00:00 Introduction and Thanksgiving Greetings

00:20 Discussing Changes to the Bible Reading Plan

01:36 Importance of Daily Bible Reading

02:10 Q&A Session: Dodgers, Podcast Continuation, and More

03:35 Future Plans for the Podcast and Church Resources

05:33 Promotional Ideas and Humor

06:54 Listening to the Bible and Audio Resources

08:00 Bible Study: Acts Chapters 4-6

11:00 The Holy Spirit and the Trinitarian Doctrine

11:24 Consequences of Deceit in the Early Church

12:41 Miracles and Persecution of the Apostles

13:46 The Apostles' Response to Persecution

15:02 Balancing Rights and Suffering for Christ

18:27 The Role of Deacons in the Early Church

22:06 The Messiness of Early Church Growth

23:18 Closing Prayer and Reflections

Find out more about Compass Bible Church.

Learn more about our Bible Reading Plan.

Questions or Comments? Email us podcast@compassntx.org

Hey everybody.

2

Welcome back to another edition of

the Daily Bible Podcast, and may I be

3

the first to say Happy Thanksgiving.

4

It's not this week though.

5

It's close enough.

6

It's next week.

7

I'm start saying it.

8

Dude, you I've been wishing

Merry Christmas for weeks now.

9

You get this last year too.

10

I want get on top of it.

11

The first to see, I want you

enjoy the first all these things.

12

Let me just be the first to say Happy New

Year as well as they're getting at it.

13

Hey, speaking of New Year's we've been

kicking around the idea of maybe changing

14

things up on our daily Bible reading plan.

15

Yeah, we're considering a change.

16

Oh, see, now you put

this out there way early.

17

People are gonna, don't,

I mean, bail on us.

18

We are flirting with it, and

here's why we think that it's.

19

Easier and more accessible to jump onto

a plan that isn't chronologically based.

20

I love the Chronological plan.

21

You love it.

22

Yeah, we've enjoyed it.

23

This has been such a great ride for

us and so beneficial for my Bible

24

reading, but I also think that getting

people who are joining our church,

25

brand new people who are joining our

church to say, Hey, we're starting.

26

We're in a Bible boarding program.

27

We're just working away from

the Old Testament and New

28

Testament all the way through.

29

That just feels.

30

Different than it's chronological

and, right now we're in the middle

31

of acts, and then we're gonna be in

James next week, and then we're gonna

32

be in Galatians the week at, it just

feels different even though it's.

33

Largely the same amount of reading,

it just feels more accessible

34

to say, Hey, we're doing the

Old Testament, new Testament.

35

Please join us and we can draw from a

large reservoir of prior content and

36

materials that we've used before.

37

Yeah, absolutely.

38

Yeah.

39

And we are passionate about in fact this

is one of our focal points for us as.

40

Pastors is leaders starting a

radio ministry named the same.

41

Yeah, focal be better.

42

Focal point.com

43

is that what we're calling it?

44

Focal or pointer?

45

More vocally pointed.

46

Most focal pointed.com

47

Radio ministries.

48

We want this to be a point of emphasis

for us next year and not just next

49

year, but we want the our church

to read the Bible and we want.

50

Our people to read the

Bible every single day.

51

And that's why we call it

the Daily Bible Reading.

52

We're convinced that this should be

a part of your every everyday intake.

53

That this is not something that

fits your schedule, but that your

54

schedule should make room for

time of the word every single day.

55

And that's why we do the podcast.

56

That's why we do the encouragement

for the reading of the Bible.

57

And that's why we're saying, Hey,

if there's an easier on-ramp to get

58

people doing this, let's do that.

59

Because we.

60

Believe that this is invaluable to

get God's word in us on a daily basis.

61

Okay.

62

I'm gonna ask all the questions

that people are asking.

63

Okay.

64

Ask all the questions.

65

Voice those questions.

66

One.

67

We're gonna hit 30 minutes

again on this podcast.

68

One sub point, a sub point

a are you still mad about the

69

Dodgers winning the World Series?

70

I was never mad about it.

71

I just was unin was nonplussed about it.

72

Nonplussed.

73

Okay.

74

But you have a hat now.

75

Will you wear the hat?

76

You know, the people that gave me

the hat, I, I, I love them dearly.

77

I love them dearly, and it's in my office.

78

The hat is in my office.

79

I didn't get rid of it.

80

It's here and I appreciate it and I will.

81

I think I might be starting

a collection of hats of teams

82

that win the World Series.

83

I think that might be

a cool thing to have.

84

Okay, so are you gonna get it encased

and maybe put it in a nice glass case

85

that's airtight so that it stays nice?

86

I don't think I'll go that far 'cause

I'm against idols and idol worship and

87

I might be tempted if it was inside of a

glass case like that to just maybe think,

88

oh man, , look at how pretty that looks.

89

I should worship that.

90

I see idols in your office better.

91

Encased in glass?

92

No, but those are pictures of,

but they're encased in glass.

93

But they're, they're pictures.

94

Those are actual idols.

95

Right.

96

You're seeing the idol.

97

Okay.

98

Real question.

99

People are gonna wanna know, is

the Daily Bible podcast gonna

100

continue then in its present form?

101

What's gonna happen with this?

102

Are you guys closing the shop down?

103

We are not closing the shop down.

104

Okay, so what are you gonna do then?

105

Yeah we've.

106

Lemme just give the caveat.

107

This is still a little bit influx

and so, and you, you announced

108

it though, so we have questions.

109

Well, but you kept going

so you have questions.

110

We are gonna continue

the Daily Bible podcast.

111

One of the things that we talked about

is maybe slowing it down a little bit and

112

doing, for example, next year, focusing

on, in, on just the Old Testament for the

113

full year and kind of putting those in

the can that these would be episodes that

114

people could go back to at any point in

time to, Hey, I've got a question about.

115

Second Kings chapter four.

116

And so you could go there and you

could find it on our website and

117

click on Second Kings chapter four.

118

And here are our thoughts on

Second Kings chapter four.

119

And then the next year

do the New Testament.

120

So it would feel a little bit different

'cause we wouldn't be talking about

121

all of the current events and things

like that, but we don't like that.

122

We're just gonna say

that to you right now.

123

We don't like it.

124

We don't like that idea.

125

But why would we do that?

126

Because we don't wanna do this anymore

in two years, we'd be done with it.

127

No, I, well, it's, we

wanna build a database.

128

We do a repository of resources.

129

And it's not to say we can't do that,

and we just replace it as we build it.

130

We could do that, and

we could, maybe we will.

131

But it does allow us to

scale what we're doing.

132

And that's what we wanna do.

133

We'd like to make our website a

place where you can, I mean, if you

134

wanna know some of our inspiration,

just go to Compass Treasure Valley.

135

Treasure Compass Church tv.

136

I think it's something like that.

137

Yeah, it's so Compass, Bible Church,

treasure Valley, pastor Ben and the

138

team there are doing great work and

they're putting so many of their

139

resources on their website that

I'm like, why we, we gotta do this.

140

We should, we have to do this.

141

And so we wanna do something similar while

still keeping the flavor of what we do.

142

I think it's really endearing and fun to

do it with us, to you're growing with us.

143

Yeah.

144

And I think that's important

for you to see too.

145

And you're not gonna

get that if we can it.

146

So canning would be convenient for us,

but maybe we don't and we just have

147

you join us as we continue to grow.

148

And you do the same.

149

It's possible.

150

We also have some, we've got ideas,

we've got all these ideas and plans.

151

Like we've got some other thoughts of ways

that we want to further equip our church

152

in and promote it in media and promotion.

153

Mm-hmm.

154

And how we want to, potentially

even provide some more resources

155

for you to deal with other things.

156

Not necessarily, Hey, here's some

Googling and commentary on the Bible.

157

But we're gonna tackle some

subjects, some questions, and

158

we're gonna answer those with you.

159

So, uh, stay tuned.

160

We're trying to.

161

Get better at what we're doing

and help you get better at

162

following Jesus at the same time.

163

One of our ideas that we all are

gonna share credit for is wrapping

164

Pastor PJ's car with the Compass

Bible Church North Texas logo a.

165

Agree or disagree that that would be

a helpful way to promote our church?

166

You are so serious about this.

167

When you first brought this up, I was

like, he's joking about this query.

168

Oh man, this, it's such a great idea.

169

It's, I'm just saying this

is our idea, by the way.

170

This is not my, our idea

is to promote the church.

171

What better way to do that?

172

We're all around town.

173

We live and work in the same place.

174

I'm just thinking people will see it.

175

They'll at least, at the very

least, they'll look up our website.

176

That's true.

177

They're, and they'll say

what are these guys about?

178

And they'll see your

mug up there preaching.

179

Yeah.

180

I think it's a good foot in the door.

181

Yeah.

182

Well, you know, so if you think

it's a good idea along with myself,

183

pastor PJ and Pastor Mark, let us

know if you hate it and you, do

184

you think it's a terrible idea?

185

Tell us why.

186

So what about, what if I can

I buy the Gold Bentley then

187

and wrap the Gold Bentley?

188

Well, well see.

189

That's that says a

different message I think.

190

It'd catch people's eye though.

191

It would.

192

It would be for Jesus,

but for the wrong reasons.

193

I don't know for the wrong reasons.

194

Tell you what, I will buy a

Tesla on the church's dime.

195

I'll get a cyber truck.

196

Those get wrapped all the time.

197

Uh, that's pretty natural.

198

People do that all the time.

199

Yeah, I'll do that for the team.

200

Okay.

201

Alright, well there you go.

202

Uh, if you're new with us and listening

to us, just know that we have a

203

sense of humor that's a little bit

drier sometimes than other times.

204

Try.

205

It's just pretty wet humor if you ask me.

206

Do you have more questions though?

207

Uh, yeah.

208

Oh, so started, you said

you had all the questions.

209

Yes.

210

Started.

211

Yeah.

212

So I guess another thing, one of the

things that's we'd like to do is give

213

people a way to listen to the Bible.

214

So yes.

215

I didn't know that we had this Yes.

216

On the website you can

listen to the day's reading.

217

Yep.

218

Will you still have access to do that

and maybe we can make that a podcast.

219

Is that coming down the pike?

220

Yeah.

221

Yeah we'll get you access to some

form of audio Bible, because we do

222

think that that's a valuable resource.

223

You can go to our website right now and

under the DBR page, you can click on that.

224

Up at the top it's got the ESV and

I can't remember the ESV guy's name.

225

You know the, the name of that?

226

David Cochran Heath.

227

There you go.

228

DCH as I like to call him.

229

Oh, yeah.

230

Guys are good friends.

231

He.

232

We'll read it to you.

233

And so if you hit that play button

it, he will read both chapters or

234

I, however many chapters that are,

I have no idea you could do that.

235

Yep.

236

That's great.

237

Great.

238

Great job.

239

Danny.

240

Danny did that for Danny Mayer,

so I think he did that for us.

241

I think so that's fantastic too.

242

I, I wanna do that and I wanna get

that on a podcast so that you can

243

just get it delivered right to your

phone every morning and be ready to

244

go so that if you're too busy to read

that morning, you say, you know what?

245

I'm not gonna skip it.

246

I'm just gonna play it on the podcast so

I can at least listen to it, and then I

247

can hear what PPJ and PR say about it.

248

There you go.

249

Or Pastor Mark.

250

Yep.

251

We should get to the Bible now.

252

Let's do it.

253

Yeah.

254

So Acts chapter four, five and six

chapter four, this healing of the man

255

from Peter and John caused quite a stir.

256

And so Peter and John are arrested

by the Jews the Sanhedrin they

257

brought before the council.

258

And Anis and Caiaphas.

259

Remember you've got the high priest

and the father-in-law, the high priest

260

here, father-in-law being Anis, I

believe, Caiaphas being the acting

261

high priest, or is it the other way?

262

No, I think that's it.

263

I think you got it right.

264

Yeah.

265

And they're present.

266

So this is a big deal when you've

got those two present and they're

267

asking them, Hey, what's going on?

268

What happened here?

269

Peter, again, filled with the Holy Spirit,

it says he's had this transformation.

270

He's bold.

271

He's standing up and he's saying,

look, this is what happened.

272

You crucified Jesus.

273

And here again, he's even gonna

point to God's sovereignty over this.

274

He says that you are all gathered

in this city to do what God's

275

hand predestined you to do.

276

So there we go.

277

It's not just that.

278

According to his definite

plan and foreknowledge.

279

But here this is God predestining,

the acts of the Jews and the Romans

280

to crucify Jesus in imperfect,

accordance with this plan.

281

So Peter's saying, you

were the one that did this.

282

And the Jewish authorities in response to

him are pretty powerless to be able to do

283

anything other than to tell them to stop.

284

Preaching and yet that's not gonna work.

285

And we talked about that a few weeks

ago in our message on submitting to the

286

governing authorities, because Peter

says, whether it's right to obey you or

287

to God, you're gonna have to under, you're

gonna have to make that judgment call.

288

But for us, our conviction is this.

289

We can't do anything other than

what God has called us to do,

290

which is to preach what we've seen.

291

And what we've witnessed.

292

And so this is the first part of

chapter four, the rest of chapter four.

293

The very end of chapter four really

is laying out what the early

294

church looks like and the sharing of

materials, the selling of possessions,

295

which really sets us up for where

he's about to go in chapter five.

296

One of the unsung heroes of the

Book of Acts is the Holy Spirit.

297

And in fact, if you pay attention,

you'll notice that he's brought

298

up pretty much every chapter.

299

In fact, if you see the Holy

Spirit in chapter four, it's him

300

who's provoking Peter to act with

this kind of courageous boldness.

301

In fact, in verse 31, it says, when

they prayed, the place in which

302

they were gathered together was

shaken, and they were all filled.

303

With the Holy Spirit.

304

And notice this they continue to

speak the word of God with boldness.

305

And so the spirit's job in part is to

make us holy, but also to make us bold, to

306

make us willing to open our mouths and say

things that are uncomfortable for people

307

to hear and uncomfortable for us to say.

308

But that's one of the features

of the spirits and dwelling.

309

He makes us willing and able

to be bold with our salvation.

310

Chapter five, again, holy Spirit in

view here, and I think this is one of

311

the areas that is significant to our

understanding of the Trinity and the deity

312

of the Holy Spirit because you've got

these two people, an Ananias and Sari.

313

So chapter four ends with the church

selling all they had and bringing

314

the proceeds and the apostles who

were distributing the proceeds to

315

any that had need which by the way

is setting up something that's gonna

316

take place in chapter six as well.

317

But.

318

This is what's taking place.

319

And then you've got these

two people, Anani and s fire.

320

Well, they sell their house and they

come to the apostles and they say,

321

Hey, here's what we sold our house for.

322

And here it is.

323

And yet the problem is they're

holding some of it back.

324

They're not giving everything.

325

And Peter asks the question

and first it's with Anani.

326

And Anani says, yeah,

327

. That's what we have.

328

And Peter says this, he says,

you've lied to the Holy Spirit.

329

But then later on in verse four, he

says, you've lied not to man, but to God.

330

So there we see again, part of

our doctrine of the Holy Spirit,

331

that the Holy Spirit is God.

332

Peter puts the Holy Spirit on

par with God, just like Jesus.

333

We saw in the gospels

was put on par with God.

334

Here the Holy Spirit

is called by Peter God.

335

And so this is pointing to our Trinitarian

understanding of the Godhead as well.

336

But the consequences for an

Ananias and then following for

337

his wife are gonna be that they

are struck dead for lying to him.

338

And it says, fear gripped everyone there.

339

And so I think God is doing two things.

340

Number one, he is punishing an

anani and a fire for their deceit.

341

And number two, he's reminding the

church the infant church, the fledging

342

church of the high stakes of their

holiness and why it matters that they

343

would be men and women of integrity

because of what's at stake if they don't.

344

Are Anani and s believers,

are they Christians?

345

Yeah.

346

I don't know.

347

We can't point to this and

say this is evidence of the

348

fact that they're not, but.

349

It's certainly not a good look for them.

350

But God's discipline sometimes

does result in death.

351

Paul's gonna talk about people eating

the Lord's table in an unworthy manner

352

and getting sick and dying for that.

353

Yeah.

354

So this is not the unpardonable sin,

but it is grave no pun intended.

355

It is a helpful clarification

because it is important to see.

356

They could have been deceived.

357

They could have had their own

hearts deceived in saying,

358

I want status in the church.

359

I want people to think

well to me, so let's.

360

Collaborate, let's collude and say

that we sold our home for this many

361

dollars and now people think we're

really generous and we enjoy some

362

acclaim and perhaps some privileges.

363

And the Lord's not about that.

364

He doesn't want us to posture

for people's approval.

365

He wants us to do the real

thing for his approval.

366

Yeah.

367

Yeah.

368

From here verses 12 through 16, lay

out the miracles that were taking

369

place, the signs and wonders that were

happening and just acknowledging again,

370

like we've talked about, that these are

things that are happening to validate

371

the message and the church as a whole,

as the church is beginning to come on the

372

scene and people are taking note of it.

373

So much so that the apostles

are gonna be arrested again

374

and they're brought back in.

375

They're imprisoned.

376

They are publicly arrested.

377

They're in prison.

378

They're meant to be humiliated here.

379

And yet what we find happen is God

frees them and they go right back

380

to preaching, and then they're

rearrested and brought back.

381

And the Jewish people want

to put an end to them the

382

Sanhedrin ready to execute them.

383

And then you've got one guy named,

and he's an important name to, to note

384

because he has bearing in Paul's life.

385

Saul, then later Paul.

386

But Galio stands up and says,

Hey, we gotta be careful.

387

Because there have been a Messiah

claims, messianic claims in the past,

388

and those have just kind of petered out.

389

Those have turned into nothing.

390

We have to be careful not to work

against these guys because if

391

this is true, then what will be

found is will be found opposing.

392

God, if it's not true, in other

words, just kinda let it go and

393

it will fizzle out in the end.

394

And so rather than executing the apostles

and perhaps creating more of a problem

395

for themselves they beat the apostles

and release them, and then they go back.

396

Just amazingly rejoicing that

they were considered worthy.

397

It says to suffer for the

gospel, suffer for Jesus.

398

What a profoundly different

response than what you would expect.

399

You know, someone gets taxed excessively

because they're a Christian, or

400

they're a church, or they're a

nonprofit, or someone does something.

401

A neighbor has their dog,

do something on your lawn.

402

We're not gonna respond.

403

We're not gonna respond

with like, I'm, praise God.

404

I was able to suffer for Christ's name.

405

This is more evidence of the spirit's

work inside the life of a believer.

406

Yeah, it's a.

407

Fundamentally different attitude shift to

say, thank you, God, that you considered

408

me worthy to suffer on your behalf.

409

And I think, man, whatever it needs

to happen for us to get there,

410

I think that's the goal for us.

411

I don't think this is meant to just

be, here's how they acted, but man,

412

this is the beginning of the church.

413

These are the leaders.

414

So you expect them to

act in a certain way.

415

I think this is one of those areas in

scripture where it's our goal to have

416

that same mind that Christ Jesus had,

and that's what they're doing themselves.

417

So, man, if you don't have that spirit.

418

And I don't think many of us would

say that we have it in spades.

419

We probably should pray for more of that.

420

Mm-hmm.

421

The right mindset to suffer

along with Christ and to welcome

422

whatever might come our way.

423

And this actually fits really well with

your sermon series in Peter right now.

424

Yeah.

425

Because you're talking about unjust

suffering and whether or not someone

426

should just be a doormat and be walked

all over first for the sake of Christ,

427

or whether someone should stand up for

their rights and say, Hey, I've got, my

428

first amendment rights or what have you.

429

I think it's a lot more challenging

today given the fact that we do have.

430

Rights that are acknowledged, God-given

rights that are acknowledged by our

431

government to know whether or not to

exert them or to exercise them, or

432

whether or not to sit back and say,

I'm just gonna let this happen in

433

order to do it for the sake of Christ.

434

Do you have any clear guidance on that?

435

When should we stand up?

436

When should we sit down

and take it on the chin?

437

Man I think what we find with the

apostles is their main concern was the

438

name and reputation of Jesus and being

able to be as effective in witnessing

439

for Christ as they possibly could.

440

And so I think if our motivation isn't

the glory of Christ, I think we need to.

441

Work to either get there or to perhaps

realize that maybe there's more glory for

442

Christ in me suffering, even though I have

the right to not and to look to endure it.

443

And as we looked at a couple weeks

ago, continue entrusting ourselves

444

to the one who judges justly in

that situation, I don't think it's

445

wrong to appeal to our rights.

446

I don't think it's wrong for

us to exercise our rights.

447

You mentioned they're God-given.

448

I think they are God-given

as a stewardship.

449

The Christian in Nigeria

doesn't have the Bill of Rights.

450

I don't think we're any

better than that Christian.

451

But.

452

They haven't been given that stewardship

either of having the Bill of Rights.

453

And so we have been, and so we should

use it and apply it in a way, that

454

if they're sitting in our shoes,

they'd be like, are you kidding me?

455

You're not making use of

the things that you have.

456

Why are you not?

457

Look at what we're

going through over here.

458

So I think there's something to us

saying we should use those things.

459

But I think we need to really make

sure that we're doing it because

460

we want the glory of Christ,

not we want to be comfortable.

461

I think one clarifying answer to this

is also found in the chapter itself.

462

They say here in verse 29, we

must obey God rather than man.

463

And so they did the right thing.

464

Right.

465

And they suffered for it.

466

Yeah.

467

So it's a, it's not

necessarily an either or.

468

It very well could be a both.

469

And you do the right thing in God's

sight, and maybe the government

470

does come down on you for that.

471

Maybe you are taxed accessibly.

472

Maybe there is something that.

473

Happens poorly because

you're seeking to obey God.

474

And to your point, if we're seeking

to honor Christ with our life, then

475

there are times when it's gonna

make sense to assert the rights

476

and privileges that we have, the

stewardship that you called them.

477

Other times it's gonna make sense for

us to say, the calculation doesn't

478

make sense for me to push this.

479

I'm gonna sit back and

take this one on the chin.

480

For the sake of Christ.

481

'cause I don't wanna seem A, B, C, or D.

482

It doesn't, the calculation

is not coming together.

483

But, I would argue we probably are

484

we're far more likely to assert

our rights and privileges and to

485

legislate those things as opposed

to saying, what does the Lord want?

486

And I think that ought to be our

first posture than the other one.

487

Yeah, I agree.

488

Yeah.

489

And you're right.

490

Even when we are doing everything that

God is calling us to do and doing it

491

the way that he's calling us to do, it's

not a guarantee that it's gonna go well.

492

We're talking about that.

493

We talked about husbands on

Sunday, we're gonna talk about

494

wives of this next Sunday.

495

You can be the godliest spouse and

do everything the way that God is

496

calling you to do and still be in.

497

Difficult situation in a marriage.

498

Right.

499

And that's why it's so important for

us to remember the ultimate reward

500

is coming from him, not from the

earthly relationship, not from the

501

government, not from our circumstances.

502

The ultimate reward is gonna be ours there

and then, not necessarily here and now.

503

Yeah.

504

And God's not a genie, right?

505

He doesn't grant wishes.

506

He's not.

507

You give him $5, he gives you 50.

508

It's not the way God works.

509

He's a person.

510

He responds to our

needs and our situation.

511

Yeah.

512

Yeah.

513

Well, in chapter six, I

mentioned earlier that.

514

Part of what was going on was everybody

was bringing all their things and

515

the apostles, were passing them out

and giving to all as any had need.

516

And there were other needs

that were arising in the church

517

that were becoming overlooked.

518

And some of the widows of

the Hellenistic widows, these

519

would've been the Greek widows.

520

Think gentiles more than Jews here.

521

And they were being neglected.

522

And so there was a complaint

that arose and the apostles

523

realized, man we can't do all that.

524

We need to do right now.

525

We need other people to be

able to help us in this.

526

We need to be able to delegate

some of these responsibilities to

527

other people that can do some of

these service needs that are still

528

significant and still important.

529

But that would free us up to do

what God has tasked us to do, which

530

is to give ourselves over to the

preaching of the word and prayer.

531

And so they.

532

Install and institute.

533

The office of the deacon and

deacon comes from our Greek

534

word, deano, which means servant.

535

So these are servants

and there are seven men.

536

It says here in the text that were

of good reput, good reputation,

537

full of the spirit and wisdom.

538

Now, when we get over to First

Timothy chapter three, we're gonna

539

see some qualifications of deacons

that are given later on in the church.

540

But right now we see that these were the

types of men that they were looking for.

541

And so they select these seven men.

542

They list them there in chapter six.

543

One of them, Stephen.

544

Is going to rise to the surface

and he's gonna make such an impact

545

that the Jews are gonna begin to

not like him and they're gonna

546

trump up some false charges on him.

547

They're gonna arrest him, and

we're gonna see what's gonna

548

happen to him in chapter seven.

549

Important to know that this text

it provides a template for us.

550

This is not necessarily the copy

and paste that we're supposed to do.

551

Obviously we have apostles here.

552

That's a different status

than what we have today.

553

And interestingly, I found this out.

554

I was reading a book unrelated to this.

555

It was actually, I think DA Carson.

556

It was one of Carson's books, and

he was making some point about

557

people are making an argument about.

558

Deacons and Deacon Nesses having

the ability to speak freely in the

559

church because you see that happening

in Acts chapter six and Carson's

560

Point was a, the Acts chapter six

never says that these are deacons.

561

Like there's not a single word

that says that they're deacons.

562

Mm-hmm.

563

He would argue that they're prototypes

of what would eventually become the

564

deacons, the servants of the church.

565

But just because you have someone like

Steven who spoke eloquently and was

566

demonstrating acts and supernatural

things that only the apostles did, he

567

says that's enough of a distinction to say

that these are not necessarily deacons as

568

we understand 'em in the New Testament.

569

Therefore, it doesn't hold the same.

570

Argumentative wait to say, oh, because

these deacons spoke, Stephen in

571

particular, all deacons should speak

in the church, including, you know, one

572

of the female deacon is in the church.

573

Mm-hmm.

574

So it's something like that.

575

So I found that to be fascinating.

576

I had never realized that there was

nothing in here that says that these

577

are deacons, except I've imported

that into my thinking and I think

578

Carson has a fantastic point there.

579

Another note here that I found out is

that these names that they identify,

580

Stephen, Philip Pro, Nick Andor,

Timon, pba, eu, Nicos, all these guys.

581

Here's what tins are saying.

582

I'm not a professional here, so

I'm just citing an authority.

583

These are Greek names.

584

Right?

585

I noticed that too this time.

586

Isn't that crazy?

587

Yeah.

588

They're Greek names.

589

Yeah.

590

Which tells us that the church decided as

a show of love, I suspect , we wanna honor

591

what we think is maybe a fair complaint.

592

So let us put some Greeks there to help

us make sure that we manage this well.

593

I thought that was fascinating.

594

I'd never noticed that before.

595

And that stood out to me as

being exceptionally loving and

596

kind of the first church body.

597

I thought that was really neat.

598

What do we do with this though,

in, in Acts 10 and Cornelius?

599

What about Cornelius?

600

Because if these are Greeks,

are they Jewish Greeks?

601

Are they, proselytes and

then they're convert?

602

Well, they are ProSites.

603

At least nicolais here in verse

five, Nicolais a ProSite of Antioch.

604

So I think you'd have to say they

were, 'cause they're hellenism.

605

There is hellenism widows, right?

606

Here's an interesting point about acts.

607

It's messy.

608

It is messy.

609

It's not as clean as we

would like to say that it is.

610

And I think God's okay with that.

611

God is rolling out his new agenda, kind

of like a scroll being unfurled, right?

612

He's rolling it out and it's not

all at once, but it is happening

613

and part of the process is a messy

understanding of what's happening here.

614

Yeah I would have to argue

if you're going, what are

615

you guys talking about here?

616

I would have to believe that these were

Jewish proselytes that had now come to

617

faith in Jesus, and that's why they were

okay with them being included in this.

618

Because in Acts 10, you've got Peter

initially going, wait a minute.

619

No.

620

What is the deal with Cornelius

and what's going on here?

621

Yeah.

622

And then you've got the Jerusalem council.

623

All that stuff is still future.

624

Yeah.

625

Where they're trying to wrestle with

what do we do with the Gentiles?

626

The Gentiles, and how do they fit in this?

627

Yeah.

628

So I don't, they must have been believing.

629

Believing GR Jewish believing Greeks.

630

That makes sense.

631

That were the circumcised and everything.

632

Yeah.

633

They would've been proselytes

to Judaism as it was.

634

Understood.

635

And they're grafted into this new program.

636

And because they already accepted

those things, there was no question

637

about circumcision that made perfect

sense of Acts chapter 15 . Yeah.

638

Yeah, for sure.

639

Well, hey, let's pray and they'll

be done with this episode.

640

Oh, that was quick.

641

What the ending or I didn't

realize we were done.

642

Yeah.

643

Great.

644

Oh, what, what else do we got?

645

Oh, nothing.

646

I was just, I, yeah, I'm good.

647

Let's do it.

648

That's great.

649

Okay.

650

Lord we thank you for the book of

Backs and just the evidence even here

651

of the endless depth of scripture that

we can continue to come back to it.

652

And even though we've read it so many

times, learn more and notice new things,

653

and so I pray that you help us do that by

your spirit and that we'd be excited to

654

come to the Word of God for those reasons.

655

At the same time, God guard us from

drawing in incorrect conclusions

656

or pressing something too far.

657

But I do thank you so much that

the word of God is afresh for

658

us every time we come to it.

659

And so, use it to shape us, to

mold us, to make us more like Jesus.

660

We pray in his name.

661

Amen.

662

Amen.

663

Keep your new Bibles tuned again

tomorrow for another edition

664

of the Daily Bible Podcast.

665

See you everybody.

666

Bye.

667

Bernard: Well, thank you for

listening to another episode

668

of the Daily Bible Podcast!

669

We're honored to have you join us.

670

This is a ministry of Compass

Bible Church in north Texas.

671

You can find out more information

about our Church at compassntx.org.

672

We would love for you to leave a

review, to rate, or to share this

673

podcast on whatever platform you're

listening on, and we hope to see

674

you again tomorrow for another

episode of the Daily Bible Podcast.

675

PJ: Yeah.

676

I would agree with

everything that you said