongues. In the previous chapter you saw that, the gift of tongues. This is who he gave it to, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. There it is, right? What did they do when they heard Paul's preaching, Peter's preaching? They believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. And because of that, God then baptized them with the Holy Ghost and empowered them to be able to speak in other languages spontaneously. And then it says at the end of verse number 17, He goes like, you're upset that I went to preach to the Gentiles? Who am I to stop God? Like if God wants to see these guys saved, if they want to believe on Christ and God gives them the power to speak in tongues, who am I to stop them? You know, that's what he's essentially saying. Who am I going to, am I going to stand against God? Right? So again, what we get confirmation in this chapter is that being baptized with the Holy Ghost is being the same as being filled with the Holy Ghost. Okay, and again, for some reason, I don't understand, for some reason it's controversial. They think it's some charismatic Pentecostal preaching or you're saying that, I don't know, like, there are so many Baptists that are fixed with the idea that being baptized with the Holy Ghost is just being saved. Now, when you're saved in the New Testament, you're in-dwelt with the Holy Ghost, but even though someone is in-dwelt with the Holy Ghost and saved, we also have passages in the Bible that says we need to be filled with the Holy Ghost. All right? And when we ask for boldness to preach, God baptized or fills us with the Holy Spirit of God and we're able to get out there and preach the gospel to the lost or I'm able to get up here behind the pulpit and preach to you God's Word and we simply ask God to fill the preacher with the Holy Ghost. So that way it's not the flesh doing the hard work, it's the Spirit of God using us as empty and clean vessels to do his work. Now, so most of that is just a retelling of the previous chapters explaining his reasons why he went out and preached to the Gentiles. So now we're going to learn some new things here. Let's keep going there, verse 18. And when they heard these things, that's when those of the circumcision, the Jews, heard these things, they held their peace. So they kind of, they stopped whining to Peter, they stopped complaining, right? They're like, they're like considering this as well. Like, are we also going to stand against God, right? They held their peace and glorifying God saying, then have God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Now, I think for most of us when we read that statement said by the Jews, we're kind of perplexed. Like, don't you know that the gospel was always for the Gentiles as well? They're like, oh, even the Gentiles can be saved. God's even allowing the Gentiles to have everlasting life. Now, keep your finger there. Come back with me to Acts chapter one, please. Acts chapter one, Acts chapter one. So the book of Acts is essentially believers, disciples, the apostles, doing the acts, doing the actions, doing the work that Jesus has left them to do. But we know there's a bit of a growing process. There's the development, there's persecution that's getting them out there. There's a lot going on in the early days of the churches. And in Acts one, eight, these are the words of Jesus. It says, but you shall receive power. That's the power of the Holy Ghost. After that, 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 unto the uttermost part of the earth. Now, when you and I, as New Testament Christians, we read Acts one, eight, we know what God is saying. Like we know, okay, yeah, they were to start in Jerusalem. That's where they were. That's where the first church was planted. And then all of Judea. So go to the outskirts areas, all the region, the whole region of Judea, and then go to Samaria. And then for us, we know that the Samaritans are going to be there, the non-Jews. And so preach to the Samaritans and then to the uttermost part of the earth. We know as New Testament Christians, Australia is part of that process. And so you're going out to all the Gentiles. I mean, we would naturally say, how do you not understand that? The uttermost part of the earth. The gospel is to go to every creature. That's how we've interpreted that. And we interpret that correctly because we have the fullness of the canon of scripture and the hindsight of looking back at history and knowing that was always God's intention. But the Jews, at least these Jews of this time, when they read, all right, and ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem. They're like, oh yeah, obviously the Jews and in all Judea, of course, that's where the Jews reside. And then when it gets, and in Samaria, you know what they're thinking? Oh, the Jews in Samaria. That's who we have to preach to. And unto the uttermost part of the earth. Oh yeah, because there's Jews scattered all over the place. And so we need to reach all the Jews that are in the uttermost part of the earth. That's how they understood that commandment. Okay? That's why they're having a hard time. Like, oh man, the Gentiles too? It's like, yes! Not just the Jews in Australia, but even the Australians. They need to hear the gospel. And you soon see, as we keep going, that this is truly what they believed. Because look at verse number 19. Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, so we know that many of the Jews were scattered because of the persecution in Jerusalem. Remember that? Alright, so many of those that were scattered, look at this, travelled as far as Phoenice. That's Phoenicia or modern day Lebanon. Right? Modern day Lebanon. Who lives in Lebanon? The Lebanese. Okay? And Cyprus. That's the Isle of Cyprus. Like I said, the main language there is Greek and Turkish. And then it says, an Antioch. Like I said, Antioch is the ancient, a city of the ancient Syria. Today it's Turkey. Alright? Now, these Jews that are, these believing Jews, these saved Jews that are scattered. They've gone to these different places. Look at this. Preach in the word to none, but unto the Jews only. You see, that's what they believed. So they've been scattered to all these other nations, and instead of reaching the Turkish people, alright, or the Syrians, they're like, we got the gospel. Yes, I guess this is what Jesus commanded us to do, to go to the utmost part of the earth. Where are the Jews? We got to tell the Jews about Jesus Christ. No, you tell everybody about Jesus Christ. Right? So this is, this is like a, for Cornelius, a Centurion, for them all to get saved. It's like, it's a shock to the system. Alright? Now, for us, it would be something like this. You know, we might, like, if you look at some of the cities of Australia, let's say Sydney. We'll probably say Sydney or Melbourne is like a very multicultural, they're very multicultural cities, right? People with their own religion. Because like, on the sunny coast, if you are, like if someone has a faith or has a religion, most people on the sunny coast, at least in my experience, are some form of Christian. Now, we live in a strange age where we know that most Christians on the earth are not even saved. Okay? But they identify as someone who believes on Christ, someone who follows Christ. That's the general idea, right? So when you've got these believing Jews scattered and going to different places, to the Jews only, they're trying to reach the unsaved Jews. They're trying to reach the Jews of the Jewish religion, like the Phariseedical kinds of teachings, the ones that, the Jewish religions that reject Christ, essentially, right? They reject him as their saviour. And so they're trying to reach those people. So for us, like that would be us like going into a city like Sydney and going, alright, the people we're trying to reach are the unsaved Christians. Those that say they believe on Christ, but are still trusting in their works. They're still trusting in their efforts. They're the people that we're going to reach. We won't reach the Muslims. We won't reach the Buddhists. We won't reach the Hindu. Don't worry about them. Let's just reach those that claim they're of Christ, but are not yet saved. That's kind of what these, you know, believing Jews are doing. They're just trying to reach those of the Jewish religion. And it really took Cornelius and the story of Cornelius and his whole household, a centurion, a man who is renowned and known by the Jews to get saved, to believe in Christ, for the Jewish Christians believers to be like, man, even the Gentiles need to be reached. But for us, it's like, didn't you know? Didn't you get that already? So you can see that, you know, in the early churches, like there's still growth, there's still development, there's still a full realisation of what Christ has done for the whole world. And look at verse number 20. And some of them, some of those men that were scattered because of persecution were men of Cyprus and Cyrene. So these men of Cyprus, they're still Jews, but they were born or they grew up, okay, in Cyprus and Cyrene. Again, in Cyprus, they speak Greek. This is why it's important because it says here, which when they will come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. That makes sense. These people are originally from Cyprus and Cyrene. They can speak the language. And because of persecution, because they were in Jerusalem, the persecution came, they went back to their homelands, makes sense to go back to where they're comfortable. And then they find some Grecians in Antioch, they begin to preach the Lord Jesus Christ in Antioch. Now, keep your finger there. I want to introduce you once again to a very famous individual that we read about here in the book of Acts. Keep your finger there. Keep your finger there. Come back with me to Acts 4, Acts 4, Acts 4 and verse number 36. Acts chapter 4 and verse number 36. It says, And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, that's the man Barnabas, which has been interpreted the son of consolation, a Levite and of the country of Cyprus. So I want to show you that Barnabas, Barnabas is in Jerusalem at this time. Remember Barnabas is the one that got sold, the future apostle Paul, and brought them before the apostles and vouched for him. Well, he himself, a Levite, definitely a Jew but one from the tribe of Levi, is actually from the country of the isle of Cyprus. So if he's from that country, he too can obviously speak in Greek without the need of the gift of tongues. He's able to obviously speak in that common tongue, which is why Barnabas gets brought up later in this chapter. But I want to just demonstrate to you that Barnabas is not the only man from Cyprus or from Cyrene. He's not the only Jew from these areas that have gotten saved and because of persecution were forced back to their homeland. All right. Verse number 21. So they're preaching Jesus in the city of Antioch. And look at verse number 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. So a great, we don't have the number, but a great number. What did they do? They believed. What is salvation? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Even to those of Antioch, modern day Turkey. They too believed on Jesus and there was a great number. All right. So, I mean, look, these scattered people are getting people saved in all different places. But Antioch becomes a really like a fertile ground, like great numbers are believing on Jesus. Okay. So this begins to reach the ears back to the apostles and the disciples back in Jerusalem. Look at verse number 22. Then tidings of these things, that's what I just said, right? The news of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem. And they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch. Well, that makes sense, right? They're like, look, Barnabas, we've heard such great stories in Antioch, great numbers of people are getting saved. All right. So we're sending you. So the church in Jerusalem is sending Barnabas. Now, I can't prove this from this chapter alone. Okay. But when you start to see the pattern in the book of Acts, you see how churches are planted. I personally believe very strongly, and I don't think you can debunk this from scriptures, that churches plant churches. We're very familiar with the apostle Paul. We're very familiar with him in the future of the book of Acts being sent to start churches and he's sent by the church in Antioch to start churches. Well, before the church of Antioch existed, Barnabas was sent from the church in Jerusalem. So you've got a whole bunch of people getting saved in Antioch. The church in Jerusalem goes, all right, Barnabas, we're sending you. And after Barnabas is sent, guess what? We read about it being a church, a church in Antioch. Okay. Now again, it's not black and white in this chapter, but you clearly see that it's not called a church until Barnabas is sent by the church in Jerusalem and then it's referred to as a church. Like I believe this chapter with all the other chapters we see in the book of Acts, as a pattern shows us that churches plant churches. All right. And I believe this is the reason Barnabas is going. All right. He's a mature believer. He's a son of consolation. He's got a great reputation. You know, he's a great preacher. In fact, it says in verse number, well, let's keep going a little bit. Look at verse 23. Who, when he came, when Barnabas came to Antioch and had seen the grace of God was glad and exhorted them all. And with purpose of heart that they would cleave unto the Lord. So Barnabas turns up. He's so excited to see all these people getting saved. He exhorts them all. He encourages all these new believers, right? He says, look, cleave unto the Lord. He's like continue following the Lord now. Stay close to him, right? This is why I believe this becomes a church for this very purpose that people would have that emphasis of church and the body of Christ and learn in the scriptures. Verse number 24 about Barnabas, it says, for he was a good man. Look, that means a lot because we know there is none good. No, not one. But the Holy Spirit and the radio Bible tells us, look, from a man's standard, Barnabas is a good man. All right. And full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And much people was added unto the Lord. So we already saw that a great number believed, but when Barnabas turns up and he preaches, many more people are added to the Lord. A great work is happening there in Antioch. And then verse number 25. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek soul. Because you may recall in previous chapters, I think it's chapter nine, that's soul because of a lot of drama that was going on in Jerusalem for his safety was sent away to Tarsus. So Barnabas is like, man, so much success. He's like, where's his soul? Like, we need help. We need more leaders. We need more preachers. We need, you know, more men that can help this church here in Antioch. And so he goes and departs and gets soul. Now, let's go to Acts nine. Acts nine. I want to talk to you a little bit about the timeframe, the chronology of events here a little bit. Okay. Because when you read the book of Acts, everything feels like everything just follows pretty quickly. It might only feel like a few months have gone. But you know, most people like, again, I'm not going to be able to prove this decisively for you tonight. Most people believe that Paul was in Tarsus for about 10 years. Approximately. Okay. Now, you're not going to read in the book of Acts that he was there, like it's not going to say he was there for 10 years. I've heard a lot of preachers say the same thing. Now, let me just say this very quickly. When a lot of preachers say the same thing, but it's not clearly noted in the Bible, it's one of two things. Number one, which is the worst one, someone said it and then everybody just parrots it. And what they're saying is exactly the same thing. The same arguments, the same things, the same opinions. When everyone's saying the same thing and it's just an opinion, or you know, the same opinions I should say, then I'm quite cautious in general. But I do believe the concept that he was there for roughly 10 years. Because over the years, and I'll show you in a minute why people believe this, is that the arguments that I've heard from different preachers about him being there for 10 years, they've always come with different types of evidence. Like from a historical view of the New Testament churches, or from secular history, or a mix of it, but they've been different arguments for the same, different arguments for the same proposal that Saul was in Tarsus for about 10 years. Now, let me just show you how the Bible can so quickly say something and you just think a week's gone by, but actually three years went by. And I want to show you this in Acts 9. Look at Acts 9. So this is after Saul gets saved. Remember he was blinded and then Ananias came and healed him and his blindness, he was able to see once again. And then we read about how Saul went into Damascus, which is the capital city of Syria. And in Damascus they sought to kill him. Remember how they tried, the disciples then helped him to be lowered out of a window so he wouldn't die, he wouldn't be killed. Well in Acts 9.25 it says, Then the disciples took him by night and led him down by the wall in a basket. So that's verse number 25. Look at verse number 26. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple. Now when you read verse number 25, so Damascus and then verse number 26, he goes to Jerusalem. When you read that naturally, doesn't that feel like, he went there the next day, he went there within a week, something like that, right? It's like very close proximity. But, between verses 25 and 26, at least three years have taken place. How do we know that? I just want to show you a few things, right? Keep your finger there and come with me to Galatians 1. Come with me to Galatians 1, Galatians 1. So just remember the chronology, Saul gets saved, they want to kill him in Damascus, he escapes at Damascus, and then we find him in Jerusalem. And we know that he met the apostles, Barnabas came and vouched for him, the whole story. But when you look at Galatians chapter 1, Galatians chapter 1, and verse number 17, Galatians 1 17, actually maybe I will backtrack, no let's read from verse 17, Galatians 1 17. Paul says this about his own conversion, his own coming to Christ. Verse 17 he says, Neither went I up to Jerusalem, to them which were apostles before me. He's explained his story, he goes, I didn't go to Jerusalem, but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. So remember he was delivered out of Damascus because I was trying to kill him? Well he goes, after that happened I didn't go to Jerusalem, I didn't go to the apostles, I went into Arabia, and then I went back to Damascus. And then he says in verse 18, Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem, to see Peter and abode with him fifteen days. And other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you behold before God I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and was unknown by the face of the churches of Judea, which were in Christ. Do you see how this extra information in Galatians, shows us that what we read in Acts 9, 25 and then verse 26, at least three years took place. Because he comes out of Damascus, and then he's in Jerusalem. He went to Arabia first, and then he went to Damascus again. He was there for three years, and then he went to Jerusalem, and he stayed fifteen days with the apostle Peter there. So, again I'm just trying to demonstrate that, you know, when you look at all these other scriptures, and you sort of take the little time frames that are out there, you start to realise a lot, many years have taken place. Okay. Because a lot of people pattern their lives after Paul. In the sense that, they read about Paul getting saved, and then before you know it, he's turned the world upside down. At least three years have taken place. Before he starts to turn the world upside down. Let me just put it that way, okay. Why? Because you need time to grow, and to learn, right, to know God's word, to be in church, to be amongst other brethren, alright. I'm not saying you don't go and preach the gospel, alright, Paul was doing that, he was doing that in Damascus, that's why he was getting into trouble, alright. But you need to understand that, there are at least these great missionary journeys, that we read about, the great man of God, you know, three missionary journeys, starting churches, some people say four missionary journeys, at least three. Before that, years were going by, he wasn't saved, six months later, starting churches. And I'm telling you, there are people that think that way. There's at least three years that took place between Acts 9, 25 and Acts 9, 26. And then when he's in Jerusalem, he's preaching and he's getting back into trouble, so for his safety they say, look, go back to your homeland, go back to Tarsus, okay, get away from the turmoil. And then some people say, that he was there for ten years. Now, you're there in Galatians 1, aren't you? Let me just give you a few reasons, I can't formulate this for you, it's a bit over my head, to be able to calculate ten years for you, okay. But we do learn a few things, you're there in Galatians 1, he says, but I certify you brethren, that the gospel, which was preached of me, is not after man, for neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. So he says the gospel, which was preached of me, the gospel that I'm preaching, all right, is not after man. He says, I didn't get it from man, I got it from Jesus, Jesus gave me this revelation. Now this is again, going back to when was Saul saved. Some people take this passage and say, well it was Jesus that gave him the gospel, which is kind of what it says there, right, and therefore it was his interaction with Christ that he got saved with. I wouldn't, I don't, I don't have a, what is it, a dog in the, no how do they say it? A dog in the fight. I don't really care. He's saved, he's doing a great work of God, but I'm just trying to throw the arguments out there just so to get you guys thinking a little bit critically, okay. It could be, it could be saying that that is what happened. He got saved, Jesus gave him the gospel, that's how he got saved. But he doesn't really say it in that way, doesn't say that's the gospel that I received and kind of what's saved by, it's the same gospel that he's preaching obviously, was given by revelation of Christ. Now, come with me to 2 Corinthians 12 please. Come with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Because another way to understand this, remember after Paul was blinded by Christ, the Lord sent Ananias, okay, and brother Callum was talking about this last week I think, that you know he believes that Ananias might be the, that our active soul winners it's more likely that the person that got you saved is a different person to the one that taught you how to preach the gospel, right. My mother gave him the gospel when I was four years old. I trusted Christ. Now, I could explain the gospel to some extent but even when I met Christina and I was trying to give her the gospel, I was a mess. Like, she kind of made sense of it, she got saved, praise God, right. But my plan was nowhere near as refined as it is today, right. It was my first IFB church which was called Bethany Baptist Church back in the day where I got some good instructions and good teaching of how to preach the gospel to others. I really knew the information but of course having someone to guide you, these are the verses, the Romans wrote, this is what you expound, this is what you emphasise, this is how you preach, this is how you speak, this is how you interact, this is how you answer questions, this is how you stay on track. All of that teaching that makes you a good preacher of the gospel might be received by somebody else completely. Would you agree with that? The person that got you saved may not be the one that taught you how to go and preach the gospel. So another way to understand that is that yeah, Ananias may have been the one Jesus utilised to see souls saved but then in those three years in Damascus or in Arabia or the so called ten years in Tarsus might be the time when Jesus, not a man but Jesus taught Paul directly how to be an efficient winner of souls. That could be another understanding of that. Now I got you to turn to 2 Corinthians 12 because I want to show you that Paul definitely received one on one teaching from Jesus. 2 Corinthians 12 verse number 1, he says It is not expedient for me, doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. He says man I've gotten visions, I've gotten revelations from Jesus. He goes so it's not profitable to me. He's like I'm not boasting of these things. I get no profit out of showing off I got taught directly by Jesus. He says this in verse number 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such and one caught up to the third heaven. He goes over fourteen years ago I was in heaven. I don't know if I was in the body, I don't know. He goes I have no idea. He was in heaven. It says had that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words which is not lawful for a man to utter. Look at verse number 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure. He goes man I've received these revelations. I've been to heaven. He uses himself in a third person notion there of a man caught up in heaven. He heard the words being taught because I can't even speak them. It's not lawful for me to utter these things. He's had these great revelations from Jesus Christ. But he goes but before I start boasting about these things you know God's humbled me with a thorn in my flesh which I believe to be some type of sickness in his body. But I want to show you that Paul received some very special and unique teaching directly from Jesus. Now it could be during these times and it goes like this was over 14 years ago. This is again when you go back and you look at when was the Corinthian church planted and you go back 14 years ago like if you have the mindset of just acts a few weeks have transpired a few months have transpired you won't get to 14 years. You've got to find those 14 years somewhere. And again through various different types of views out there whether it's from the history that we see in the Bible or secular history a lot of people say that Paul was in Tarsus for about 10 years. Okay. Now again I can't prove that, prove that concisely to you. I do believe it. I just think it's a bit over my head to really calculate it and prove. Like sometimes it's kind of like opinion built upon another opinion but it fits that's the thing though it fits the general timeframe when you look at all the scriptures together those perceptions those opinions do fit that idea. So I also believe that Paul was probably in Tarsus for a good 10 years. All right. That would mean that from the time Paul got saved or Saul got saved when I was three years in the masochist another 10 years 13 years this guy has learnt and grown a lot. Many years have transpired now. Okay. So I want you to understand Saul is no longer this young you know you know man who's lacking some wisdom. You know who's a bit a little bit too zealous for his good. All right. This guy has now matured significantly. Okay. So he wants us to go all right with Saul. All right like we're ready to go. They don't like him in Jerusalem. They hate him over there but I can make use of him in Antioch. So he goes and gets Saul. All right. The other thing I wanted to mention actually sorry I didn't. If you can go back to Galatians 1 I want to show you something. Galatians 1 verse number 22. I forgot to mention this earlier. Galatians 1. Something else we learn in the book of Galatians that is not very clear again in the book of Acts. So so far in the book of Acts as we've been reading things we kind of only know one church. And that one church is in Jerusalem. Right. In the capital city of Judea. And that is the same church that Barnabas has been sent from. And what we've seen in previous in the early chapters we've got thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people believing and being added to that church. Now are these thousands upon thousands all part of one church in Jerusalem? It may feel that way when you read the book of Acts. But when you compare it there to Galatians 1 and verse number 22. He says and I was unknown. This is before you know before when everyone was scared of Saul because of his persecution. And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ. So is there one church in Judea in Jerusalem? No. At this stage okay when Saul gets saved and he wants to get plugged into the Jerusalem church there are already churches in Judea. All right. That makes a lot more sense to me. Instead of having a church of ten thousand in one city they're probably all over Judea. Okay. Different churches in different places but all of those churches throughout Judea they're all kind of fearful. They're like who's this Saul? We don't want anything to do with him which is why Barnabas had to come and get behind him. Does that make sense? So we've got Antioch. Barnabas has been sent. It's soon going to become its own church. But it's not the second church. There's already the main church in Jerusalem and many other churches throughout Judea. Okay. We're finally going to see. All the churches so far are basically Jewish. All right. Now we're going to see the first Gentile church. Okay. And that is the church in Antioch. So come back with me to Acts 11. Acts 11 and verse number 26. Acts 11 verse number 26. Acts 11 26. And when he had found him, that's found Saul, and brought him unto Antioch and it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with this with the church and taught much people and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. So we have the very first Gentile church planted here in Antioch. All right. Who's teaching? Who are the leaders? Barnabas and Saul. Who sent Barnabas? The church in Jerusalem. And now it's called a church. Do you see that? So I believe churches plant churches. All right. It doesn't have to be a pastor that has been sent. As long as a church is given the go ahead go and get something started go and get something established and Lord willing in time a pastor will come out of the midst of all that but this is the process and I want you to notice against Saul three years in Damascus ten years in Tarsus and then another whole year in Antioch. All right. So this is a man who's going through a lot of spiritual growth. All right. I want to really make that clear. Okay. Before you become a leader before you go and be a preacher before you go and start churches you need to get plugged into a good church. You need to get amongst other brethren. You need to grow from the Lord. You need to read the Bible. You need to become a well-rounded Christian. All right. And Saul has done the labor. He's received special revelations from Jesus. Okay. And soon we're going to find out later on as the book continues that Paul and Barnabas are going to get sent to start new churches. All right. Now why were they called Christians first in Antioch? Why did people start saying Christians first in Antioch? They're Christians. Why would that be? Why Antioch? Why not Jerusalem? Does anyone have opinion? I'd like to hear your opinion. Like I'm emphasizing a lot about the Jerusalem church being Jewish and the church of Judea obviously being Jewish. Jewish churches. All right. And this one being the first Gentile church. Because I'll just read to you guys know this but I'll read it too quickly. They have found the Messiahs which has been interpreted the Christ. So if you're going to call someone a Christian, Christian, what's Christ mean? Messiah. So the you know the Christ rejected Jews. The Messiah rejected Jews right? They still claim even today even in the godless Jewish religion they claim even today that they're waiting for the Messiah. They're waiting for Christ. So they believe they have the true Christ. So to call a church oh you're Christian what are they saying? Oh you're people of the Messiah. They can't say that. Because they're like if they're people of the Messiah that should be me. You can't use that Christians they're of the Messiah. Aren't we supposed to be of the Messiah? That's why I believe again just understanding a little bit of this it makes sense for the Gentiles they've got no special attachment to a Messiah or Christ for them to go oh that's the Antioch Church that preaches Jesus Christ. So we're going to call them Christians. We're going to call them Christians. Christ followers you know that's what they're known as. And so that is a general term that even today you know anybody of that identify with Christ you know they refer to themselves as Christians. And I generally don't like to use the word Christians as a general term because a lot of people think Christians mean saved but most Christians are not saved. That's why often when I'm preaching about the saved I'll say saved or brethren or believers so it's clear we're talking about saved people but today the word Christian I mean the Catholics are Christians they call themselves Christians. Jehovah Witnesses call themselves Christians. Greek Orthodox call themselves Christians. We all know those people are not saved. So that's why I don't use that term Christian as a general term. But I want you to understand yeah this Antioch Church, this first Gentile Church have been identified oh you believe in Christ you believe in Jesus Christ we're calling you Christians that's why they were first called there. Verse number 27. So now we have a church in Jerusalem many other churches in Judea and we have the first Gentile church in Antioch. Verse 27. And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. So again prophets are preachers right. So the Jerusalem Church has gone man the Antioch Church needs some help let's send them some preachers let's send them some help. Not all that different from what we're doing at Crown Baptist Church. We're trying to help that church out so we'll send some of our preachers from Blessed Up Baptist Church and from New Life as well. And it says here, verse number 28 and there stood up one of them named Agabus. So one of these preachers is Agabus and signified by the spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. And again this is another way that people kind of identify that Paul was in Tarsus. Is it Tarsus am I saying it right? I am saying it right. Sorry these names are starting to jumble in my head for 10 years because according to secular history this dearth or this famine occurred between 41 and 44 AD. And again when you kind of use that as your secular history position and you go back to when Christ was crucified roughly to this time there's a large period, there's a leap there's easily 10, 11, 12 years in this sort of space okay. Again I'm not going to prove it to you but again I just want to show you why people have different views and all kind of come to that same consensus that Paul was in Tarsus for 10 years. Verse 129, then the disciples, okay so before I say that, so a prophet says look you know in the future there's going to be a great famine throughout all the earth okay but specifically because he's from Jerusalem he's preaching about the struggles that they're going to have in Judea. So in verse 129 it says, then the disciples, that's the disciples of Antioch, according to his ability determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea. So instead of going all right let's give to a charity out there that's going to help everybody, they're like no we're going to help our brethren okay. So let's get a collection, everybody according to their own ability, some people can help more, maybe financially, maybe with food, right, whatever it is they all come together, how can we help our brethren in Judea and then verse number 30, which also they did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. So once the Antioch church gets all their stuff together, collections to help the brethren in Judea, Barnabas and Saul, you know the guys down there in Jerusalem in Judea, we're sending you, you take our aid to help the brethren there that are going to struggle during this great dearth. But we learn something else in verse number 30, the first time the word elders is mentioned in context or in conjunction with New Testament churches. So Barnabas and Saul are getting the help and who are they giving it to? They're sending it to the elders. Well that makes sense because there's more than one church in Jerusalem, there's a Jerusalem church, there's all the churches in Judea and now as time has progressed, guess what else has developed in these churches? Elders, Bishops, Pastors, all right? These churches have men of authority overseeing these churches and so this help is being delivered to these Pastors by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. So again it's the first time that we see the term elders being used in conjunction with a New Testament church. All right, brethren, title for the sermon was, what was it again? My notes are down here. Christians first in Antioch, Christians. Now you know why they were called Christians in Antioch? Because the Gentiles don't care about using that term Christ the Messiah but to the Jews that's a really hard thing for them to call those that have believed on Jesus Christ. All right, brethren, hope you learned some historical lessons here. Let's pray.