Let's turn to Galatians 6, and we will read this portion of God's Word that we have been considering for a number of weeks. Our text today is, again, verse 6. We'll read the first six verses of this chapter, Galatians chapter 6, and we'll read from verse 1 down to that sixth verse. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, Ye which are spirit, you'll restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." And we know that God will add His blessing to this reading of His own infallible Word. Let's open our Bibles at Galatians 6 where we read earlier. Turning to Galatians chapter 6, and with the Word open there, we will bow in prayer and we will seek the Lord's face for His help and blessing as we come to His truth. Once again, let's all seek God together. Let's all pray. Our gracious Father and our eternal God, we continue on in Thy presence, in the Savior's name. Thank Thee, O Lord, for this fresh opportunity of coming to meet with our God, to hear His Word. And Lord, we pray that over our company, Thou wilt bring that sense of Thy presence. Draw near, we pray. Speak unto us now. Open up the Word to our minds and to our understanding. Lord, grant Thy blessing this day upon the proclamation of Thy truth. And may there be a lasting work done for the glory of God. and for the praise and the honor of His great name. Here is now we pray, for we ask it all for Christ's sake. Amen. As I said earlier, my text is again verse 6 of Galatians chapter 6, where it says, Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. You will notice from this verse, and it's very clear, it's very plain, that there were teachers of God's Word in the Galatian churches. There were men who were imparting the Word to the believers in that region throughout all those congregations because the Apostle Paul speaks here of him that teacheth. And he's referring to an ongoing ministry and to a declaration of God's Word in that region of Galatia. So these teachers These preachers were present in the Galatian churches and they were there because Paul and Barnabas had appointed them before they concluded their first missionary journey. It was on that first missionary journey, and I trust that you will remember this from just about a year ago now when I started this series, but it was on this first missionary journey that the churches of Galatia were formed. You read of that in Acts chapter 13 and chapter 14. And we are told in Acts 14 verse 23 that as Paul and Barnabas made their way back through these churches that they had formed at the outset of their journey, they appointed or they elected elders in every congregation. That would mean that there were both ruling and teaching elders appointed. Obviously, because the missionaries move on, they cannot stay any longer, and therefore men are needed to rule the congregation and men are needed to teach the congregation. And we are told that they had elders appointed in every church. And as I say, it would have included, no doubt, both ruling and teaching elders. I use the term that is based on 1 Timothy 5, 17, where The Apostle Paul says, let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they that labor in the word and in doctrine. So there's a distinction in the eldership between the teaching elder and the ruling elder. And obviously there were teaching elders here in the churches of Galatia having been appointed, as I say, during the latter part of that first missionary journey. These believers in Galatia, therefore, enjoyed a great privilege. They were taught in the Word, as this verse says. The word taught literally means catechized. And then at the end of the verse where it says, unto him that teacheth, that's the same word, and therefore we can read there, unto him that catechizes. That's really the meaning and the sense of what teaching is in the New Testament church context. It is that careful, diligent instruction, catechizing of the people of God. The very word that we have as a title for our catechisms, the shorter catechism, the larger catechism, the child's catechism even, come from this particular word right here, the word that's translated as taught or teach. It's a word that signifies the imparting of knowledge in a systematic and a diligent fashion. Therefore, there were those in Galatia who were catechizing, who were teaching God's people, resulting in a people who were taught in the Word. Now, being taught in the Word, these believers in Galatia were equipped thereby to deal with the errors to which they had become exposed, as you already or as you also I trust remember, this epistle is all about the matter of the error that was being forced upon the Galatian churches, the error of salvation by works, justification by works as opposed to justification through Christ and by faith alone. This is Reformation Sunday. And how relevant that we should say these things right now, because here were churches that were exposed to that error that's still abroad, that is still being taught by the Church of Rome and by others, that salvation is not in Christ alone, or by faith alone, or by grace alone, but is a mixture of Christ and the works of men. The Apostle Paul had to deal with that. in this letter, but the point is there were good men teaching there in Galatia according to this verse, and this verse is true. These churches that were exposed to the error that Paul deals with in this letter were churches that were also receiving help, no doubt, from the faithful men who were there in their midst. There were men who were true to Christ in the churches of Galatia. There were men who were delivering the message of God's Word and bringing the great truths of the Gospel so that the Galatians right within their own ranks, within their own circles, were receiving the faithful ministry of the very men who are in view here in this particular verse. And therefore, by means of the instruction that those teachers, these men in verse 6, the instruction that they were delivering, the churches of Galatia would have been unable to discern and stand against the Judaizers who were troubling them, as I've already noted here. But you see, enjoying the privilege, of that teaching and that instruction brought a responsibility to these Galatian believers. The responsibility of, as we've already seen, supporting those who taught them. And therefore, to these believers in Galatia, Paul gives this command to communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Now last week, when I dealt with this verse, we dealt with it from one perspective. We looked at it from the perspective that it teaches the church to bear the burden of gospel ministry. And I use the term advisedly because that is what is right here, the gospel ministry. God's people are to bear the burden of gospel ministry by giving material and financial support to that ministry. We went through many verses. We looked at different points last week from the Word of God as well as from here that make this absolutely clear that this is what Paul is saying here in this verse for one thing, but the word communicate points to another aspect of the duty of God's people concerning bearing the burden of gospel ministry. Remember that this verse is in the context that really begins in verse 2 where the Lord's people are encouraged to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. And then we come down to verse 6, where the saints are instructed to support gospel ministry, faithful ministry, on the mission field, at home, wherever it might be, by their financial and material support, but also in a spiritual manner as well. Because that aspect of support is also in this verse. And it's to that that we come today. We return to this verse once more to consider it from another angle altogether, namely that of giving spiritual support to the work of the ministry, to gospel ministry, wherever it is found faithful and true to the Word of God and to the cause of Jesus Christ, we are shown right here that we are to give our support to faithful gospel ministry. And I want to deal with that. particular line of thought as we find it brought before us here in this verse. Verse 6 of Galatians chapter 6. We're going to consider two features of the spiritual support that we should give to faithful gospel ministry. Now first of all, we need to look here at the matter of agreement with the work of the ministry. Agreement with the work of the ministry. Now, again this word communicate. Let's look at it carefully because It's a most interesting word, and I want you to understand fully what the word means. The original word for communicate, that is the word in the original Great New Testament, has two senses or two basic meanings. First of all, it means to give a share to. And that's why we considered it last week. That which the Lord has given to you materially Financially, you are to give a share of that toward the support of gospel ministry. The word means that, to give a share to. But the word also means to have a share in. And this is where the idea of agreement arises as we think about the basic meaning of the word. In this sense, it means to give or to have a share in. Now, let's turn to Romans 15, verse 27. Romans 15 and the verse number 27. And here is a verse that we just want to look at for a moment or two. Romans 15-27, because the same word is used that I am showing you here again today. This word communicator. Well, it's not translated that way, but look at it. Romans 15-27, It hath pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, Their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things." Now, this is an interesting verse because it refers to Gentiles having been made partakers of their spiritual things. In other words, the gospel and the things of God. And that word there, or that little group of words where it says, the Gentiles have been made partakers, that's a translation of this same word, communicate. So the Gentiles, we're told by Paul, have been made partakers of their spiritual things. And you can see the idea right away. They have gained a share in those spiritual things. They have come into the possession of those spiritual things. Paul goes on to say here, it's the duty of the Gentiles to minister unto them in carnal things. And by the way, that is saying the very same thing as we saw last week. When we are blessed in spiritual things, it's our duty to minister in what's called carnal things here, which simply refers to that physical support of the work of God. It's all right in that verse. But I want you to see this particular part of the verse where, as we have just drawn your attention to the words, made partakers of their spiritual things. And the word partakers there clearly signifies this idea of having a share in something. So when we go back to Galatians chapter 6, and we look at this word communicate, and we see that it has this double meaning, obviously the meaning that we're approaching today is this meaning of having a share in something, being made a partaker of something. So Paul is saying in Galatians chapter 6 verse 6 that God's people are to have a share in gospel ministry. And they're to have a share in gospel ministry by supporting it. And their support for gospel ministry is based on being in agreement with it. That's all in that one word, communicate. To have a share in something and to be in agreement with that in which you are sharing, that in which you are giving support. Let's turn to Acts 2 now, because over in Acts 2, verse 44, we have a verse that helps us to see this whole idea of sharing in something with which you are in agreement. So, Acts 2, verse 44, because this idea of agreement that's in this particular word, is seen when we come here to Acts 2 verse 44, because here we find the same word, and now it's translated, to have something in common. Acts 2. And verse 44, look at it with me. All that believed were together and had all things common. Now, the word there, common, is derived from this same word, communicate. And the language here in Acts 2.44 is very clear. It's emphatic. It denotes the idea of agreement. The believers in Jerusalem were told they were together. There's agreement. There's unity. They were together and they had all things common. In other words, again, the latter part of the verse stresses this matter of agreement. Here's the meaning of the word communicate. It means not only to give a share, but it also means to have a share in something. And the Lord's people are being told, you have a share in gospel ministry, And we'll see more about that in a moment or two. But it's a share in something with which you are in agreement. That is what the Lord is really underlining when we come to think about this text and its full meaning and its full sense. So on the basis of these Scriptures, it's plain to see that the support of a ministry must be marked with agreement for that ministry. But then the question arises, what is the criterion? What is the standard by which our support for a ministry is to be determined in terms of being in agreement with it and therefore giving our support to it? What is that standard in order to determine our agreement with that ministry and therefore moving on from there to support it in every way we possibly can? When that question is answered in our text, look at it again. It says, Let him that is taught in the word communicate. Remember the meaning of the word, to have a share in. And having a share in it, you're in agreement with it. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth lesson in all good things. And it's right there that our question is answered. That is, what is the standard by which our support for a given ministry is determined in the sense that I agree with that ministry and therefore I can support that ministry? Here is the standard outlined, underlined by those words, all good things. It's that term, good things, that supplies the answer to knowing what ministry we support. The term good things reveals, therefore, the nature of what these people were being taught. Read the verse again. I would encourage you to read it 100, 200, 300 times because that's how you understand the Word of God. Let's read it again. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. The man who's teaching is teaching good things. That's what it's saying. in all good things. Now those good things, may I put it to you plainly and promptly right now, is a reference to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to Romans 10 and verse 15. Romans chapter 10 and the verse number 15. To a chapter, to a verse, we turn which we know well if we know anything about the Bible at all. Romans 10 verse 15, it says, How shall they preach except they be sent, as it is written? How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace. Listen, And bring glad tidings of good things. There you have the very same term. Preachers bringing glad tidings of good things. And literally those words read this way, announcing the glad tidings. You see the term there, bringing glad tidings of good things? That is all one word of the original language. That's why the original Greek language is such a marvelous language. It requires maybe one, two, three, four English words to translate it properly. And even then, there's more to it than we can even see in what we have in our translation. And right there, there's only one word in the Greek, and it says this, as it's translated for us, Bring glad tidings of good things, or announce the glad tidings. that could also be translated this way, evangelize. Because the very word here that I mentioned in the original language is a word that directly gives us the English word evangelize and evangelist and evangelical. So read it that way. For it says, them that preach the gospel of peace and evangelize. Because that's what the word actually is. in the original text. In Luke 4, verse 18, the Lord Jesus Christ said this, He hath anointed me to preach the gospel. You see, the word gospel in our New Testament, and we see it everywhere, don't we, in our English Bible. We see it here, we see it there, we see it in different forms. The gospel of God, the gospel of Christ, the everlasting gospel, and so on. We have it in all these various forms, but do you know that the word gospel in the original language is the very same word that means good things? That's what it is. The word gospel in the original language is the word that gives you evangelist, evangelical, evangelize. I've already mentioned those terms of which we're fully familiar. I'm not ashamed to say I'm an evangelical because that's the meaning of the word. That's the root of the word as we think about it here in the New Testament. The word gospel means evangelist or evangelize. Luke 4.18 I referred to where the Lord says, He hath anointed me to preach the gospel. He hath anointed me to announce the glad tidings. He hath anointed me to evangelize. So all these scriptures And especially Romans 10 verse 15. Show that the glad tidings, the gospel, is the message of good things. And that's what Paul is referring to here in Galatians 6 and verse 6. He's talking about preachers. And these preachers were teaching these people in all good things. They were teaching them the gospel of our Lord. We must go a step further and consider what these good things are in particular. Turn to Hebrews 9 verse 11. Hebrews chapter 9 and the verse number 11. I want you to follow with me through all these verses because we're looking at this term good things. And here we find that these good things are the rich blessings that the Lord Jesus Christ has purchased for sinners. Isn't that what the gospel is? Isn't that what evangelism is? It's to go out and announce the glad tidings, the good news of what the Lord Jesus Christ has bought for men. Here you have it, Hebrews 9 and verse 11. It says in this verse, "...but Christ being come, a high priest of good things." There you have the word once more, a high priest of good things. There's our Lord's ministry. The Lord came to preach the gospel. The Lord came to evangelize. But the Lord came to do more than that. The Lord came to procure or to secure for sinners the good things that they hear when the gospel is preached, and the good things that they receive when the gospel is brought into their hearts. Christ is the minister of good things. And of course, when you look here at Hebrews 9, you'll notice how the apostle Paul goes on to talk about our Lord and His death and His sacrifice. It says here in verse 11, just to read a little farther, "...but Christ being come, and High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and cows, but by His own blood, He entered in once into the holy place," listen, "...having obtained eternal redemption for us." And then you have in a nutshell, Our Lord came to win for man eternal redemption. In verse 14 it says that His work, His atoning death, it cleanses the conscience from dead works, from sin, to serve the living God. The whole way down this chapter, the whole way down the 10th chapter, throughout the whole book of Hebrews, you have a display of the good things that our Lord came to procure and win for sinners by the shedding of His own precious blood. So in a nutshell, the good things proclaimed in the gospel are all that is comprised in what the Lord Jesus Christ did when He died, when He rose again, when He went back to heaven. It's a presentation of that entire work of our Lord and what it has bought for sinners like us. This is what the Bible means. This is what Paul means by the good things. everything that Christ has bought for sinners. Let me say this. You can sum that up this way. All the good things that the Lord has bought for sinners includes what they are made from the time they are born again until the time they are glorified in heaven. In all of that you have the good things of the gospel. You have their regeneration, their new birth. You have their justification, and their sanctification, and their adoption, and then their glorification. You have it all there. That is what is meant by the good things, because the Lord is the minister of these good things. He's the one who bought them, the one who secured them by His own atoning death. And these good things that the Lord has bought for men are applied to them then by the Holy Spirit. Now go with me back to Matthew 7, verse 11, and then we'll come into Luke 11, verse 13. Matthew 7, verse 11. And notice the terms in these two verses. First of all, Matthew 7, verse 11, where the Lord says, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts, unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" Here's the term once more. God the Father gives good things to men. The Lord never gives any man that which is evil. He gives him good things when He seeks them. Then look at 11 verse 13. And notice how in this parallel passage we have a different rendering. It says, "...if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children," now listen carefully, "...how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Now it's the same It's the same time, it's the same teaching of our Lord, but Matthew puts it one way and Luke puts it another way. Matthew talks about the Father giving good things. Luke talks about the Father giving the Holy Spirit. What's the conclusion? The conclusion is very simple. The Holy Spirit is the equivalent of all the good things that the Father gives to sinners. We understand it this way, in other words. When the Holy Spirit enters a sinner's heart, He brings all these good things with Him, and He applies them to that sinner's soul. He brings all the blessings of the gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ has won for men, and He implants them in the heart. He infuses them into the soul. The good things that are preached when the gospel is preached are what are then applied to the heart and to the soul as the Holy Spirit is given to man." The Holy Spirit doesn't come to a sinner's heart on his own. The Holy Spirit brings the good things of God. He brings all these blessings that I have just mentioned. He brings redemption. He brings justification. He brings adoption. He brings them all. He applies them to the heart. And He does that while the gospel is being proclaimed, while people are being taught the good things of God. The Holy Spirit is busy, as He sovereignly wills to do it. He's busily engaged in the application of those good things to the human soul. And thereby, He benefits the soul. He saves it. He changes that man. He enriches that sinner. He builds up that Christian. He does all this work by the teaching of the good things that Jesus Christ has won for men and that are applied to the soul by the Spirit of the living God. Now, let's go back to Galatians 6. I've taken all this time just to explain to you what the good things are, and that was essential. What we're seeing here is, in answer to that question a while ago, how do we determine what is the standard by which we judge a ministry? and therefore are unable to say, I can support that ministry. And this is the answer. Where there is the teaching of the good things, which I've just explained to you, then that is the criterion by which we make our judgment concerning the support of a given ministry. It is, is that ministry preaching, proclaiming the good things of God, the gospel, of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let me say this to you today. It is the proclamation and the preaching of those good things that is the only business of Christ's church. Turn to 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Look at it with me please. It says there, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Now, baptism is important, but baptism is only an ordinance. Baptism is not the gospel. Baptism does not save. Baptism, however it's administered and to whomever it's administered, Paul is saying here in so many words, does not benefit the soul savingly. It doesn't. That's why Paul says, Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. It doesn't mean that Paul didn't believe in baptism. It simply means that he saw that the only business that he was given to do and the only business of the church of Jesus Christ is to present the good things of the gospel, to preach the gospel as he puts it here, Now that term, of course, Christ sent me to preach the gospel. Right there you have He sent to the same kind of language that we've been seeing all through these other Scriptures, to evangelize, to send forth the good things of God. But the point is this, here's a term that involves the entire scope of what Jesus Christ has done for men. The gospel, as we saw earlier, is comprised of the entire work of Christ for men. It's the message of all that God and Christ has covenanted to do for fallen sinners. And I couldn't emphasize that enough. The gospel contains everything that is revealed in this book with regard to the saving of the soul, from God's great purpose in election right through to His final purpose in the glorifying of His people. It's all in the gospel. But what I'm emphasizing is this. This is the only ministry that God has given to the church of Jesus Christ. This is the only ministry that God has given to me. And this is only what you're going to hear from this pulpit by the grace of God. I am not here to preach on politics or anything else. I am here to preach the good things of God. That's my ministry. The Lord's pointing out here today, that is the ministry that God's people, according to our text, can give a full agreement to, the presentation of the full person and the glorious work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because, brethren and sister, who else is worth preaching? Who else is worth proclaiming? Who else is worth mentioning? But the Christ of God who loved the souls of men, who gave Himself for sinners, who died in their place. As I say, all that that involves. That's what this verse is saying. That's what this Word is telling us. Agreement with the ministry, the work of the ministry. to the work of the ministry. Look again at our text and think about this very carefully, because that's the next natural point that flows out of what I've already said. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. When believers have that ministry, with which they are identified, with which they can agree, then they can fulfill the command of this text by adhering to that ministry. Because remember what it means. It means to have a share in. And that share in gospel ministry is something that has to do with adherence, affiliation with the ministry that the Lord has given. There's a very striking example of this over in 1 Corinthians 16. 1 Corinthians 16. Look at verse 15. I beseech you, brethren. 1 Corinthians 16, verse 15. I beseech you, brethren, ye know the house of Stephanus, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia. Now here, listen to these words. And that they have addicted themselves. to the ministry of the saints. They have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. The first converts of Paul in Achaia, which was part of Grace, was the household of Stephanas. And he can say right here, he mentions these people, this family in the first chapter, and now he mentions them again in the closing chapter in verse 15. And he can say that they have addicted themselves to the ministry. And the word addicted signifies that they had set themselves. That's the meaning of the word addicted, to set oneself. They had set themselves to support the ministry that was in Corinth, and they did so in the most unreserved manner. Let me say to you today, as a child of God, and to you who especially may be members of this congregation, here is God's will for you to be addicted, to set yourself, to give that support which the Lord is showing you in our Scriptures today. Not me, the Lord. Adhering to that ministry. And here's an example of it. Addicted to the ministry. You see, that need or the need for that adherence is apparent when we consider and we remember that it is by such a ministry and adherence to it that the Lord edifies His people, that He builds them up. Turn to Ephesians 4. Just the next book here after Galatians, look at verse 11. First of all, Ephesians 4 and verse number 11. And there the apostle says, He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists. I will not say much about those offices. You know that the office of the apostle, the office of the prophet are no longer in existence. They have passed away. They were extraordinary offices for the New Testament age. But as Paul wrote right here to the Ephesians initially, they were still in vogue, these offices. But I'm just saying this in passing, those offices are no longer in vogue. Then you have the evangelist. Then it says, "...and some pastors and teachers." And without getting technical here too much, in the original text again, that expression, pastors and teachers, it refers to the one office. And it's the office of the teaching elder. And here the Lord is showing us that in the New Testament era, the office that is to continue and will continue, for Christ will see to it, the office that continues and will continue to the very end of time is the office of the pastor-teacher as far as the giving of instruction is concerned, as far as the work of the ministry is concerned. And what's the purpose of it? Well, look at verse 12. For the perfecting of the saints. Now, the word perfecting means to make fit. In other words, to make the saints fit for something. What is that? Here it is. For the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. I want you to follow with me very carefully here. Paul is not talking here in the latter part of verse 12 about two things. He's talking essentially about the one thing. And what he's saying is this, that the people of God as they are taught in the Word, they are made fit, they are fitted for their service. And their service is then seen in those next words, the work of the ministry. Now, brother and sister, get it. There's your ministry. The work of the ministry there is with reference to the saints. The pastor teacher in verse 11, he teaches The saints are perfected, as it says. That means that they are fitted. That means that they're equipped and they're fitted to do something. And what that something is, is the work of the ministry. And furthermore, through that teaching, they are edified, as it says in verse 12, the latter words, for the edifying of the body of Christ. So, bring this all together. Here is the sequence that the apostle follows. The Lord has given man to teach and preach. That's a clear thing in the New Testament. He has ordained the gospel ministry. He raises men up for that ministry. He puts them into it, and they're there to teach and preach. What is the great objective? Well, it's to set forth the good things of the gospel. What impact does that have upon Christians? It equips them for their ministry. It edifies them as well. And you see, they need to be edified in order to do that work that God has given them to do. Now, do you see this? Do you understand why it's so important for you to adhere to the ministry that God has given you? I have to be very honest here today. I don't like to have to preach these things. But it's in the text. Therefore, I preach it. Because it might seem that I'm talking about myself. I'm not talking about myself. I'm talking about the ministry that Christ has ordained for His church. I'm talking about what it means, what it is, what it's supposed to do, what its whole goal is. And why God's people, when they have that ministry, whether it's here or wherever it might be, are to be in adherence to it. Because that is how they are going to be equipped for their daily Christian life. That's all the Lord's saying. Whatever the Lord has for you as a Christian to do tomorrow, you will do it, I trust, all the better because you are receiving some kind of instruction for your soul. You're being edified, I pray, by His Word. Not by what I say about it, but by His Word. Murray McShane once said, Lord, it's not our comments on Thy Word that we ask Thee to bless. It's Thy Word. I trust you are being edified by God's Word. The goal is that you will be fitted for your ministry. edified, built up to serve the Lord in the way that He desires you to do and to adhere to His church, to His truth, to the work of the ministry. Now, turn with me to Acts 21 because here we have a passage that shows this idea of adherence to the work of the ministry even more clearly. Acts 21, look at verses 4 and 5. Notice what these verses say, Acts 21 verse 4. It says that finding disciples. This is at Tyre. We tarried there seven days, who said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem. And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way, and they all brought us on our way with wives and children till we were all out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. Here is one of the little-known churches of the New Testament, the church in the city of Tyre. Paul was with them for only seven days as he passed through. But they took advantage of his ministry, as you can see. They had an appetite for God's Word. They set themselves. They made sure that nothing hindered them from hearing the mighty apostle. And during those seven days when Paul was there, oh, how they clung to his ministry. And no doubt they benefited from that ministry. During those seven days they set aside their own things. Look at verse 6. It says, And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship. And then it says, They returned home again. And that literally reads in the original language, They returned to their own things. So for those seven days they had set aside their own things. Now they returned to them. Here was a special season when these people knew that they could be blessed and would be edified. And therefore for those seven days they set aside their own things. Their own things were of lesser secondary importance. and the preaching and the teaching that was coming from the mouth of Paul and, no doubt, his colleagues. One of those days must have been a Lord's Day, because we're there for seven days, which means that one of them had to be a Lord's Day. And therefore, on that day especially, no doubt, They would have given rapt attention to what Paul was teaching, what Paul was saying. What I'm showing you here in these verses is an illustration and an example of a company of believers who give this adherence to the work of the ministry. They hear Paul, they listen to him, they can say to themselves, this is a man who's teaching the truth and we agree with what he's saying. And my, they gave themselves to that ministry. There's so much I could say here in closing my way of application as we have dealt today with these two points under this main line of thought, giving support to gospel ministry, being in agreement with it, and then adhering to it. There's so much that could be said right there. Do you not see from what we have noted in the Scriptures today that as a member of the body of Christ in this house, this congregation, God requires of you an adherence that is marked by faithfulness, by prayerfulness, by a desire to promote and to spread the gospel and the work of Jesus Christ in our town. in our area as much as the Lord gives us the grace to do so. These Scriptures that we've looked at today, this whole text and all that it means, places a great demand upon every child of God, every member, every office bearer, every Sunday school teacher, every children's worker, every member of this congregation to be what God requires of you, to get that adherence to His work. to His cause so that the work of the Lord Jesus Christ will be promoted and go forward and will increase and will know the blessing of heaven. Here are words that make it clear that half-heartedness, indifference, slackness, prayerlessness, carelessness must all be avoided. and a diligent giving of the entire heart and soul and mind to the work of Christ, to the cause of our Lord. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate, have a share in through agreement with, adherence the teaching of good things. Let's bow together before the Lord as we come to the end of our service here today and the preaching of the Word. I pray that God the Holy Spirit will take it and use it. Apply it to our hearts. That we as a people who love the Lord, those who are saved, earnestly and diligently seek to do the will of the Lord as this verse sets it before us. Father in heaven, take Thy word this day. We ask, O God, that the Holy Spirit will apply it. When the voice of man is silent, we pray that He who alone can reach the heart will do so. that He will challenge each one of us, that He will bring our minds into captivity to the mind of Christ, that He will give to us this day an earnest and a sincere desire to lift up the Savior, to make Him known, to spread forth the knowledge of the good things of Christ, to see His name glorified, His cause extended, His kingdom enlarged. O God, give us that heart, that burden, that soul, Save us, Lord, from our own ways, our own fleshly, carnal reasoning. O Lord, cleanse us from all this. Breathe on us from the sanctuary. Fill with Thy Spirit. Give the power of God. Give times of refreshing from Thy hand. Abide with us now, we pray, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with all of the Lord's people, both today and then forevermore, we pray in Christ's name and for Christ's sake.