208: Andy Bilello - Exhortation: The Weary Ecclesia

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to good for selfie and talks. I’m Levi and I’m Chris and I’m Brian, thank you for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one taco week to help us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post a new episode of the start of each week with a short intro. Hand to kind of set the stage for the talk. You’re about to listen to and now let’s talk more about this week’s talk.

2. 0:49

   This week’s talk is an excitation by Brother Andy below from the Baltimore kaliesha and Maryland that he presented on the 3rd of July in 2022. It’s a Excellent, exhortation. I kind of made up the title of the weary Ecclesia. He is pulling that kind of as an idea from, from the early chapters of Revelation in the seven inclusions.

3. 1:12

   And what he’s talking about is I think the struggle that Baltimore is having but really a mini occlusions in North America and around the world are having, is kind of redefining what occlusal life is after the pandemic, we posted a lot of accusations that have related to the pandemic. It’s obviously been a Historic time, with all sorts of, you know, different things and ways, and things that ways that it’s touched our lives and in ways that it’s affected our occlusal lives. And I found, this are to be really excellent, definitely. Some emotions came through in his talk that that I could relate with, and I found it to be very encouraging and excellent education.

4. 1:53

   So I was excited to share it after our break. I wanted to thank the brothers Justin Henry Sacramento and brother Mike Livermore from Livonia, Michigan for sharing the talks that they found and giving giving us a break this summer. This is our I guess, third or fourth summer. Now where we take a break and have a guest host on, and I want to thank those Brothers again, for their work. I thought they made some excellent choices and it’s definitely fun in the summer to turn into a listener of the show, instead of a producer of it. So, thanks again to them.

5. 2:28

   And this talk, Was also a suggestion from a sister in the Maryland Ecclesia and I really appreciate that suggestion. Do please think about us when you hear a good talk and send one in, we so appreciate it. So here is the weary Ecclesia by Andy below. Morning brothers and sisters and friends. Each Sunday when We Gather here in Arc lygia, we have a purpose of examining, ourselves fact, it’s very common for presiding brother to quote from First Corinthians 11, prior to sharing the symbols of bread and wine.

6. 3:05

   And which the Apostle Paul instructs us to look inward to consider our lives as disciples and measure ourselves against the standard of character. Lord, Jesus Christ. And that is certainly something that we should reflect upon today. But I suggest that is also appropriate times to extend that self-examination from a cells individually to do it. Collectively, I think it’s appropriate that we take a few moments this morning to consider where we are as a group as in a collision.

7. 3:42

   While the Bible emphasizes personal responsibility and there’s no escaping that the Lord will look at each of us individually that individual character is only influenced and then reflected in our relationships, how we work together. This is something that I’ve been thinking about for some months as we consider how we organize ourselves, how we share our responsibilities as an occlusion, and it’s only natural to look at these introductory chapters of the Book of Revelation in, which were given seven, pictures of a collisions that are meant to give a sense of the characteristics that an Ecclesia can predominantly show to others. Any point in time.

8. 4:34

   A brother read the second, the third chapter. But beginning in the second chapter of revelation, we have the following descriptions. There is first, the Loveless Church. I don’t think we’re a Loveless Church. Really don’t Is the persecuted church. I don’t know that we are persecuted systematically or an organized manner, but certainly, there’s the general oppression of society and its influences upon us and the individual challenges that we faced in our own families who are in our own lives.

9. 5:09

   There’s the compromising Church No, you could probably make an argument that there’s a thing or two that we’ve compromised on in recent times that we should think twice about. There’s the corrupt church. I don’t think we’re corrupt. I don’t think we’ve gotten to that point that personal agendas take over. There’s the dead Church.

10. 5:36

    There are times that I feel like we need to be more active or engaged in what we’re doing. Is the faithful Church, which I think we would all hope someone would portray us as verse 10 of Revelation chapter 3, speaks of the faithful Church saying because you have kept my command to persevere.

11. 5:59

    I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth. Certainly that is applicable in this era, it’s applicable to our experience here in the Baltimore Ecclesia and we all To be cognizant of perseverance, of enduring of getting past whatever challenges we faced again, whether they be personal or shared, and then there’s the lukewarm Church where you’re not. You’re going about the Motions, you’re neither fully invested emotionally and doing the positive things. But you also continue that routine and that veneer and that surface level.

12. 6:44

    Of activity. I mean, perhaps that is something that we’ve reflected at time from time to time. I asked you to give some thought this morning. How would you characterize our equation? Not all of these descriptions are 100% good, nor 100% bad and they are all included. Towards the conclusion of that particular churches description with.

13. 7:09

    They need to overcome whatever situation they find themselves in, they need to improve. I don’t believe that these descriptions in Revelation, 2 and 3 of these churches are final judgments. They are snapshot of what that group of people were at that moment and an assessment from the Divine of how they needed to change for the better.

14. 7:36

    I’ve thought about this quite a bit, and while you can each have your own way of portraying our Ecclesia, I would suggest that right now. We’re certainly in recent months, perhaps we could be termed as a tired Church.

15. 7:55

    another word that comes up in Scripture that I think also speaks to our situation is weary Weary is a term that’s more commonly used in many translations of scripture, and it speaks to an emotional exhaustion, as well as physical fatigue. Can also speak sometimes to a lack of patience or dissatisfaction with your situation. Now admittedly, I might be projecting some of my own personal feelings.

16. 8:27

    Into what I perceive is as our Ecclesia as a whole, but I don’t think that that’s necessarily the case and I think and I believe that this is also a feeling that is shared throughout our community. Let’s, let’s be honest, we’ve had so much change in the last two years. We had routines that sometimes we could take for granted that were disrupted as a result of the pandemic.

17. 8:54

    Our relationships in some instance, many instances have been frayed. They haven’t had, there’s no substitute for seeing each other on a regular basis to understand what we’re going through in life, how we can help it, just share simple courtesies. And as we resumed activity over the last it’s almost 18 months. Now we’ve had to do things differently. That’s not a good or a bad.

18. 9:23

    It’s just the reality that circumstances have changed. And that’s put a stress on. How do we do schedules? How do we set up technology? Who’s doing that work? Who’s going to really be here? Because we’ve had different levels of support as some people weren’t comfortable in being with public groups because of the health concerns.

19. 9:43

    I also think as that is extended on, sometimes that’s become an, excuse become complacent, and it’s easier to stay home. Not travel on Sunday, mornings, not travel on a Friday evening.

20. 9:57

    In this is not something again. That is been experienced only by our closure. One of the reasons I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Last fall we resumed activities. Also, I know with the Washington inclusion. We had the Gathering in October, we had weddings in October and in New Year’s and it gave me an opportunity to speak with brothers and sisters from other occlusions that I had not been in contact, with, for several years and in those Relations, as well as talking to my own family that lives in the midwest.

21. 10:30

    Talking to a brother who lives in California, all ackley’s are facing some level of these challenges. Many Achilles has not been able to resume some of their activities at all because their members just won’t support them and people feel the strain that because we already were a community of not great size and our talent pool has been strained. Even more for who can lead classes, who can give exhortations, who is going to just simply be here to set up the bread and the wine to open the door to mow. The lawn to do, simple logistical activities that are part of our shared purpose.

22. 11:11

    This is not meant to point figures. As nearly as much as just, to be honest and thinking about where we are right now as a group of people who care about the Bible. Who believe that God will change this world and we have to remember how to change ourselves. In the process. And I also think, Well, we Face these issues and they’ve created new challenges for us.

23. 11:45

    We also have to remember our own Ecclesia has changed ways that we could not have anticipated over the last few years. In fact, the summer of 2019 and going into the fall, we suffered some profound losses of our members and we had during the pandemic period, we’re family members long time standing pillars of faith have fallen asleep.

24. 12:12

    If you can is just change the composition of our occlusion again, I don’t believe you know, some of this is natural but it’s all happened together over a relatively short period of time and we have been adjusting and we need to continue to adjust. To taking. This into account. I ask you again, if we are tired, we are bit weary.

25. 12:41

    How do we combat, how do we change? Appreciate skip read Revelation 3. And in the new King James version that I use. It talks about in the early versus of the Dead church about watching. But in his translation said wake up And I think it’s relevant for us to honestly, confront these issues and commit ourselves to dealing with them changing and putting in the time, and the effort to help each other and build this Ecclesia up. I thought what is an example of in scripture of someone who is weary who is tired, who is drained? And how did they deal with it?

26. 13:25

    And how did God work with them? And it’s for that reason that we also read First Kings chapter 19 and I hope you were attentive as brother. Dan was reading that chapter. Let’s go to the Old Testament and look at First Kings 19 for a little context. Remember the the Prophet Elijah? Served as God’s voice in the northern kingdom.

27. 13:48

    And the Northern Kingdom of Israel, this time was was controlled by Queen Jezebel and King Ahab and they were they were not only Pagan but they were extremely selfish. Individuals and in the 18th chapter of First Kings. We would have read and probably familiar to many of us. But dramatic confrontation that Elijah had with the prophets of Baal. In which God through Elijah brought a dramatic turn of events in which fire came down from heaven, and consume those profits.

28. 14:30

    Hopefully, proving to those who were witnesses. That there was only one true God. But the response of the king and the queen was to seek Elijah’s life. so rather than getting a reward or some type of due respect, Elijah goes from this great moment of Triumph to literally running for his life. Let’s just review a few of these verses here in First Kings 19, So, a pickup at the first verse and Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done also, how he had executed all the prophets with the sword, then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, so let the gods do to me and more.

29. 15:13

    Also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them. By tomorrow, about this time to get, he gets word that he is now essentially Public Enemy. Number One, In Israel and that the authorities will be seeking him and to execute him verse 3. And when he saw that, when he learned this information, he arose and ran for his life and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah and left. His servant.

30. 15:42

    There, this is not an exaggeration that he ran for his life. He moved with haste to the South Even left the northern kingdom, went to, the southern Kingdom. And as we read and the Chat, 19 chapter, he continued further south verse 4, but he himself went to Day’s Journey Into the Wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree or a juniper tree. He pray that he might die and said it is enough now O Lord take my life for.

31. 16:14

    I am no better than my father’s. So, Elijah’s mental state was such, it was just he’s running for his life. He had, you know, he must have invested a great deal of emotion and effort into this confrontation at Mount Carmel. And now he is also physically moving as quickly as he possibly can to stay ahead of those who were seeking his life and he essentially and burns himself to the Lord saying just end this right now. I feel as though I have given everything that I can give. Those sweet continue reading and see the picture of what happens here.

32. 16:54

    Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, arise and eat. Then he looked and thereby his head was a cake baked on coals in a jar of water so he ate and drank and laid down again and the angel of the Lord came back the second time and touched him and said, arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. Elijah literally needs to recharge he rests and I think things to note here one.

33. 17:26

    There’s nothing in the record here that says it was inappropriate to do. Some fact Angel comes to help him and feed him twice it’s as if the Lord recognizes that Elijah was at his breaking point. So as you need to take this time, you need to rest and I need to support you. Now, a logic continues his journey and he says that he traveled for 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb the Mountain of God likely.

34. 17:53

    Many many commentators believe may have had it to Mount Sinai down the southern Sinai Peninsula. So probably he journeyed. I think it’s roughly 250 to 300 miles over that month or so on his own especially those first few days can moving as quickly as he could perhaps. Trying to not leave a trail behind him.

35. 18:20

    That could be followed. But yet he still had to lie down and rest. And once again, I think is notable for our lesson today. Looking at ourselves how we might feel emotionally and physically, drained, God said that taking the time to rest is reasonable. It’s appropriate. But also what we can note is the time of rest isn’t forever. it’s one thing to pause, it’s another thing to stop, it’s another thing to give up, And we as we read again, I think Elijah’s fatigue was more than just physical will read verse 10 is Elijah speaks to the Lord.

36. 19:09

    If you’re in response to the Lord saying what are you doing here Elijah? So in essence, the Lord is saying to Elijah says it twice like what do you want Elijah what do you what are you doing with your life? At this time? A logical response with really more of a exasperation He says verse 10, I have been very zealous for the Lord. God of hosts for the children of Israel, forsaken, your Covenant torn down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and they seek to take my life. Say, do I have to do everything?

37. 19:49

    I actually I killed all the priests of Baal. We did it in a way that everyone should know about it and yet they’re trying to kill me. Now, we’re doing the right thing. I’m the only one here.

38. 20:06

    And that frustration comes out the Lord tells him to continue down south continue to the Mountain of God. And will read again, picking up here in verse 11. Then he said this is the Lord speaking go out and and first game perhaps communicated by one of these angels that were helping him. But he is instructed to go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord and behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks and pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the Wind. And after the wind an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

39. 20:55

    And after the fire, a still small voice, This is again a very dramatic description of something that may be familiar to most of us. The Lord presents himself to Elijah. He does it through the power of nature. Something that is very common through scriptures, very common in the prophets. The Lord does not convey his message.

40. 21:25

    Through a storm. He does not convey it through an earthquake. In the common English translations are still Small Voice, it means. After this drama, he’s going to talk to Elijah in a whisper. And it in a very soft tone. But just tell him the truth.

41. 21:51

    Verse 13. So it was when Elijah heard. He wrapped his face in the mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave and suddenly a voice came to him and said, what are you doing here? A large again the Lord speaks to him as in understanding tone. Ask him. Look at your life. What are you doing with it?

42. 22:13

    What is it that you need? What is it that you want next? Elijah again, expresses his frustrations in the 14th verse. I have been very zealous for the Lord, God of hosts because the children of Israel have forsaken, your Covenant torn down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone and left they seek to take my life.

43. 22:37

    This time the Lord speaks to him in more detail. And essentially what the Lord says to him is Elijah, You know what? You need to go back to being a prophet. You need to go back to the mission that I have given you. Since you were a young man, you’re going to go back and you’re going to anoint the next king of Syria, you’re going to anoint the next king of Israel.

44. 22:58

    They’re going to fulfill my purpose. You’re going to find a man named Elijah, who you will Mentor, who will take up your role and you know what? Elijah, there are people who still care about me? there are 7,000 people in the northern kingdom that have not bowed down to Baal who have not corrupted their own lives and beliefs He says, I understand that you were tired, but now it’s time to go back to work. Brothers and sisters and friends. I suggest to you that for our Ecclesia is been appropriate to go through this this period of of changes and uncertainty. But it’s time to start doing more. This is the still Small Voice that not my voice but the word of God.

45. 23:55

    So if you’re home and you’re listening, if you’re here and you haven’t been here consistently We need you. And I suggest that you need us. This is something that we all need to wake up to. We all need to be emotionally, as well, as physically invested in our activities and in our support of one another, in the examples that we can share with each other. This is the time that we had a pause We’ll continue to learn and grow, not, everything’s going to be perfect. But I ask you to think about.

46. 24:42

    Can we move past that a year from now we’re no longer tired. Maybe we have a different problem. But hopefully we’ve evidenced our faith and we persevered and we’re working through whatever challenges that we can anticipate right now but it’s no longer a matter of being worn out. And frayed emotionally or physically because we’ve been working together to become stronger. And if there are someone who isn’t here a brother or sister that you communicate with regularly someone in your family who we know is not been consistent in their activity and their support let them know that you asked them to change. Okay.

47. 25:35

    It’s not a matter of being judgmental. It’s a matter of appealing that we need them. Have the right attitude about it. It’s not a matter of pointing fingers blaming someone but the fact is we’re too small community were too small group of Believers not to have everyone contributing and sometimes your contribution is as simple as being in a seat.

48. 26:01

    And feeling that like the person who is organizing the activity has support or talking to them after the activities over and talking to one another, just having those personal relationships that we need to bolster our faith.

49. 26:18

    For sometimes we we can find ourselves. Being undisciplined and how we lead our lives and make our commitments, and the New Testament, the Apostle Paul speaks to the first century Believers about these issues because they had the same challenges. If you would, we’ll look at a few more passages in the New Testament. Look at second Thessalonians, the third chapter Towards the end of Paul’s letter to the church in thessalonica speaks about some warnings about essentially pulling your own weight being responsible for yourself. But he also does it in a way that puts it in the context. This right?

50. 27:04

    Spirit of how we help each other second Thessalonians success alone. Ian’s pick up reading at the 11th verse of chapter 3, But we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly. Manner, disorderly is New, King James, some other to Modern translations, that use the where undisciplined, which I actually like better discipline is about consistency. It’s about commitment.

51. 27:37

    So some are undisciplined not working at all but are busybodies. So they in other words, they’re not contributing the way they could. And instead, though they point fingers and they have their own opinions, Now those were such we command and exhort, we encourage through our Lord, Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you Brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our words in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed yet, do not count them as an enemy. But admonish him as a brother

52. 28:18

    Paul sensually say for those who are not pulling their own weight who are not controlling the way, they should recognize it but don’t treat them like as an outsider. Work with them, encourage them, ask them to, to help.

53. 28:38

    I mean it’s really important that that attitude is conveyed. It’s it’s not enough to point out the problem. It’s to work in the right Spirit to help improve the situation.

54. 28:56

    Again, we have this balance that we must strive for in our Ecclesia between individual effort and shared purpose. Go to Galatians, the sixth chapter Galatians chapter 6 is very good chapter that addresses this topic and sometimes it can be confusing if you read it. Just casually talks about bearing and sharing a burden. Essentially it says that each person is responsible for themselves, but at the same time, when you recognize someone needs help be ready to act to help them. And as the Apostle continues to write in Galatians, the sick chapter will pick up reading At the 7th verse. Do not be deceived.

55. 29:44

    God is Not mocked for whatever a man sows. He will also reap. So again this is part of that that bounce were the individual. So for those of you who need to wake up and do more, what you’re going to get from your activity, great benefit. Don’t always ask what is the Achilles are going to do for me? But ask what you can do for the Ecclesia. What can you do to help other people? For He Who sows to his flesh, the will of Flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will, the of the spirit reap everlasting life, kid, don’t don’t lose sight of why we’re here.

56. 30:24

    And what we’re trying to trying to support each other is on that. Road towards being part of God’s purpose towards eternal life. And let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season, we shall reap. If we do not lose heart, okay, just Don’t give up today. Now, I heard, I heard a speaker, he was actually speaking from experience in the military but he talks about don’t give up today. Give up tomorrow.

57. 30:57

    It just always delaying like kind of like the that that mental you know you know, challenge that you have a feeling the intensity of the moment push through it now and you almost always find opportunity to regroup and then do the same thing tomorrow. Don’t give up. Don’t get in to that fatigue. Work hard.

58. 31:24

    God will bless us, therefore verse 10 as we have opportunity, let us do good to all especially to those who are of the household of faith. In our responsibilities, don’t end, close the door here on a Sunday. We’re trying to have a consistent character that everyone around us whether we where we work, where we live, we’ll see that. But the occlusal family is a point of emphasis because we are here because due to this shared belief and this purpose, it is a motivation that we don’t share with everyone that we come in contact with.

59. 32:06

    So all the more reason to contribute here to support one another here. So we begin to draw our thoughts towards a conclusion like to share the passage in Hebrews. The 12th chapter that also connects these ideas with the example of Jesus Christ. If you would turn to Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews 12. Contacts continues.

60. 32:45

    The authors discussion of how we use our faith in the eleventh chapter has This list of examples, men and women who in some instances did extraordinary things because they had this belief that God would help them. Therefore first one, we also since we are surrounded by so great. A cloud of witnesses in other words because we have these examples to draw from them, Use them to inform the decisions that you make let us lay aside every weight and the sin, which so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance, the race that is set before us. So let don’t let this challenge this problem. Hold you back.

61. 33:40

    Hey, is it the words of scripture and talk? Sometimes about burdens and waits? It’s meant to have this physical description, take it off your shoulder and put it to the side so that you can more freely be active. And doing the Lord’s work and with endurance with perseverance with an attitude that I am going to continue. No matter what live your life looking in verse 2 unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was set before him. Endured the cross despising, the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God, for the sake of time, I did not I was looking the gospel record at the times of Jesus was weary and tired, but he continued to teach. He continued to help particularly in his last hours when he felt that his closest friends were giving in to their physical.

62. 34:38

    Fatigue and not being there to support him. Verse 3 of Hebrews 12 for consider him meaning Jesus, who endured such hostility from Sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

63. 34:58

    The ultimate example is Jesus Christ. Consider how we can work past, whatever sense of being exhausted, that we are the physical, the emotional, accumulation of the little things that seem to wear us down in there. As I referenced earlier with the example of Elijah, this is our wake-up call.

64. 35:28

    So seldom in life. Is there one dramatic moment? There’s not the bolt of lightning that is going to hit you to say, you need to do this now. It’s almost always. Information that you already are aware of and you just need to make the choice to do more.

65. 35:50

    And if we do that, God will support us. You will support us individually. You will support us as an Ecclesia conclusion like to read inspirational passage from the book of Isaiah. Another portion of the Old Testament that I would hope is familiar to many of us, Isaiah 40.

66. 36:15

    Reading from the 28th first. The prophet, extols the power of the Lord by saying, have you not known, have you not heard the Everlasting? God, the Lord, the creator of the earth. Neither faint, snores. Weary, there is no searching of his understanding, he gives power to the weak and to those who have no might he increases strength, even the youth shall fail, shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall.

67. 36:47

    But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall Mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Thank you for listening. Thank you for listening to the good christadelphians talks podcast. We hope this talk helped you in your walk.

68. 37:18

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69. 37:34

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70. 37:57

    If, you know of a great talk, we want to know about it, to send a suggestion to our e-mail at good. Christie, Duffy and talks at gmail.com or message us on any of our social media accounts. Thank you for listening. God bless and talk to you next week.