1 00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:05,470 In those days, Peter stood up among the believers, a group numbering about 120, 2 00:00:05,740 --> 00:00:10,060 and said, brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit 3 00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:14,530 Spoke long ago through the mouth of David, considering Judas, who served 4 00:00:14,530 --> 00:00:17,260 as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 5 00:00:17,470 --> 00:00:20,770 He was the one of our number and shared in our ministry. 6 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,620 With the reward he got for his wickedness. 7 00:00:23,620 --> 00:00:27,730 Judas brought a field where he fell headlong, his body burst open, and 8 00:00:27,730 --> 00:00:29,970 all his intestines spilled out. 9 00:00:30,750 --> 00:00:34,330 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their 10 00:00:34,330 --> 00:00:38,680 language Akeldama, that is Field of Blood. 11 00:00:39,510 --> 00:00:42,910 For said Peter, it is written in the book of Psalms. 12 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,910 May his place be deserted. 13 00:00:46,090 --> 00:00:52,420 Let there be no one to dwell in it and may another take his place of leadership. 14 00:00:52,660 --> 00:00:58,720 Therefore, it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole 15 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:06,070 time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the 16 00:01:06,070 --> 00:01:08,590 time when Jesus was taken up from us. 17 00:01:08,875 --> 00:01:14,035 For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. 18 00:01:14,395 --> 00:01:20,005 So they proposed two men, Joseph called Barsabbas, also 19 00:01:20,005 --> 00:01:22,275 known as Justus and Matthias. 20 00:01:22,514 --> 00:01:26,365 And then they prayed, Lord, you know everyone's heart. 21 00:01:26,455 --> 00:01:32,395 Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this 22 00:01:32,725 --> 00:01:39,795 apostle apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs. 23 00:01:41,605 --> 00:01:46,975 Then they cast lots and the lot fell to Matthias, so he 24 00:01:46,975 --> 00:01:49,315 was added to the 11 apostles. 25 00:01:52,105 --> 00:01:56,005 Today we continue our series in the Book of Acts. 26 00:01:57,115 --> 00:02:02,725 When it came to finding a replacement for Judas Iscariot, there were two men who 27 00:02:02,725 --> 00:02:04,735 would follow Jesus from the beginning. 28 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,210 These two men were recommended by the little company of believers. 29 00:02:11,740 --> 00:02:15,940 Throughout the Old Testament, we see the saints of old casting 30 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,280 lots before making decisions. 31 00:02:19,150 --> 00:02:25,360 The Old Testament bears witness to many different accounts of casting lots. 32 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:30,460 All of them try to determine the sovereign will of God for 33 00:02:30,460 --> 00:02:32,470 their respective situations. 34 00:02:35,410 --> 00:02:39,640 If you were to ask me, should believers cast lots to determine 35 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:42,010 the will of God for our lives today? 36 00:02:43,180 --> 00:02:46,300 Well, you may think that sounds a reasonable question. 37 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,700 Well, let's look a further, A good thing to remember is that 38 00:02:52,090 --> 00:02:55,690 when we're tackling this question, it's important to understand that 39 00:02:55,690 --> 00:03:00,580 believers approach the Bible with faith that seeks understanding.. 40 00:03:01,795 --> 00:03:07,765 This means that we accept and believe what God has presented to us in His word, 41 00:03:08,155 --> 00:03:15,595 and then explore it to understand our lives and his word from his perspective. 42 00:03:16,525 --> 00:03:20,215 That said, I don't think Christians should cast lots. 43 00:03:20,365 --> 00:03:26,965 This is not how believers engage with God to determine his will any longer. 44 00:03:27,565 --> 00:03:28,405 And here's why. 45 00:03:28,885 --> 00:03:35,065 In Acts one versus 15 to 26, it shows us the disciples casting 46 00:03:35,065 --> 00:03:40,225 lots in the Old Testament style for a replacement for Judas. 47 00:03:41,365 --> 00:03:46,285 Some keys in the passage will not only unlock why, but also 48 00:03:46,285 --> 00:03:51,205 explain the process the apostles undertook before they cast a lot. 49 00:03:53,875 --> 00:03:58,885 Notice that the whole story unfolds before the community of believers. 50 00:03:59,980 --> 00:04:03,790 Not in isolation or hidden away in private. 51 00:04:05,410 --> 00:04:09,670 Peter lays out a biblical precedent for replacing Judas. 52 00:04:10,300 --> 00:04:14,470 He recalls how the apostles were chosen by Jesus. 53 00:04:15,340 --> 00:04:19,960 They had walked with him from his baptism to his ascension. 54 00:04:21,340 --> 00:04:25,000 They prayed based on knowing the Lord is sovereign. 55 00:04:25,810 --> 00:04:27,190 They cast lots. 56 00:04:27,940 --> 00:04:31,270 And finally Matthias is chosen. 57 00:04:32,980 --> 00:04:38,650 As you can see, the apostles did not merely just roll some dice to 58 00:04:38,650 --> 00:04:41,710 fulfill Judas' vacant position. 59 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,680 They sought the Lord's will from scriptures. 60 00:04:46,685 --> 00:04:49,570 They sought someone with a similar testimony to theirs. 61 00:04:50,290 --> 00:04:53,920 Then they prayed and they trusted in God's sovereignty. 62 00:04:54,610 --> 00:04:57,950 The apostles selected Matthias by lots. 63 00:04:59,380 --> 00:05:03,580 But I would like to highlight three things that are very important for each of us. 64 00:05:04,420 --> 00:05:07,720 In Acts one verses 15 to 26. 65 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,790 It is the last time casting lots happens in the Bible. 66 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:19,500 Secondly, this is all before the Holy Spirit has come at Pentecost. 67 00:05:20,470 --> 00:05:26,200 And thirdly, the story also forms an interesting contrast 68 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,450 in how to select leaders. 69 00:05:31,030 --> 00:05:37,570 As we read on in Acts chapter six, leaders are chosen who are full of the 70 00:05:37,570 --> 00:05:40,930 spirit and wisdom and full of faith. 71 00:05:41,260 --> 00:05:43,360 That's in verses three and five. 72 00:05:44,590 --> 00:05:49,150 The coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts two changes everything. 73 00:05:49,690 --> 00:05:51,949 The apostles lives and ours. 74 00:05:52,855 --> 00:05:59,785 He is the truth in us, our helper and source of life, and he is 75 00:05:59,785 --> 00:06:05,935 the one who continually points us towards Christ and his glory in all 76 00:06:05,935 --> 00:06:08,395 that we are and in all that we do. 77 00:06:09,595 --> 00:06:13,945 So the blessing of the Holy Spirit for every believer is 78 00:06:13,945 --> 00:06:16,465 more than just drawing lots. 79 00:06:17,815 --> 00:06:23,905 We have God himself residing in our very souls, and he has 80 00:06:23,905 --> 00:06:27,025 given us a new heart to love him. 81 00:06:28,105 --> 00:06:33,145 Also this side of Pentecost, we have the full word of God, 82 00:06:33,355 --> 00:06:34,745 the Bible, the scriptures. 83 00:06:35,365 --> 00:06:41,695 Even in Acts, the only word of God they possess was the Old Testament manuscripts 84 00:06:42,025 --> 00:06:44,564 and the verbal teachings of Jesus. 85 00:06:45,655 --> 00:06:49,795 But now we have the Bible, God's word to the world. 86 00:06:50,515 --> 00:06:54,895 He reveals his character, his people, and how they should 87 00:06:54,895 --> 00:06:56,875 worship him within its pages. 88 00:06:58,225 --> 00:07:05,455 So we follow Romans 12 verses one and two, and seek to renew our minds According 89 00:07:05,460 --> 00:07:13,315 to His word, God reveals all He wants the world to know in the Bible that we 90 00:07:13,315 --> 00:07:21,414 might glorify His name and find salvation through faith in his son and renew our 91 00:07:21,420 --> 00:07:29,335 minds to live like Jesus, all by the power of the Holy Spirit and in community 92 00:07:29,635 --> 00:07:31,765 with the saints, other believers. 93 00:07:33,175 --> 00:07:39,655 Therefore, we rely on the Holy Spirit and the words of scripture 94 00:07:40,105 --> 00:07:45,625 to guide our thoughts and our actions because our hearts are new 95 00:07:46,495 --> 00:07:48,835 and our minds are being renewed.. 96 00:07:49,990 --> 00:07:54,970 We faithfully seek understanding through the same avenues that 97 00:07:55,030 --> 00:07:56,770 Peter and the Apostles did. 98 00:07:57,670 --> 00:08:04,090 But just without lots - Scripture, the Spirit and the community through Prayer. 99 00:08:05,530 --> 00:08:08,740 Casting lots does not cut it anymore my friends. 100 00:08:10,750 --> 00:08:17,770 So with a new heart and a renewed mind, the mind of Christ, the 101 00:08:17,770 --> 00:08:23,170 next time you have a difficult decision to make, look at scripture. 102 00:08:23,890 --> 00:08:30,280 Pray that the Spirit would give you wisdom and direct your thoughts and your actions. 103 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:34,510 If you need to bear the clarity, why not go to other Christians you 104 00:08:34,515 --> 00:08:37,240 trust and ask for their counsel? 105 00:08:39,070 --> 00:08:48,265 Then act knowing that you are relying on God and his sovereign hand to use the 106 00:08:48,265 --> 00:08:52,285 situation for your good and his glory. 107 00:08:53,335 --> 00:08:59,755 With Peter I want to encourage you to humble yourselves, therefore, under the 108 00:08:59,755 --> 00:09:07,585 mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time, he may exalt you casting all your 109 00:09:07,590 --> 00:09:12,565 anxieties on him because he cares for you. 110 00:09:13,225 --> 00:09:18,085 And you read that in one Peter chapter five verses six and seven. 111 00:09:18,444 --> 00:09:23,515 Why not have a look at that verse again and speak it out over your life? 112 00:09:24,025 --> 00:09:25,025 God bless you my friend. 113 00:09:31,689 --> 00:09:32,230 Coming up. 114 00:09:32,230 --> 00:09:33,909 We have Conversation Street. 115 00:09:33,939 --> 00:09:37,629 But before we get into that, here's a clip from our podcast. 116 00:09:37,629 --> 00:09:43,300 What's the story which you can subscribe to on all your favorite podcast apps. 117 00:09:46,629 --> 00:09:48,189 Take 21 days to work on this. 118 00:09:48,189 --> 00:09:49,300 Take a blank sheet of paper. 119 00:09:49,300 --> 00:09:51,010 Cause it's good to just write things on paper. 120 00:09:51,010 --> 00:09:53,379 On the left hand side, you write, Hey, these are the things 121 00:09:53,379 --> 00:09:55,359 I struggle with about myself. 122 00:09:55,419 --> 00:09:56,500 I'm not enough, right? 123 00:09:56,500 --> 00:09:57,339 I'm not smart enough. 124 00:09:58,119 --> 00:10:01,599 I'm not smart enough to run a business and parent eight kids, and I don't have 125 00:10:01,605 --> 00:10:05,710 enough energy to coach basketball and I'm not whatever, and I'm fearful about this. 126 00:10:05,710 --> 00:10:08,109 You write those things down and then on the right side you 127 00:10:08,109 --> 00:10:10,149 write what is the truth, right? 128 00:10:10,149 --> 00:10:12,490 What, what is the truth in scripture that God gives us? 129 00:10:12,494 --> 00:10:15,369 That, that, that helps with that, right? 130 00:10:15,369 --> 00:10:18,579 So one of the scriptures, the bit I've always loved is second Peter, 131 00:10:18,579 --> 00:10:21,280 that we've been given everything we need for life and godliness, right? 132 00:10:21,284 --> 00:10:21,349 Yeah. 133 00:10:21,355 --> 00:10:22,190 So, no. 134 00:10:22,790 --> 00:10:25,165 Sure, I maybe not enough on my own, but look, God's given me everything I need. 135 00:10:37,065 --> 00:10:39,325 Well, that was an abrupt ending, wasn't it? 136 00:10:40,555 --> 00:10:40,705 ? Yeah. 137 00:10:40,705 --> 00:10:41,785 I wasn't expecting that. 138 00:10:42,615 --> 00:10:43,455 It just went. 139 00:10:43,455 --> 00:10:43,925 There it is. 140 00:10:44,525 --> 00:10:44,875 Uh, 141 00:10:45,785 --> 00:10:47,995 glad I wasn't doing anything inappropriate. 142 00:10:48,265 --> 00:10:48,755 Yeah. 143 00:10:49,205 --> 00:10:51,715 Uh, yeah, I was definitely, uh, I thought I had a few more seconds. 144 00:10:51,715 --> 00:10:55,885 So yeah, do check out that, um, podcast with Brett Curry. 145 00:10:55,885 --> 00:10:58,645 Brett Curry is an absolute legend. 146 00:10:59,545 --> 00:11:00,625 He has eight kids. 147 00:11:01,015 --> 00:11:03,055 Um, this is the unknown fact with Brett. 148 00:11:03,055 --> 00:11:07,585 Eight kids, man's it is just is is awesome Brett. 149 00:11:07,645 --> 00:11:09,715 And, um, I've yet to meet his wife. 150 00:11:09,835 --> 00:11:11,815 Um, but I have met Brett several times. 151 00:11:11,905 --> 00:11:13,435 Um, but yet eight kids. 152 00:11:17,155 --> 00:11:17,845 Yes. 153 00:11:17,845 --> 00:11:21,565 Uh, I know we've got Anya on the, um, on the. 154 00:11:22,329 --> 00:11:25,869 Anna, sorry, not Anya's on the livestream, uh, in the comments. 155 00:11:26,609 --> 00:11:28,179 Apparently the twins are still taking their time. 156 00:11:28,179 --> 00:11:29,169 At least they're still twins. 157 00:11:29,169 --> 00:11:30,220 At least it's not eight kids. 158 00:11:30,220 --> 00:11:31,720 That's, that's all I'm saying. 159 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:36,099 Uh, you know, Brett and eight kids, and actually the title of that podcast 160 00:11:36,099 --> 00:11:40,780 is I think it's like, why My Mum Dying of Cancer Drew Me Closer to 161 00:11:40,780 --> 00:11:45,579 God and how, um, his mum passed away when he was just a teenager, like 15. 162 00:11:46,629 --> 00:11:48,220 And it's a really fascinating story. 163 00:11:48,579 --> 00:11:49,780 Um, so do check it out. 164 00:11:49,780 --> 00:11:51,939 Do check out, uh, check out Brett's podcast. 165 00:11:51,939 --> 00:11:53,659 That's whatsthe storypodcast.com. 166 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:54,609 You can see that. 167 00:11:54,669 --> 00:11:56,439 Um, and well worth a listen. 168 00:11:57,159 --> 00:12:00,760 So plug over, um, for the podcast. 169 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:05,560 Let's talk about, uh, the book of Acts, uh, and Dave's talk. 170 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:06,849 Thank you Dave for your talk. 171 00:12:07,210 --> 00:12:11,660 Um, legend as always, I loved his little, his Liverpool skyline background. 172 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:12,310 Did you see that? 173 00:12:12,310 --> 00:12:13,450 He did that all by himself. 174 00:12:13,450 --> 00:12:15,369 That was nothing to do with us. 175 00:12:16,890 --> 00:12:20,950 Oh, I liked his sign off as well, where he called us friend as, yeah, 176 00:12:21,100 --> 00:12:23,050 just made me Ooh, . It's cool. 177 00:12:23,050 --> 00:12:25,990 I just like this, this Dave talk. 178 00:12:25,990 --> 00:12:28,630 He's just this, man's full of wisdom, isn't he? 179 00:12:29,110 --> 00:12:33,490 Uh, and um, and this was a great topic actually, cuz there's this, 180 00:12:33,700 --> 00:12:37,870 there's the passage of scripture, um, that we read out is this whole 181 00:12:37,870 --> 00:12:42,370 idea of, um, the church Pentecost has yet to happen, which is important. 182 00:12:42,790 --> 00:12:47,890 Uh, like Dave said, and they decide to replace Judas. 183 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,260 They, they were 12, they're down to 11. 184 00:12:50,530 --> 00:12:51,790 It's not ended well for Judas. 185 00:12:51,790 --> 00:12:52,960 We'll get into that maybe. 186 00:12:53,380 --> 00:12:57,250 Uh, and so they decide to replace Judas and they're like, right, we need 187 00:12:57,250 --> 00:12:58,780 to figure out who that's gonna be. 188 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,720 So we're gonna get into how to choose leaders, uh, which I just 189 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:02,920 think is a really interesting topic. 190 00:13:03,610 --> 00:13:08,260 Um, and then they do this whole casting lots thing after 191 00:13:08,319 --> 00:13:09,490 certain events have happened. 192 00:13:09,490 --> 00:13:11,200 It wasn't like they just randomly drew lots. 193 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,060 There's a whole lot of other stuff that warmed up to it. 194 00:13:13,510 --> 00:13:16,670 So they cast these lots and they choose a guy called Matthias 195 00:13:16,670 --> 00:13:20,680 and the 11 then become 12. 196 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:26,230 Uh, and, uh, it's just a really interesting event because this 197 00:13:26,230 --> 00:13:28,120 is right at the start, isn't it? 198 00:13:28,220 --> 00:13:30,819 At the, at the, the birth of the church. 199 00:13:31,270 --> 00:13:34,630 And so choosing this person is super important. 200 00:13:35,050 --> 00:13:38,890 And so figuring out what God is saying and the way that he is directing you 201 00:13:38,890 --> 00:13:41,920 is super, super important, which is why we've called this, you know, figuring 202 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,310 out god's, that God's will, which is how we would talk about it, isn't it 203 00:13:45,310 --> 00:13:46,450 in the modern day world? 204 00:13:46,690 --> 00:13:48,250 How do we understand what God's will is? 205 00:13:48,250 --> 00:13:49,900 How do we know what God's plan is? 206 00:13:49,900 --> 00:13:51,850 How do we know what God wants us to do? 207 00:13:52,090 --> 00:13:53,950 How do we know if this is the right thing to do? 208 00:13:53,950 --> 00:13:54,900 God, is this the right thing? 209 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:56,350 All those questions right? 210 00:13:56,830 --> 00:14:00,730 Well, this is what they're faced with, uh, when replacing their leader, 211 00:14:00,730 --> 00:14:01,990 which is what Dave was talking about. 212 00:14:01,990 --> 00:14:04,060 It's what we're gonna get into in Conversation Street. 213 00:14:04,675 --> 00:14:08,065 So do Pepper us with your questions, with your comments, with your stories. 214 00:14:08,425 --> 00:14:12,355 How do you know the will of God in your life? 215 00:14:12,655 --> 00:14:16,795 What do you do to understand whether what you are doing is the right thing to do? 216 00:14:16,795 --> 00:14:18,655 How does God communicate that with you? 217 00:14:19,315 --> 00:14:22,825 If you can share your stories in the comments, we'd love to hear them anyway. 218 00:14:24,745 --> 00:14:28,944 Uh, Anna's put here, there will only be six kids with us soon, and 219 00:14:28,944 --> 00:14:30,385 we're quite happy with that number. 220 00:14:32,095 --> 00:14:33,565 six still sounds like a lot to me. 221 00:14:33,714 --> 00:14:34,704 It's double hours. 222 00:14:35,065 --> 00:14:36,295 It does, it does. 223 00:14:36,295 --> 00:14:37,765 Anna's an absolute legend. 224 00:14:38,005 --> 00:14:42,444 Uh, and yeah, she is carrying twins and uh, we are praying for you Anna 225 00:14:42,444 --> 00:14:44,845 that the birth obviously goes well. 226 00:14:45,355 --> 00:14:50,125 Um, but yes, uh, such a lovely lady, but uh, what a legend. 227 00:14:50,214 --> 00:14:50,905 What a legend. 228 00:14:50,905 --> 00:14:52,345 You keep going, you keep going. 229 00:14:52,974 --> 00:14:55,765 Um, so the will of God. 230 00:14:55,770 --> 00:14:56,575 Let's get into that. 231 00:14:56,575 --> 00:14:59,245 What did you think to Dave's talk? 232 00:14:59,575 --> 00:15:01,675 Um, yeah, it was very short this week, wasn't it? 233 00:15:02,099 --> 00:15:05,035 But even though it was short, there were three main things 234 00:15:05,035 --> 00:15:06,954 that I think stood out to me. 235 00:15:07,555 --> 00:15:11,065 One of them being the casting lots thing that you mentioned, just because 236 00:15:11,125 --> 00:15:16,525 it's, um, I dunno, it just sounds a bit unspiritual really, doesn't it? 237 00:15:16,525 --> 00:15:16,885 Mm-hmm. 238 00:15:16,964 --> 00:15:20,185 . Um, it sounds quite attractive in a way just to kind of go, oh, I've 239 00:15:20,185 --> 00:15:21,385 got this big decision to make. 240 00:15:21,385 --> 00:15:24,415 I'm just gonna flip a coin and see which it comes up to. 241 00:15:24,415 --> 00:15:27,415 Doesn't, on the surface of it, it doesn't look like it 242 00:15:27,415 --> 00:15:28,855 takes any brain power, does it? 243 00:15:28,925 --> 00:15:29,165 Mm-hmm. 244 00:15:29,244 --> 00:15:32,440 , but although, what they've actually done has taken brain power 245 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,540 before they've got to that stage. 246 00:15:34,630 --> 00:15:36,880 But yeah, I, I did think that was interesting. 247 00:15:37,180 --> 00:15:40,360 So I did do a little bit of background on that, as you would expect. 248 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,000 I would've No, no doubt otherwise. 249 00:15:43,540 --> 00:15:47,920 Apparently casting lots is mentioned 70 times in the Old Testament. 250 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:53,140 That's the bit of the Bible before Jesus, uh, came and then seven times after with 251 00:15:53,170 --> 00:15:55,570 this one, I think, is this the last one? 252 00:15:56,620 --> 00:15:58,420 Uh, I can't remember, but yeah. 253 00:15:58,810 --> 00:16:02,260 But there's not masses known about it, but there does seem to be quite 254 00:16:02,260 --> 00:16:06,640 often this process that goes before it, and then it's kind of like the 255 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,480 final section of the decision making. 256 00:16:09,730 --> 00:16:11,380 But anyway, I just thought that was interesting. 257 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,070 Also, the thing of choosing leaders, which you've also picked 258 00:16:15,070 --> 00:16:17,530 up on and the making decisions. 259 00:16:17,530 --> 00:16:21,399 So those three things, broad category has kind of stood out to me. 260 00:16:22,159 --> 00:16:23,605 So we've got some good stuff to get into. 261 00:16:23,935 --> 00:16:24,954 Matt's put in the comments. 262 00:16:24,954 --> 00:16:26,845 Do you wanna explain what Pentecost is? 263 00:16:26,845 --> 00:16:28,645 That's actually probably a very good point, Matt. 264 00:16:28,675 --> 00:16:31,915 Uh, so do you wanna explain what Pentecost is, babe? 265 00:16:32,665 --> 00:16:33,265 I can do. 266 00:16:33,895 --> 00:16:34,105 Go for it. 267 00:16:34,165 --> 00:16:38,035 Uh, Pentecost is an event that's mentioned in the book of Acts that 268 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:43,735 we are going through where God sends his Holy Spirit to all the people 269 00:16:43,735 --> 00:16:45,025 who were wanting to follow him. 270 00:16:45,954 --> 00:16:50,065 Previous to that it was only key people that his Holy Spirit really was on and 271 00:16:50,065 --> 00:16:55,345 filled in a special way, like the king's, prophets and priests, I think like mm-hmm. 272 00:16:55,346 --> 00:16:58,704 and just people, like individual people that God chose at specific times. 273 00:16:58,704 --> 00:17:01,435 But, so this was quite, um, a major. 274 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:02,890 Major event. 275 00:17:02,890 --> 00:17:03,339 Really? 276 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:04,300 When Yeah. 277 00:17:04,300 --> 00:17:08,140 The Holy Spirit let's, so it's God himself just poured out onto people. 278 00:17:09,310 --> 00:17:09,800 Yeah. 279 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:10,160 Yeah. 280 00:17:10,165 --> 00:17:11,410 Did you wanna add anything to that? 281 00:17:12,100 --> 00:17:12,700 No, not at all. 282 00:17:12,700 --> 00:17:14,200 We're gonna get to it in a couple of weeks. 283 00:17:14,290 --> 00:17:16,990 Uh, it's, it's literally just around the corner. 284 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,230 It's, it's all chapter, chapter two, isn't it? 285 00:17:20,230 --> 00:17:21,069 Of the Book of Acts. 286 00:17:21,069 --> 00:17:23,710 So we're, we are definitely gonna get there at the outpouring. 287 00:17:23,710 --> 00:17:24,069 So yes. 288 00:17:24,069 --> 00:17:25,120 Thanks for pointing that out, Matt. 289 00:17:25,120 --> 00:17:27,130 I mentioned Pentecost didn't explain what it meant, but yes. 290 00:17:27,130 --> 00:17:27,730 That's very good. 291 00:17:28,420 --> 00:17:31,540 So, and the reason why, actually going to the casting lots thing, why it's 292 00:17:31,540 --> 00:17:34,360 important that this is before Pentecost, like you said, is because the Holy 293 00:17:34,365 --> 00:17:35,800 Spirit has been given to all people. 294 00:17:35,860 --> 00:17:39,100 And in the New Testament it's the Holy Spirit that guides us as Christians. 295 00:17:40,150 --> 00:17:42,460 Um, so the Holy Spirit is our guide, right? 296 00:17:42,460 --> 00:17:44,950 It's one of the things that we proclaim about him. 297 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:49,990 Uh, and so there's no real need to cast lots now because the Holy 298 00:17:49,990 --> 00:17:51,580 Spirit will guide us into all things. 299 00:17:51,580 --> 00:17:56,140 And so the fact that the Holy Spirit had not yet come, which 300 00:17:56,140 --> 00:17:59,200 is sort of explains why they're still casting lots at this point. 301 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,700 And Dave did point out actually that this is the last time in the Bible 302 00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:05,740 that you see this activity happen. 303 00:18:06,220 --> 00:18:09,340 So, which is why we as Christians don't go around flipping coins. 304 00:18:09,340 --> 00:18:11,470 God, if you want me to do this, give me a heads. 305 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:17,140 I think we'd end up with some very bizarre choices that we made if we did that. 306 00:18:17,890 --> 00:18:19,150 But I mean, talking about it, right? 307 00:18:19,150 --> 00:18:23,380 Have you ever done that whole, um, fleece thing. 308 00:18:23,620 --> 00:18:24,000 Right. 309 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,825 So, uh, there's a portion in the Bible that talks about, I can't remember who 310 00:18:27,825 --> 00:18:28,965 was the guy that set out the fleece. 311 00:18:28,965 --> 00:18:29,445 Was it Samuel? 312 00:18:29,895 --> 00:18:31,274 Um, um, Gideon. 313 00:18:31,695 --> 00:18:32,115 Gideon. 314 00:18:32,115 --> 00:18:32,415 That's it. 315 00:18:32,415 --> 00:18:33,135 Gideon's fleece. 316 00:18:33,135 --> 00:18:37,034 And so he in effect, goes and puts a, a fleece out, doesn't he? 317 00:18:37,034 --> 00:18:37,875 On, on the grass. 318 00:18:37,875 --> 00:18:40,245 And he is like, God, if you want me to do this, make sure the fleece 319 00:18:40,245 --> 00:18:41,625 is wet, but the ground is dry. 320 00:18:41,745 --> 00:18:44,385 And then he wakes up, the fleece is wet the ground is dry. 321 00:18:44,385 --> 00:18:47,205 And he goes out the next night and says, okay, this time I want 322 00:18:47,205 --> 00:18:49,435 the fleece to be dry and the ground wet and the fleece is dry. 323 00:18:49,665 --> 00:18:54,925 And so as Christians, we can, uh, we can fall into these methods can't we, where 324 00:18:54,925 --> 00:18:56,115 it's like, well, I need to lay a fleece. 325 00:18:56,115 --> 00:19:00,680 God, if this is right, send, um, , I don't know, a leprechaun with a bag of 326 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,050 candy floss to knock on my door at 9:06. 327 00:19:03,470 --> 00:19:06,170 Uh, and then I'll definitely know it's you that wants me to do it. 328 00:19:06,170 --> 00:19:06,230 Yeah. 329 00:19:06,310 --> 00:19:09,950 And, and we put things like that, especially if it's something we really 330 00:19:09,950 --> 00:19:14,630 don't wanna do, to make it like really difficult for God to fulfill it. 331 00:19:14,990 --> 00:19:15,470 Yes. 332 00:19:15,470 --> 00:19:15,590 You know? 333 00:19:15,860 --> 00:19:16,340 Yeah. 334 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,580 Uh, we've, we've been known as Christians to do things like that. 335 00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:23,030 Um, and the reality of it is we don't do things. 336 00:19:23,060 --> 00:19:25,730 We shouldn't really have to do things like that because, you know, the 337 00:19:25,730 --> 00:19:27,050 Holy Spirit inside us guides us. 338 00:19:27,590 --> 00:19:30,920 Um, plus like Dave says, we've also got the guidance of scripture 339 00:19:30,980 --> 00:19:35,240 and we've got the comfort and, uh, experience of friends around us. 340 00:19:36,230 --> 00:19:38,490 Um, so I think there, there are some things to get into. 341 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:39,140 Okay. 342 00:19:39,740 --> 00:19:40,340 There you go. 343 00:19:40,820 --> 00:19:41,870 What should we get into first? 344 00:19:41,870 --> 00:19:43,040 We've talked about lots a little bit. 345 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:44,210 What's your background on that? 346 00:19:44,390 --> 00:19:46,000 Is there anything else you wanna add to your? 347 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:52,430 Well, I've got a question for you just on the whole thing of, um, the 348 00:19:52,750 --> 00:19:54,030 decision making that Dave talked about. 349 00:19:54,955 --> 00:19:59,335 Have you got any examples of where you have followed these principles? 350 00:19:59,425 --> 00:20:04,135 Obviously I've probably heard them many times, but for our other listeners, 351 00:20:04,555 --> 00:20:06,355 so Dave talked about three things. 352 00:20:06,355 --> 00:20:09,025 One was, um, getting into scripture. 353 00:20:09,325 --> 00:20:11,275 Mm-hmm, another was listeneing to the Holy Spirit. 354 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:16,585 And the third was, um, talking to other people of faith mm-hmm. 355 00:20:17,215 --> 00:20:20,335 to get their input, their perspective, their wisdom, that kind of thing. 356 00:20:20,575 --> 00:20:20,815 Yeah. 357 00:20:20,815 --> 00:20:21,265 So, yeah. 358 00:20:21,265 --> 00:20:25,555 How have those three things, how have you used those in terms of making decisions? 359 00:20:26,485 --> 00:20:33,085 The first response to this question that immediately springs to my mind, um, is 360 00:20:33,745 --> 00:20:42,355 the, is is the whole spouse thing, is you mm-hmm, you know, it's that whole, um, you 361 00:20:42,355 --> 00:20:43,615 know, is this the right thing to do God? 362 00:20:43,615 --> 00:20:47,590 Now lemme just preface everything I'm about to say with, I do not 363 00:20:47,590 --> 00:20:51,460 hold fast to the theology, which says that there is only one person 364 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:53,020 out there that you can marry. 365 00:20:53,410 --> 00:20:56,590 Mm-hmm, because I've seen too many people marry somebody and go, 366 00:20:56,595 --> 00:20:58,270 obviously that's not the one person. 367 00:20:58,570 --> 00:21:01,360 Leave them in pursuit of who the right person is. 368 00:21:01,810 --> 00:21:06,460 Um, I don't think that's the right theology, but what I do think is 369 00:21:06,910 --> 00:21:11,560 as soon as you marry somebody, they become the one person for you. 370 00:21:11,740 --> 00:21:12,490 Does that make sense? 371 00:21:12,490 --> 00:21:14,350 And you, and that's, I think, what scripture teaches. 372 00:21:14,350 --> 00:21:18,310 Anyway, all that aside, I did not become a Christian. 373 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,810 Uh, you know, when I was an embryo, I became a Christian later in my teen years. 374 00:21:23,290 --> 00:21:29,320 And so I, I had some some cultural baggage, let's just say, that I 375 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:32,710 needed to, uh, resolve in my thinking. 376 00:21:32,710 --> 00:21:36,940 And so I remember when I was in my early twenties, I, I left uni, graduated. 377 00:21:38,395 --> 00:21:41,845 And I went to work for Frontline Church, the church that Crowd's part 378 00:21:41,845 --> 00:21:45,475 of, um, and I volunteered there for a year and I thought, you know what? 379 00:21:45,625 --> 00:21:49,675 I need to take a, a year or two, and I'm, I, I deliberately decided not to 380 00:21:49,675 --> 00:21:57,415 date anybody and I spent over a year just reading the Bible about what it meant 381 00:21:57,445 --> 00:22:01,435 to be a husband, because I knew this would be the most significant decision 382 00:22:01,435 --> 00:22:03,895 that I make outside of following Jesus. 383 00:22:03,985 --> 00:22:08,935 The decision who you marry is, is not to be taken lightly. 384 00:22:09,175 --> 00:22:12,745 Um, and so I spent a little bit of time in scripture, um, understanding 385 00:22:12,805 --> 00:22:14,595 what the Bible wanted of me. 386 00:22:15,145 --> 00:22:18,085 I obviously spent an awful lot of time praying about it and asking the Holy 387 00:22:18,090 --> 00:22:22,555 Spirit to guide me, and I spent a lot of time talking to my friends about it. 388 00:22:22,585 --> 00:22:25,945 Specifically, the right Reverend Dave Connolly. 389 00:22:26,035 --> 00:22:28,825 Uh, he and I had many conversations about you before we started 390 00:22:28,825 --> 00:22:32,695 dating, and so, um, so yeah, that would be for me, one of them. 391 00:22:32,815 --> 00:22:34,135 Uh, yeah. 392 00:22:34,135 --> 00:22:35,125 Matt's put in the comments here. 393 00:22:35,125 --> 00:22:36,085 What a great decision you made. 394 00:22:36,205 --> 00:22:36,835 Absolutely, Matt. 395 00:22:37,015 --> 00:22:37,705 Best one ever. 396 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:38,995 Best one ever. 397 00:22:39,205 --> 00:22:40,435 Does that answer your question? 398 00:22:40,705 --> 00:22:41,145 Yeah. 399 00:22:42,225 --> 00:22:44,365 What about more recent ones? 400 00:22:45,250 --> 00:22:46,630 Because that was a little while ago now. 401 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,670 25 years ago this year, we're celebrating our 25th anniversary. 402 00:22:51,940 --> 00:22:58,780 All gifts greatly received, um, . So more recently, uh, yeah. 403 00:22:58,780 --> 00:23:01,780 I mean, the thing the, the, some of the, the, the big things, the 404 00:23:01,780 --> 00:23:05,740 big challenges in life that you are constant, that I'm constantly looking 405 00:23:05,740 --> 00:23:08,140 at are things like to do with Crowd. 406 00:23:08,380 --> 00:23:09,640 Uh, you know, what do we do with Crowd? 407 00:23:09,645 --> 00:23:10,510 Where do we take it forward? 408 00:23:11,350 --> 00:23:13,300 Um, and also to do with work. 409 00:23:13,330 --> 00:23:16,780 And if you don't know, uh, if you've not been following along, 410 00:23:16,780 --> 00:23:21,970 I also run my own business, um, which is an online type business. 411 00:23:22,270 --> 00:23:27,880 And so, um, so yeah, I mean, scripture doesn't necessarily talk a lot about 412 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:33,880 running an internet business, but it does give you principles which you can follow. 413 00:23:34,180 --> 00:23:40,210 Um, and so recently, um, I suppose a big event was we 414 00:23:40,210 --> 00:23:41,830 had a business which was sold. 415 00:23:42,629 --> 00:23:46,045 And so it was trying to decide what to do next after that sale. 416 00:23:46,045 --> 00:23:47,575 Like, God, where are you leading us? 417 00:23:47,575 --> 00:23:48,655 Where are you taking us? 418 00:23:49,705 --> 00:23:53,965 And just looking at that, reading through scripture, praying about 419 00:23:53,965 --> 00:23:56,065 it, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, talking to friends about it. 420 00:23:56,365 --> 00:23:58,825 Even I spent a lot of time talking to Al Marshall, who doesn't 421 00:23:58,825 --> 00:24:02,605 necessarily understand the full inner workings of my business. 422 00:24:02,665 --> 00:24:04,345 Um, he's a cardiothoracic surgeon. 423 00:24:04,345 --> 00:24:05,305 I mean, why would he? 424 00:24:05,785 --> 00:24:08,245 Uh, but just getting his wisdom super, super helpful. 425 00:24:08,250 --> 00:24:11,395 So, um, yeah, we've made some pretty big decisions at work. 426 00:24:11,395 --> 00:24:12,655 Like what we do now? 427 00:24:13,075 --> 00:24:15,175 Are Do you know, what I mean and all those kind of things which come 428 00:24:15,175 --> 00:24:16,465 out of that same sort of thing. 429 00:24:16,465 --> 00:24:20,485 And so I feel pretty confident that what we're doing is right before God. 430 00:24:21,100 --> 00:24:21,490 Hmm. 431 00:24:22,060 --> 00:24:26,050 Are you always sure, like when you're making the decision 432 00:24:26,230 --> 00:24:28,600 that that is what God's saying? 433 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:33,670 Because I can think for myself, I can think of examples of when I've prayed 434 00:24:33,670 --> 00:24:37,720 about stuff, talked about stuff, read the Bible, and I've, or maybe 435 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:39,370 I've just done one of those things. 436 00:24:39,375 --> 00:24:39,560 Yeah. 437 00:24:39,610 --> 00:24:44,800 And I'm completely sure I've just somehow got this assurance that I should 438 00:24:44,950 --> 00:24:46,659 take this certain course of action. 439 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:46,930 Mm-hmm. 440 00:24:47,170 --> 00:24:49,090 , like moving to Liverpool be one of those. 441 00:24:49,090 --> 00:24:52,570 I was completely sure this was where God wanted me to be, even 442 00:24:52,575 --> 00:24:54,190 though I wasn't sure God existed. 443 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:55,180 Bizarre. 444 00:24:55,690 --> 00:25:02,360 But it was one of those, whereas I think of another example where, um, so 445 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:07,030 after we'd, uh, had our kids, I just did various volun, different voluntary 446 00:25:07,034 --> 00:25:10,780 things through church, and the last of those had come to an end and I 447 00:25:10,784 --> 00:25:12,400 was trying to decide what to do next. 448 00:25:12,405 --> 00:25:14,380 Prayed about it, I was talking to people. 449 00:25:15,175 --> 00:25:17,965 , um, didn't really have that many ideas. 450 00:25:17,965 --> 00:25:21,295 It's like, should I go back to my previous work or should I, yeah. 451 00:25:21,325 --> 00:25:22,105 What should I do? 452 00:25:22,765 --> 00:25:27,655 Um, I just didn't feel like I heard from God at all, even though 453 00:25:27,655 --> 00:25:28,915 I'm doing all of these things. 454 00:25:29,185 --> 00:25:29,395 Yeah. 455 00:25:29,395 --> 00:25:31,555 And so ended up just making a decision. 456 00:25:31,555 --> 00:25:34,735 It's like, I don't know if this is the right decision, but I can't 457 00:25:34,735 --> 00:25:35,845 really think of what else to do. 458 00:25:35,845 --> 00:25:39,805 So I act, then I went and trained to be, um, an English teacher 459 00:25:39,835 --> 00:25:41,515 for speakers of other languages. 460 00:25:42,055 --> 00:25:46,885 Uh, and it turned out to be a fantastic decision, but at the time, I can't 461 00:25:46,885 --> 00:25:49,585 say I had much assurance about it. 462 00:25:49,735 --> 00:25:49,825 Mm-hmm. 463 00:25:50,070 --> 00:25:53,695 . But it's only when I look back I'm like, oh yeah, that was good. 464 00:25:54,955 --> 00:25:55,825 So, yeah. 465 00:25:55,855 --> 00:25:57,175 It's a long-winded way of saying. 466 00:25:58,225 --> 00:26:02,290 Are you always sure or are there times when you're like, I'm not 467 00:26:02,425 --> 00:26:04,195 sure, but I'm gonna step out anyway? 468 00:26:04,945 --> 00:26:05,155 Yeah. 469 00:26:05,155 --> 00:26:08,005 There's a lot of times when I'm not sure, but I'm gonna step out anyway. 470 00:26:08,455 --> 00:26:10,675 Um, and that's what they call faith, isn't it? 471 00:26:10,735 --> 00:26:16,135 And I you sometimes you do that just a little bit scared, um, to, 472 00:26:16,165 --> 00:26:18,835 without getting too graphic to, to quite a well-known friend of mine. 473 00:26:18,835 --> 00:26:20,065 It's squeaky bum time. 474 00:26:20,545 --> 00:26:25,225 And, um, it's one of those where, where I think you're right. 475 00:26:25,225 --> 00:26:30,865 I think sometimes you, you don't always know, but I think if you are 476 00:26:30,865 --> 00:26:36,150 a Christian who is, um, you know the voice of God, you know the voice of 477 00:26:36,150 --> 00:26:40,195 the Holy Spirit, and you are living a life which you think is trying to 478 00:26:40,195 --> 00:26:42,475 please him, I think it's actually hard. 479 00:26:43,065 --> 00:26:47,575 It, it almost becomes harder to miss the will of God than it does to hit it, if 480 00:26:47,575 --> 00:26:51,415 that makes sense, because I appreciate, it's not always straightforward, 481 00:26:51,415 --> 00:26:52,975 but I, God has a plan for us. 482 00:26:52,975 --> 00:26:54,925 He does direct us and he has this habit. 483 00:26:55,135 --> 00:26:56,935 I mean, you think of the story of Jonah. 484 00:26:57,235 --> 00:27:02,545 I mean, he went to extreme measures, um, by, you know, the story of a 485 00:27:02,545 --> 00:27:05,455 big old fish swallowing the guy and taking him to where he needed to be. 486 00:27:05,455 --> 00:27:06,475 Cause he was trying to outrun it. 487 00:27:06,865 --> 00:27:11,514 He go, he God does go, does want us to be, you know, on the right path. 488 00:27:11,514 --> 00:27:15,955 And I think even when we're not on the right path, I think he can steer 489 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:17,705 us and guide us onto it, . Mm-hmm. 490 00:27:18,070 --> 00:27:21,160 . And I think it's, I have this phrase that it, you know, God can 491 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,400 handle my failure much more than he can handle my disobedience. 492 00:27:24,940 --> 00:27:25,030 Yeah. 493 00:27:25,030 --> 00:27:28,090 And I'd rather, I'd rather fail at doing something which I think 494 00:27:28,090 --> 00:27:32,920 is right than succeed in doing nothing, which is entirely wrong. 495 00:27:33,220 --> 00:27:35,470 Um, , that's just me. 496 00:27:35,475 --> 00:27:36,820 That's just the way my brain's wired. 497 00:27:37,060 --> 00:27:39,610 And there's a wonderful portion of scripture that we're gonna come to in 498 00:27:39,610 --> 00:27:44,750 the book of Acts that talks about this chap called Paul and the Apostle Paul 499 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:47,120 um, is doing his missionary journey things. 500 00:27:47,210 --> 00:27:48,290 We're gonna get into it all. 501 00:27:48,740 --> 00:27:51,860 Uh, and he's sort of, he's heading one direction. 502 00:27:51,860 --> 00:27:55,490 I can't remember exactly where he's going, but he's sort of heading off dun, dun dun. 503 00:27:55,700 --> 00:27:57,350 And this is the Apostle Paul, right? 504 00:27:57,350 --> 00:27:59,240 He writes two thirds of the New Testament. 505 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:04,700 The man has dramatic encounters with God, both himself and through 506 00:28:04,700 --> 00:28:05,870 him into the lives of others. 507 00:28:05,870 --> 00:28:08,870 He has raised the dead, he has seen the sick miraculously healed, 508 00:28:08,870 --> 00:28:09,800 I mean, all kinds of stuff. 509 00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:11,870 The man knows God, right? 510 00:28:12,500 --> 00:28:17,360 Yet he goes on this journey, he starts on a path, and the way the Bible talks about 511 00:28:17,365 --> 00:28:19,970 it is the Holy Spirit constrained him. 512 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:21,890 So he was already on the journey. 513 00:28:21,890 --> 00:28:24,160 Well, I don't think he would've done that had he not thought. 514 00:28:25,509 --> 00:28:27,429 Well, I think this is where God's taking me. 515 00:28:27,429 --> 00:28:30,219 He wouldn't have done it deliberately going, oh, this is the wrong way. 516 00:28:30,699 --> 00:28:34,449 But it wasn't until he started moving that he felt the constraint of the Holy Spirit 517 00:28:34,449 --> 00:28:35,679 and he went, ah, that's not the right way. 518 00:28:36,264 --> 00:28:37,330 Let's go this way. 519 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:38,199 This is the right way. 520 00:28:39,100 --> 00:28:43,120 And um, there's a great phrase that they came up with a Bible school that I went 521 00:28:43,179 --> 00:28:44,770 to, uh, which has always stuck with me. 522 00:28:44,770 --> 00:28:47,319 And that is, it's easier to turn a car when it's moving. 523 00:28:48,069 --> 00:28:53,319 And, um, I think, I dunno, that are some of the, the policies I have in my head 524 00:28:53,319 --> 00:28:56,919 when it comes to being guided by God when it comes to being, you know, finding God's 525 00:28:56,924 --> 00:29:00,339 will and like you, I don't always know the end from the beginning because mm-hmm. 526 00:29:00,639 --> 00:29:03,279 . In fact, I don't think I've ever known the end from the beginning. 527 00:29:03,279 --> 00:29:05,230 I just know that this is the right thing to do right now. 528 00:29:05,859 --> 00:29:09,370 Um, but I can trust God that he will guide me. 529 00:29:09,489 --> 00:29:09,980 Yeah. 530 00:29:09,984 --> 00:29:12,730 And I think if I'm doing those things where I'm in scripture, I am 531 00:29:12,879 --> 00:29:17,049 praying, I'm actively seeking God and I'm listening to the counsel of my 532 00:29:17,049 --> 00:29:21,580 friends if, if, if they're not right or I'm not entirely sure that it's 533 00:29:21,580 --> 00:29:23,169 right or I've not got that assurance. 534 00:29:23,889 --> 00:29:29,080 I can believe wholeheartedly that as I go, God will direct me and 535 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:30,820 change my course if he needs to. 536 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:31,750 Does that make sense? 537 00:29:31,755 --> 00:29:33,120 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 538 00:29:33,150 --> 00:29:33,840 Good answer. 539 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:35,320 So that would be my answer, is that, is that alright? 540 00:29:35,590 --> 00:29:36,100 Do I pass? 541 00:29:36,105 --> 00:29:36,279 Yeah. 542 00:29:36,279 --> 00:29:36,679 Yes. 543 00:29:36,679 --> 00:29:36,920 Yeah. 544 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:42,159 So Anna's put her in the comments, I made a mess of my 545 00:29:42,159 --> 00:29:44,350 life before I became a Christian. 546 00:29:44,799 --> 00:29:48,830 God called me to himself at the day of the baptism and since then I'm still growing. 547 00:29:48,850 --> 00:29:53,440 But I found that studying the scripture and talking to mature Christians helps 548 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:57,850 me to understand if it is the leadership of the Holy Spirit or my own idea. 549 00:29:58,509 --> 00:30:00,009 Yeah, definitely. 550 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:05,755 I think back, um, Again, I think it's the big events that tend to stick out in 551 00:30:05,755 --> 00:30:08,305 my mind as to about hearing God a lot. 552 00:30:08,335 --> 00:30:10,855 There's, you know, the lots of little ones in between. 553 00:30:10,855 --> 00:30:13,015 You kind of forget about them cuz they're not a big deal. 554 00:30:13,705 --> 00:30:19,495 But I think a time for me when really listening to other people was when we 555 00:30:19,495 --> 00:30:21,205 were in the process of getting together. 556 00:30:21,715 --> 00:30:25,645 Um, and as you were talking to Dave, uh, I was talking to his wife Julie. 557 00:30:26,065 --> 00:30:29,755 And again, that was actually really helpful because for me at that time, 558 00:30:30,175 --> 00:30:35,275 I'd just come from a period of time where um, God was helping me to sort 559 00:30:35,275 --> 00:30:39,895 out my thoughts and emotions and I still wasn't massively stable. 560 00:30:40,375 --> 00:30:44,965 Um, and my emotions could go up and down like and react massively. 561 00:30:44,965 --> 00:30:49,885 And I remember reacting massively in our situation going, oh, I dunno if 562 00:30:49,885 --> 00:30:51,235 it's right, is it right, is it wrong? 563 00:30:51,955 --> 00:30:54,415 And just getting in a real panic about it. 564 00:30:54,790 --> 00:31:00,489 And talking to Julie, who'd known you had much more wisdom and she was 565 00:31:00,495 --> 00:31:04,690 just able to see into the situation and go, this is what's happening. 566 00:31:05,169 --> 00:31:08,290 And yeah, just helping me to see a bit more clearly. 567 00:31:08,799 --> 00:31:11,139 And I think that was really very useful. 568 00:31:11,460 --> 00:31:11,949 Yeah. 569 00:31:12,609 --> 00:31:13,089 What a legend. 570 00:31:13,089 --> 00:31:13,750 Julie Connolly. 571 00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:14,589 Yeah. 572 00:31:15,549 --> 00:31:15,909 Bless her. 573 00:31:16,210 --> 00:31:16,449 Bless. 574 00:31:17,859 --> 00:31:18,190 Okay. 575 00:31:18,190 --> 00:31:20,109 So we know we don't cast lots. 576 00:31:20,799 --> 00:31:25,449 Um, we know we can make quality decisions with the help of the Holy Spirit, with 577 00:31:25,449 --> 00:31:30,129 the guidance of scripture, um, and with the wise counsel of our friends. 578 00:31:30,134 --> 00:31:34,389 And we can believe that God's gonna direct us and lead us, um, in our lives. 579 00:31:34,719 --> 00:31:38,469 And I, I think that's all marvelous stuff and I think that's all part of the 580 00:31:38,469 --> 00:31:40,089 beauty of being a Christian, isn't it? 581 00:31:40,089 --> 00:31:42,879 And um, actually if this whole Christianity thing is true, 582 00:31:42,879 --> 00:31:46,239 then God guiding us and caring for us makes total sense. 583 00:31:46,989 --> 00:31:52,060 Um, so let's talk a little bit about this leadership thing 584 00:31:52,060 --> 00:31:53,560 that they've got going on here. 585 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,620 And I put in the comments cuz one of the things that's always intrigued 586 00:31:56,620 --> 00:32:00,940 me about this passage is the desire of Peter who seems to be a bit of 587 00:32:00,945 --> 00:32:03,160 a ringleader, um, at this point. 588 00:32:03,910 --> 00:32:06,970 Uh, uh, which is one of the things that we know to be true from actually 589 00:32:06,970 --> 00:32:09,970 even some of the earliest Christian literature tends to be Peter at 590 00:32:09,970 --> 00:32:11,500 the center of all these things. 591 00:32:12,250 --> 00:32:15,820 Um, which is in itself interesting, isn't it? 592 00:32:15,820 --> 00:32:21,700 Cuz Peter, if you don't know about Peter, Peter is not, um, well he is not what 593 00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:24,040 you'd call like your born leader was he? 594 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:29,860 Uh, Peter, he had to learn his craft, uh, I think on the way, which is I find 595 00:32:29,860 --> 00:32:31,510 very encouraging, if I'm honest with you. 596 00:32:32,210 --> 00:32:35,410 I think that he had, he had the passion of a leader, didn't he? 597 00:32:35,410 --> 00:32:40,230 But he wasn't necessarily in control of that all the time. 598 00:32:40,509 --> 00:32:43,779 He didn't have the, he didn't have the balance of experience to go with the 599 00:32:43,779 --> 00:32:45,609 passion is maybe one way to put it. 600 00:32:46,239 --> 00:32:49,525 Um, but one thing Peter did do, and it's really interesting, isn't it, I mean, 601 00:32:49,540 --> 00:32:53,109 Peter was, um, he was a witness to Christ. 602 00:32:53,259 --> 00:32:56,889 Um, obviously he had conversations with Jesus after the resurrection, 603 00:32:56,889 --> 00:32:58,929 even had his own sort of special little interview going on. 604 00:32:59,529 --> 00:33:04,179 Um, and so has this sort of, uh, you know, deal with Jesus going on. 605 00:33:04,179 --> 00:33:09,190 He admits his sin, he admits his weakness, um, both in the Gospels and as we will 606 00:33:09,194 --> 00:33:13,330 see later, um, I mean, Paul talks about the time he had to sort of take Peter 607 00:33:13,330 --> 00:33:17,199 aside and give him a bit of a telling off, um, God's obviously still not finished 608 00:33:17,199 --> 00:33:18,460 with him, still not done all the work. 609 00:33:18,460 --> 00:33:19,389 We're gonna find that out. 610 00:33:19,420 --> 00:33:20,920 Uh, I think around Acts chapter 10. 611 00:33:21,549 --> 00:33:24,310 So he's a man who is a work in progress. 612 00:33:24,429 --> 00:33:26,799 Um, but God is using him. 613 00:33:26,859 --> 00:33:30,850 He's not a perfect man, and God is using him and I that I find deeply encouraging. 614 00:33:31,690 --> 00:33:36,190 Um, but he decides to sort of, he's, there's a group of 120 believers. 615 00:33:37,659 --> 00:33:38,920 Uh, there or thereabouts. 616 00:33:39,250 --> 00:33:42,429 And he stands before them and he says, guys, listen, we need, we're, 617 00:33:42,429 --> 00:33:47,350 we're 11 right now cuz Judas, you know, made a few wrong decisions. 618 00:33:47,350 --> 00:33:48,130 We'll get into that. 619 00:33:48,639 --> 00:33:50,620 Uh, so who should we have for the 12th? 620 00:33:50,625 --> 00:33:53,950 And I, that's always intrigued me that they didn't stay 11, that they 621 00:33:53,950 --> 00:33:55,510 always went back up to 12, you know? 622 00:33:55,580 --> 00:33:56,190 Mm-hmm. 623 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:57,220 . Yeah. 624 00:33:57,220 --> 00:33:58,750 I think they're clear to that one. 625 00:33:58,780 --> 00:34:02,740 It's just this one sentence in the passage that was read today. 626 00:34:03,100 --> 00:34:04,600 That's easy to miss, isn't it? 627 00:34:04,690 --> 00:34:09,010 Um, where Peter's quoting from the book of Psalms and saying, may 628 00:34:09,010 --> 00:34:10,780 another take his place of leadership. 629 00:34:10,780 --> 00:34:14,889 So it's like they knew, they, they knew the prophecies and that actually 630 00:34:14,889 --> 00:34:17,560 that they had instructions and that's what they were meant to do. 631 00:34:18,130 --> 00:34:19,420 And then, yeah. 632 00:34:20,139 --> 00:34:20,440 Yeah. 633 00:34:20,980 --> 00:34:21,970 In verse 20 isn't it? 634 00:34:21,970 --> 00:34:22,659 Now Got it up here. 635 00:34:22,665 --> 00:34:22,870 Yeah. 636 00:34:23,020 --> 00:34:24,159 Let another take his office. 637 00:34:24,159 --> 00:34:24,429 Yeah. 638 00:34:25,150 --> 00:34:26,409 Which is interesting, isn't it? 639 00:34:26,415 --> 00:34:29,139 And he understood that that needed to happen. 640 00:34:29,500 --> 00:34:31,690 Um, I was researching it as well. 641 00:34:31,909 --> 00:34:34,659 Apparently at the time, teams were known by their numbers. 642 00:34:35,605 --> 00:34:38,185 . Uh, so it was, it was how they were referenced. 643 00:34:38,185 --> 00:34:43,134 The team of 12, the team of 30 apparently were a band of outlaws, I think, uh, 644 00:34:43,225 --> 00:34:46,255 like a little gang at the time, which controlled Athens or did something 645 00:34:46,255 --> 00:34:47,185 which they shouldn't have been doing. 646 00:34:47,875 --> 00:34:51,324 Um, and so yeah, the team of 12, and obviously, uh, I say obviously you 647 00:34:51,324 --> 00:34:55,225 might not know there were 12 tribes of Israel, which people tie a lot to the 12 648 00:34:55,225 --> 00:35:01,165 disciples and 12 tribes, um, that may or may not have some bearing on the story. 649 00:35:01,674 --> 00:35:09,145 Um, so leadership, so here he is deciding on who or they, as Dave 650 00:35:09,145 --> 00:35:12,325 pointed out actually, and I thought this was really important, Peter 651 00:35:12,330 --> 00:35:18,685 brought to the group the 120, the concept of we need another leader. 652 00:35:19,134 --> 00:35:19,285 Yeah. 653 00:35:19,315 --> 00:35:28,795 Um, and we, we need, um, uh, what does it say, let me read from a different 654 00:35:28,795 --> 00:35:30,295 version, which makes a bit more sense. 655 00:35:30,295 --> 00:35:31,645 Let's go to the message. 656 00:35:31,645 --> 00:35:32,755 What does a message say? 657 00:35:33,670 --> 00:35:36,970 um, long ago the Holy Spirits spoke through David Regarding Judas, who 658 00:35:36,970 --> 00:35:38,380 became blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 659 00:35:38,890 --> 00:35:42,850 Uh, everyone, it doesn't say that in the message translation. 660 00:35:42,850 --> 00:35:43,660 Just wanna be really clear. 661 00:35:44,085 --> 00:35:47,890 , I was, I was wondering . So he says here, Judas must now be replaced. 662 00:35:47,895 --> 00:35:52,800 The replacement must come from the company of men who stayed together 663 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:57,430 with us from the time Jesus was baptized by John up to the day of his 664 00:35:57,430 --> 00:36:03,190 ascension designated along, uh, with us as witnesses to his resurrection. 665 00:36:03,580 --> 00:36:07,630 So what's really interesting here is Peter goes to the group and says, we, 666 00:36:07,690 --> 00:36:09,730 we, we need to find a another leader. 667 00:36:10,030 --> 00:36:11,440 I'm not making this decision. 668 00:36:11,950 --> 00:36:13,450 I'm not as in, I'm not deciding. 669 00:36:13,450 --> 00:36:16,510 We need to decide who the leader is, but this is the criteria. 670 00:36:17,170 --> 00:36:17,500 Yeah. 671 00:36:17,590 --> 00:36:21,130 Which we need to have to make the decision, which I thought 672 00:36:21,130 --> 00:36:22,030 was really fascinating. 673 00:36:22,030 --> 00:36:23,770 It was a very good leadership principle here. 674 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:30,100 Um, and then that criteria is that they, um, needed to be a witness. 675 00:36:30,745 --> 00:36:37,420 , uh, to the resurrection of Christ because, um, at the time a lot of information 676 00:36:37,420 --> 00:36:39,100 was communicated verbally, wasn't it? 677 00:36:39,100 --> 00:36:44,589 They were custodians of stories, um, and or guardians of these stories, 678 00:36:44,595 --> 00:36:47,560 and they would, they were, if you were an eyewitness, you had much more 679 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:49,720 credibility in telling that story. 680 00:36:49,720 --> 00:36:53,440 And I think, um, that's why they sort of went down that road. 681 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:55,600 Someone who's been faithful, someone who stayed with us from 682 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:57,940 the beginning, has gone through the whole thing thick and thin. 683 00:36:58,420 --> 00:37:02,170 Uh, someone who, uh, actually is a witness to the resurrection. 684 00:37:02,529 --> 00:37:06,549 I mean, these, these are quite intense criteria, uh, for someone 685 00:37:06,549 --> 00:37:07,480 to choose from, aren't they? 686 00:37:08,020 --> 00:37:09,520 Yeah, yeah, they are. 687 00:37:10,210 --> 00:37:14,649 Um, and kind of, I dunno, the thing that stood out to me is actually 688 00:37:14,649 --> 00:37:15,730 the bit that comes after that. 689 00:37:15,730 --> 00:37:18,910 So I dunno whether to throw that in now, or, uh, whether you want to 690 00:37:18,910 --> 00:37:20,540 keep going with this little passage. 691 00:37:21,055 --> 00:37:22,675 Oh, you, you do what you wanna do sweetie.. 692 00:37:24,205 --> 00:37:24,655 Thank you. 693 00:37:25,375 --> 00:37:32,605 Um, yeah, cuz I, the bit that really stood out to me was the bit after this be, after 694 00:37:32,610 --> 00:37:38,905 Pentecost really that and where, um, Dave talked about the criteria for leadership. 695 00:37:38,905 --> 00:37:42,595 Cause obviously at this point that they're choosing leaders who have 696 00:37:42,595 --> 00:37:45,955 been with Jesus from the beginning, uh, and all that kind of thing. 697 00:37:45,955 --> 00:37:49,405 It's a special situation for replacing Judas. 698 00:37:49,705 --> 00:37:49,795 Mm. 699 00:37:49,825 --> 00:37:53,725 But after that, when after the Holy Spirits come, the criteria 700 00:37:53,815 --> 00:37:58,435 are, um, well some of them that people are full of the Holy Spirit 701 00:37:58,665 --> 00:38:01,255 and they are, are full of wisdom. 702 00:38:01,525 --> 00:38:06,685 And I, when I heard that, I was just like, how fabulous would that be if all the 703 00:38:06,685 --> 00:38:09,525 leaders in our country were like that. 704 00:38:12,015 --> 00:38:13,725 So now, now you're getting political. 705 00:38:13,725 --> 00:38:14,245 I like it. 706 00:38:14,725 --> 00:38:15,445 I like that. 707 00:38:15,895 --> 00:38:18,445 Uh, are our leaders full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. 708 00:38:18,445 --> 00:38:18,715 Where. 709 00:38:19,444 --> 00:38:21,174 I don't see it, if I'm honest with you. 710 00:38:21,174 --> 00:38:23,404 Some of them maybe, some of them no. 711 00:38:23,455 --> 00:38:23,725 Yeah. 712 00:38:23,725 --> 00:38:26,665 I mean obviously this is criteria for the church for choosing 713 00:38:26,665 --> 00:38:28,225 leaders is in the church, isn't it? 714 00:38:28,225 --> 00:38:31,855 Not in the wider context, but even within the church. 715 00:38:31,884 --> 00:38:37,674 I wonder how much we use that as criteria or how much we are dazzled by other 716 00:38:37,674 --> 00:38:44,545 things like personality and charisma or skill and overlook these key things 717 00:38:44,665 --> 00:38:49,315 that are actually, do they listen to the Holy Spirit and do they use wisdom? 718 00:38:49,765 --> 00:38:54,595 Do you know what I mean that I think sometimes criteria can get a bit skewed. 719 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:55,174 Mm-hmm. 720 00:38:55,725 --> 00:38:56,214 Yeah. 721 00:38:56,220 --> 00:39:00,475 It can, it can almost become like how many Instagram follows has my pastor got? 722 00:39:00,595 --> 00:39:03,444 Um, as a sign of, isn't he a cool bloke? 723 00:39:03,565 --> 00:39:04,645 Yes, he's a great pastor. 724 00:39:04,645 --> 00:39:08,455 Versus actually how wise is, I mean, I appreciate it's much 725 00:39:08,455 --> 00:39:10,674 harder to measure than how many Instagram followers you've got. 726 00:39:11,215 --> 00:39:12,865 Um, but how are they growing in wisdom? 727 00:39:13,165 --> 00:39:13,645 Do you know what I mean? 728 00:39:13,645 --> 00:39:16,075 It's a really interesting question, isn't it? 729 00:39:16,134 --> 00:39:23,005 And yes, I think what we prescribe to be leadership characteristics, say 730 00:39:23,005 --> 00:39:26,875 in business, aren't necessarily what you would prescribe to be leadership 731 00:39:26,875 --> 00:39:28,404 characteristics in the church. 732 00:39:28,915 --> 00:39:33,355 Um, and I think too often the churches tried to be like corporate and gone, 733 00:39:33,355 --> 00:39:36,025 well, if that's worked in corporate, we should bring that over to the church. 734 00:39:36,025 --> 00:39:38,215 And actually it should be the other way around. 735 00:39:38,215 --> 00:39:40,134 We should take the principles of scripture to corporate. 736 00:39:40,645 --> 00:39:42,265 Um, but no, I'm totally with you on that one. 737 00:39:42,270 --> 00:39:46,075 I think, I think the criteria for leadership in the church 738 00:39:46,075 --> 00:39:47,185 are not what you expect. 739 00:39:47,755 --> 00:39:49,435 To be the husband of one wife. 740 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:50,005 Mm-hmm. 741 00:39:50,545 --> 00:39:53,485 , uh, you know, it's like, it's a pretty obvious statement, isn't it? 742 00:39:53,485 --> 00:39:56,665 But, um, I don't see that in corporate. 743 00:39:56,815 --> 00:39:57,595 Sorry guys. 744 00:39:57,625 --> 00:40:03,235 I've interviewed way too many corporate leaders who don't treat their wives right. 745 00:40:03,235 --> 00:40:05,755 And you're kind of like, it's a really interesting thing, isn't it? 746 00:40:05,785 --> 00:40:07,765 I, there have been business, I have to be honest with you. 747 00:40:08,215 --> 00:40:11,935 There have been business deals I've walked away from because of the 748 00:40:11,935 --> 00:40:14,155 way the guy spoke about his wife. 749 00:40:14,725 --> 00:40:19,015 Um, now I appreciate I am putting on him criteria that maybe I would choose to 750 00:40:19,015 --> 00:40:24,625 choose a church leader, but I'm, part of me is like, if he can't treat his wife 751 00:40:25,345 --> 00:40:31,585 the way he promised to all those years ago, why do I expect he's gonna treat 752 00:40:31,585 --> 00:40:34,615 me the way he's gonna tell me Yeah. 753 00:40:35,215 --> 00:40:38,575 And honor this deal because he's not honoring his marriage. 754 00:40:38,580 --> 00:40:40,795 So why is he gonna honor his business deal with me? 755 00:40:41,245 --> 00:40:46,765 And I think, um, it, it, it's one of those things actually that when it comes to the 756 00:40:46,770 --> 00:40:50,665 bigger deals that I've made in business, one of the things I'd like to do is to 757 00:40:50,665 --> 00:40:54,865 meet, is to see them with their spouse or get them talking about their spouse. 758 00:40:54,865 --> 00:40:59,005 So I can see how they treat their partner, um, because I think 759 00:40:59,005 --> 00:41:00,025 it's really, really important. 760 00:41:00,715 --> 00:41:01,015 Yeah. 761 00:41:01,405 --> 00:41:02,005 Interesting. 762 00:41:02,545 --> 00:41:03,925 Little known tactic there. 763 00:41:03,925 --> 00:41:04,945 If you're in the corporate world. 764 00:41:06,025 --> 00:41:08,485 Which is why, going back to, what's the story podcast, Brett, 765 00:41:08,515 --> 00:41:09,955 I know from the corporate world. 766 00:41:10,375 --> 00:41:13,495 Um, and the reason why I like him, I mean, he's a, he's a Chris Bow, he is 767 00:41:13,495 --> 00:41:14,845 a fellow believer, he is a brother. 768 00:41:15,325 --> 00:41:17,605 Um, but I know how he treats his wife. 769 00:41:18,115 --> 00:41:22,165 Uh, and so I'm like, I will do business with Brett all day long. 770 00:41:22,555 --> 00:41:26,185 Um, the same, we've got a guy called Jared Mitchell, who's Brett's mate. 771 00:41:26,305 --> 00:41:27,775 Uh, he's coming on the podcast soon. 772 00:41:28,585 --> 00:41:29,845 I've just recorded the interview with him. 773 00:41:30,235 --> 00:41:31,795 Uh, Zoe and I stayed at his house. 774 00:41:31,855 --> 00:41:36,935 I have seen how he treats his wife, and you kind of go, mate, you have 775 00:41:36,985 --> 00:41:40,435 got my uttermost respect because I've seen how you treat your wife. 776 00:41:40,855 --> 00:41:43,675 Uh, and so the rest of it doesn't really make too much difference to me. 777 00:41:43,675 --> 00:41:45,085 I'm, it's the first primary thing. 778 00:41:45,445 --> 00:41:45,925 So yeah. 779 00:41:46,345 --> 00:41:47,995 Top tip on leadership. 780 00:41:47,995 --> 00:41:49,615 Choose leaders that treat their wives well. 781 00:41:50,755 --> 00:41:50,995 Yeah. 782 00:41:51,215 --> 00:41:56,395 Or if they're not married, to treat the people that are close to them, um, 783 00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:59,755 and people who are not, where you don't necessarily see that relationship. 784 00:42:00,205 --> 00:42:03,895 Um, it's, you know, it's not necessarily a relationship that's on display. 785 00:42:04,300 --> 00:42:04,480 Yeah. 786 00:42:05,020 --> 00:42:05,740 Bid them well. 787 00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:06,430 Yeah. 788 00:42:06,435 --> 00:42:06,580 Yeah. 789 00:42:06,580 --> 00:42:06,660 Yeah. 790 00:42:07,330 --> 00:42:10,780 I think it's a challenge because it's always easy to kind of look 791 00:42:10,780 --> 00:42:14,230 out at other people and kind of say they should be like this. 792 00:42:14,290 --> 00:42:20,950 But then in terms of, uh, myself, um, we're not all in those massive leadership 793 00:42:20,950 --> 00:42:25,810 positions, but I think all of us have influence over somebody or, yeah. 794 00:42:25,810 --> 00:42:27,130 That we're coming into contact with. 795 00:42:27,130 --> 00:42:33,070 So again, it's thinking, okay, what, um, how am I doing in terms of am 796 00:42:33,070 --> 00:42:36,010 I actually listening to God or am I just doing things my own way? 797 00:42:36,370 --> 00:42:38,530 And am I growing in wisdom? 798 00:42:38,740 --> 00:42:43,270 And, um, it, I'm reminded of the passage that talks about if you are, if any of 799 00:42:43,270 --> 00:42:45,670 you're lacking in wisdom, then ask God. 800 00:42:45,670 --> 00:42:49,000 And He's, you know, more than happy to give you that wisdom. 801 00:42:50,260 --> 00:42:50,560 Yeah. 802 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:51,700 And to keep asking. 803 00:42:52,405 --> 00:42:52,555 Yeah. 804 00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:53,365 Asking for wisdom. 805 00:42:54,385 --> 00:42:54,925 Yeah, absolutely. 806 00:42:54,925 --> 00:42:57,745 And, and I think most of us lead something. 807 00:42:57,805 --> 00:42:59,935 We might not lead a company, we might not lead a church, 808 00:42:59,935 --> 00:43:02,185 but we, we can lead something. 809 00:43:02,815 --> 00:43:03,565 Um, and we do 810 00:43:03,565 --> 00:43:07,675 or have influence over somebody, even if it's the people that you meet 811 00:43:07,975 --> 00:43:13,555 around you or, yeah, just, just I think our interactions with people 812 00:43:13,555 --> 00:43:15,085 can have quite a big impact on them. 813 00:43:15,595 --> 00:43:15,865 Yeah. 814 00:43:15,925 --> 00:43:18,535 They really can and do that Well and do that wise. 815 00:43:18,625 --> 00:43:19,525 I think you're totally right. 816 00:43:19,525 --> 00:43:21,985 Um,to do that, uh, with wisdom. 817 00:43:22,195 --> 00:43:25,765 Um, let's talk about Judas, cause I'm aware of time and I said that we'd 818 00:43:25,765 --> 00:43:30,175 mention Judas, uh, because he was mentioned in his passage people are, 819 00:43:30,805 --> 00:43:35,065 in some respects, people are more familiar with Judas than with some 820 00:43:35,065 --> 00:43:36,565 of the other people in the Bible. 821 00:43:36,595 --> 00:43:40,135 Cuz we use this phrase Judas, to talk about someone who has betrayed, 822 00:43:40,375 --> 00:43:44,515 uh, somebody else saying, if you are a Judas, it's not a comment, uh, 823 00:43:44,575 --> 00:43:46,465 a compliment, I should have said. 824 00:43:46,465 --> 00:43:48,715 It's definitely a comment, but it's not a compliment. 825 00:43:49,135 --> 00:43:52,134 Uh, and so, Judas Iscariot. 826 00:43:52,705 --> 00:43:53,484 Bit of background. 827 00:43:53,484 --> 00:43:58,525 He was one of the disciples, one of the 12, uh, that walked the earth with Jesus. 828 00:43:58,525 --> 00:43:59,455 For three years 829 00:43:59,455 --> 00:44:03,475 this man, uh, was part of Jesus' gang. 830 00:44:04,435 --> 00:44:08,395 Whether he was fully in at one point or not, we don't know, but we know 831 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,935 he saw the miracles and we know he hung out with Jesus himself. 832 00:44:12,504 --> 00:44:20,875 Uh, and yet towards the end of, uh, Jesus' time on Earth, there's this very famous 833 00:44:20,875 --> 00:44:27,145 event where Judas betrays Christ, uh, for how many pieces of silver was it? 834 00:44:27,145 --> 00:44:28,225 30 pieces of silver? 835 00:44:28,225 --> 00:44:29,634 I can't remember the exact number now. 836 00:44:30,055 --> 00:44:30,745 Bible quiz. 837 00:44:30,745 --> 00:44:31,404 Write in the comments. 838 00:44:31,404 --> 00:44:33,415 If you know the answer to that question, I'm sure Matt Crew will 839 00:44:33,415 --> 00:44:34,464 know the answer to that question. 840 00:44:35,004 --> 00:44:38,145 Do you know the answer to that question? 841 00:44:38,145 --> 00:44:40,090 Uh, sorry, I was busy looking at the, uh, 842 00:44:40,090 --> 00:44:41,140 oh, you weren't even listening. 843 00:44:41,140 --> 00:44:43,180 Comment then you caught me. 844 00:44:44,270 --> 00:44:45,730 So I dunno what the question is. 845 00:44:46,210 --> 00:44:46,570 Excellent. 846 00:44:46,840 --> 00:44:48,550 Welcome to my marriage, ladies and gentlemen. 847 00:44:50,620 --> 00:44:55,090 I was looking at Anya's comment about leaders being the ones that we should 848 00:44:55,090 --> 00:44:57,310 taking, be taking an example from. 849 00:44:57,310 --> 00:44:58,240 Absolutely. 850 00:44:58,330 --> 00:44:59,110 Totally agree. 851 00:44:59,110 --> 00:45:01,090 Leaders should be setting a good example. 852 00:45:01,780 --> 00:45:02,260 They should. 853 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:04,140 Leaders definitely need to listen to the 854 00:45:04,940 --> 00:45:05,140 Yeah. 855 00:45:05,140 --> 00:45:06,910 Deflecting from the fact I wasn't listening to you there. 856 00:45:06,910 --> 00:45:07,300 Sorry. 857 00:45:08,380 --> 00:45:09,910 It's a great, it's a great example. 858 00:45:09,910 --> 00:45:12,670 Uh, great quality of leadership is the ability to listen well. 859 00:45:14,290 --> 00:45:14,970 So what did you say? 860 00:45:15,070 --> 00:45:15,880 What's the question? 861 00:45:16,360 --> 00:45:16,810 So sorry. 862 00:45:16,840 --> 00:45:17,630 Matt Crew answered it. 863 00:45:17,655 --> 00:45:18,640 He's, it is 30. 864 00:45:18,640 --> 00:45:19,750 So Judas Oh, great. 865 00:45:19,780 --> 00:45:25,340 Betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver . Oh dear. 866 00:45:25,810 --> 00:45:32,020 Um, and so we'll be giggling about this all night now, . Um, and so yeah, he, he 867 00:45:32,020 --> 00:45:33,890 betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. 868 00:45:34,230 --> 00:45:39,355 Um, So here's a man that gives up the call of God on his life. 869 00:45:39,805 --> 00:45:43,825 Um, what in some translations to this particular, uh, passage, 870 00:45:43,915 --> 00:45:45,835 um, some translations call lots. 871 00:45:46,345 --> 00:45:49,525 Uh, so they ca it's interesting how there's this play on words that Luke has. 872 00:45:49,525 --> 00:45:51,475 It's the same word where they cast lots. 873 00:45:52,045 --> 00:45:56,525 Um, but Judas gave up his lot, uh, or his calling, or his sharing his calling. 874 00:45:56,545 --> 00:45:57,475 It's the same word. 875 00:45:58,135 --> 00:46:05,485 Um, and that thing, which God had given him, Judas gave up in exchange for money. 876 00:46:06,625 --> 00:46:09,985 And ultimately it doesn't end well for Judas. 877 00:46:10,015 --> 00:46:12,025 He, he betrays Christ. 878 00:46:12,025 --> 00:46:13,735 He buys a field with his money. 879 00:46:14,245 --> 00:46:19,225 Um, and then we don't really know, I mean, there's slightly different 880 00:46:19,225 --> 00:46:24,085 accounts between Matthew and Acts, whether they follow on from each other. 881 00:46:24,085 --> 00:46:24,835 We don't, we don't. 882 00:46:24,835 --> 00:46:25,525 I mean, we weren't there. 883 00:46:25,945 --> 00:46:33,565 Um, but he, it seems that Judas in effect, commits suicide and ends up 884 00:46:33,565 --> 00:46:39,280 with his bowels all over the place in a, in a very unpleasant way, really. 885 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:44,990 Um, and there's the shame that he had, the fact that actually betrayal was 886 00:46:45,010 --> 00:46:48,700 the worst crime or one of the worst crimes at the time, um, in a honor, 887 00:46:48,700 --> 00:46:52,750 sort of shame culture that this is actually really not a great thing to do. 888 00:46:53,320 --> 00:46:56,830 And he did all of that for 30 pieces of silver. 889 00:46:57,010 --> 00:46:58,420 So that's the background. 890 00:46:58,810 --> 00:47:01,960 Have you got anything you wanna add to the old Judas thing? 891 00:47:04,170 --> 00:47:04,520 No. 892 00:47:05,430 --> 00:47:07,780 That makes the discussion a bit short, doesn't it? 893 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:11,860 I didn't really have many more thoughts on that . Sorry. 894 00:47:13,360 --> 00:47:13,800 No, it's fine. 895 00:47:14,030 --> 00:47:14,680 It's okay. 896 00:47:14,770 --> 00:47:16,000 Timing's good anyway, so 897 00:47:16,390 --> 00:47:19,140 it sounds like you've had a lot more thoughts of me on that. 898 00:47:19,160 --> 00:47:27,190 Yeah, as you can see, just, just the, yeah, just guessing, imagining the despair 899 00:47:27,190 --> 00:47:30,910 and the shame and all the rest of it after we'd done that and then kind of gone. 900 00:47:31,555 --> 00:47:32,275 . Oh my goodness. 901 00:47:32,275 --> 00:47:33,115 What have I done? 902 00:47:33,415 --> 00:47:33,685 Yeah. 903 00:47:33,775 --> 00:47:34,265 Yeah. 904 00:47:34,525 --> 00:47:36,295 Just how awful that would be to live with. 905 00:47:36,475 --> 00:47:41,875 But you know what, I think I even then, I think if he'd turned around and gone 906 00:47:41,880 --> 00:47:46,885 back to Jesus instead of away from him and gone, this is what I've done, I totally 907 00:47:46,885 --> 00:47:48,595 believe Jesus would've forgiven him. 908 00:47:49,435 --> 00:47:49,555 Yeah. 909 00:47:49,585 --> 00:47:52,945 I think he could, could've been gloriously restored, um, if I'm honest with you. 910 00:47:53,545 --> 00:47:57,565 But, uh, that doesn't seem to be what happened, uh, in the story. 911 00:47:57,565 --> 00:48:01,645 And I think the, the learning from this is, it doesn't matter how closely 912 00:48:01,645 --> 00:48:03,535 you think you walk with Christ today. 913 00:48:04,405 --> 00:48:08,275 Um, Judas was as close as any man is ever gonna get to Jesus. 914 00:48:08,705 --> 00:48:10,195 Yet he still betrayed him. 915 00:48:10,555 --> 00:48:12,745 Um, and I think it's quite a sobering thought, isn't it? 916 00:48:12,775 --> 00:48:14,425 You know, it's a sobering thought. 917 00:48:15,055 --> 00:48:17,815 Take, take heed lest any of you fall. 918 00:48:17,815 --> 00:48:22,465 And I think that sort of pride that when it comes to, we've been talking 919 00:48:22,465 --> 00:48:27,310 about God's will and knowing God's will, and if you, I think I try and 920 00:48:27,310 --> 00:48:30,640 avoid the pride of going, yeah, I get it right 100% of the time because, you 921 00:48:30,640 --> 00:48:35,170 know, I'm, I'm this close to God, me and him mates and all that sort of stuff. 922 00:48:35,590 --> 00:48:38,680 I think as soon as you start heading down that path, you have got some fundamental 923 00:48:38,680 --> 00:48:43,630 problems and um, yeah, that's where things can sneak in, just like it did with Judas. 924 00:48:43,750 --> 00:48:44,980 And you get blindsided. 925 00:48:45,384 --> 00:48:46,464 Um, and so, 926 00:48:46,674 --> 00:48:50,875 yeah, yeah, just the, the rest of that little bit that you've kind of just quoted 927 00:48:50,875 --> 00:48:56,004 that verse it, it is, does say, be careful if you think you stand in case you fall. 928 00:48:56,004 --> 00:48:57,895 And there is, there is a warning, isn't it? 929 00:48:58,504 --> 00:48:59,274 It is a warning. 930 00:48:59,395 --> 00:49:01,435 So on that happy note, we'll end Conversation, Street. 931 00:49:02,964 --> 00:49:05,995 Matt crew has put in the comments, what's happening next week on the 932 00:49:05,995 --> 00:49:07,345 livestream, not in your marriage? 933 00:49:08,544 --> 00:49:08,665 Okay. 934 00:49:08,665 --> 00:49:12,335 Next week Sharon and I are gonna go to communication counseling, um, 935 00:49:13,674 --> 00:49:15,685 , because I just don't feel listened to Matt, if I'm honest with you. 936 00:49:16,464 --> 00:49:18,815 Um, , let's not go there. 937 00:49:20,125 --> 00:49:23,575 . We should just do a counseling session on the livestream one day. 938 00:49:24,085 --> 00:49:26,154 Uh, no, let's not subject you to that. 939 00:49:26,575 --> 00:49:29,095 Uh, what's happening next week is a very good question. 940 00:49:29,095 --> 00:49:31,855 I'm gonna let Sharon talk while I pull up the notes for next week. 941 00:49:33,255 --> 00:49:34,180 You always do that. 942 00:49:34,180 --> 00:49:35,950 And I'm like, uh, talk about what? 943 00:49:35,950 --> 00:49:37,029 I have no idea.. 944 00:49:38,589 --> 00:49:40,569 I have no idea what's going on next week either. 945 00:49:40,569 --> 00:49:42,370 Apart from it's in the book of Acts. 946 00:49:42,549 --> 00:49:43,690 Someone's gonna talk. 947 00:49:44,020 --> 00:49:44,440 It is. 948 00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:50,680 So next week we have got, uh, Dan Orange, John and John Farrington are hosting. 949 00:49:51,370 --> 00:49:58,180 Uh, Chris Holcombe is, uh, talking about how God sends the Holy Spirit. 950 00:49:58,185 --> 00:49:59,410 We've been talking about Pentecost. 951 00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:00,940 It is coming up. 952 00:50:00,940 --> 00:50:02,529 Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun dun. 953 00:50:02,740 --> 00:50:04,330 It's, uh, all boys week next week. 954 00:50:05,319 --> 00:50:06,069 Yeah. 955 00:50:06,130 --> 00:50:06,700 Actually. 956 00:50:06,700 --> 00:50:07,029 Yeah. 957 00:50:07,029 --> 00:50:09,700 And you've, you've got John, who's, who's a young chap. 958 00:50:09,700 --> 00:50:12,319 You've got Dan, who's a bit like me, a bit middle-aged Chap. 959 00:50:12,339 --> 00:50:13,089 You've got Chris. 960 00:50:13,540 --> 00:50:15,880 Well, Chris has got a few more gray hairs than I have. 961 00:50:15,970 --> 00:50:19,299 Um, and Chris is, he's been on Crowd a a few times. 962 00:50:19,305 --> 00:50:20,410 He's an absolute legend. 963 00:50:20,970 --> 00:50:23,815 Medically, he's, he's just a genius. 964 00:50:23,815 --> 00:50:26,714 We had him on the, uh, he's a surgeon, isn'the? 965 00:50:26,730 --> 00:50:28,015 He specializes in breast cancer. 966 00:50:28,404 --> 00:50:30,835 So we had him on the, the live streams that we did. 967 00:50:30,835 --> 00:50:32,305 What does the Bible say about cancer? 968 00:50:32,605 --> 00:50:33,775 What does the Bible say about health? 969 00:50:33,775 --> 00:50:37,165 We had him and his beautiful wife Sue on who's a nurse in cancer care. 970 00:50:37,765 --> 00:50:42,265 Um, and so I'm really keen to hear what Chris has got to say on 971 00:50:42,265 --> 00:50:43,585 this first portion of scripture. 972 00:50:43,585 --> 00:50:44,875 God sending the Holy Spirit. 973 00:50:44,875 --> 00:50:49,075 So we've got that coming up next week, uh, here on Crowd. 974 00:50:49,075 --> 00:50:51,025 So make sure you're subscribed, make sure you've got that little 975 00:50:51,025 --> 00:50:52,585 bell notification going on. 976 00:50:53,005 --> 00:50:56,035 Um, so you get notified when we are live. 977 00:50:56,035 --> 00:51:00,495 Then after that, it's me and John Harding hosting with Will Sopwith chatting away. 978 00:51:00,500 --> 00:51:05,935 So, uh, yes, uh, how can Chris be more ancient than you edmo? 979 00:51:06,925 --> 00:51:10,915 There's got to be at least one joke about my age, every time on every live stream. 980 00:51:11,125 --> 00:51:14,815 Uh, so , I'm just saying he isn't, I'm just saying he is got 981 00:51:14,815 --> 00:51:15,895 a few more gray hairs than me. 982 00:51:15,900 --> 00:51:16,195 That's all. 983 00:51:16,285 --> 00:51:16,855 That's all I'm saying. 984 00:51:17,425 --> 00:51:19,825 Uh, so yes, so that's what's coming up. 985 00:51:19,825 --> 00:51:21,025 So make sure you're subscribed. 986 00:51:21,025 --> 00:51:23,125 It's been great to be with you, uh, tonight. 987 00:51:23,130 --> 00:51:24,475 Thank you so much for joining us. 988 00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:24,885 Yes. 989 00:51:24,925 --> 00:51:26,725 Uh, any final words from you, babe? 990 00:51:27,835 --> 00:51:28,165 No. 991 00:51:28,165 --> 00:51:30,385 Other than yeah, it's lovely to have you with us. 992 00:51:30,445 --> 00:51:32,005 Um, and have a good week. 993 00:51:32,455 --> 00:51:32,665 Yeah. 994 00:51:32,665 --> 00:51:33,355 Fantastic. 995 00:51:33,355 --> 00:51:35,185 So we will see you next week. 996 00:51:35,190 --> 00:51:35,850 God bless you. 997 00:51:36,780 --> 00:51:39,150 Bye for now. 998 00:51:39,150 --> 00:51:42,985 Thank you so much for joining us here on Crowd Church. 999 00:51:43,315 --> 00:51:48,375 Now if you are watching on YouTube, make sure you hit the subscribe button as well 1000 00:51:48,380 --> 00:51:54,265 as that little tiny bell notification to get notified the next time we are live. 1001 00:51:54,295 --> 00:51:58,465 And of course, if you are listening to the podcast, uh, the Livestream podcast, 1002 00:51:58,465 --> 00:52:01,900 make sure you also hit the follow button. 1003 00:52:02,200 --> 00:52:07,300 Now by smashing the like button on YouTube or writing a review on your 1004 00:52:07,300 --> 00:52:11,920 podcast platform, it helps us reach more people with the message that 1005 00:52:11,920 --> 00:52:17,320 Jesus really does help us live a more meaningful and purposeful life. 1006 00:52:17,380 --> 00:52:22,240 So if you haven't done so already, be sure to check out our website, 1007 00:52:22,240 --> 00:52:28,870 www.crowd.church, where you can learn more about us as a church, more about 1008 00:52:28,870 --> 00:52:33,790 the Christian faith, and also how to connect into our church community. 1009 00:52:34,570 --> 00:52:39,910 It has been awesome to connect with you and you are awesome. 1010 00:52:40,030 --> 00:52:42,370 It's just a burden you have to bear. 1011 00:52:42,610 --> 00:52:45,100 And hopefully we'll see you next time. 1012 00:52:45,250 --> 00:52:46,120 That's it from us. 1013 00:52:46,120 --> 00:52:46,870 God bless you. 1014 00:52:47,500 --> 00:52:48,010 Bye for now.