back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service November 5, 2023 - God's Calling for Sanctification Pt. 2
00:12:11.180 |
Before we get started, I'd like to read for us 00:12:23.600 |
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. 00:12:42.220 |
The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. 00:12:53.300 |
and your coming in from this time forth and forever. 00:12:57.840 |
So as we come before God this morning to worship, 00:13:01.180 |
we are worshiping the God who graciously loves us, 00:14:44.100 |
♪ So I will wait for you to come and rescue me ♪ 00:16:02.980 |
♪ So I will wait for you to come and rescue me ♪ 00:16:30.480 |
♪ So I will wait for you to come and rescue me ♪ 00:16:49.400 |
♪ So I will wait for you to come and rescue me ♪ 00:17:01.980 |
Before we get started, we have an announcement 00:17:03.560 |
from our sister's ministry about our holiday outreach. 00:17:06.360 |
So we'll have Grace come and give an announcement. 00:17:14.320 |
My name is Grace and I have some amazing opportunities 00:17:16.560 |
to share about how this church can get involved 00:17:20.600 |
First things first, we have this coming December, 00:17:28.720 |
This season, this event will be on December 16th 00:17:42.640 |
and hopefully have meaningful conversations with them. 00:17:48.280 |
whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:17:55.560 |
How will they believe in him who they have not heard? 00:18:01.800 |
Just as it's written, how beautiful are the feet of those 00:18:10.200 |
Next up, we have an opportunity to learn more 00:18:15.720 |
Living Well provides free pregnancy services for women 00:18:20.300 |
Their goal is to equip these women and families 00:18:25.900 |
There are not many pro-life pregnancy clinics 00:18:27.900 |
around the area, so we wanna really rally and support 00:18:30.760 |
those who are on the front lines doing the work 00:18:32.520 |
to reach out to love on these sweet mothers and babies. 00:18:35.440 |
As a church, we'll be hosting a baby bottle drive. 00:18:40.480 |
It was so much more dramatic when I shook it up here. 00:18:43.680 |
If you have any loose change, cash, or checks, 00:18:47.200 |
please, if you would donate to the Pregnancy Center, 00:18:50.320 |
please return the bottle within the next few weeks. 00:18:52.680 |
The last day to collect will be December 10th. 00:18:54.680 |
You can donate to the Living Well, excuse me, 00:19:00.240 |
Also, besides the drive, if you have diapers, wipes, 00:19:02.640 |
or baby clothes, they also take that as well. 00:19:05.120 |
In Psalms 139, it says, "For you form my inward parts. 00:19:08.960 |
"You knitted me together in my mother's womb. 00:19:11.280 |
"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 00:19:13.820 |
"Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well. 00:19:20.080 |
"Intrincately woven in the depths of the earth. 00:19:22.520 |
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance in your book, 00:19:31.820 |
the biggest, biggest thing you could do is please pray. 00:19:49.600 |
- Okay, just a few more announcements before I started. 00:19:54.040 |
First of all, the Thanksgiving regional dinners. 00:20:04.160 |
so there's only, again, a few more spaces available. 00:20:16.680 |
And then along with that, again, on the Saturday 00:20:22.800 |
is gonna be having an outreach Thanksgiving dinner. 00:20:27.540 |
and if you have people that you wanna share the gospel with 00:20:35.540 |
Pastor Mark is gonna be leading that in that home group, 00:21:07.080 |
and as you guys can see, our first and second service 00:21:11.040 |
and so we are in the process of thinking through 00:21:20.120 |
So we haven't come up with a concrete time yet, 00:21:24.000 |
I think this is the fastest way to kind of get an idea 00:21:33.640 |
how many of you are willing to come to the 1230 service? 00:21:40.360 |
All right, so we're gonna have four people in that service. 00:21:46.800 |
If we tweaked it and we had an eight o'clock service, 00:21:52.520 |
and then this service would be extended to 1130 service, 00:21:57.080 |
or 1145, how many of you would be willing to come 00:22:08.760 |
If we had 1130 service, you would come to the 1130 service. 00:22:18.640 |
So you would come to the 1030 service, 1030 service. 00:22:40.640 |
and a good chunk of them, about two thirds of them, 00:22:54.880 |
I mean, we're trying to maximize the space that we have, 00:23:01.680 |
but there's a lot of good things happening at church too, 00:23:12.480 |
we've seen more people just walk off the street 00:23:14.680 |
just asking about the gospel and about Christ 00:23:19.320 |
So God has used that opportunity to stir up people 00:23:26.520 |
I've been talking to other churches and other Christians 00:23:43.240 |
we're gonna have to make the best of the space. 00:23:58.240 |
and he's gonna give his testimony and be baptized, 00:24:00.440 |
and again, if you brought a physical offering, 00:24:04.800 |
if you can give it to the Zell that's up on the screen. 00:24:08.480 |
Father, we thank you so much for your goodness, 00:24:32.840 |
that all that we do, the worship that we give, 00:25:28.640 |
- All right, church family, let us stand together, 00:25:46.980 |
and I'll take a minute to greet those around you. 00:26:45.920 |
♪ Whose love is mighty and so much stronger ♪ 00:26:50.720 |
♪ The King of glory, the King above all kings ♪ 00:26:55.720 |
♪ Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder ♪ 00:27:05.240 |
♪ Who leaves us breathless in all in wonder ♪ 00:27:10.060 |
♪ The King of glory, the King above all kings ♪ 00:27:47.700 |
♪ Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me ♪ 00:28:17.800 |
♪ Who rules the nations with truth and justice ♪ 00:28:22.500 |
♪ Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance ♪ 00:28:27.380 |
♪ The King of glory, the King above all kings ♪ 00:29:05.420 |
♪ Oh, Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me ♪ 00:29:20.600 |
♪ Worthy is the King who conquered the grave ♪ 00:29:30.240 |
♪ Worthy is the King who conquered the grave ♪ 00:29:40.040 |
♪ Worthy is the King who conquered the grave ♪ 00:30:21.720 |
♪ Oh, Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me ♪ 00:30:50.760 |
♪ Father of kindness, you have poured out grace ♪ 00:31:11.300 |
♪ Giver of mercy, you're my help in time of need ♪ 00:32:13.320 |
♪ Beautiful Savior, you have brought me near ♪ 00:32:26.320 |
♪ Blessed Redeemer, you have set this captive free ♪ 00:36:06.320 |
I'm a second year at UCI, and this is my testimony. 00:36:09.940 |
Like many other people, I grew up in a Christian household 00:36:19.560 |
and I believe that Jesus had died on the cross for my sins, 00:36:22.200 |
I never fully understood what it meant at the time. 00:36:26.660 |
but my life was no truly different because of it, 00:36:29.140 |
and it was not something that was personal to me. 00:36:31.760 |
As I got older in middle school and high school, 00:36:35.520 |
Having lost my grandparents and other family members 00:36:37.480 |
to various illnesses or other personal struggles, 00:36:40.920 |
I began to become bitter and angry towards God. 00:36:44.120 |
I questioned whether God truly cared about me. 00:36:48.360 |
and even if he was, how could I continue to believe in a God 00:36:51.480 |
that seemed to be so indifferent to my life and my problems? 00:36:54.480 |
And although I had completely strayed away from my faith 00:36:58.960 |
I still continued to go to church to appease my parents. 00:37:03.200 |
a place where I could simply go through the motions 00:37:07.580 |
But I had now fully put my faith in academics, 00:37:10.160 |
the hopes of a career, worldly accomplishments, 00:37:12.460 |
and in friendships or relationships with others. 00:37:14.900 |
I believed that accomplishing or gaining these things 00:37:16.740 |
would truly make me happy and cover up all of my problems. 00:37:20.140 |
And as I delved deeper into the things of the world, 00:37:27.520 |
while being completely indifferent to the cost and effect 00:37:35.780 |
I felt the need to truly examine my faith one last time, 00:37:39.700 |
going to church on Sundays was completely up to me. 00:37:45.300 |
that was working to soften my heart and heart. 00:37:49.520 |
I was extremely blessed to have such patient brothers 00:37:55.160 |
but to also constantly point me to Christ through it all. 00:37:58.140 |
And also their passion and desire to seek after the Lord 00:38:02.460 |
was and still is a great encouragement to me. 00:38:06.700 |
I began to consistently spend time in the word 00:38:10.960 |
even after attending church for so many years. 00:38:13.040 |
And I also prayed to God that he would soften my heart 00:38:29.220 |
I'd accomplished or gotten everything that I ever wanted, 00:38:34.500 |
I struggled often with stress and anxiousness. 00:38:39.980 |
I remember reading Romans five verses one to two. 00:38:44.680 |
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:38:47.320 |
through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith 00:38:52.000 |
and we exalt in the hope of the glory of God. 00:39:03.360 |
for how I'd strayed away from him for all those years, 00:39:05.960 |
all the bitterness and anger that I held onto for so long. 00:39:09.200 |
I prayed that I would truly submit to his will for my life 00:39:12.980 |
And I prayed that I would trust in him throughout everything 00:39:31.940 |
and in many ways there are still many struggles 00:39:34.900 |
through it all I'm able to find comfort, joy and hope 00:39:46.520 |
even though now for a little while if necessary 00:39:52.280 |
being more precious than gold which is perishable, 00:39:55.720 |
may be found to result in praise and glory and honor 00:40:28.720 |
- And I baptize you in the name of the Father, 00:40:42.940 |
- All right, thank you for that great testimony. 00:40:54.900 |
If you can turn your Bibles with me to Luke chapter six, 00:41:10.120 |
this is the second part that we started from last week, 00:41:18.520 |
"A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? 00:41:29.320 |
Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, 00:41:31.580 |
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 00:41:36.560 |
brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye 00:41:42.260 |
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye 00:41:46.740 |
to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye. 00:41:49.380 |
For there's no good tree which produces bad fruit, 00:42:04.020 |
The good man out of the good treasure of his heart 00:42:11.020 |
for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." 00:42:23.020 |
give us understanding beyond just mental consent, 00:42:27.100 |
that it is not simply the words, but your very heart. 00:42:34.020 |
You know, as a pastor, when I meet other pastors, 00:42:49.060 |
is because they say, depending on what seminary you go to, 00:43:06.940 |
if you're sitting under a certain kind of teaching, 00:43:10.020 |
they would assume that you adhere to that, right? 00:43:24.340 |
Or if you say, you go to Grace Community Church, 00:43:34.260 |
I go to Berean, it's like, oh, you go to Berean, right? 00:43:40.740 |
there's certain assumptions that people will make about you 00:43:43.420 |
because you're under a certain type of teaching, right? 00:43:51.820 |
or you're very frustrated, you want things to change, 00:43:55.420 |
but it's not being changed, it's being changed, 00:43:57.180 |
so you kind of, you know, are not happy where you're at. 00:44:05.260 |
you're gonna be able to learn and become like that, right? 00:44:08.420 |
Or you conform and you become whatever is being taught. 00:44:15.820 |
because prior to this text that we're looking at, 00:44:21.180 |
that the primary thing that God desires of his disciples 00:44:24.620 |
is to practice the love that he practiced with them. 00:44:30.220 |
the highest identifying mark of a genuine believer 00:44:38.060 |
this agape love, to love people the way he loved us, 00:44:47.100 |
who are persecuting us, who are out to harm us, 00:44:51.900 |
And he says the reason why it's hard for you to understand 00:44:54.940 |
is because the leaders in your life were blind, 00:45:00.940 |
so that's why they ended up falling into a pit. 00:45:04.100 |
And so all of the things that he's saying here 00:45:13.900 |
how much the Bible has to say about leadership in Israel, 00:45:28.340 |
or the organization will go down as the leader goes down. 00:45:31.700 |
As much as the Bible says about the Pharisees, 00:45:36.820 |
and as much rebuke is given to the Pharisees, 00:45:43.180 |
you Pharisees, you hypocrites, you hypocrites, 00:46:01.340 |
when they first started, they didn't start by saying, 00:46:03.700 |
you know, let's organize and become good hypocrites. 00:46:07.900 |
They started out thinking that they're not gonna be 00:46:13.900 |
and become Hellenized and become more and more worldly. 00:46:20.300 |
because they didn't take the warning from God seriously. 00:46:41.620 |
And Jesus explains here the reason why they were blind, 00:46:49.080 |
on other people's unrighteousness instead of their own. 00:46:56.760 |
is because their very nature was not changed. 00:47:04.460 |
and then whoever didn't do what they were doing, 00:47:08.860 |
The text that we're looking at in Luke chapter 6, 41 and 42, 00:47:14.080 |
basically, Jesus is indicting the leaders of Israel. 00:47:20.360 |
is because they were blind to their own problems. 00:47:28.460 |
"but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" 00:47:33.640 |
about this little toothpick that you're trying to pick 00:47:35.960 |
and say, "You know, you got this in your eye, 00:47:47.660 |
"brothers, let me take out the speck that is in your eye, 00:47:58.980 |
"You have leaders who are blind who are leading you, 00:48:08.700 |
They are blind because they do not see their own sins. 00:48:13.060 |
They're so concerned about sins of other people 00:48:24.980 |
then you will see clearly to take out the speck 00:48:34.740 |
at pointing out other people's sin than our own sins. 00:48:37.380 |
Most of you probably don't know what your car smells like. 00:48:42.400 |
Once you bought the car and that new car smell disappears, 00:49:08.600 |
Because you've become so accustomed to that smell. 00:49:14.840 |
If you don't know what sarcasm is, that was sarcasm. 00:49:19.700 |
Every once in a while, somebody will come into our house 00:49:30.280 |
I've been in it for a long time, so I don't smell it. 00:49:36.020 |
they'll say it started to take on the smell of the cats, 00:49:47.700 |
I'm a part of it, so I've become so accustomed to it 00:49:59.700 |
that we don't realize how it looks to other people. 00:50:04.240 |
So other people see our sins and they wanna take that out, 00:50:08.880 |
but we're so good at seeing other people's sins 00:50:22.120 |
Is that, "No, I need to speak the truth in love 00:50:33.540 |
so we take on a godly spin to focusing on other people's sins 00:50:41.840 |
'Cause other people are not willing to do it, 00:50:43.280 |
so I'm gonna go out and point out, "This is sin. 00:50:46.720 |
I remember back in college, I was a part of a ministry, 00:50:50.960 |
and part of the charismatic thing that they was doing 00:50:52.920 |
was that God told me that you had three sins. 00:51:02.080 |
would walk around saying, "I know two of 'em. 00:51:22.080 |
See, that was the problem with the Pharisees. 00:51:23.740 |
Pharisees were constantly focused on other people's sins. 00:51:41.080 |
See, an individual who is truly growing in their faith 00:51:45.760 |
is somebody who is broken over their own sins. 00:51:51.440 |
The problem that we have if we're not careful 00:51:55.020 |
is that we get so focused on other people's sins, 00:51:58.520 |
one, it blinds us, and then it exaggerates their sins, 00:52:05.980 |
that they're not doing what they're supposed to be doing. 00:52:08.820 |
And so it leads to frustration, not only to you, 00:52:12.820 |
but it leads to frustration with everybody else. 00:52:15.660 |
In 1 Timothy 4, 16, as Paul is training this young pastor 00:52:21.340 |
to take over as the pastor of the Church of Ephesus, 00:52:24.780 |
he's training this young pastor up, and he says, 00:52:27.080 |
"Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching. 00:52:31.480 |
"Persevere in these things, for as you do this, 00:52:33.680 |
"you will ensure salvation both for yourselves 00:52:39.080 |
You notice here, he says, "In order to save them, 00:52:52.140 |
"to make sure you can tell them what they're doing wrong 00:52:55.040 |
"so that they can be discipled and be better, 00:53:01.720 |
"and for your salvation," he says, "Watch yourself. 00:53:05.200 |
"Watch yourself, your life, and your doctrines carefully." 00:53:11.200 |
What happens to a community where people are trained 00:53:21.500 |
You have a community of people who are constantly concerned 00:53:27.680 |
See, that's what happened with the Pharisees. 00:53:34.060 |
even though they were ungodly behind the scenes, 00:53:36.680 |
created an environment where they were under bondage. 00:53:43.860 |
because they knew that they were gonna be judged 00:53:57.780 |
"is because they were so focused on themselves, 00:54:03.520 |
You know, it's interesting that when it comes to wealth, 00:54:14.700 |
but then we always find somebody who's wealthier than us. 00:54:21.700 |
If you live in a nice house, three-bedroom house, 00:54:23.620 |
you know somebody who has a four-bedroom house. 00:54:25.780 |
You drive a nice car, somebody has a better car than you. 00:54:28.700 |
You have Tesla 3, somebody has Tesla S, right? 00:54:36.600 |
we have a tendency to justify our pursuit of money 00:55:19.340 |
"God, I thank you that I am not like other people, 00:55:29.700 |
You notice here he's chosen swindlers, unjust adulterers, 00:55:44.260 |
We have a tendency to always compare our righteousness 00:55:51.220 |
The tax collector, on the other hand, verse 13, 00:55:54.540 |
the tax collector standing some distance away 00:55:56.480 |
was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, 00:56:03.640 |
And Jesus asked the questions to his disciples, 00:56:22.580 |
because they were focused on other people's sin. 00:56:36.220 |
In other words, they look at themselves like, 00:56:46.900 |
by themselves, compare themselves with themselves, 00:56:53.340 |
What's another way of saying they are without understanding? 00:57:00.620 |
Because they're so focused on other people's sins, 00:57:18.160 |
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, 00:57:23.860 |
"and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law, 00:57:29.420 |
"But these are the things you should have done 00:57:42.860 |
"You know, I keep the law, I keep the Sabbath, 00:57:52.260 |
But he says, "The weightier things of justice, 00:58:05.380 |
You don't care about the people who are hurting. 00:58:11.140 |
All you care is that they live up to the standard 00:58:19.380 |
So everything coming out of their mouth was blind. 00:58:34.060 |
That's why self-righteousness causes you to be blind. 00:58:40.440 |
So everything that you say, everything that you assess 00:59:01.420 |
And you don't realize that you have that sunglass. 00:59:03.300 |
You think everybody else is wearing sunglass but you. 00:59:07.340 |
And because of that, you are blind leading the blind. 00:59:13.600 |
there was a society called American Track Society. 00:59:16.400 |
And they determined that they needed to eradicate 00:59:27.340 |
So they went on a campaign that we can't have a church 00:59:36.300 |
And they were going preaching, they wanted to bring revival. 00:59:42.240 |
you're so concerned about the drinking and dancing, 01:00:00.180 |
That's why we don't wanna touch that, it's too divisive. 01:00:07.660 |
that they feel like we're gonna bring revival, 01:00:09.500 |
but the real issue of that generation, they did not touch. 01:00:13.460 |
In Romans 2, 1, it says, therefore, you have no excuse, 01:00:19.500 |
for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself, 01:00:34.620 |
But you're so blind to what other people see so clearly. 01:00:53.380 |
I remember years ago, when I was a college pastor, 01:00:58.380 |
I remember somebody came to me and they said, 01:01:04.300 |
And they would go, every time they would come home, 01:01:05.940 |
they would share the gospel with the parents, 01:01:12.820 |
basically, I don't wanna hear it, I don't wanna hear it. 01:01:17.440 |
She went home and started sharing the gospel, 01:01:21.380 |
and was very aggressive about sharing the gospel. 01:01:24.360 |
And then the mother, she came back to me so discouraged, 01:01:42.740 |
I said, you need to be a good human being first. 01:01:46.220 |
And she knew exactly what her mother was saying. 01:01:49.980 |
She was disobedient, she was arguing with parents, 01:01:54.780 |
she wasn't doing what her parents wanted her to do, 01:01:57.180 |
and she was just kind of living in rebellion, 01:02:02.340 |
And then I said, I can't hear what you're saying, 01:02:04.740 |
because you're not practicing anything that you're saying. 01:02:08.120 |
When you've talked to people who've left the church, 01:02:15.900 |
because they said that the pastor's wearing a suit, 01:02:20.040 |
Or, oh, the songs in the church are so fuddy-duddy 01:02:25.980 |
from the 1970s, I just couldn't sing anymore, 01:02:30.140 |
Or the way it was organized, or it's just too, 01:02:34.820 |
how many of you, maybe some of you have that, 01:02:39.320 |
I'm not talking about people who moved churches, 01:02:40.820 |
I'm talking about people who fell away from the church, 01:02:46.620 |
because the church is what, filled with what? 01:03:08.500 |
we have a tendency to focus all our attention 01:03:29.500 |
Now, I can be up here, tell you why it's so important, 01:03:32.540 |
and the leaders of the church can expound upon the passages, 01:03:39.740 |
and there's, that's also important in the church, 01:03:43.700 |
but just from even my own personal experience, 01:03:51.520 |
is you have somebody in your Bible study who is so hungry. 01:03:54.380 |
They are not the most, they're not the experts, 01:04:00.220 |
and they just, maybe they just became Christian, 01:04:11.620 |
And their hunger to learn, and to grow, is infectious. 01:04:22.340 |
I can argue with this, and I can take you on with this, 01:04:27.100 |
All it does is like, at best, like, oh, you know a lot. 01:04:33.980 |
But you're not inspired, in fact, you get irritated. 01:04:37.580 |
Whenever somebody begins to show off about their knowledge, 01:04:40.220 |
about what they know, about the Greek syntax, 01:04:45.540 |
and it's like, nobody comes out of that Bible saying, 01:04:54.760 |
who are just humbly wanting to learn and to grow. 01:04:59.420 |
And that inspires other people to want to grow and to learn. 01:05:04.120 |
It is our constant focus on, we need to change the world. 01:05:10.620 |
We need to change the church, we need to change the people. 01:05:28.700 |
The Bible says, do not judge, don't ever judge. 01:05:37.820 |
take the log out of your own eye first, right? 01:06:04.340 |
Our eternity is going to be that we're gonna be 01:06:16.820 |
Judgmental is somebody who is unaware of their own sins 01:06:31.340 |
nobody wants that, nobody wants to be around that. 01:06:34.260 |
But he says, take your log out of your own eye. 01:06:42.620 |
And when you are sanctified, when you are growing, 01:06:46.020 |
you'll see how much it inspires other people to do the same 01:07:09.420 |
Do you not judge those who are within the church? 01:07:16.540 |
about what the secular non-Christians are doing 01:07:30.620 |
what God called us to be is because the primary way 01:07:33.580 |
that we're going to shed the light in the world 01:07:48.260 |
and they don't even recognize that the light is on 01:07:58.860 |
to be able to see clearly, we need to learn how to judge. 01:08:10.020 |
Focus on ourselves, on our own sanctity, on our own growth. 01:08:13.700 |
John 7:24, "Do not judge according to appearance, 01:08:20.900 |
He says to judge, but to judge righteously, right? 01:08:24.700 |
Now, some of you guys may be sitting here thinking like, 01:08:28.780 |
This whole time I've been righteous judgment, right? 01:08:35.260 |
Let me give you some practical things to look at 01:08:40.140 |
to see if you are making righteous judgment, right? 01:08:45.540 |
First of all, if you're not in the word of God, right? 01:08:52.260 |
and you don't know what the word of God says, 01:09:07.780 |
The church is not my church, it's not your church. 01:09:23.740 |
I remember years ago, we were doing a Bible study 01:09:26.660 |
on Timothy and we talked about women leadership 01:09:29.260 |
and we said we don't practice women eldership in our church 01:09:40.500 |
she came at me like she was gonna body slam me. 01:09:44.100 |
She said, "How can you pervert the word of God like that?" 01:09:51.460 |
It's like, "That's not what the word of God said. 01:09:52.740 |
"You're picking and choosing what you want to 01:09:58.500 |
I said, "Okay, let's actually examine the Bible together." 01:10:07.740 |
So what I want you to do is I'm gonna give you some time 01:10:16.600 |
Ask them for the texts that talk about this issue 01:10:21.020 |
and then I want you to go study it for yourself. 01:10:23.660 |
So I gave her some time, "Yeah, I'll do that." 01:10:25.340 |
So she went and then she never got back to me. 01:10:36.860 |
She went and looked at all the texts and she said, 01:10:56.420 |
and you admit that this is what the text says. 01:11:05.380 |
Let's separate what the Bible says and you don't like it. 01:11:08.740 |
So one, you say, "Well, that's what the word of God says." 01:11:13.100 |
So let's look at the second part, you don't like it. 01:11:23.500 |
'cause you just admitted that God said it, right? 01:11:26.700 |
She's like, "Yeah, but I still don't like it." 01:11:39.200 |
So now the question is, should the word of God change 01:11:42.520 |
Should the word of God change or should you change? 01:11:46.620 |
If your perspective of what was right and wrong 01:11:49.460 |
contradicted the scripture, should you change 01:12:00.020 |
She said, "That's what the word of God said." 01:12:01.980 |
And it took her a while for her to accept that. 01:12:16.460 |
What they've learned, what they think is right, 01:12:23.060 |
So first and foremost, if you do not know the word of God, 01:12:26.260 |
where you need to focus your primary attention 01:12:29.780 |
is to know the word of God so that what you say 01:12:45.580 |
But secondly, you need to obey the word of God. 01:12:50.860 |
The word of God, not only do you know it cognitively, 01:12:59.260 |
"is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword 01:13:01.860 |
"and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit 01:13:10.460 |
You notice here the word of God, first and foremost, 01:13:13.940 |
is to judge your thoughts and your intentions, right? 01:13:17.480 |
A Pharisee is only focused on what they are doing, 01:13:21.160 |
what can be measured, I did it, I memorized scripture, 01:13:24.120 |
I studied scripture, I evangelized, I do this, I do that, 01:13:31.420 |
Your thoughts and your intentions of your heart. 01:13:46.120 |
But you know that, the Holy Spirit knows that. 01:13:49.240 |
So the word of God is open to let it judge me. 01:13:52.440 |
Not how can I use this to judge other people, 01:13:59.380 |
I started as a pastor when I shouldn't have, right? 01:14:09.020 |
"they need a youth pastor, why don't you go and teach?" 01:14:14.280 |
so the worst I can do is to ruin four kids, right? 01:14:26.680 |
and there was a period when I was like 20, 21 years old, 01:14:29.040 |
I was giving about three or four sermons a week, 01:14:34.480 |
But I remember a friend of mine doing Bible study 01:14:36.360 |
gave me a Bible, and I was wrestling with this so much 01:14:39.320 |
that at the cover of the Bible, I wrote for myself, 01:14:47.360 |
because I was constantly reading it for other people. 01:14:50.760 |
So I have that in my study, even to this day, 01:14:59.200 |
but at the very front of that, every time I open it up, 01:15:02.000 |
in my handwriting, I said, "Read this to yourself." 01:15:13.320 |
and so you always see things through that lens. 01:15:26.240 |
You no longer ask questions, you have the answer. 01:15:32.760 |
you have 20 pastors, and somebody asks a question, 01:15:39.440 |
'cause everybody's used to just giving answers, 01:15:46.800 |
Even if we don't know, we have to give you an answer, 01:15:51.260 |
That's why becoming a leader, when you're not ready, 01:15:55.440 |
It ruins your growth, because you're constantly 01:16:06.000 |
to let it judge the thoughts and intentions of our heart. 01:16:16.720 |
And that's why I said, don't let a new convert 01:16:23.640 |
which is wanting glory, wanting his own glory, 01:16:29.520 |
So the word of God, you need to know the word of God, 01:16:32.760 |
constantly judge the thoughts and intentions of your heart. 01:16:35.480 |
You need to obey the word of God, James 1, 23 to 25, 01:16:38.280 |
for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, 01:16:40.800 |
he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror. 01:16:43.640 |
For once he has looked at himself and gone away, 01:16:45.800 |
he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was, 01:16:48.440 |
for one who looks intently at the perfect law, 01:16:54.720 |
but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed 01:17:08.840 |
If you don't have a good grasp of the word of God, 01:17:14.440 |
You shouldn't be a teacher, you should be a learner. 01:17:26.200 |
You should be asking, "Lord, search me and know me. 01:17:29.800 |
"Lord, I'm a sinner that needs your forgiveness." 01:17:45.680 |
And I say, "Yeah, yeah, you know, that's really bad. 01:17:57.160 |
And they're concerned that maybe the proper theology, 01:18:04.560 |
and they want to debate about proper theology. 01:18:11.760 |
I don't want to have this conversation with you 01:18:22.560 |
you shouldn't be concerned about what other people are doing. 01:18:28.440 |
asking the Lord for forgiveness and being restored. 01:18:33.960 |
These Pharisees were walking around with all kinds of sins 01:18:42.600 |
We have too many people who are eager to teach 01:18:48.040 |
and not enough people who are eager to learn. 01:18:50.280 |
That's most of the problem with the Pharisees. 01:19:10.600 |
Not praying is no different than if I came up here 01:19:24.480 |
It's no different than saying, "You know what? 01:19:25.800 |
"I just didn't have time to open up the Bible. 01:19:29.240 |
It's no different than saying, "You know what? 01:19:30.080 |
"I just didn't have time to open up the Bible this week, 01:19:31.880 |
"so let's see what the Holy Spirit has to say." 01:20:16.400 |
"For to us God revealed them through the Spirit. 01:20:21.400 |
"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man 01:20:36.160 |
Because the Word of God are not just a statement of facts 01:20:54.480 |
your conclusions come from an altered vision. 01:20:59.480 |
Because you're not aware of the thoughts and intentions 01:21:08.560 |
that causes you to see other people with perverted vision. 01:21:24.680 |
especially in the conservative Bible-teaching churches, 01:21:34.240 |
We don't pray, but somehow that has become acceptable. 01:21:51.960 |
to judge the thoughts and intentions of your heart, 01:22:13.240 |
of what it means to be a true follower of Christ 01:22:33.720 |
is it righteous anger or is that self-righteousness? 01:22:38.400 |
If you're not humbling yourself before the Lord in prayer, 01:22:47.920 |
because you've gotten accustomed to compromise. 01:22:52.760 |
That was the problem with the nation of Israel. 01:23:02.080 |
"My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth 01:23:24.640 |
But until we focus our attention on ourselves first, 01:23:29.920 |
your whole vision of what you think is right and wrong 01:23:39.520 |
to pervert the church, to pervert discipleship, 01:23:42.120 |
pervert evangelism, pervert prayer, pervert Bible study. 01:23:52.200 |
"Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, 01:23:56.440 |
spiritual is an individual who has spent his time 01:24:01.440 |
focusing on his unrighteousness and asking for forgiveness. 01:24:23.600 |
Years ago, somebody got me free tickets, right? 01:24:34.560 |
I was on a mission trip and I happened to be in Hong Kong 01:24:40.360 |
"I want you to experience what first class feels like." 01:25:04.140 |
and they would come running to pick it up for me. 01:25:06.540 |
I dropped it again just to see if they would do it. 01:25:18.700 |
because I was a peasant in first class, right? 01:25:53.840 |
'cause I was fully aware, you know what I mean? 01:25:56.280 |
These people are, I don't know what they're doing in life. 01:26:02.120 |
but I knew I didn't, 'cause I didn't earn this. 01:26:05.120 |
Every single one of us in this room that knows Christ 01:26:13.720 |
We won a spiritual lottery that you and I did not deserve. 01:26:19.600 |
So imagine people who are saved by the grace of God, 01:26:41.400 |
Can you imagine what that looks like from God? 01:27:15.120 |
means you've been given this to you for free. 01:27:23.480 |
saved for or by, that you live by that same grace. 01:27:31.940 |
Because every single one of us were lottery winners. 01:27:46.120 |
We were just given this eternal life, adopted. 01:27:51.640 |
And if we understand that and we live under that grace, 01:27:55.680 |
shouldn't we feel compassion for others who don't have it? 01:28:00.680 |
He said the reason why the Pharisees were blind 01:28:10.640 |
And as a result of that, they were so impatient 01:28:15.240 |
with others who didn't earn it like they did. 01:28:19.220 |
That's why the beginning of our sanctification 01:28:42.720 |
And I guarantee you that when we are committed to grow, 01:28:48.280 |
you will see the fruit of that in other people 01:28:59.320 |
Just you loving the Lord, you humbly serving the Lord, 01:29:06.600 |
that come into this room and give the best worship 01:29:10.280 |
I guarantee you, it'll affect the people around you. 01:29:18.720 |
I guarantee you, other people will see you serving 01:29:22.560 |
You want other people to take the word of God seriously? 01:29:39.280 |
because of your growth, because of your love. 01:29:54.280 |
where everybody's looking and examining each other. 01:29:56.280 |
You're not doing this, you're not doing that. 01:30:10.400 |
That even if we discipline you, it's because we love you. 01:30:24.720 |
if we do not actively pray, search me, know me, 01:30:49.240 |
and yet we get so easily entangled, Lord God, in ourselves. 01:30:52.980 |
Help us to recognize the gift that we have been given 01:30:57.040 |
so that we would worship you in spirit and in truth 01:31:12.920 |
May Christ receive the reward of his suffering, 01:34:33.080 |
may reveal the power of that grace in our lives, 01:34:42.920 |
loved, worshipped, and followed in this church.