 All right, welcome back everyone Okay, any questions any thoughts so we'll get into a chapter the next chapter the way of the cross Any questions any thoughts? Okay Let's get into the way of the cross now How does the cross we did this in? Lifestyle evangelism, so we just go quickly and we'll see how much we can finish How does the cross? Effect our lives our everyday lives, right? How does it affect? Galatians 5 11 and I If I still preach circumcision Why do I still suffer persecution? Now the offense of the cross is seized Galatians 6 12 as many as Desire to make a good showing in the flesh these would compel you to be circumcised Only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ so The cross is a place of offense Right when I say offense, what does it mean? It's a place where not everyone are going to you know, accept you There's acceptance. There's offense Right if I say something You may either accept it or take it as an offense Right for example, you know somebody comes and says hey, why are you? You know, why are you not reading your word every day? Example you can take it as an offense or you can take it as an acceptance something that you accept Yes, it's something that I must do But when you and I share the message of the cross it is an offense to people Why? It's not a good Paul is saying here if I still preach circumcision, why am I being persecuted? If I say, you know, go to the temple do your sacrifice or be circumcised follow the Ten Commandments Everyone will be happy. That's what I was doing before But the moment I started preaching about the cross, it was an offense People know I'm not accept this We will not accept this as the Messiah the Jews The Jews themselves started, you know, persecuting Paul so there will be offense But as believers you and I When we know the cross when we know the price that was paid We will gladly move on. We will gladly do what he wants us to do. Is it an offense? Yes, well yesterday. I was sharing with the second years When I was working in the corporate sector I Just became a believer. So I wanted to you know share the gospel with people and I Began to do that right and you know start small prayer fellowship and all of those things but people would ridicule and mock Very badly they would mock they would you know, every time they would see me They would just just go away or all of those things were there and And after you know after about two years when I was leaving the company I was willing I was getting ready to join Bible college It was my you know, they have a farewell, right? So the team said we'd have a farewell for Paul I was surprised that they wanted a farewell for me because they didn't really like me The things that I would you know, I would always I wouldn't drink I wouldn't smoke I would they go for the parties. I would just be standing there or sometimes I wouldn't go for those parties You know, every time they would if they if people are gossiping I would just walk away If people are back by back biting the managers and all I would just say hey, I don't want to talk about it So I was not cool Right, I was not a cool guy for them. It didn't matter. But No, I remember this for my for the farewell. I was surprised. Oh farewell. So then Oh 170 odd people came for the farewell. So what and then they told me this my manager my team leader I'm a manager came up to me and said Paul when assistant managers When people of higher positions when they are leaving the company, they've been here for 10 years Felliers when they're leaving the company 20 people come and stand Till now Nobody has had a farewell with so many people What did you do? You have done something in this company in two years? I said I've done nothing because all I've done was When when people you know nothing I've not done anything what I shouldn't do. I didn't do that's it Right, like I was not like a fanatic always preaching the gospel to everyone inside the office No My my own business at times do my work But people noticed They didn't make fun of me the people who made fun of me were there It was really humble because the bible says for those Who are ridiculed he will lift up Those who are humbled he will lift up Right and it was such an honor Right to have and we had all senior managers my whole entire team. It was a saturday It was a week weekend on a weekend who will come to office They came I was so touched and I thought to myself You see when when people are ridiculing when people mock you God will place honor in your life And even now a few of them from the company few of them I'm in touch with but But it was such a joy, right? So the offense will be there But god knows how to lift us Right So remember when you are sharing the gospel sharing the message of the cross. It's an offense but our God will work through us separation from the world Galatians 6 14 But god forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our lord jesus christ By whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world Right. So what is Paul saying the cross of Christ is also used in scripture for the life Which is the result of faith in christ. Paul is saying here God put that I boast in anything Except the cross of jesus christ They think I don't want to boast in anything that I have Do I have wisdom? Do I do I know the old covenant in and out? Yes But god forbid that I boast all of that that the cross of jesus christ has made more effect And he goes on by whom the world has been crucified crucified to me and I to the world That means The world is dead to me You show anything you you you bring all the kinds of money all the kinds of any kind of Luxuries of this world Also Paul is saying it's dead to me Because I'm crucified with Christ It's no longer. I live it is Christ living in me He goes on to say whom the world has been crucified to me nothing in this world Attracts me So Paul is saying nothing in this world attracts me now. This is a very difficult place to be in Right nothing in this world attracts me But only one thing probably attracts me that is to bring people to the lord jesus To build the work of the ministry right and he says and he says this That when we are crucified there is a separation from the world They're separated The worldly things will want These 10 things we will want these 10 things. So for example, you take somebody from another faith Right or you a person who's living a worldly life Give them a paper and you take a believer you give them a paper And use you make them write on five things you want from this world Right So both of them write it down It will be almost the opposite It better be the almost the opposite This one will say I want the biggest I want a million dollars This one will say I want a church with thousand people It's it the thinking itself is different Why is one is thinking of the world one is thinking of the spirit One is thinking of the natural one is thinking of that of the spiritual The cross you know and through the cross we fellowship of his sufferings Colossians 1 24 through 26 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up in my flesh What is lacking in the afflictions of christ for the sake of his body, which is the church of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from god, which was given to me for you to fulfill The word of god the mystery which was hidden from ages From ages and from generations But now has been revealed to his saints verse 24 is wonderful, right? I now rejoice In my sufferings for you I rejoice in my sufferings And fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of christ, which is his body Right, so you and I fellowship in his sufferings When we look at the persecuted churches all across our nation What are they doing? They are rejoicing in sufferings Rejoicing in sufferings You know that remember I mentioned to you about how the church is growing in north india So this is one video And Somebody shared it to me remember who but In the video In the video We will we will wipe out christianity We will destroy it right in hindi, you know he's saying we will destroy christianity And the guy the the believer In the and this is like the local I think it was Punjab. So the local muse there So maybe everyone I'm watching he's he's laughing in the end of he's he's laughing and he's saying Past 2000 years they're trying to do that. It's not going to happen the More the church will grow before He's giving full statistics and all in the video before There was probably Not even one percent of christians now in in this place in the state of injunctions now. We are 35 percent So how can you say that you will wipe it out? Many people will try the church is only going to grow miracles will happen You like it or not. It's going to grow what you'll do. You'll put me to prison. That's okay and he's He's debating with that into the interviewer is getting angry. He's saying we'll call the police now. He's saying call Call I'm here only we're all here Right. You see you'll go to jail. Then Put me into jail If you put me to jail doesn't mean the church will stop And he's on fire And it's so wonderful to see those interviews that person. I don't know what happened to the interviewer But the video just I think they just stopped the video because it was too much for them to handle Right. We fellowship in his tough things. Hey, you put me into jail. You do whatever you want I'm crucified with the world the church is going to grow. It's not going to stop It is a fact. It is because this guy he took out statistics Uh fully prepared. He was the interview fully prepared. This is this is what has happened India as a nation will never Become zero christianity. It will never happen Whatever you do, it will never happen and you take statistics from 2008 When the church was posted you picked orisa in the interview. He's saying uh in orisa 2006 was the Persecutions by 2010 the church was double Who who did it? You tried to kill a few christians. You killed you burned churches. You did all that 2010 we are double They've grown so much So the more you persecute the more the church is going to grow. That is so powerful. That's so true Right, but in all of that the persecution Uh, those are difficult times Yes, but we rejoice and fellowship and our sufferings because we know that these sufferings is going to bring an outcome Right. I only picture, you know these people who uh, you know in the kandamal persecution in orisa people who lost their lives Christians who pastors who were killed and you know, it was open. You read the certain books, right? Everything was in the open They would just go kill people kill christians just like that a life gone Right But i'm sure the blood of these people have called out And god has done a wonderful work In orisa Right, so we fellowship in our sufferings and imagine they are looking down and saying we died for this cause other churches growing So it was not in vain that that was not in vain. Was it painful very painful? But it's not in vain God is working right Finally, uh the enemies of the cross of christ, philippians 3 17 through 19 brethren Join in the following in following my example And note those who so walk as you have us for a pattern For many walk of whom i have told you often and now tell you even weeping That they are the enemies of the cross of christ Whose end is destruction Whose god is their belly and whose glory is in their shame Who set their mind on earthly things they are enemies of the cross of jesus christ There are people who just hate The message of the cross They hate The gospel It's not just okay. Let them do what they want. No, they want to Come against it They hate it Who hates the gospel the most? who What do you think hates the gospel the most hates this whole cross you talk about the cross he hates it who Jews Okay, that's second i would feel who's the first person Hates it Obviously Who was defeated on the cross? Satan satan so the moment we talk about the cross he hates it And then he'll put that spirit into people spirit of hate and deception. No, don't believe this He just hates it the moment you and i Look at the devil and say hey the cross has done What he has to do for me He hates that feeling He'll do all he can To make you an enemy to the cross You'll say are you sure jesus died on the like, you know the blood was shed on the cross and all of that are you sins forgiven? I feel you're still guilty I feel you're still not changed. You're still the same 10 years. You're in ministry. You're still the same But even after 10 years you say no, but jesus has done the work, you know, he hates that feeling Well, why do you think apostle paul At one point I feel the devil would have said okay, leave him. Let's go to somebody else There's no way to get this guy There are enemies of the cross in the world People who opposed the message of the cross and do it for many reasons Some don't understand the gospel some don't like the gospel some are fanatics and whatever the reason may be Some are enemies of the cross in the church Right And paul writes about it, you know, there are people in the church who whose god is their belly, which means they involve in self-indulgence shameful pride Whose glory is in their shame worldliness who things of the things of the world and paul is saying their end is destruction If you read the episode of first Corinthians, which you will learn in the final year In first Corinthians paul is rebuking the church The entire letter he's almost the entire letter. He's just telling them What are you all doing? Right, you all are believers. You are flowing in the gifts of the spirit You have you have a prophecy word of knowledge All the gifts you have But there's separation. I will follow paul. I will follow paul's Then one is saying, you know, they're taking part in the Lord's table. However, they feel like There is sexual immorality Right, so people are involving in sexual immorality coming back to the church and sitting paul is saying, hey, you're indulging yourself You know, your belly is your god is your belly That means whatever you feel like you're doing but you're coming on sunday and sitting Right And you glory in all the things that you do paul is writing in first Corinthians. He says Even the people in the world don't glory in them Right If they are involving in sexual immorality They involve in it go home and keep quiet about it. But we are glorying in that We're talking about it openly paul was really upset Right, so even within the church The things that we do Can cause us to become an enemy of the cross So we need to be very careful Right and in the end he says here The end is destruction Their end is destruction Yet if they turn back to christ God is willing to forgive them and change the end Finally By us continuing to sing sin We're cruising crucifying the son of god afresh Hebrews 6 4 through 6 For it's impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift And have become partakers of the holy spirit and have tasted the good word of god and the powers Of the age to come If they fall away to renew them again to repentance Since they crucify again for themselves the son of god and put them to an open shame He starts off with this verse by saying for it is impossible for us who have tasted the heavenly gift Who've tasted jesus tasted his presence And go back to the things of this world Unfortunately, it's happening When you read globally what is happening There are pastors there are people who are believers for many years And somehow they've gone away from the faith And it's very sad to see that you know over For time I've you know, many of them have sent me some videos of The preachings that are happening around the globe some of those teachings are so painful to hear Right One of the teaching was somebody some message right some video was sent where he says, you know Jesus Didn't want to be with Mary Magdalene Or then there was some other kinds of teachings and ridiculous teachings This is all the works of the enemy Right trying to penetrate trying to bring deceiving spirits trying to you know Default the word of God Right just to you know remove that effect of God's word from people's lives right and there are some of the some of them who believe in the LGBT and the gay community they're okay with it and we're okay with it, but But what does the Bible say that is secondary? So God is love so you need to love them. Yeah, that's true But God is love, but he hates the sin. You open the Old Testament. He's you will read all kinds of words egg I abhor That means I don't even want to look at you I abhor the sin that you're doing So they've taken text and not put it into context That's why you're studying Hermione takes this here Right always understand those scriptures and use it in the right way So we've come to the end of this section. What we'll do is we'll start section three next week Uh, we'll stop for now. Uh, any questions by those who are online Any questions here? Okay. Yes, Nina. Go ahead Go ahead, Nina Yeah, uh, can you hear me? Hello, can you hear me? Uh, Nina, we can't hear you Can you hear me now? No, it's uh, you want to increase the volume or something? Just hold on Nina. Just a minute, please Your voice is very low. So I'll try now Can you hear me now? Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay Okay, about the scripture that we just looked at Hebrew six four to six So it's talking about that it is impossible for those who are once enlightened And who have tasted the law I mean the holy spirit and the gift and everything And uh, if they fall away So when we when we say fall away because also says that it's impossible for them to renew them again to repentance So, um, what exactly I mean, is it not possible at all for them to come back or if they repent they can come back? How do we understand that passage? Yes. Yes, you know, so one thing we know is No matter how much we sin The bible says that he is faithful and just to forgive us and so We must understand that there may be a believer And suddenly they've for some reasons they've gone away from the lord, right and they may have spent All their life in sin and immorality and Just being this Person who doesn't believe in god But towards the end of his life if he says no, I think I've done something wrong I and if he goes back to the cross That is always forgiveness God will never reject Because he's going back in forgiveness Right and god will forgive every sin That is always there But so in line with the scripture What what we're trying to get at is if we have tasted the lord For us to go back and sin is basically like saying it's like rejecting the son of god And and if they don't come back if they don't renew their relationship with god They're going to fall away and their destruction Their end is destruction But if they come back to Christ anybody anyone, right? They may be the Worst criminals or murderers But if they come back to the cross they find forgiveness. So that's always there Yeah, right anything else All right, let's just pray and close we'll meet next week To start from section three. Let's pray Father we thank you for enabling us throughout the entire course lord Thank you for your holy spirit that teaches us Lord, we have studied on covenants and the cross and our hearts are so grateful for this Divine exchange that you have orchestrated for each of our lives Pray god that you will teach us. You will lead us You will empower each one of us to walk This life that you have given us lord with the authority the power of your holy spirit lord We commit each one of us into your hands lord We pray god that your holy spirit will empower us to fulfill everything that you have called us to do We give you all the praise and glory in jesus name. We pray amen Amen. Thank you so much everyone. Have a great week. I'll see you next week