Hello friends, my name is Wes McDonald 00:00:31.43\00:00:33.70 and I wanna welcome you to Faith Chapel. 00:00:33.71\00:00:35.69 We're delighted that we can be with you today 00:00:35.70\00:00:37.71 and it's our privilege to be able to come into 00:00:37.72\00:00:40.78 your living room and share God's word. 00:00:40.79\00:00:43.00 Before we begin I'd like to ask you to bow your 00:00:43.51\00:00:46.07 heads with me as we pray. Father in heaven, 00:00:46.08\00:00:49.70 I wanna thank you for every person who is 00:00:49.71\00:00:52.59 watching and listening today. 00:00:52.60\00:00:54.21 I pray that your spirit will touch their hearts 00:00:54.71\00:00:57.00 with truth from your word, I pray that you'll 00:00:57.01\00:01:00.26 anoint my lips with your spirits, 00:01:00.27\00:01:02.09 so that the words that I speak that they would be 00:01:02.10\00:01:03.96 your words from your holy word. 00:01:03.97\00:01:06.47 And these things I praise you and thank 00:01:07.12\00:01:08.93 you for in Jesus name, amen. 00:01:08.94\00:01:13.08 The title of our message today is don't stop to 00:01:15.60\00:01:18.77 say hello, sounds a little strange, doesn't it? 00:01:18.78\00:01:21.27 I want to carry you with me for a moment into 00:01:22.08\00:01:24.69 Luke the 10th chapter. Jesus is giving his 00:01:24.70\00:01:28.61 disciples special instructions on 00:01:28.62\00:01:31.56 how they are to witness for Him. 00:01:31.57\00:01:33.28 In the Bible we have truths that we need to 00:01:34.04\00:01:36.91 share with people. But Jesus not only gave 00:01:36.92\00:01:40.37 us truth to share, He gave us methods for 00:01:40.38\00:01:44.77 how to share it and we're going to look at 00:01:44.78\00:01:46.66 that today for a little bit. 00:01:46.67\00:01:47.98 I'm going to be reading and you can just listen 00:01:47.99\00:01:50.37 along with me. From Luke the 10th chapter and 00:01:50.38\00:01:53.88 beginning with verse 1 and on through verse 12. 00:01:53.89\00:01:56.73 After these things the Lord appointed other 00:01:57.71\00:02:00.75 seventy also and sent them two and two before 00:02:00.76\00:02:04.54 his face into every city and place, 00:02:04.55\00:02:07.11 whether he himself would come. 00:02:07.83\00:02:09.53 Therefore said he unto them, 00:02:10.45\00:02:12.62 the harvest truly is great, 00:02:12.63\00:02:14.92 but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the 00:02:15.61\00:02:21.28 Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth 00:02:21.29\00:02:24.61 laborers into his harvest. Notice He didn't say 00:02:24.62\00:02:30.50 to retain them for ourselves but to 00:02:30.51\00:02:32.11 send them into the harvest. 00:02:32.12\00:02:33.73 And he says, go your ways: behold, 00:02:34.23\00:02:36.62 I send you forth as laborers among the wolves. 00:02:36.63\00:02:40.22 Carry neither purse, nor script, nor shoes: 00:02:42.03\00:02:44.53 and salute no man by the way. 00:02:44.54\00:02:48.02 And then whatsoever house ye enter, first say, 00:02:48.03\00:02:50.88 Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace 00:02:51.57\00:02:55.61 be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, 00:02:55.62\00:03:00.81 it shall turn to you again. 00:03:00.82\00:03:03.46 And in the same house remain eating and drinking 00:03:04.56\00:03:07.63 such things as they give: for the laborer is 00:03:07.64\00:03:10.99 worthy of hire. Go not from house to house. 00:03:11.00\00:03:14.21 And into whatsoever city ye enter, 00:03:14.79\00:03:17.15 and they receive you, eat such things as are set 00:03:17.16\00:03:20.74 before you: And heal the sick that are therein, 00:03:20.75\00:03:24.21 and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come 00:03:25.06\00:03:27.74 nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, 00:03:27.75\00:03:31.99 and they receive you not, go you ways out into 00:03:32.00\00:03:36.39 the streets of the same, and say, 00:03:36.40\00:03:38.63 Even the very dust of your city, 00:03:38.64\00:03:41.12 which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: 00:03:41.13\00:03:45.02 notwithstanding be ye sure of this, 00:03:45.03\00:03:47.96 that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 00:03:47.97\00:03:51.16 But I say unto you, that it shall be more 00:03:51.71\00:03:53.57 tolerable in that day for Sodom, 00:03:53.58\00:03:55.72 then for that city. 00:03:56.39\00:03:57.59 Jesus had already sent out the Twelve and they 00:03:58.65\00:04:01.32 had returned. Now he was going to send out 00:04:01.33\00:04:03.13 a larger group and he wanted to prepare the way 00:04:03.14\00:04:06.50 for when he came. So that when he arrived 00:04:06.51\00:04:09.29 in these cities, the maximum impact for 00:04:09.30\00:04:13.00 the cause of Christ and the maximum number 00:04:13.01\00:04:14.97 of souls could be saved, so he gave them very, 00:04:14.98\00:04:17.07 very specific instructions. And now I 00:04:17.08\00:04:20.24 wanna focus in especially on verse 4. 00:04:20.25\00:04:23.00 This is Luke 10:4 and you can follow along with 00:04:23.01\00:04:26.19 me and we'll read it together because we 00:04:26.20\00:04:28.02 wanna especially focus on this verse. 00:04:28.03\00:04:31.11 Luke 10 and verse 4, Carry neither purse, 00:04:31.12\00:04:36.11 nor script, nor shoes: and salute no man 00:04:36.12\00:04:41.83 by the way. What on earth does he mean by salute 00:04:42.77\00:04:48.17 no man by the way, I can understand what is 00:04:48.18\00:04:51.34 meant by carry neither purse nor script 00:04:51.35\00:04:53.62 nor shoes. He doesn't want us to carry the 00:04:53.63\00:04:55.93 U-Haul truck every time we go to witness, 00:04:55.94\00:04:58.15 but to salute no man along the way. 00:04:58.88\00:05:00.86 In one of the translations, 00:05:02.17\00:05:03.78 in the modern language translations in Romania. 00:05:03.79\00:05:06.62 It says don't ask someone about their health. 00:05:06.63\00:05:09.66 In English we would say, don't stop and 00:05:10.22\00:05:12.85 say hello, don't ask how someone is doing like, 00:05:12.86\00:05:16.51 how are you doing? Does this seem strange 00:05:16.52\00:05:19.70 to you that the Savior would instruct his 00:05:19.71\00:05:23.30 disciples not to say hi to people. 00:05:23.31\00:05:25.65 Does that not seem strange to you that he 00:05:26.53\00:05:28.30 would say, don't stop and say hello, 00:05:28.31\00:05:29.94 don't ask anyone how they're doing. 00:05:29.95\00:05:31.50 Just go and if they say something to you to 00:05:31.51\00:05:34.35 ignore them, well that's the normal, 00:05:34.36\00:05:36.67 social way of interacting that we do as people. 00:05:36.68\00:05:40.82 It would almost seem rude for us to not say hi 00:05:41.77\00:05:45.72 to anyone that we knew along the way. 00:05:45.73\00:05:47.79 Why is it that Jesus was so concerned about that, 00:05:48.37\00:05:52.03 that you had to send them out without even 00:05:52.04\00:05:53.76 saying hello? In order to explain 00:05:53.77\00:05:56.54 that I need to tell you what it meant to say hi 00:05:56.55\00:05:59.58 to someone. Now I know some of you, 00:05:59.59\00:06:03.05 when you go into a crowd of people and there's 00:06:03.06\00:06:05.24 someone that you want to avoid. 00:06:05.25\00:06:06.70 You avoid saying hello because you know that 00:06:07.40\00:06:09.48 they're going to take all your time. 00:06:09.49\00:06:11.16 Have you ever run into that? If you say hi, 00:06:11.17\00:06:14.00 they're going to detain you and they're going 00:06:14.01\00:06:15.69 to you don't have 5 minutes and they want an 00:06:15.70\00:06:17.79 hour of your time. In Jesus time, 00:06:17.80\00:06:20.67 in that culture, to say hello meant you 00:06:20.68\00:06:24.38 had to ask about their children, 00:06:24.39\00:06:26.51 their grand children, their grand mother, 00:06:26.52\00:06:29.32 their parents. It was catching up time; 00:06:29.33\00:06:31.78 it might be something like this. 00:06:31.79\00:06:33.21 Oh hi John, how are you doing? 00:06:33.22\00:06:36.07 Oh it's been so long since I've seen you. 00:06:36.08\00:06:38.65 Oh and you've had four children and they're 00:06:39.14\00:06:42.00 how old now? One is 16? 00:06:42.01\00:06:43.44 Yeah, okay yeah and so forth and so on. 00:06:43.45\00:06:46.01 To say hello in Jesus time might actually take 00:06:46.02\00:06:50.61 may be an hour, could take half the day. 00:06:50.62\00:06:55.26 You might have to stop and visit. 00:06:55.27\00:06:56.85 You might have to stop and have lunch. 00:06:56.86\00:06:59.36 It could take a long time. Now we know that 00:06:59.37\00:07:03.83 Jesus said no man, knows the day nor hour 00:07:03.84\00:07:07.73 that he was going to return. 00:07:08.69\00:07:10.16 But we can safely assume that Jesus would have 00:07:11.18\00:07:13.91 known that it would have been a long, 00:07:13.92\00:07:15.86 long time before He was gonna return because 00:07:15.87\00:07:18.27 he gave all these prophecies of 00:07:18.28\00:07:20.18 everything that was gonna have to take place 00:07:20.19\00:07:22.02 before he came back. That stuff couldn't happen 00:07:22.03\00:07:24.49 instantly. Looking down through the span of 00:07:24.50\00:07:27.20 time and with Jesus knowledge of the Bible 00:07:27.21\00:07:29.60 prophecies why I believe that he would have 00:07:29.61\00:07:32.09 known that it would not have come, 00:07:32.10\00:07:33.62 His coming would not have come until at least 00:07:33.63\00:07:35.78 after the mid eighteen hundreds based upon Bible 00:07:35.79\00:07:38.78 prophecy. And so Jesus with almost 2000 years, 00:07:38.79\00:07:44.14 looking into the future. He tells His disciples 00:07:44.15\00:07:47.55 don't waste a single minute. 00:07:47.56\00:07:49.37 When I send you out on a mission, 00:07:50.67\00:07:52.03 don't even stop to say hello. 00:07:52.04\00:07:53.93 Why was Jesus so concerned with time with almost 00:07:55.01\00:08:03.03 two millenia to spare? Well the Bible tells us in 00:08:03.04\00:08:07.58 Isaiah 28:10, it says for precept must be 00:08:07.59\00:08:11.02 upon precept. Precept upon precept, 00:08:11.03\00:08:14.37 line upon line, line up line, 00:08:15.22\00:08:18.69 here a little and there a little. 00:08:18.70\00:08:21.97 The Bible tells us that in order to find our 00:08:22.63\00:08:25.35 answers in the Bible we have to go to the Bible. 00:08:25.36\00:08:28.17 If we have a question about the Bible, 00:08:29.32\00:08:31.07 what it means? We can find the answer 00:08:31.08\00:08:32.75 somewhere else in the Bible because the Bible 00:08:32.76\00:08:35.04 explains itself. We don't have to 00:08:35.05\00:08:38.09 go to human opinion; we don't have to explore 00:08:38.10\00:08:41.20 all these avenues because the Bible will explain 00:08:41.21\00:08:43.97 itself. So what does the Bible mean? 00:08:43.98\00:08:45.85 By don't salute any man along the way, 00:08:45.86\00:08:48.56 what does it mean by that? 00:08:48.57\00:08:49.54 Praise the Lord that God has answers else where 00:08:50.15\00:08:52.93 in the Bible to find the answers to all of our 00:08:52.94\00:08:56.15 questions. In 2nd Kings we find 00:08:56.16\00:08:59.23 that the prophet Elijah and his servant Gehazi. 00:08:59.24\00:09:03.06 Elijah used to go from place to place and his 00:09:03.07\00:09:05.79 work as a prophet and he would stay in different 00:09:05.80\00:09:08.60 places in this city and different places in this 00:09:08.61\00:09:10.63 city and his round as a prophet and there was 00:09:10.64\00:09:13.35 a rich lady who noticed that he came by her 00:09:13.36\00:09:16.67 town all the time and she talked to her husband. 00:09:16.68\00:09:19.23 She says, you know the prophet Elijah. 00:09:19.24\00:09:21.00 He comes by here, why don't we make him 00:09:21.01\00:09:23.49 a special room where he can stay when he comes 00:09:23.50\00:09:26.37 so that we can entertain God's prophet and we'll 00:09:26.38\00:09:29.35 have a little bed for him there, 00:09:29.36\00:09:31.10 we'll have a lamp stand, we'll have a chair. 00:09:31.11\00:09:33.51 So that when he comes, he can have a place 00:09:33.52\00:09:35.05 to stay, we can feed him. 00:09:35.06\00:09:36.40 And so they did that and Elijah was very thankful 00:09:36.41\00:09:40.80 for this. And so Elijah would stay there from 00:09:40.81\00:09:44.11 time to time and this lady had no children. 00:09:44.12\00:09:47.16 And so Elijah has realized and that she has taken 00:09:48.02\00:09:51.96 care him so well that he needs to express 00:09:51.97\00:09:55.58 himself in some way of thankfulness to her and 00:09:55.59\00:09:58.07 he's talking to his servant Gehazi. 00:09:58.08\00:10:00.31 He says, you know what is it that we can do for 00:10:00.32\00:10:03.68 this lady as she is so careful with us. 00:10:03.69\00:10:06.21 She takes care of us, she feeds us, 00:10:06.22\00:10:07.82 she provides a bed and Gehazi says, 00:10:07.83\00:10:10.01 well you know what? She doesn't has a child, 00:10:10.02\00:10:11.65 and so Elijah told the lady. 00:10:12.22\00:10:15.42 He says, you're gonna have a child at an 00:10:15.43\00:10:17.66 appointed time. She says don't lie to me, 00:10:17.67\00:10:21.00 she must have been up in years. 00:10:21.46\00:10:22.82 Don't lie to me I haven't asked for a child. 00:10:22.83\00:10:25.31 But Elijah says no you're gonna have a child 00:10:25.77\00:10:28.24 and sure enough at the appointed time a child was 00:10:28.25\00:10:34.37 born and it was a boy. And so she raised the 00:10:34.38\00:10:38.50 child and the little boy grew and grew. 00:10:38.51\00:10:40.63 And you know, lot's of times little boys 00:10:40.64\00:10:42.42 like to go to work with their daddy. 00:10:42.43\00:10:44.44 They like to come with daddy to work so daddy, 00:10:44.87\00:10:47.26 so the little boy went out with daddy to the 00:10:47.27\00:10:49.16 field one day and he was out there with the 00:10:49.17\00:10:52.04 workers and I don't know if the heat was too 00:10:52.05\00:10:54.20 much form or what but he developed this terrible 00:10:54.21\00:10:56.57 headache. And he's crying says, 00:10:56.58\00:10:59.00 daddy my head hurts, my head hurts and so 00:10:59.01\00:11:02.29 he says take this boy home to his momma. 00:11:02.30\00:11:04.45 So he went home to his momma, 00:11:05.20\00:11:06.26 sat on her lap until noon and then he died. 00:11:06.27\00:11:08.90 And the woman was distraught and she didn't 00:11:10.54\00:11:14.81 really say anything to anybody but she laid the 00:11:14.82\00:11:17.41 child on the prophet's bed and she told her 00:11:17.42\00:11:20.83 servants, saddle the ass and get ready for me 00:11:20.84\00:11:24.34 and go and you don't slow down unless I tell you. 00:11:24.35\00:11:27.52 And so they went to see the prophet and you know 00:11:28.78\00:11:31.87 the Bible never records that she told the prophet 00:11:31.88\00:11:34.94 that the boy died. But Elijah could tell from 00:11:34.95\00:11:38.44 the look on her face that something terrible 00:11:38.45\00:11:40.84 was wrong. She says, I told you not to lie to me. 00:11:40.85\00:11:43.53 I told you not to lie to me about a child and 00:11:43.54\00:11:45.47 he knew something was bad, 00:11:45.48\00:11:46.61 he at least knew that this child was in danger 00:11:46.62\00:11:49.14 and could die. I believe that he 00:11:49.15\00:11:51.83 did know that he had died but nonetheless moments 00:11:51.84\00:11:55.42 were important at this time. 00:11:55.43\00:11:56.83 So let's look at 2nd Kings 4 and verse 29 and 00:11:58.07\00:12:03.14 we can read this together and we're gonna see 00:12:03.15\00:12:05.39 exactly what Elijah told the prophet to say. 00:12:05.40\00:12:09.73 Second Kings 4 and verse 29. 00:12:11.72\00:12:13.39 Then he said to Gehazi, this was his servant. 00:12:13.40\00:12:16.65 Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in 00:12:17.63\00:12:21.36 thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, 00:12:21.37\00:12:25.84 salute him not; and if any salute thee, 00:12:25.85\00:12:30.34 answer him not again: and lay my staff 00:12:30.35\00:12:36.58 upon the face of the child. 00:12:36.59\00:12:38.49 Elijah was telling Gehazi, if you go and meet 00:12:39.57\00:12:43.72 anyone on the way and you happen to know him, 00:12:43.73\00:12:45.54 don't say hi. And if any man happens 00:12:45.55\00:12:50.83 to see you and they know you and they say hi, 00:12:50.84\00:12:54.00 don't take the time to say hi back. 00:12:54.57\00:12:57.50 Ignore them and get going because time is 00:12:57.51\00:13:00.27 important and you just get there and I don't want 00:13:00.28\00:13:02.85 you to waste any time. Why was Elijah so 00:13:02.86\00:13:08.97 concerned with time? I believe Elijah was 00:13:08.98\00:13:14.09 concerned with time because he knew what 00:13:14.10\00:13:16.54 every first responder, what every ambulance 00:13:16.55\00:13:19.55 person, what every fireman knows. 00:13:19.56\00:13:21.75 Minutes, seconds, fractions of seconds are 00:13:22.63\00:13:26.18 important in order to save a life. 00:13:26.19\00:13:28.69 Want to tell you a little story about, 00:13:30.29\00:13:32.01 a personal story of mine. 00:13:33.01\00:13:34.59 I didn't always make my living as a preacher, 00:13:35.97\00:13:38.20 at times I've made my living doing other things 00:13:38.79\00:13:40.94 as Paul in order to support myself to do 00:13:40.95\00:13:43.08 God's work. I am also a registered nurse and I 00:13:43.09\00:13:46.03 was working in a hospital as a supervisor and 00:13:46.04\00:13:48.15 there is a man that worked with us a 00:13:48.16\00:13:49.61 registered nurse. I am gonna just use his name, 00:13:49.62\00:13:52.22 I am gonna call him Jim. 00:13:52.23\00:13:53.82 I am not gonna give you his real name to 00:13:53.83\00:13:55.55 protect his anonymity, but Jim was a nurse that 00:13:55.56\00:13:58.90 everybody liked. He was competent; 00:13:58.91\00:14:01.83 he could do anything there was in the hospital. 00:14:01.84\00:14:04.04 There wasn't anything Jim couldn't do and we 00:14:04.05\00:14:06.11 loved Jim but one night at work Jim was a little 00:14:06.12\00:14:10.38 aggravated. And he was especially aggravated 00:14:10.39\00:14:15.12 that night, something, he was talking to a 00:14:15.13\00:14:16.71 group of people and he said God's name with a 00:14:16.72\00:14:21.07 curse attached, as you know what I'm 00:14:21.08\00:14:23.20 talking about. He took the Lord's name in vain 00:14:23.21\00:14:25.27 and Jim had been the son of a preacher. 00:14:26.30\00:14:28.07 And Jim knew better and Jim knew you didn't do 00:14:29.13\00:14:30.77 that stuff. And I clenched when I heard Jim say 00:14:30.78\00:14:34.03 that, oh I thought, oh Jim, don't do that and 00:14:34.04\00:14:37.66 I was going to say something to him about it. 00:14:37.67\00:14:39.45 I was going to say Jim, you know. 00:14:39.46\00:14:40.97 You need to ask God to forgive you for that, 00:14:40.98\00:14:43.85 you did some wrong but there were other people 00:14:43.86\00:14:46.24 standing there and I didn't want to have an 00:14:46.25\00:14:48.70 embarrassing issue at that moment. 00:14:48.71\00:14:50.23 So I put it off, I said I'm gonna talk to 00:14:50.24\00:14:52.31 Jim later when he's quiet and I can just talk to 00:14:52.32\00:14:55.45 him one on one personally. 00:14:55.46\00:14:57.10 Well, that time never came that night and so 00:14:58.24\00:15:01.04 I thought, well I'll talk to Jim when he comes to 00:15:01.05\00:15:03.78 work next time. But you know Jim never 00:15:03.79\00:15:06.74 returned to work, he went home and he 00:15:06.75\00:15:13.46 stumbled out of his car for whatever reason. 00:15:13.47\00:15:17.09 I don't know why stumbled but he stumbled and 00:15:17.10\00:15:19.91 he fell and his cheek hit a branch and it made 00:15:19.92\00:15:23.83 a little scratch on his cheek. 00:15:23.84\00:15:24.95 That's all it was a little scratch, 00:15:24.96\00:15:26.34 well between that and the next morning. 00:15:27.53\00:15:29.29 Jim developed what is called necrotizing 00:15:31.57\00:15:33.93 fasciitis, that's that flesh eating disease 00:15:33.94\00:15:36.73 you've heard so much about. 00:15:36.74\00:15:38.29 It literally eats the flesh away and his mouth 00:15:38.30\00:15:41.88 and his cheek and his eye lids were turning black 00:15:41.89\00:15:45.28 and the skin was getting dead. 00:15:45.29\00:15:47.28 And his face didn't look the same and he went 00:15:47.96\00:15:51.22 to the hospital, when they realized what 00:15:51.23\00:15:53.73 was going on they flew him by helicopter to 00:15:53.74\00:15:56.09 another large major medica center. 00:15:56.10\00:15:58.55 His head got huge and he was on life support and 00:15:59.05\00:16:04.36 this flesh eating disease they were concerned 00:16:04.37\00:16:06.59 that it might attack and invade his brain and his 00:16:06.60\00:16:08.97 internal organs. It was affecting his chest 00:16:08.98\00:16:11.19 and everything, they had him on life support, 00:16:11.20\00:16:13.83 he was sedated. He was out for the 00:16:13.84\00:16:15.65 count and they were expecting him to die. 00:16:15.66\00:16:17.42 When I went to visit Jim in the hospital, 00:16:18.78\00:16:20.77 there wasn't one thing that looked like Jim 00:16:20.78\00:16:24.01 except his hair color that was the only way, 00:16:24.02\00:16:27.12 even had any clue that it was Jim was 00:16:27.13\00:16:29.80 his hair color and I was I upset. 00:16:29.81\00:16:35.83 I did not want for Jim to die with unconfessed 00:16:36.96\00:16:40.84 sin. And so I pray earnestly for Jim, 00:16:40.85\00:16:45.28 I'd, I asked the Lord, give him a chance. 00:16:45.39\00:16:48.80 Give him one more chance, give me the opportunity 00:16:48.81\00:16:51.64 to work with him to save his soul but I prayed 00:16:51.65\00:16:54.38 for Jim not just for Jim's sake, 00:16:54.39\00:16:56.47 I prayed for Jim for my sake as well. 00:16:56.48\00:16:59.34 And you say Wes, why are you praying for Jim 00:17:00.79\00:17:03.69 for you, well when I, in the back of my mind I 00:17:03.70\00:17:09.42 remembered reading Ezekiel 3 verse 18 and 19 00:17:09.43\00:17:13.66 and let's look at it together, 00:17:14.32\00:17:15.83 let's read this together. 00:17:15.84\00:17:17.15 This is very important verse because it lays upon 00:17:17.16\00:17:20.12 us a specific responsibility that we 00:17:20.13\00:17:23.50 need to be aware of. When we are aware that 00:17:23.51\00:17:26.20 someone is headed for a death with unconfessed 00:17:26.21\00:17:30.35 sin and we do nothing about it. 00:17:30.36\00:17:31.70 Llet's read it together. 00:17:31.71\00:17:32.90 Ezekiel 3 verse 18 and 19. 00:17:32.91\00:17:36.67 When I say unto the wicked, 00:17:36.68\00:17:38.70 Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not 00:17:38.71\00:17:42.32 warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his 00:17:42.33\00:17:45.40 wicked way, to save his life; 00:17:45.41\00:17:47.32 the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; 00:17:48.34\00:17:51.51 but his blood will I require at thine hand. 00:17:51.52\00:17:56.43 Yet if thou warned the wicked, 00:17:57.46\00:17:59.17 and he turn not from his wickedness, 00:18:00.02\00:18:01.79 nor from his wicked way, 00:18:01.80\00:18:02.85 he shall die in his iniquity; 00:18:03.59\00:18:05.58 but thou hast delivered thy soul. 00:18:05.59\00:18:09.79 So you see, I prayed for Jim 00:18:11.74\00:18:13.32 and I'm very pleased and I was very relieved that 00:18:13.33\00:18:16.05 Jim did live and some time later when he was 00:18:16.06\00:18:19.49 able to think and able to listen and his pitiful 00:18:19.50\00:18:25.20 state I was able to talk to him and let him know 00:18:25.21\00:18:28.23 that he needed to make this right with God. 00:18:28.24\00:18:30.23 And I was relieved for Jim's sake and I was 00:18:31.37\00:18:35.43 relived for my own sake as well because now I 00:18:35.44\00:18:38.14 realized when a situation like that presents 00:18:38.15\00:18:41.76 itself to you, time is important. 00:18:41.77\00:18:44.52 We must not waste time, someone can literally die 00:18:45.80\00:18:50.52 with unconfessed sin and be lost forever. 00:18:50.53\00:18:55.26 When we could have had something to do with 00:18:56.90\00:18:59.27 changing the situation. Why was Jesus so 00:18:59.28\00:19:04.94 concerned with time? Why was it Jesus was 00:19:04.95\00:19:09.62 concerned with time? He was sending his 00:19:09.63\00:19:11.56 disciples out to do a job and every second 00:19:11.57\00:19:14.74 counted even 2000 years ago, 00:19:14.75\00:19:17.17 every second counted because every moment, 00:19:17.18\00:19:19.80 every day, someone is dying with unconfessed 00:19:19.81\00:19:23.23 sin. They're being lost forever and people like 00:19:23.24\00:19:25.92 you and me can change that situation and we can 00:19:25.93\00:19:28.29 put people in heaven when Jesus comes and we can 00:19:28.30\00:19:31.94 change this and we don't have to sit there and 00:19:31.95\00:19:34.15 accept it. Amen, it is time for God's people 00:19:34.16\00:19:37.67 to change and act like we're serious about the 00:19:37.68\00:19:39.96 salvation of lost souls. Did you know that there 00:19:39.97\00:19:43.89 are more than 330 million people in the 00:19:43.90\00:19:47.20 United States and if we each live about 70 years, 00:19:47.21\00:19:51.81 that means that almost 5 million are dying 00:19:51.82\00:19:54.23 every year. This means that there 00:19:54.24\00:19:57.90 are almost 400 thousand that die every month; 00:19:57.91\00:20:00.81 it's about 90,000 a week and 13,000 every day. 00:20:02.28\00:20:06.96 That's 500, more than 500 per hour, 00:20:08.28\00:20:10.89 that's about 9 each minute and every 6.6 seconds 00:20:10.90\00:20:15.47 someone dies in North America only not to 00:20:15.48\00:20:18.63 mention the rest of the world. 00:20:18.64\00:20:19.90 During the time of our program today I cannot 00:20:20.43\00:20:23.08 even begin to tell you how many people have 00:20:23.09\00:20:24.54 died in my country alone and the majority of 00:20:24.55\00:20:27.69 those people, the majority are not living lives 00:20:27.70\00:20:33.31 in such a way where they're relying upon Jesus 00:20:34.84\00:20:37.53 and faith for the forgiveness of their sins. 00:20:37.54\00:20:39.72 The majority of those people are dying with 00:20:41.11\00:20:42.68 unconfessed sins, many of them are nominal 00:20:42.69\00:20:46.14 Christians but you only see them twice a year in 00:20:46.15\00:20:48.24 church. We know the time; 00:20:48.25\00:20:50.19 some of us maybe the type. 00:20:51.75\00:20:53.48 Why was Jesus so concerned about with time? 00:20:53.49\00:20:59.92 How is it with you today friends, 00:21:01.60\00:21:03.14 are you concerned with time? 00:21:03.15\00:21:04.73 Do you have that burden in your heart that 00:21:06.87\00:21:08.40 Jesus had, do you have the burden 00:21:08.41\00:21:11.28 that Elijah had? Do you care about souls 00:21:11.29\00:21:15.26 like Jesus cares about souls? 00:21:16.37\00:21:18.61 You know it's difficult to consider yourself a 00:21:19.54\00:21:21.41 converted Christian unless you're converted. 00:21:21.42\00:21:23.52 Converted means changed, changed means you even 00:21:23.53\00:21:26.76 begin to think like Jesus. 00:21:26.77\00:21:28.55 You begin to have a passion for lost souls, 00:21:29.21\00:21:31.06 if you have no passion for lost souls; 00:21:31.07\00:21:33.10 you really need to pray for yourself because 00:21:33.11\00:21:34.61 you're probably not converted. Amen. 00:21:34.62\00:21:36.45 Why was Jesus concerned about time? 00:21:39.33\00:21:41.47 Are you concerned about time? 00:21:42.89\00:21:44.64 Let's turn to Ephesians the 5th chapter and 00:21:45.73\00:21:50.22 verse 15 to 17. I praise the Lord 00:21:50.23\00:21:53.56 that God is a God of second chances. 00:21:53.57\00:21:57.94 You know, Jesus was loving enough 00:21:58.47\00:22:00.39 to Wes McDonald as well as to Jim, 00:22:00.40\00:22:04.04 in order to give Wes McDonald the second 00:22:04.05\00:22:06.61 chance to redeem myself to warn Jim so could have 00:22:06.62\00:22:10.45 the second chance as well. And I was so relieved 00:22:10.46\00:22:15.19 and I praise God everyday and I 00:22:15.20\00:22:18.03 pray that I will be more prompt in my response 00:22:18.04\00:22:21.41 and more faithful in my attentive to the lost 00:22:21.42\00:22:25.29 people of this earth. And Ephesians 4 and excuse 00:22:25.30\00:22:29.90 me Ephesians 5 and verse 15 to 17, 00:22:29.91\00:22:32.64 let's read together. Jesus gives us an 00:22:32.65\00:22:34.85 opportunity to redeem the time, 00:22:34.86\00:22:36.80 beginning with verse 15. 00:22:36.81\00:22:38.87 See then that ye walk circumspectly, 00:22:38.88\00:22:42.44 not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, 00:22:43.79\00:22:48.86 because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not 00:22:48.87\00:22:53.60 unwise, but understanding what the 00:22:53.61\00:22:56.11 will of the Lord is. 00:22:56.12\00:22:59.19 Friends, do you understand what God's will is for 00:23:00.72\00:23:02.93 you today. Do you have a husband or a daughter 00:23:02.94\00:23:08.64 or a wife or a son or a friend or someone that 00:23:09.76\00:23:12.41 you work for? And you know 00:23:12.42\00:23:14.21 their life is not right, could tonight be their 00:23:14.22\00:23:18.07 last night on earth, in earth, could it be. 00:23:18.08\00:23:21.95 Could that be their last time, 00:23:22.94\00:23:24.99 could it be your last time to warn them. 00:23:25.00\00:23:27.15 We each have a responsibility, 00:23:28.93\00:23:30.55 we must not be fools, we must walk circumspectly, 00:23:30.56\00:23:34.19 we must redeem the time God is giving you and 00:23:34.20\00:23:37.54 me an opportunity to do that. 00:23:37.55\00:23:39.27 Do you need courage to do what is right, 00:23:40.81\00:23:44.01 I know myself. I was a little embarrassed 00:23:45.20\00:23:48.03 to speak to Jim in front of others. 00:23:48.04\00:23:49.72 I hate to admit it, I've been a pastor, 00:23:49.73\00:23:51.95 I've been all these things and yet I was 00:23:51.96\00:23:53.45 embarrassed. And if I am embarrassed, 00:23:53.46\00:23:55.39 I know that many of you are embarrassed as well. 00:23:55.40\00:23:57.31 Isn't it a shame that we as Christians can be 00:23:57.92\00:24:00.14 embarrassed and yet Jesus still loves us. 00:24:00.15\00:24:02.96 Friends, Jesus loves you today; 00:24:04.81\00:24:06.66 He wants to give you courage, 00:24:07.52\00:24:09.31 courage to go forward for Him and boldness. 00:24:09.91\00:24:13.08 Friends, do you need boldness for Jesus 00:24:13.47\00:24:15.39 as well? I believe each of us needs boldness 00:24:15.40\00:24:19.25 to be strong soldiers for Christ and if we're 00:24:19.26\00:24:22.58 going to be soldiers for Christ, 00:24:22.59\00:24:23.98 we're going to get shot at from time to time 00:24:23.99\00:24:26.13 and we're going to be embarrassed and we're 00:24:26.14\00:24:28.23 going to have to take a stand and do things that 00:24:28.24\00:24:31.13 we're not comfortable with. 00:24:31.14\00:24:32.76 Have you ever been ashamed or embarrassed or 00:24:33.96\00:24:36.48 felt like staying in bed rather than going door 00:24:36.49\00:24:39.73 to door to seek lost souls for the savior. 00:24:39.74\00:24:42.47 I have, how's that, the preacher admits it. 00:24:43.55\00:24:45.88 But I have to reform my ways and I hope you will 00:24:47.33\00:24:49.70 yours too. So the Bible tells us, 00:24:49.71\00:24:53.11 it says see then that you walk circumspectly, 00:24:53.12\00:24:55.73 not as fools, but as wise. 00:24:55.74\00:24:57.43 I ask now that Jesus would give us wisdom, 00:24:58.89\00:25:02.04 I ask now that Jesus would help us to redeem 00:25:02.68\00:25:05.78 the time, the days of evil. 00:25:05.79\00:25:08.30 We're living in the last days of ours history. 00:25:08.31\00:25:11.18 Prophecy is being unfolded all around us; 00:25:11.74\00:25:14.91 it is being unfolded all around us. 00:25:14.92\00:25:17.49 Every day we see things happening, 00:25:17.96\00:25:19.86 we see major catastrophes, we see the Tsunamis, 00:25:19.87\00:25:23.16 we see the earthquakes, we see the fires, 00:25:23.17\00:25:25.28 we see the hurricanes where thousands 00:25:25.29\00:25:28.01 of people are wiped out at one stroke and the 00:25:28.02\00:25:31.09 devil would like nothing more then for all of 00:25:31.10\00:25:33.84 them to go to graves with unconfessed sin. 00:25:33.85\00:25:37.33 Friends, Jesus is calling us to do something to 00:25:40.35\00:25:44.27 save these souls for eternity. 00:25:44.28\00:25:46.06 Every soul that you can save for eternity is a 00:25:46.07\00:25:49.26 star in your crown, friends I want a star 00:25:49.27\00:25:51.44 with a lot of thread jewels. You know, 00:25:51.45\00:25:53.92 here on this earth we as Christians don't adorn 00:25:53.93\00:25:56.51 ourselves with jewels, we can't handle it 00:25:56.52\00:25:58.99 here as Christians but in heaven Jesus is gonna 00:25:59.00\00:26:01.92 give us jewels and our crown, amen. 00:26:01.93\00:26:03.98 I want that because I want to wear that crown but 00:26:03.99\00:26:06.59 when I do, I will lay to Jesus faith because only 00:26:06.60\00:26:09.99 He is worthy. Only He is worthy to 00:26:10.00\00:26:14.57 receive the adoration, only He is really worthy 00:26:14.58\00:26:18.87 because He is the one who died to save us. 00:26:18.88\00:26:21.66 He is the one that died to save you. 00:26:21.67\00:26:23.72 He is the one that died to save every soul that 00:26:23.73\00:26:26.42 you meet, that you need to warn. 00:26:26.43\00:26:30.04 Friends, don't allow an opportunity to pass by, 00:26:31.06\00:26:35.54 would you like to say with me Wes pray for me, 00:26:36.54\00:26:39.30 I need courage to do something today. 00:26:40.14\00:26:42.22 I have a child that needs to be brought to 00:26:43.32\00:26:45.88 the Savior. Would you like to say yes Wes, 00:26:45.89\00:26:48.66 pray for me? I'll pray for you, 00:26:48.67\00:26:50.46 friends let's just pray now together and ask God 00:26:51.27\00:26:54.81 to give us power and courage to face 00:26:54.82\00:26:58.35 what we need to do for Him. 00:26:58.36\00:27:01.05 Our Father in heaven, we ask now that you would 00:27:02.31\00:27:06.08 grant us each the courage and the wisdom and the 00:27:06.86\00:27:08.86 power to be able to boldly go forward for you and 00:27:08.87\00:27:13.51 to touch bases with people that we know that are 00:27:13.52\00:27:16.28 not living right. We need to touch close 00:27:16.29\00:27:19.17 to them and move into their lives in such a way 00:27:19.18\00:27:22.00 and to speak words of love and wisdom and 00:27:22.01\00:27:25.24 forgiveness and the passion of Jesus for 00:27:25.25\00:27:27.86 their souls. Give us the courage and the wisdom 00:27:27.87\00:27:31.06 to redeem the time because the days are evil, 00:27:31.07\00:27:34.13 grant us this we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 00:27:34.82\00:27:40.41 Friends, I am so glad that Jesus answers prayers, 00:27:42.37\00:27:46.55 I am so glad that He has given us the opportunity 00:27:47.49\00:27:50.67 to labor for Him. Let's be faithful 00:27:50.68\00:27:53.26 until the end. Thank you. 00:27:53.27\00:27:55.40