The work of God and how to do it is explored by examining four types of Christians: the introducing Christian (Andrew), the instructing Christian (Paul), the inoffensive Christian (Timothy), and the invaluable Christian (Manasseh). Andrew is highlighted for his role in bringing individuals like his brother Peter and the boy with loaves and fishes to Jesus, emphasizing the importance of personal relationships and introducing others to Christ. Paul's example from Acts 20 demonstrates serving the Lord with humility, tenderness, steadfastness, and joy despite afflictions. Timothy's upbringing, influenced by his mother and grandmother, shows how early exposure to scripture and love shapes one into an inoffensive Christian capable of leading the church. Manasseh, an "old disciple" mentioned only once, exemplifies an invaluable Christian through his consistent, practical, and pleasant companionship, showing that consistent, humble service is highly valued by God. The sermon concludes by urging listeners to actively engage in God's work through these various approaches, rooted in a personal relationship with Christ.
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Only one come to praise me, and of thy mercy sing. Only one heart's devotion, Savior, only To thy night's last glory, knew that only to thee.
Only this hour is mine, Lord. May it be used for thee. May every passing moment count for eternity. So for thou art dying, dying in sin and shame Help me bring them the message of Calvary's redemption Is my glorious name Only one life to offer Take it dear Lord, I pray.
Nothing from thee will fool thee. Thy will I now obey. Thou who has freely given thine own Life that I know to be you, my Savior, every moment for thee.
Amen. Thank you. I would like us to turn this evening to the twentieth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles and chapter twenty. Really there's no need for me to remind you of what we've been thinking of during the past evenings, but that we might keep it as a week of subjects. May I please just say, on the Monday we dealt with the word of God and how to read it. On the Tuesday we dealt with the will of God and how to know it.
And then we dealt with the worship of God and how to present it. And tonight I want to talk a little about the work of God and how to do it. Now, you will appreciate that I will not be able to deal with the subject fully because every one of us are individuals. Every one of us have the opportunity of meeting different people and influencing different people. And the way I may do things may not be the way you do things.
And yet God will bless your way as God will bless my way. I mean, just you imagine a whole church of people just like me. It would be horrible, wouldn't it? Horrible, really. Isn't it wonderful? We've got a God of variety. And I look around this chapel this evening. And all of us are different. Our backgrounds are different. And yet God has a work for every one of us. He would not put his hand on me to use me to do some of the things he gets you to do. Because of my background, because of your background.
And so it will be only in a very limited way that I will tonight be able to deal with the word of God, rather to deal with the work of God and how to do it. And if afterwards you feel he hasn't really touched my knees, then the best thing to do is to go home, get on your knees and say, Lord, I serve you. And the master's job is to tell the servant what to do and how to do it. It all encircles the great fact of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
a personal relationship with him. But nevertheless, I want to draw one or two lessons, and so we will turn to the twentieth chapter of Acts, and with your permission I will commence reading in verse nineteen. Verse nineteen, you remember that the apostle has come to Ephesus, he has called the elders of the church, He wishes to give them his greetings, as he leaves them, maybe never to see them again. And this is what is said. Serving the Lord with all humility of mine, and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in weight of the Jews, And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shown you and have taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem. Not knowing the things that shall before me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city, saying, The bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me. Neither can't I, my life, dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with yours. And the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Now behold, I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see my face no more.
Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. May the Lord just add his blessing to the reading of his word. We've just five minutes to sing a chorus or two, and we couldn't gather unless we did. So please, let's turn to our little chorus sheet. If you haven't got one, please raise your hand, and our good friend at the door will hand you one out.
Let's turn to our chorus sheet then, please, and we're going to sing number four. We haven't sung it this week. We sang it when we were over in the gospel center, but we're going to sing it here. Maybe one of the oldest choruses on this little sheet. Number four. Thank you. There's a way back to go. from the darkness of sin. There's a door that is open and you may go in.
I tell the reason is where you begin when you come and go sin up to Jesus. I say, what a tremendous message there is in this little course. There's a way back to God from the dark part of the city. I tell you what we do. We'll have our three frames. Three frames here. Just don't know it. Are we ready? Where do you go? Don't you know it? Well, you should have known it. So there we are. Are you ready then?
Thank you. There's a way that we've got from the darkness of the king. There's a door that is open and you may go in. That heaven is for is where you begin. Didn't you think that was nice? What does that mean? Yes, I've just wondered. Right, are we ready? All together for the last time.
And friends, I know now that maybe someone to know has never come to the Lord Jesus. May I say to you, there is a way back to God from the dark part of death. There is a door that is open, and all may go in. The Calvary Cross is where you will be at the end. Isn't it wonderful? He's willing to listen to all the enemies from the last time. Thank you. There's a way back to go. from the door to your sin.
There's a door that is open, and you may go in. I tell the reason is where you begin, when you have eyes open. Number fifteen for our last voice. Number fifteen. Really the chorus of a hymn, isn't it? But we all love to sing, but nevertheless our lovely chorus. Oh, Jesus, Lord and Savior. Thank you. Oh Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to thee.
I give myself for me. I own no other must do. My heart shall bear thy soul. My life I give and toil to O Christ, for thee alone.
Thank you. Thank you, Lord. Just a word of prayer. God and Father, we do bless thee together tonight that we can remind our hearts that the Lord Jesus gave himself for us. We remember thy servant long ago could say, we love him because he first rubbed up. We thank thee again that all that we have been able to appreciate of the Lord's evil is that which tells us that he cares. And that he cares today as well as caring in a day that's lost.
We ask that together we think of him And we remember that he is the master, the Lord. We pray that thou would help us to realize there's a work for Jesus, ready at our hands. It's a work for master, just for thee, has planned. Haste to do his bidding. Give him service, true. There's a work for Jesus, none but you can do. Well, this may be so, for his name's sake. Amen. Amen. I must confess that as I was preparing today for what I was going to say this evening, I found it very difficult to know where to start and where to start.
The work of God and how to do it. There is so much, is there not, when it comes to talking about the work of God? But I was reminded of a story that once I heard, a real American story. So may I, as an Englishman, try and tell it. The story was told of a colored boy who one day went into what you call a drugstore, what we call a chemist. And he asked the gentleman behind the counter if he could use his phone.
He took a nickel from his pocket, or whatever it is you put in your phone, and put it in. Dial the number. When he got through, he said to the voice that he heard over the phone, is that the residence of Dr. Jones? The boy said, yes, this is the residence of Dr. Jones. Said the boy, doctor, do you want a boy? No, said the doctor, I don't want a boy. Are you sure you don't want a boy?
Yes, I'm sure I don't want a boy. Have you got a boy? Yes, I've got a boy. Are you satisfied with the boy you've got? And the doctor was just about to turn. Listen, he said, I've got a boy. I'm well satisfied with the boy I've got. And I jump on another boy and bang with me. So I turned to walk out the drugstore. When the man behind the counter said, Son, come over. For he heard the conversation. Do you want a job? No, said the boy, I don't want a job.
You don't want a job, but what are we doing on the phone? Oh, he said, I'm Dr. Jones' boy, and I was just checking up on the phone. Isn't it a good thing to check up on? Gentlemen, sisters, if that's all we do tonight, get on with that. Maybe we're taking the first step towards a real service to God. But as I was thinking about this evening, I felt there were three ways that I would like, or maybe four ways, that I would like to deal with this subject, the work of God and how to do it.
And I could not think of doing anything better than open my Bible and consider some men who did work for God. And so with your permission, just for a few moments, I want to talk to you about Andrew, the introducing Christian. And then I want to talk with you about Paul, the instructing Christian. And then I want to talk to you about Timothy, who I will call the inauthentic Christian. And then I want to talk to you about Meneza.
Meneza. Of Cyprus. An old disciple with whom we should lodge. I want to speak of him. As the nation, the invaluable Christians. First of all, Andrew. It has well been said, and been said, by thousands of preachers on shore over the course of years, that if ever there was a patron saint to worker, that patron saint would be answered. Is it not remarkable that we find Andrew doing the work for God?
It was a very individual work. We don't find Andrew standing as Peter often did preaching. We don't find Andrew writing, as Paul frequently did, for the churches that were scattered abroad. But as we are introduced to Andrew, so we find that Andrew himself became an introducing Christian. And he was always introducing men, and I believe women as well, although I couldn't show you a verse in the Bible to prove that, but he was always introducing men and women to Jesus Christ.
I labor very frequently in my own country, in the West Country, and the West Country man, I suppose, and that's why I labor there. But I go down into the county of Cornwall, which, as far as assembly testimony is concerned, has been somewhat dry over many, many years. Years ago, Wesley went down into Cornwall. It was in Cornwall he wrote his great hymn, Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's Christ. For when Wesley went down into Cornwall those years ago, he knew not a person in the whole county that was a Christian.
Well, I'm not saying there wasn't Christians there, but he knew not a person in the whole county that was a Christian. And when he passed over the border from Devonshire into the county of Cornwall, he stayed in the city of Longstead. And it was there in a little room that he took his hand wrote, oh, for a thousand tongues to say, my great Redeemer's plan. Oh, thank God when he came out of Cornwall, there were more than a thousand tongues that were singing the praise of the Lord. But when first I went down into Cornwall, I went to a place called Helpsham.
We were having services actually in the police court. I was preaching. from the dock night by night as we started off with about ten people and then a few more gathered and then more and more night by night i was saying oh i'm longing to get out of this dock i'm looking forward to when i can get out on the bench where the magistrates fit and preach from there but because i wanted to find out a little about helston and never having been there before and not knowing a soul in helston I opened Wesley's journal, and I read of his first visit to the town of Helper, and I was strangely moved.
I said, Lord, may it truthfully be said when I leave Helper, what Wesley said when he left Helper, for this is what he wrote. I offered Christ to the people. I offered Christ to the people. I wonder right at the beginning could I say this. If you and I are going to do any work for God, it will be in as much as we offer Christ to the people.
And that's what Andrew did. He introduced men and I believe women to Jesus Christ. You will remember that the first person he introduced to Jesus Christ, and surely this is tremendously significant, the first person he introduced to Jesus Christ was his own brother Peter. For Andrew and Peter had heard John the Baptist Andrew anyway had heard John the Baptist, as he pointed his finger at the Christ and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who veers away the sin of the world.
And Andrew was one of them that asked the question, Master, where dwellest thou? And heard the answer of the Savior. Come and see. And Andrew was one of those who had been no doubt a disciple of John the Baptist, or at least listening to John the Baptist. But Andrew was one of those who went and dwelt where the Lord dwelt. My friends, I have a strong feeling The only way you and I will ever be able to introduce anyone to Jesus Christ is by first ourselves dwelling with Jesus Christ.
And when we have dwelt with him, when Christ is a reality to us, Then we can take upon our lips the words of John chapter one and verse forty. We can take upon our lips the tremendous statement that Andrew first found his brother. Morton. Oh, this is where introducing folks start. It starts in our family. And I think you would agree with me that sometimes, sometimes, our families are the most difficult people to speak to.
And they sometimes are the most difficult people to speak to. I'm speaking to my own heart because they know our things. They know all about it. And we can sometimes find it very difficult, can't we, to witness to them because they look at us and they say, but just a moment. Just a moment. Those folk at the Gospel Chapel, they know you for an hour of Sunday morning and an hour of Sunday night and an hour on Wednesday night. But we know you for twenty-four hours of almost every day.
Isn't it wonderful when you find a man like Andrew who can say to his brother, we pang them aside? We pang the Christ. Later Peter is going to say, borrow out the Christ. But it all started by a man who was his brother saying, we pang the Christ. President, I suggest to you that our family life must be such that the goals that we know and love, we're able to speak of the Savior, and they'll come along and say, we'd like to see the person you're telling us.
Is it not interesting that not only did Andrew introduce his brother to the Lord, but Andrew was the person that introduced a boy to the Lord? I very fond of boy stories in the Bible. Very fond of boy stories. But I think that nameless lad who had his loaves and fishes I think that he's one of the most interesting characters, but never you forget this. If Andrew had not been there, the boy would never have come. Then the Lord said to Philip about feeding the multitude, Oh, Philip was so concerned.
Why? We have not enough bread to feed this crowd. And let's cut them away so they can go in the town and buy meat. But it was Andrew that brought it forth. It was Andrew who said to Philip, Philip, there's a lad here who has five loaves and two fishes. And it was Philip and Andrew who introduced the boy to Jesus. You see, Philip had dwelt with Andrew. Andrew had dwelt with the Lord. The Lord had become precious to Andrew. And he had no doubt.
He didn't know how it was going to happen. But he had no doubt that somehow that boy had something to do with you and blessed him out. It's so important. I say, am I talking to a few Sunday school teachers here today? A few children's workers? Would you please remember this, that your task in a fellowship is one of the most important parts of anyone in any fellowship. I believe that the work of the Sunday school teacher can never, never, never be overactuated.
I'm not going to ask, but if I was to ask tonight, everyone in this service who came to know Jesus Christ before they were twenty years of age, I believe that almost every one of you, not every one of you, because some of us I know, but I believe that almost everyone would raise up. How important a workplace among young folks. And this land is one of the greatest gospels. I often say, I may have said it here, but I often say when I think about this boy, what a boy you are. You know, he goes to his mom and says, well, I want to go for a picnic. And because his mom was like most moms, She goes to the pantry and she takes out the loaves and fishes, and she says, well, here we are.
We haven't got a McDonald's hamburger, but you can have the loaves and fishes. And away he goes on his picnic. He was a bit different than me, and I know he was giving to you, but I know he was giving to you. Because when I used to go for a picnic like my friend here, we hadn't got to the end of the road, you know, before we'd open the bag and say, hmm, hmm, hmm. And when dinner time came, we were back home again. I've not eaten at all. Well, I was like that anyway. I better think that you were. But he was a boy who went for his picnic. And dinner time came, and he never ate it.
And supper time came, and he still had it. And you and I met a boy like that. out in the open air and are filled with a crowd of people. And it doesn't even open his lunch. I've got a feeling that Jesus Christ can make a boy forget his dinner. He can do anything. Do anything. At the end of the day, there was a boy and Andrew said, son, come on, I want to show you a thing. You've listened to him. He's made you forget his dinner. You can't. Because the boy did Jesus. And the wonder is it the boy was willing to do it?
Never willing to do it. And not only give it to him, but give it all to him. Every bit of it. You know, if it had been me, I got a feeling I might have said, well, I tell him what I do, Lord, I'm a bit hungry. I've been with you all day, you know. And the old day, I'll tell you what I do, I'll split it up. You can have the three loaves and the fish. Boy, I got a feeling I had to say, you have the bread, I never did like it, I'll have the fish. But he was a boy who was willing to give it all. Do you know why he was willing to give it all? Because a man had introduced it to you. And he'd met with them.
He'd met someone. that no one else in the world would like. And you big grown men, let me tell you something. I've got a savior that can meet your needs as well. I've got a savior who satisfies people. He not only saves them, but he satisfies them. There's many a man, many a woman who says, well, I couldn't live without that until they find Jesus and then they find they don't want it. They don't want it. Let's say to those individuals, we may be introducing Christians.
Andrew introduced his brother to Jesus. Andrew introduced the boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus. And you won't forget, will you, that it was Andrew who introduced the Greeks to Jesus. Do you remember the lovely story of the twelve chapters of John? When those Greeks came and said, Sir, We won't see Jesus. You know, I rather like this. And it's a strange thing. Now, I can't explain this to you, but it is a southern expression. I hear the title, Sir, among you southern folk, more than I hear it anywhere.
And it's a strange thing that it's so in my country. I come from the southwest. And in our area, we use this question, sir, sir. And sometimes when I get up into the sort of the big commercial areas of Britain, and I refer to a person as, sir, might be someone who's not just an ordinary fellow, and you say, well, sir, I love him. And don't you forget this, it's a Bible expression. fancy calling old Peter the fisherman, fancy calling Andrew the fisherman, sir, sir. But that's what these learned groups do.
I think courtesy still is a lovely thing. I think it's a lovely thing. And I think too, I think that that's one of the keys of personal witness as well. You know, some of us cut people's ears off before we talk to them. Is it nice to witness, sir? It's courteous. Sir, we would see Jesus and Andrew said. Come on. And he took them to Jesus. And the Lord Jesus spoke to them about being lifted up and drawing all men to him.
All that you and all may be introduced in Christmas. I believe it's important that we shall introduce men and women to our church. I believe it's important that we shall introduce men and women to others Christians. But I believe it is of the utmost importance that we shall see the salvation of the Lord. And you may come to this church and never be saved. You may meet other Christians and never be saved. But if you yield your life to Jesus Christ, you can never be lost. Never be lost.
I'm introducing Christians. Then I wonder if I may speak of Paul for a moment, not as an introducing Christian, but as an instructing Christian. Now I'm going to go through the twentieth chapter of Acts as though I was a sprinter. You'll give me the gold medal from the Olympics. You will. Because I'm going to take you through that twentieth Acts as you've never heard anyone take you through the path before. But I've got you. Our times already vary. I just want to say this. that when I think of the Apostle Paul and his work for God, we started off, he dared to say to the elders at Ephesus, he had been serving the Lord.
So here is someone who's a worker. Would you notice, first of all, please, the privilege of the servant of the Lord. He says he's serving the Lord. Isn't that a privilege? To know whom we are serving. You may serve many people who are not worthy of your service. Oh, privilege of serving the Lord. That we are servants of the God of heaven. Let's never forget. A Christian ought to walk with dignity. For we're servants of the Lord. Would you notice not only the privilege of the servant, but would you notice the tenderness of the servant?
Serving the Lord, said verse nineteen, with many teeth, with many teeth. The tenderness. of the worker for Christ. Brethren, sisters, there come times in our ministry when we need to be hard, and it seems almost we need to be hard. But that should not be the general mark of our ministry. The general mark of our working for the Lord should be the mark of tenderness.
I say, would you notice not only the privilege serving the Lord, would you notice not only the tenderness, but would you notice the humility? Verse nineteen again, with all humility. Oh, but you and I may know something of that humility. And I speak to my own heart, I remember my dear old friend who I first came to join with those years ago, dear old Bill Patterson used to say, every time you point your finger at anyone, you point three fingers at yourself. But I'm pointing three fingers at myself, serving the Lord, the privilege of it.
Serving the Lord with tenderness, with tears, serving the Lord in all humility. What an honor to be a servant of God. Would you notice, please, that not only with humility, but would you notice in affliction? For verse twenty-three says, bonds and afflictions wait for me. Now, if you're going to serve the Lord, never forget this. That there will come times of trial. There will come times of difficulty. If you think that to serve the Lord means that everything in the world will be lovely, that everyone will accept you because you are a servant of the Lord and you're seeking to live for Jesus Christ, then you have a very rude awakening.
a very rule. The Apostle Paul said, I know that bonds and afflictions await me, but I've still heard the Lord. And sometimes the harsh things that are said, they're said by people we don't expect them to be said by. Well, that wasn't that so with the Apostle? Who was it that stood in his trial? Was not the high priest there? I hush, rush on. Would you notice please the steadfastness of the servant?
Verse twenty four, but none of these things move me. Oh, how steadfast we need to be. None of these things move me. Would you notice please the joy of the servant? Verse twenty four he says, that I may finish my course with joy. The faithfulness of the servant. He says, I am free of the blood of all men. Oh, if we like the Apostle Paul are going to be instructing Christians, teaching others of the Lord and the things of the Lord, then let's remember. Let's remember the twentieth chapter of Acts.
The great model servant of the Lord. As we read it through, maybe when we get home or later in the week, let's say, Lord, make us like that. But not only Paul and not only Andrew, but Timothy, and I have called Timothy the inattentive Christian. You know, I'm always amazed at what the epistle of Timothy says. How the apostle, when he writes letter of the Spirit of God to young Timothy, gives him such instructions that he may pass them on to the church of God, that the church may know how to behave itself.
I'm always amazed that such a man as Timothy had a ministry that sometimes people imagine when you look at it, it's going to be harsh. Yet the tenderest of Christians this ministry was given. You see, Timothy, you remember, was the son of a Jewish mother. He was the son of a Greek father. But from his mother and from his grandmother, he had learned something of what Timothy dares to say, the epistle of Timothy dares to say, to Timothy one and five, was the unpained love that was found both in his mother and in his grandmother.
He was a young man who was influenced by a family. and so influenced by a family that later when he served the Lord the Apostle writes to him about the church now I haven't time to take you through it but just you think about it will I think it might be a very interesting thing just to remember who Timothy was he was led to the Lord no doubt by the Apostle Paul but he learnt from a child the Holy Scriptures and the untrained love that he had to express to others, and he learned it from his grandmother, and he learned it from his mother. And later on, he's going to begin instructions.
And those instructions are going to cover the whole realm of Christian love. The whole realm of church love. He's going to have to tell some sinners to be quiet. he's going to have to tell some brethren you must care for the widows in your church keep having to say to some brethren concerning their wife Isn't it wonderful that the man who had to say these things and had to deal with some of these problems of those days was a man who from his home had learned love and gentleness, had been given an example of how an older sister, his grandmother, how a younger sister, his own mother would react when it came to the things of God.
And you brethren and sisters here with children, and I say to the father and grandfather, please, you brethren and sisters here, would you please remember that it is not just in the church of God that the work of God is done. It is in your household. And your children and your grandchildren will be useful in the church. in as much as they learn in your home, in your home life, that love, that word of God, that way is God.
Oh please, I can't honestly say I never heard my children say that I would die a hand. If my children or grandchildren would look at me and say, Dad, Granted, we might be. Oh, I'm still a happy man if I do anything. Because that's where the influence is found in our home. All that you older sisters may teach. your grandchildren, all that your younger sisters may teach your children that, like Timothy, you will go forth, they will go forth as inoffensive Christians, as those who are able to meet the greatest problems in the church without causing offense to anyone.
The work of the Lord, as we see it in Andrew as an introducing Christian, as we see it in Paul as an instructing Christian, as we see it in Timothy as an inoffensive Christian, then may I just come to a close by reminding you of a man that I have dared to say as an invaluable Christian, And I'd use that word, and I had a little trouble in finding a word that wanted to express what my heart meant. Because I want just to say a word, if I may, about a person who's only mentioned once in the Bible. You will find Andrew many times.
Paul, many times. Timothy, many times, but there's only one verse in the whole Bible that tells us about Manasseh. I rather like that, don't you? I rather like the thought that the most inconspicuous person is the most valuable person. And I think of this man, Manasseh. and the sixteenth verse of the twenty-first chapter of Acts. May I just quote what the verse says, It dares to tell us that there came certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with them one the nation of Cyprus, an old disciple with whom we were to love.
Isn't that Halloween? Oh, no, please, please. I don't want to die. Not me. Not me. I'd love for the Lord to come back. We'd all go together then. But I've said this many a time till Mary knows it. If I do that, how I would lie on any tombstone they were to arrest, These words will be chiseled. Oh, I wouldn't want them to chisel them unless they were true. But oh, how I cherish that they chisel on the tombstone.
An old disciple will have a love. And oh. Please, I want to remind you of this. It doesn't say an old man. I have met many old men that are young disciples. I've met many young men who are old disciples. It says an old disciple. In the Greek I'm given to understand by scholars. In the Greek the expression here that the old is associated with the discipleship and not with the man.
Are you an old disciple? How long have you been saved? Have you been a disciple since you've been saved? The moment you were saved, you became a Christian. But if you've been a disciple, think you've been that? An old disciple. Let me just say three little things about ministry. The first thing about it is this. He was a plodder. Why did you use that word over here?
Oh, good. The American word is well in English. He was a plodder. An old disciple. Would you notice things where he came from? From Scripture. Oh. I say you take the key now and unlock something, don't you? You know, he came from the very area that the man who crawled with the Apostle Paul over John Mark came from. Is it remarkable that here the man commended from the church at Cyprus to go with the Apostle Paul, took his nephew with him?
John Mark didn't finish the course, and Barnabas and Paul Crowe. Can't see the leaders of the church calling. How many of you would have thought the Apostle War would never have called, would it? And Barnabas! Oh, did not even call it. Isn't it remarkable sometimes in the Church of God, the very people we think ought to give us a better example, Now, I don't want to enter into the argument. I believe Barnabas was wrong. And I believe Paul was wrong. Because, you see, Paul wanted John Mack to be an incinerating preacher.
And God never intended him to be an incinerating preacher. God intended him to be a writer of the gospel. And Barnabas was... They both were wrong. But that came from surplus and he and the elders, that the leaders of the church. You know, I've heard it said many as I'm going to go there. Even the elders were. Yet he still went on with God. And oh, did not. When everything seemed against him, he still went on with God.
Are you a worker or are you one of those shirkers? You know, Jesus Christ died for you. You know he shed his blood for you. You know that he says to every one of us here that we should serve him. A moment from it goes a bit wrong. You are not going there anymore. Some of us tell you things people tell. Oh, don't go there. There is your time for me, you know. Well, I don't know if you go to the movie. I hope you don't. But if you do, does the manager stand at the door and shake hands with him? When it's over, do you come out and say, I'm not going back there anymore?
The values you never should handle with me. How ridiculous. But he was a man. And what should never have happened did happen. The elders of the church, at least the leaders of the church, crowed. But he still went on with God. He was up to God. He was not only a plotter, oh, come on, you choose it for me, will you? You give me the word. It says, an old disciple, he was a plotter with whom we were to lodge. So he was not only a plotter, he was with whom we were to lodge.
A pacer, that's very good. I don't know if it's a word, Matthew, but it's very good. Very good. He was with whom we were to lot. Well, very good. That's a very good word. I hadn't thought that one. I could use that. Thank you. I will do one day. I'll tell him where I got it from. But I wasn't thinking of that. His Christianity was with whom we were to lot. Making the bed. cooked in the back, sweeping the floor. You know, you'll have to join my preacher's class.
You will, really. I say, he was practical. Can you think of anything more practical than opening your home to someone? Each day, all you folk of interkind, each day you've invited Mary and the South Heights, you know. And each day, you say, sir, your grocery bill's going to be a bit higher this week, you know. We've had mail hoops. Extra work, isn't it? What you have to be done? You haven't all got washing machines, have you?
I got one, you know. I married her forty years ago. Very good one. I only know this, that here was a man with whom we were the lodge. If Christianity did not just consist of attending a service in the church, he opened it to the service of God. He went on. And one other. shutten of the disciples of Caesarea, who brought with them Manasson of Cyprus an old disciple with whom we were to lodge.
Now, maybe you won't see this. Maybe you'll think I'm putting it in there. Well, if I do, I'm going to take it out, too. But I think Manasson was not only a plodder. He was not only practical, but I think he was they have brought wisdom one and the nation he was how about it were no can I ask you something what sort of person do you like to keep company with ah I think he was pleasant pleasure.
The other disciples sought his company. You show me a Christian and other Christians don't want to walk with him. I'll show you a fellow who's a grocer. Oh, one of the marks of those of us who love the Lord should ever be. That others will seek our company as we'll seek their company because we're misled. I look at years ago in the city of Liverpool on top of an old tram, you know. You can have the old tram there, you know. They're mentioned in the Bible, all manner of people, you know. But there it was who you are on the top of the old tram. And I sat there, and behind me sat two women.
And they were, you won't understand it, but they were what we call in Liverpool, real sighted. Oh, they were real. And, you know, these two ladies, they sat behind me. And suddenly, in a voice that everyone could hear in the bus, you know, one of these women said, Some may look miserable. Oh, I hope they weren't talking about me. Oh, I hope they... I didn't look around the thing, really. Oh, I hope they weren't talking about me. But those words could be used sometimes of those who love the Lord.
And yet we say we're working for the Lord. You remember the story of a man who was giving the track tight outside the gospel hall. And someone came by after the track. Well, I had one look at him and said, I got enough trouble to kneel. Army weapons. Now, it shouldn't be that thing. There should be a pleasantness about his presence. I don't know how to explain that, do you? I don't know how to explain pleasantness. I only know that there are some people that I like to be in their house. There are some folks that I'm just happy with.