Good morning. How are you surviving?
Amen. Hardly my voice is hardly
surviving and so I asked to be patient with me.
I might not be as dynamic as I would like to be gonna hope that
entrusted. The holy spirit will use this
weakness for his glory. Let's pray one more time.
I'd rather pray, the let's pray, one more time and ask and invoke
the holy spirit's help though. We thank you this morning that
you have sustained us in our sleep and Lord that you have
awoken us for another day, a day to experience your mercies.
And then we thank you for the mercies that are known in the
truth being provided to us. Thank you.
That at our disposal, we have the fullness of your Revelation.
All that we You know, concerning you and what you desire from us,
is right before us Lord. We borrow the words of the
Apostle. Paul.
And boasting in our weakness. We can do so because in our
weakness is your power made known and Perfection and so let
that power be known in the delivery of this message in the
reception of this message. Lord continue to guide us
through this series on Deception that we may be at people of
Truth. People confident that we are in
the light. This is our request Lord in
Jesus name. Amen.
We live in a cruel world, Jesus prophesied that it's only going
to get more cruel. I can't think of anything more
cruel than being deceived and being told something with the
preface that it is true with the veneer that it is legitimate
only for it to be false and not just false with a neutral
consequence. But false, with the intention of
destroying you and me. And I hope you feel the gravity
of the warnings in the New Testament about the dangers of
deception because it is multifaceted.
In other words, deception is all around us and it is so near that
it is in US. In other words, if you consider
where Deception comes from, is should in a holy way, frighten
us. Because scripture says that the
very thing that is in your heart is incredibly deceptive.
In other words, never mind. Deceiving, people never mind
Satan, right? Who is in Revelation known as
The Deceiver of the nation's if you were left to yourself on an
island with no one else, you would still be susceptible to
deception consider that If you were just left on your own, you
can still fall prey to deception.
And so if my heart can deceive me and there are ambassadors of
Satan who want to deceive me and if there is Satan himself, who
wants to deceive me? Where's my hope?
I can't look in. I can't look out and even if I
want to look at a different realm, there is a whole realm
invisible realm, that hates me because I'm creating the image
of God. The only hope is God himself.
The only hope is to look up and to see how we can be protected
from those around us and even from ourselves.
And so I draw your attention to one verse one, verse in
Galatians 6, verse 3, as we continue our series on The
Bible's warnings to Christians about how they can be deceived.
Galatians 6, verse, 31 verse and I want to show you by reading
this verse how important it is to consider the context so that
we can know the full meaning of a text.
Or any statement found in the Bible, one of the greatest
dangers that you and I can do in our relationship with the word
is take a single verse and created Doctrine out of it.
That's how Cults are started, right?
Galatians 6, 3 reads for if anyone Thinks he is something.
When he is nothing, he deceives himself.
If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing,
he deceives himself. Now I'm sure you can imagine
that. If you pluck this verse up and
hold it in the air without considering its roots, it can
mean a thousand things. And that is why you and I have
to understand the context to see exactly what this means and when
you just read the verses before you will have a laser precise
Clarity of what this statement is trying to teach us about
deception in a particular way. So, look at verse 1, Paul writes
to this church Brothers. If anyone is caught in any
transgression, you who are spiritual, should restore him in
a spirit of gentleness, keep watch on yourself.
Less you to be tempted. Bear one another's burdens and
so fulfill the law of Christ for if anyone thinks he is
something, when he is nothing he deceives himself.
This snapshot of the Bible gives us some kind of preparation of
what we're going to hear tonight.
Because what we're going to hear tonight is how you and I can
discern between true spirituality and empty religion.
That's an important thing to get clarity on and I wonder how
surprised some will be. When we see the standard that
God has the emphases that God has on what true spirituality
looks like you might be shocked because because it's actually
much more simple and achievable than what our own imaginations
have conjured up. Like if I say spiritual
Christian, what comes to mind, right?
Well, what does that person look like?
What how does that person live? Is he a Hermit?
Does he wear certain things easy sound in a certain way?
Maybe to an extent. But when you see what the Lord
demands of us, in our pursuit of spiritual health, Holiness and
godliness, you will actually be more encouraged and discouraged.
And we get a glimpse of that, we get a little peek into what true
spirituality looks like. And it will be a sigh of relief
because it's not in your ability to or eight.
The scriptures is not your ability to win thousands of
souls or pack out stadiums. It's right here in verse 1.
Going to be any more clear Brothers.
If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are
spiritual So he's calling out the spiritual, it's possible to
be a spiritual Christian. It's possible to be a carnal
Christian and Paul says, I'm addressing the spiritual in the
churches of galatia, you who are spiritual, what is a spiritual
person? Do they feel the call and then
necessity? To participate in the ministry
of restoration. That's what a true spiritual man
does. That's what a Godly woman.
Does they feel and act upon the need to look at a brother or
sister who has fallen into sin and then to make whatever effort
is necessary to pick them back up.
Is that what you think? A true spiritual person is.
I don't think Paul is speaking about being gentle and
tolerating about those who are deliberately stubborn and
persist in Disobedience. Jesus tells us what we do with a
person who claims to be a Christian and does Isis treat
him like a gentile treat him like a tax collector.
They want to persist in their sin and don't repent.
Then there is a different measure but the word that Paul
uses here is caught, is it not if anyone is caught and the idea
there is somebody who Has suddenly fallen into
transgression. Somebody who was captivated by
specific sin, in a way that they did not think would happen to
them. It wasn't some premeditated
thing. It was something that almost
caught them by surprise and what the holy spirit is saying is
those who are spiritual. Look at somebody like that who
has a heart for God, who is soft towards the Lord, but something
happened, something sway them away.
And all for a sudden, they got into something that they know,
Grieves, the holy Spirit. And they know ruins their
testimony and the spiritual. Listen to this compassionately
deals with them. And sees it as a great priority
to bring them back to a true and sincere walk with the Lord.
That's amazing here, because when he says, you who are
spiritual, should restore that word restore is precious, it's
the very same word that is used. And when Jesus walked on the
shores of Galilee, and he saw these two brothers James, and
John, they were what we're told and Mark, they were mending.
The fishing nets. And when Jesus saw them in the
holy spirit says, they were mending their Nets.
He says follow me. The same word for Mend to repair
is the same word as restore here in Galatians.
And I Think Jesus saw something in those brothers that he longed
to develop in a spiritual way, the wisdom, and the patience,
and the care that is required to fix something in the physical,
is what the Lord wants to develop in his disciples.
As we are each call to handle people's hearts.
So, he's not just looking for because you and I think.
Oh, yeah. Spiritual person is someone who
fishes for Souls true. But don't forget that he
highlights. The fact that a spiritual person
is someone also men's them. And nurtures them and cares for
them and through their words and their counsel and love puts a
bomb on their wound and brings him back to a place of strength.
In the Lord says you who are spiritual if you really want to
determine somebody spirituality, more importantly, if you really
want to evaluate your own spirituality, ask and answer
this question this morning. What am I compelled to do?
When I learn of a Christian that I know who has failed?
What's my reaction? What do I feel in my soul?
Shun them. Shunned them, reject them.
Or how about may be participating in an apparent?
Restoration when you just really want juicy details about the
situation. how about spreading it to some people because for
some reason of some exhilaration and being the person who has the
latest in the newest about somebody else, The spiritual.
Their hearts are moved to say. What can I do?
Man to pick you up. Yeah, I heard about it.
I saw it. What do you need for me to help
you? I'm here for you.
That's a spiritual person. And we see that Paul is
addressing this people. and then he expands his instruction and
verse to, look what he says in verse to Bear one another's
burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ Remember the Stone
Connection, the verse 1. What does this true spiritual
Christian look like? Well, they bear burdens so there
are better able to identify the things that are weighing other
Christians down, and that could be anything from a Temptation
that was not lying at them. That can't be easily shaken off
to a trial as we heard yesterday.
That seems to just drain them from any encouragement.
And then, once you identify that you and your heart through your
fellowship, through your, your counsel, whatever it is to say,
how can I make this lighter? How can I make this lighter?
You see how simple spirituality is, you see how wonderfully
achievable it is? Do you see what the Lord looks
for for his people to be able to see burdens practical burdens
spiritual burdens and say, how can I make this a little
lighter? How can I be able to infuse in
you, some strength, to be able to continue to carry this cross?
With this background in mind, we have a clear vision of what Paul
means in verse 3. If anyone Thinks he is
something. When he is nothing.
He deceives himself, pay attention, Shake It Off. he says
here, if anyone thinks he is something meaning, if anyone
thinks he is spiritual When he is nothing. meaning, when he
does not see the importance of lovingly, restoring, a fallen
brother or consistently being around and for believers to help
them carry their burdens, you're deceived, That's what he say.
You think you're something in your spirituality but you're
actually nothing because you don't see the you don't see the
need to care for a fallen brother or help their burdens be
a little lighter. Then in reality, you're deceived
about your own spirituality. Now, that that's not going to
mean much to the person who was not even saved.
I'm not speaking to those who are not say this morning, but to
those who have a desire for Holiness, keep in mind, the
direction of the Lord is pointing us into.
And our lord. Jesus provides a perfect example
of one of his teachings. When he brings up what a false
righteousness. Looks like when he teaches about
the Pharisee and the tax collector, who go into the
temple to pray and he says, you don't have to turn there but he
says this and preparation to teach on that.
He says in Luke 18:9, if you're taking notes for references, he
also told this Parable to some who trusted in themselves that
they were righteous who trusted that they were.
Reaches, but listen and treated others with contempt.
Here's how you know that your righteousness is illegitimate.
I'm not talking about your positional righteousness because
of what Jesus has done. I'm talking about your
practical, righteousness, in the name of Jesus, is your
righteousness. If it is coexisting with
contempt, for others is futile. It's flawed, it's empty.
Especially if your contempt is for those who are supposedly
weaker spiritually, like a tax collector in this context.
Could not even look to heaven but beat his own chest and says
I'm not worthy have mercy on me. I think that's frightening.
I think it's training that you can actually and I can actually
believe I am something. When in fact, I am nothing and
one of the ways that you and I know that we are, nothing is how
our righteousness our spirituality translates
impractical service to other people. and how we view other
people, especially those who might not be on the same caliber
of your theology or your Your practice.
I see the opposite and one of the Disciples of Jesus Christ.
I see the complete opposite attitude in a very subtle way.
With one of the Disciples of Jesus Christ, you remember, John
the Beloved, who wrote that prize gospel, the Gospel of John
most Christians are familiar with how John addresses himself,
how he in, humility veils, his identity in a very in a, very
special way throughout the gospel.
What does he say about? Ourself the disciple?
What? Whom?
Jesus loved. I love that.
People joke. Oh, look how John is speaking
about us. I'm not a John, had this
confidence in the Heart of Jesus.
There's a love for me. Imagine living like that.
The reason why your soul fluctuating in your love for the
Lord is because you're focusing on your love for the Lord.
If you just if you just focus on his love for you, you'll have a
glorious motivation to continue to serve him the disciple, whom
Jesus, loved the disciple, whom Jesus loved it.
And I loved that because in humility, he doesn't want to
bring his identity to the spotlight especially with
associations of his success. I mean, as simple as him beating
Peter to the tomb The guy beat him.
I'm not going to say to me though.
The disciple right whom Jesus loved.
Even go as far to say the other disciple the other disciple.
You'll never see John referring to himself by name.
He wants to put Christ there in the Forefront of the readers
mind. He wants to exalt Christ and so
he just tries to hide in the background.
He wants to be accurate. He wants to say that he was a
witness, but he fails his identity.
He fails his good works. He fails the fact that he was
the only one that stood before the cross.
When all the others scattered and went home.
And yet, at the same time, I argue that there is one place
where I believe John tries to make his identity a little bit
more clear. There is one place in the entire
Book of John. We gives a strong indication.
He gives a greater clue that it is really him.
And it's in, it's in a place that you wouldn't suspect.
It's in a place that you wouldn't think.
It's it wouldn't be in a place that you would put.
A greater emphasis on your identity.
Would you like to know where it is?
Go to John 21. The last chapter and it's not
just because it's the last chapter.
It's because of what that last chapter teaches John 21 verse 1.
After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples
by the Sea of tiberias and he revealed himself in this way.
Simon Peter Thomas called the twin Nathanael of Cana in
Galilee the sons Of Zebedee. And two other disciples were
together. Who are the sons of Zebedee?
James n John. And no other place in the Gospel
of John, will you see a reference to the sons of
Zebedee? The only place where you'll see
the sons of Zebedee mentioned in John is here.
Right here. And he says the sons of Zebedee
with the knowledge that those who read would have known who
the sons of Zebedee were You can have a wider speculation with
the disciple whom Jesus loved, but if you knew whose ebony was,
you knew who his sons were. And what I find so hard stirring
is that John and the Holy Spirit.
Obviously, let him and back this up John chooses to make the
strongest reference to himself at the lowest point in his walk
with the Lord, because in John 21 when Peter with his natural
leadership, abilities says, I'm going fishing are has a you're
going, we're going, okay? Peter is going, we're going to
go, he just had that magnetic pull and so they go back to do
what Jesus called them from. They went back fishing.
Now, fishing might not be a sin, in your eyes, but in their eyes.
This is what Jesus called them from to turn away from so that
they can pursue fishing of men. And yet, at this low Point, not
knowing where to go next not knowing how to handle Of this
whole Resurrection thing, Peter says, you know, I'm just gonna
go back and some of the disciples follow including who
the sons of Zebedee. What do you learn from this?
What do you take from this? Here's what I take from it.
Humility is not boasting in your failures.
I'm a sinner. I'm this.
I'm a ratchet. And that's just an empty way of
really boasting about your Righteousness, and some sense.
But spirituality humility is being conscious of our
weaknesses. And being mindful of how we are
equally capable of falling into sin, just like anybody else.
So this the disciple whom Jesus loved.
In a more obvious way, wants to show.
Yeah, even me the same disciple who put his head on the bosom of
Jesus came to a place where I went back to what Jesus called
me from. And that's exactly what Paul is.
Communicating back in Galatians when he says you who are
spiritual restore him, who has been caught up in transgression,
caught up in sent just keep watching your on yourself less
you to be tempted. In other words every time you
face a brother or sister is fall into sin right there in that
moment is a lesson for you that you are able to fall in the very
same sin that this brother is being disciplined for So it's a
call to humility. It's a call to reality of what
we are capable of. And when you walk with that,
Revelation, that that is what opens up.
Your arms to be more loving and more accepting and more patient
with those who actually fall. Even if they fall before you.
And I want to say this, that if you feel like you're in that
place, and I'm not saying this is about everybody, but this is
a particular mindset. There are some people who in
their spirituality cannot find themselves to relate to those
who are weaker than them, kind of find themselves,
fellowshipping with those who might not have an astute or
accurate. Understanding of systematic
theology, or who may not seem to be interested in the things of
God with greater depth, like you, whatever the case may be,
you have people pulled themselves away from common
Folk. Christian's.
So to speak. Not talking about carnal
Christians and about Christians who don't grow as fast as you
might have grown. And here's my question, what's
the point of your strength? If that's you in this place?
Let me ask you this question. What's the point of the
spiritual muscles that you've developed over the years and
maybe quicker than other people in your life?
Like my dad used to say to me and my brothers whenever we
would help him with some physical work, whether at his
work right at home, you'd always jokingly say.
All right, let's see what your gym time.
Has brought you, come on. You can't lift it.
You're tired already. He's like you don't have to go
pay for the membership just come here.
You can do it for free. I won't charge you.
And that's the same for Spiritual strength.
What's the point of your spiritual strength?
What's the point of reading? All those books?
What's the point of listening to all those sermons?
What's the point of memorizing? What's the point with
evangelizing on the streets when nobody else?
Evangelized what's the point? What's the point?
Here's what Paul says, in Romans 15 one we I love that was Paul
proud. No he but he says we who are
strong. We including me.
It's not, it's not an arrogant thing to be aware of your
spiritual strength. We who are strong have an
obligation to bear with the failings of the week.
And not please ourselves. So if you feel like you have
this unusual, Insight unusual connection with the Lord.
If you distance yourself from a local church because they don't
seem to be as strong as you. Even if you think that you have
more insight than the pastor who preaches every single week, if
you feel like you have more depth in the scriptures and you
remove yourself from the local church, you're no different than
the Pharisee. Paul says, if you're truly
strong, you're drawn to those who are weak and you want to
Bear their weaknesses, you want to lift them up, you want to
inspire them, you want to be in their presence.
You want to encourage them, don't walk in there, arrogantly.
Hey, Paul said we are a strong I'm strong.
I'm here to help don't do that, please.
What come with humility come with like John like attitude
aware of your own weaknesses despite how how much your head
is filled. And bear the failings of the
week. Paul is saying here and this
message is going to be too too long.
What Paul is saying here in Galatians goes beyond what we
just heard and we're going to elaborate more on what true
spirituality is tonight. There is another dimension to
the deception and verse 3 that is more subtle than what I just
said. And this is where I think more
of you can relate. If we're honest listen, we can
be deceived about being in the will of God.
Now only by refusing to extend Grace, your presence, your help
to a fallen brother or two people around you.
But by also refusing to receive. The help.
By those that God has called to minister to you.
By failing to receive. When do I get that?
Thought from back in verse to Bear one another's burdens.
In other words, every single one of us have burdens, no
exception, we all have them and some days are lighter than
others, but each of us have challenges each of us.
Faced persecution in different ways.
Each of us have our own private Wars as Saints.
Paul says, you're not called to carry those alone, you're not
called to walk this thing alone. So you see the deception is to
part one the refusal because of a sense of superiority.
To come to other people because of self-importance.
I'm, I'm too busy. I'm too concerned, I have too
much going on in my life, to meddle in your Affairs.
Paul says, you think you're something when you're actually
nothing and you're deceived. But secondly, the deception can
also be known. In self-reliance, not
self-importance. And so you distance yourself
because you believe that you yourself walking solo on the
narrow path is possible without consequences.
So here's who I'm addressing this, this message to listen
very carefully because I know the people who are part of
Maranatha Bible Church who are here And there are a lot of new
faces. I don't know you.
I don't know where you're from. I don't know where you're coming
from. I know that you're here.
So I want to say to those who constantly feel and fall into
the temptation of isolating yourself from other believers
and who walk long stretches of time without meaningful
intentional and accountable interaction with serious
Disciples of Jesus Christ. This is for you.
So, I'm speaking to those who are not committed members of a
local church. Who have not communicated a
covenant with a local assembly to say, I'm here to be
accountable and I am here to offer accountability with this
pocket of God's people, in his Grand Kingdom across the globe,
as speaking of those people. I'm also speaking to those who
might have, who might have quieted their conscience by
becoming a member, but your membership is not seen in
practicality, so you, Come to the service.
Barely barely but there is no sense of your presence in an
intentional Fellowship, that is provided either by the church or
with Saints outside of the walls.
I'm speaking to those who when they do feel an overwhelming
burden, they don't, they don't stay with the Saints.
They remove themselves from the Saints because of one either
shame or two because of this weird notion, I don't want to
put my burden on people who already have battles to face
themselves. Let me, let me tell you this, if
you are there that kind of train of thought is laced with
self-deception laced with it. Now I'm not speaking to those
who are having difficulty finding a local church because
they want to obey the scriptures and they want to find
God-fearing elders and God-fearing people.
I know that that is that is something I've heard from across
America with emails and messages, where can I find if
I'm not speaking to you? I'm speaking to those who are
actually Comfortable. With at best in your mind doing
Church online. This is what Paul would say to
you. You ready?
If he knew this this what he would say to you, you think
you're something when you're actually nothing.
And you're deceived. You disappear?
If you wholeheartedly believe in, this is even for people who
have who might have some association with our local
church by name only, but it's not real. what I mean is, if you
wholeheartedly believe that you are perfectly fine, Without
having a community of godly people that you engage with.
The know that you are in danger, my prayer is not for you to do
anything more than leave this place with a personal plan, like
what changes do I need to make? What do I need to do to ensure
myself that I can escape this deception?
That does not show the severe consequences immediately?
How can I make myself by the will of God convinced that I
need? I need godly people in my life.
Deception is like sin and I'll tell you how deception is not
satisfied with keeping you at one level of deception sin is
not like you can't be like I'm going to sin and I'm going to
stay right here. I'm just going to keep to this
sin and I'm going to manage the consequence in never works
deception. Just like sin will always seek
to pull you deeper. And just like sin that opens
ways for nuisance deception. When you believe one false thing
leads you to believe sequential false things.
And so Satan is extremely clever.
Because before he can get you to be deceived about this thing, he
gets you to be deceived about this thing.
He's very, very clever that people who, like, talk down to
Satan, that's actually anti-biblical.
That's anti-biblical. Michael.
The Archangel himself would not, even dare rebuke Satan.
Directly. He said the Lord rebuke you all
these people that run around and on platforms and they speak down
to Satan, even even Michael would not do that, it's very
dangerous attitude, there is a level.
Let me say this and I hope you understand what I'm saying.
A level of respect that we need to have.
Even for evil spirits, not respect like I venerate, you
respect of the potential harm that they can bring about.
Right. You've heard the term.
Respect the ocean. My mom used to always say that
respect the ocean, don't just walk.
Walk in there and play, you can be pulled in at any moment.
So there should be that level of awareness and that's how Satan
Works before he can get you to be deceived about ABCDEF,
whatever he brings you to the first point and then he lets
that deception do the work. It's almost like a leech that
just latches on to you and just give it a little time and I'll
suck the life out of you. And here's how he does it with
what I'm presenting to you today, because Satan is aware of
the effectiveness of what I'm trying to tell you, more than
most Believers are. So, let me present, you just one
thing which will be emphasized more on tomorrow when we're
going to learn about. Maybe five, six ways of being
deceived proof. Look at Hebrews chapter 3, in
one verse in verse 13, very famous Passage.
Hebrews 3:13. Here's what the author says, but
exhort one another every day. As long as it is called today,
that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Deception is everywhere. In the New Testament, see here
to see if you see there. Here's what he's saying, be
careful. Sin can deceive you.
And this will be discussed in further detail, but the spirit
of God through this verse shows us something.
So insightful. And that is this, that a
particular protection against this heart from becoming
crystallized and numb, and deadened to my involvement with
sin. Cannot be separated.
From abiding in an environment where I am experiencing
external, exhortation continually.
He could have said exalt yourself every day.
That's what people think that this is means.
Exhort yourself every day. He's not saying that exhort one
another every day because your heart and mine was designed to
be in need for others, to continually in regularly, speak
to it. In order for it to remain soft
and sensitive. if you don't believe that, you did what
Galatians 6 3 that when you think, you think your something
when in fact you're nothing and you're deceived If you don't
think this is a real thing, you'd be amazed to know how many
Facebook and Instagram evangelist and Prophets out
there have who are not connected and submitted to a local church.
This is not being limited to having somebody.
Correct this every once in awhile, it's beyond that.
It's being in the presence of people.
Who have holy speech? It's being with those who sing
praises to God and you hear that over you, as you join them in
song, it's about conversations, you have with people about
Jesus. It's about having that cup of
coffee with a brother or sister Crossing that table, and you're
hearing the testimonies of what's happening in their
workplace. What's happening in their
marriage, what's happening with their children?
And here, you are being encouraged and excited to remain
on that faithful path of service because the same God, who is
doing it in their lives, can do it in mind.
It's having your heart exposed to Christ exalting exhortation
whether that's directly given to you one-on-one or being in an
environment of people who cannot help out of the abundance of
their hearts to give glory to God.
Satan knows the power of this. He knows him.
And every time I read this verse or I quote, this verse I cannot
help but bring up to myself and to others of the inside of how
quickly our hearts can become deceived by sin.
Exhort one another, how often? Is that hyperbolic is that
poetic is that exaggeration? Or is that an Insight that tells
you and me, that all the takes is 24 hours for your heart to
become hardened by sin? Like all it takes is after this
weekend for you to get home and Monday night, be deceived by
sin. No matter what kind of
preaching, no matter what kind of invitation, no matter what
kind of insight. We are in need of continual
consistent, fellowship with people.
And some would say, well, I am exhausted every single day.
My favorite preachers are on YouTube and it's working just
fine for me. Preaching is good, preaching is
important. But you know what's amazing?
This is for you, spiritual people, okay?
Here's what's amazing. Paul says that each one of us in
1st Corinthians, 12:7 have been given a measure of the spirit
for what for the common good that each of us has been given a
manifestation of the spirit for the common good.
So here's what that saying God has not given you individually
all that you can know about the spirit.
Got again, has designed it in such a way that if you want to
know the manifold manifestation of the Holy Spirit, spiritual
people, listen up, you love the Holy Spirit, right?
You love the manifestations of the spirit, right?
You want to know more of the spirit, right?
Then you are dependent upon the spirit.
Who is deposited, unique manifestations in each believer.
what that means is, every time I step into the local assembly,
every time I step in to a fellowship of Believers, what I
can expect is that the Holy Spirit Will manifest in Sister,
Jenny and manifest through brother, Joe and manifests
through Sally and manifest through Doug And in that
environment, can I No Greater Heights of the experience of the
spirit and God in his wisdom, made it in such a way that you
could not know those manifestations if you do this
thing, so low. So are you get preaching on
YouTube? That's one manifestation of the
spirit through the gift of speaking.
And even in that, you are limited through that screen
because Paul himself knew that I can only impart the fullness of
my gift when I come to you Romans.
I don't want to just write to you.
I want to come to you because in this how many of you have known?
I've heard this Brothers. We're blessed by the messages
online but there's difference when we're in person.
Well, yeah, that's biblical. And so Satan knows the full
power of this. So what does he do?
Well, he deceives you from point A you're good, you're something.
You can do this without others. You can make your commitment of
peppered thing. It can be stretched out.
It does not have to be constant. It does not have to be
committed. It does not have to be life on
life. You are something.
Oh yeah. Or how can you show up, you keep
failing, you keep messing up. You're an embarrassment, you're
in shambles. You're going to be a burden the
pastor's already busy with so much.
What you think is going to help you.
You've already talked to so many Christians about the issue.
You think they want to hear the issue again.
It's been eight months, man. Just keep to yourself.
Get better. And then go back.
Okay. Yeah, that's true.
And Satan is they're salivating at his mouth because he knows I
got him here just a little bit more time, until the
deceitfulness of sin will harden their hearts.
And I got him where I want him. You see how clever he is?
Satan knows that we are social creatures.
Does he not? You know, that you're a social
creature. So if he can't convince you to
do solo, you know what he'll convince people to do, he'll
convince you to believe that. Any company is good company.
First Corinthians 15:33, do not be deceived Bad Company
corrupts. Good morals.
I wonder if I were to ask 10 people in this room, what Bad
Company looks like, what answers we would get.
I think the general consensus unfortunate would be.
Yeah, Bad Company. Are those drug using gang
affiliating club dancing people? And that is part of it, but
you'd be surprised to know what the Apostle Paul had in mind in
the category of Bad Company. And the only way you can know
just like with our first verses when you see the context, what's
First Corinthians 15, all about? All you have to do is get an
idea in verse 32, the verse right before, what do I gain if
humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus.
He's not talking about literal animals, he's talking about what
people are capable of when they have no conscience.
When you dead in your conscience, you can become like
an animal. And he says here, if I fought
with the beat the beasts at Ephesus, if the dead are not
raised, if the dead are not raised.
In Believers are not resurrected, then why let us eat
and drink for tomorrow? We die the whole chapter of
First Corinthians 15 is Paul teaching about the bodily
resurrection of the believer. For some reason, these
Corinthians got duped into believing that as Believers in
Jesus Christ, we do not have this Resurrection thing.
It kind of stops at a certain point and Paul sought to correct
that. And he gives the list of
implications of not believing in that.
And how did the Corinthians come to this point?
Well, at some point, they begin to entertain the presence of
those who taught, otherwise, Of people who came in and
propagated the idea through philosophy through human wisdom.
That it doesn't make sense for us to have bodily resurrection
and for us to no life beyond this life.
And here's the thing theology, whether it's good or bad cannot
be divorced and how it influences your behavior.
That's why we get a straight in ourselves to the word of God,
because something as as Grand, as eventful as the resurrection
of our bodies. Can have direct influence on the
way you live day to day. Paul says it, if we don't
believe this. Let's party.
What is this all about? Let's just eat.
Let's just drink. Let's just do vacations all the
time. Let's just make our lives about
the food that we explore. Let's just do all of this stuff
and forget about it. Zero investment in the kingdom
of God. No.
Resurrection, no future reward. No future Kingdom.
Let's just enjoy this life. And all of that stems from a
group of people that influence the Corinthians to say, there is
no Resurrection. And that is the context in which
Paul says Bad Company corrupts good behavior.
Here's how you can worded do not be deceived.
You ready for this? This might shock you if you
regularly entertain the company of those who live without a
concrete belief in the resurrection, it could ruin you.
I don't think the danger for the modern.
Christian is being allured by those who teach otherwise about
the resurrection. I don't think that's the threat.
I think the greater threat for the common believer today is to
associate with those who don't practically live out as though,
the resurrection was real, huge difference?
No. Have you heard the term
practical atheism? That in theory and confession.
You believe there's a God but I'm practically you live as
though. He doesn't exist.
You can do that with the resurrection.
You can in theory in your statement of faith believe in
the resurrection. But practically you don't
believe with with view of the Revelation and view that there
is a future time coming where there is a life more real than
this life. And to listen to this, this is
the, this is the definition of Bad Company, not the drug using
Club going gang, affiliating heroin shooting casino going
person. No, no, no Bad Company.
Can be simply those who do not live with an eternal mindset.
That frames their living. So here's what I think happens,
here's Bad Company, the list, they just filled up, didn't it?
I just filled up, didn't it? I didn't say the Bible said it.
And so, what's the threat here? That your Christian Life can be
deducted can be reduced to doing exactly what Paul warned about.
If we live with the thought, that there is no Resurrection,
your listen, your life is just about eating Your life is just
about living from one event to the next, and that's the height.
That's the ceiling of your excitement.
And there is absolutely no inclusion, no thought, no plan,
no investment into the Eternal kingdom of God.
And all it takes for you to get. There is just to be with that
group of people, long enough who might even attend meetings like
this, but outside of this world, movable Always abounding in the
work of the Lord. Knowing that in the Lord, your
labor is not in vain. So, knowing believing that my
labor is not in vain. Why?
Because there is a resurrection, there is a time that I will meet
a resurrected Lord, he will look at me with piercing eyes and
unless I have a renewed mind and a new renewed heart, I would be
like the prophets of old and barely stand.
Unless the spirit of God picks me up every time that's what's
coming knowing that your labor is not in vain owing because you
have a future reward in mind. This is what it will do to you
today. Steadfast, you know what that
means? You're not swayed by Oceans like
a bad breakup will not cause you to give up on Jesus.
That's a very practical way of looking at it.
The report of sickness afflicting, your family member
will not cause you to press the eject button.
You're still steadfast, why? Because the resurrection in
view. Steadfast immovable and movable
just that you're just there. You're like Concrete in the will
of God. Like you're, you're like you
look on the word. You like, there's literally
nothing that this world can offer me.
And how can I make my life about just eating and drinking and
doing in this? And that when there's a
resurrection ahead of me? Immovable.
And here it is. Always abounding like richly
invested in the will of God richly invested in the work of
God. Like your life orbits around
serving the lord. Like that's your priority, not
out of Duty out of great joy and even more joy knowing that there
is a resurrection that will evaluate and Beyond me just
being saved on to get this rewarded for the service that
God empowers me to do not fascinating.
I always use the example of the father, who was lifting a couch,
and a little boy, his little son because his daddy, can I help
you move? He is like four years old.
Is he gonna do? You know?
Okay, I'll you will help me and I'll reward you.
If you can help me I will reward you.
And here's this some putting his little hands on the couch doing
absolutely nothing. And the father's, lifting it
with all his strength and afterwards, just because the sun
had the tenderness to volunteer, the father rewards, and that's a
picture of you and me serving Jesus Christ.
We want to serve the Lord you and I do not have the strength
to be able to do it with any fruitfulness.
So God, empowers us, he strengthens us, he gives us, he
anoints us and then he rewards us.
Do not abandon the work of the Lord.
Knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.
If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing.
He is deceived. And this is two ways of thinking
falsely that you are something one that you're Superior to
others. So you distance yourself, or
you, you're there, but you There's a arrogance.
Or you are somebody who thinks that there is no value in the
body of Jesus Christ. That you have no need for
Ministries to be active apart from you, but towards you. if
that is you, and I'm speaking more about the latter may exalt
you in these final messages, this final words, Pray
desperately for a healthy. Holy local church.
You'd be amazed to know how God can open your eyes to things
that are very close to where you are today.
And God is extremely patient with the process of being able
to identify that body. You'd be amazed to know how God
will move Heaven and Earth for you to be in the right place
with the right people. But when you do look and when
you do pray yes, although the company of people should be as
Paul described because of the Resurrection but also know that
not everybody is on the same level and so do not look for a
church filled with Apostle Paul's I think some people are
so critical of the local church that even if the church was
filled with a pulse of positive, still find something to
criticize. Like I don't like the color of
the walls, it's distracting me during worship something like
that. The carpet is just it's rough on
my shoes. Because even if you are somebody
who thinks it is strong, don't think the church is about you,
receiving something though. That is something we need to
believe, but believe that as a strong person, there are weak
people who God calls you to help with their feelings.
Here's my college, very simple. Don't be a Christian who lives
on conferences. Don't.
Like, if this is the only experience and expression of
fellowship with other like-minded believers, you're
doing it wrong. It's not going to help, you're
stifling your spirituality and you're actually hindering the,
the fullness of what your ministry can offer, the members
of Jesus's body be serious about the local church.
I remember. When I first got saved, my
attitude was not the same as I'm presenting to you today II.
Just didn't see the value of the local church to me.
It was like you have a sea of people who are dying and going
to hell and you want to hear two sermons a week.
Like get out like half a sermon at most.
Let's go. Until the Lord taught me in a
very, very practical way by putting me in the position of
being in a local church. Did I see the incalculable value
and riches that are found in imperfect people who love a
perfect savior that come together continually And I
praise God that he opened my eyes early.
And sometimes the only way you can know it is when you just
dive into it with faith, all that we do is in faith,
including what I'm presenting to you.
Today, some of you here, do not go to church because you have a
bad taste in your mouth about church, especially those who
come from a middle eastern background, I get it, I
understand the frustration is real.
I say that as a middle eastern person, But don't let Satan
deceive. You don't let him trick you.
Don't let him have you. Swimming in this ocean by
yourself, get on the boat with other believers.
That is your safety. That is your provision from
Heaven. That is God's way of getting you
to know total maturity in his will.
And so know, this God will bring you somewhere.
If you desire it that's his will for your life.
And you be amazed to know how do I'm not saying he will do this,
but he could do this. He might give you a job in
another state. And it's not because of the job.
A preacher said and I landed here he said don't look for the
church that is closest to your house.
Look for a church that is closest to the Bible.
And I wonderful. My rant is complete.
I'm done. I hope your heart is stirred
with the limited Insight that we had today though, even one
inside from the word of God is plenty for our soul.
Let's pray and ask God to help us with these truths.
Louis, thank you that we do have a conference like this.
But this conference is not an end in itself.
Thank you for the local church. where we are to be dedicated and
committed to And so what happens here, only fuel our devotion?
to the people that you've called us to be devoted to Lord for
those who are tempted to think that they are something either
in their self importance or their self-reliance.
Me that deception be broken today.
It may we see that there is a call for us to offer something
to others and there's even a call for us to be humble enough
to receive from others. Look for those who are
struggling to find a local church.
Would you make a way where there seems to be?
No way? Hello.
Would you help them in the meantime?
Still be committed to a body of believers do maybe few. to love
and worship you to know the softening work of external
exhortations that our hearts are desperately in need of
continually Do we pray for pastors to be raised up in this
time? Faithful Men of God.
Faithful Men of God, who will just do what the Bible says, who
will structure their churches? The way the Bible says, we ask
Lord that you raise up Elders, we ask Lord that you would raise
up leaders, who be able to provide true, local
congregations that people can feed off of that people can
settle down in and raise their families with Lord we don't we
don't have a strategy apart from you supplying these things to
us. And so we look to you.
You are the great Shepherd lead us to the right under Shepherds
and Lord, we just ask that you would help us be patient.
You would help us be truly spiritual.
And not removing ourselves because of the failings of those
around us. But the opposite drawing closer
to those who fall for this is the law of Christ.
But we love you. It is fellowship.
Be true. And sincere would you bless our
food as we eat together and continue to be in our midst?
As you have been up to this point in Jesus name, we pray.
Amen. Standing sing to the Lord.