Proverbs 14, 12, There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. We who believe know the 66 books of Scripture to be the very Word of God. Its divine truth contains all that is necessary for life and godliness. very first words of the London Baptist Confession state what we know to be true. That the Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, infallible rule of saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. Second Timothy 316, all Scripture is inspired by God. It's God-breathed, literally, and profitable for teaching, reproof for correction, for training in righteousness. And for us, it is so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. And we know these things to be true. And yet many, both inside and outside the church, have chosen to follow their own ways. There's a way which seems right to a man, but its end is death. Many either outright deny the teachings of the Word of God, or they've heard them profess belief and have lost sight of the Word that God has spoken. Some inside the churches, as this survey we're going to look at will show, have either not been properly taught or have not been truly converted at all. We have an immense problem in the church and in the world. Something is wrong. Every two years, Ligonier Ministries commissions a survey on the state of the church. They've been doing it since 2014. And the survey results, if you want to look at them, are available at Ligonier.org. It's called The State of Theology. And at Lifeway.com. You can ask me later if you don't have those. But every two years, the results of the survey reveal a church that is falling deeper and deeper into error. And in some cases, even into darkness. So in the survey, both non-believers and professing believers were surveyed. But our focus this morning is on that part of the survey that dealt with those who are professing believers in Christ. And all of these agree with these four statements. That the Bible is the highest authority we have. That it's important for us to encourage non-believers to trust Christ as their Savior. That Jesus' death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could atone for sins. And that only those who trust in Christ receive God's free gift of eternal life. So the people that we're going to be talking about here believe these four things. Or profess belief in these four things. And the surveyed people were presented with a series of statements. And they were asked, do you agree or disagree with this statement? The great majority, nearly all, said they believe God is a perfect being. That He exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They professed belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Most believe in hell. Most believe that Jesus will return to judge the world. But then we begin to see some troubling responses from professing evangelicals. And I want to look at some of those this morning because they're reflected in this statement in Proverbs. There's a way which seems right to a man. One question, true or false, God accepts the worship of all religions. Do you know, 56% of professing evangelicals said that statement was true. 56% agree that the true God accepts the worship of other gods as worship of Him. What did God say? He spoke these words, Exodus 20, verse 1, "...I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me." At that time in the ancient Near Eastern world, it was filled with all manner of religions and all manner of gods. So is the world today. People invent their own god, choose their own god. Sometimes their god is themselves. Here's what God said of those other religions, of those other gods and the worship of them. Deuteronomy 32, 16. They made him jealous with strange gods. With abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons who were not God, to gods whom they have not known. New gods who came lately. We've got a new god in this last hundred years. The earth. Earth's now a god. 1 Corinthians 10 20, speaking of unbelievers, Paul said, I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. Oh, there's your answer. And I do not want you to become sharers in demons. You cannot drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. First Timothy 2.5, For there is one God and one mediator also between God and men. Who is that? The Lord Christ Jesus. Amen, brother. And Jesus himself said what? No man can come to the Father but through me. Should we have tolerance of others? Yes, of course. Christians are called to be humble, tolerant, patient, forgiving people. Our manner is to be gentle. But humanity, denying the only true God, has chosen to invent not ten, not hundreds, but thousands of its own gods. imaginary gods all that don't exist and thousands of its own religions. There are thousands of religions in the world. Only one is of Christ. And all of those religions lead their followers where? To hell. And yet, 56% of professing evangelicals today say that God, the only true God, accepts the worship of all religions. Even the worship of imaginary gods. Something is wrong. True or false? God learns and adapts to different circumstances. You know, people actually believe this? 56% of professing evangelicals in the survey agreed with that statement. That's why we sang these songs. Eternal God, Unchanging. How can people in our churches not know God? How can they not know who He is? The Bible teaches that God is all-knowing. He's immutable. He knows all things. He cannot and does not change. Malachi 3.6, For I the LORD do not change, therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. Isaiah 46.9, Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is no one like Me. I want us to hear what God says about these things. "...declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure." Is this a God who learns and adapts to changing circumstances in the fallen world? James 1.17, Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. There is no shadow of turning with Him. 1 John 3.20, Whatever our heart condemns us, for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. And you remember when Jesus was working miracles and some were saying they believed in Him? On His part, John 2, 24, He was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. He knows what's in men. He knows our hearts. God is omniscient. If He was still learning, we're all doomed. If He doesn't have an eternal purpose in Christ, we're all doomed. And yet, despite the plain teaching of Scripture, the majority of people in our churches at least say they believe God is still learning. And changes with the times and the circumstances. Brethren, something is really wrong. Something's wrong. It doesn't end there. True or false, Jesus was a great teacher. And you know what's coming next. That He was not God. 38% of professing evangelicals agreed with that. Only 50% strongly disagreed. True or false, Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God. They must have misunderstood the question because 73% said they agreed. This is heresy. It's the heresy held by the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses, among others. Those are two very large religions with large followings. This is what's believed in the unbelieving world, that He's not God. But the Word of God says this. John 1.1, And the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In the beginning, He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him. And apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. And verse 14, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." We can't let go of these truths. Nearly 40% of professing evangelicals agreed with a statement that said Jesus is not the eternal Son of God in human flesh. That He's a created being. How could anyone attend even one worship service, one true worship service, and come away believing this? So there comes a point when one must say in his heart, I believe the Bible or I don't believe the Bible. We're not free to pick and choose what we believe in the Word of God, and that's what's going on today. We can't pick what we believe and what we don't believe. what we accept and what we don't accept. And if we reject any part of the Word of God, what are we doing? We're making ourselves an editor who removes certain passages and certain pages. We're making ourselves the final authority. You receive it all, or you didn't receive it. We're saying, where the Bible agrees with me, I believe it. Where it doesn't agree with me, I don't believe it. There's a way which seems right to a man, but its way is the end of death. Survey. Fifty-seven percent of professing evangelicals believe that. While everybody sins a little, most people are good by nature. What Bible are they reading? 65% of professing evangelicals believe that everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God. Have they not read? Have they not been taught? The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6-5. Jeremiah 17, 9, "...the heart is more deceitful than all else, and it is desperately sick." And that term, by the way, means incurable. I think some translate that desperately wicked. But the word means incurable. After he had sinned and repented of his sin, what did King David do? He prayed. He went to God. Psalm 51, verse 5, "...Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." Everyone is not born innocent in God's eyes. Adam came into the world innocent, and he fell. Paul quoted in Romans 3. He quoted from Psalms 14 and 53. There's none who does good. None. They've all turned aside. Together they've become corrupt. There is no one who does good. Not even one. And yet most people are good by nature. Some believe. Romans 5, 12, just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, death spread to all men because all sinned. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 1, you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. And Paul says, among them, we too all formerly walked, lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature not innocent, not good, but children of God's wrath. Basically good. James 2.10, For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not commit murder. If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you're a transgressor of the whole law. So the Bible teaches that all men are conceived in sin and born in iniquity by nature, children of wrath. And yet, somewhere between 57% and 65% of those in the pews don't know that. 30% believe that modern science, a godless discipline, disproves the Bible. That doesn't mean it's an evil discipline, but it is godless. It only takes into account the natural world. Thirty percent believe modern science disproves the Bible, the Word of God. Fifty-four percent agree that worshiping alone or with one's family is a valid replacement for gathering together with the people of God in the local body. You know where the word church comes from? It comes from a Greek word. ecclesia, which means assembly of the called out ones. Assembly of the called out ones. The church is the assembly of the saints, the assembly of the people of God on earth. And what are we taught in Scripture is our role in the assembly of the people of God. To love the brethren, to serve the brethren, to encourage the brethren, Romans 12.10, be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Give preference to one another in honor. How are you going to do that if you are separated from the body? You know, two years ago, maybe it's three now, And I don't know what all the facts are. We know that there was a biological weapon manufactured by men in China. And it spread into the world. And we know it was used by Satan to pull the weaker brethren out of the assemblies of the people of God. And sadly, and contrary to the Word of God, millions, it's now millions, have replaced the brethren with a laptop computer, with a television screen. And they say that's where they're attending church. God said, Hebrews 10, 24, Here's what he calls us to do. Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another all the more, as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 3.13, but encourage one another when we happen to run into one another? No. Day after day. As long as it's still called today. As long as we're still here in this world. So that you will not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. How can we love and serve the brethren if we separate ourselves from the brethren? Even in our worship. Don's right. We must go into the world. We must bring the gospel. That's our mission. But we have another mission. And that's to love and serve the brethren. To not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. But you see, Satan has used this virus to get people used to sitting at home in the PJs. It's a lot easier. And people think they're doing what God wants. Thirty-seven percent say that one's gender identity. This is professing evangelicals. Thirty-seven percent say that one's gender is a matter of one's choice. God made them male and female. Twenty-eight percent say the Bible's condemnation of homosexual behavior does not apply today. How can anyone in the church of Jesus Christ believe such a thing? These beliefs are so in opposition to God and His will as to require very little discussion. Genesis 127, what's it say? God created man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him male and female. He created them. And Jesus quoted that very passage in Matthew chapter 19, verse 4, when they were asking Him about divorce. Haven't you read? He said from the beginning, God created them male and female. Now, shalt not commit adultery, but it has a much broader meaning. Leviticus 18.20, you shall not have intercourse with your neighbor's wife to be defiled with her. Adultery is a defiling sin. You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God. Leviticus 18.22, you shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female. It is an abomination. And I hear people say, well Jesus didn't specifically say anything about that. You think that anything in Jesus' life was intended to cancel out anything of the moral law of God. Also, you shall not have intercourse with an animal to be defiled with it. That's the next verse. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. So Jesus, we don't have a quote from Jesus, but look what we do have, 1 Corinthians 6, 9. Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? And here he says, don't be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. What's he saying to us? You better repent, believe in the gospel, and repent of your sin. No, your repentance doesn't save you. Your repentance shows that you truly believe. God sees sodomy and all homosexual practice as an abomination. He says it's a practice which, if not repented of, will keep one out of the kingdom of God. I don't know how he could have been any clearer. He destroyed two cities near the Salt Sea on account of this gross sin. And now in America, and even in some churches, An entire month is given over to the celebration of this sin. What's wrong with us? Transgenderism? Men wearing dresses? Here's what God said, Deuteronomy 22, 5, A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's clothing. He created the male and female, and He made distinctions in His design of the two. Whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God. And it's just not homosexual practices. But it's also fornication and adultery will keep one out of the kingdom of God. It means you didn't repent of your sin. It means you haven't turned away from your sin and turned to Christ. And now what do we have? Openly, the castration and mutilation of children is rampant in our country. They're not even hiding it. anymore. Idolatry. I like football. I like to watch football. But who has the hearts of the people in western Pennsylvania? Is it God? Or is it the Pittsburgh Steelers? And we could say this in every city in the country. I mean, look in the stands at any professional sports game. Do you ever see that kind of passion that you see there for Christ? You could switch all the players on one team to the other team and exchange uniforms, and people would root for the uniform. What is that? It doesn't matter who's wearing the uniform. What do we call that? Some would call it idolatry. And on the Lord's Day, 37% of professing evangelicals agree that religious belief is a matter of personal opinion. We read a passage in 1 Peter this morning. It said no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation. Thirty-seven percent of our professing believers agree that religious belief is a matter of personal opinion. It is not about objective truth. Does anyone care what the Lord says anymore? We're going to have a happy ending to all this. But we have to be aware of what's going on. Plainly, much of the visible church has wandered away from the truth of God, from sound doctrine, just as the Bible told us it would. It's always been this way. It was this way in ancient Israel. And God declared to the prophets there would be severe consequence, as there will be severe consequence for those who reject His Word today. Amos 8.1. Thus the Lord showed me. Behold, there was a basket of summer fruit. And he said, What do you see, Amos? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. And then the Lord said to me, The end has come for my people Israel. I will spare them no longer. 722 B.C. They were destroyed by the invaders from the north and scattered all over the world. Because of the idolatry and unbelief of the sons of Jacob in those days and their refusal to heed the warnings of the prophets, God said, here's Amos 8, 11, Behold, the days are coming when I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and from north even to the east. They will go to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, but they will not find it." Folks, there's a limit to God's long-suffering. And between the prophecies of Malachi around 425-450 BC and the coming of Christ, there were over 400 years when the people did not hear from God. God told us, He warned us through the Apostle Paul, the time would come when even those in the churches would resist His Word. 2 Timothy 4, 3, "...for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine." It's here. It's here. But wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires. I'm going to go because I like what he says. And will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myth. It doesn't matter what I say. It matters what God says. And God clearly warned us there will be times when the people who are called by His name will quit listening to the actual words of God. Or start editing out the words they don't like. And will seek instead guidance from the world, from other sources, from myths even. And all the while thinking they're hearing from the Lord. We're living in such a time. The Word of God and His wisdom has been set aside. Not only in the world, but in much of what calls itself the church. And what's the effect of this? Well, this renders the church very much ill-equipped for her mission. If we don't receive and believe the truth, how are we going to communicate the truth? We are witnesses to the successes that Satan has had just in our time alone, deceiving people into doubting or rejecting the very Word of God. Look what's happened in 60 years, the countenancing in the churches of what God has plainly declared to be and what nature tells us are sinful practices. His design for the roles of men and women rejected not only in the world but in the church. and in the home. Children being sacrificed in the womb and now routinely being mutilated with or without the permission of their parents. You think Satan doesn't enjoy success in this day and age? Recall God's commands given through Moses to the sons of Jacob. Again, Leviticus 18.21, you shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 18.10, there shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire. Well now it's an abortionist knife or a mutilating scalpel. Shall not be found among you anyone who uses divination or who practices witchcraft, one who interprets omens or a sorcerer. And just like the month of celebration of homosexual practice, we've witnessed celebrations of witchcraft and witches. even by some professing evangelicals who call it all harmless fun. Ecclesiastes 1.9, That which has been is that which will be. That which has been done is that which will be done. There's nothing new under the sun. And it's not as though, especially the people in the churches, have not heard there will be eternal consequence for those who resist God and His ways. Galatians 6, 7, Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that he will reap. Proverbs 10, 9, He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. Now there's more in 1 Corinthians 6, 10. Thieves and swindlers who God said will not inherit the kingdom of God. They now inhabit the corridors of power, not only in America but throughout the world. Covetous, will not inherit the kingdom of God. But what has Satan given us? An advertising industry by which we are bombarded hour after hour with advertising designed to feed what? our fleshly lusts, our covetousness. Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. Yet a 2019 government survey showed the rate of all alcohol-related emergency room visits had increased from the prior study 47%. Between 2006 and 2014, an estimated 95,000 people died from alcohol-related causes each year. Twenty-five percent of people eighteen and older reported they engaged in binge drinking in the past month. Now this is not of the church, these alcohol statistics. But the world goes merrily on its way. You know, out there, nobody thinks anything's wrong. As in ancient Israel, everyone does what is right in his own eyes. So what's happened? How'd we get here? Well, I would suggest that it started in Europe, the birthplace of the Reformation. It turned away from God in the period it called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was the turning away from God. We're too smart for that stuff. And God has turned away from Europe. Over the past 60 years, as we know, America has turned away from God. And God, as the Word tells us, has given her over to her own desires. You want a sexual revolution? Here it is. And here's all that comes with it. Why are these things as they are? Well, the Word of God answers for us. And you might want to turn to Romans chapter 1, verse 18. It's a long passage. But here's an outline of how we got here. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Step one, suppress the truth. The truth is, of course, in the Word of God. Because that which is known about God is evident within them. They know God, but they suppress it anyway. For God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen, being understood through what has been made. So they're without excuse. And they can make up a story about how all that we see outside these windows just happened. But how foolish is that? Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God. They didn't give thanks. They became futile in their speculations. And their foolish heart was darkened. And Paul tells us, The fools are the ones who are regarded as those with the highest intellect who would reject all that God has said. Professing to be wise, they became fools in exchange for the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. Thousands of gods, all imaginary. So what did God do? He gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity. This is what we saw in the sixties and the seventies. So that their bodies would be dishonored among them. Fornication, adultery. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. And for this reason, God gave them over to degrading passion. Now the word in the Old Testament was abomination. Their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural. And in the same way, also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another. Men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. Look at your calendar for the month of June and see what's been impressed upon it by the publishers. And just as they did not repent, did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind. Does it not take a depraved mind to acquiesce in the mutilation of a child? to have a man walk around dressed as a woman and pretending he's a woman. A depraved mind to do those things which are not proper. And where does all of this add up to? Being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice. Do we have any of this in the world today? You see any wickedness, greed? See any envy? See any murder, strife, deceit? Slanders. Haters of God. Insolent. Arrogant. Boastful. Inventors of evil. We've been given over as a nation. Although they knew the ordinance of God that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but they give hearty approval to those who practice them. That's why we cannot give approval to sin. We've seen this pattern of God's judgment unfold in America in our lifetimes over the last 60 years. This nation has lost its way, and so has much of the church. None of us can just wave a wand and fix America or the church. The truth is, remember when you were dead in sin? There was nothing you could do to change yourself. We didn't have the power to change ourselves. Before God made us alive together with Christ, we were all part of this 6,000-year rebellion against God, this 6,000-year war against God. We were combatants on the other side. And one reason that we remain in this condition is that the church has failed to zealously guard the Word of God. That's what we strive to do. Because the church, in many cases, has watered down the truths or rejected them altogether of the depravity of all men and the inability of men to save themselves. So men, if they don't recognize their own condition, they're not going to confess their sin and cry out for a Savior. Modern church has allowed women to preach in its pulpits, contrary to the Word of God, has turned the worship of God into entertainment for the people. It's not only permitted people who are engaged in open sexual immorality to come to the table of the Lord, but to stand in His pulpits and preach. What do you think God thinks of all of this? There's a way which seems right to a man, and its end is death. And as the survey shows, even people in the pews either do not know or simply ignore the basic truths taught in the Word of God. So I've spent a greater part of this sermon talking about the problem and the gravity of the problem. And we know what this world has become is not according to God's will. In the world and even in His church, so many are doing what is right in their own eyes. Is there a solution? Of course there is. Of course there is. Nothing shall be impossible with God. But who does He work through? He works through His church. God works through His church. He's given us out of His love and mercy and grace, His Word, His Son, and His church. He established His church on the earth before He departed to return to His Father. And he calls the church, who is his bride, to be salt and light in the world. And he's equipped us with every necessary tool of armor. And he's given us his personal assurance that the gates of hell will not prevail against his church. Plainly, at this point in time, the survey shows the church is failing in its mission. How can the church be salt and light if it itself has fallen not only into error but into, in some cases, outright rejection and opposition to God's Word? Let's remember what the church is. His church is the assembly of His people on the earth. It's the place where the divine saving truths have been deposited and are to be preserved and taught and proclaimed in the world and handed down from generation to generation. That's what the mission of the church is. And when Christ ascended back to His Father, Paul tells us He gave gifts to the church for her training, for her nurturing, for her discipling. He gave apostles, He gave some prophets, He gave evangelists, He gave pastors, and He gave teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service. all of us the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, to the bringing people into the body of Christ. He gave apostles and prophets to the church to lay the foundation of the church. And He called ministers to evangelize, to pastor and teach the saints. To build up the church and its members to equip them to help build His church. And we think, you know, well, it's Sunday, I'll go to church. That's not all there is to it for any of us. Best of all, He gave us something else. He gave us His own Spirit. You're different from all those people who don't have His Spirit. You've got the power of God within you. We all do. So we shouldn't be, as Paul says, children tossed here and there by waves, carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men. We should be about sound doctrine. And that's only found in His Word. So we're not without power. Christ, our mediator, is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now. Far above all rule and authority. Far above all powers on this earth. We have Christ. And He's the greatest of all powers. We have the power of God living within us. And Paul talks about the weaponry that we have. But we have to use it. Ephesians 6.10, Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. And he tells us, our struggle isn't against people, against flesh and blood. It's against the world forces of darkness. It's against forces of darkness in the spiritual realm. The spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. That's who our war is with. It's not with those lost souls out there. So he says, therefore, take up the full armor of God to war against the devil. our enemy, so that we'll be able to, one, resist Him, and then to stand firm, having girded your loins with truth. We must stand firm in the truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Christ imputes His righteousness to us and enables us to now be and live as righteous having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and that is our mission." That's the good news. The gospel. And in addition, taking up the shield of faith with which, now listen to this, you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. How do you strengthen your faith? You strengthen it by time with God and His Word. With all Finally, he says, take the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. With all prayer and petition, Paul finishes, pray at all times in the Spirit. Pray for spiritual things. Pray that the Spirit would dwell in it and bless others. And be alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. So we must preach the Word. We must proclaim the Word, all of us, with humility and gentleness. But we can't compromise the gospel, so we must know His Word. J.C. Ryle was a great preacher 150 years ago in the 1800s, and he wrote this. Arm yourself with a thorough knowledge of the written Word of God. Read your Bible regularly. Become familiar with your Bible. Neglect your Bible, and nothing that I know of can prevent you from error if a plausible advocate of false teaching shall happen to meet you. Make it a rule to believe nothing except it can be proved from Scripture. The Bible alone is infallible. Do you really use your Bible as much as you ought? It's because of his belief, his strong belief in the Word of God, that J.C. Ryle is a beloved preacher still today by so many. And yeah, many will reject us. Many will reject the gospel. But folks, the gospel is the means through which God saves sinners. We're all dead in sin, and Christ came, and if you trust in Him and His resurrection, He will save you. Paul wrote, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. There's power in the gospel. We know it's through His Spirit. But all of this means that we, of all people, must know what God has said in His Word. The way that seems right to a man leads him to death. We have a duty. We have a duty to warn all men that a refusal to believe in Jesus and to repent of one's sin, of all that God says is sin, will keep a man out of the kingdom of heaven. Nobody else is going to do that. The unbelievers won't tell these things to each other. And we must pray. we must pray. What we're doing in terms of prayer, and I don't mean just here, I know we have to do more. We as the body of Christ must begin to pray fervently. Paul said to pray unceasingly. No, we can't save anyone, but God can. And the way He is designed to save sinners and to impact the fallen world is sharing the gospel, proclaiming the gospel, walking in a manner worthy of His calling, and fervent prayer. That's our commission. And with all the bad news, I want to close with some good news. Some very good news. Because God has a plan. He has an eternal plan. He's an eternal God. An unchanging God with an eternal, unchanging plan. And it cannot be thwarted. Gates of hell cannot prevail against God or His church. in His wisdom and providence. God has placed us in this time and in this place. You know, we're not just here accidentally. We're here because He has placed us in this time and place. And He's given us our mission. And you know what else He's done? He has told us how things all end up. This is, if there's no other reason, if it's not just of love of God, this is what makes it all worthwhile is this other truth of which we must never lose sight. Yeah, it's bad out there now. Yeah, we've got problems in the church, big problems. But in the end, Christ is victorious and His people with Him. That's why we're here, because we believe that. Philippians 2.10, Every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. What a wonderful verse. Christ we serve is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and He will reign forever, and we who believe in Him shall reign with Him. So let's share that message. Let's share that great news. Let's take a moment, reflect on what the Word of the Lord has spoken to us this morning. Let each of us then examine himself, and then let us gather at his table in joyful remembrance of him. Lord, the problems are so easy to see. The answers sometimes seem to elude us, but they only elude us, Lord, when we forget who you are and all you've done and what your eternal plan and purpose is. Lord, we thank you that you have called us out of the darkness into your marvelous light. We thank you for the mission you've given us. We confess we haven't done nearly as well as we should. And we acknowledge that you have empowered us to do all that is necessary to our calling. And so, Lord, I pray that you would convict us each day of our mission of the gifts you have given us, of the power that is within us as you reside in us. And Lord, give us guidance. Give us a hunger to bring people to you. Give us a hunger to love and serve one another in the body. In Christ's name,