June 27 2021 (restored 6/24/2021)

Good morning, West Portal. Welcome here with your joining us online or in-person good to be together. My name is James my privilege to open the scriptures with you. If you can open them up to ask 21, at 21 is where we are going to camp out of this morning before we begin to I just some family news. I'm our sister lillberg, went home to her heavenly father last night we do we want to remember Walter and his family and the family in this time of morning, Walter our prayers, go out to you, that you would know the words of comfort. 21. What we finish last week Acts chapter 20 with a farewell to the dentist, the elders in evidence that he was heading toward Jerusalem and chapter 21 receive these whistles. Along the way up Falls journey and what happened to him in Jerusalem and will also see the priorities that guy and his decision. Made this idea of a priority Matrix was made popular to me by Stephen Covey. You know, his is Matrix of important and urgent that something is important and Urgent and you need to do it a bit urgent, but not important than you and has delegated. If it's important but not urgent, you defer it. And if it's not important. Not urgent. Well, then you pass it on to pastor and I already made your position. Clear to me last week in graduation.

Graduated others, many graduate together for all those. But I didn't want to trip and needed and they moved it. I can't remember which side. I watched my niece is graduating. I can't believe she already graduated grasshopper walking across the stage. The teacher was reading their future plans. Electron was a planning to travel around the world and June was wanting to start a garage. That is that bill was going to go to study and become a doctor and make lots of money. She wanted to start an orphanage and drive sorry in the Formula 1, you cross the stage. What are your plans for the next? What are your plans for the next year's three years? Ten years for the priorities that Goblin. Is it doing what your friends do, maximizing, fun. Getting security and your finances. Is it driving a Ferrari?

Is it justice in wallet in the Canadian way? See this morning, we want invite the Holy Spirit to examine our priorities. As we look at Paul's priorities and get them with Jesus cuz I want to do that, we need God's help to join me in prayer. I've only Spirit, we thank you for your presence here with us and for your work in our lives. When we need you, we need your help. Hannah spearritt, are we pray for the bird family and didn't time as well that you would be close to them and that you would be comforting. remind me of the pool at this one and only like, I thank you for the mail and for her birthday for walk with us. Lord, as we open up your word together, spirit that you would continue as they are open or ear. So they would be able to hear your voice. It open our hearts that we would believe, no babe.

For the glory of Jesus, Ferrari. Then. Manhattan chapter 21 and we want to look at Paul's priority is first priority is the priority of fell asleep right after we sailed away from them. We put out to see if they'll straight to cost the next day we went to roads. And from there at the Terra we found it shipped crossing over to Phoenicia. Went on board and set sail after citing say prince in passing to the toes and then we sailed on to stereo we landed at tire, wear our ship was to unload, its cargo the disciples there and stayed with them seven days through the spirit. Jerusalem. But it wasn't trying to leave. We left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children accompanied them. I was sick and they are afraid to each other. We went aboard this ship ship and they returned when we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them forever for a day leaving. The next day, we really caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip, the Evangelist one of the 7 p.m. for unmarried daughters, who prophesied after we've been there a number of days of Robert. David Aguilas came down from Judea coming over cuz he took his own hands and feet with it. And said the Holy Spirit. That's in this way. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Go by the owner of this fellow Will hand them over to the Gentiles. I heard then we at the people there pleaded with Paul, not to go up to Jerusalem then, ball answered why are you weeping breaking my heart. Only to be down but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said the Lord's will be done after that. We started on our way out to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from caesarea company that has brought us to the home of Mason, where we were, just a, he was a man from Cyprus one of the early disciple. All along this passage, we see all these stuff and Paul priority for fellowship and started and ever since they're in a position at the end of chapter 23, we see that's deep friendship. First, 26361 Paula finished down with all of them and prayed. They all laughed as they embraced him and kissed him. Deep friendship with these guys in Ephesus when he has led some of them to Jesus and they had over the last three years, they have learned together here at this cycle them, they serve the Lord together and serving the lord together. Build these deep friendships, maybe you've experienced them on a youth trip serving up at Camp Trek rights. We experience this with our store. Family team has pills continue on the fifth day off and we were at home about 2 afternoon. My wife said to me, James, let's call the other family, see what they're doing. I really miss. I said, really you miss Shelton.

We we we come together. I'm convinced that we serve the Lord but we want to Foster opportunities for that whether it's making a meal or cleaning up garbage helping with BBs, with a running, with the kids in sports camp, we want to make these opportunities available in our neighborhood and around the world and actually you can check it out on missions page on a website. We've been praying when the Lord is leading us over the next three years, we would love to send a team to Turkey here in in Saskatoon, with sore to the Okanagan cleaners and to Guatemala. Actually, we are sending a team to open augen this summer for families are going there to serve. You can keep us in prayer. I'll be there with Sheldon. We are, we coming together as we serve the Lord, but we don't have to go far. It can happen. He's deep friendships can happen right here. That's what we see what you call and the first stop in Tire. I've heard 3, we landed a tire where a ship was done loaded cargo, we stayed with them seven. Paul fines Believers wherever he goes. He seeks out a small root and finds this church incur higher. Love you more people. You never met before. He didn't want the church in Tire. He didn't know these guys from Adam, all spent 7 days with them and they can grow together because of that, he bought you some time to notice that whether it's your work site on your block, or on a road trip, when you run into someone else who's Christian, you have this bond between you. There is a spirit that we shared that runs through our veins draws us together and drink in the family of God and Christian Christians. So Paul seeks out the disciples and tire and after seven days, they're Fellowship is so rich that all of them accompany that I took to the city and they're on the beach. We Mount the prey, I mean, wives and children. The whole family took a day off to go down to the beach and just to see Paul wanted to see Paul onto the ship. That's what can be possible Among Us when this priority Fellowship. Well, then verse 7, we continued our Voyage from tire and landed at the pool and that's where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them birthday. Again, we see this wherever he finds Believers. I mean, the original Mennonite, your way he stays with them and therefore is not better. Their kids. Go to the same school or that they're cheering for Germany to win the European Cup, or that they like the Property Brothers on is Jesus. Bruce leaving the next day, we reached caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip. The Evangelist one of the seven again whenever you find Believers, Christian Christians. And here, is he meets with Phillip you remember pillow called the Evangelist, because you don't let the Meredith to Jesus Jesus and his family to Jesus. Philip Gifted Man. Or there's an issue here, he's one of the seven. And you remember another one of the seventh was Steven got a phone call help to kill all together. Is when Paul is trying to kill me and now he's staying for meeting at the Phillips house. I don't think it bothers them. Slept very well. Last night, strange bedfellows. But the gospel Jesus is greater than the differences of our Pact.

American first 15 after their time in caesarea, we started on our way up to Jerusalem from caesarea company, brought us to the Mason where we worked as he was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

Play the disciples go together, whenever call Cozy finds Believers because Christian need other Christians. And this time he stays that announcer of Maison Cypress. Believer is this. He's a fruit from the persecution them. All started in Jerusalem. Gentile and Paul stays with him. Did you wrote this week to see the priorities of Celebration? that Christians need other Christians, whether it's a tire or, without a group of Christians, he's never met before, or since he's a real, with a guy that he tried to kill, Christians need other Christians, and Paul seeks them out. Just wait and tire for them to find them. he goes out and he ended the game because we need one another

now, when people come and say to me, But they don't need other Christians. Think they're on Dangerous Ground. Sometimes I hear people say, wow, I don't need to come to the Gathering. I don't need a small group, it's just Jesus. In me. I have the Holy Spirit. when I hear this yellow flags,

because, Because we need one of them needed other Christians, it wasn't just calling Jesus. Jesus needed other people, it wasn't just him and the father and the spirit human small group around him. I don't think you need Fellowship.

The more recently I've heard people say I'm moving out to the country, I've had enough of this. I'm done, I'm done with the virus. I'm done with being done with all these differences.

Well, let me see that sound a little bit self-focused. That not only forget about your own age for a second, think about the other. Jesus gave the command a command, in John, Chapter 13, new command. I give you love one another as I have loved you. So you must love one another, but if everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another, it isn't like a man that's given to us as followers of Jesus to love one. Another I could do that. You need an other to love.

And not only is it a call to love one another but it's also a testimony to Jesus in this world when people who come from different areas and have different TVs can carefully. I can share our life together.

They were called to prioritize fellowship and I know I know there will be people different from you if it is if they don't feel like they're from a different country, they came from a different planet. I know I've got a guy in my small group from Downey. But they overcome these differences, small group, he had tax collector and Adela get one guy who was friends with the Roman and another guy who is killing broken. Please guys were on the same team. When we join up small group, we will be with different people from different backgrounds, different ages, different story. this is the way we practice this loving one, another What do you get when you, you mix a trucker, a nurse, a teacher, and a programmer. Small group. What do you get when you mix up a calvinist in an arminian visionist and a charismatic, a public servant and an anti vaxxer, small group, Pastor, Jeff number on speed dial.

What do you get when you mix Jamaican a Nigerian as Ukrainian Canadian. Sweet potluck. We prioritize Fellowship. We believe that this is a way of hell, that is a mark of how Independence is spiritual Independence. Is not a mark of hell. Spiritual interdependence is we want everyone to be in a small group and there's three things that you can expect from a small room, three things you can expect to share number one to share our lives to share. Honestly, how are you doing? What's going on? Number to we share God's word. This is what we talked about not the Rough Riders or kids or was trending on Instagram. Don't Bogart word number 3, we share, but if this is what God is calling us to do, how are we going to be faithful to it? What's the next step down from a freighter?

Tell you, if you're not part of a small group, Now's the Time to prioritize, I can play football.

Christians need address for the priority of knowledge. That's the first priority.

Is the priority of a gospel faithfulness. Through this passage and notice to this spiritual discernment that's going on. Let me know any point that I can tell by the spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, the spirit was compelling him to training him, find a gift that he had to go to Jerusalem. There's going to be sufferings, and hardships, but go and then it first for of chapter 21, other than Cycles, entire through the spirit day, or Rich, Paul, not to go on to Jerusalem. and then in caesarea this guy out of us, Cool, easy crafts. Paul's bail himself. And he says, the spirit says, this is what's going to happen to the owner of this down and as a result the disciples when we heard it and the people there pleaded with me not to go up to Jerusalem.

So what's going on here? Did the spirit safe in chapter 20 and stay in chapter 21. What are the three options? Three options. Number one is that that the spirit changed his mind and spirit Citgo in chapter 20, but then he thought about it and said, you know, what is going to be dangerous? And it's going to be hard, actually, I don't go. Option change character is consist, doesn't change his mind. The second option is that one or both of the parties thought it was the spirit speaking, but it wasn't this. The district also is in a good option because then throughout the rest of us, we cannot discern how the spirit is believing. Now, the third option is that a new spirit predict and people act, I think this is what's going on here to keep his spirits up, all the will be suffering, there will be hard shift, but go, and in the case of any of us, did you really look? At that case of a spirit said, you will be found by this. I disappear. It doesn't prohibit for the people. We gotta go. I think that's what's going on in Tire as well. Take care of those Jerusalem, they don't go.

Call Steve pizzi.

If you priority across the faithfulness and verse 13, I am ready. Not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord.

What's more likely? This is important for us to hear. Does Costco pay for mens with clash with a priority of safety. Temperature. With your boat safety. A lot.

Play The Gospel telephone and what it does.

But when I went to, when we would go to camp at the church where you sometimes play cards Brooke, was there, a classic and one fellow mr. When you would play that that Rupert he would say

did hear it all through the hall that committed crimes and play them. I think here. Paula sing gospel Facebook live. Jay-Z. Because well-meaning Christians can be misled.

They can save all that sounds too harsh. I think God wants you to live a nice safe life to live long and prosper. Order graduate can say, I audio call to go to Nigeria or just serve at the Lighthouse. Parents say, no way. That doesn't sound like the spirit. I think you're being called to go to Europe at Study engineering and then maybe go somewhere else.

The church. We need to hear that the priority of Life, the goal of life is not to preserve our line. Navigate to safety and Paul's not get safety. Several times in Racine Paul. At preserve, his light, doesn't have a martyr. But he doesn't do it at the cost of gospel table not to disobey this. When that happens, poor pitiful, me.

Any concerned, the spirits leaving together as a small group, they disagree. And then they can bring about it, and they submit to God's will take the 11, and they walk out together. Urging one, another on towards Faithfully, Even in our thing. I love the way that it ends. With that group in caesarea, they started me to urge Paul, not to go and it ends with. We went with him. That's a small group following Jesus together. The priority of gospel faith. Okay, and the third priority is Bridge Building. Okay, back here in this last section starting at verse 17. When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received as warmly. The next day, if Paul. And the rest of us went to see James and all the others were present, bulb read it then reported in detail. What about it? Done among the Gentiles to his ministry. When they heard that, they praise God. And they said, to Paul UC Brothers, how many thousands of Jews have been denied believe and all of them are zealous for the long. They've been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling him not to circumcise their children, to live for Danger costumes. What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you there for men with us who have made about take these men, joining their purification rites and pay their expenses so that they can have their heads, shaved, then everyone will know. There is no truth in the report about you. What are you yourself? Are living in obedience to the law, as, for the Believers. We have written to them our decision, but they should have sustained from food sacrificed to Idols from the meat of strangled animals from sexual immorality.

Again we see here when it starts off their swarms Fellowship, they they come together and they are greeted warmly. They have the same spirit. And the next day, Paul comes back and he greets James. And the other that is weird for Creek is to treat. Kindly Call Chris Klein, ladies Elders. He's one of the guys that had disagreed with back in chapter 15, at the council in Jerusalem. These were some of these guys, for the guy said, it's turned up trouble in his churches. Call Treece kindly those with whom he disagrees. Then Paul shares with them one God it done among the Gentiles through his ministries. I have results and praising God. That's what happens when we hear what God is doing. We praise God. He we want, we want you to be happy in the Lord, to be a deliver life and you know how you do that. Like hearing what God is doing in lies around you, that will result in Praise. It's a knee-jerk reaction. Her life group is a drag private share were God is done and what God is doing. It'll result in Graves It'll be the thing that you focus on on God and how good he is. One of those blessings of my position here that I get to see where God is working in people's lives. God is great, she is good. Even in hard time Until Paul chairs with them about what God is done and patient. What God has done that, many thousands of Jews and come to believe that God is at work drawing. People drawing self in Jerusalem. But there's an issue Visa Jewish, Christian saints that not only is call around and Gentiles to remain at Gentile but he's also telling the Jews to become a gentile. That this is a misunderstanding, always preaching Grace that is by faith, through Grace, in Jesus alone that circumcision doesn't say keeping the Sabbath doesn't save. You only use it and it was the same for you as for Gentile. And I'd like to come in here on a Sunday. Doesn't say thank you for being part of a small group. Only Jesus saves. A Nautica did. What's the complexity of the political situation in Jerusalem is about 50 52 and Jewish nationalism is on the right and there's been several Jewish Revolt, all of which have been put down through the Levi's room until there's Auntie a gentile sentiment thing. That's what God loves the Gentiles to. Not a popular message. So he's a Jewish leaders state of Paul listen. Here's what you're going to do during these four guys in this about what's about, while there's a lot of different options. I think it's an Android application that last 3 days, with the last seven days of it, and you'll shave his head, and pay the expenses. And it would have been expensive. It would have been like, buying ice cream down at the Redbox. And when the Jewish believer scene, it they'll say this Paul is all right, all the next day and purify them along with the wrong with them. Ben Oliver, Hannah Breaks Loose. There's a riot.

Well, fingers are all over the map on this, don't see that small relaxation, Judaism, that he should have never taken this about. Others, say the Jerusalem Council was off base. Asking ball to do it. They should have just bought their people correctly. I think the mall was a bridge that you prioritize bradyville, if it wasn't for that, he was willing to restrict himself. DePaul was a bridge builder in the church. He wanted Gentiles and Jews to unite together. So he's willing to I restrict his freedom. And Paul was a bridge-builder with those outside. He wanted. He longed for his Jewish sisters and brothers to come to see Jesus to know Jesus. So he will gladly take this upon himself. The principal is dum, dum in 1st Corinthians 9, verse 19. Do I am free and belong to no one. I've made myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible. Did the Jews. I became like a Jew to witness Jews to the game like one under the law. Do I myself? Am not under the law. So, as to Windows, and peephole is a bridge-builder. And so he does Put the put the needs of others ahead of himself. I need to get Saunders to it. I'm sure that the Jewish Christian said for you baby that's up. All he's not Jewish and now I know it's Jen dial Christian said now. Paul Jewish. Call with it on.

How much portal? I think our call is to be Brittany donors. Play political tension before you can read it in the paper, you can hear it in the news to get it. When you talk to your friends people, strong Aguirre, Center polarized, on several different.

There's a political tension and we are called to be bridge-builders inside the church and outside. Toss and elected to Andrew and he's like yeah, it's like standing in between a snowball fight and getting hit by both sides. I wouldn't mind taking a shot of him. I got a weird call Tiffany Bridge builders in the sand in between the dam between those that are are vaccinated and unvaccinated follow government protocol and those who advocate for civil disobedience, for those Frozen indigenous. and for the settlers,

Which portable company Bridge. Builders And a big community and our family. In this world. Hazel Park call. But this is a priority in Rochester, Paul. Jesus. Call zesty two more. What everybody says Sermon on the Mount chapter 5, Matthew if you love those who love you, what reward will you can not even the tax collectors doing that. Tell if your grief only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not ever play again.

Couple of those with whom we disagree. The bridge. So I'm working through prayer and ask him who is it that I make you reach out. Who sings walking away from a small one? Walking away from the television. Who is it that I need to call because our relationship has been stretched and need to let them know. I care more about them than education.

The priority of radio. Priority up Fellowship. The priority of gospel faithfulness, like a priority of his original.

Following this is going to be tough, it will be hard. It will bring tension. We maintain our walk by keeping the gospel faithfulness in the center. Keeping Jesus at the center.

Becky says that you are a priority. And that he was willing to give up Safety and Security in order to build a bridge to you.

The Jesus was willing to die so that we might have fellowship with Cami.

That's the call crossword. So, let us follow Jesus. as we love one another and love this, Amen. Electric ray.

Father, thank you for your great love for us. Are there you didn't wait for us to return to you. Are you came on and stop?

It was a nothing good, but you loved us first. Thank you for that. And your love is not without

and more Fierce or even where we have caused division, what do we have started tomorrow? Are we have added the disunity?

Lauryn Hill.

Lord, I guide us in our faith community as we speak to bring build Bridges between one another or what you want to do in our lives together. That we would get people who love one another to live as a billboard to the community of what difference you make in our lives.

Lord Titus is with real Bridges. Outside of our faith community and family that are going to party in the world. That is fractured. For the rest of our conversation might be seasoned with Grace. That you might work through.

Can we commit ourselves to fall? When you and this time? Praying the prayer that Jesus Plata together. My Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but Deliver Us from the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.