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Our message today I've entitled
No Soliciting and I'll tell you
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little bit about that as we get
further into it. I want to start
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out this morning by telling you
something somebody told me once.
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You may have heard it. They said
a short pencil is better than a
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long memory. Have you ever heard
that? You know sometimes as a
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minister I preach to people and
it's not uncommon, I don't care
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how on fire a saint may be,
it's not uncommon for me in the
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middle of a message to see
somebody kind of go... You know
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what I'm talking about? God
forbid it's ever been you right?
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You know one reason why that
happens? Carry a pen or pencil
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with you and jot down what
the Lord is impressing you with.
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I thought to myself this morning
I thought man what a fantastic
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weekend this has been. How do
I follow this up? You know what
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the Lord told me? You don't.
It's not about you. Sometimes we
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as ministers forget that,
sometimes we as believers forget
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that. That the person up here is
only somebody that God is going
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to use to give a message to us.
A short pencil is better than a
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long memory. Do this for me.
Make it your purpose when you
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come to hear a message, and this
morning is no exception, this
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whole weekend is no exception.
And try to pick up on three
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things. How many? Number one:
What new thing did I learn that
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I didn't know before? How many
in here know everything? Not one
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of you. Man, I was going to ask
you some questions afterward but
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We often learn something new.
So what new thing did I learn?
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Have you ever had something
grab your attention in a sermon?
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Or maybe the Lord brings it to
you in some other way, in your
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devotion time. You say, wow,
that was awesome. Oh I'm in a
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hurry and you get on with your
day and then you're thinking
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later what was that? There
was that awesome thing I heard
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earlier and it's gone. What new
thing did I learn? Short pencil
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is better that what? A long
memory. Number two: What old
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thing was I reminded of? Anybody
here forget sometimes? I forget.
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So jot down Sometimes God will
remind of things we needed to
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remember and we've forgotten.
Great. What new thing did I
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learn? What old thing was I
reminded of and number three:
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The most important How will I
take what I've learned and apply
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it to my life this week. Because
we can listen to all the
preaching and do all
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the Bible study we want and
many of the messages have shared
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that this week, but if we don't
put it into practice in our
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lives what good has it done us?
What good? I'm going to tell you
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something. The Bible, when
we talk about the valley of dry
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bones, it's living and powerful.
But only when you put it into
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practice. I mean, God gives
the power but if we won't try to
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take that teaching and put it
into practice His power doesn't
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go anywhere. There's no channel
for it to go. See when I say I'm
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going to take that Lord and
I'm going to act on that, then I
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step forward and guess what. His
power is right there. It works
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through the word. But if I won't
act on it, I don't experience
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the power that God wants me to
in my Christian experience. So
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make this a point and a purpose
of yours not just today but any
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time you're in a spiritual
setting; How can I apply this
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to my life? What new thing did
I learn? What old thing was I
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reminded of. How can I put it
into practice so I can grow up
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up into Christ likeness. Amen?
Now at this time I'm going to
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ask you if you will kneel
together with me and we are
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going to ask the Lord to
bless us with His Spirit and His
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presence. Amen? Our heavenly
Father: Father praise your name
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this morning. Praise your name
for your goodness and your mercy
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Praise your name that we
are even here, called out of
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darkness into the marvelous
light that's streaming from the
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cross of Calvary. And Father
this morning we just ask for the
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special blessing of your Holy
Spirit. As this rally comes to
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a close may we be inspired, may
we be filled with your Spirit
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and with purpose. May we be
enabled, Father, to do the work
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that you've called us to do as
your disciples. Bless us now in
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the name of Jesus and for
His sake. We ask and pray, Amen.
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Now you know I haven't always
been a Christian and I'm going
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share with you an experience
from my pre-Christian days and
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I'm afraid maybe it will mirror
maybe some of your Christian
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days. I'm not sure. My wife and
I when we first got married we
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used to have these people that
would come by the house to sell
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things. You know, the Rainbow
vacuum cleaners and other kinds
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of things. The worst to me
was was the college kids selling
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magazines. Anybody ever go
through this experience? Because
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they would not leave for
anything. I had just a couple
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occasions. You know they're
there. They take a bus from
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campus, they drop them off in
your neighborhood and jit, jit,
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jit, they go around knocking on
your door and then they get in
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to sell you a magazine. Sorry
I'm not interested. I don't read
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magazines. Well how about this
magazine. Well I really don't...
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Well we could give it to you for
half price. Really, I don't get
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magazines. I'd give it to you
for only a quarter of the price.
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Just on and on. So what I began
to do, I'm almost ashamed to
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say, is that on the weekends,
my wife and I didn't do anything
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on the weekends. We would work
during the week and I wasn't
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going to church or anything like
that and I'd get those... Well
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we began to keep the blinds
closed, Okay. And you'd have the
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knock at the door. Now some of
you have learned this already.
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We had a peep hole in the door
but you can't look out the peep
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hole because you can see a
person looking through the peep
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hole. You know there's an eye
behind it. You know they're home
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I learned that as a Bible worker
The Lord has a sense of humor.
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Because when I became a
Christian he sent me out going
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knocking door to door for Him.
So kind of a turn of events.
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But I wouldn't look out the
peep hole. I would go into the
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other room and I'd peek out
the blinds to see who was there.
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And I didn't open the door for
those sales people. We weren't
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home. Now it would have been
easier probably for me to put
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no soliciting sign up on
the door. That would have been
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probably the easiest thing
to do. You know what that means
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right? No soliciting. It means
don't come to my house selling
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anything. I learned that as
a Bible worker too. See because
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you knock on the door and they
say can't you read and I say I'm
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not selling anything. I'm giving
it away, right? But anyway no
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soliciting. Don't come around
here. I'm not interested in what
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you have to sell. I want you to
open your Bibles to Revelation 3
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It's so interesting how the Lord
works and how the Holy Spirit
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works. I was just talking to
Dwight Hall and he shared this
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scripture just the other day
and I was thinking, I knew the
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message I was going to be
presenting this morning and it's
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just interesting how the Lord
pulls so many things together.
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I mean have you heard things
repeated through this weekend?
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Certain things God's trying
to get across to our hearts, the
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whole scheme of surrendering
our hearts and our lives to Him.
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I mean the Lord is in this. But
we're in Revelation chapter 3
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and we're going to verse 14.
In Revelation chapter 3 you have
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what is often called the letters
to the churches. Now it's
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interesting to me about
Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
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Seven letters to seven churches.
It starts out in chapter 1 of
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Revelation showing a picture
of Christ and then He begins to
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dictate the letters. He says:
To the angel of the church in
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Ephesus write this; to the angel
in the church of Smyrna write
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this. In other words, Jesus
himself is dictating letters,
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epistles to the churches.
You know we have the epistle of
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Paul to the Romans. We
have the epistle of Paul to the
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Colossians. We have the first
and second epistles. Epistle is
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just a Greek word that's
transliterated. It means a
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letter. The letter of Peter,
the first letter of Peter, the
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second letter. These are seven
letters from Christ himself.
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Isn't that incredible? And in
just those two chapters of the
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Bible Jesus speaks to these
seven churches. Those of you
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who have studied this you
can see characteristics in those
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churches that we as Christians
face and struggle with. You can
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also see the history of the
Christian church culminating
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with this last church,
the church of Laodicea.
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Interestingly the name Laodicea
itself means a judging of the
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people or a people judged. It's
the last church before Christ
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appears living in a time
of judgment. Verse 14 notice:
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And to the angel of the church
of the Laodiceans write, these
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things says the Amen, the
faithful and true witness. Now
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before I go on, we'll go back
to that. I want you to jump to
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verse 20 with me. This is the
one that we looked at the other
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morning and I think that you're
probably familiar with this
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passage. I mean, this is one
that I've heard over and over
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and over again. Verse 20 says,
Jesus speaking here, dictating
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this letter: Behold I what?
Stand at the door and knock and
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if any man what? Hears my voice
and opens the door I will come
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in to him and dine with him and
he with me. Jesus is standing
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knocking at the door of your
heart friend, you've heard that
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before. Now here's what's
fascinating to me. If you go
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back just a few verses notice
what Jesus says in verse 18:
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I counsel you to what? To
what? Buy from me. Put the two
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together. He's standing at
the door and knocking and He's
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selling some things. No
soliciting. I prayed about the
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message to give this morning.
Lord what message do we as your
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people need? We talk about
Jesus standing at the door and
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knocking. We talk about the
importance of opening the door.
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Sometimes I wonder if we know
what it means to open the door
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to Jesus. You see Jesus doesn't
just stand there and knock.
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Jesus has things that we
desperately need. The problem
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is, I believe, and I think this
is what Jesus is highlighting
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here, the problem is we don't
think that we need them. We have
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the No Soliciting sign on the
door. Go away mister, don't need
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what you're selling. Go back to
verse 14 and let's read through
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this. Let's see if we can gain
some insight as to what the Lord
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would say to us today. And to
the angel of the church of the
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Laodiceans write: These things
says the Amen, the faithful and
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true witness, the beginning
of the creation of God, the
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faithful and true what? Witness.
Now that's going to come to play
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in a moment. Verse 15: I what?
I know your works. Now let me
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tell you something else
that just is fascinating to me.
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In every single letter that
Christ dictates the first thing
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He says to every single one
is not I know your faith but
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to every single church,
no exception, this was Jesus.
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Somebody today would say Jesus
you need to read Paul. You don't
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understand grace. Jesus,
without exception, says I know
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your works. The Bible is plain
over and over that it's through
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our works that we evidence our
faith. Now listen Jesus doesn't
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misunderstand the gospel. Jesus
knows that our works don't save
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us. If anybody knows it Jesus
knows it. But He also wants us
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to be clear that we don't play
games with ourselves and think
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that we can go around saying
we have faith if we don't have
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corresponding works our faith is
a lie. I know your works Jesus
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says. What did Jesus himself say
in Matthew chapter 5? Let your
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light so shine before men that
they may see your faith? That
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they may see your good works and
glorify who? You? Your Father in
00:19:51.15\00:19:56.39
heaven. This has been a
recurring theme throughout this
00:19:56.42\00:20:00.23
weekend. The point is
this. God is in the business of
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transforming lives and it's when
the life is transformed that God
00:20:04.03\00:20:09.74
is glorified. I want to tell you
brothers and sisters. This world
00:20:09.77\00:20:15.48
is sick and tired of a
powerless Christianity.
00:20:15.51\00:20:18.95
One author puts it this way. The
sin of the world's impenitence
00:20:19.01\00:20:25.29
their refusal to repent, the sin
of the world's impenitence lies
00:20:25.32\00:20:30.56
at the door of the church. They
look in the church and church
00:20:30.63\00:20:36.43
people are saying one thing but
doing another thing. It's when
00:20:36.46\00:20:39.87
we live that Christian life,
that transformed life, as Pastor
00:20:39.90\00:20:45.27
Jackson talked about yesterday.
Transformers. As Pastor Hall was
00:20:45.31\00:20:48.58
talking about in his own life,
how the Lord has changed his
00:20:48.64\00:20:51.68
life. It's when people see
that that they realize there's a
00:20:51.71\00:20:53.72
power to this. This isn't make
believe, this is real. We can
00:20:53.75\00:20:58.82
can hold creation seminars from
now until the Lord comes trying
00:20:58.85\00:21:02.89
to prove to people that God
really did create it. Let God
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create in you a clean heart and
you don't have to argue anymore.
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.90
I mean the apostle Paul doesn't
even devote an entire chapter
00:21:10.97\00:21:14.10
in what he writes to proving
that God created. He just says
00:21:14.14\00:21:16.91
in Hebrews 11 by faith I believe
that the worlds were framed by
00:21:16.94\00:21:21.78
the word of God. You let God
change your life and that will
00:21:21.81\00:21:26.18
be the sign and the evidence
and then we'll glorify God in
00:21:26.21\00:21:31.32
heaven. The faithful and true
witness says I know your works.
00:21:31.35\00:21:39.39
Verse 15: That you are neither
cold nor hot. I could wish you
00:21:39.43\00:21:46.57
were cold or hot. I could wish..
Now hot, we know what hot is.
00:21:46.60\00:21:53.71
Just on fire for the Lord.
How many of you when you first
00:21:53.74\00:22:05.52
came to the Lord, I hate to say
it that way but that's so true
00:22:05.55\00:22:08.49
too often. When you first came
to the Lord you were so excited
00:22:08.52\00:22:11.99
about what you were learning
you went and you tried to tell
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.00
everybody and you put your foot
in your mouth more times more
00:22:15.06\00:22:18.30
often than not by saying the
wrong thing. Have you done that
00:22:18.33\00:22:22.60
before? And then here's what
we do. We start to say well I
00:22:22.64\00:22:26.88
went overboard and
everything. You were hot. I went
00:22:26.91\00:22:28.24
overboard and I just got to calm
these things down a little bit.
00:22:29.61\00:22:33.52
I just got to, what's the
word we use today? I got to get
00:22:33.55\00:22:38.29
balanced. Balance. It's an
interesting word today. Balance
00:22:38.32\00:22:44.19
is not some halfway compromise
between truth and error because
00:22:44.23\00:22:49.10
living the truth fully offends
people. That's not a balanced
00:22:49.13\00:22:53.20
life. Let me tell you something.
God's word and God's truth are
00:22:53.23\00:22:59.97
balanced. When a person first
come to the Lord so often we'll
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go and we'll witness to
somebody and we will put our
00:23:06.78\00:23:09.32
foot in our mouth. We'll say
something wrong. We're hot but
00:23:09.35\00:23:12.85
what happens too often is
we settle back into lukewarm
00:23:12.89\00:23:16.12
and then we
00:23:16.16\00:23:17.49
call ourselves balanced. Jesus
says I'd rather you be hot or
00:23:17.53\00:23:25.77
cold, totally indifferent to
religion. The apostle Paul was
00:23:25.80\00:23:33.44
hot when the Lord came into him.
He had a zeal for God. In fact,
00:23:33.48\00:23:38.68
his zeal for God had him
actually killing Christians.
00:23:38.71\00:23:42.58
But the Lord preferred that to
lukewarmness because he was able
00:23:42.62\00:23:47.29
to do something with it. He knew
he could take this man who was
00:23:47.32\00:23:51.03
on fire for him and if he could
reveal his truth to him Paul
00:23:51.06\00:23:54.70
would be a mighty power for good
and he was. Praise God for that.
00:23:54.73\00:23:58.23
Then there was that thief on the
cross. Now he was cold, he had
00:23:58.30\00:24:01.80
no interest in religion, he had
no interest in religious things.
00:24:01.84\00:24:05.31
He wasn't living out what he
knew, but there he was hanging
00:24:05.34\00:24:08.48
on that cross and he saw Jesus
and his heart was touched and he
00:24:08.51\00:24:11.58
saw and heard the cry of Jesus
and his concern for others and
00:24:11.61\00:24:15.18
he looked over and he said, Lord
save me in your kingdom when you
00:24:15.25\00:24:18.69
come. This man had been cold
but the Lord could take that and
00:24:18.72\00:24:24.76
inspire warmth in his heart. But
he says here, Oh I wish you were
00:24:24.79\00:24:30.80
cold or hot. But verse 16 says:
Because you are lukewarm and
00:24:30.83\00:24:35.34
neither cold nor hot, I
will vomit you out of my mouth.
00:24:35.37\00:24:40.38
You know the Bible pictures
Jesus as standing as our
00:24:40.41\00:24:45.35
representative before the Father
He's our advocate the Bible says
00:24:45.38\00:24:51.65
in 1 John chapter 2. One who
stands in defense of another.
00:24:51.69\00:24:55.26
Jesus stands in the presence
of the Father and He pleads our
00:24:55.29\00:24:57.56
case. When He says I'll vomit
you out of my mouth what He says
00:24:57.59\00:25:00.86
is I'm not going to be your
defense anymore. I'm not going
00:25:00.90\00:25:06.37
to speak for you anymore in
your lukewarm state. Does that
00:25:06.40\00:25:11.47
make you uneasy? It should. Let
me tell you something, if Jesus
00:25:11.54\00:25:19.21
isn't speaking for us, if Jesus
isn't taking up our case, you
00:25:19.28\00:25:24.22
can talk all you want about the
heavenly city; you're not going
00:25:24.25\00:25:28.39
to be there, I'm not going to be
there, not without our advocate.
00:25:28.42\00:25:33.06
This ought to concern us. Jesus
says those who are lukewarm I
00:25:33.09\00:25:37.47
can't stand in defense of. Makes
me want to know what it means
00:25:37.50\00:25:42.67
to be lukewarm. How about you?
Well He doesn't leave us hanging
00:25:42.70\00:25:47.64
Jesus tells us right here. Verse
16 again: So because you are
00:25:47.68\00:25:52.88
lukewarm and neither cold not
hot, I will vomit you out of my
00:25:52.91\00:25:57.39
mouth, verse 17, because
you say I am rich, have become
00:25:57.42\00:26:04.83
wealthy and what? Have need
of nothing and do not know that
00:26:04.86\00:26:12.03
you are wretched and miserable
and poor and blind and naked.
00:26:12.10\00:26:17.51
Let me ask you a simple
question. Is the problem, do you
00:26:17.54\00:26:21.71
feel, is the problem with
Laodicea that they're wretched
00:26:21.74\00:26:26.61
and miserable and poor and blind
and naked. Is it a problem?
00:26:26.65\00:26:31.52
Is it a problem? Sure it is. Is
it THE problem. Isn't that the
00:26:31.55\00:26:36.86
same condition of one who's
cold? And maybe even one who's
00:26:36.89\00:26:40.03
hot in some ways, like the
apostle Paul. I mean, who is
00:26:40.06\00:26:45.03
there who hasn't sinned and
fallen short of the glory of
00:26:45.07\00:26:47.90
God? The Bible says all have. So
the key problem with Laodicea,
00:26:47.94\00:26:53.68
the key problem of lukewarmness
is not that a person is wretched
00:26:53.74\00:26:59.45
and miserable, poor, blind
and naked. What is it? They
00:26:59.48\00:27:09.09
think that they're rich when
they're really poor. They think
00:27:09.12\00:27:17.27
that they're clothed when they
are really naked. They think
00:27:17.30\00:27:26.17
they can see just fine when
they're as blind as a bat. The
00:27:26.21\00:27:33.78
problem with Laodicea is not
that the Lord is not have power
00:27:33.82\00:27:39.42
to save them. It says many
places in the word, My arm is
00:27:39.45\00:27:43.53
not shortened that I
cannot save. He can save to the
00:27:43.56\00:27:47.53
uttermost all who come to God
through Him, the Bible says of
00:27:47.60\00:27:51.27
Jesus Christ. The problem with
Laodicea is they'll never come
00:27:51.30\00:27:55.60
to Him because they don't have
a problem. No soliciting mister
00:27:55.64\00:28:01.61
I don't need what you have.
The worst part about this is the
00:28:01.64\00:28:06.85
ones Jesus is addressing here
are not the people, the heathens
00:28:06.88\00:28:12.05
that are out in the world
living for the world. They're
00:28:12.09\00:28:23.10
the majority of the church-going
folk. And Jesus pleads here:
00:28:23.16\00:28:33.34
I counsel you, verse 18, to
buy from me... The problem with
00:28:33.38\00:28:42.82
Laodicea is they don't see the
need. They don't see their need.
00:28:42.85\00:28:52.29
I want you to turn in your
Bibles to Luke chapter 5 with
00:28:52.33\00:28:55.26
me. Matthew, Mark, Luke chapter
5. We're going to Luke chapter
00:28:55.30\00:29:06.41
5 verse 29. That's where we'll
begin. Luke chapter 5 and verse
00:29:06.44\00:29:19.22
Then Levi, this is Levi
Matthew, his disciple, the tax
00:29:19.25\00:29:31.97
collector. Levi gave Him, Jesus,
a great feast in His own house
00:29:32.00\00:29:37.07
and there were a great number
of tax collectors and others who
00:29:37.11\00:29:42.14
sat down with Him. And
the scribes and the Pharisees
00:29:42.18\00:29:47.05
complained against His disciples
saying, Why do you eat and
00:29:47.12\00:29:51.12
drink with what? Tax collectors.
Publican, another word for that
00:29:51.15\00:29:58.39
tax collectors and sinners.
You have to understand something
00:29:58.43\00:30:00.70
about the tax collectors. The
Jews were under the authority of
00:30:00.73\00:30:04.40
the Roman rule. In other words,
Rome ruled over the Jews and
00:30:04.43\00:30:08.44
ruled over Jerusalem. Why was
that? I mean God had told them
00:30:08.50\00:30:11.47
he was going to make a great
nation of them. Why was Rome
00:30:11.51\00:30:15.24
ruling over them. Because of
their disobedience. And God told
00:30:15.28\00:30:18.45
them that repeatedly. Let
them go into captivity, first to
00:30:18.51\00:30:21.48
Babylon then Medo-Persia then
Greece and now the empire of
00:30:21.52\00:30:24.42
Rome. Those Jews who would work
for the Roman government, these
00:30:24.45\00:30:28.96
tax collectors, they were seen
as traitors to their country.
00:30:28.99\00:30:33.26
And what's more because they
didn't receive any support from
00:30:33.29\00:30:36.67
their countrymen they would just
rip people off left and right
00:30:36.70\00:30:40.04
when they taxed them. So tax
collectors were looked upon as
00:30:40.07\00:30:43.84
the lowest of the low. Matthew,
one of Christ's disciples, was a
00:30:43.87\00:30:49.74
tax collector. How many of you
have heard people say... People
00:30:49.78\00:30:55.65
argue this with me sometimes.
I mean we go to all lengths
00:30:55.68\00:30:57.79
sometimes to reach people and
they say well Jesus ate with the
00:30:57.82\00:31:01.19
tax collectors and sinners.
That's what people always throw
00:31:01.22\00:31:04.33
out there, you know. I'm just
going to go hang out in the bar
00:31:04.36\00:31:06.93
for a while and see if I can
find a Bible study. Well Jesus
00:31:06.96\00:31:09.33
ate with tax collectors and
sinners. You've heard people say
00:31:09.36\00:31:11.70
things like that. Let me tell
you something. This is where
00:31:11.73\00:31:13.44
it's taken from in the Bible.
Well where did Jesus go? Where
00:31:13.47\00:31:19.14
He was invited. In other words,
He went somewhere... Jesus will
00:31:19.17\00:31:24.81
minister to anybody but the
person has to be in a state of
00:31:24.85\00:31:29.02
mind where they want to
be ministered to. Matthew had
00:31:29.08\00:31:32.59
invited Jesus over to his house
and he invited all his tax
collector buddies and he
00:31:32.65\00:31:36.42
said you've got to come hear
this guy. Of course, Jesus isn't
00:31:36.46\00:31:40.23
going to pass up that
opportunity. So here He is
00:31:40.26\00:31:43.13
sitting with tax collectors and
sinners. Now this is what the
00:31:43.16\00:31:45.90
Pharisees and the scribes
complained about and verse 31
00:31:45.93\00:31:50.97
says this: Jesus answered and
said to them, those who are well
00:31:51.04\00:31:55.21
have no need of a physician but
those who are sick. How many of
00:31:55.24\00:31:59.38
you go to the doctor when you're
feeling well? That's all Jesus
00:31:59.41\00:32:02.85
was saying. We don't go to the
doctor when we're feeling well
00:32:02.88\00:32:06.69
we don't go to the doctor unless
we are sick. Jesus is the great
00:32:06.72\00:32:10.46
physician of the soul. He says
verse 32: I have not come to
00:32:10.49\00:32:16.56
call the what? Righteous, but
what? Sinners to change. That's
00:32:16.63\00:32:21.34
what repentance means. Jesus
said I have come to call the
00:32:21.37\00:32:26.01
sinners to change. Now was He
calling the Pharisees righteous?
00:32:26.04\00:32:32.51
No, but He knew that in their
own minds they didn't see any
00:32:32.55\00:32:37.75
need for change. And Jesus
said because you see no need for
00:32:37.79\00:32:42.89
change in your own life, I can't
minister to you. You've got the
00:32:42.92\00:32:49.46
No Soliciting sign on the door.
Are you following me? These were
00:32:49.50\00:32:54.24
religious leaders. These men
knew the Bible probably better
00:32:54.30\00:32:58.97
than most of us know it and they
were in church every week too.
00:32:59.01\00:33:03.65
And they paid tithe and offering
too. And so they thought I'm not
00:33:03.68\00:33:08.28
like that common sinner that
we're just bringing in we're
00:33:08.32\00:33:10.79
doing our evangelistic campaign
we're trying to bring these
00:33:10.82\00:33:13.42
people in. I'm not like that.
I'm not like those people that I
00:33:13.46\00:33:15.96
fell uncomfortable about when
they come into church because
00:33:15.99\00:33:18.16
they're still dressing like
the world and things like that
00:33:18.19\00:33:20.10
because they haven't learned
the truth yet. I don't feel
00:33:20.13\00:33:22.80
comfortable with that. Now
I'm not telling you to feel
00:33:22.83\00:33:27.80
comfortable with sin, but
I'm going to tell you something.
00:33:27.84\00:33:33.11
These Pharisees, the key
characteristic is they didn't
00:33:33.14\00:33:38.25
sense their own personal need
for change. See they thought
00:33:38.28\00:33:41.85
Christianity was a one-time
thing. You've heard people say
00:33:41.88\00:33:45.35
it today. People come to me and
say Pastor I was saved 20 years
00:33:45.42\00:33:48.72
ago. If that's the last time
you were saved, get saved again.
00:33:48.76\00:33:54.86
My Bible says, the apostle Paul
speaking, that I die daily. And
00:33:54.90\00:34:03.14
if you die daily you have to
be born again daily, right? They
00:34:03.17\00:34:10.91
didn't see their need for change
Let me bring it to a little more
00:34:10.95\00:34:18.65
practical setting. There was
a friend of mine, I was talking
00:34:18.69\00:34:21.82
to him about parenting. He said
you know I met this young lady
00:34:21.86\00:34:25.26
she was interested in parenting
so she said. She said I really
00:34:25.29\00:34:27.76
want to learn how to be a better
parent, want to be a better
00:34:27.83\00:34:30.73
Christian parent. And he said
you know I know a really good
00:34:30.77\00:34:33.64
book on that. It's called Child
Guidance, it's excellent. And he
00:34:33.67\00:34:36.57
said immediately she said
like Unh-uh. I don't like Child
00:34:36.60\00:34:40.68
Guidance. He said what do
you mean, do you know the book?
00:34:40.71\00:34:44.41
Yeah, I don't like that book.
He says why. She says it makes
00:34:44.45\00:34:49.08
me feel like a bad mother. Makes
me feel like a bad mother. Let
00:34:49.12\00:34:53.42
me ask you a question. Did she
want to know how to change. No
00:34:53.46\00:34:56.69
she wanted some self-help book
that was going to tell her that
00:34:56.73\00:34:59.49
was going to tell her that she
was just doing fine as she was.
00:34:59.53\00:35:03.16
See we wear it on the surface
and we say yeah I love Jesus
00:35:03.20\00:35:06.74
I want to change. I know I need
change, I know I'm a sinner. But
00:35:06.77\00:35:09.27
as soon as something's pointed
out that needs changing we get
00:35:09.30\00:35:11.84
all defensive, the hair on
the back of our neck bristles up
00:35:11.87\00:35:14.31
and we say don't you talk to me
about change. Makes me feel like
00:35:14.34\00:35:19.91
a bad mother. Jesus is looking
for people who know they need
00:35:19.95\00:35:24.92
change who don't have the No
Soliciting sign on the door. He
00:35:24.95\00:35:32.69
says, I counsel you in verse
18. Is that right? I've lost my
00:35:32.73\00:35:38.73
place. Okay I'm back. I counsel
you, verse 18 of Revelation 3,
00:35:38.77\00:35:43.57
to buy from me gold refined in
the fire that you may be rich,
00:35:43.61\00:35:48.18
white garments that you may be
clothed that the shame of your
00:35:48.24\00:35:53.35
nakedness may not be revealed
and anoint your eyes with eye
00:35:53.38\00:35:59.45
salve that you may see. I want
to spend just a little bit of
00:35:59.49\00:36:06.16
time on these things that Jesus
is talking about here. The gold
00:36:06.19\00:36:12.13
tried in the fire. Hold your
finger there and go with me back
00:36:12.17\00:36:17.91
just a little bit to the book
of 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter
00:36:17.94\00:36:28.12
chapter 1 and verse 6. The
Bible says: In this you greatly
00:36:28.15\00:36:36.93
rejoice though now for a little
while if need be you have been
00:36:36.99\00:36:43.97
grieved by various trials...
Do you experience trials in your
00:36:44.00\00:36:50.34
Christian life? Brothers and
sisters I can't express this. I
00:36:50.37\00:36:54.51
was talking about it the other
day. I think the one thing that
00:36:54.54\00:36:58.28
probably is heavier to me heart
than any is this mentality that
00:36:58.31\00:37:01.58
has come into Christianity that
says that Christianity ought to
00:37:01.62\00:37:06.42
be a walk in the park. No but
I'm having a hard time pastor.
00:37:06.45\00:37:11.26
I'm having this hard
time struggling. You know why?
00:37:11.29\00:37:15.00
Because you got your sinful
nature you've been feeding and
00:37:15.03\00:37:17.97
it's grown into a huge monster.
And it's gotten a grip on you
00:37:18.00\00:37:20.57
now and it's bigger than you
because you've been shoveling
00:37:20.60\00:37:24.54
food its way, right, by
eating the things of the world.
00:37:24.57\00:37:28.51
Watching worldly programs,
eating worldly food, doing
00:37:28.54\00:37:32.38
worldly things, having worldly
friends and it just feeds that
00:37:32.41\00:37:35.65
nature and feeds that nature,
feeds that nature and then when
00:37:35.68\00:37:38.45
we finally decide we're going to
put up a little fight we wonder
00:37:38.49\00:37:44.26
that that nature's so strong.
Peter says there may be a need
00:37:44.33\00:37:50.07
for you to go through trials.
Why? Verse 7, So that the
00:37:50.10\00:37:56.57
genuineness of your faith being
much more precious than gold
00:37:56.60\00:38:01.41
though it be tested by fire,
tried in the fire, may be found
00:38:01.44\00:38:07.48
to the praise and the honor and
the glory at the revelation of
00:38:07.52\00:38:13.52
Jesus Christ. In other words,
when he comes in the clouds
00:38:13.56\00:38:16.76
again you want a faith
that's going to stand the test.
00:38:16.79\00:38:19.93
Matthew 18 verse 8, Jesus says:
When the Son of Man comes will
00:38:19.96\00:38:23.90
he really find faith on the
earth? Think about that one for
00:38:23.93\00:38:28.20
a minute. The words of
Jesus: When the Son of Man comes
00:38:28.24\00:38:32.41
I mean look at the world today.
Everybody's a Christian today.
00:38:32.44\00:38:38.25
Everybody's getting Christianity
Everybody's a believer. We get
00:38:38.28\00:38:42.12
to the point now, we're getting
to the point where we say it
00:38:42.15\00:38:44.92
doesn't matter what you believe
in the Bible as long as you say
00:38:44.95\00:38:47.69
you love Jesus, because
everybody's saying it. And Jesus
00:38:47.72\00:38:52.13
himself says when the Son of Man
comes will he really find faith
00:38:52.16\00:38:55.46
on the earth? Is it going to be
that true faith that's going to
00:38:55.50\00:38:58.80
stand the test. No,
because Christian's want an easy
00:38:58.83\00:39:01.67
religion. We want a religion
that doesn't affect our daily
00:39:01.70\00:39:05.14
lives. We want to be able to put
the No Soliciting sign up and
00:39:05.17\00:39:11.05
still feel like we have a place
in the kingdom. Gold, Jesus says
00:39:11.11\00:39:16.95
You have need of gold tried
in the fire. You still have an
00:39:16.99\00:39:20.46
experience you need to gain that
you don't have yet. You need to
00:39:20.49\00:39:24.19
go through some refining in your
life. You need to face a little
00:39:24.23\00:39:28.46
heat and a little pressure, so
that when the test comes you'll
00:39:28.50\00:39:35.47
stand and you'll shine. One of
the biggest problems I believe
00:39:35.50\00:39:40.88
in the church today is that too
many are forgetting the reason
00:39:40.91\00:39:46.21
for their existence that is
Christian. We are here, brothers
00:39:46.25\00:39:50.75
and sisters, to carry on the
work of the Master. As in the
00:39:50.79\00:39:53.52
presentation yesterday morning
by John Dempsey he shared with
00:39:53.56\00:39:59.33
us how we are ambassadors for
Christ. Oh that just sent chills
00:39:59.36\00:40:04.47
up my spine when I heard it
again. I mean sometimes you just
00:40:04.50\00:40:08.54
that was one of those old things
we need to be reminded of and
00:40:08.57\00:40:12.61
jot down. Ambassadors for Christ
Somebody who carries the full
00:40:12.64\00:40:16.08
authority of another kingdom
who comes and represents that
00:40:16.11\00:40:20.22
kingdom to others. It didn't
say pastors are ambassadors for
00:40:20.25\00:40:24.35
Christ. It says WE are
ambassadors for Christ.
00:40:24.39\00:40:27.16
As though God were pleading
through us. We say I don't know
00:40:27.19\00:40:31.39
I'm struggling in my Christian
experience. Let me ask you, are
00:40:31.46\00:40:35.63
you living a
Christian experience? And let me
00:40:35.66\00:40:41.14
clarify. I'm not just talking
about did you stop watching this
00:40:41.17\00:40:44.04
and did you stop doing this. You
can cut certain things out of
00:40:44.07\00:40:47.74
your life. What are you putting
back in it? Jesus said the Son
00:40:47.78\00:40:52.35
of Man came to seek and save
that which is lost. What are you
00:40:52.38\00:40:56.69
doing in your personal Christian
experience to see that souls are
00:40:56.72\00:41:01.09
in the kingdom? And if you can't
answer that question in your own
00:41:01.12\00:41:05.49
mind, if even now that's
bringing conviction, your mind
00:41:05.53\00:41:08.00
says I don't know that I'm doing
anything, there's your answer.
00:41:08.06\00:41:09.70
That's why your struggling
in your Christian experience.
00:41:09.73\00:41:12.97
Because you're not putting it
into practice. The reason I eat
00:41:13.03\00:41:16.74
a certain way, the reason I
live a certain way, the reason I
00:41:16.77\00:41:20.41
don't watch certain things is so
that I can carry out the mission
00:41:20.44\00:41:24.38
of reaching the world for Christ
and display His character.
00:41:24.41\00:41:27.88
If I lose that purpose, then I'm
doing all these other things but
00:41:27.92\00:41:32.45
why? And brothers and sisters, I
want to tell you something. God
00:41:32.49\00:41:37.69
can and will use each one of us
to reach a soul for Him and I'll
00:41:37.76\00:41:42.96
tell you when you see somebody
making a decision for Christ
00:41:43.00\00:41:47.74
because of your witness, Oh
you'll catch the bug. That's a
00:41:47.77\00:41:52.37
good bug to catch. You'll
realize why the struggle won't
00:41:52.41\00:41:56.31
seem like as much struggle any
more when you realize a soul,
00:41:56.34\00:41:59.21
just one soul can be saved
through your influence you'll
00:41:59.25\00:42:02.02
forget about all those trials
that you had. Gold tried in the
00:42:02.05\00:42:11.49
fire. And then white raiment
that you may be clothed and the
00:42:11.53\00:42:19.03
shame of your nakedness does not
appear. I want you to turn to
00:42:19.07\00:42:24.77
the book of Isaiah chapter 61.
Now you probably thought I was
00:42:24.81\00:42:29.54
going to say 64. We looked
at that. Pastor Jackson went to
00:42:29.58\00:42:33.45
that yesterday. Isaiah 64:6.
It tells us, and I think most
00:42:33.48\00:42:38.65
people are familiar with it, all
of our righteousness's are as
00:42:38.69\00:42:44.53
filthy rags. So it pictures
righteousness as a garment, ours
00:42:44.56\00:42:49.33
is what kind of garment. Like
Dwight Hall's shirt yesterday
00:42:49.36\00:42:55.00
morning. Lord have mercy. This
is Isaiah 61 and verse 10. Now
00:42:55.04\00:43:01.78
notice what it says here: I will
greatly rejoice in the Lord. My
00:43:01.81\00:43:07.85
soul shall be joyful in my God
for He has what? Clothed me with
00:43:07.88\00:43:14.02
the what? Garments of salvation
and covered me with what? The
00:43:14.06\00:43:18.33
robe of righteousness. So we
have garments, we have a robe
00:43:18.36\00:43:22.70
and it's filthy. Christ says
you've got a filthy robe but
00:43:22.76\00:43:27.04
guess what, knock, knock, knock,
I'm here. Buy from me I have
00:43:27.07\00:43:29.94
what you need. I have something
that will cover that filthiness
00:43:30.01\00:43:34.71
up. It's my robe of
righteousness. Are you with me
00:43:34.74\00:43:38.41
on that? I want to show you
something else in the book of
00:43:38.45\00:43:42.05
Revelation chapter 19.
This whole robe of righteousness
00:43:42.08\00:43:44.95
thing has been perverted among
God's people. Let's look at
00:43:44.99\00:43:52.76
Revelation 19 and we'll flesh
this out a little bit.
Revelation 19 verse 7: Are
00:43:52.79\00:44:00.00
you there. Let us be glad and
rejoice and give Him glory. Give
00:44:00.04\00:44:06.17
who glory? Give the Lord glory.
For the marriage of the lamb has
00:44:06.24\00:44:09.78
come. His wife has made herself
ready and to her it was granted
00:44:09.84\00:44:14.58
to be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and bright. Here she's got
00:44:14.62\00:44:19.25
a white robe or white garment
for the fine linen is the
00:44:19.29\00:44:26.63
righteous acts of who? Righteous
acts of who? The saints.
00:44:26.66\00:44:32.77
Brothers and sisters, if we
receive the robe of Christ's
00:44:32.80\00:44:38.84
righteousness number one: it is
not given by God to cloak sin.
00:44:38.87\00:44:42.88
It's not just given to throw
over top of your sin. Like I'm a
00:44:42.94\00:44:46.01
sinner but look at this; I'm
going to trick God and just put
00:44:46.05\00:44:49.45
put this robe on. Look Father,
I've got this robe. God knows
00:44:49.48\00:44:52.82
better. He looks upon the heart.
The robe of righteousness we
00:44:52.85\00:44:56.52
sell the Lord short. We say
I'm never going to be able to be
00:44:56.56\00:44:59.59
like Jesus. I can't change my
life I'm not going to be able to
00:44:59.63\00:45:02.30
be transformed, but praise God
He's covered me in the robe of
00:45:02.36\00:45:05.00
righteousness. That's heresy.
Are you telling me Christ
00:45:05.03\00:45:09.07
doesn't have enough power to
give you a robe that's going to
00:45:09.10\00:45:11.94
change your life. That's what
the robe of righteousness is
00:45:11.97\00:45:14.81
about; it's a living
righteousness, the righteousness
00:45:14.84\00:45:17.61
of God, the righteousness of
Christ. This is what it's saying
00:45:17.65\00:45:20.32
Revelation 19 isn't telling
us the saints have all their own
00:45:20.35\00:45:22.58
righteousness and that's how
they're going to be saved. When
00:45:22.62\00:45:25.45
it says that they're clothed in
the righteous acts, this white
00:45:25.49\00:45:28.12
garment, this white linen, this
fine linen is the righteous acts
00:45:28.16\00:45:30.73
of the saints, it's simply
saying that as God gives them
00:45:30.76\00:45:33.63
righteousness it's seen in their
lives just like we read earlier
00:45:33.66\00:45:38.33
with the works. One more text on
that. 1 John chapter 3. Just go
00:45:38.40\00:45:43.24
back before Revelation - 1 John
chapter 3 and notice verse 7
00:45:43.27\00:45:53.58
with me. Are you there. Notice
what John says: Little children
00:45:53.62\00:46:00.52
let no one what? Deceive you.
So I already you know that what
00:46:00.56\00:46:06.33
he's about to talk about is key
point of deception. This is an
00:46:06.36\00:46:10.70
area where the devil's going
to try to deceive people. Let no
00:46:10.73\00:46:15.34
one deceive you. He who what?
Who doeth righteousness, who
00:46:15.40\00:46:19.97
practices righteousness
is righteous just as He is
00:46:20.01\00:46:22.74
righteous. John says don't let
anybody come and tell you, fool
00:46:22.78\00:46:25.71
you and trick you and deceive
you with some fancy talk about
00:46:25.75\00:46:29.28
some righteousness that doesn't
change how you act. He who
00:46:29.35\00:46:33.25
practices righteousness is
righteous. Now I was reading
00:46:33.29\00:46:37.09
this, it's been about a year or
so now, there's this debate over
00:46:37.13\00:46:40.83
this. Some of you are familiar
with this Sponge Bob Square
00:46:40.86\00:46:44.33
Pants, this cartoon. I hope
most of you aren't, but you hear
00:46:44.37\00:46:47.14
about it in little bits and
pieces and you see the lunch
00:46:47.17\00:46:49.84
boxes and things in the store.
Anyway I was reading this online
00:46:49.90\00:46:52.77
about this Sponge Bob
Square Pants. The issue came out
00:46:52.81\00:46:56.81
within this cartoon for kids
where they're playing around
00:46:56.85\00:47:00.82
with the identity of
this character where he may be
00:47:00.85\00:47:05.29
homosexual. So there was
an uproar in the Christian
00:47:05.32\00:47:09.72
community about how we would let
that kind of thing happen. And
00:47:09.76\00:47:14.50
there was all kinds of epithets
that were thrown at the Sponge
00:47:14.53\00:47:18.60
Bob program and everything else.
So in the magazine Christianity
00:47:18.63\00:47:22.67
Today, and I wish I had saved
the date and I didn't, I just
00:47:22.70\00:47:26.94
saved the quote they asked
Phil Vischer who is one of the
00:47:26.98\00:47:31.11
creators of Vegetales the little
cartoon thing that isn't a whole
00:47:31.15\00:47:36.12
lot better than Sponge Bob
but anyway. He is commenting on
00:47:36.15\00:47:41.52
this whole issue and this
is what he says. I found it
00:47:41.56\00:47:46.86
fascinating. To be honest, he
says, I'm not really sure what
00:47:46.90\00:47:52.13
we're trying to accomplish here.
I find it somewhat baffling the
00:47:52.20\00:47:56.54
great shock that we evangelicals
register when we catch the world
00:47:56.57\00:48:02.04
acting well worldly. I mean,
isn't that kind of the point, he
00:48:02.08\00:48:06.88
says. They're the world, right?
Why are we so surprised that the
00:48:06.92\00:48:10.79
world is acting like the world.
Now listen to the next thing
00:48:10.82\00:48:16.42
that he says, fascinating. When
you start with the assumption
00:48:16.46\00:48:20.83
that the world is fallen,
you're much less likely to be
00:48:20.86\00:48:25.17
disappointed when you find that
that's actually the case. As for
00:48:25.20\00:48:30.07
me, I'm anxiously waiting the
day the world registers great
00:48:30.11\00:48:35.11
shock at the sight of Christians
acting Christianly. Phil Vischer
00:48:35.14\00:48:42.02
said we're always in an uproar
when the world acts worldly.
00:48:42.05\00:48:44.85
That shouldn't surprise us.
What I want to see is when we're
00:48:44.89\00:48:47.36
surprising everybody else and
say wow look at these Christians
00:48:47.39\00:48:51.56
They're acting like Christ.
Oh for a righteousness, white
00:48:51.59\00:48:57.47
raiment Christs is selling
to cover our nakedness. No
00:48:57.50\00:49:03.27
Soliciting. No thanks, Lord.
I think I've got plenty of that.
00:49:03.30\00:49:09.11
Think I'm doing pretty good. The
last thing Jesus offers to sell
00:49:09.14\00:49:14.88
that church of Laodicea is eye
salve. You know, the Bible tells
00:49:14.92\00:49:20.66
us the heart is deceitful
above all things and desperately
00:49:20.69\00:49:23.06
wicked. I can't tell you
how many Christians tell me no I
00:49:23.09\00:49:26.70
just, I have this feeling in
my heart. In spite of the plain
00:49:26.73\00:49:29.63
utterances of the word of God
there's a way that seemeth right
00:49:29.66\00:49:33.23
to a man but the end thereof
is the way of death, it says in
00:49:33.27\00:49:39.27
Proverbs. Proverbs 14:12. Jesus
says you need eye salve, church,
00:49:39.31\00:49:45.25
you need spiritual vision.
You're not seeing clearly. You
00:49:45.31\00:49:50.62
know, we've lost the ability to
discriminate between that which
00:49:50.69\00:49:54.86
is holy and that which is unholy
Now I'm talking to the saints
00:49:54.89\00:50:00.10
this morning. Last night we had
a wonderful concert here and I'm
00:50:00.13\00:50:04.93
going to tell you that we as
God's remnant people one of the
00:50:04.97\00:50:09.47
things that we believe in
is maintaining the holiness of
00:50:09.50\00:50:14.64
church gatherings and sacred
gatherings. I had a woman come
00:50:14.68\00:50:20.42
up to me last night, and some
others not of our faith, not a
00:50:20.45\00:50:25.22
Seventh-day Adventist, don't
know what her emphasis has been
00:50:25.25\00:50:28.76
in her church and she said
you know I just want to tell you
00:50:28.79\00:50:33.09
I appreciated so much that
when the songs were over nobody
00:50:33.13\00:50:37.87
did all this for the performers.
They said Amen. She said it
00:50:37.90\00:50:42.60
seemed to maintain an atmosphere
of reverence. It was funny that
00:50:42.64\00:50:46.91
she said that because I sat
there during the concert and I
00:50:46.94\00:50:50.68
was watching people and
you could see some had tears in
00:50:50.71\00:50:54.38
their eyes just from the way the
Lord was using that music. Or
00:50:54.42\00:50:58.29
people were looking thoughtful
and actually, really reflective.
00:50:58.35\00:51:01.52
They were thinking about what
was being sung. When we start
00:51:01.59\00:51:04.86
to want to copy the world and
we have to do all this and we
00:51:04.89\00:51:08.13
want to cheer people on like the
world. Look we're not performers
00:51:08.16\00:51:12.90
up here. I'm not a performer
today, but what's happened is in
00:51:12.93\00:51:17.61
God's church we're losing
discernment between the sacred
00:51:17.64\00:51:20.58
and the common. We say well
the world does it this way and I
00:51:20.61\00:51:23.85
don't see what's wrong with it.
And it gets so bad that we don't
00:51:23.88\00:51:27.12
we don't even see the problem
with it anymore and we think
00:51:27.15\00:51:29.95
that anybody who does bring
up that it probably shouldn't be
00:51:29.98\00:51:34.72
this way, they're not balanced.
Jesus says you need eye salve.
00:51:34.76\00:51:39.36
You can't even tell, you can't
even see, you can't even discern
00:51:39.39\00:51:43.97
between the sacred and
the common. I was just on the
00:51:44.00\00:51:56.41
internet. In fact, I got a
letter to pastors talking about
00:51:56.44\00:52:01.88
innovative pastoring. There's a
pastor in Cleveland, Ohio. He's
00:52:01.92\00:52:06.72
trying to reach the masses and
so here's what he's done. He's
00:52:06.76\00:52:11.29
come up with a church that he
calls 100 percent religion free.
00:52:11.33\00:52:16.20
They meet in a movie theater,
they use popcorn buckets for the
00:52:16.23\00:52:21.20
offering. They do comedy skits,
standup comedy acts interspersed
00:52:21.24\00:52:26.17
and he's taken a wrap video
about girls with big bottoms
00:52:26.21\00:52:32.38
and he's redone it into girls
with big Bibles. I mean, what's
00:52:32.41\00:52:39.19
happened to the discernment
of God's people? What's happened
00:52:39.22\00:52:45.93
to that which is holy? You need
eye salve Jesus says. No, no I
00:52:45.96\00:52:51.00
don't Lord, I see just fine. I
know who's extreme in the church
00:52:51.03\00:52:57.77
and who's not. I'm a balanced
individual. No Soliciting. Let
00:52:57.84\00:53:03.65
me tell you something those of
you gathered here, all who are
00:53:03.68\00:53:09.15
watching. The greatest danger of
God's church now, the greatest
00:53:09.18\00:53:14.82
danger you have, that greatest
danger you have is not realizing
00:53:14.86\00:53:19.36
that you need Jesus today as
much as you ever needed him. You
00:53:19.39\00:53:23.53
still need change, I still
need change. Jesus is coming and
00:53:23.57\00:53:27.17
there's still a getting ready
that must take place. Jesus is
00:53:27.20\00:53:30.74
coming to us. He sees
our need. We want to put that
00:53:30.77\00:53:34.21
No Soliciting, no, no, no Lord
you don't understand. Just like
00:53:34.28\00:53:38.21
Peter, right? Here's the apostle
Peter. Jesus said Peter you got
00:53:38.25\00:53:41.85
some problems. You got some
issues. I know that you got some
00:53:41.88\00:53:45.72
struggles you need to work on.
Look the time's coming up you're
00:53:45.75\00:53:50.16
going to deny me. No Lord, you
don't know me, Peter said. You
00:53:50.19\00:53:54.53
don't know me as good as I
know me, Peter said. I hear what
00:53:54.56\00:53:58.47
you're saying but the rest of
them may forsake you but not me
00:53:58.50\00:54:02.40
Lord, not me. No, I'm going to
hang in there. I'll die for you
00:54:02.44\00:54:07.38
Lord. See Peter thought he knew
himself better than Christ knew
00:54:07.41\00:54:12.88
him. We do that too much. We
think we know ourselves better
00:54:12.91\00:54:17.52
than Jesus knows us. The
Lord comes knocking at our door.
00:54:17.55\00:54:22.16
Behold I stand at the door
and knock. No thanks Lord. Jesus
00:54:22.19\00:54:26.53
says if any man hear my voice
and open the door. Well how do
00:54:26.59\00:54:31.03
you open the door. Cory talked
the other day in that story of
00:54:31.07\00:54:35.17
Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel chapter 4
that we're to break off our sins
00:54:35.20\00:54:39.81
by doing what's right. Start to
put into practice in your life
00:54:39.84\00:54:44.41
those things that are right.
When the Lord comes to you
00:54:44.45\00:54:48.02
and convicts you of something,
make a change. You know I
00:54:48.05\00:54:51.52
regularly tell people when they
come to me, I mean, there are a
00:54:51.55\00:54:53.56
lot of things to change in your
life when you come to Christ.
00:54:53.59\00:54:57.23
You can't do it all overnight.
But let me tell you something
00:54:57.26\00:55:00.86
morning: You can't taper
off sin. I mean there are some
00:55:00.90\00:55:06.27
things that are going to take
you time to get past. They're
00:55:06.30\00:55:11.61
bad habits, but if you have
sinful practices in your life
00:55:11.64\00:55:14.34
and you try to taper off and
they get a little hook in you
00:55:14.38\00:55:16.85
and they're just going to
keep pulling you back away from
00:55:16.88\00:55:22.05
Christ, pulling you back away.
Jesus says, I stand at the door
00:55:22.08\00:55:28.92
and knock. Do you hear his voice
knocking? Lord I'm not going to
00:55:28.96\00:55:34.86
deny you Peter said. You don't
know me as well as you know me.
00:55:34.90\00:55:42.54
I know you mean well. No
soliciting. There Peter stood in
00:55:42.57\00:55:48.61
the judgment hall Jesus is in
the judgment hall. Peter's in
the courtyard. Denies
00:55:48.64\00:55:53.08
Him once, denies Him twice,
doesn't even realize he's doing
00:55:53.11\00:55:57.19
it. Some of us are taking
the path back where we came from
00:55:57.22\00:56:01.36
step by step. We need spiritual
discernment; we don't even see
00:56:01.42\00:56:07.13
where we're going. Blindness.
The third time Peter denies Him
00:56:07.16\00:56:11.73
The rooster crows. Peter hears
it; Jesus hears it. He looks
00:56:11.77\00:56:18.11
across the courtyard, catches
Peter's eye. And then Peter
00:56:18.14\00:56:22.64
realizes he didn't know himself
as well as he thought he did.
00:56:22.68\00:56:28.25
How about you this morning.
What kind of sign do you have
00:56:28.28\00:56:35.46
on your door when Jesus comes
knocking. Jesus stands at the
00:56:35.49\00:56:42.60
door and knocks. It's one of the
most beautiful scriptures in the
00:56:42.63\00:56:45.07
Bible, but He doesn't open the
door. He says if any man hears
00:56:45.13\00:56:48.07
my voice, if any woman hear
my voice and open the door then
00:56:48.10\00:56:51.51
I'll come in. If anyone hears
my voice and opens the door. You
00:56:51.54\00:56:55.11
can hear His voice but you
can put that sign up. You can be
00:56:55.14\00:56:58.65
peeking through the blinds like
I used to do or you can open the
00:56:58.68\00:57:05.29
door. You say how do I open the
door pastor? First and foremost
00:57:05.35\00:57:10.46
tell Jesus you want to live for
him. And then listen. Whatever
00:57:10.49\00:57:15.60
He's revealing in your life
start putting it into practice
00:57:15.63\00:57:18.60
and see the power of God. Say
Lord I need the gold tried in
00:57:18.63\00:57:22.00
the fire. I need that robe of
righteousness. I need spiritual
00:57:22.07\00:57:25.41
discernment. Look Jesus is
offering it. And what's more, in
00:57:25.44\00:57:29.81
Isaiah He sells without money
and without price. You can't
00:57:29.84\00:57:34.68
beat that deal. How many of
you want to have what Jesus is
00:57:34.72\00:57:40.16
selling? How many of you want
to make sure your door will be
00:57:40.19\00:57:45.79
open to Him when He comes to
you Let's pray: Heavenly Father,
00:57:45.83\00:57:50.17
Father this morning I just pray
that you will take to your heart
00:57:50.20\00:57:55.70
the prayers, the requests, the
heart's desire of each one here.
00:57:55.74\00:58:01.24
Lord help us to open our door,
the door of our heart to you so
00:58:01.28\00:58:06.72
that you may come in to us.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
00:58:06.78\00:58:13.05