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But he'll have a better need
than he got rid of, I tell you. So be much of a prayer for him
and Sister Debbie and all these others. We have many others to
be much of a prayer for. And just pray for the service
this Lord's Day. We've got everything kind of
lined out. We can go ahead and continue
on. And I make the mention, we're not taking Brother John's place.
We'll never take his place. We'll just fill in for him while
he's gone. And so we'll keep it going. I was going to talk
to a man there yesterday. Talking about the fact, you know,
that all the churches wouldn't have what we have if somebody
had stepped right in, you know. And asked him what he was going
to do. I said, we ain't got no problem. We just, we got people with us
right on. And when he's able to be back
with us, we'll proceed right on, Lord will. So let's just
get into the service. Before we do, let's do half prayer
and ask God to bless us tonight. And just bless us as we go on.
And bless those who are in need. So Brother Stephen, have that
prayer full of praise. Lord, we thank you for allowing
us to be back in your house tonight. And just ask the very Lord for
the service tonight. Brother Jeremy, just bring your
word. I pray that it be a blessing to us who are here, Lord. And
glorify your name. We pray for those who are away
from us. We pray for Brother John, especially,
to give him a speedy recovery. We do have a card up here now
to sign before we leave tonight for Brother John. Get that to
him. All right, we'll just build our
hymnal here, and we'll just sit here and find a couple songs,
get all in for service, and we're going to do some practice for
all these. If you feel down, I'm going to
whittle you. We're going to have different
speakers this weekend, but I'm not able to take care of both
songs, so I'm glad to not take care of them. I'm preaching hours,
and I'm going to church. We'll just keep praying to God,
and we'll pray for the church before he's gone. Pray for all these, and I'll
get to you all later. Let's go to number 92. Oh Oh he said Oh Oh She was born again, I will bless,
I will bless her for you. She was the same, Jesus the same,
as He has promised I will be with you, O Savior, hear me. I see Oh, when we are saved from this
storm, Oh, then the rest will pass over you. When I say the word, When I say
the word, When I say the word, If you notice I am, you go ahead
and take over. We have a pair of ladies tonight. We have Jerry Miller, Mildred
Claxton, Carolyn Deggy Madison, Faith Bates, Charlie Johnson,
Ellen Mullins, Stephen Evans, Christy Young, Charles Pope,
Jim Hobson, Louise Nelson, Katie Trout, Carol Walker, Willie Balts,
Gary Howe, Annie Joyce Smith, Bob Frist, Angie Boggs, Michelle
Fisher, Paul Dickerson, Tim Underwood, Jeff Hammond, Tabby Dyer, Tiny
Warren, Rhonda Hall, Amy Wright, Doug Burchett, Brenda Cox, Lauren
Kasky, Louise Foster, Kenzie Cooper, Mindy Coffin, Rob Gilbert,
Greg Magnus, Tim Gregg, Brother John, Tiny Marlowe, Richard Stevens,
Charles West, Johnny Smith, Bob Stevens, Kench Liz Fever, Hamilton
Darrell Fetters, Vernon Connelly, Zach Rankin, Jordan Nunavik,
Shelly Stevens, Dean Clark, Everett Jones, Marie Bromfield, Sweeney
Smith, Carol Titrell, Mike Nelson, James Pence, Maddie Smith, Ron
Correggio, Malcolm Palmer, Marisol Piedade, Seth Patrick, Kingston
Dillon, and Karen Dillon. We pray for our missionaries,
Austin Wayward, nation leaders. We pray for our police force
around our country, also the elderly, church ministries. We
pray for our pastor, teachers, and students, the nation of Israel
and Ukraine. The military, we have Bailey
Walker, Actually, we can't take Nick off from there officially
because he is now officially out of the military. You know, it really is kind of
a weird thing. You know, you get there, like
Dad said, gain a few, lose a few. It's like that at school, too.
You know, the kids you haven't seen in two weeks, they show up, and
a couple more kids disappear. I'm telling you why, it's really
something else. So let's be in prayer. for a beautiful day, for the
opportunity to be with him and worship him. Lord, we pray, Father,
for the many that's on our prayer list. Lord, we know that you
are in each and every person's needs. Father, we're presenting
each and every one of them up to you. Lord, we pray, Father,
that you be with Brother John. We pray, Father, that you be with Brother John. He
will, Father. He will, Father, and he will
be back with us soon. Lord, we pray, Father, that you be with
each and every one It feels important, Lord, we pray, Father, that you
put the strength in them and guide them. Lord, we pray that
you'll be with the families around us who have lost loved ones,
comfort them. And Lord, we pray, Father, for
our missionaries. Lord, we pray, Father, that you watch over them
and just keep them safe and guide them in their work for you. I pray Father that you'll be
with our servicemen and women, law enforcement, and more people.
I pray, Father, that you will just support us in every time
that we get in here, that we may be a light in the lost souls. Lord, we pray, Father, that you
will help us to cease to give you praise for all that you've
done for us. We thank you, Father, for all
that you've done for us. In Jesus' name, So 55. 55. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus
Sing His mercy and His grace In the mansions bright and blessed
They'll prepare for us a place When we all get to heaven What
a day of rejoicing that will be When we all see Jesus, we'll
sing and shout the victory. When we walk the pilgrim pathway,
clouds will overspread the sky. But when traveling days are over,
not a shadow, not a sigh. When we all get to heaven, what
a day of rejoicing there will be! When we all see Jesus, we'll
sing and shout the victory! Let us then be true and faithful,
trusting, serving every day. Just one glimpse of Him in glory
will the toils of life repay. When we all get to heaven on
a day of rejoicing that will be, When we all see Jesus We'll
sing and shout victory Onward to the prize before us Soon His
beauty will behold Soon the pearly gates will open We shall tread
the streets of gold When we all enter Heaven On a day of rejoicing
that will be When we all see Jesus We'll sing and chant the
victory Rock of Ages, clap for me. Let me hide myself in Thee. Let the water and the blood from
Thy wounded side which flowed be of sin the double cure. Save from wrath and make me pure. Could my tears forever flow? Could my zeal no longer know? These four sin could not atone. Thou must save and Thou alone. In my hand the price I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death, When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold the unlike throne, rock of ages, clad for me. Let me hide myself in thee. Have you been to Jesus for the
cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of
the Lamb? Are you fully entrusted in His
grace and power? Are you washed in the blood of
the Lamb? Are you washed in the blood,
in the blood, in the soul, cleansing blood of the Lamb? He's the golden
spotless light of white as snow He washed in the blood of the
Lamb There's a side of garments that are stained with sin And
they washed in the blood of the Lamb There's a fountain flowing
full of soul and renown He washed in the blood of the Lamb Are
you washed? Are you washed in the blood?
In the blood of the lamb? Are you white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of
the lamb? I'll be somewhere working for
my Lord. I'll be somewhere working, I'll
be somewhere working, I'll be somewhere working for my Lord. I'll be somewhere working, I'll
be somewhere working, I'll be somewhere working for my Lord. When He calls me, I'll answer. When He calls me, I'll answer. When He calls me, I'll answer. I'll be somewhere working for
my Lord. Good evening, Church family.
As Brother Jim said there at the beginning, it's never the
case that we're replacing Brother John or anything like that. It's always just a try and fill
the shoes. It's always an honor to be able
to stand here and present the Word of God, and I appreciate
the opportunity to do so. If you've got your Bibles with
you, I'd like for you to turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 11. 2 Corinthians chapter 11. We'll
start by reading the first four verses. 2 Corinthians chapter
11 verse 1-4 says, Would to God ye could bear with me in my folly,
and indeed bear with me, for I am jealous over you with godly
jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may
present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by
any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so
your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth
another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another
spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have
not accepted, ye might well bear with him. Let us pray. Dear Heavenly
Father, we come to you this evening so thankful for another opportunity
to open up your Word. Lord, as we do, we remember Brother
John and we pray that, Lord, You'd allow him to fill your
presence even tonight. Lord, that you would grant him
a speedy recovery. Lord, that you would be with
Sister Debbie. Lord, that she supports and cares for him. Lord,
we just pray that you'd give them all that they stand in need
of. Lord, we pray for each one here in this house tonight. Lord,
that you would give us the ears to hear. Lord, that you would
open up our words that we may feel a pricking of your Holy
Spirit. Lord, we pray for the lost amongst
us. Lord, that maybe tonight be the night that they receive
conviction, Lord, and come to know You before it's eternally
too late. And Lord, we do love You. We give You all the praise,
all the honor, all the glory. We say this all in the name of Your
Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. So, Sunday after church, Sunday
evening, I went home and like many, I turned on the TV and
began to watch commercials. I heard a couple people after
that, she's fine, talking about this commercial
that came on and they were so impressed that Jesus had a commercial
in the Super Bowl. And in that commercial, there
was two of them, I suppose, and it said that God gets us. And
in these commercials, it portrayed all sorts of different lifestyles
cultures and sin. Let's just call it what it is.
But these people that were talking, they were so encouraged. Jesus
had ads in the Super Bowl. I'm so glad that we're keeping
Jesus in our focus. And you know, that really got
me to thinking. Because in these commercials,
the first one said Jesus gets us, and the second one was to
love our neighbor. And once again, it portrayed
all these different societal people and different lifestyles.
And it just encouraged us, Jesus gets them, just love them. Forget
about the rest. And you know, I agree that, of
course, God does get us, 100%. I won't argue with that. And
I agree that Jesus himself taught that we're to love our neighbors
as ourselves. Those are true facts. But we ought not look at these
people, look at ourselves, look within our churches, and say,
well, God gets them. I'm just going to love them. As Christians, what our community,
what our world needs is Christians who will lovingly step forward
and call sin, sin, just as Christ did. What our family members
and our friends need is someone who will step forth and say,
can I show you what Jesus says about this matter? See, the devil was in the details
of those commercials, telling people that Jesus gets us. And for so many, that seemed
great. That seemed encouraging. seemed harmless. But what it
really was, was simply a camouflage tool of Satan. And so as I thought on this matter,
I came across this passage of scripture. And here we see Paul. He continues on in his letter
to the Church of Corinth. And we know that the Church of
Corinth has had their issues. But we see Paul and he's highly
concerned. It says that he's jealous with
a godly jealousy due to the inability of some within the church to
recognize those who are bearing false teachings. He's so concerned. Notice he didn't write this and
said, guys, God gets it. I love you. You'll figure it
out. No, he confronts them, he brings
it to their attention. And he does so troubled. I felt so guilty after hearing
that conversation that I didn't step forth and explain to it why it wasn't
a great commercial. I felt so guilty after staying
silent in that. Oh, he's not afraid to do this. He's not afraid to confront this
issue. He's rather afraid that they're going to entertain and
be carried away, carried astray by false teachings. He wasn't
afraid of the situation. He was afraid for the people.
He was afraid where it would lead them. He was afraid that they were
going to listen to a different gospel of a different Christ in the
leading of a different spirit. And we've got to open up our
eyes and realize that any adulterated gospel is not a gospel of Jesus
Christ. So he presents this concern to
them using the imagery of a bride engaged to marry and how they
must remain pure until that union. He points to the fact that a
lack of discernment was the vessel in which Satan used He brings
sin into the entire creation. So he's looking at the church
of Corinth and saying, I have espoused you in a marriage with
Christ. And I know there's so many opportunities,
that there's so many offerings, so many things that can pull
you away, but you must remain pure. Not just for a day or two,
but until that marriage supper. Until we are reunited. but Jesus
Christ, our one and only Savior. And so although this letter was
written to the Church of Corinth almost 2,000 years ago, I thought,
how relevant is this letter to us still today? I believe this
is a letter that needs to be brought to all of our churches. And all of the churches throughout
America today to realize, look, we need to wake up. We can't
just accept a watered down gospel. Well, we can't accept anything
but the word of God. See, because this is an issue
that was brought forth, not out of condemnation, not out of hate,
but we see Paul bring this forth because he loved the people.
And I believe that if we're going to deal with the situations of
this world, it's so easy to get upset. It's so easy to begin
to point fingers. It's so easy to just beat them
down. But that's not what Paul done.
He come to them because he loved them. And that's where our desire to
help ought to come from. It needs to come from a heart
that's been praying on the matter. I get myself in so much trouble
acting quickly rather than stepping back and praying about it and
keeping my mouth shut for a little bit. Paul wrote this letter and
he done so with love. Because we see that as Paul depicts
this picture of a bride engaged, he inserts himself into the picture
as the father who set his daughter aside for the groom. He presents
the issue as more than just an authoritarian. Look, I planted
this church in the authority of Christ and you guys are going
wrong. That's not how He painted this picture. But you guys, I've
set you aside. I've set you on the path where
one day you will marry Christ Jesus. Where you will be the
bride of Christ. You're going and in a dangerous
direction. And as the father, I want to
protect my daughter. I want to make sure she, who
she's being with, who she's seeing, isn't one that's going to carry
her in a direction that she ought not go. That's the mind that
Paul had in this manor. There are so many false teachers,
so many idols, so many things that are coming at the church
of Corinth. He says, guys, you've got to wake up. You've got to keep your mind
on Christ. Paul demonstrates here that he's
a great love for God's church. And that's where our course of
action must begin as well. We gotta realize how important
the church is to God. We gotta come after these issues,
but with a love for God's church and a desire to protect it. As
I was studying this, I thought about the trail of blood, and
how these men refused to adulterate the word of God. So much so that
they willfully died. You think of the apostles, and
all but one were brutally murdered. And John was exiled to the island
of Patmos where he suffered. These men weren't ones to say,
well, it's okay. You believe what you believe
and I'll believe what I believe. They stood for the Word of God. And that's where our church needs
to be today. Not willing to back down. Willing to be one that's
condemned. Willing to be one not to fit
into the crowd, but to say, this is a matter that I love, and
under no circumstance will I back down. When we're met with this
temptation to just accept it, everybody's doing it. Look at
all the other churches and why are you guys so traditional,
so stuck in times past? Just accept it and move on. Just
soften a little bit. Modernize it. Maybe you guys
would see some growth. Well, I doubt it. God's not going
to bless our sin. When we're met with that temptation,
We've got to remember what's written in Ephesians chapter
5. In Ephesians chapter 5. It says in verse 25 through 27,
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church.
and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present
it to himself a glorious church, not having a spot or a wrinkle
or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. We ought to love the church and
realize that Christ gave his life for the church. And we ought to strive to keep
it spotless. We have to strive to keep it
without a wrinkle or without a blemish. We ought to realize
that Jesus Christ left the unfathomable glories of heaven and walked on this sinful earth,
dealing with every temptation, every struggle that each and
every one of us do for the church, for his, for his own, for his
flock. So that's why we can't soften.
That's why we can't stand back and accept it and just say, well,
God gets them. God does get them. And that's why we're here. That's
why the church is here, because God gets them. And he realizes
that this world needs the gospel, the unadulterated gospel, the
gospel of Jesus Christ. To accept or to entertain an
adulterated gospel is to disregard the eternal price that was paid
by our Savior. Lord, I know that you paid a
price that I can never fathom. God, we might get a different
crowd if we soften a little bit. People may not see us as old
and traditional. Would we rather have a different
crowd and not be seen as old traditional, but to be seen as
sinful in the eyes of our God? Would we rather be seen as accepting
and modern if it comes at the price of Christ looking at this
church as not useful anymore? We must consider what the church
is. to our Lord and Savior. Peter
put it like this in 1 Peter 1 18. For as much as you know that
you are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from
from your vain conversations received by traditions from your
father. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
without blemish and without spot. What we have. Such an honor. Such a privilege,
such a blessing. and to sit back and accept anything
less than the word of God is to spit on that sacrifice. Something that we must take so
very serious to hold true to that which has been paid for. So since Christ done such a work
for his church, We must hold a deep desire to love it. If
Christ loved this church so much, and I say this church as his
church, not just the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, but
every true gospel preaching church. He loved it so much that we need
to too. We need to pour everything we
have into it. And I'm not talking about the building, I'm talking
about the body of Christ. When we see a brother, when we
see a sister that's beginning to grow weak, we must do exactly
what Paul done there in 2 Corinthians and reach out and say, I'm worried
about you. I understand that there's so
much pressure, that there's so many temptations. But brother,
we gotta stay pure. We've got to stay on the right
track. And I'm not here because I want to pump myself up because
I've got it all together. I'm here because you're my brother
and I love you. You're my sister and I love you. And I want to
see us thrive in the Word of God together. I want to see us
grow together. I want to see us be able to reach
out together to each and every one of our families, to our neighbors
and to our friends. But we can't do that if you're wavering in your faith.
It says that a double-minded man is unstable in all of his
ways. We know that if the salt is lost in savor, it's no good
and ought to be thrown out. We must be careful that we keep ourselves pure and
that we keep a watchful eye for one another out of love. Paul goes on in 2 Corinthians
chapter 11, verses 22 through 28, and he shares with the church
of Corinth. And he says, are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites?
So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham?
So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a full, I
am more. In labors more abundant, in stripes
above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. Of
the Jews, five times received I forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods.
Once was I stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck,
and a night and a day I have been in the deep, in journeyings
often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils
by mine own countrymen, perils by the heathens, perils in the
city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among
false brethren, in weariness, painfulness, watchings often,
in hunger and thirst and fasting often, in cold and nakedness.
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon
me daily, the care of all the church." He says, look, I've
been through all sorts of stuff. You name it, and I've dealt with
it. But the thing that bothers me the most, the thing that comes
upon me and tortures me daily, is my care for the church. How
are my brother and sister doing? How can I help them be stronger,
more pure, more pleasing to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
Paul had a great love for the church. And that's something that we
can look at Paul and realize that he's a man just like you
and I. And if Paul can endure all these things for the church,
I tell you, we're just as much capable as Paul. Paul wasn't
divine. Paul wasn't God in the flesh.
Paul struggled. But he was willing to do so because
of his care for the church and his love for Christ. Church,
that's where we need to be as well. And so we see that if I'm
going to love my neighbor, if I'm going to love my church,
if I'm going to love my church family, that I must not ignore
it, the sin that tries to enter in. I must not accept it or entertain
the false teachings, but rather be willing to call it out in
love. Say, no, that's not right, I love you. Let me show you why. We must have a willingness to teach
one another. I'm not saying we need to browbeat
anybody. We can't change one another's
minds. But we can, out of love, ask, hey, can we just sit down
and go through Scripture together? Let me show you why we believe
what we believe. You know, I believe that's a
lost art within the Christian church, to really be able to
explain why is it that you believe that it's by grace alone through
faith alone? Why is it that you believe that you don't have to be baptized
in order to receive salvation? Why is it that you believe what
you believe? How is it that we're ever going
to be able to write these letters to help one another if we ourselves
don't understand the why within our faith? It is something that
must be there. And we must be burdened. Burdened
down with the understanding that so many Christians are really
missing out on the joy of salvation. We've got to realize that I'm
not confronting you. I'm not bringing forth an issue
because I'm anybody. But I realize that there's joy
in the fact that my salvation is eternal. There's joy in the peace of the
Holy Spirit. There's so many benefits of Christ
and if we don't fully understand it, we can live in fear. We can live in misery. We can
live in the torment of sin and out of love. I want to make your
walk more enjoyable. I want to help us get through
it. So many Christians are missing
out on so much. living absent of a blessed hope. Therefore, we, like Paul, must
deliver direction. Right? We've got to love the
church, love the Lord, and allow that to bring us to a point where
we're willing and able to deliver some direction. Now, let's look
at an example of that in 1 Thessalonians. It says in 1 Thessalonians, chapter
5, a very familiar passage of Scripture. Starting on verse
16. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 16 starts
by saying, Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and everything
give thanks, for this is the will of God and Christ Jesus
concerning you. Quench not the spirit, despise
not prophesying, prove all things, hold fast to that which is good,
and abstain from all appearances of evil. It says, And the very
God of peace sanctify you wholly. And I pray God, your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is talking to the church
of Thessalonica and he's giving them very specific instructions,
very specific directions. how to be pleasing to our Lord
Jesus Christ. And he realizes that there are so many things
that pull them aside day by day. But if you can follow this list,
these simple directions, it will allow you to enjoy the
joy of our Lord. But notice here, he's concerned
for the same reasons as the church of Corinth with the church of
Thessalonica. As he says, starting on verse
20, despise not prophesying. What is prophesying is simply
revealing the Word of God. You look through all the Old
Testament, that's what Daniel done. He revealed the Word of
God. That's what Ezekiel, that's what Isaiah, that's all what
they done. They revealed the Word of God. Every time that
we open up our Bible, every time that we listen to a sermon, every
time that we listen to a Sunday School lesson, that's exactly
what's happening. You're revealing the Word of God. So it says,
despise not prophesying. Despise not the time that we
gather to open up God's word, to hear what God has to say.
Take that time and cherish it. Cling to it. Hunger for it, right? That's what Jesus said, blessed
are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness. That's where
the church needs to be. We've got to look forward to
these opportunities that we get to listen to men of wise, that
stand here in these pulpits and stand here at these podiums and
stand in these classrooms and divulge the Word of God. These
are men and women who have studied and have gained understanding
and we need not despise them. We need to look forward to the
opportunities to get in here and to really try and get a grasp
and understanding of God's Word. And then he says, prove all things. You know, just because it's said
in a sermon doesn't make it right. Just because it's said in a Sunday
school lesson doesn't make it right. It's our responsibility
to prove it. Are the things that are being
said behind our podiums, do they line up with the word of God?
It's our responsibility. So many people, when asked, why
is it that you believe in this doctrine, say, well, that's what
I was always taught. Well, that's great, I'm glad
you were taught that. But how do you know that that's right?
I don't know. Well, then what if I tell you
that this is right, and then we're so easily carried away
by the ways of this world? I can tell you that this was
right, that this was right. It wasn't many years ago that
I stood in pulpits and preached things that were incorrect according
to Scripture simply because of that error. I didn't take the
time to search it out. It's so easy to just say, that's
what I was always taught. I can even show you Scriptures
that support that, but you know, in this day and age, You can
get on the internet and Google anything and find somebody who
agrees with it and build some sort of argument. But if we don't
take it to the word of God and truly search it out, why is it
that you believe what you do? Can you prove it? Then we're
setting ourself up for an error. We're setting ourself up with
the inability to help one another. We must be able to prove all
things. the direction that's being given
is to listen to the Word of God intently, to focus on it while
it's being delivered, and then take that which is being said
and put it to the test. We know that God cannot lie,
and we know that God doesn't change, therefore we know that
God's Word is not going to contradict itself. So if this is never changing,
it's never wrong, then this should be our standard for everything
that we believe. I'm a man and I'm going to get
things wrong. I've said things that are wrong. And I've done
so from the pulpit. That's why we can't trust man.
But we must trust God's Word. We must determine if what's being
taught lines up with the truth of Scriptures. For if we don't,
we're in great danger. If you remember in 2 Corinthians
11, Paul's concerned that they're going to be carried away into
sin. just as Eve was in Genesis chapter 3. It didn't take much,
did it? That serpent called out and said,
you won't die, surely you won't die. And that lack of discernment,
that lack to step back and recall, well, what is it really that
God said? That lack to go back and consult her husband. What really was it that said? to sin entering into this world.
So Paul delivered a very similar direction to the church in Ephesus. Turn back to Ephesians chapter
five with me. Ephesians chapter five, verse
eight through 11. It said, for you were sometimes
darkness, but now are you light in the world. Walk as children
of the light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness
and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable unto
the Lord, and having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them." You see, so it's not only
the fact that we need to step back and digest that which is
being taught. We need to prove it. And we need to have no fellowship
with it. We need to allow no room for
it to fester, no room for it to grow. Prove what's acceptable unto
the Lord and have no fellowship with the darkness. We're to search
out God's Word. Then begin to prove it out. This
is what it's taught, and this is why it's taught, and this
is why I believe it, and all this other stuff. I have no room
for it. I don't want no part of it. Zero tolerance for it. I wonder if that's not some of
the issues that our culture deals with is because there's so many,
but we're so tolerant. Look around. Just here in this
community, the denominational variances. Just because some people are
tolerant. It's not that big of a deal. I disagree. Any time that we
begin to entertain something that's unbiblical, it's a big
deal. It's a big deal that leads us
into a place that we have no business being in. Turn with
me to the book of Proverbs, chapter 4. In Proverbs chapter 4, verse 5 through 8, it says, Get
wisdom, get understanding, forget it not, and neither decline from
the words of thy mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall
preserve thee. Love her, and she shall keep
thee. Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and
with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her and she shall promote
thee. She shall bring thee to honor when thou dost embrace
her. We need to be a people who are hungry for wisdom. It says
decline not from the words of thy mouth. Decline not from the
word of God. When we have an opportunity to
read when we have an opportunity, to listen to a biblical sermon
when we have an opportunity, to sit underneath the teaching
of biblical men. We need to incline our ears and
search out for wisdom. For without that wisdom, how
will we be useful? How will we be able to, like
Paul, give that direction? Because in our current society,
there's so many false teachers. turn on our radios to Christian
stations and listen to what the songs are proclaiming. Look what's so easily accessible
on TV and on the internet as far as preaching. There are so many falsehoods
within our society that stir up emotions. Get people to feeling
good. Look around at how many families
are going from place to place, searching for what feels right.
They're simply, just as scripture says, that they're people with
itching ears. Church, we need to sit back and
really begin to pray. Develop a true love for these
people. and pray that the Lord opens
up some doors that we may have the opportunity to give some
direction, to help these individuals. We
need to wake up and see all that's going on and how this world needs
Christians who will rise up out of the love for Jesus Christ
and his church and deliver some sound doctrines on the issues
of discernment. You see, that was the issue with
all these churches. You need to sharpen your swords
a little bit. You need to open your eyes and
realize the dangers and the falsehoods. We need to realize, just as James
said, that our adversary, he prowls around like a roaring
lion, seeking whom he may devour. It's not changed. It's not changed. So we've got to be sober-minded.
Sober-minded that we ourselves can see that grass begin to move. And sober-minded that we can
see that the shadows begin to lurk upon you. On our brothers
and sisters and our family and our friends and our co-workers.
And say, look, you're going down a dark path. You're going down
the wrong way. And I love you. And I don't want
to see it happen. Lastly, we've got to understand
the consequences of the lack of discernment. Last passage
of scripture. In Matthew chapter 16, we see
Jesus confront some Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew chapter
16, verse one through four, says, the Pharisees also with
the Sadducees came and tempting desired him that he would show
them a sign from heaven. And he said unto them, when it's
evening, You say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is
red, and in the morning it will be foul weather, for the sky
is red and lowering. Oh, you hypocrites. You can discern
the face of the sky, but can you not discern the signs of
the times? A wicked and adulterous generation
seeketh after a sign, and there shall be no sign given unto them
but the sign of the prophet of Jonas. And he left them and departed. Here we see religious leaders,
people who were leading the so-called church at the time, people who
were experts in the Old Testament and biblical law, and here they
stand face-to-face with the very Messiah, the prophesied one, looking for
a sign. And he looks at him and says,
you can look at the sky and discern what the weather's gonna be. You're meteorologists, you're
weathermen. You think you've got it all figured out. But yet,
look around at the signs of the times, and you can't see that
I am the very Messiah. You require some sort of miraculous
work, some sort of miraculous sign for me to prove who I am. It says that He departed from
them. He showed them nothing. That's where we ought to realize.
We can't sit back and say, they're going to believe what they're
going to believe. They're going to do what they want to do. Don't
get me wrong. I understand that we don't have
the power to change anybody's minds. That's not what I'm saying.
It's only by the power of the Holy Spirit. But we're placed
here for a reason, church. We know that the Great Commission
tells us to go ye therefore. to teach. So therefore, when we're given
the opportunity, we must realize that there's a great need. A
great need within our own selves. A need to make sure that we're
pure. Make sure that we're right. Make
sure that we have understanding. And look for those opportunities
to share that. I don't believe that God gives
us understanding so that we can just sit back and be high and
mighty, have a wealth of knowledge, but be able to do so to help
one another. These Pharisees and Sadducees,
they were so close. You know, it's likely that they
believed in the God of creation. More than likely, they believed
in seven 24-hour days. It's likely that they believed
in the Law of Moses. It's likely that they believed
that there was a coming Messiah coming. It's likely that they
believed that it was only through that coming Messiah that they
would ever see salvation. But they lacked discernment.
They failed to see that this very One who stood before them
had already fulfilled so many prophecies, just in His virgin
birth. Why? Because they were caught
up in the times. Caught up in that culture. Caught up in the wants and needs
of the people. So much so, the Messiah departed
from them and they didn't even know. So much so that they cried
out, crucify him. So much so that they knelt him
to a cross and mocked him as he bled. So much so that after
He died for our sins and rose on the third day that they made
up lies and said they've moved the body. All because they lacked discernment.
So as I close, we started this evening in 2 Corinthians looking
at Paul's plea for the people to be careful. And that's my
plea for you as well tonight. Please be careful. Please be
careful what you allow yourself to feed on. Careful what you
allow our families to feed on. Careful not to miss an opportunity,
an opportunity to reach out and love somebody. Love them by not
accepting their sin and brushing it off as nothing but really
delivering some direction. Because you understand that there's
severe consequences. Consequences that can easily
be avoided. You know, we're all going to
stand in front of Christ one day. And I dread the day that
it's brought to our attention. How many times did you allow
one of mine to stumble because you were too scared, because
you were too uncomfortable, because you didn't love him enough? Church,
this is real. There's so many issues of discernment
out there that we really need to wake up and see. Let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, we come to You this evening and
Lord, I'm so thankful for Your Word. So thankful for Your Son,
Jesus Christ, Lord, for the sacrifice that was made
for us. Lord, for this church, for Your church. Lord, so thankful
for men of old, who are so strong in their faith,
so much so that they're willing to die for it. Lord, I pray that
you strengthen us, Lord, that we could be just an example to
our family, an example to our communities, and to our co-workers,
those around us. Lord, I pray that you place a
deep burden on our hearts. Lord, that we never grow callous
to the sin around us. Lord, I pray that maybe tonight,
Lord, that you've convicted a heart to make them realize the love
that you have for them, Lord, but the hatred that you have
for sin. Lord, we just pray that you continue to work on those
hearts. Lord, we do love you, and we give you all the praise,
all the honor, and the glory. We say this all in the name of your
Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. ♪ Glory, glory, hallelujah ♪ ♪
Glory, glory, hallelujah ♪ He's there by earth, He's there
on high, He's there with my side. I'm here to listen to Him, Jesus,
I am free. Jesus, who's great and mighty, ♪ And through the valley way ♪
♪ Come now, my hope and my spirit ♪ ♪ With hope in every way ♪
♪ I will listen to them ♪ ♪ Three times a week ♪ ♪ Jesus, greatest,
highest ♪
An Issue of Discernment
| Sermon ID | 2152421334773 |
| Duration | 1:04:57 |
| Date | |
| Category | Midweek Service |
| Language | English |
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