We're certainly very grateful for the presence of each and
every one that's come to be with us this morning as we've
endeavored to come here at this place, one more time and have a
wonderful privilege. And that is worshiping God in
spirit. And in truth, appreciate very
much especially our visitors. We have a number of visitors
Among Us from the community and we want you to feel as you are
and that is as our honored guest today, Certainly hope pray and
trust that what we have to consider in.
This morning's lesson will be helpful to you in some way as we
Endeavor to try to do those things that are right.
According to God's word, I want to invite your attention.
Now to the Book of John, the 9th chapter and we want to begin
reading there in verse number 24, John chapter 9 beginning in
verse 24. Then again, called they the man
that was blind and said unto him.
Give God the praise. We know that this man is a
sinner he answered and said, whether he be a sinner or.
No, I know not one thing I know that whereas, I was blind.
Now, I see then said they to him again.
What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes?
And, and he answered them, I told you Already.
And you did not hear where for would you hear it again?
Would you also be his disciples then they reviled him and said,
Thou Art his disciple. But we are Moses's disciples.
We know that God spoke unto Moses.
As for this fellow, we know not from whence.
He is the man answered and said unto them.
Why here in is a marvelous thing that, you know, not from whence
he is and yet he hath, He opened my knives now we know that.
God heareth not Sinners. But if any man be a worshiper of
God and doeth His will him he heareth since the world began
was it not heard that. Any man opened the eyes of one
that was born. Blind.
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
They answered and said unto him thou Wast altogether born in
sins and Dost thou teach us and they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found
him he said unto him Dost thou believe on the Son of God he
answered and said who is he? Lord that I might believe on him
and Jesus said unto him thou Hast both seen him and it is he
that talketh with thee and he said, Lord I believe and he
worshiped him barring any mistakes on my part reads that
passage of scripture as Found in the Book of John, the ninth
chapter very interesting verses of scripture, as we find and we
want to discuss as the basis for our sermon this morning.
As Jesus would heal a man, that was born blind and he did so on
the Sabbath day, I want to ask you a question though, because
this is something that happened in this man's life.
I want you to know, and I want us all to recognize as we study
this little story as found in these Verses of scripture that
this man's life was changed completely by Jesus.
So, I ask you one question and this will be the topic that will
consider and that is, simply what does religion mean to you?
I think that's a very timely question.
I think it's one that if we went out into the world and ask folks
on the street corners, if we would ask all those Christian
professing folks in the world, if we would go out and talk to
people that are in the world and ask them the Ian.
What does religion mean to you? I would imagine we have all
manner of answers but what does the bible?
Teach on the subject, it is the profession or practice of
religious beliefs, it is also the service or practice that
stems from conviction in something.
Now, religion as we examine that topic today, we must understand
that religion may be, right? Or it may be Maybe wrong, it can
be sincere and it can be insincere.
It can be true or it can be false.
It can be full and rewarding or it can be vain.
But, you know, as we discussed the this topic and we discussed
the things that Jesus had done with this blind, man.
We also discussed that often times.
Jesus had to speak against the religious Elite of the day.
You remember that there were many, that would try to
discredit the things that Jesus had done.
Especially those living under the Old Law of Moses, those
Jews. You remember those Pharisees?
Those scribes those Individuals that were considered.
Like, I mentioned just a moment ago, the very religious Elite of
the day. But what did Jesus say?
You remember, in the 15th chapter of the Book of Matthew
and beginning. In verse number 7, we have to
understand. Jesus was speaking to religious
people and he said this, he said you Hypocrites.
Well did Isaiah prophesy of you saying this people draweth nigh
unto me with their mouth? Mouth and honoureth me with
their lips but their heart is far from me.
But, in vain, they do worship me teaching for doctrines, the
Commandments of men. You also remember in the Book of
James, the first chapter and beginning there in verse number
26, which says, if any man among you seem to be religious and
bridle, if not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this
man's religion is vain Vane pure religion and undefiled before
God, and the father is this to visit the fatherless and the
widows in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from
the world. And so, the real test of a man's
Religion. Today is ask yourself the
question. What difference does it make?
You know, I think your folks would answer the question of
what religion means to them, by way of the context.
Asking the question to themself, what difference has it made in
my life? I would say that that person
could have a pretty good understanding if the religion
that they are a part of is adequate or not.
I'll just say this that if a person decides that they're
going to follow Jesus, if a person makes the determination
in their life, that they're going to obey, what the Lord has
instructed in his word and be a Christian and be a disciple,
which is simply a follower of Jesus, if a person will do that,
there are great blessings, that that person has, that is far
different from all of the things that are offered in the world.
I want to notice some examples with you now though of some
people that were truly Changed by their religion.
You remember, just a moment ago, we read in the ninth chapter of
the Book of John, that this was a man that was born, blind.
And as he was born blind, we find that on a particular
occasion. Jesus Christ is going to heal
this man, but Jesus chose to do so, on the Sabbath day, now we
know that Jesus. Living as a Jew under the law of
Moses at that time. And we understand that those
that lived under the law of Moses were commanded to keep the
Sabbath and keep it. Holy, we also understand that
they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there would be no
servile work. That there be nothing that they
would do. That would exceed, what was
given them to do or permitted for them to do on that day of
rest? But Jesus chose this occasion to
heal a man. That was born blind.
You know, Jesus did this on a number of occasions, you
remember, and the reasons for that is Jesus teach a lesson for
all of those Pharisees, by pointing out there very
hypocrisy because of their heart.
You remember on one occasion that there was one of these
Chief Pharisees invited Jesus over to have a meal on the
Sabbath day. Now we understand by way of the
context of that story that these people there, that day, those
Pharisees, those Jews on the Sabbath day were not extending
an invitation to Jesus because they liked him or they respected
him greatly. In fact, we find that by the
time Jesus gets to that house to have that meal on the Sabbath
day. There was a visitor present.
There was a man that was afflicted with the dropsy.
You know what they wanted to do? They wanted to find out what
Jesus would do if Jesus says absolutely nothing on that
occasion and goes in and heels this man.
They could say he's a sinner because he healed the man on the
Sabbath day. If Jesus goes to the very same
location and says nothing and does nothing for this man, they
can discredit him for whom he was saying that he was not a
loving or a cat. Caring person at all.
If he had the ability to truly heal this man on many occasions,
there were those Jews that were trying to discredit Jesus
Christ. But on this occasion, he heals
this man. And these individuals say this
about Jesus they said he is a sinner because he had done this
on the Sabbath day and you remember that they got this
fella aside. However old he was all we Eno is
because of what his parents said, he was old enough to stand
on his own two feet, and he was old enough to speak exactly.
And give the testimony of what happened where Jesus healed him.
And so here come the Jews, here come all the religious Elite and
they stand before this man, that was born blind.
And they said, what did Jesus do to you?
In fact, they said this. He's a sinner.
I think it's very interesting though.
How this man responds to the accusation that Jesus was a
sinner. He says this whether he's a
sinner or whether he is not, I did not know this man prior to
this occurrence, but whether he's a sinner or whether he is
not, I don't know. But all I know is I was born
blind. And now I see and then they said
well, tell us again. Tell us again, just exactly what
Jesus did. How did he heal you?
And he said I've already told you But then he asked him this
question. If I tell you again, will you be
his disciple to do this infuriated those Jews that day?
They were infuriated and they said No.
In fact if you want to be his disciple if you want to follow
Jesus. That's up to you.
That's your business. We follow after Moses, we are
the Disciples of Moses and then he says this he's they said to
this man that was born blind, that no longer is they said we
follow Moses. Because we know that God truly
spoke to him. This other man called Jesus, we
don't know where he came from and we don't know that God has
ever spoke to him, but notice what this man says in response.
He says, have you ever known a man that was born blind and had
anyone in the entire world have a record or an account?
Where any individual was able to do what Jesus did to me?
Me. A man that was born blind. and
could now see, You know in response to those things that
this man said I would imagine as they were searching for answers
and as they were getting madder by the moment they said you know
you are a man that was born a sinner, very interesting that
phraseology because that phrase right there is not found in
God's word. He said you were a man that was
born a sinner and now you are sitting in Over us very
interesting because as we examine God's word, we find that
a person is not born a sinner. They said this man was born a
sinner because he was blind, but I'll just say this as we know
today that people are born into this world.
They are born innocent. They are born pure as we noticed
last weekend in our gospel meeting.
We discussed this very briefly one time.
In Matthew chapter 18, the way that Jesus looks at or Views,
Little Children, and G, and Jesus would say, you remember,
he said, permit little children to come to me and forbid them.
Not for of such is the kingdom of God.
If we look around our audience this morning, we see these
little kids, we see these little children, I want you to know
something, these little children are precious in the eyes of
Jesus. In fact, Jesus said for one to
be saved, he must become as the innocent child, he is Born Again
by water and the spirit, when he rises from the watery grave of
baptism, he is a new creature and therefore he is a Christian.
He is a babe in Christ. Jesus Said, little children have
no sin. Well, this man was told that he
was a sinner and they cast him out.
And Jesus went and found this man and he says, as he found
him. He says, do you believe on the
Son of God, he answered and said, who is he?
Lord that I should believe. And Jesus said it is the one
that made. You see.
And the one that you now talk to and the man answered and said,
Lord, I believe and he He worshipped him.
The entire point that I want to make about that story.
Is this man was never the same ever again.
His entire life was different, his sense of values had now
changed. This was a man that was going to
follow diligently and search after and follow Jesus, the
Christ, the one who healed him. I want to notice a couple
examples also is found in some of the conversions stories in
the in the New Testament where individuals were actually
religious, but there was something wrong or inadequate
with their religion and so they came to the crossroads of
understanding that a change needed to be made.
And so they did. Let me just say this just being
religious is not enough religion.
Must be adequate. It must be able to change us.
It must be able to off alter us. It gives us a new Direction and
sense of direction as we live our life.
Everything is changed. I won't go into all of the
details of these conversion stories, but I'll mention them
rather briefly as we know a very familiar, one as found in Acts
the eighth chapter, you remember this?
And I say that I've used this as an example because there was a
man that was I was traveling a very, very long and far distance
from Jerusalem from worshipping under the Old Law.
Also understand this, this Ethiopian eunuch was writing in
The Chariot and before him was God's word.
So he was reading from God's word and we find later he was
reading from the prophet Isaiah. This was a man that was
diligently searching after something that was better.
Something that was Meaningful. Something that was different.
He was searching after exactly what it would be.
That God would have him to do. But the only thing he knew was
that which was under the Old Law, He's traveling in this
Chariot reading from the prophet Isaiah.
And what he's reading is a very simple basic passage of
scripture that speaks of the prophecy, the prophetic account
of Jesus, and how he would suffer for the world.
He didn't know what he was reading and we find that there
was a preacher that joined him there that day, there was an
evangelist in his name was Philip and Philip joins him
there. He hears this man reading from
the prophet Isaiah and he asks him the question Do you
understand what you're reading? You remember that?
He said and response to that. He says how can I unless some
man should guide me and the Bible says that he asks a
question, he said of whom speak at the Prophet this of himself
or of some other man. The Bible says that Philip began
to that same scripture and he preached unto him, Jesus.
And then he preached unto him all the things.
That a person needs to know in order to obey the Lord and have
their sins washed away as they came to a body of water.
He said, see, here is water, what doth hinder me to be
baptized. He said, if thou believest with
all thine heart, thou mayest, he said, I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God and Philip commanded the Chariot to
stand still. And they went down into the
water, both Philip, and the eunuch, and he baptized him
saying all that. He was a religious man.
He just got through worshiping in Jerusalem.
He went to Great pains to do. So, he traveled a very long
distance. He was diligently seeking after
what was found in God's word, though.
He did not understand. He was reading it diligently.
He was reading it aloud for the world to hear.
This was a man that was not concerned if somebody looked at
him and realized he was a religious man.
Oh, he was not ashamed. But the religion that he
practiced was inadequate and Phillip preaches unto him.
Jesus, he takes him into the body of water.
That was there that they passed by, and they took him down in
there and baptized him for the remission of his sins.
And then he went on his way rejoicing, his life was changed.
We can look at all of those that were converted on the acts.
The second chapter on the day of Pentecost, when the church was
established. I'll just say this though.
We're religious man. How do I know that in the
beginning part of Acts chapter 2?
It says that there were Jews devout men.
Jews devout men, out of every nation under Heaven, were
present there that day. They were coming together on a
religious holiday. If you will, the day of
Pentecost, they were observing a religious day devout men out of
every nation under heaven. But, you know, on that day they
found that the religion that they were practicing at one time
was adequate. But now it, It no longer is and
for the very first time, they were able to hear sermon about
repentance and remission of sins.
They were going to hear something that they could
finally for the very first time in their life, have all of their
sins washed away. And that gospel sermon was
preached there on that day. So long ago, the very first one
and it convicted their hearts It convicted them and it convinced
them that they needed to make a change.
They recognize their religion was inadequate.
And they said in verse number, 36 you remember, as the sermon
was being preached, it said let all the house of Israel, know,
assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have
crucified both Lord and Christ. How must have been on that day
to hear such words like that, you want to talk about direct
preaching and being very direct. How about a sermon that was such
that those Jews that rejected, Jesus had to stand there and
hear this sermon and hear that the one that you rejected, the
one that you turned your back on the one that you wanted
crucified. He was the Messiah and God made
him Lord and Christ in verse number, 37 of Acts chapter 2.
It says, when they I heard this, they were pricked in their heart
and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and
Brethren. What shall we do?
They needed an answer for their souls inquiry, for they.
Now knew their religion of the past was not adequate.
Here's the answer. Then Peter said unto them.
In verse 38 repent and be baptized every one of you.
In the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We know that the Bible says that on that day, 3,000 were baptized
3000 prior to this time, devout Jews were baptized into Jesus
Christ. For the remission of sins and
notice verse, 47 praising God, God and having favor with all
the people, they praise God and they rejoiced that now they are
a part of something that is Meaningful and adequate.
Oh many examples we can look at we can look at the life of the
Apostle Paul and find out. He how he was changed in his
life. He was changed to the point that
he was willing to die for his faith in Acts chapter 21 and
verse 13. Paul said what mean ye to weep
and to break Mine Heart for I am ready not to be bound only but
also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord.
Jesus. A man who gave up everything to
follow. Jesus.
Let me ask you two questions. Now, number one, what does
religion mean to you? And number two, has it made a
difference in your life? Being in a religion needs to be
able to be something that changes Us.
Number one. It ought to mean purity of Life.
The Christians life must be pure in Titus Chapter 2.
Beginning in verse 11, the Bible says for the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.
We should live soberly righteously and godly in This
present world looking for that blessed, hope and the Glorious
appearing of the great God. And our Savior Jesus Christ who
gave himself for us. That he might redeem us from all
iniquity and purify unto himself, a peculiar people
zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort
and rebuke with all authority. Let no man, despise thee, but
purity of Life Begins. With purity of heart.
I know we spend a lot of time talking about the heart.
Jesus. Did that very thing if a man's
heart is not right? There's nothing that's going to
be right? If a man's heart is, right?
If a man's heart is what it ought to be.
Then God's word is the Catalyst. God's word is the seed and God's
word is able to change us. Direct us and guide us all the
days of our life. If it is God's word that has
that power for us today but it begins with the heart.
You remember what? Jesus said in Matthew 5 and
verse 8, he said, blessed are the pure in heart for they shall
see God? You know, the question is then
how are our hearts purified? What did Jesus mean?
Did Jesus mean as long as somebody means well in their
life did somebody did Jesus mean that as long as somebody has a
good heart and is meaning? Well and has all the greatest
intentions in the world that they're going to have a pure
heart. According to God's word.
What did Jesus mean? Jesus meant that if a person has
a pure heart he is now a Candidate for following and
obeying. What's found in God's word?
Notice how our hearts purified in the 15th chapter of the book
of Acts, Peter in defending Gentile, Christians to the
Jewish Christians said that God hath put no difference between
the Jews and the Gentiles because they have their hearts
purified by faith. Peter said in First Peter
chapter ER one and verse 22 that the Christian has a purified
Soul when he obeys the truth. You know, that was the same as
the Ethiopian eunuch that we talked about.
This was a man that had a good heart, it was purified by his
faith in obedience to the gospel.
Those in Acts chapter 2, their hearts were good.
Their hearts, were honest, their hearts were right and at least
for those 3000 that were saved, it was those that were purified.
I'd buy their faith that day, those in Acts the 10th chapter,
when the Gentiles were converted for the very first time when
they were saved in the household of Cornelius.
It was because they had a good heart that was purified after
obedience. Oh, many cases, we could.
Look at the Apostle Paul's life. He was a man that lived in all
good conscience. And yet, he persecuted the
church in wasted it from his very lips that he said, Of his
own testimony of his life and yet he was in all good
conscience, meaning he meant well, he thought he was doing
that which was right. His heart was not pure until he
obeyed the gospel. His heart must have been that,
which was right before he was a candidate in the parable of the
sower. We find that all is based on the
heart, we also understand that it is the responsibility of
those of God's people to take the word of God and continue to
soften often the heart of the sinner.
I'll just say this, I believe this with all my heart, I
believe this is exactly what Jesus meant.
Then if a person is searching after the truth, they will find
it. If a person is looking for the
truth and they have a pure heart, they have a good and
honest heart, they will find the truth, Jesus promised that will
happen. I understand.
Also that it is the responsibility of God's people
to take the gospel to the lost because there are people out
there that are At least seeking after and looking for the truth,
if a person wants the truth they will find it but it is up to
Christians. It is up to God's people to take
the gospel to the lost in order that they might be saved.
Secondly religion, ought to give us a sense of direction.
You know, if we look at our life I would imagine we would say
that as we make plans from day to day, we make plans from what
we want to do in a year from now, we make plans or what we
want to do, even way long-term past that sometimes we sit down
as we're young people and we're getting out of high school.
What do we do? Sometimes we meet with a
guidance counselor and we sit there in their office and they
ask us questions about what our interests are and where we want
want to go someday. Why is that?
Because the only way that we're going to achieve our goals in
life is to plot out a course of action that we might plan for
and follow to get there. But if I were to ask, folks
today, what are your plans? Some might say, well, I want to
have good health. I want to have a nice home.
I want to have children. I want to have healthy children.
I want to have a good job. I want to have a great career.
I want Financial Security for my family.
Let me just say this. So, nobody misunderstands.
These are all wonderful things. These are all good things,
they're certainly not anything wrong with anything that I've
just mentioned. My point though, is this when we
sit down And when we examine what we want to make in life,
sometimes we sit down from a financial aspect and we plot out
the course of what we want to make in life.
And we fail to ask ourselves the question.
What do we want to make of our life?
What difference do we want to make?
Do we want to be a Christian? Do we want to be a good example
to those that are in the world? As Jesus said that we should be,
that we aspire to be the salt of the earth, the light of the
world. This is the most important
question now as we examine our life, let me ask you this.
Do you really with all your heart want to go to heaven?
There is no other question. That means anything, if the
answer to that question is wrong, You know, I know that it
is sad but there is a place called hell one day we know that
but we need to Aspire to work toward getting to heaven and
that's where you want to be. And so in all of the plans that
you make for your family, for your children, for yourself in
all of the priorities that you set in your life, ask yourself
the question. Do I want to go to heaven and
then ask am I headed in the wrong direction?
Yes, indeed, it is possible to head in the wrong direction.
In first John, chapter 2, beginning in verse 15, the Bible
says, love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world. If any man love the world, the
love of the father is not in him for all that's in the world.
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of
life, it is not of the father, but is of the world and the
world passeth away. And the lusts thereof but he
that doeth the will of God abideth forever, the very best
things in life. Come by following Jesus Christ
with conviction and with purpose, changing us in our life
changing who we are, ask yourself the question.
When we try to decide all that, we want to do what difference
do, I aspire to make In my life. You know, I'll tell you this,
there will come a day. There will come a day.
When people will not remember the money you made, that will
come a day. When people will forget, all of
the things that you did from day to day, in terms of going to
your job, going to work all of your aspirations along those
lines. There will come a day when folks
will not remember that. But they will always remember
what difference that you made in your life if you're a Christian
that's the difference that is greater than any other
difference that you can make in your life.
Thirdly religion ought to make us take away fear and defeat and
give a spirit of Victory. I'll just say this that it is a
common thing and it is A emotion of the flesh.
It is a god-given emotion in that is fear.
We talked about a couple weeks ago about courage, how
Christians need to stand fast and have courage and so on,
that's all true, but courage doesn't happen.
Unless there's fear if I'm not afraid to do anything and I go
down and do those things, it took nothing from me to do so it
didn't take any courage because I wasn't afraid.
What about standing fast and standing firm and standing in my
faith? In the midst of opposition when
I'm afraid, fear is normal fear as found in God's word from
God's people. But I'm going to tell you this
right now though you need not to fear this very important fact
that contrary to all of the old folks down and days gone by as
found, in the Old Testament of all of the Customs where they
believed and they feared that the god that they served, the
god that they Quitely served would sleep every once in a
while, remember that? Remember, when Isaiah, Remember
when Isaiah was standing before those prophets of Baal?
And they couldn't make the rain. They could not make that fire
rain down from there. God, they're inadequate.
God on the altar. They worked himself up into a
frenzy and you remember what Isaiah said?
Elijah said, Elijah says, Talk louder.
Maybe he's asleep. Elijah says, maybe he's on a
journey. Maybe he's talking to somebody.
Remember that? Oh no.
The god that we serve does not sleep, the god that we serve is
our refuge, the god that we serve as a Christian is always
there for us. You know, this sounds like a
paradox, I know. But to become Victorious.
We do so by surrendering. We find in God's word that we
win by giving up. We find also that we live by
dying. And finally, we lose our life
that we might find it. Living the Christian Life,
involves giving up personal Prejudice, self-motivate selfish
motives and so on, and it involves surrendering to the
Lord with all of our heart. All Of our soul, and all of our
body. Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse
23. The Bible says, oh Lord.
I know that the way of man is not in himself.
It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
You remember, also, in the Book of Proverbs the third chapter in
the fifth verse, which says, trust in the Lord, with all
thine heart and lean not on thine, own understanding, Jesus
would say, on the great Sermon on the Mount.
In Matthew, the sixth chapter Her in the 33rd verse he would
say. But seek, ye first, the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be
added unto you. Let me tell you what, the
greatest victory in all the world will be.
I know, that's kind of what we want.
We want to be Victorious and sports whether it's in business,
whether it's in all things that we are able to compete in in
this life, the I object is and the idea is we want to be Prius.
I'm going to tell you there's a victory one day, that's greater
than all the victories in this world combined.
And that is a victory over death.
There's going to come a day when you will no longer stand at the
grave at a newly made grave of a loved one.
There's going to come a day when they'll be no, tears.
They'll be no sickness. They'll be no sorrow.
They'll be no crying. The Bible says, that God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes.
One day that is a wonderful blessing but we must live the
Christian Life here. In order that we might have
those conditional blessings that are found that God gives us
First Corinthians chapter 15 beginning in verse, 55 hear the
words of the Apostle Paul who said this, O Death, where is thy
sting o, grave. Where is thy Victory?
The Sting of death is sin and the strength of Of sin is the
law, but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through
our Lord. Jesus Christ, and because of
that, promise, the Apostle Paul said in verse 58.
Now he said, therefore, my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast
unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch,
as you know, that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, I'll
tell you something. Sometimes we're not protected by
the things. In this work.
You know, sometimes mean folks do mean things to good people.
People can come and take. What is rightfully yours to
have? They can come in at midnight,
into your home and break in and steal the things that you've
worked hard for in your life. You can have folks that will lie
about you and tell stories about you that aren't true behind your
back. We can have all of those
ramifications that come from that, losing your job, losing
all manner of things, but I'm going to tell you right now.
If you're Christian and you seek after that which is right.
Remember remember what the book of Hebrews says that there's a
rest waiting for whom to conditions?
Number one, the people of God that do what that labor to enter
in to that risk. If you would do that.
There is something coming for you.
That is the greatest blessing of all that.
No man in this life could ever take away.
No one could ever destroy that and that's our final Point
religion needs to mean refuge and security to be in Christ is
to be in that place, you know, in Romans chapter 10.
And verse number 17, the Bible says, so then Faith cometh by
hearing and hearing by the word of God.
That's how a person is going to come to know exactly.
Ali. What God wants him to know?
God does not have a specific will for you, where he's going
to whisper into your ear, what he wants you to do.
And then over here, he's going to do the same thing for me,
because he has a different will or a different work for me.
Oh, no. God wants the same from me that
he wants from you and that's found in God's word.
And that is to come to Jesus Christ, to be in Jesus, Christ,
and to serve him all the days of our life.
Some of us have different abilities.
Use different strengths, different talents and so on the
point is this it matters, not what your strength is, God wants
you to use that strength and use that talent for his cause?
How do we know what we could do in order that we might be saved
in Christ and have the Refuge and security that I just
mentioned faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
That's how it begins. When one hears, the word of God,
It causes him to do something or to feel something with
relationship to what he has heard.
The Bible says in Romans chapter 10 and verse 10 for with the
heart, man, believeth unto righteousness, and with the
mouth confession is made unto or up to Salvation.
Jesus said in Luke 13 and 3, I tell you nay.
But except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
These are steps that lead up to Christ.
That's what unto means, but there's only security.
In Christ. There's no security outside of
the body of Christ. Jesus said so long ago and that
great invitation he says, come unto me All ye that labor and
are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for.
I am meek and lowly at heart and you shall find rest unto your
souls. For my yoke is easy.
And my burden is light Galatians 3:27.
Now tells us just exactly how we get into Christ.
He says, for as many of you, as have been baptized into Christ,
have put on Christ. That's how you get in there.
That's how you get into Christ. Where there is security where
there is refuge in the storms of life to be in Christ means to be
in that place. You know, in Romans chapter 8,
verses 1 and 2. I don't know why it is.
But a lot of folks, quote, the first part, but fail to quote,
the second part of that verse Paul said there, there's now
there is therefore now no condemnation to them, which are
in Christ. Notice the condition that's
listed right after that. Who walk not after the flesh.
But after the spirit for the law of the spirit of life in Christ
Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Yes, indeed. There are conditions.
There are conditions that one must surrender to Jesus one must
surrender to the gospel. One must obey, the gospel.
One must come to Jesus in the form or fashion that the Bible
pictures that he must do. So that is when one follows
East. Steps and is baptized into the
body of Jesus Christ. In conclusion.
Let me just say this. If Christianity does not change
us, then something is wrong. If Christian professing
religions don't change and make a difference in our life.
Something is wrong. If our religion hasn't pricked
our conscience, our heart, our convictions and changed us.
Then something is wrong. So, I simply asked you.
What does religion mean to you? You know, there's people today
that are very sadly living in a Godless Society.
You know, I thought this was rather interesting.
There was a poem written in 1936.
And what it was doing is it was predicting a sign of the times
and it was predicting, what it was going to be like in the
future. And notice and see how close
this fellow was. He said, first Dentistry was
painless, then bicycles were chainless carriages were
Horseless and many laws enforced lists.
Next cookery was fireless. The telephone was Wireless.
Soon oranges were seedless. The putting green was weedless?
The college boy was hatless, and the proper diet fatless now
motor. Oh, roads are dustless.
The latest steel is restless, our tennis courts are Solace and
very sadly. Our new religions are Godless We
thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the Church of
Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
would like any additional information, or you would like
to receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.
Please email us at info at her Church of Christ
Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays
at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our
honored guest.