Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021321A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:15 >>GOOD MORNING. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED 00:20 WE'VE GOT THE PROPS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS HERE ON 00:24 THE PLATFORM AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN 00:26 THE VERY MIDDLE OF A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS DEALING WITH 00:30 THE WORDS THAT GOD SPOKE WITH HIS OWN MOUTH AND HE 00:33 WROTE WITH HIS OWN FINGER. THE LORD DID SOMETHING NEW. 00:37 HE DID SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY WHEN HE GAVE THE 00:39 TEN COMMANDMENTS BECAUSE IT IS A PERFECT EXPRESSION OF HIS WILL 00:44 FOR MAN. AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING WITH 00:46 OUR SERIES TALKING ABOUT THESE 'LAWS OF LOVE AND LIBERTY' AND 00:51 TODAY, IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE ON COMMANDMENT NUMBER 7. 00:56 SOME OF YOU, IF YOU KNOW YOUR BIBLES AND IF YOU LEARNED 00:59 THIS GROWING UP AND GOING TO CHURCH YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS. 01:02 IT'S ONLY FIVE WORDS. NOW SOMETIMES PEOPLE LEAVE ONE 01:06 OF THOSE WORDS OUT - "THOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY." 01:12 YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE DISTRACTED TO DEATH. 01:18 THAT'S RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND, EVERY YEAR, 01:22 THAT AROUND NORTH AMERICA AND PROBABLY MANY PARTS OF THE 01:25 WORLD, THAT THE CASUALTY OF DEER SPIKES. 01:31 JUST IN ILLINOIS, FOR INSTANCE, THEY REPORT MORE THAN 01:34 17,000 DEER DIE EACH YEAR AFTER BEING STRUCK BY MOTORISTS IN 01:38 CARS. MOST OF THE TIME IT'S IN THE FALL. DO YOU KNOW WHY? 01:45 THAT'S WHEN THE BUCKS ARE GOING THROUGH THE RUT SEASON. 01:49 THEY ARE PREOCCUPIED WITH MATING AND BECAUSE OF THAT 01:54 PREOCCUPATION AND THEY BECOME SO CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR 01:57 TERRITORY AND THEY CAN BECOME SO CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER BUCKS, 02:02 THEY'LL GET ENGAGED IN EITHER FIGHTING ANOTHER BUCK OR 02:06 FOLLOWING A DOE AND THEY DON'T EVEN CARE IF A SEMI'S COMING 02:09 DOWN THE ROAD. AND THEY GET TO WHERE THEY 02:11 ARE DISTRACTED TO DEATH. UNFORTUNATELY THIS PROBLEM 02:15 DOES NOT JUST HAPPEN WITH DEER AND IT DOESN'T JUST 02:20 HAPPEN WITH BUCKS. IT HAPPENS WITH 02:22 HUMAN BUCKS AND DOES. THEY CAN BECOME SO PREOCCUPIED 02:28 WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX THAT IT BECOMES SPIRITUALLY FATAL. 02:34 AND YOU CAN FIND THE RECORD OF THIS IN THE BIBLE. 02:38 OF COURSE, THE COMMAND - EXODUS 20:14, "THOU SHALL NOT 02:42 COMMIT ADULTERY." AND IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE A 02:47 DEFINITION FOR THAT. NOW, THIS IS A DELICATE 02:49 SERMON FOR ME TO SHARE BECAUSE IT'S IN THE BIBLE AND THE 02:51 SUBJECT IS ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE BUT, OF COURSE, WE HAVE YOUNG 02:54 MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY. I REMEMBER ONE TIME THAT A 02:58 FATHER WAS COMING HOME FROM CHURCH AND A PASTOR HAD JUST 03:00 PREACHED ABOUT 'THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY' AND THE 03:04 6-YEAR-OLD BOY, ON HIS WAY HOME, HE SAID, 'NOW DAD, EXACTLY 03:08 WHAT DOES IT MEAN 'THOU SHALL NOT COMMIT AGRICULTURE'? 03:14 AND THE FATHER DIDN'T WANT TO GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL AND HE 03:16 TOLD HIS SON, 'IT MEANS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PLOWING 03:19 IN ANOTHER MAN'S FIELD'. AND THAT SEEMED TO 03:22 SATISFY EVERYBODY. SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO BE 03:28 DELICATE BUT SOME PLACES I'LL HAVE TO BE VERY PLAIN. YOU KNOW, 03:30 LET'S FACE IT, FRIENDS, THE KIDS TODAY KNOW A LOT MORE THAN 03:34 THEY DID ONE OR TWO GENERATIONS AGO BECAUSE IT'S EVERYWHERE. 03:40 AND SO, WHAT IS ADULTERY? DEFINITION - AND THERE'S A 03:47 DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE WORDS 'ADULTERY' AND 03:49 'FORNICATION', THEY BOTH FALL UNDER THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 03:52 ADULTERY IS A VOLUNTARY SEXUAL INTIMACY BETWEEN A 03:55 MARRIED PERSON AND A PARTNER OTHER THAN THE LAWFUL SPOUSE. 04:01 WHEREAS FORNICATION IS SEXUAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN PARTNERS 04:04 WHO ARE NOT MARRIED TO EACH OTHER. 04:07 AND BOTH ARE CLEARLY FORBIDDEN IN THE BIBLE. 04:10 YOU CAN FIND, FOR INSTANCE, IN GALATIANS 5:19, "NOW THE 04:13 WORKS OF THE FLESH ARE EVIDENT, WHICH ARE ADULTERY, FORNICATION" 04:18 - RIGHT THERE HE MAKES A DISTINCTION, DOESN'T HE? 04:20 - "ADULTERY, FORNICATION, UNCLEANNESS, 04:22 LEWDNESS," - AND THAT'S TALKING ABOUT OBSCENE BEHAVIOR - DIRTY 04:26 JOKES IS LEWD BEHAVIOR." 1 CORINTHIANS 6, VERSES 9 AND 10, 04:32 "DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THE UNRIGHTEOUS WILL NOT INHERIT 04:35 THE KINGDOM OF GOD? DO NOT BE DECEIVED. 04:38 NEITHER FORNICATORS, NOR IDOLATERS, NOR ADULTERERS, 04:41 NOR HOMOSEXUALS, NOR SODOMITES...WILL INHERIT THE 04:45 KINGDOM OF GOD." - AND I WANT TO INCLUDE SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T 04:48 LOSE HOPE - "AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU." - PAUL WRITES TO THE 04:53 CORINTHIAN CHURCH. THEY HAD ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS THERE. 04:56 NOT ONLY WITH HOMOSEXUALITY BUT WITH FORNICATION, WITH ADULTERY 05:00 - AND THEN PAUL GOES ON TO SAY, "AND SUCH WERE" - PAST TENSE - 05:05 'YOU. BUT YOU'VE BEEN WASHED, YOU'VE BEEN SANCTIFIED, YOU'VE 05:08 BEEN CLEANSED THROUGH POWER OF GOD.' AND SO AS WE TALK ABOUT 05:12 THIS SUBJECT - AS WITH THE OTHER SINS - YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK 05:15 ABOUT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, NONE OF THEM ARE CALLED THE 05:17 UNPARDONABLE SIN. BUT THEY ARE CALLED SIN AND 05:23 SIN IS DEADLY IF IT IS NOT REPENTED OF AND FORSAKEN. 05:27 JESUS CAME TO SAVE US NOT IN OUR SINS BUT THE ANGEL SAID HE 05:30 CAME TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SINS - 05:36 ADULTERY. PROVERBS 6, VERSE 32, "WHOEVER 05:40 COMMITS ADULTERY WITH A WOMAN LACKS UNDERSTANDING; HE 05:43 WHO DOES SO DESTROYS HIS OWN SOUL." IT NOT ONLY HAS SOMETIMES 05:50 PHYSICAL RAMIFICATIONS AND SOCIAL RAMIFICATIONS, 05:53 IT DEFINITELY HAS SPIRITUAL RAMIFICATIONS. 05:57 THE PRODIGAL SON, WHEN HE LEFT HIS FATHER HE WASTED HIS 06:00 SUBSTANCE AMONG HARLOTS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OFTEN IS 06:03 PART AND PARCEL FROM DRIFTING FROM GOD IS MORAL DRIFT. 06:09 AND, YOU KNOW, MEN AND WOMEN IN THE BIBLE - THERE'S A PRETTY 06:14 SORDID HISTORY - YOU'VE GOT THE WISEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED - 06:18 WHAT WAS HIS NAME? ASIDE FROM JESUS. 06:21 SOLOMON, RIGHT? WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING TO HIM? 06:26 HE LOVED MANY WOMEN AND THEY DREW HIS HEART AWAY. 06:30 HE GOT INTO TROUBLE. STRONGEST MAN WHO EVER 06:32 LIVED - WHAT WAS HIS NAME? (SAMPSON) GOD GAVE HIM 06:36 SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH AND HE COULD KILL A THOUSAND 06:39 PHILISTINES WITH THE JAWBONE OF A DONKEY AND YET HE 06:43 WAS OVERCOME BY ONE SEDUCTRESS. WHAT WAS HER NAME? 06:48 EVERYONE KNOWS DELILAH'S NAME, RIGHT? 06:50 ANYONE OUT HERE NAME THEIR DAUGHTER DELILAH? OR JEZEBEL? 06:54 NO ONE EVER PICKS THOSE NAMES FOR SOME REASON. 06:59 AND THEN DAVID, A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART. 07:02 AND IT WASN'T JUST DAVID, IT WAS DAVID AND WHAT'S HER NAME? 07:06 BATHSHEBA. YOU'VE GOT A HISTORY ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE OF THESE 07:09 THINGS AND YOU FIND IT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS WELL. 07:16 MARRIAGE IS A PERFECT PLAN FOR GOD. IT'S HIS ORIGINAL PLAN. 07:23 IN THE BEGINNING GOD SAID IT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE - AND THIS 07:26 IS IN GENESIS CHAPTER 2, VERSE 18, "...NOT GOOD THAT MAN SHOULD 07:29 BE ALONE." AND THAT'S SPEAKING ABOUT MANKIND. 07:32 MAN IS COMPLETE WHEN YOU HAVE A MAN AND A WOMAN. 07:36 MEN AND WOMEN ARE VERY DIFFERENT - CONTRADICTORY TO THE 07:39 SOCIAL NONSENSE WE'RE BEING TOLD THROUGH MEDIA - THAT 07:43 THERE'S ONLY A FEW LITTLE PLUMBING DIFFERENCES. 07:45 MEN AND WOMEN ARE VERY DIFFERENT. 07:47 WE'RE DIFFERENT IN THE WAY WE THINK. 07:48 WE'RE DIFFERENT IN OUR TEMPERAMENTS AND A NUMBER OF 07:52 WAYS PHYSIOLOGICALLY - IT'S NOT JUST THE CHROMOSOMES - AND 07:56 THE WAY OUR BRAINS WORK ARE VERY DIFFERENT. 08:00 AND IN ORDER FOR MAN TO BE COMPLETE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, 08:05 IT IS A MAN AND A WOMAN MAKE A FAMILY. I HEARD SOMEONE JUST 08:09 RECENTLY SAY, 'WELL THERE'S NOTHING IN THE COMMANDMENT ABOUT 08:13 ADULTERY THAT SAYS THAT A MAN MUST MARRY A WOMAN. 08:17 I SAID, 'NO, THAT'S IN THE COMMANDMENT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE 08:19 THAT - OR AT LEAST COMMANDMENT FIVE - WHEN IT SAYS 08:21 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER' - GOD'S ESTABLISHED WHAT THE - THE 08:25 APPROPRIATE COMBINATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE, AMEN? 08:28 BUT ONCE THAT MARRIAGE HAS HAPPENED, IT IS NOT TO BE 08:32 VIOLATED. IT'S PART OF GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. 08:36 THE BIBLE TELLS US, IN GENESIS 2:24, "THEREFORE A MAN 08:40 SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED" - OR 08:43 CLEAVE - "TO HIS WIFE," - THAT MEANS BE GLUED UNTO HIS WIFE - 08:47 "AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH." NOT ONLY DO THEY BECOME 08:51 ONE IN PURPOSE, BUT THEN THROUGH THEIR ACT OF LOVE THEY ARE GIVEN 08:58 THE INCREDIBLE DIVINE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF 09:03 PROCREATING IN THEIR OWN IMAGE AND IN THEIR CHILDREN THEY ARE 09:08 ONE. YOU ARE THE RESULT OF THE 09:11 ONENESS OF YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER. 09:13 EVERYBODY HERE - YOU MAY NOT HAVE MET THEM. 09:15 YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BUT YOU HAD A FATHER AND A MOTHER. 09:19 IT'S THE COMBINATION OF THOSE CHROMOSOMES THAT MADE 09:22 YOU UNIQUE. AND THIS WAS GOD'S 09:25 DESIGN FOR THE FAMILY. NOW MARRIAGE IS NOT SOMETHING 09:27 THAT GOD CREATED - THIS INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE IS 09:30 NOT SOMETHING GOD INVENTED TO COPE WITH SIN. 09:33 KEEP IN MIND, MARRIAGE WAS PART OF GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. 09:37 IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH REDEMPTION. 09:39 IT WAS A SACRED ORDINANCE OF GOD WHEN WE HAD A PERFECT WORLD 09:44 AND IT IS STILL PART OF HIS PERFECT PLAN. 09:50 MARRIAGE DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH BEING SAVED BECAUSE MAN HAD 09:52 NOT FALLEN YET WHEN GOD INTRODUCED MARRIAGE. 09:56 IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS HOLY BECAUSE IT EXISTED BEFORE 09:59 THERE WAS EVEN SIN IN THE WORLD. 10:02 AND WHEN WE'RE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN MARRIAGE AND 10:04 WE MAKE THESE COVENANTS - IT'S NOT JUST A PROMISE, IT'S A 10:07 COVENANT WITH ANOTHER PERSON BEFORE WITNESSES IN THE PRESENCE 10:11 OF GOD. WHILE I'M ON THE SUBJECT OF 10:14 MARRIAGE CEREMONIES, YOU WANT TO HEAR AN INTERESTING STORY? 10:18 THE MOST MARRIED MAN IN THE WORLD - YUGOSLAVIA - A LADY 10:25 WAS TELLING HER COUSIN, ALSO A FEMALE, THAT SHE WAS GETTING 10:31 MARRIED. SHE TOLD HER VERY QUIETLY, 10:34 SHE SAID, 'I'M SORRY I CAN'T INVITE YOU. 10:36 I'M MARRYING A MAN WHO'S EXTREMELY TIMID. HE IS VERY SHY. 10:42 HE IS SUCH A PRIVATE MAN, BUT HE LOVES ME AND WE'RE 10:45 GETTING MARRIED IN A PRIVATE CEREMONY. 10:47 I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.' WELL, HER COUSIN BECAME 10:50 SUSPICIOUS AND SHE FOUND OUT WHERE IT WAS AND SHE WAITED 10:53 OUTSIDE AND WHEN HER COUSIN CAME OUT FROM THE WEDDING SHE 10:57 GOT A GOOD LOOK AND, SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS HER HUSBAND - 11:02 ALONG WITH 48 OTHERS THAT HE HAD MARRIED AROUND THE COUNTRY. 11:07 HE TOLD THEM ALL, 'I'M VERY SHY.' AND HE WAS A 11:11 TRAVELING SALESMAN. AND, EVIDENTLY, HE MADE A 11:13 LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE HE WAS SUPPORTING THEM ALL. 11:17 AND HE JUST KEPT GETTING ON TRAINS AND PLANES AND GOING 11:18 FROM TOWN TO TOWN AND HE HAD A WIFE IN EVERY TOWN - 50 OF THEM. 11:23 HE WAS FINALLY ARRESTED AND PUT IN JAIL - 11:25 AND HE SEEMED VERY HAPPY WHEN HE WAS IN JAIL. 11:28 MATTER OF FACT HE SAID, 'PLEASE DON'T LET ME OUT.' 11:33 BECAUSE HE WAS MORE AFRAID OF WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO 11:35 HIM NOW THAT THE TRUTH WAS OUT AMONG HIS 50 WIVES. 11:41 BUT THAT SORT OF IS INDICATIVE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING 11:44 IN OUR CULTURE. NOW THAT RECORD, SINCE I FIRST 11:47 SAW THIS AMAZING FACT, MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN ALREADY. 11:51 WE'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE IN HOLLYWOOD THAT ARE WELL ON 11:52 THEIR WAY TO BREAK THE RECORD. BUT THAT'S NOT GOD'S PLAN. 11:57 GOD'S PLAN WAS THAT MARRIAGE WAS TO BE A PERMANENT 12:01 INSTITUTION. THERE ARE CASES WHERE IT'S 12:05 APPROPRIATE TO REMARRY AND THERE ARE EVEN CASES WHERE 12:08 BIBLICALLY IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DIVORCE. 12:10 MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS WE GET ON 12:14 BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE - WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE DO THIS 12:16 RADIO QUESTION PROGRAM WHERE WE INVITE PEOPLE TO CALL IN 12:20 THEIR BIBLE QUESTIONS. AS SOON AS WE GET A QUESTION 12:22 ABOUT MARRIAGE AND ADULTERY AND REMARRIAGE, ALL THE PHONES 12:27 BEGIN TO LIGHT UP WITH THAT QUESTION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN OUR 12:30 BIBLE ANSWER PROGRAM TURNS INTO A MARRIAGE COUNSELING PROGRAM. 12:33 AND SO, WE HAVE TO START REMINDING PEOPLE, YOU 12:35 KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS THE ONLY FOCUS. 12:38 BUT WE HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT A LITTLE MORE 12:40 THAN A YEAR AGO I WROTE A BOOK SO THAT WE COULD SEND IT TO 12:42 PEOPLE BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE - A LOT OF THESE ARE CHRISTIANS. 12:45 I WISH I COULD TELL YOU THE STATISTICS AMONG CHRISTIANS 12:48 ARE REAL DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD BUT THEY'RE NOT. 12:52 IT IS TRUE THAT AMONG CHRISTIANS THAT REGULARLY ATTEND 12:58 CHURCH, THERE IS A LOWER - PRAISE GOD - DIVORCE RATE. 13:02 BUT THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE SURVEYS, THEY DON'T ASK THAT 13:04 QUESTION, THEY ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT 13:05 'DO YOU CLAIM TO BE A CHRISTIAN?' 13:07 AND THEN THEY START LOOKING AT THE STATISTICS AND THEN 13:09 THEY FIND THAT THE RATE FOR DIVORCE, WHICH IS ABOUT 48% OF 13:12 FIRST MARRIAGES AROUND NORTH AMERICA IS JUST ABOUT AS BAD IN 13:16 THE CHURCH AS IT IS IN THE WORLD. THAT'S REALLY SAD WHEN 13:20 YOU THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S ONLY SLIGHTLY BETTER AMONG 13:23 THOSE WHO REGULARLY ATTEND CHURCH. 13:26 SO I WROTE A BOOK ON THIS, IT'S CALLED 'THE BIBLE ON 13:29 MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, AND REMARRIAGE' AND SO WE MADE IT SO 13:32 WE COULD SEND IT OUT TO PEOPLE BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY 13:35 QUESTIONS. IT'S A COMPLICATED SUBJECT TOO. 13:38 WHAT ARE THE APPROPRIATE GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE? 13:41 AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE APPROPRIATE BIBLICAL 13:43 GROUNDS, JESUS SAID IT'S ADULTERY. 13:46 WELL, WE'LL GET INTO THAT. I'M GETTING AHEAD 13:48 OF MYSELF NOW. SO, GOD HAS MADE MARRIAGE AS 13:52 PART OF HIS PERFECT PLAN AND HE HAS CREATED US WITH A DESIRE 13:58 FOR THE OPPOSITE SEX, PARTLY TO PROCREATE. 14:03 YOU KNOW, IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT SEXUAL DESIRE, VIRTUALLY NONE 14:06 OF US WOULD BE HERE. ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 14:09 AND IF IT WASN'T FOR HUNGER, YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE 14:11 ALSO. GOD GAVE YOU THE DESIRE TO 14:14 HUNGER FOR FOOD OR YOU WOULD EVENTUALLY DIE OUT. 14:17 AND HE ALSO PLANTED WITHIN US THIS HEALTHY, HOLY DESIRE 14:22 FOR SEX THAT, GOVERNED BY A SANCTIFIED MIND, IS A 14:26 GOOD THING. SEX IS NOT SOMETHING 14:28 THE DEVIL INVENTED. BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL 14:30 TO NOT COMMUNICATE THAT. SEX IS A BEAUTIFUL THING. 14:35 WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT - HOW TWO PEOPLE COME TOGETHER 14:39 THROUGH AN ACT OF LOVE AND EMBRACE AND THEY ARE ABLE TO 14:43 REPRODUCE ANOTHER PERSON. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE 14:48 CONTEXT THAT GOD HAS DESIGNED. BUT THE DEVIL HAS SUCCEEDED IN 14:52 MAKING IT UGLY AND DIRTY AND HE CAN - THE DEVIL CAN WARP 14:56 AND PERVERT EVERYTHING THAT GOD MAKES. 14:58 CAN A PERSON HAVE A PERVERTED APPETITE FOR FOOD? 15:01 YEAH. CAN A PERSON BE A GLUTTON? 15:04 SAME THING WITH THE DESIRES FOR SEX. 15:07 EVERYTHING GOOD THAT GOD HAS MADE THE DEVIL HAS SOUGHT TO 15:09 CORRUPT, INCLUDING MARRIAGE AND THAT INSTITUTION AND THOSE 15:13 DESIRES. BUT THOSE DESIRES MUST BE 15:16 RESTRAINED, JUST AS WITH THE DESIRES FOR FOOD. 15:19 IF THEY'RE NOT, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT. 15:22 THE BIBLE TELLS US IN HEBREWS 13:4, "MARRIAGE IS 15:26 HONORABLE AMONG ALL, AND THE BED UNDEFILED; BUT FORNICATORS 15:31 AND ADULTERERS GOD WILL JUDGE." GENESIS 2:18, "AND THE 15:37 LORD GOD SAID, 'IT IS NOT GOOD THAT MAN SHOULD BE ALONE" - 15:39 I READ THAT TO YOU ALREADY. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:9 - IT SAYS 15:43 THAT IF A PERSON "CANNOT EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL, 15:46 LET THEM MARRY. FOR IT IS BETTER TO MARRY THAN 15:48 TO BURN WITH PASSION." YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT A 15:51 QUOTE HERE FROM C.S. LEWIS - WHILE I DON'T AGREE 15:54 WITH HIM ON EVERYTHING, HE WAS A BRILLIANT CHRISTIAN THEOLOGIAN. 15:59 HE SAYS, 'EITHER MARRIAGE WITH COMPLETE FAITHFULNESS TO 16:01 YOUR PARTNER OR TOTAL ABSTINENCE. 16:03 THOSE ARE THE ONLY OPTIONS FOR THE BELIEVER.' EITHER 16:07 MARRIAGE WITH COMPLETE FAITHFULNESS TO YOUR 16:10 PARTNER WHO, BY THE WAY, SHOULD BE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX, OR TOTAL 16:16 ABSTINENCE. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEING PUT 16:19 FORTH TO OUR SOCIETY THAT IF A PERSON HAS A DESIRE FOR 16:23 SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX, GOD MUST HAVE MADE THEM THAT WAY SO 16:26 THEY SHOULD GO AHEAD AND FULFILL IT. AND THAT IS A MYTH. 16:30 I JUST GOT A STUDY THAT DON MACKINTOSH SENT ME YESTERDAY 16:34 WHERE THEY TOOK TWINS THAT YOUNG MOTHERS THAT WERE UNWED 16:40 PUT UP FOR ADOPTION AND SOMETIMES THE ADOPTION AGENCY 16:42 DID NOT ADOPT OUT BOTH TWINS TO THE SAME FAMILY - IDENTICAL 16:45 TWINS - AND YEARS LATER - 20 YEARS LATER - THEY DID FOLLOW-UP 16:50 AND THEY SURVEYED AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE SAME NUMBER - THE 16:53 SAME PERCENTAGE OF THEM CHOSE OR IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS 16:58 BEING HOMOSEXUAL BUT HAD NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR 17:00 IDENTICAL TWIN. SO IT HAD TO DO WITH WHAT 17:03 FAMILY AND ENVIRONMENT THEY GREW UP IN AND IT MIGHT HAVE 17:08 BEEN INFLUENCED SOMEWHAT BY TEMPERAMENT. EVERYONE'S GOT 17:10 DIFFERENT TEMPERAMENTS AND SOME TEMPERAMENTS ARE MORE PRONE 17:13 TO THAT, BUT THERE'S NOTHING PHYSIOLOGICAL. 17:17 SO IF A PERSON, BECAUSE OF NOT HAVING THE RIGHT INFLUENCES 17:21 AT THAT CRITICAL TIME IN THEIR LIFE, IF THEY GROW UP AND 17:24 THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT IDENTITY FOR THEIR FATHER OR 17:27 THEIR MOTHER TO BOND WITH, THEY CAN GET SOME STRANGE DESIRES. 17:32 BUT IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN AND YOUR DESIRES DO NOT MATCH UP 17:35 WITH THE BIBLE, YOUR OPTION IS PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU 17:40 SELF-CONTROL BECAUSE - YOU KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE NOT 17:42 TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE FLESH BUT BY THE SPIRIT. 17:46 AND YOU CAN'T BE MAKING EXCUSES, 'WELL, I'M SINGLE. 17:49 GOD DOESN'T EXPECT ME TO JUST BE ABSTINENT AND SO I'M JUST 17:53 GOING TO GO OUT AND HIRE A PROSTITUTE - MALE OR FEMALE.' 17:56 I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE THAT LOGIC WILL TAKE YOU. 18:00 GOD EXPECTS US TO USE SELF-CONTROL. 18:03 DID JESUS? DO YOU THINK THAT JESUS WASN'T 18:06 TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS AS WE ARE? THE BIBLE SAYS HE WAS BUT HE 18:10 LIVED A HOLY LIFE AND SO CAN WE. WHEN YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN 18:14 OLD THINGS PASS AWAY. ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW. 18:16 NOW, I'M TAKING THIS LITTLE RABBIT TRAIL TO JUST 18:18 REINFORCE THE PRINCIPLE THAT EVERYBODY THAT IS HUMAN IS GOING 18:24 TO BE TEMPTED AND THE DEVIL IS EVEN GOING TO TEMPT PEOPLE 18:27 WITHIN GOOD CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES TO THINK THINGS THEY 18:29 SHOULDN'T THINK. DON'T FALL FOR THE IDEA THAT 18:33 YOU ARE A VICTIM AND YOU ARE HELPLESS AND YOU 18:35 CAN'T MAKE CHOICES. EVERYBODY CAN MAKE CHOICES. 18:39 PEOPLE WHO FALL INTO ADULTERY USUALLY HAVE MADE A 18:42 SERIES OF CHOICES. THEY ARE FIRST USUALLY STEPPING 18:47 OVER THE LINE TO BECOMING TOO FRIENDLY OR TOO FAMILIAR. 18:50 VERY RARELY DOES IT HAPPEN JUST SUDDENLY UNEXPECTEDLY. 18:55 PEOPLE LITTLE BY LITTLE START OPENING THE DOOR TO A 18:57 FORBIDDEN RELATIONSHIP AND THEY START MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE 19:01 OPPOSITE SEX WHILE THEY'RE MARRIED AND THEY START BECOMING 19:06 INTIMATE AND SHARING INTIMATE DETAILS AND THEY SAY, 'OH, BUT 19:10 YOU KNOW, HE JUST MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD. 19:12 THEN I GO HOME AND MY HUSBAND IS SO CRABBY AND MEAN 19:15 AND UNAPPRECIATIVE AND THIS PERSON IS SO NICE AND...' THE 19:18 DEVIL WILL START GETTING YOU TO MAKE THESE COMPARISONS 19:20 AND EXCUSES AND YOU COULD EVEN CONVINCE YOURSELF, 'YOU KNOW, 19:25 I THINK THE LORD IS LEADING ME IN THIS. 19:28 I KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS ONE THING, BUT IN MY SPIRIT.' 19:31 PEOPLE CONFUSE A LOT OF THINGS FOR THE SPIRIT. 19:34 YOU CAN - TOO MUCH PIZZA CAN MAKE YOU THINK THE SPIRIT 19:36 IS LEADING YOU AND JUST - SO, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT IN THE 19:41 WORD, FRIENDS, DON'T FALL FOR THAT. 19:43 GOD'S SPIRIT IS NEVER GOING TO LEAD CONTRARY TO GOD'S WORD. 19:48 'AND WHENEVER I GO TO WORK SHE LOOKS SO NICE. 19:53 BUT IN THE MORNING MY WIFE'S GOT CURLERS IN HER HAIR AND 19:55 PASTY STUFF ON HER FACE AND HER BREATH SMELLS STRANGE. 20:01 BUT WHEN I SEE THIS CO-WORKER SHE ALWAYS SMELLS LIKE 20:04 PERFUME.' AND YOU KNOW WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS IS IF SOMEONE 20:09 MAKES THAT TRAGIC MISTAKE OF VIOLATING THEIR MARRIAGE AND 20:11 THEY DIVORCE THEIR WIFE AND THEY RUN OFF WITH THE SECRETARY, THEY 20:15 FIND OUT THAT SHE'S GOT CURLERS AND BAD BREATH TOO. 20:20 AND WHERE THIS MAN MAY HAVE BEEN JUST A MONSTER TO BE 20:26 MARRIED TO IN CATEGORY A, B, AND C, SHE FINDS MR. WONDERFUL OVER 20:31 HERE AND IN A, B, AND C HE IS JUST PERFECT AND SO THEY LEAVE 20:36 HUSBAND AND GO WITH NEW PROSPECT AND THEN A YEAR OR TWO 20:40 LATER THEY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IN CATEGORY G, F, AND H THIS GUY 20:45 WAS A MONSTER. AND SHE STARTS LOOKING BACK 20:48 AT HER OLD HUSBAND SAYING, 'YOU KNOW, HE WAS PRETTY GOOD 20:50 ABOUT THOSE OTHER THINGS.' THE LORD HAS A STRANGE WAY OF 20:54 PAIRING US UP WITH PEOPLE THAT HE HAS DESIGNED TO HELP 20:58 SANCTIFY US IN THE CATEGORIES WHERE WE NEED HELP. 21:04 YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE WAYS WE LEARN HOW TO BE CHRISTIANS IS 21:07 THROUGH LOVING THE LORD AND LOVING EACH OTHER. 21:10 THE BIBLE SAYS YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE THE LORD AND LOVE 21:11 YOUR NEIGHBOR. WHO COULD BE MORE - A 21:14 CLOSER NEIGHBOR THAN YOUR SPOUSE? 21:17 HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU LOVE GOD WHO YOU CAN'T SEE WHEN YOU CAN'T 21:20 LOVE YOUR SPOUSE THAT YOU'VE MADE A COVENANT WITH? 21:24 AND IF THE BIBLE TELLS US TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES THEN WHAT 21:27 EXCUSE DO YOU HAVE FOR NOT LOVING YOUR SPOUSE? 21:31 IS THAT STRAIGHT ENOUGH? SO CHRISTIANS WHO BELIEVE THE 21:34 WORD - YOU MAKE A COVENANT WITH SOMEONE - NOW, THERE ARE 21:36 GROUNDS - AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. 21:39 THERE ARE REASONS WHERE YOU WOULD WANT TO MAYBE SEPARATE 21:43 AND EVEN DIVORCE, BUT THAT IS A VERY RARE EXCEPTION. 21:49 YOU KNOW, IN 1623 THERE WAS A BIBLE THAT WAS RECALLED AND 22:00 THE PEOPLE WHO HAD PRINTED 1,000 OF THESE BIBLES - A PRINTING 22:03 COMPANY CALLED BAKER AND LUCAS - THEY LOST THEIR BUSINESS AND 22:07 THEY WERE FINED AN ENTIRE LIFE'S WAGES ALL BECAUSE THEY 22:12 HAD MADE A THREE-LETTER TYPO IN THE BIBLE. 22:16 THE KING WAS EXTREMELY HARSH WITH THEM. 22:19 THE WHOLE BIBLE WAS GREAT - ONE WORD WITH THREE LETTERS WAS 22:24 LEFT OUT AND THEY LOST THEIR BUSINESS AND ALL THE BIBLES WERE 22:28 GATHERED AND BURNED AND IT BECAME KNOWN AS THE WICKED 22:30 BIBLE. DO YOU KNOW WHY? YOU KNOW WHAT WORDS 22:33 THEY LEFT OUT? IT WAS THE WORD 'NOT'. 22:37 THEY LEFT THE WORD 'NOT' OUT OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 22:40 'THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.' AND IT SAID IN 22:43 THE ORIGINAL, 'THOU SHALT' - THERE'S A COPY - YOU NOTICE IT'S 22:46 - THEY USED THE OLD ENGLISH 'S' THERE IT LOOKED LIKE AN 'F'. 22:50 'THOU SHALT COMMIT ADULTERY' IS WHAT THAT BIBLE SAID. 22:55 AND THE WAY OUR CULTURE'S ACTING I'M WONDERING WHAT BIBLE 22:57 THEY'RE READING. THERE'S ONLY ELEVEN OF THESE 23:00 BIBLES STILL LEFT IN EXISTENCE AND THEY'RE VERY VALUABLE. 23:04 THEY CALL THEM THE WICKED BIBLES. 23:06 SOME PEOPLE, THE WAY THEY READ IT, YOU WONDER. 23:09 WE HAVE A DILEMMA OF DIVORCE IN OUR CULTURE. 23:13 IT'S RAMPANT. NOW, THERE ARE BIBLE GROUNDS FOR 23:16 DIVORCE. WHAT DOES JESUS SAY? 23:18 IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES GO TO MATTHEW 19, VERSE 9, "AND I 23:24 SAY TO YOU, WHOEVER DIVORCES HIS WIFE, EXCEPT FOR SEXUAL 23:27 IMMORALITY, AND MARRIES ANOTHER, COMMITS ADULTERY;" 23:31 AND THE BIBLE SAYS THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. 23:34 NOW, AT THE TIME OF CHRIST - BY THE TIME OF JESUS, THE 23:40 SADDUCEES AND THE PHARISEES HAD SORT OF MODIFIED THE LAW OF GOD 23:44 SO THAT THEY HAD ALL THESE TALMUDIC LAWS WHERE YOU COULD 23:49 DIVORCE YOUR WIFE FOR BURNING DINNER. 23:52 I MEAN, THEY HAD JUST AWFUL RIDICULOUS REASONS. 23:56 AND WHEN JESUS SAID TO THE DISCIPLES, 'YOU'RE NOT 23:58 TO DIVORCE FOR ANY REASON' EXCEPT WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT 24:02 FOR FORNICATION, THEY WERE SHOCKED. 24:06 THEY SAID, 'WELL MAYBE IT'S BETTER NOT TO MARRY. 24:07 BOY, THAT'S A REALLY IRON-CLAD COVENANT. 24:09 WE HAD NO IDEA.' BECAUSE THEY HAD ALSO BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE 24:14 GRECO-ROMAN CULTURE AND THEY HAD ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT 24:18 YOU COULD DIVORCE AND GOD SAID FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT 24:22 SO. 'LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER. 24:27 AND I KNOW, EVEN AS I SPEAK ABOUT THIS, A LOT OF PEOPLE 24:30 HERE YOU'VE - STATISTICALLY 40 PERCENT OF EVEN 24:35 PRACTICING CHRISTIANS THAT ARE OF MARRIAGEABLE AGE OR HAVE 24:40 BEEN MARRIED HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT. 24:41 AND SO, WE'RE NOT HERE TO CONDEMN, WE'RE HERE TO TELL 24:44 YOU WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS AND THAT WE'RE TO BE CHRISTIANS. 24:48 THE BIBLICAL GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE - AND, BY THE WAY, IF 24:51 THERE HAS BEEN MARITAL INFIDELITY - IF THERE HAS BEEN 24:55 SEXUAL INFIDELITY IN A MARRIAGE - IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO 24:59 GET DIVORCED. THERE CAN STILL BE 25:01 FORGIVENESS AND HEALING. HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK OF HOSEA? 25:06 OR EVEN AFTER HIS WIFE WAS UNFAITHFUL - AND, BY THE 25:08 WAY, WE'RE THE BRIDE OF CHRIST - THE CHURCH - AND HAS THE CHURCH 25:12 BEEN UNFAITHFUL? LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL. 25:14 SO OFTEN THEY WENT AFTER OTHER GODS AND HE WOULD FORGIVE 25:16 THEM AND BRING THEM BACK AGAIN. AND SO CAN - CAN EVEN THIS BE 25:21 HEALED AND THIS BE FORGIVEN? YES IT CAN. 25:24 AND SO YOU LOOK HERE IN MALACHI CHAPTER 2, VERSE 16, "'FOR 25:29 THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL SAYS THAT HE HATES DIVORCE, FOR IT 25:33 COVERS ONE'S GARMENT WITH VIOLENCE,' SAYS THE LORD OF 25:36 HOSTS." NOW, GOD TOLD ABRAHAM TO GET DIVORCED. 25:43 BUT THAT'S BECAUSE HE HAD TOO MANY WIVES, DIDN'T HE? 25:48 THE REASONS FOR REMARRIAGE, BIBLICALLY, IS IF YOUR 25:52 SPOUSE HAS DIED - PAUL TALKS ABOUT THAT - IF YOU - IF THE 25:58 MARRIAGE COVENANT HAS BEEN VIOLATED THROUGH ADULTERY AND IF 26:02 THERE'S ANY HOPE OF RECONCILIATION - IF THERE'S ANY 26:06 REDEEMABLE QUALITIES, THE BEST THING THAT YOU CAN DO AS A 26:09 CHRISTIAN IS SAVE THE MARRIAGE. STARTING OVER IS TOUGH AND 26:15 SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT HAVE GROUNDS FOR SEPARATION AND 26:17 WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. 26:20 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 7 - THERE IS A UNIQUE SITUATION. 26:24 IT TALKS ABOUT THAT IF THERE IS A BELIEVER WHO IS MARRIED TO 26:28 AN UNBELIEVER AND THEY'RE WILLING TO STAY TOGETHER, PAUL 26:31 SAYS BY ALL MEANS STAY TOGETHER - EVEN IF YOU'VE GOT AN 26:33 UNBELIEVER WHO'S MARRIED TO A BELIEVER - BUT HE'S TALKING 26:35 ABOUT WHEN CHRISTIANITY WAS SPREADING AMONG THE PAGANS AND 26:39 YOU'VE GOT TWO PAGANS WHO ARE MARRIED - PAGANS - BOTH MARRIED 26:41 - BOTH PAGANS. ONE OF THEM FINDS OUT ABOUT JESUS AND THEY DIDN'T 26:48 KNOW AND THEIR NON-BELIEVING PARTNER SAYS, 'LOOK, I DON'T 26:53 WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN. I DIDN'T MARRY A CHRISTIAN. 26:55 IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE I'M LEAVING.' IF THEY'RE 26:57 ABANDONED UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE TWO 26:59 UNBELIEVERS CAME, THEN THAT BELIEVER IS FREE TO 27:03 REMARRY. SEE WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT THERE? 27:06 TYPICALLY, AT THAT POINT, THEIR EX-SPOUSE IS REMARRIED 27:09 ANYWAY, WHICH GIVES THEM THE ADULTERY CLAUSE, AS YOU SAY. 27:14 IF I CAN BE VERY FRANK WITH YOU - YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE 27:17 SEEN AMONG CHRISTIANS SOMETIMES? 27:20 YOU GET TWO CHRISTIANS, THEY LOVE THE LORD, THEY WANT TO 27:22 COME TO CHURCH BUT THEY JUST FIGURE IT'S INTOLERABLE LIVING 27:24 WITH EACH OTHER BUT NEITHER OF THEM HAS COMMITTED ADULTERY OR 27:26 HAS BIBLICAL GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE SO WHAT THEY'LL DO IS THEY'LL 27:30 DIVORCE ANYWAY AND THEN THEY PLAY THE WAITING GAME. 27:34 THEY WAIT FOR THE OTHER ONE TO COMMIT ADULTERY SO THEY'RE 27:36 THEN FREE TO START COURTING AND GET MARRIED. 27:39 ANY OF YOU EVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN BEFORE? 27:43 IT'S LIKE THEY'RE READY TO HIRE A PRIVATE EYE AND FOLLOW 27:45 THEIR EX-SPOUSE AROUND TO JUST SEE, 'HAVE THEY MESSED UP YET?' 27:50 PROBING - IS THAT HOW JESUS WOULD DO IT? NO. 27:54 YOU KNOW, UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THE BIBLE 27:57 SAYS YOU ARE NOT FREE TO REMARRY. 27:58 NOW THAT MIGHT SEEM HARSH - AND IF YOU DO IT'S CALLED ADULTERY 28:02 - THAT MIGHT SEEM HARSH - 'DOESN'T THE LORD WANT ME TO BE 28:04 HAPPY?' NO, HE WANTS YOU TO BE HOLY. 28:08 THE BEST WAY FOR YOU TO FIND REAL HAPPINESS IS TO FIRST 28:10 MAKE UP YOUR MIND THAT GOD IS CALLING YOU TO HOLINESS. 28:15 AND, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, IF THE CHURCH IS NOT GOING TO BE 28:18 THE PLACE WHERE GOD SAYS 'HERE IS THE LINE OF WHAT'S 28:21 APPROPRIATE AND THIS IS A COVENANT AND IT'S IMPORTANT 28:24 AND IT MEANS SOMETHING.' THEN WHERE IN OUR CULTURE CAN WE 28:27 LOOK? TELL ME. IF IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN 28:30 A CHURCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO DRAW A LINE AND SAY 28:32 'MARRIAGE IS SACRED. IT IS HOLY. 28:34 IT IS TO BE PRESERVED EVEN IF IT MEANS AT THE INCONVENIENCE 28:38 OF SOME, THIS INSTITUTION MUST BE CAREFULLY GUARDED.' IF NOT AT 28:42 THE CHURCH, THEN WHERE? WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO? 28:45 TELEVISION? WHERE ONE GUY'S GOT FOUR WIVES? 28:49 WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO TO EXALT MARRIAGE TO THE HOLY 28:53 PLACE WHERE IT BELONGS? IT'S HERE, ISN'T IT? IT'S IN GOD'S 28:58 WORD. IT'S IN THE CHURCH. AND SO THIS IS THE IDEAL. 29:04 NOW MARRIAGE IS NOT JUST - ADULTERY IS NOT JUST SOMETHING 29:07 THAT IS REVEALED IN AN ACTION. JESUS ALSO TEACHES US THAT 29:12 ADULTERY CAN HAPPEN IN AN ATTITUDE, RIGHT? 29:16 MATTHEW CHAPTER 5, VERSE 27, "YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS 29:19 SAID TO THOSE OF OLD, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.'" - WHEN HE 29:22 SAYS 'THOSE OF OLD' HE'S ACTUALLY QUOTING HIMSELF IN THE 29:24 TEN COMMANDMENTS - "BUT I SAY TO YOU THAT WHOEVER LOOKS AT A 29:28 WOMAN TO LUST FOR HER HAS ALREADY COMMITTED ADULTERY 29:31 WITH HER IN HIS HEART." NOW, IF A PERSON THINKS A LUSTFUL 29:38 THOUGHT AND IF YOU CAN PROVE YOUR SPOUSE HAS THOUGHT A 29:42 LUSTFUL THOUGHT - AND SINCE JESUS SAYS THEY'VE 29:45 COMMITTED ADULTERY IN THEIR HEART, DO YOU NOW HAVE GROUNDS 29:47 FOR DIVORCE? WHAT DO YOU SAY? 29:51 DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER? ANYONE VENTURE? BOLD ENOUGH? 29:54 NO, BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A THOUGHT 29:56 AND AN ACT. THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE. 30:02 IF YOU THINK ABOUT MURDER CAN YOU BE EXECUTED ACCORDING TO 30:08 OUR GOVERNMENT? NO. 30:11 BECAUSE A PERSON THINKS A MURDEROUS THOUGHT DOESN'T MEAN 30:13 THEY ARE A MURDERER AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROSECUTED 30:15 AS A MURDERER BECAUSE THEY THINK A THOUGHT. 30:17 NOW, IF YOU CONSPIRE - IF YOU GET THE TOOLS AND THE 30:19 WEAPONS AND YOU'RE GOING TO PLAN IT - YES, THAT'S A DIFFERENT 30:21 STORY - BUT THINKING A THOUGHT IS NOT THE SAME AS DOING IT. 30:25 AND I'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO'VE SAID TO ME, 'PASTOR DOUG, 30:28 I MAY AS WELL GO AHEAD AND DO IT BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT IT 30:31 AND JESUS SAID IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IT'S THE SAME 30:33 THING.' NO, HE DOESN'T SAY IT'S THE SAME THING. 30:36 HE'S TRYING TO SHOW YOU THAT HE NOT ONLY WANTS US TO KEEP THE 30:38 SEVENTH COMMANDMENT AND NOT LITERALLY COMMIT ADULTERY OR 30:41 FORNICATION, HE'S TRYING TO TELL US 'I WANT YOU TO DO IT IN 30:44 YOUR HEART AS WELL' BECAUSE IF YOU'RE KEEPING THE COMMANDMENT 30:48 IN YOUR HEART YOU WILL KEEP IT IN YOUR MARRIAGE. 30:52 AND I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG 30:54 PEOPLE OR ANY SINGLES HERE, THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS NOT JUST 30:57 FOR MARRIED COUPLES. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS FOR 31:00 EVERYBODY BECAUSE THAT COVERS THE SUBJECT OF FORNICATION AND 31:05 THAT'S ANY KIND OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE. 31:10 AND SO, WE'RE ALL CALLED TO HOLINESS. 31:13 HE SAYS, 'BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART, THEY WILL SEE 31:15 GOD.' HE WANTS US TO BE PURE IN OUR HEARTS. 31:17 SO JESUS WASN'T SAYING, 'WELL, YOU'RE THINKING IT, YOU 31:19 MAY AS WELL DO IT.' HE'S SAYING, 'IF YOU'LL BE SAVED IN YOUR 31:22 HEART - IF YOU LET ME RECREATE YOUR HEART YOU WON'T HAVE TO 31:25 WORRY ABOUT THE LETTER OF THE LAW BECAUSE YOU'LL BE KEEPING 31:28 THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. YOU'LL AUTOMATICALLY KEEP THE LETTER OF 31:31 THE LAW WHEN YOU KEEP THE SPIRIT.' ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 31:35 DON'T YOU HAVE TO FIRST THINK IT IN YOUR HEART BEFORE YOU ACT 31:37 IT OUT? AND SO, THEY ARE DIFFERENT. 31:42 NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, I HAVE BEEN ASKED BEFORE, IF A 31:46 PERSON IS GUILTY OF PORNOGRAPHY IS THAT GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE? 31:52 LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW STATISTICS. 31:58 IN THE U.S. - AMONG U.S. ADULTS - AND THIS IS - I'VE 32:02 GOT A VARIETY OF SURVEYS HERE, ONE FROM PSYCHOLOGY TODAY 32:06 - 40 MILLION PEOPLE VISIT PORNOGRAPHIC WEBSITES. 32:11 WELL, THERE'S ONLY 300 MILLION IN THE COUNTRY SO FIGURE 32:13 THAT OUT. ADULTS ADMITTING TO INTERNET 32:16 SEXUAL ADDICTION - 10 PERCENT. 32:20 ADULTS VISITING PORNOGRAPHIC SITES - 72 PERCENT 32:24 OF MALES SAY THEY HAVE - THAT DOESN'T MEAN ON A REGULAR BASIS, 32:27 BUT THEY HAVE - 28 PERCENT OF FEMALES. MEN ADMITTING TO 32:32 ACCESSING PORNOGRAPHY AT WORK - 20 PERCENT. 32:38 CHRISTIANS - AND EVEN IN CHRISTIAN COLLEGES - I SAW 32:40 ONE SURVEY THAT AMONG CHRISTIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS 78 32:44 PERCENT OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGE MEN ADMIT TO HAVE VISITED 32:50 PORNOGRAPHIC SITES ONCE A MONTH - MANY TIMES ON CAMPUS - 32:55 CHRISTIAN CAMPUS EQUIPMENT. CHRISTIANS WHO SAID PORNOGRAPHY 33:02 IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THEIR HOME - CHRISTIANS - 47 PERCENT. 33:08 SO IS THIS RELEVANT? NEVER BEFORE HAS MENTAL 33:14 ADULTERY BEEN MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN IN THE CHURCH 33:18 AND THE WORLD TODAY. IT'S NOT JUST ON THE INTERNET 33:21 ON THE HOME COMPUTER. IT'S ON THE SMART PHONE. 33:25 IT'S EVERYWHERE - IT'S ON THE IPAD OR IPOD OR ALL OF 33:29 THAT STUFF. NOW, IF A SPOUSE IS GUILTY OF THIS IS THAT GROUNDS 33:37 FOR DIVORCE? NO, YOU NEED COUNSELING. 33:41 YOU NEED PRAYER. IS IT A SIN? ABSOLUTELY. I SHOULD ADD, IF A 33:46 SPOUSE IS LOOKING AT PORNOGRAPHY THAT INVOLVES CHILDREN THAT 33:50 MIGHT BE GROUNDS FOR SEPARATION. NOW YOU UNDERSTAND THERE'S A 33:53 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEPARATION AND DIVORCE. 33:56 BUT IF THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THE CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY ARE 33:58 AT RISK BECAUSE OF SPOUSE - TYPICALLY A MAN - WOULD BE 34:02 LOOKING AT THESE THINGS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK TO YOUR 34:05 PASTOR AND GET SOME COUNSELING. THEY COULD BE AT RISK. 34:11 BUT THE OTHER EXTREME IS WHERE A WIFE SAYS, 'I FOUND A 34:16 'PLAYBOY' MAGAZINE UNDER MY HUSBAND'S MATTRESS. 34:20 I'M GETTING AN ATTORNEY AND FILING FOR DIVORCE.' 34:24 I DON'T THINK YOU'VE GOT GROUNDS FOR THAT. 34:26 I THINK YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS. 34:28 AND, BY THE WAY, IT HAPPENS WITH BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. 34:31 WHEN A MAN COMES HOME AND HE SEES THAT HIS WIFE IS 34:34 WATCHING TWO PEOPLE FLOP AROUND IN BED DURING SOME DAYTIME 34:37 PROGRAM, IS SHE THINKING ADULTEROUS THOUGHTS? 34:42 IS THAT GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE? SOAP OPERAS? 34:46 SEE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL HOW YOU DRAW THESE 34:50 THINGS OUT. IS IT SIN? YEAH. 34:53 BOY, YOU GET REAL QUIET AT TIMES LIKE THIS. 34:58 WHICH TELLS ME THAT I'M HITTING A NERVE. 35:02 AND IF THINKING IT IS A SIN - I TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK 35:08 WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT MURDER - THEN WHAT ABOUT WHEN WE 35:12 DELIBERATELY CHOOSE TO BE ENTERTAINED BY IT? 35:18 PORNOGRAPHY, LOVE NOVELS, ON TELEVISION, VICARIOUSLY 35:21 SINNING - SOME PEOPLE SAY, 'I WOULD NEVER DO IT.' 35:26 BUT THEY'RE ENTERTAINED BY DOING IT. 35:29 THEY GO AND THEY WATCH PROGRAMS OR RENT DVDS AND VIDEOS 35:33 THAT THEY KNOW RIGHT FROM THE OUTSET THEY'RE RATED 'R' AND 35:36 THEY'RE GOING TO BE FULL OF THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY. 35:39 SO MANY OF THE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS ON 35:41 TELEVISION AND IN THE MOVIES ARE ADULTEROUS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN 35:44 TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT MARRIED - AND LET'S FACE IT, IN THE 35:47 WORLD PEOPLE TREAT SEX LIKE SHAKING HANDS. 35:50 THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS WITH CHRIST. 35:53 THE BIBLE HASN'T CHANGED. YES, OUR CULTURE HAS CHANGED, 35:55 BUT THE TRUTH HAS NOT CHANGED. JESUS SAID, 'I AM THE LORD I 35:59 DO NOT CHANGE.' WHAT NEEDS CHANGING IS WE DO. 36:03 GOD'S CHURCH NEEDS TO START BEING A LIGHT ON A HILL 36:05 AND SHOWING THE WORLD WHAT HOLINESS LOOKS LIKE. 36:09 AND THAT MEANS IN OUR LIVES AND IN OUR HOMES AND IN 36:13 OUR MARRIAGES. PETER, DESCRIBING HIS AGE 36:17 AND IT'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM OURS. 36:19 PETER - 2 PETER CHAPTER 2, VERSE 14, "HAVING EYES FULL OF 36:22 ADULTERY AND THAT CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN, ENTICING 36:26 UNSTABLE SOULS." - YOU NOTICE IT STARTS WITH A LOOK AND THAT 36:32 LINGERING LOOK - DID IT GET DAVID IN TROUBLE? 36:35 PROVERBS 9:17, "STOLEN WATER IS SWEET, AND BREAD EATEN IN 36:39 SECRET IS PLEASANT." PEOPLE THINK, 'WELL, IT WAS A SECRET 36:42 RENDEZVOUS. NO ONE WILL KNOW.' SOLOMON GOES 36:46 ON TO SAY, "BUT HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE DEAD ARE THERE, THAT 36:49 HER GUESTS" - SPEAKING OF A HARLOT - "ARE IN THE DEPTHS OF 36:52 HELL." SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THEY PUT UP SOME TRAFFIC METERS HERE 37:00 IN TOWN, TO TAKE PICTURES WHEN YOU VIOLATE THE RED LIGHT. 37:04 AND WHEN THEY FIRST PUT THEM UP, THEY PUT THEM UP AND THEN 37:08 THEY TOOK THEM DOWN - OR THEY TURNED SOME OF THEM OFF - AND 37:13 THE REASON WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE SNAPPING PICTURES OF PEOPLE 37:16 RUNNING RED LIGHTS AND SOMEONE WOULD SAY, 'I DIDN'T DO 37:19 THAT AND THEY'D SAY, 'WELL, HERE'S THE PHOTOGRAPH.' AND 37:24 THEY'D SEND THE PHOTOGRAPH AND IT HAS THE TIME - 11 AT NIGHT - 37:29 IT TAKES A PICTURE AND THERE'S A MAN IN THE CAR WITH A WOMAN 37:32 THAT'S NOT HIS WIFE. AND SO THEY WERE SUING FOR 37:35 INVASION OF PRIVACY BECAUSE IT WAS CAUSING SOME PROBLEMS 37:39 FOR SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE THESE TRAFFIC PHOTOS WERE 37:43 PICTURING THEM IN CARS - PLACES THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE WITH 37:45 PEOPLE THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE WITH. 37:49 I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH THAT. 37:50 MAYBE THEY'RE BLURRING OUT HALF THE PICTURE. 37:53 I JUST COVER MY LICENSE PLATE - IT SEEMS TO WORK. 38:00 NOT REALLY! YOU CAN ALL RUN OUT TO 38:02 THE PARKING LOT AND JUST AFTER CHURCH - NOW YOU'RE GOING 38:05 TO WANT TO CHECK PASTOR DOUG'S CAR. 38:11 ADULTERY DOES NOT BEGIN BELOW THE BELT. 38:16 ADULTERY BEGINS ABOVE THE NECK. IT STARTS IN THE MIND. 38:22 IF WE KEEP OUR MINDS FIXED ON THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD 38:26 AND IF WE MAKE A COVENANT WITH OUR EYES, AS JOB SAYS, CAN KEEP 38:31 US OUT OF A LOT OF TROUBLE. YOU LOOK, FOR INSTANCE, IN JOB 38:34 31, VERSE 1, - 'LOOK AWAY AND LIVE.' -- - HE SAYS, "I HAVE 38:38 MADE A COVENANT WITH MY EYES; WHY THEN SHOULD I LOOK 38:41 UPON A YOUNG WOMAN?" WE'VE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO 38:44 BOUNCE OUR EYES WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT RIGHT. 38:48 DID JOSEPH - YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE STORY OF JOSEPH. 38:50 HE'S ONE OF THE HEROES IN THE BIBLE, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF 38:54 HIS FORGIVENESS BUT JOSEPH IS ONE OF THE RARE EXCEPTIONS YOU 38:57 FIND IN THE BIBLE OF A GODLY MAN WHO SAID 'NO' TO A TEMPTATION 39:01 THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR MOST PEOPLE. 39:04 HE SAID, 'NO, HOW CAN I SIN AGAINST GOD?' 39:06 HIS LOVE WAS SO STRONG FOR GOD HE SAID, 'I CAN'T DO THIS 39:08 THING.' HE SAID 'NO' TO ADULTERY. 39:11 SO WHENEVER WE THINK, 'OH, WE'RE ALL HUMAN.' I REMEMBER 39:13 HEARING ONE WOMAN SAY, 'ANY MAN COULD BE HAD' - ANY MAN COULD BE 39:18 HAD - AND I WAS INSULTED BY THAT BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S 39:21 TRUE. I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE HAVE 39:23 GOD'S SPIRIT THAT WE CAN LIVE LIVES OF INTEGRITY. 39:27 PROVERBS CHAPTER 4, VERSE 25, "LET YOUR EYES LOOK STRAIGHT 39:32 AHEAD, AND YOUR EYELIDS LOOK RIGHT BEFORE YOU." 39:34 HE'S TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE TEMPTED. 39:36 PSALMS 101, VERSE 3, "I WILL SET NOTHING WICKED BEFORE MY 39:41 EYES; I HATE THE WORK OF THOSE WHO FALL AWAY; IT SHALL NOT 39:44 CLING TO ME." AND THEN SOLOMON ALSO SAID - PROVERBS 5:15, 39:48 "DRINK WATER FROM YOUR OWN CISTERN AND RUNNING WATER FROM 39:52 YOUR OWN WELL...LET THEM BE YOUR OWN AND NOT FOR STRANGERS WITH 39:56 YOU." NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S WONDERFUL IF YOU'VE GOT A SPRING 39:59 IN YOUR BACKYARD AND YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN WELL AND YOU CAN DRINK 40:01 ALL THE WATER YOU WANT FROM YOUR OWN WELL - THAT'D BE SUCH A 40:03 BLESSING. WITHIN MARRIAGE THAT 40:07 INTIMACY IS A BLESSING. MATTER OF FACT, IN THE BIBLE 40:12 IT'S COMMANDED THAT THE COUPLES COME TOGETHER. 40:15 SO MUCH OF THE MARRIAGE COUNSELING THAT HAPPENS 40:18 IS ALMOST NEVER BECAUSE THE COUPLES ARE HAVING TOO MUCH SEX. 40:22 IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HAVING ENOUGH. 40:24 IF THE TRUTH BE KNOWN, NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN - THAT'S A 40:28 PROBLEM. AND SO, WITHIN MARRIAGE IT'S A WONDERFUL THING. 40:33 BUT OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE, WITH SOMEONE THAT IS NOT YOUR 40:36 SPOUSE, THAT'S WHERE IT'S A PROBLEM. 40:40 DRINK WATER FROM YOUR OWN CISTERN. 40:43 PAUL SAYS TO TIMOTHY - 2 TIMOTHY 2:22 - THAT'S EASY TO 40:47 REMEMBER - 2:22 - "FLEE ALSO YOUTHFUL LUSTS;" - FLEE YOUTHFUL 40:54 LUSTS - NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S ESPECIALLY HARD WHEN YOU'RE 40:57 YOUNG, AMEN? AND WHEN YOUR BODY GOES 40:59 THROUGH THAT TRANSITION WHERE YOU'RE GOING FROM CHILD TO 41:04 HAVING THE ADULT DESIRES, IT CAN BE VERY DISTRACTING. 41:10 IT CAN SEEM LIKE THE ONLY PURPOSE IN LIFE. 41:13 YOU START TO FEEL LIKE A SALMON WHERE YOU'RE PURPOSE IS 41:17 TO SPAWN AND THEN DIE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE - AND, YOU KNOW, MY 41:23 ANSWER FOR THAT WOULD BE - TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE - 'HANG ON. 41:27 SETTLE DOWN. JUST RELAX. YOU'LL SURVIVE. 41:31 IT IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. AND LIFE WILL GO ON. 41:35 GOD'S GOT ANOTHER PURPOSE FOR YOUR EXISTENCE AND YOU CAN 41:41 BE HOLY.' THE BIBLE SAYS 'FLEE YOUTHFUL LUSTS'. 41:43 THE BIBLE SAYS FLEE TEMPTATION AS WELL, AMEN? 41:48 LOOK AWAY AND LIVE. PHILIPPIANS 4:8, "FINALLY 41:51 BRETHREN," - HOW DO YOU DO IT? - 41:52 "WHATEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, WHATEVER THINGS ARE NOBLE, 41:55 WHATEVER THINGS ARE JUST, WHATEVER THINGS ARE PURE, 41:58 WHATEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY, WHATEVER THINGS ARE OF 42:00 GOOD REPORT, IF THERE IS ANY VIRTUE AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING 42:03 PRAISEWORTHY - MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS." IF YOUR MIND IS 42:06 SO FULL OF MEDITATING ON THAT WHICH IS PURE, GOOD, NOBLE, AND 42:09 LOVELY, OF GOOD REPORT, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOU'RE NOT SO 42:13 DISTRACTED BY THOSE THINGS THAT ARE FORBIDDEN. 42:16 FILL YOUR MIND WITH THAT WHICH IS GOOD. 42:19 OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. NOW, HAVING SAID ALL THIS, 42:24 I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHAT ADULTERY IS 42:26 AND THAT IT'S A SIN. I WANT TO ALSO MAKE IT CLEAR 42:29 IT IS NOT THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED - AND 42:35 EVEN DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE WITHOUT BIBLICAL GROUNDS - THE 42:40 BIBLE DOES NOT CALL THAT THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 42:43 AFTER DAVID SINNED WITH BATHSHEBA, WAS THAT A 42:46 FORBIDDEN ADULTEROUS RELATIONSHIP? 42:49 YES IT WAS. IN EVERY WAY. 42:50 CONNECTED WITH MURDER. DID DAVID SUFFER? 42:54 DID BATHSHEBA SUFFER? DAVID LOST FOUR OF HIS SONS. 42:59 THE LORD DIRECTLY, IN THE PROPHECY OF NATHAN, 43:01 CONNECTED THE LOSS OF FOUR CHILDREN WITH HIS ACTION. 43:07 SO, DO YOU THINK DAVID THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH IT? 43:10 SOMETIMES PEOPLE FALL INTO ADULTEROUS RELATIONSHIPS 43:12 AND THEY DON'T REALIZE WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE GOING TO 43:15 BE. A LOT OF KIDS HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY SCARRED BECAUSE 43:20 OF THE DECISION THAT THEIR PARENTS MADE - A VERY SELFISH 43:24 DECISION USUALLY. WHEN PEOPLE COMMIT ADULTERY, 43:27 WHO ARE THEY THINKING ABOUT? GOD AND HIS GLORY 43:29 OR THEMSELVES? DAVID SUFFERED. NOW, HERE'S A QUESTION: DID GOD 43:35 FORGIVE DAVID AND BATHSHEBA? THE CHILD - THE FIRST CHILD 43:40 THAT WAS A RESULT OF THEIR FORBIDDEN RELATIONSHIP WHILE 43:43 SHE WAS STILL MARRIED TO URIAH - THAT BABY DIED. 43:47 AND AFTER DAVID REPENTED, GOD FORGAVE DAVID, HE FORGAVE 43:51 BATHSHEBA AND THE BIBLE SAYS - FIRST IT CALLS BATHSHEBA 43:54 URIAH'S WIFE, THEN IT SAYS 'DAVID COMFORTED HIS WIFE, 43:59 BATHSHEBA' AND GAVE THEM ANOTHER CHILD. 44:02 HIS NAME WAS SOLOMON. DID GOD FORGIVE THEM? 44:06 YEAH, AND SO THAT'S WHY SOLOMON COULD WRITE WHAT HE WROTE 44:09 ABOUT IT, BECAUSE HE KNEW GROWING UP IN THAT HOME. 44:13 WHAT ABOUT THE WOMAN AT THE TEMPLE? 44:16 JOHN 8:38 - SCRIBES BROUGHT THIS WOMAN CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF 44:20 ADULTERY - SHE WAS GUILTY. 44:23 ACCORDING TO THE LAW SHE SHOULD BE STONED. 44:25 ACCORDING TO THE LAW THE MAN SHOULD BE STONED TOO. 44:28 AND I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED HOW IN THE WORLD WAS IT THAT THEY 44:29 WERE ABLE TO CATCH HER IN THE ACT AND NOT THE MAN? 44:33 THAT'S PRETTY STRANGE. AND, EVIDENTLY, SHE WAS SET UP. 44:39 MANY THINK THIS MAY HAVE BEEN MARY MAGDALENE'S FIRST 44:42 ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS - AND I CAN GIVE YOU MY OTHER ARGUMENTS FOR 44:45 THAT LATER, BUT THEY ALL STOOD AROUND READY TO EXECUTE HER. 44:52 HE SAID, "HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU, LET HIM CAST THE 44:53 FIRST STONE." YOU KNOW ONE REASON THAT ADULTERY IS SO 44:57 RAMPANT IN THE CHURCH IS BECAUSE OF THIS STORY AND NO ONE WANTS 45:01 TO EVER DEAL WITH ADULTERY IN A CHURCH - ON THE CHURCH BOARD - 45:04 NO ONE WANTS TO - I SHOULDN'T SAY NO ONE - VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE 45:07 WILLING TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S SO PREVALENT. 45:10 WE ALL QUOTE THE SCRIPTURE, 'HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN LET THEM 45:13 CAST THE FIRST STONE' AND PEOPLE TAKE THAT TO MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT 45:16 SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH IT AT ALL SO WE'RE ALL KIND OF 45:19 AMBIVALENT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT GOD'S VERY CLEAR ABOUT. 45:23 WHEN JESUS SAID 'HE THAT IS WITHOUT SIN LET HIM CAST THE 45:26 FIRST STONE' - THEY WERE GOING TO KILL MARY! 45:29 THEY WERE GOING TO EXECUTE THIS WOMAN! 45:32 AND WHEN HER ACCUSERS LEFT HE SAID, "WOMAN, WHERE ARE THOSE 45:35 ACCUSERS OF YOURS? HAS NO ONE CONDEMNED YOU?" 45:38 SHE SAID, "NO ONE, LORD." HE SAID, "NEITHER DO I 45:40 CONDEMN YOU." NOW, WAS JESUS SAYING THAT ADULTERY IS OKAY I'M 45:44 NOT GOING TO CONDEMN IT ANYMORE? 45:46 SOME PEOPLE HAVE READ IT THAT WAY. 45:48 WHENEVER SOMEONE IN THE CHURCH FALLS INTO ADULTERY, 45:50 INSTEAD OF THERE BEING ANY KIND OF CENSURE OR COUNSELING THEY 45:54 JUST SAY, 'WELL, JESUS SAID 'I DON'T CONDEMN' SO GO AND FREELY 45:58 SIN.' IS THAT WHAT HE SAID? 45:59 NO, HE SAID, 'I DO NOT CONDEMN YOU; GO AND SIN NO 46:03 MORE.' YOU KNOW WHY HE COULD SAY 'I DON'T CONDEMN YOU'? 46:06 BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO TAKE HER DEATH PENALTY. 46:09 IS THE PENALTY FOR SIN STILL DEATH? 46:11 IS THE PENALTY FOR BREAKING THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT STILL 46:14 SIN? AND SO IS IT STILL DEATH? 46:18 AND SO HOW COULD JESUS TELL MARY YOU'RE FREE TO GO? 46:21 BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO TAKE HER DEATH PENALTY. 46:24 THAT'S WHY HE TOLD HER 'GO AND SIN NO MORE.' HE CALLED IT A 46:28 SIN AND HE SAID, 'STOP IT!' I'LL FORGIVE YOU. DON'T DO IT 46:32 ANYMORE BECAUSE I'LL DIE FOR YOU.' OR THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. 46:40 HOW COULD JESUS REVEAL TO HER THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH? 46:43 HE SAID, 'GO CALL YOUR HUSBAND.' 'I'M NOT 46:46 MARRIED.' 'AH, YOU'RE RIGHT. SEMANTICS. 46:51 YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED FIVE TIMES AND THE GUY YOU'RE LIVING 46:53 WITH NOW YOU'RE NOT TECHNICALLY MARRIED TO.' 46:56 HER MOUTH FELL OPEN. 'SIR, I PERCEIVE THAT 46:59 YOU'RE A PROPHET. LET'S ARGUE ABOUT SOMETHING 47:02 OTHER THAN MY MARITAL HISTORY. 47:05 LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GO TO CHURCH. 47:08 SHOULD WE GO IN JERUSALEM OR MOUNT GERIZIM?' 47:10 SHE USED THE DIVERSIONARY TACTIC. 47:14 JESUS KNEW ALL ABOUT HER - THAT'S WHY SHE WAS AT THE WELL 47:18 BY HERSELF - SHE HAD QUITE A REPUTATION. 47:22 CAN YOU IMAGINE THE WOMEN TALKING IN SAMARIA - IN 47:24 THAT TOWN - THE WELL OF SYCHAR - ABOUT THAT WOMAN WHO HAD FIVE 47:30 HUSBANDS AND NOW SHE'S JUST GIVEN UP ON MARRIAGE - 47:32 SHE'S LIVING WITH A GUY SHE NOT MARRIED WITH. 47:35 WHY WOULD JESUS TAKE TIME TO REVEAL TO HER HE'S THE 47:37 MESSIAH EXCEPT - I'VE GOT A THEORY - THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE 47:43 FOR HER TO BE FORGIVEN. WHAT DO YOU THINK? 47:47 WHAT ABOUT A PERSON WHO COMES OUT OF THE WORLD THAT'S 47:49 BEEN MARRIED HALF A DOZEN TIMES? TWO TIMES? ONE TIME? 47:54 THEY CAME OUT OF THE WORLD, THEY WERE NOT CHRISTIANS AND 47:55 THEY BECOME A CHRISTIAN. CAN THEY NEVER GET MARRIED? 47:58 NO, I THINK THAT YOU CAN'T UNSCRAMBLE SCRAMBLED EGGS. 48:02 WHEN PEOPLE COME TO THE LORD AND THEY'RE BORN AGAIN, HE GIVES 48:04 THEM A FRESH START. AND AFTER THEY'VE COME TO THE 48:07 LORD AND THEY'VE BEEN CONVERTED AND THEY'RE BORN AGAIN, OLD 48:10 THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY, ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW, I BELIEVE 48:13 THAT IF THEY FIND A CHRISTIAN SPOUSE THEN PRAISE THE LORD. 48:17 IF THEY WANT TO REMAIN SINGLE PRAISE THE LORD. 48:19 GOD'LL BLESS EITHER ONE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? 48:23 BUT ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT BOTH MARY MAGDALENE WAS THE 48:27 FIRST ONE TO PROCLAIM THE RISEN LORD AND THE WOMAN AT THE 48:31 WELL WAS THE FIRST ONE TO PROCLAIM HIM AMONG THE GENTILES. 48:35 SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT GOD CAN FORGIVE, BUT GOD IS ALSO 48:39 TELLING US HE STILL WANTS US TO OBEY. 48:42 ADULTERY IS STILL A SIN. HE IS NOT RECOMMENDING THAT WE 48:45 DO A LITTLE LESS OF IT, HE'S SAYING, 'THOU SHALT NOT 48:51 COMMIT ADULTERY.' THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD. 48:55 HE WANTS US TO BE A HOLY PEOPLE AND HE WANTS US NOT TO 48:58 COMMIT ADULTERY ON HIM BECAUSE, ULTIMATELY, HUSBANDS 49:03 ARE TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH AND YOU, 49:06 AS PART OF THE CHURCH, HE LOVES YOU AS A BRIDEGROOM. 49:08 WOULD YOU WANT TO BREAK HIS HEART? 49:10 ANY TIME ANYBODY FLIRTS WITH THE IDEA OF COMMITTING ADULTERY 49:14 ON THEIR SPOUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMMITTING ADULTERY ALSO ON 49:16 THE LORD AND ON THEIR FAMILY AND ON SOCIETY. 49:20 IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON THAT'S GOING TO BE HURT. 49:24 DAVID, WHEN HE REPENTED OF HIS SIN IN PSALM 51, HE SAID, 49:29 'AGAINST THEE AND THEE ONLY HAVE I SINNED.' JOSEPH, WHEN HE 49:31 WAS TEMPTED TO COMMIT ADULTERY WITH POTIPHAR'S WIFE, HE SAID, 49:34 'HOW CAN I DO THIS WICKED THING AND SIN AGAINST GOD?' 49:38 AND SO THE BEST REASON TO KEEP THIS COMMANDMENT AND 49:41 EVERY COMMANDMENT IS BECAUSE JESUS LOVES US AND HE HAD TO DIE 49:45 TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS. ISN'T THAT RIGHT? AND IT'S 49:50 THROUGH HIS SHED BLOOD THAT WE'RE GIVEN POWER TO LIVE HOLY 49:54 LIVES. WHEREVER YOU ARE IN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE - 49:58 WHETHER YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO BE MARRIED OR YOU'VE BEEN 50:00 MARRIED BEFORE OR DIVORCED AND MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T GOT BIBLICAL 50:02 GROUNDS - EVERYONE CAN COME TO THE LORD AS THEY ARE AND THANK 50:06 HIM FOR THE POWER OF THE BLOOD TO LIVE A NEW LIFE FROM HERE ON. 50:11 (MUSIC) 50:19 >>YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION BEFORE, 'IF YOU 50:21 DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER IN TEXAS, JUST WAIT; IT'LL CHANGE.' AND 50:25 YOU'VE ALSO HEARD, 'EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS - THE 50:27 RANCHES, THE BELT BUCKLES, THE COWBOY HATS...' BUT THE MOST 50:32 FAMOUS SLOGAN ABOUT TEXAS IS 'REMEMBER THE ALAMO!' 50:39 THE VIOLENT BATTLES AND BRAVERY OF ICONIC HEROES, HAVE BEEN THE 50:43 STUFF OF LEGENDS, THROUGHOUT WHICH ENTIRE CULTURES OFTEN DRAW 50:46 THEIR IDENITY AND PRIDE, EVEN LONG AFTER CENTURIES ARE PAST. 50:50 AND IN TEXAS, THE STORY OF THE ALAMO HAS BEEN A RALLYING CRY OF 50:53 TEXAS INDEPENDENCE FOR 200 YEARS. ONE REASON THAT TEXANS 50:58 LOVE TO BRAG THAT EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS IS, OF COURSE, 51:01 BECAUSE TEXAS IS THE LARGEST OF THE LOWER 48 U.S. STATES. 51:05 IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS MASSIVE STATE GOT ITS BEGINNING 51:09 IN A VERY SMALL CHRISTIAN MISSION DURING THE BATTLE OF THE 51:12 ALAMO. EVERY YEAR THIS FAMOUS MISSION MUSEUM RECEIVES OVER TWO 51:17 AND A HALF MILLION VISITORS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE PLANET, THAT 51:20 ARE EAGER TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THIS LEGENDARY SITE. 51:24 THE ALAMO PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE TEXAS REVOLUTION. 51:28 IN DECEMBER 1835, TEXANS AND TEJANO VOLUNTEERS BATTLED 51:32 MEXICAN TROOPS QUARTERED IN THE CITY, FORCING GENERAL MARTIN 51:35 PERFECTO DE COS TO SURRENDER. THE VICTORIOUS VOLUNTEERS 51:38 THEN OCCUPIED THE ALAMO AND STRENGTHENED ITS DEFENSES. 51:42 FAMOUS AMERICANS LIKE DAVY CROCKETT, JIM BOWIE, AND COLONEL 51:46 WILLIAM TRAVIS MADE THIS LOCATION - THIS ANCIENT MISSION 51:49 - THE BEACHHEAD - THE LAST STAND IN AN EPIC BATTLE TO WIN 51:53 INDEPENDENCE OF TEXAS FROM MEXICO. 51:57 ON FEBRUARY 23, 1836, THE ARRIVAL OF GENERAL ANTONIO LOPEZ 52:02 SANTA ANA NEARLY CAUGHT THEM BY SURPRISE. 52:05 UNDAUNTED, THE TEXANS AND TEJANOS PREPARED TO DEFEND THE 52:08 ALAMO. FOR THIS SMALL RAG-TAG GROUP OF 52:10 REBELS, THE YOUNGEST OF WHOM WAS ABOUT SIXTEEN AND THE OLDEST 52:13 SEVENTY-FIVE, WAS AGAINST THE WELL-TRAINED AND ORGANIZED 52:17 MEXICAN ARMY OF SIX THOUSAND-PLUS SOLDIERS. 52:20 IT WAS A FIERCE AND LOPSIDED BATTLE, YET THE SMALL FORCE OF 52:23 REBELS WAS ABLE TO REPEL THE TROOPS FOR THIRTEEN DAYS. 52:28 LEGEND HOLDS THAT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL HELP 52:31 FADING, COLONEL TRAVIS DREW A LINE IN THE GROUND WITH A SWORD 52:35 AND ASKED ANY MAN WILLING TO STAY AND FIGHT TO STEP OVER THE 52:38 LINE. ALL EXCEPT ONE CROSSED OVER. 52:43 THE FINAL ASSAULT CAME BEFORE DAYBREAK. 52:45 IN THE MORNING OF MARCH 6, 1836, THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF THE SIEGE, 52:50 CANON AND SMALL ARMS FIRE FROM INSIDE THE ALAMO BEAT BACK 52:53 SEVERAL MEXICAN ATTACKS. REGROUPING, SANTA ANA'S SOLDIERS 52:57 SCALED THE WALLS AND RUSHED INTO THE COMPOUND. THE DESPERATE 53:01 STRUGGLE CONTINUED UNTIL THE DEFENDERS WERE OVERWHELMED. 53:05 BY SUNRISE, THE BATTLE HAD ENDED AND THE GARRISON WAS SLAIN. 53:09 YOU KNOW, HISTORIANS MAY DEBATE SOME OF THE DETAILS REGARDING 53:12 THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO, BUT NONE OF THEM QUESTION THE 53:14 INCREDIBLE SACRIFICE THAT WAS MADE AND THE COURAGE THAT WAS 53:17 DISPLAYED DURING THAT INTENSE CONFLICT. THEY MADE THE ULTIMATE 53:21 SACRIFICE - GIVING THEIR LIVES - AND THIS IS WHY THE STORY OF THE 53:24 ALAMO IS SO INSPIRING AND SO ENCOURAGING, YOU KNOW? 53:28 AND THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE IS SO INSPIRING, FRIENDS, BECAUSE 53:31 SOMEONE WAS WILLING TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND GIVE HIS 53:33 LIFE SO YOU COULD HAVE FREEDOM AND ETERNAL LIFE. 53:37 DON'T YOU THINK YOU COULD TRUST YOUR LIFE TO A FRIEND LIKE THAT, 53:40 THAT WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING? THE STORY OF THE GOSPEL IS A 53:43 STORY OF COURAGE AND HOPE. IT'S THE STORY OF GOD WHO WILL 53:45 NEVER LEAVE YOU WITHOUT DEFENSE AND SUPPORT. JESUS IS THE GOOD 53:49 NEWS AND THE GOSPEL IS A STORY WORTH REMEMBERING. (MUSIC) 54:13 >>AMAZING FACTS CHANGED LIVES. 54:22 >>WE WERE GOING TO CHURCH EVERY OTHER WEEK. 54:25 ABOUT 19 YEARS OLD THINGS REALLY START TO MAKE SENSE FOR ME. 54:28 I STARTED TO GO TO CHURCH FOR MYSELF. 54:30 AND THE PASTOR WANTED TO STUDY WITH ME. 54:33 WE CAME TO THE STUDY ABOUT BAPTISM. 54:36 I KIND OF JUST SHRUGGED, PUT MY HEAD DOWN, AND I SAID, 'I'M NOT 54:39 READY.' HE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE AND SAID, 'JASON, YOU'LL NEVER 54:44 MAKE YOURSELF READY, YOU KNOW? THIS IS JUST SOMETHING YOU HAVE 54:48 TO DO.' I PUT A LOT OF THINGS BEHIND ME - THE DRINKING AND 54:51 SMOKING - ALL THAT STUFF STOPPED. 54:53 ALL THROUGHOUT THE TIME WHEN I'D BEEN LEARNING ABOUT GOD, IT WAS 54:56 JUST ME AND GOD. IT COMES AROUND UP TO ABOUT 55:00 AUGUST AND I MEET THIS GIRL. ABOUT TWO YEARS INTO THE 55:05 RELATIONSHIP WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MARRIAGE AND EVERYTHING. 55:07 WE DIDN'T PRAY - WE DIDN'T STUDY TOGETHER. 55:12 WE WERE ARGUING A LOT, BUT WE WERE ENGAGED. 55:16 I STARTED DRINKING AGAIN AND IT WAS A SLOW, DOWNWARD SPIRAL AND 55:20 DIFFERENT THINGS AND MY DEVOTIONAL LIFE REALLY STARTED 55:23 WEASELING AWAY. WHEN WE BROKE UP IN 2008, IT WAS 55:26 HEAVY FOR ME BECAUSE, AGAIN, BEING WITH SOMEBODY FOR THAT 55:29 LONG, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A DIVORCE. 55:34 I STARTED TO FALL BACK AWAY EVEN MORE. 55:37 I REMEMBER LOOKING IN THE MIRROR, JUST LOOKING AT MYSELF 55:39 AND SAYING, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING? 55:41 HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO GOD WHO'S BROUGHT YOU SO FAR?' 55:46 AND, YOU KNOW, GOD REALLY HEARD MY CRY. 55:52 THERE WAS A TESTIMONY TELLING AT MY CHURCH AND THERE WAS A CALL 55:56 AND KIDS STARTED GETTING UP - A BUNCH OF HIGH SCHOOL KIDS 55:58 STARTED GETTING UP FOR CALLS OF BAPTISM. 56:00 I'M BACK DOING THE P.A. SYSTEM AT THIS TIME AND I FEEL 56:03 JUST LIKE THIS URGE - JUST MY HEART JUST STARTED RIPPING OUT 56:06 OF MY CHEST AND I JUST HAD THIS FEELING JUST TO GO UP. 56:11 I GET UP TO THE FRONT AND I MEET THE PASTOR IN OPEN ARMS. 56:17 I REALIZED THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST LIVING 56:19 LIFE FOR MYSELF AND, YOU KNOW, FALLING AWAY, IT'S NOT A 56:25 NECESSITY, BUT GOD CAN WORK THROUGH ANYTHING IN THE BAD TO 56:29 MAKE IT THE GOOD. THAT'S A PROMISE HE MAKES. 56:42 >>TOGETHER WE HAVE SPREAD THE GOSPEL MUCH FARTHER THAN EVER 56:46 BEFORE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. 56:55 >>AMAZING FACTS, THROUGH YOUR FAITHFUL SUPPORT, HAS HAD A 56:58 MAJOR IMPACT ON SOME OF THE LARGEST NON-CHRISTIAN LOCATIONS 57:02 IN THE WORLD. BEYOND THE GREAT WALL, THE 57:05 PRINTING AND TRANSLATION OF OUR BOOKS AND VIDEO MATERIALS ARE IN 57:08 CONSTANT MOTION. >>(CHINESE DIALOGUE) 57:15 >>THE AMAZING FACTS CHINESE LANGUAGE 57:17 WEBSITE IS NOW ONE OF OUR MOST VISITED WEBSITES. 57:21 WE ALSO TRANSLATED THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF LITERATURE FOR THESE 57:24 NATIONS. WHAT STARTED OUT AS HUNDREDS OF 57:27 FOLLOWERS IS NOW IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. THE IMPACT OF YOUR 57:31 FUNDS INVESTED IN SHARING THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL IN THESE 57:34 FOREIGN LANDS WILL BE FELT FOR YEARS TO COME. 57:38 >>YOU KNOW, EVERY WEEK WE HEAR THE MOST INCREDIBLE STORIES FROM 57:41 ALL OVER THE GLOBE, OF LIVES THAT ARE BEING CHANGED AND 57:44 HEARTS THAT ARE BEING TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF THE 57:46 WORD. AND NONE OF IT COULD HAPPEN WITHOUT YOUR TEAMWORK 57:50 WITH THIS MINISTRY. GOD BLESS YOU. (MUSIC) 57:55 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES, VISIT 57:58 AFBOOKSTORE.COM OR CALL 1-800-538-7275 58:05 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-11-21