The word babbler is interesting in that it means 'master tongue;" master to be understood as the 'master of one's house.' So, this one is a master orator, one who has mastered a language. This babbler is not an obnoxious and foolish talker as our dictionary might define him, but rather one that is skilled in his talking.

At the time of the writing of Acts, there was only one kind of church and they were distinguished in their faith and practice, exactly matching the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles. In these days there are a multitude of religious organizations claiming the authority to baptize. I say nay! Only churches that have continued in Christ's and the Apostles doctrine are the true churches of Christ. They have existed in every century, in every age, through a succession of their preachers, carrying the authority of Christ to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Lord and organizing churches, just like they did in the first century beginning at the shores of Galilee.

Observable folly in places of dignity. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: The Preacher speaks of an evil, a calamity, a harmful thing that results from a ruler that makes an error in judgement. We might ask how does an error in judgement become the cause of some great calamity? In the case of a ruler, a bad decision, an error in judgement affects all that he rules over. It could lead to economic ruin; it might be the cause of war. A ruler must be clothed with wisdom and be surrounded by wise counsel or risk being a fool. Jeroboam forsook sound advice be wise men and took the advice of fools and split the kingdom of Israel...

Over the last four weeks we have seen that both Jew and Gentile are great sinners in need of redemption. We saw the work of Christ in one act redeem all his people. We saw that this great work of salvation was achieved in time by the grace of God in the creative act of the new birth and evidenced by faith and repentance. This morning I hope to show by the scriptures the nullification of the physical and religious distinctions in the bringing of these two flocks of believers into one-fold and under one Shepherd.

The question that came to my mind was, how does a little misdeed, a small sin cause such injury to a man? But from the text this is not just an ordinary man whereby you might expect a little or perhaps a lot of folly. This is a man of reputation, honorable and just, a little sin in his life is magnified beyond a little and one single act of sin, may injure the character of a wise and honorable man, and greatly expose him to shame and contempt, and cause him to stink in the nostrils of men. It may never again recover his dignity and place among men and if he is able to recover, it will not be without the scars of his injury. He will never regain the place and reputation he once had.

I want to speak on mercy and grace realized in time. Though Christ already obtained redemption for us (Heb. 9:12), our sins already paid for. Forgiveness granted and Christ's righteousness imputed and this long before we were born; yet in time we are to experience this wonderous grace.

Answering questions from the question Box.

Time and chance, the unknown events that can make or brake us. We often hear it said, in the right place at the right time, or the opposite, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some might say that it was their lucky brake or things just went their way. Man has no reliance on anything because things can change instantly.

Not a general mercy but an act of his will with a special mercy. It is directed at those whom he loves. If this kind of mercy was directed at the whole of mankind, then the whole of mankind would be saved. If God loved all men upon this earth as he does his sheep, the elect of God, then all men would receive this same mercy that would "quicken" them or "make them alive" in Jesus Christ, they also receiving grace, for by grace are ye saved! The ultimate motive for the work of regeneration is here given, and it is simply the Divine Mercy. No claim or obligation is in the question, nor right inherent in the alienated race of men, nor the "fitness of things" in the abstract; only the uncaused and supremely free choice of the God of mercy

We finish this course this evening looking at the duty the members have one to another. Church is not a social club but a closed society of Christian men and women who have great responsibility laid upon them in serving on another.