Open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke chapter 9. I'm sorry about that little audible a moment ago I needed to find out where we were going out to eat after the service tonight. Gospel of Luke chapter number 9. I've certainly enjoyed these handful of days that I've had the privilege of being back here in at the great Central Baptist Church in Covington, Connecticut, or Southington, Connecticut. I've enjoyed every moment and so appreciate the comfortable motel room, delicious meals, warm times of fellowship, and every act of kindness. I made mention several times as I've been here to my dear friend, Dr. Jim Townsley, this is one of my favorite places to come. And I'm always excited and I'm always elated get to come and be here. And to be very transparent with you if you did not invite me to come I'd still come. I would, I'd come and I'd just pout out in the parking lot. I still would come. But I would be remiss if I did not take a moment and publicly thank our dear friends the Townsley's and the wonderful church family that of the Central Baptist Church. I appreciate a myriad of things about Dr. Townsley, but probably the greatest thing that I appreciate about him is he's the kind of preacher, he's the kind of Christian He's the kind of servant of the Lord that you never wonder, you never worry, you never wish to know where He's at. He stands today where He stood yesterday. And He'll stand tomorrow where He is standing today. And in a day of confusion, in a day of compromise, in a day of capitulation, it is so refreshing have that caliber of a friend in Dr. and Mrs. Jim Townsley. And then to be able to work with Dr. Lonnie Moore, always a blessing. We've shared platforms innumerable times, and not just a great singer, but a great preacher as well. Thank you again for the comfortable motel room, delicious meals, warm times of fellowship, every act of kindness. I have to share a blessing with you. This afternoon before church, Brother Bennett picked up Dr. Moore and I, and all the way, I've got to share this with you, all the way from the motel to the meeting, I didn't wear my seatbelt. it was awesome all the way. And nobody was, it just was absolutely awesome as I got to ride. Of course for the minute he's got a $700 ticket, but it was a blessing to ride from the motel to the meeting and not wear a seatbelt. Now, Townsend believes that's the unpardonable sin of He believes that. He doesn't have any Bible for it, but he believes it's the unpardonable sin. And then to get to spend some time with Brother and Sister Boyle and the Boyle family and the staff, Dr. and Mrs. Brown, Brother Bobby and his sweet wife. I'll tell you what, some of the greatest servants in the work of the Lord, some of the greatest servants in the work of the Lord, I believe are in this auditorium right now. So thank you so much, Dr. Townsley. Thank you, Brother Boyle. Thank you, church family. of the Central Baptist Church College family, New England Baptist College for the privilege that has been mine to be here these days. After the service this morning, we got a bite to eat and I'm half Italian, I'm half Irish, and I'm Italian on my mother's side. And for lunch, we had genuine, we had real, we had authentic Italian food. And I mean, I'm a little bit picky about Italian food since I'm half Italian, but it was the real deal. I mean, it was like either my grandmother Al Capone was in the kitchen it was just it was awesome and then got back to the room and did what I love to do on a Sunday afternoon and that is fellowship with my pillow and got some rest. You know naps are scriptural they really are in the Bible the book of Revelation chapter 8 and verse 1 it says there's going to be silence in heaven for the space of a half hour. That's in your King James Bible. We're gonna nap when we get to heaven. I said that, Dr. Townsley, in a conference and a lady came to the book table and she said, no, no, Dr. Hamlin, we will not nap in heaven. She said, Revelation 8.1, silence in heaven for the space of a half hour means there's no preachers in heaven. I said, well, ma'am, there's another interpretation of that scripture and that is there's no mother-in-laws in heaven. And so I was able to get a little bit of rest and get ready for the service tonight. And I'm so thankful. I am so grateful for these handful of days that I've had the joy, the privilege, the blessing of being here. As you're turning to the gospel of Luke chapter number nine, I hope that you will go by Dr. Moore's table and that you'll take advantage of things that are there. We're gonna run a special and he asked me to announce it. If you get everything on my table tonight, You can get everything on Dr. Morris' table for free. He asked me to mention that. And so I hope that you'll take advantage of that great deal. But on the book table is the message, America in the Shadow of Calvary. I have preached this message all across the country. I've preached it on television. It's been on radio, and I want you to get it. I preached it back in 2021. on Thursday night of the closing service of the National Sword of the Lord Conference. Just as I preached it, it's been captured on compact disc. I want you to get it, America in the Shadow of Calvary. Also on the book table is the message, the religion of the new card. This was the very first thing that that the sword of the Lord published for me, the religion of the new cart. And wherever I preach, no matter how large the city or how small the town, within driving distance of where I'm preaching is a new cart church. You say, what is a new cart church? Bad Bible. bad methodology, bad music, bad associations, bad, bad, bad. And in this message, I just deal with the religion of the new cart. You'll find it interesting, Dr. Townsley, just the other day, I was making my funeral arrangements. Now, to the best of my knowledge, I'm in good health, but I made my funeral arrangements not too long ago, and I told Mrs. Hamlin who was to preach. I told her who was the pallbearers to be. I told her I wanted a revival atmosphere at my homegoing celebration. I told her to have spaghetti after the funeral service. I told her to have cannolis, and I told her before the preacher preaches the home-going celebration message, I want her to play me preaching the religion of the new cart. Now, it's my funeral, and if I want to preach at my funeral, it's my business. because I wanna get, Dr. Townsley, my licks in one more time before they throw dirt on me that I'm absolutely opposed to the religion of the new cart, which is the contemporary craze that is absolutely a cancer to our fundamental churches. And so that's on the book table, and if you get it tonight, I will throw in this little card, 40 Tremendous Truths Learned in 40 Years. when I marked my 40th year of being saved and preaching and on the Revival Road I just took a legal pad and a pen and I just started to write down things that I trust, Dr. Brown, I've learned in these over four decades. Things like number eight, old-fashioned, spirit-filled, red-hot Bible preaching still works. Acts 2.41. Things like number 15, there's a reason God gave you two ears and only one mouth. James 1.19. Things like number 11, valleys for the Christian are just upside down mountains. Psalm 23.4. And things like, and there's 40 of them, things like, oh, number 31, live in your own flower garden. and love the fragrance of those very same flowers, Hebrews 13, 5. You say, now what in the world does that mean? It just simply means be content with what God has blessed you with. Be content with what God has benefited you with. And so if you get the Religion of the New Card, I will throw in that card absolutely free. As you're turning to Luke chapter 9, I hope that you will stop at the book table and please pick up our prayer card. The greatest thing that you can do for a preacher is hold him up in prayer. And I spend my life in services like this. I spend my life in meetings like this. Last year a 20, a 20 I preached 471 times last year, 2022. I'll do every bit of that this year, maybe even more. And so, man, I would so appreciate you taking a prayer card. and stick it in your Bible and praying for us. Greatest thing, again, you can do for a preacher is hold him up in prayer, and so covet the prayers of God's people. As you're turning to Luke 9, I had a lady not too long ago come to the book table, and she pointed at the prayer card, and she said, Dr. Hamlin, that prayer card has been such a blessing. I said, well, ma'am, thank you. Thank you for praying for me and praying for Mrs. Hamlin and praying for our ministry. Thank you so much. And she looked at me kind of puzzled and she said, oh no, I don't pray for you and I don't pray for Mrs. Hamlin and I don't pray for your ministry. But she said, man, that prayer card has been such a blessing. And she turned to walk away. I said, now, ma'am, wait a minute. You can't say that the prayer card has been such a blessing. And then I thank you for praying for us. And you say, you don't pray for us. You got, you got to explain that. And she pointed at the prayer card and said, well, last time you're here, I got the prayer card. And she said, I went to the beautician and I showed my beautician the picture of Mrs. Hamlin and said, I want to carry Hamlin hairdo. And she said, it's been such a blessing. So fellas, if you want a John Hamblin haircut. Just go ahead and get a prayer card, take it to your barber, and then just keep that to yourself, if you would. Gospel of Luke, chapter number nine, and I'll take but one verse of Scripture for our text, and it will be verse number 62. Gospel of Luke, chapter nine, and verse number 62. And I would invite you to stand with me as I read the Word of God. Gospel of Luke, chapter number nine. and verse number 62, and Jesus said unto him, no man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. There's a word in this verse that I would have you underline, if not in your Bibles, then certainly in your minds. I've underscored it in my Bible and it is the six letter word, plow. P-L-O-U-G-H, plow. And for a few moments, I wanna speak to you on the subject, just keep plowing. Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for this privilege to stand behind a sacred desk to preach the Word of God. If and on my heart, I want to be a blessing, but the only way that I can be as if you hide me behind the cross and fill me with the Spirit. Place a hedge around this great church by the blood of Christ to keep the devil and his demons from hindering this service. Save the sinner and stir the saint. Heavenly Father, for all that you'll do in our midst, and even in our hearts tonight, we will be careful to give you all the praise and honor and glory. Bless and protect my precious family as I am away. Give us fresh, warm bread from the oven of heaven to feed from tonight. And Lord, I request Oh, how I would request that you'd clothe me in my calling, for we ask these things in Jesus' name and for his sake. Amen. You may be seated. A few months ago, I was in a motel room getting ready to close a revival meeting and had in front of me the message that I'm gonna attempt to preach tonight. And in that motel room, I had a thought about all of my sermons. I was preaching that night as I felt led of the Lord, the message I'm gonna attempt to preach tonight. And when looking at the outline, it dawned on me that all of my messages, if you were to break them down, and if you were to boil them down, you could place them in a handful of categories or a handful of classifications. I believe that I preach sermons that are clean surgeon's scalpels. I believe that I preach sermons that are old lumberjack chainsaws. I believe that I preach sermons that are well-worn coaches clipboards. And then I believe that I preach sermons that are mechanics Greasy wrenches. And when I think about this truth that I'm going to try to drop and deposit in each and every one of our hearts, I believe I'd have to consider it and I'd have to classify it as simply a greasy mechanics wrench. If a person were to pick one thing which would be the center or core of any definite enterprise outside of a divine endowment, a decisive endurance would be the correct choice. Armies win battles that are dedicated. Teams there win games that are dogged. And believers win crowns that are devoted. It is impossible to place too high of a premium on perseverance in the world and even in the church. Just keep plowing. In the Gospel of Luke chapter nine, we find the high cost of discipleship. Now this chapter could be easily or effortlessly outlined like this. Christ equips us, verses one through six. Christ enables us, verses seven through 17. Christ encourages us, verses 18 through 36. And then Christ endures us, verses 37 through 62. It is well the physician Luke is dealing under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit when Christ endures us that a person sees one of the most soul-stirring statements within the covers of the Holy Scriptures. Verse 62, and Jesus said unto him, no man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. The plow in agriculture is a well-known implement drawn by horses, Democrats, I'll let you catch up. Mules or oxen for the turning up of the soil to prepare it for the bearing of crops. The sister verse of Luke 9, 62 is 1 Corinthians 9, 10. And as you've heard me say any number of times in any number of services, every verse in the Bible has what I call a sister verse and often that sister verse will throw more light upon the verse that you're musing, meditating, or making a study of. Again, the sister verse of Luke 9 and 62 is 1 Corinthians 9 10, that he that ploweth should plow in hope. The Knaves topical Bible states, the plow in the scripture represents the labor in any calling. One Bible student now in heaven for many years once said about our church, Excuse me, about our text. Every plowman, every plowman worthy of the name will recognize conditions suited to his enterprise and stay at his plow until the task is completed. I want you to look at that word plow. That's in Luke 9, 62. In the margin of your Bible, next to that word plow, I want you to write choir if you sing in the choir. I want you to write Sunday school if you teach in the Sunday school. I want you to write deacon if you serve in that biblical office. I want you to write evangelist, if you like, Dr. Moore and I, and crisscross this country there in the office of an evangelist. I want you to write, next to verse number 62, pianist, if you're the church pianist, organist, if you're the church organist, A sound person and we really don't know what you do back there anyhow. I stepped back there for a moment. It's like a bachelor's pad. I mean, they got a lava lamp and a popcorn machine and ESPN 1, 2, and 3 patched in from down the street. But whatever you do for the Lord, I want you to put in the margin of Luke 9 and 62, because your plow and my plow and our plow is what we're doing for the Lord. Dr. Townsley, your plow is to pastor this church. Brother Boyle, your plow is to be the co-pastor of this church. Dr. Brown, your plow at Yosef to work in the church and in the college, every single believer ought to put next to verse number 62 what they're doing for the Lord. Never forget the lovely Lord Jesus Christ never had a plaque on the wall for a spiritual dropout during his earthly ministry. Now, if you miss everything I preach, I pray that you would not miss that. Because it even bears repeating, the lovely, the lovely, the lovely Lord Jesus Christ never had a plaque on the wall for a spiritual dropout during his earthly ministry. Friend, you and I, those of us that are saved and serving need to simply just keep plowing. Now quickly tonight, there are seven. There are seven basic Bible reasons for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle. Let's quickly notice it tonight. And you may want to take out a pencil and somewhere in your Bibles, scratch these things down. But my, how it would be far better if God were to take an eternal pen and write these things upon my heart and upon your heart as well. Just keep plowing. Number one, God is up. up to something. Exodus 2.5, and the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself in the river, and her maidens walked along by the riverside, and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. A Bible reason for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle is because God is up to something. In Exodus 2, 5, the prophet Moses tells us that God, oh my, had his omnipotent shadow upon him even as a baby in a basket among the bulrushes. A person must keep in their mind that there are five main characters in the powerful narrative of Moses' early life. Number one, Pharaoh. Number two, Moses' mother, Jacobad. Number three, Moses' sister, Miriam. Number four, Pharaoh's daughter, and number five, God. After Jochebed gives birth to him, she immediately hides him from the godless Pharaoh, who is having all the male children born to the children of Israel killed, either by drowning them or having them fed to the Nile River crocodiles, so that Israel can rise up against him and have him thrown off of his throne. It soon got to the place where Jochebed couldn't conceal Moses any longer, so she put him in a boat and left him in the bulrushes. As Miriam watches Pharaoh's daughter is bathing in the river, sees the basket, has it brought to her, opens it, and God dispatches one of his angels from heaven to pinch baby Moses' leg. He cries, Pharaoh's daughter, heart, heart is moved with compassion. keeps up him, and then asks Miriam to get a Hebrew woman to nurse him. So Miriam carries Moses back to his mother, Jacob's arms to be raised, and Pharaoh's daughter is none the wiser than a person. Well, reading this story in the scriptures, turn their ear towards the sky and they would possibly hear heaven choir singing behind a frowning providence. He hides a smiling face. His purpose will ripen fast, unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste. but sweet will be the flower. Friend, you and I need to just keep plowing, need to just keep plowing, need to just keep plowing because God is up to something. Breaking news, no Christian will quit on God when they consider he isn't sitting on his throne in a quandary about what to do in their situation. Just keep plowing. Just keep plowing, just keep plowing, just keep plowing, because God is up to something. Robert Louis Stevenson. The great American author once told of a storm that caught a vessel off the rocky coast and threatened to drive it and its passengers to destruction. In the midst of the terror, one of the daring men, contrary to the orders, went to the pilot house and saw the steerman at his post holding the wheel unwaveringly and inch by inch turning the ship out. Once more to see, the pilot saw the watcher and smiled. Then the daring passenger went below and gave out a note of cheer. I have seen the face of the pilot and he smiled all is well. Hey, Christian, while I'll be the first to say that I don't know what all God is doing in this hour, I shall also state that I saw his smiling face on the pages of the scripture this morning, and he smiled all is well. Oh, just keep plowing, just keep plowing. Stay in the choir, stay on the piano, stay on the organ, stay as the pastor, Stay as the co-pastor, stay as the sound man, stay as the song leader, stay in the college. You know why? Hey, God, God, God is up to something. Number two, it's the last days. 2 Timothy 3,1, this know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come The Bible reason for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle is because it's the last days. In 2 Timothy 3.1, the apostle Paul tells us that the period prior to the rapture of the church will be particularly dangerous days. He lists there 19 iniquities that individuals will commit in the shadow of the second coming, and hear me tonight, all 19 of those sinful scandals can be found on the front page of any world newspaper. Friend, you and I need to just keep plowing, need to just keep plowing, need to just keep plowing because it is the last days. Now there's several second coming signs that Christ condenses into a single scripture. Now, I don't have to say this because this is a church that hears on a consistent and constant basis Bible preaching and Bible teaching. But let me just say in passing that you can hardly turn a page in the Bible without finding something on that Bible page in regards to prophecy. Prophecy is in the Bible. And you can hardly again turn a Bible page without finding something about prophecy. Mrs. Hamlin, you'll find it interesting to know, Mrs. Townsley, Mrs. Hamlin, not too long ago, had gone to the nail salon and she gave the nail tech a gospel tract. And she said, I'd like to give you something to read from the Bible. She said, my husband wrote it and it's a gospel tract. And the lady took it, the nail tech, and looked at her and said, is your husband a preacher? And Mrs. Hamlin said, yes, he's a preacher. And then she followed up, the nail tech did, followed it up by saying, is he a prophecy preacher? And only as Mrs. Hamlin could, she looked at the lady and said, oh yes, yes, he's a prophecy preacher. He can predict who's gonna get ticked before he gets up to preach. He is a prophecy preacher. So you can hardly turn a Bible page without finding prophecy. But there is one single scripture that Christ there condenses several second coming signs in that scripture. It is Matthew 24 and 38. First of all, luxury. Matthew 24, 38, for as the days that were before the flood, they were eating. you see a second coming sign that Christ condenses in with single scripture is luxury. It's not that you can get a hamburger at a drive-through that means the rapture is near, but you can get a hamburger with 10,000 toppings that points to the sands of time quickly running out on the hourglass of this age, luxury. Secondly, liquor. Again, Matthew 24, 38, and drinking. A second coming sign that Christ condenses into a single scripture is liquor. A bottle of booze is far more accessible than a half a gallon of milk today. Boy, I'd like to be president for a day. And apparently anybody can be. I'd like to be president for a day, I wouldn't even want a second term. I wouldn't even want a full term. I'd like to just, Dr. Townsley, be president for a day, and if I could be president for a day, I would put on every can of beer I would put on every jug of wine. I would put on every bottle of whiskey. In fact, I'd even put it on cough medicine, a skull and crossbones because it is poison. It is poison. It is poison to your heart. It is poison to your family. It is poison to our country. And the second coming sign that Christ condenses into a single scripture is liquor. Thirdly, loose living. Matthew 24, 38, marrying and given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark. You see a second coming sign that Christ condenses into a single scripture. Matthew 24, 38 is loose living when the wedding ring, the wedding altar, and the wedding certificate doesn't mean anything. Lift up your eyes for your redemption, draw it nigh. Loose living, all that every single person that is in this service and watching by way of internet would realize that the second coming signs that Christ condense into a single scripture are luxury and liquor and loose living. There isn't a few of the color red, that could match the face of the embarrassed Christian who quit today only for Jesus to come in the clouds tomorrow. Now I'm gonna make a statement in regards to the Lord's return, and I hope that you hang on every word. Here's the statement. No one in prophecy has ever been closer to the rapture of the church than we are right now. Would it be sad to quit the choir tonight and Jesus come in the morning? Would it be sad to give up that Sunday school class this weekend and Jesus come before next weekend? Wouldn't it be sad to put down your preaching Bible and put down your standards and put down your convictions? And I like what Brother Lester Olaf said. He used to say, if you don't have any standards and convictions, well, borrow some of mine until you get some of your own. Wouldn't it be sad? Wouldn't it be sad to put your preaching Bible down and put your preaching papers down and put your convictions and standards down and put your position down? Wouldn't it be sad to do that tonight? And before we turn a calendar page going out of April into May, the Lord to come back. Look at the text, plow. Look at the tax plow. Look at the tax plow. We've got to just keep plowing. Why? Because it's the last days. Number three, the next generation is paying attention. Psalm 145, four, one generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mighty acts. A Bible reason for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle is because the next generation is paying attention. In Psalm 145, four, the psalmist David tells us that it is the holy responsibility of the older generation to repeat the truths, testimonies, and teachings into the ears of the younger generation, friend, you and I need to just keep plowing because the next generation is paying attention. I think you understand that there's a generation that's coming on that they'll unplug your life support machine to charge their phone. Amen. And I realize sometimes, Dr. Townsley, and you know what I'm talking about, I realize sometimes in dealing with the next generation, it seems like what we say goes in one ear, picks up speed, and flies out the other ear without even being slowed down by speed bumps between the ears. I realize that. But at the same time, there are some that are paying attention. At the same time, there are some that are paying attention. At the same time, there are some that are paying attention. I mean, if you were in the afternoon service of the Northeast Leadership Conference yesterday afternoon, this choir was filled with young people that looked like Christians and sang and did a wonderful job. And I realize it often seems like the next generation is not paying attention, but I'm here to tell you, there are some that are. I'd gotten saved and called to preach, 1979. And there was, at that time, a great Bible conference held at the Rochester Hills Baptist Church in Rochester Hills, Michigan. At 17 years of age, I'd just gotten saved and just been called to preach. I went to that Bible conference and then I heard such great preaching and it seemed like all of those preachers, the only way I can describe it, Brother Boyle used to say, it just seemed like all those preachers were playing marbles on the coattails of comets. What preaching? And I remember going back to our church on Wednesday night and telling some folks about that conference that I was going back to on Thursday night, Friday night, and I remember some Christians saying to me, well now, Brother Hamlin, you need to understand that Bible conference, that's for people that have been preaching a while, and that's for people that have been serving the Lord for a while, and you just got saved and called to preach, that's not for you. But I'm glad that I understood way back then that this Bible is one size fit all. And I don't even know if the service is being, they're streamed into the nursery or not. I don't know if it is. But if it is, you babies need to get off the pacifier. Say amen right there. And so I went ahead, I just didn't know any better. I just thought preaching was preaching. I just thought preaching was for everybody. I just thought that one size fit all, and they were preaching the truth. And I went back to that conference, and I can't tell it for crying, and after a service one night, Dr. Curtis Hudson, then the editor of The Sword of the Lord, he was at his book table, and he was selling books, and he was speaking to people, and he was signing Bibles. Now mind you, I'm 17 years of age, and I walked up to Dr. Hudson, and I asked him to sign my Bible, and he pulled out of his pocket, I'll never forget it, he pulled out a beautiful pen, turned to the fly leaf, and he wrote Curtis Hudson, Proverbs 1130, his life verse, the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that win his souls is wise, and I remember when he signed that Bible like it was yesterday, my eyes locked in on that pen, And at that time, you may remember this, at that time, the Hallmark Card Company was making pens, and they were wood pens, and they had about five different wood pens, and they were beautiful, and you better know what I did the next day. I found a Hallmark Card Company, I got one of those pens, and Dr. Townsley, just last week, I paid it off. I say that to say this, we have to keep plowing. We have to keep plowing. We have to keep plowing. My brother, I know you don't think about it. Brother Bennett, I know you don't, but that there's some little girl or there's some little boy that every time you sit at that piano bench, that they're watching you and they're studying you and you don't even know it, my brother, but you're their hero. You're there, Spider-Man. You're there, Superman. You're there, Incredible Hulk. I don't know who those people are, but Dr. Moore does. But man, they're watching you. The next generation is paying attention. There's an old proverb, and because it is a The Greek proverb, and not a proverb from God's word, we can tinker with it a little bit. And the Greek proverb states a society. But I'd like to change that, Brother Boyle, to the faith of our fathers. The faith of our fathers grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit. We have to just keep plowing. We have to just keep plowing. We have to just keep plowing because the next generation is paying attention. Number four, somebody would be heartbroken if we quit. 2 Timothy 4.10, for Demas hath forsaken me. Having loved this present world, a viable reason for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle is because somebody would be heartbroken if we quit. In 2 Timothy 4.10, the apostle Paul tells us that in his own personal ministry, he had a deserter, and his name was Demas. No question. When Brother Demas walked away from the will of God, the work of God, and the word of God, the one who trained him and took him under wing and trusted him was totally heartbroken. Friend, you and I need to just keep plowing because somebody would be heartbroken if we quit. You see, your name is on someone's Bible leaf page. Your light verse is underneath your name. your picture is on somebody's prayer card that they have on their kitchen refrigerator. There's somebody that you may not speak to and you may not even know that they're just hoping tonight that their path would cross with yours, that they might have a second or two with you. You say, preacher, what are you saying? I'm saying everybody looks up to somebody else and that's the reason why we gotta keep plowing because if we don't, would be heartbroken if we quit. Charles Sumner, a great senator from Massachusetts, and an eloquent pleader for the slaves and for the union drank of a bitter cup of sorrow in his domestic life. When he was taken ill and died, there on his table a volume of Shakespeare. This passage in King Henry VI, probably the last lines upon which his eyes ever gazed, marked with his own hand, would I were dead if God's good will were so, for such is my life but grief and woe. Such is the world but grief and woe. I've come to this pulpit in this hour to say to all those that are under the sound of my voice, when I were dead, when I were dead, Would I were dead than to have the sad news hit someone's ears that I quit and they be discouraged. Look at the text, Luke 9 and 62, plow, plow, plow, stay in the choir. My brother who gave the bus report, keep being the bus director. that teach in the Christian school keep teaching in the Christian school. Those that serve as deacons, Dr. Shounsely keep plowing. Brother Boyle keep plowing. Dr. Moore keep plowing. Can I say to myself, Brother Hamlin keep plowing, keep plowing, keep plowing, keep plowing. You know why? Because somebody would be heartbroken if we quit. Number five, America needs it. Now you may want to note the fastened seatbelt sign that just came on. You may want to note it. Fastened seatbelt. Because we're about to hit a little bit of turbulence. America needs it, Proverbs 1434, righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. A Bible reason for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle is because America needs it. In Proverbs 1434, the wise man Solomon tells us that it is godliness and never ungodliness that keeps a nation alive and advancing for its citizens. On the top of the trash heap of history are the nations, peoples, and societies that have allowed the world, the flesh, and the devil to guide and govern them. President Ronald Reagan once said, if we ever forget that we're one nation under God, we'll be a nation gone under. Friend, you and I need to just keep plowing because America needs it. Never in the history of this country has there been an hour on the clock of the country, but what she's needed are preaching, but what she's needed are praying, but what she has needed are pressing people into the pearly gates. There's never been an hour that the country needs the Central Baptist Church in Southernton, Connecticut like she needs it tonight. This should drive home the point I'm trying to make. On November 6th, 2021, the United States Navy launched and christened a support ship, the USNS Harvey Milk. Harvey Milk was a gay rights activist. who was the first openly gay politicians elected in 1977 to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. By the way, after interject, he was discharged out of the Navy during the Korean War because of his lifestyle. Now, did you hear that? A ship named after someone whose lifestyle God calls an abomination in Leviticus 18, 22. So, oh, Dr. Hammond, I wouldn't say that if I were you. I know, I know you wouldn't say it. That's why God had me say it. He's thrown out of the Navy for a lifestyle that is debauched. And then years later, the Navy turns around and christens a ship. And by the way, I got to interject right here. We should never call anything gay that God doesn't laugh at and God doesn't smile about. Hi, I'm John Hamlin and I approve this message. I wonder what the North Koreans think about that. I wonder what the Chinese think about that. I wonder what the Russians think about that, that we've named a ship after a sissy. Just keep plowing. Just keep plowing. Just keep plowing, America. Number six, one day you won't be able to. Hey, you do know, and I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but you do know that wokeness is wickedness on steroids. You do know that. Dr. Townsley, my sister-in-law, she's a nurse, registered nurse. And I had heard something that I just wanted to bounce off her before I said it privately or publicly. And so I asked my sister-in-law that's a registered nurse, Julie McBride, I said, if something happens to me and I die, a hundred years from now and they dig me up, my bones will still be male bones. She said, that's true. And I said, and like, maybe if you died, That's my sister-in-law. If you died 100 years from now, if we dig you up your bones will still be female bones. She said that's correct. Friend you can't change your gender. It is biblically and physically impossible. You think about the craziness that's going on in this country. And that's why we gotta keep running those buses. That's why we have to keep singing in the choir. And that's why you have to keep playing that piano. And that's why you have to keep playing that organ. And that's why you have to keep pastoring and co-pastoring and working in the college and holding revival meetings. You know why? America, America needs it. Number six. One day you won't be able to. James 4.14, whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow, for what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away. A viable reason for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle is because one day we won't be able to. In James 4.14, the apostle James tells us that a person's life saved or lost is breathed at best. He gives the riveting word picture of our earthly existence as a vanishing vapor here in a minute and then gone in a moment. Friend, you and I need to just keep plowing, need to just keep plowing. You and I need to just keep plowing because one day we won't be able to. I'm not being morbid, God knows my heart. But every day of my life, I start at three to get ready for seven. I mentioned last year, preached 471 times. And every day of my life, now for many years, I've averaged preaching at least once, at least once, more than that, but at least once a day. And at about three in the afternoon, I start to get ready for preaching at seven. What that means is I'll get a little bit of rest, What that means is I'll iron a dress shirt. What that means is I'll shine my dress shoes. What that means is I'll make sure the flaps are out. in my suit coat or sport coat pocket. What that means is I'll put gospel tracts in my inside coat pocket and a handkerchief in my outside coat pocket. And by the way, let me say a word to you young preachers, before you ever get the handkerchief in the outside, I don't wanna knock that over, you'll take it out of my love offering. Before you ever get the handkerchief in the outside coat pocket, I would strongly suggest that you get the gospel tracts in the inside coat pocket. start there. In fact, maybe you even want to make a handkerchief out of that. You look like a nerd, but maybe you want to do that. But I start, Dr. Moore, at three to head for seven. And I'll put gospel tracts in my inside coat pocket. I'll put a handkerchief in my outside coat pocket, tracts in the inside, handkerchief the outside. I'll pick up my Bible. I'll have a word of prayer. I'll head to a pulpit. I'm not being morbid, sir, I'm not. I'm not being morbid, but one day, I'll iron a shirt for the last time. One day, I'll rest to preach for the last time. One day, I'll put a suit coat or a sport coat and gospel tracks in the inside coat pocket and a handkerchief in the outside coat pocket. One day, I'll put a necktie on. One day I'll pick up my Bible and head to a pulpit for the last time. We have to just keep plowing because one day we won't be able to. You do realize whatever you do for the Lord, if Jesus stays His coming, someone is gonna replace you. Someone will stand where you stand in the choir. Someone will sit where you sit on a piano bench or an organ bench or in a sound booth. Someone will, Brother Bobby, lead the congregational singing, and what a great job he does, awesome. One day, Brother Bobby, you'll pick up the hymn book for the last time. I'm not being morbid, but you do understand shoelaces you tied this morning, the undertaker may untie tonight. Here's what we all have in common if the Lord stays His coming, a casket, a death certificate, a funeral, a headstone. I had a young preacher ask me recently, he said, Dr. Hanlon, what keeps you fired up? What keeps you motivated? He said, you preach the same, whether it's five or 5,000, how do you do that? And I gave him a couple answers. And then I said, what really fires me up is because of technology being what it is, there's a real strong chance that one day, My great, great, great, great, great, great grandchildren will—Dr. Brown, tune into this service. I don't know if it will be Facebook then, maybe it will be Wastebook, I don't know. I don't know if it will be YouTube or Z-Tube, I have no idea what it will be. But there is a strong possibility that one day my great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandchildren will watch this sermon. We have to just keep plowing. We have to just keep plowing. We have to just keep plowing because one day we won't be able to. And then number seven and last of all, my time is gone. Not only number one, God is up to something. And number two, it's the last days. And number three, the next generation is paying attention. And number four, somebody would be heartbroken if we quit. And number five, America needs it. And number six, one day we won't be able to. But number seven, and last of all, the judgment seat of Christ awaits us. 2 Corinthians 5.10, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that yet done, whether it be good or bad. A Bible reason, a basic Bible reason for the believer to keep their hand firmly on the plow handle is because the judgment seat of Christ awaits us. In 2 Corinthians 5.10, the apostle Paul tells us that after the rapture of the church, all believers will report for the review of the crowns. Evangelist Oliver B. Green once wrote about this yet future event, the basis of this judgment will be stewardship and works, and the result of this judgment will be reward or loss of reward by believers. Friend, you and I need to just keep plowing because the judgment seat of Christ awaits us. I'm not being harsh, God knows my heart. But nearly 44 years ago, when I got saved, you couldn't, Dr. Townsley, go to a fundamental church in a weeks of services. And when I say weeks of services in a fundamental church, I'm talking about Sunday school. I'm talking about Sunday morning. I'm talking about Sunday night. I'm talking about the midweek prayer meeting. 44 years ago, nearly, you couldn't go to a week of services in a fundamental church without hearing at least one thing about the judgment seat of Christ. Dr. Brown, that was in the 70s. You couldn't do it. And pardon me while I preach for a moment. Now you can go to the best of fundamental churches and you can go for weeks and even months and never hear one thing about the judgment seat of Christ. And it's still in the Bible. If you have an idea that at the judgment seat you're gonna be laughing and blowing up bubbles with bubble gum and you're gonna be skipping, then you must have been reading the Bible closed and upside down. The judgment seat of Christ is a sobering thing. The judgment seat of Christ is a stirring thing. Don't miss this, crowns gotten at the beam of seed will be given back to the Son of God. You see in heaven, we're not going to take a crown and put it on our head, in heaven we're, We're not gonna take a crown if we should be so fortunate to win one. We're not gonna take a crown and put it on a mansion mantel in heaven. We're not gonna walk around with a crown on our head. No sir, no ma'am, if you and I should be so fortunate as to get a crown, that crown will never touch our head, but we'll cast that crown at Christ's feet. That's why, Brother Bob, you gotta keep leading singing. That's why, Brother Boyle, you have to keep doing the great job that you're doing right next to the man of God. That's why, Dr. Townsley, you gotta keep making a difference in the Northeast and in the meetings that you've been holding and helping churches. That's why, Mrs. Townsley, you gotta stay on that organ and the other sister that plays it. And that's why, choir member, you gotta stay up in this choir. And that's why, choir director, you gotta keep leading that singing, leading the choir. And that's why, deacons, you gotta keep being deacons. And you just gotta keep doing what you're doing. because the judgment seat of Christ awaits us. I'm closing with this, my time's gone. It is reported that one of the chaplains of her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, it's reported, had been preaching on the second coming of the Lord. And afterward, in a conversation with the preacher, the queen exclaimed, oh, how I wish that the Lord would come in my lifetime. Why, asked the chaplain, does your majesty feel this very earnest desire? And it's reported, Dr. Townsley, that Queen Elizabeth II replied with quivering lips and her whole countenance lit up by deep emotion, I would so love to lay my crown at his feet. Now, I, like many of you, and watched with interest the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. And you remember, if you like I watched it, that that casket, that coffin was never moved without her crown being on the casket and on the coffin. In fact, I found out that Queen Elizabeth II, even in its thing that the royal family does, designed the hearse. And she designed the hearse in such a way that when they moved her earthly remains from one point and one place, if it was at night, if it was in the evening, that area where the coffin was, where the casket was, was lit. And people could see it as it went down the street. And every time, if you'll remember, oh my. Every time, if you'll remember, oh my. Every time, if you'll remember, they moved that coffin, they moved that casket every single time. Dr. Townsley, I noted it. You could see that crown on her coffin and on her casket. And so, Dr. Moore, I did a little bit more research and I did a little bit more reading. And I found out that that crown three to five billion dollars. Not million, billion. That's a B. That's a big B. Three to five billion dollars. Queen Elizabeth's crown. Oh, but I'm here to tell you that that crown in heaven, it will be a doorstop to be a doorstop. It will be a doorstop for our mansion door compared to the crown that will cast as His feet. Look at the text, plow, plow, plow. You know everything has a new shine to it, everything does. Automobile, job, home, Occupation. Everything has a new shine to it. And I'm not really interested to see what you do when something has a new shine. I'm interested to see what you do when it's lost that first shine. Our heads are bowed, our eyes are closed.