1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,160 Good afternoon. It's very good to see each and 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,560 everyone of you who could be back and be with us. 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:08,720 I'm very thankful to once again be your speaker. 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,520 And we had a wonderful lunch together and I appreciate that 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,000 very much. And I know that means everyone's 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,800 going to be tired. And we'll, we'll do our best to 7 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,520 be able to not speak too long to put you to sleep and talk about 8 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,040 something relevant so that you actually have something to keep 9 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,200 you awake. So this afternoon, really all of 10 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:34,440 this, each and every, this lesson is meant for you to have 11 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:39,040 self reflection or reflection on yourself, introspection. 12 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,640 You need to decide how well you are doing on these things that 13 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,640 we're talking about. So you can't do that and sleep 14 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,480 at the same time. So I'm helping you out there. 15 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:56,440 It's very easy for us as humans to judge things according to the 16 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:58,720 way that they look. It's natural. 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,760 We live in a physical world, so we judge things usually by what 18 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:06,560 we see, by the circumstances around us. 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,600 But that means it's also very easy for us to judge 20 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:14,640 inappropriately or incorrectly. And if you've made this mistake, 21 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,720 you're not the only one. In First Samuel chapter 16, 22 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:23,000 there Samuel is told by God to go to the House of Jesse and to 23 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,160 anoint one of his sons to be the next king of Israel. 24 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:29,200 And so he comes to the oldest son. 25 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:34,600 And then first Samuel chapter 16 verse 6 it says, So it was when 26 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,040 they came that he looked at Elab and said, surely the Lord's 27 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:42,160 anointed is before him. But the Lord said to Samuel, do 28 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,680 not look at his appearance or at the physical stature, because I 29 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,680 have refused him. For the Lord does not see a man 30 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,440 as man sees. For man looks at the outward 31 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,120 appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 32 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,360 That's what we're going to be talking really about today and 33 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:05,240 this evening is the heart. And what we want to talk about 34 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,960 is, are you a mature Christian? Are you a mature Christian? 35 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,920 You know, the fact that you're here in as the second service, 36 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:17,360 we often say, oh, well, you know, you have Sunday morning 37 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,320 Christians and then you have people come back. 38 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,640 And maybe if you have Wednesday, all the people come there. 39 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,040 And we tend to judge people just by how often they show up. 40 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:29,040 Or maybe we judge someone whether they're wearing a suit 41 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,760 and tie. And I took my tie off. 42 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,760 Do you think, oh, no, Aaron's. Aaron's getting more liberal. 43 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,280 He took his tie off. You know, we ended. 44 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,200 We make snap judgments about people by the way that they 45 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,280 dress, the way they present themselves. 46 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:43,760 And we need to be careful about that. 47 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,200 But at the same time, you may think, well, because I dressed 48 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,720 nice, because I've come Sunday afternoon, because I'm doing 49 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:54,800 these things, that that makes me a mature Christian. 50 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,840 Maybe I've been in a church 30 years, so I'm a mature 51 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:02,760 Christian. It's very easy for us to judge 52 00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:07,800 inappropriately. But the Bible gives, it says 53 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,160 here in First Samuel that God judges the heart. 54 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,800 He judges the heart. And so there's a passage that I 55 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,640 believe that we should look at to be able to decide whether you 56 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:22,760 are a mature Christian, whether I am a mature Christian. 57 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,280 In Galatians chapter 5, verse 22 through 23, it says, but the 58 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:33,760 fruit of the Spirit is Lovejoy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, 59 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:38,440 goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 60 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,240 Against such there is no law. This is these are the fruits of 61 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,520 the spirit. The whole idea of fruits is 62 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:49,480 these are things that should be naturally coming from you and 63 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,640 naturally appearing in your life. 64 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,840 If you are walking with God, these are the characteristics 65 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,280 that you should have. And oftentimes we read that 66 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,560 passage and we say, Oh yeah, I'm kind of working on some of 67 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,600 those. And so we're going to spend just 68 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,560 a little bit of time this evening looking at these 9 69 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,920 characteristics that the Bible gives us and we could see that 70 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,640 it should be lead us to spiritual maturity. 71 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:19,600 The very first one is really foundational and the each of 72 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,079 these are broke up into categories of three and that's 73 00:04:22,079 --> 00:04:24,520 how we're going to look at them. So the first 3, of course, is 74 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,920 Lovejoy and peace. And these are really fundamental 75 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,480 spiritual qualities that we should have that should be a 76 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,600 part of who you are. When someone describes you or 77 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,440 talks about you or says your name, these are qualities that 78 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,960 should come to other people's minds to describe you, to 79 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,560 describe me. That's what we're talking about 80 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,560 this evening. Love is foundational. 81 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:56,080 It is the source from which all other qualities come from. 82 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,160 It is the very beginning. Through the Holy Spirit we learn 83 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,040 to love one another and we love God. 84 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,640 Here in first Corinthians chapter 13 verse one through 8, 85 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,560 Paul talks about love of what it looks like, what it feels like. 86 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,920 Think about these things as we talked about is this describe 87 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:20,440 you? Is this who you are? 88 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:23,400 And I'm not saying right now, is this who you are? 89 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,240 I'm talking after you worked all day and you come home to 90 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:33,840 screaming children and you're tired and you're frustrated and 91 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:39,120 the tire blew on the way home. Does this describe us all the 92 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:40,680 time? Is this who we are? 93 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,960 Not just the best at the time, but all the time? 94 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:47,840 1st Corinthians 13 verse one says though I speak with the 95 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:50,640 tongues of men and angels but have not love. 96 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,760 I've become a sounding brass or clinging symbol. 97 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,960 I have a A7 year old who thinks that she's a musician. 98 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:00,920 I know what sounding brass sounds like. 99 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,240 Just play music, he says. That's what it's like. 100 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,760 That is what you're, that's what your life is like. 101 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:10,920 If you don't have love, that's that. 102 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,000 You don't have this foundational concept in your life. 103 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,240 Here, verse 2 says, and though I have the gift of prophecy and 104 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,840 understand all mystery and all knowledge, and though I have all 105 00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:26,600 faith that I can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 106 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,480 Not that I have a little bit of work to do, he says. 107 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,800 I am nothing. If you get up here and preach 108 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,960 and you don't have love. If you go and help somebody down 109 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,280 the street, you don't have love. If you're raising your children 110 00:06:41,280 --> 00:06:44,240 and you don't have love. If you don't have love as a 111 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,760 foundational part of your daily life, it's worthless. 112 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:52,680 He goes on and says, and though verse 3 and though I better 113 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,600 still all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body 114 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:02,360 to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 115 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,800 You know, Paul talks about how he served the church and he 116 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,040 poured himself out like a drink offering. 117 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,720 You could spend every day, every waking moment, the rest of your 118 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,920 life serving the church. Maybe you come here and mow the 119 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:18,200 lawn. Maybe you give lessons. 120 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:19,800 Maybe you're helping people, maybe you're studying. 121 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,320 But if you don't have love as a foundation, motivation for all 122 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,560 of those things, you wasted your time. 123 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,440 That is amazing to me. You wasted your time. 124 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,360 He says love suffers long as kind. 125 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,520 Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself. 126 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,800 It's not puffed up. It does not behave rudely, does 127 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,560 not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil. 128 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:51,280 How often do we think evil of others does not rejoice in 129 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,560 iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, 130 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,880 believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 131 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:06,360 Love never fails. If love is not the foundation of 132 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,880 our spiritual walk, you might as well just go watch football. 133 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,000 It's just a waste of time. Go get a second job. 134 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:20,920 Make your son days productive. It has to be foundational. 135 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:30,240 I remember I had a lesson for a congregation that I was a part 136 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,919 of and there was a real problem that needed to be handled and 137 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:38,960 this lesson needed to be given. But I was so angry about the 138 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,559 situation that I didn't think I could give the lesson and love. 139 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:44,120 And I went and talked to my dad about it was like, what am I 140 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,480 supposed to do? He said don't give it. 141 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:51,400 That's a waste of the lesson. Don't give it until you can give 142 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,920 it in love. That's exactly what I did. 143 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,400 I waited two weeks until I could get my mind where it needed to 144 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,800 be and then I was able to give that lesson in love. 145 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:07,280 That's what we're supposed to do, everything that we do. 146 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:13,000 If you need to correct someone and you're upset about it, don't 147 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,600 do it right now, then correct them tomorrow. 148 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,560 Wait till tonight. Wait till you cool down. 149 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,600 Do it in love. Once we have love as the 150 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,960 motivating factor for everything that we do in our lives, we will 151 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,560 have joy. This is a natural outgrowth from 152 00:09:31,560 --> 00:09:37,720 love, he says. We see this joy is really divine 153 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,440 in origin. Christian joy is not about 154 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,640 having pleasant circumstances. Although we had a great meal, we 155 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:49,400 had joy during that time. That's not what we're talking 156 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,440 about. We're talking beyond that during 157 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:58,440 the difficult times as well. When things get hard in life, we 158 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,640 should be having joy in all aspects of our lives. 159 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,760 But joy is really about enduring, suffering, going 160 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:13,080 through very difficult times. And I know I've had difficult 161 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:14,440 times. I know you have. 162 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:20,040 That's part of life. Life is suffering, Life is 163 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:24,680 difficult and there's so many people that give up hope, that 164 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:29,120 have no joy in their lives, probably because they don't have 165 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,360 love, they don't have God. But if we have the right 166 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,840 attitude, then when we are tried and we are tested, then we can 167 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:41,360 have joy at the other side. And James chapter one verse 2 168 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:45,120 through 4 says, my brethren, count to all joy when you fall 169 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,480 into various trials, all joy when you fall into various 170 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,800 trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, 171 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,960 but let patience have it's perfect work, that you may be 172 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,760 perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 173 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,760 It's so hard to see sometimes when we're going through those 174 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,440 trials. But if we have that right 175 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,400 attitude, when we come out the other side, we could see that we 176 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:11,120 are stronger for it, that we've been refined by that fire. 177 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:16,400 And Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2, it says, looking unto Jesus, the 178 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:20,760 author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was 179 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:26,000 set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and 180 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,240 has set down at the right hand of the throne of God for the joy 181 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,720 of the cross. What kind of joy was that? 182 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:39,280 To be embarrassed, to be punished, to be beaten and spit 183 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,600 upon, stripped naked and hung on a cross. 184 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,840 The joy what came from his love for you and I. 185 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:53,720 He had that foundation of love that He was suffering for a 186 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,880 purpose, that He was suffering for you and I. 187 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,560 And therefore, with that right attitude, He can have joy in the 188 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:03,840 accomplishment of the salvation of our souls. 189 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:11,360 Once we have this love which produces joy in our lives, we 190 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,800 can have a peace like no one else has. 191 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:19,360 This is a natural outgrowth, again, from walking the 192 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,400 Christian life. Peace does not mean that we have 193 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:28,600 no conflict, but rather that we are whole in spite of conflict, 194 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,760 that we have peace in spite of conflict. 195 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:36,560 It comes from having that right relationship with God and also 196 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,520 talks. I think also the idea of that we 197 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:41,840 are actively seeking peace in our life, that we are 198 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:45,360 peacemakers. There are men and women in the 199 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,440 church who've been in the church 30 and 40 and 50 years who still 200 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,080 haven't figured out how to be peacemakers. 201 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,240 They're not spiritually mature. We should be peacemakers. 202 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,840 We should be searching for peace. 203 00:12:59,960 --> 00:13:02,440 And John 16, verse 33, it says these things. 204 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:06,560 I've spoken to you that in me you may have peace in the world, 205 00:13:06,560 --> 00:13:08,840 you'll have tribulation, but be of good cheer. 206 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:14,240 I have overcome the world. We have peace in Christ. 207 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,640 We already know the victory. We already have it. 208 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:20,440 The Bible, you can go read Revelation. 209 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,680 You see that God wins. If we're on God's eyes, if we 210 00:13:23,680 --> 00:13:26,000 are faithful and to death, as we talked about this morning, 211 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,000 Revelation 2 and 10, then we have that crown of 212 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,760 righteousness. We already know how it is. 213 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,680 So that should give us peace when we're suffering, peace when 214 00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:42,000 we're going through trials. Once we have this foundation, 215 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,280 these three things are the foundation that you have love 216 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,160 motivating every part of your life, which produces joy even 217 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:49,720 when you go through difficult times. 218 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:52,320 And this produces a peace in your life. 219 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:56,840 Now, when the real work gets going, dealing with other 220 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,520 people, you can act the way that you need to. 221 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:03,240 That's what the next three on this list are. 222 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,320 They're talking about our social interactions with one another. 223 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,240 And again, they build on one another. 224 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:13,680 He says long-suffering, kindness and goodness, man, we could talk 225 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:15,640 a long time about long-suffering. 226 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,520 I have two brothers. They are very annoying. 227 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:25,800 I'm not annoying, They're annoying. 228 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,600 I've had to be long-suffering over the years with them. 229 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,480 We all have that attitude. We all know, we all have people 230 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,320 that we love very dearly that we have to be long-suffering with. 231 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,880 And yet often times with our brothers and sisters in Christ, 232 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:43,560 we don't have any long-suffering for them. 233 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:50,360 I've shot my brother in the face with ABB gun, my other brother. 234 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,560 We've broken arms and just torn each other apart and yet we are 235 00:14:54,560 --> 00:15:00,360 best friends today and yet stop that brother there. 236 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,280 He looked at me weird. They didn't shake my hand after 237 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,480 services. They did something. 238 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,400 They made the same dish that I made whatever it is and all of a 239 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,000 sudden we have this arch enemy in the church. 240 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:15,800 Maybe they understand the passage a little bit different 241 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,080 than either me and I'm not going to give them any time to study 242 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:19,840 it more and learn anything more about it. 243 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,600 Where is our long-suffering with one another? 244 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:31,120 And Second Timothy 4 verse 2 says preach the word, be ready 245 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,200 in season, out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with 246 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:38,400 all long-suffering and teaching. I love that this, that word just 247 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,080 appears here. You know, sometimes when you're 248 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,240 studying with somebody or working with some, trying to 249 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,600 build them up, it takes some long-suffering. 250 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,920 It takes some patience when bringing some of the Christ. 251 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,600 It takes some patience when you have a new Christian. 252 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:58,400 It is amazing to me how often times we convert somebody and 253 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:01,480 they come to church and say, OK, you better be perfect now. 254 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:03,880 And then we jump all over them when they're not. 255 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:06,840 There's a man right now who goes to church in Stockton. 256 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,800 He's come back to the church after 30 years and he had 257 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,640 doesn't really know, remember everything. 258 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,640 He was kind of young when he left and he missed this. 259 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,720 He came back on Sunday, missed the next Sunday and the next 260 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,320 Sunday after that. Where were you? 261 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,160 You better come up here and make the confession. 262 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,000 Give the guy a break. He's still trying to get his 263 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,320 life together. Let's have some patience. 264 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:31,480 Let's have some long-suffering with one another. 265 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:36,920 This door just popped open. We need to be patient with one 266 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:44,000 another. I have weaknesses, I have 267 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,960 struggles. I am imperfect. 268 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,200 And hopefully you know that you are too. 269 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,560 And hopefully you can love me with all my imperfections 270 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,680 because Christ loves me. Because God loves me. 271 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:04,040 Not that you want you ready for me to just be lazy and not try 272 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:07,079 to make myself any better. But you're willing to work with 273 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:13,440 me to overlook some of my shortcomings because you loved 274 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:18,960 me. Once we have long-suffering that 275 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,800 I'm putting up with you and you're putting up with me, then 276 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:24,560 it says now we need to have kindness. 277 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:26,680 So now we're stepping it up a little bit. 278 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:31,120 Now, even though you are testing my patience, I'm going to show 279 00:17:31,120 --> 00:17:35,440 you kindness is what he says. That's a much mark of a mature 280 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:37,440 Christian. And I bring this right back to 281 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:43,760 that whole idea of how you treat your spouse after a long day 282 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:49,240 with streaming kids and the dinner's cold or whatever it is, 283 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,680 whatever the girl version of that for the guys, you can 284 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,880 insert that. Where is your pace? 285 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:04,560 Where is your kindness? In Romans 2, verse 3 through 4 286 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:08,600 says in the Christian standard Bible, Do you think any one of 287 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:12,440 you who judges those who do such things and yet do the same, that 288 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,720 you will escape God's judgement? Or do you despise the riches of 289 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:21,760 His kindness, restraint and patience, not recognizing that 290 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,520 God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. 291 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:30,120 The reason I show you kindness is because God shows me kindness 292 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,560 every single day. An unbelievable amount of 293 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,960 kindness. That's how much you're supposed 294 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:42,120 to offer for other people. How much I'm supposed to offer 295 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:47,280 for other people? Ephesians 4, verse 32, the new 296 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:51,320 American standard says be kind to one another, compassionate, 297 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,640 forgiving each other, just as God and Christ also forgave you. 298 00:18:55,640 --> 00:19:01,880 But we are putting up with one another and then we're still 299 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:08,720 acting kind to one another. The next thing is that we go 300 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,320 even further than that is we have goodness for one another, 301 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,480 and goodness doesn't mean oh, I'm, I'm good or I'm perfect or 302 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,400 anything like that. This is talking about 303 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,720 graciousness. This is not what generosity. 304 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,760 This is talking about active goodwill towards other people, 305 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:30,920 not moral excellence. That means that you're willing 306 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:32,960 to go the second mile for one another. 307 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,600 This is a quality of a mark of a mature Christian. 308 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,400 If you're walking with God, this is who you should be. 309 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,400 This is what we should be on a daily basis, continually over 310 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,440 and over again, no matter what comes our way. 311 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:54,480 How often do we fail and slip up on these things? 312 00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:59,640 Hopefully everyone here says, well, I'm not perfect at this 313 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,520 because all of us have room to grow. 314 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,720 All of us can do better in almost all of these categories, 315 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:14,520 I would assume. The final and 3rd category is 316 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,640 faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. 317 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:23,120 Now faithfulness is also defined as fidelity or the quality of 318 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:28,040 being trustworthy or true to be reliable in one's dealings. 319 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,960 And I was trying to think of how this works if we have love for 320 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:37,480 the for as a foundation which gives us this joy in our lives 321 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,360 and this peace in our lives, which allows us to be 322 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:43,640 long-suffering with one another, which allows us to be kind to 323 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,160 other people and even good to other people and gracious to 324 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,640 other people. But now we're talking about 325 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:54,880 doing this continually all the time, perfecting this 326 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,600 continually that we are known for being reliable. 327 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:04,640 Maybe you're known for being good sometimes. 328 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:09,320 Maybe you're known for helping people most the time, except for 329 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,880 when you're really tired, except for when your TV show comes on, 330 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:18,400 except for whatever it is. It's not always easy to be 331 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:23,360 reliable, to be faithful in, in their interactions with one 332 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:25,120 another and our actions with God. 333 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:33,080 You know, it's very easy to get sick or to get tired or to be 334 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:39,200 depressed or worn out or just long day and say, oh, churches, 335 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:41,840 I don't know if I can do it today. 336 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,280 But what you'll find is that when you go, you always feel 337 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:51,640 better afterward. Faithfulness means making the 338 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,440 choice no matter what. Obviously if you're on your 339 00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:00,040 deathbed that that gets a pass, but that you are doing is your 340 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:07,120 very best to be here. There was a a woman who used to 341 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:13,840 go to church in Lodi named Lizzie White and the last time I 342 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:20,600 saw her before her funeral was them Wheeling her out of the 343 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:25,040 church building in an ambulance because she literally came to 344 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:28,400 church to the day she died. And I know not everyone can do 345 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,800 that for health reasons but man that stuck with me my entire 346 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,280 life. Faithfulness. 347 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:39,480 No matter what was going on in her life, she was there. 348 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:47,480 Meekness or gentleness is the next category. 349 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,360 Depending on your translation. This is the the idea of strength 350 00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:54,240 under control. And whenever we talk about this, 351 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,120 you know, we have talked about those, those Clydesdale horses 352 00:22:57,120 --> 00:23:00,440 under control. But you I think a lot better 353 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:06,840 example, especially when I I see Daisy here is how I felt and I'm 354 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:10,040 sure most fathers feel when they have their first child. 355 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,120 Everyone always says, oh, I'm afraid I'm going to break this 356 00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:19,840 thing, but you're not. You have the power to absolutely 357 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:24,800 to hurt this child, but you're so gentle with that child. 358 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,760 This is how we're supposed to be treating one another. 359 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:38,760 This is how I'm supposed to be. Am I gentle with each other when 360 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:43,560 I'm tired, when the kids are screaming, when you have a flat 361 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:49,160 tire, when life is difficult, when you're sick, when you got 362 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,440 horrible news from the doctor, Whatever it is, are you still 363 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:53,760 gentle? Is that how you still treat 364 00:23:53,760 --> 00:24:01,000 people? The final thing that he talks 365 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:05,680 about here is self-control. self-control. 366 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:09,480 This is a this is up. My resolution for this year is 367 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,480 to be, to have more self-control. 368 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:15,200 And I've been reading books about it and studying it and 369 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,720 looking at it and thinking about it. 370 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,120 I think there's a reason why this is last on this list. 371 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:28,800 Because ultimately self-control is about the spirit controlling 372 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:34,560 the flesh, that I'm controlling my body in every aspect. 373 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:40,160 And that is very difficult. And the good thing is I see that 374 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,160 on this list, which gives me a lot of hope that it is something 375 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,840 that I can do. It's something I can work on and 376 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:50,120 the longer I walk with God, the more that I should have if I'm 377 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:54,360 growing as I should be. And 1st Corinthians 7 verse 9 378 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:57,240 says, but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them 379 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,560 marry for is better to to marry than to burn with passion. 380 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:06,640 Now this is talked about sexual immorality, but all all desires 381 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,400 of the flesh, all aspects of our body, the things that we want. 382 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:25,320 Do we have self-control? It's not an easy thing to do, 383 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:30,880 but it is required by God. It is something that we must do. 384 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,360 And all of these, if we're working on them, we will, we 385 00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:40,520 will be a mature Christian. They are the qualities of being 386 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:46,040 a mature Christian. And of course, it should prompt 387 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:48,560 us to do all the things that we talked about, that you're giving 388 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:50,680 your best to God, that you're coming to church, you're doing 389 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,440 these things, but you're not doing it just because you were 390 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:56,120 raised in the church. You're not doing it because 391 00:25:56,120 --> 00:25:57,720 other people see you. You're not doing it for all 392 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,800 these wrong reasons that people do it, but we're doing it 393 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,840 because of our relationship with God. 394 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,560 And I hope that's why you're here this afternoon. 395 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,400 And I hope that's why you're making the choices and the 396 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:16,880 sacrifices in your life for God that should motivate every 397 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,760 single thing that we do, every choice that we make here on this 398 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,360 earth. We should be asking, how does it 399 00:26:22,360 --> 00:26:24,320 help me serve God? How does it make me a better 400 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,480 Christian? How does it bring me closer to 401 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,720 God? Every for you young people, 402 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:33,200 every relationship you have, how does this make me a better 403 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:37,000 Christian? Does this friend help me serve 404 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:40,240 God better? If I marry this person, will 405 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:45,040 they make me a better Christian? That's how we need to look at 406 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,280 our lives and judge our lives accordingly. 407 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,200 I hope I've said something that has been helpful to you this 408 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:56,240 evening, that has given you some opportunity to have some self 409 00:26:56,240 --> 00:27:00,440 reflection, and I hope it has been helpful to each and 410 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:03,800 everyone of you. As we said this morning, we 411 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,520 don't want to offer in without offering the invitation, the 412 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:11,280 Lord's invitation, which is to hear, believe, repent, confess, 413 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,440 and be baptized to the remission of your sins. 414 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:18,120 And you live your life faithfully until we make it to 415 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:20,960 the end of our journey here in this life. 416 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,480 And we are promised a crown of righteousness. 417 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:28,360 If you need to render initial obedience or maybe you're 418 00:27:28,360 --> 00:27:31,760 struggling with sin in some way, you know, we don't just offer 419 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,240 this so we can point out or know your sins or anything like that 420 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:38,920 so we can help you so we can bear one of those burdens. 421 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:43,600 We are the family of God and our goal is to have every single 422 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,920 person here to be in heaven, to spend eternity with one another 423 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,200 forever. If you want to be the class, 424 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,480 please come while we stand and sing the song of invitation.