00:20my brothers and sisters we are having
00:22this bible study on the acts of the
00:26and yesterday we were reflecting about
00:32apostle peter's sermon
00:34after immediately after the pentecost
00:40sermon was over that was the most
00:43sophisticated systematic first sermon
00:46ever written in the history of the
00:50and therefore that is such an important
00:54or the proper teaching of the church and
00:59let's read this passage from the acts of
01:01apostle chapter 2 verse 37
01:04let us read this word of god
01:06this is what happened
01:07when they heard the word of god
01:10as soon as they heard the word of god
01:12now when they heard these
01:16they were cut to the heart and said to
01:18peter and to the other apostles brothers
01:23now if you read if you listen to saint
01:27is a very systematic arranged orderly
01:30preaching that's all
01:39they were transformed so totally
01:43and they were cut to the heart
01:45and they were crying and said brothers
01:49what shall we do now
01:53just before the preaching of peter
01:56they saw this miracle of gift of tongue
01:58and gift of languages some of them are
02:00making fun of them some of them were
02:02wondering what is happening and some
02:04said these people are drunk and some
02:07people were making fun of them and some
02:09people just out of curiosity they
02:11gathered together they were seeing all
02:14these theophany the supernatural
02:17interventions of god and therefore they
02:19gathered now as soon as they heard the
02:22first preaching of peter
02:24they cut to the heart cut to the heart
02:27means total repentance
02:29they have a u-turn in their life
02:32and they said brothers what should we do
02:35is it possible to convert a person so
02:39you know sometimes we think it's very
02:41difficult to convert certain people
02:48we think it is impossible for me to
02:55they are so strict with their ideology
02:58and we don't know how to convince them
03:00therefore it is not easy to convert
03:05that is because we don't know the work
03:09in the conversion when we are speaking
03:12to somebody it is not we who are dealing
03:14with them it is god himself the holy
03:17spirit is dealing with them through us
03:20therefore the conversion will happen
03:23immediately he just needs some
03:25instrument to share the faith
03:27he just need god need on instrument to
03:30share the faith my brothers and sisters
03:33have seen sometimes people getting
03:37we just share with them the word of god
03:39and whatever that inspiration that comes
03:41to us and just speak to them listen to
03:44them and speak to them within no time
03:46people repent ready to change
03:50it's not because of anything of our
03:52power is not because of the content that
03:54we speak it is not because anything
03:57intellectual organized systematic way we
04:00put forward the things it is because god
04:02who is working among us
04:04it is god who is doing this conversion
04:07therefore any time dawn when you get an
04:10opportunity to share the faith don't get
04:12disappointed thinking that it is not
04:15possible for me to change that person
04:17and it is not possible for that person
04:21never underestimate the power of god
04:26these 3 000 people instantly with one
04:29preaching they said brothers what should
04:34they were ready to do anything
04:37and to the extent of baptizing being
04:40baptized there and then they didn't even
04:42ask their wives and children their wives
04:44and children are at home they have come
04:46just for this uh you know festival of
04:49pentecost in the temple in jerusalem
04:51temple they just visited for this
04:54jerusalem temple because it's a duty for
04:56the jewish people to visit jerusalem
04:58temple during the festival time they
05:00came to visit this festive for the
05:04they didn't even expect anything
05:05supernatural they just came to do their
05:08duty but god had kept something special
05:11that is why jesus told the disciples
05:13stay in jerusalem don't go anywhere else
05:16there are so many people whom i am going
05:19there are so many people whom i am going
05:23so don't go and preach somewhere else
05:25don't go and stand anywhere else be in
05:28jerusalem even if it is risking your
05:30life be in jerusalem i'm going to
05:32attract so many thousands to you you're
05:40within one day your number is going to
05:43double not just doubled it is going to
05:45multiply it unimaginably after one
05:48preaching of saint peter the number
05:51increased from 120 to 3120
05:57we read like these gospel john chapter
06:0012 verse 32 gospel of john chapter 12 32
06:04jesus said when i am lifted up from the
06:08jesus said when i am lifted up from the
06:10earth that means when i'm when i'm
06:13when i'm lifted up from the earth i will
06:16draw all people to myself
06:21don't ever think that you are preaching
06:23and you are drawing everybody
06:25if i if i ever think that through my
06:27preaching i am drawing people to god i
06:29am making a mistake it is god who is
06:32drawing the people to god therefore we
06:35are all only an instrument we just
06:38preach we just share we share our faith
06:41god will draw all of them to him we
06:43don't need to work hard
06:45evangelization is an easy way
06:48evangelization is the easiest work that
06:50we can do we just open your mouth and
06:54you know there's a beautiful passage in
06:57god said go and preach three days of
07:00nineveh he was so afraid to go through
07:08god did not leave him
07:10you know if you have a call you have to
07:14you have to do that and he's waiting god
07:17is ready to go to any extent to wait for
07:19you because there are certain good
07:21things appointed for you certain good
07:23things are supposed to be done through
07:25you if you don't do that there will be a
07:28vacuum inside vacuum in this world
07:32and if you reject it then god may select
07:35someone else but if you avoid it god
07:38will chase you god will come after you
07:40make sure that you go for that
07:43and jonah he escaped god sent a big huge
07:47whale and the whale as the fish huge
07:54and vomited him out into the nina way
07:58so he paid and went away from
08:01far away from nineveh
08:03and god sent a fish without any payment
08:10instead of preaching three days of
08:12retreat he just preached one day
08:16traveled one day just in one corner of
08:19the nineveh and said
08:21in a sleepy mood not interested at all
08:24for preaching and he's not interested in
08:26preaching and converting the whole
08:28people he had no intention to convert
08:30the people because nineveh is a gentile
08:33country and jewish people hate these
08:35gentiles and jonah is a jewish man and
08:38nineveh is a general country and now god
08:41has sent jonah to preach the gospel to
08:43the nineveh the gentile country that
08:45means god cares for the gentiles too
08:47though the jewish people did not and
08:50and then jonah preached the gospel there
08:54hesitantly just one day he just preached
08:57one day hey sit only in a sleepy mood if
09:00you want you can get converted tomorrow
09:03soon god is going to destroy this
09:04nineveh better you repent that's all
09:07finished preaching is over
09:10god converted the whole country the
09:13whole country repented everyone put on
09:16sackcloth and ashes in their body and
09:20and god blessed that country
09:25god jonah got shocked to see this how
09:29fast they got converted with mine one
09:33sometimes the preachers are not
09:35interested but the lord will work
09:37through their preachings
09:39even if their preachers are not prepared
09:43done the work properly god can use them
09:46because god wants just an instrument
09:48that's all not the tolerance of the
09:52just god needs an instrument if god asks
09:55you to share the faith share it whatever
09:58way possible maybe you are speaking
09:59blunders don't worry maybe you are just
10:01speaking hesitantly maybe you are
10:04with lots of difficulty just speak out
10:07god is going to do marvelous wonders in
10:09front of your eyes you will see ordinary
10:13through ordinary people people are
10:16i know so many people when they travel
10:19when they meet in the bus or travel in
10:22in the taxi and when they drive the
10:25trucks taxi or maybe when they visit
10:27some places they share the faith with
10:29those people whom they meet and they
10:31those people who listen to they get
10:33converted within no time
10:36they're getting converted and coming
10:37back to jesus or getting converted to
10:42therefore my brothers and sisters
10:44this is not the work of human being it
10:47is work of god when i'm lifted up i will
10:50draw all people to myself
10:53i will draw all my all people to myself
10:56it is god who is drawing all people to
10:58himself we just need to be an instrument
11:01just a small instrument open our mouth
11:05the devil knows that if any christians
11:08there will be conversions in this world
11:11therefore the devil has put everything
11:14in such a way in this modern world that
11:17now everyone is afraid of sharing their
11:19faith frightened to share their faith
11:22and ashamed to share the faith and
11:25hesitant to share the faith and sharing
11:27the faith is something considered as
11:31but at the same time they can share
11:32anything evil there is no problem
11:35they can share anything of this
11:37devil and evil things
11:41but if they share the faith they will be
11:44so people are hesitant
11:46that is the work of the devil
11:49my dear brothers and sisters god is
11:50waiting for a just an instrument
11:53just to open your mouth and speak about
11:55jesus wherever it is necessary and
11:57needed and it is possible
11:59the rest he will do he will perform
12:04if not if you can't open your mouth at
12:06least write a word of god on your own in
12:09your facebook accounts or all the social
12:12media platforms wherever you can share
12:14the faith share the word of god do it
12:18it will touch somebody
12:22sharing but because of the word of god
12:24when they just read that word of god
12:26it's a seed that is planted inside it
12:29has to grow it will grow
12:34because jesus said when i'm lifted up i
12:36will draw all people to myself i will
12:39draw all people to myself
12:43so let's go back to acts of the puzzles
12:45and let's read this word of god acts of
12:47apostles chapter 37 2 verse 37 now when
12:50they heard this they were cut to the
12:52heart and said to peter and to other
12:53disciples brothers what should we do
12:57then peter said to them repent
13:01the first and foremost message as a
13:06he is the the condition the first
13:11there is a feel good preachings
13:13available in the world today feel good
13:16that means everything is okay you
13:18continue your life you just believe in
13:20jesus it's okay if you're a drunkard if
13:22you're a smoker if you are like this you
13:24have a wrong relationship it's okay you
13:25just be good and do good this is feel
13:29it will never bring salvation the true
13:32preaching with jesus said and preached
13:34in the gospel is repent
13:37repent of all the past sins repent of
13:40every sin that we have committed we
13:42cannot go on covering up our sins and
13:47there are many things it's not okay many
13:50things are not okay we can't take it for
13:54there are examples in the bible those
13:56who committed sin were not spared
13:59therefore the lord is asking us repent
14:02and be baptized every one of you not
14:06exception not anyone just any one of you
14:09some of you every one of you in the name
14:11of jesus christ so that your sins may be
14:13forgiven so first and foremost we have
14:16to preach the sins and repentance about
14:20sin and repentance and forgiveness this
14:22should be there in every preaching if
14:24you are really preaching a gospel in
14:26this homily or sunday homily or any
14:29hobby or any preaching if there is no
14:32forgiveness and the teaching of the sin
14:34and repentance that is not a christian
14:40and you will receive the gift of the
14:41holy spirit then these three talks
14:44should be given repentance forgiveness
14:46and in the dangers of sin then the holy
14:49spirit will come upon you praise the
14:52that is how we understand from the early
14:55somewhere we have compromised and
14:57compromised and now we only speak most
14:59of us we speak only about prosperity and
15:01blessings we don't speak about the truth
15:07for the promises for you the promise of
15:10the holy spirit is not just for some
15:12priests and nuns and deacons or somebody
15:14the promise is for all of you for your
15:16children for all who are far away that
15:18means your children's children
15:19children's children your coming
15:21generations the promise is for all of
15:24whom the lord god's called to him was
15:28and he testified with many other
15:30arguments and exhorted them saying so
15:33the peter's preaching is not just this
15:35preaching which is written there there
15:37are so many other testifying
15:39testimonials the testimonials were taken
15:42given by peter peter preached some more
15:45some more things which are not written
15:46here in the acts of the post there are
15:48so many other exhortation arguments and
15:51many points he put forward saint peter
15:55and then he said save yourselves from
15:58this corrupt generation
16:01save yourself everybody save yourself
16:04come out come out of this corrupt
16:06generation and be saved
16:08and now be saved means anyone who is
16:11repenting of their sins and baptized are
16:14considered as saved people being saved
16:17but not fully saved being saved you are
16:20in the salvation way of salvation that
16:22is why the early church were considered
16:25they were called us not as a religion
16:27christianity originally known as a way
16:32the way the way it is not considered as
16:36christianity is called catholic church
16:39church is not a religion
16:41it's not maybe the world is calling as
16:43religion but it is a way
16:46the way the way means the only way there
16:48is only one way to the heavenly father
16:51to the heaven that is jesus christ
16:52anybody who follows jesus christ are on
16:59and therefore christianity means they
17:02address themselves as not as a part of a
17:04religion but they were considered as
17:09that is why when we come to the
17:15acts of apostle chapter 9 we read like
17:19verse 1 was one on words
17:21meanwhile saul's still breathing threats
17:23and murder against the disciples of the
17:25lord went to the high priest and asked
17:28him for letters to synagogues at
17:29damascus so that if he
17:33if he found any who belonged to the way
17:38anybody who belonged to the way the way
17:42the christianity initially in the acts
17:44of the process the first the original
17:46christians are called the people of the
17:51i remember in in india in kerala with
17:54early in the church the christians
17:57and the christianity came to india in
18:02in the first century
18:05and there in the among the locals and
18:08gentiles the christians are called as
18:10the people of the way
18:13even now until recently now everyone
18:16calls into the christians and all those
18:17things until in the in the past
18:19generation we remember
18:21uh the people christians were called the
18:23people of the way there is an um
18:26malayalam single word they're called the
18:32so that is how it was
18:34in the original church the early church
18:37the people were called the people of the
18:40and who is the way that is jesus christ
18:42who follows jesus christ and now let's
18:45go back to acts of apostle chapter 2
18:48we read like this and he testified with
18:50many other arguments and exhorted them
18:53saying save yourselves from this corrupt
18:57so that so those who welcomed his
19:00message were baptized all those who
19:01welcomed this message were baptized and
19:04that day about 3 000 persons were added
19:07a new religion and new faith and new
19:10preaching and new theology just started
19:13within no time 3 000 people got
19:16converted and baptized imagine
19:19what a powerful preaching he has given
19:23how powerful it would be
19:27one preaching 3 000 people stoned
19:30jewish people they gave up their jewish
19:33ideologies and joined christianity
19:36within no time in one day
19:39how powerful the work of the holy spirit
19:44they devoted themselves now now you can
19:46see the the first christian
19:50the first christian characteristics they
19:52they devoted themselves to apostles
19:55teachings there are especially nine
19:57characteristics of the
19:59church the original church the nine
20:02characteristics of the original church
20:03first one apostles teaching the
20:07the the greek word that is used
20:09therefore teaching is doctrines
20:12the meaning of the word is doctrines
20:15devoted themselves for doctrines not
20:18just for healings and miracles they are
20:20interested in the teachings of jesus
20:23teaching of the bible that true church
20:25will never go after only for healing and
20:27deliverance and miracles they will go
20:31the true doctrines of the church that is
20:34that sign and that is the sign of a
20:39there are so many weak churches in the
20:41they only have go after money prosperity
20:44and fame and name and healing miracles
20:46deliverance that is not properly church
20:48these are called sects
20:53so the true church has the priority
20:56should be given to the doctrines and
20:58teaching of the doctrines understanding
21:00of the doctrine and people should thirst
21:04and second one there is fellowship
21:08knowing they are relating to each other
21:10supporting each other helping each other
21:12building up each other that is a sign of
21:15third one breaking of the bread
21:17eucharist the holy eucharist breaking of
21:20the bread fourth one prayers
21:23they come together they have daily
21:25prayers personal prayers and prayers
21:27different varieties of prayers and then
21:32the four signs we already said
21:35oh came upon everyone there is fear of
21:37god of came upon everyone means fear of
21:40god at church fearing church reverential
21:43church a church where there is respect
21:46and fear of the lord that is the fifth
21:50many wonders and signs a church
21:52performing miracles and wonders that is
21:54sixth quality and then forty-four
21:57all who believed were together and all
22:00things when common the sharing church
22:03sharing a church who shares where church
22:06who lift up the weak person a church who
22:08supports the poor the sharing church and
22:13they would sell their possessions and
22:15goods and distribute to the proceeds
22:18to all as any any had need
22:22so they are generous church very
22:24generous to others they are ready to
22:26distribute they are ready to sacrifice
22:28generous church and let us read the next
22:34they would say okay verse 46 we read
22:37day by day as they spent much time
22:40together in the temple they broke bread
22:42at home i eat their food with gladness
22:45and generous art there is gladness the
22:47ninth point is there is happy they were
22:50happy always because they are generous
22:53in their heart they are full of
23:01praising god and having the good will of
23:03all the people day by day the lord add
23:06then the attractive church they were so
23:10they are not a scandal in the public
23:13they are not a scandal in the in the in
23:15front of the gentiles but they are so
23:17attractive everyone was attracted to
23:19them like these there are ten qualities
23:24praise the lord thank you jesus these
23:29let's examine and see whether we do we
23:31have these ten qualities now
23:34and that means something is going
23:37something is going wrong somewhere we
23:39have to rectify those areas
23:42my dear brothers and sisters
23:44if you are a part of a true church
23:47you should focus on these 10 areas only
23:50then you are a true christian otherwise
23:52you are not a true christian i'm not a
23:54true christian if i don't have these 10
23:58to follow praise the lord thank you
24:01jesus so we have completed the chapter 2
24:04and tomorrow we will have the bible
24:06study on the chapter 3.
