1 00:00:01,100 --> 00:00:03,800 It's wonderful to be here with all of you. 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:08,200 Today, we have a wonderful crowd here for which we are thankful. 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,300 We have quite a few visitors that are here too, and we would 4 00:00:11,300 --> 00:00:13,100 hope that you would feel as you are. 5 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:18,000 And that is our honored guest, I hope and pray that what we have 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,500 to consider for a little while. Today would be both edifying and 7 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:25,300 encouraging to you. As you can see, I have on the 8 00:00:25,300 --> 00:00:30,400 screen, the title of our lesson. And it's entitled truly blessed. 9 00:00:30,500 --> 00:00:32,299 Just, you know, I think it's neat. 10 00:00:32,299 --> 00:00:35,000 When you go up to someone and you ask them how they're doing, 11 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,500 I think it's neat. When they say, well, I'm 12 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,600 blessed. I think it's a great mindset. 13 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,300 I think it's a great attitude when people say that they're 14 00:00:43,300 --> 00:00:47,000 blessed, because when you say you're blessed, you take all of 15 00:00:47,008 --> 00:00:51,600 the emphasis off of yourself and you put the emphasis on somebody 16 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,200 else. And obviously, when people say 17 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,900 that I am blessed, what they're saying is they're saying I'm 18 00:00:57,900 --> 00:01:00,500 enjoying the blessings in my life. 19 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,400 Life that have come from God and may I say before we go any 20 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,900 further, the Bible says that every good and perfect gift is 21 00:01:08,900 --> 00:01:13,700 from above, that means this, everything that's good in life. 22 00:01:13,700 --> 00:01:17,800 Every blessing that's good in life, is because of God. 23 00:01:18,300 --> 00:01:20,900 But what I want to do today for just a little while, I want to 24 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:25,400 talk about what Jesus said about being truly blessed. 25 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,700 In fact, it was so important in Matthew Chapter 5, Jesus, 26 00:01:29,700 --> 00:01:35,400 devotes 12 verses there on the subject of what it really means 27 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:40,300 to be truly blessed. As we begin, we notice Matthew 28 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:42,900 Chapter 5. And we'll study verses 3 through 29 00:01:42,900 --> 00:01:44,200 8. This morning. 30 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,400 Jesus says, blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the 31 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,000 kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for 32 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,000 they shall be? Comforted blessed, are the meek 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:57,700 for they shall inherit the earth. 34 00:01:58,500 --> 00:02:02,000 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for 35 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,500 they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful for 36 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:09,699 they shall obtain mercy. And finally blessed are the pure 37 00:02:09,699 --> 00:02:16,700 in heart for they shall see God. These verses are often times 38 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:19,900 referred to as the Beatitudes and may. 39 00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:24,900 I say that when you discuss the idea of the Beatitudes we must 40 00:02:24,900 --> 00:02:26,900 interpret. Every one of these from a 41 00:02:26,908 --> 00:02:31,000 spiritual perspective, if we deviate from a spiritual 42 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,400 perspective, will lose the context and we'll lose the 43 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,000 meaning. So, we're talking about things 44 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,600 that Jesus dealt with. In fact, he actually is giving 45 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:45,400 us spiritual requirements for citizens, Of the Kingdom. 46 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:48,600 Now, interestingly about the word Beatitudes. 47 00:02:49,900 --> 00:02:52,400 I don't know about you but when I was a kid I thought. 48 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:58,300 That Jesus was saying that Beatitudes meant these are 49 00:02:58,300 --> 00:03:01,600 attitudes that we need to be or ways we need to be. 50 00:03:01,900 --> 00:03:06,500 So therefore we've come up with this word be attitudes, but, you 51 00:03:06,508 --> 00:03:08,500 know, that's not what that's talking about it at all. 52 00:03:08,500 --> 00:03:11,600 In fact, all we got to do is look at the very first word and 53 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,200 that is the word blessed. And the word blessed comes from 54 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,500 a Latin word. Be at us. 55 00:03:18,700 --> 00:03:24,900 Be at Ty is the plural form of that word, and it means, In the 56 00:03:24,900 --> 00:03:29,400 Greek, it means happy fortunate and Blissful. 57 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,200 So what Jesus is saying, is Jesus is using the word blessed. 58 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,200 And, by the way, that's where we get the word Beatitudes is 59 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,100 talking about blessings is talking about being fortunate, 60 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:46,900 and happy and Blissful. Jesus, actually uses it to 61 00:03:46,900 --> 00:03:51,900 symbolize happiness. That is based on pure character 62 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:54,600 and holiness. Yes, I must say that again. 63 00:03:55,500 --> 00:04:00,400 Jesus is using this word blessed to symbolize happiness. 64 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,500 That is based on pure character and Holiness. 65 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,500 One scholar. Wrote The Following. 66 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,300 He said, scriptural blessedness is not based on outward 67 00:04:11,300 --> 00:04:16,399 circumstances or superficial feelings, but in the reality 68 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:21,399 that one is dedicated to God and is approved by him to be 69 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:25,300 approved by God once. Life must be molded by the 70 00:04:25,300 --> 00:04:31,200 principles in his word. So all that being said the 71 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,900 Beatitudes, teach us about faith. 72 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:37,100 How to have faith in how to be a person of faith. 73 00:04:37,100 --> 00:04:40,400 And if we're going to have faith, it has to have a 74 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,500 beginning. Have you ever considered that 75 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:47,300 faith has to have a beginning? We talked about sometimes people 76 00:04:47,300 --> 00:04:51,500 don't have enough faith. But faith is something that has 77 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:55,700 to have a beginning. And it does Matthew Chapter 5 is 78 00:04:55,700 --> 00:04:59,900 the great Sermon on the Mount. Jesus begins with the first 79 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:05,500 thing that it begins with is being poor in spirit in Matthew 80 00:05:05,500 --> 00:05:09,100 Chapter, 5 and verse 3. Jesus says, blessed are the poor 81 00:05:09,500 --> 00:05:14,800 in spirit. Now, the word poor can often 82 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:21,500 times be a very relative term. For example, I might be poor 83 00:05:22,300 --> 00:05:24,100 compared to somebody. That's wealthy. 84 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,200 But it's relative. If I go to a third world 85 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:32,000 country, I may seem Rich next to them. 86 00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:37,000 So sometimes we can use the word poor, and it's very relative, 87 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,900 another words compared to what, but the word that's found in 88 00:05:40,900 --> 00:05:44,900 this passage pool or is not a relative term. 89 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:50,200 It's a word that literally means to be destitute crouching, 90 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:54,600 cowering and cringing. What an interesting definition 91 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:56,800 me. Tell you what, it means what 92 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,900 we're talking about is from a spiritual perspective. 93 00:06:00,300 --> 00:06:05,600 Jesus said that blessed are those that are poor or destitute 94 00:06:05,700 --> 00:06:08,400 in spirit. Does that mean that you think 95 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,500 bad about yourself that you put yourself down that you hate 96 00:06:11,500 --> 00:06:13,000 yourself? Absolutely. 97 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,300 Not what you're saying though is you're saying that I am 98 00:06:16,300 --> 00:06:21,500 absolutely nothing without Jesus from a spiritual perspective. 99 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,200 You are destitute. Toot spiritually me. 100 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,500 Give you the flip side of when that didn't happen. 101 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:31,900 Remember in John chapter 8 Jesus was dealing with those Pharisees 102 00:06:31,900 --> 00:06:35,400 and he said I'm going away and you will look for me but you 103 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:39,000 won't find me because where I go you can't come and they said 104 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,400 well he's going to kill himself because he's saying where he's 105 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,100 going. We can't come remember all that. 106 00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:46,900 What was the problem? They didn't realize they had a 107 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:48,800 sin problem. They didn't need Jesus. 108 00:06:48,900 --> 00:06:52,800 They didn't recognize the fact that the only way to get to God 109 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:58,600 is Jesus Christ, they weren't poor in spirit and Jesus told 110 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,000 them you're going to die in your sins. 111 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,600 Jesus said the only way to the father is through the Sun. 112 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:09,200 So everybody, everybody has to come to the realization. 113 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:15,000 I'm nothing without Jesus. I need Jesus in my life. 114 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,200 It is the beginning of Faith. But then there's more we go to 115 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:22,400 the next verse. And Jesus talks about mourners 116 00:07:23,700 --> 00:07:28,400 Now, I have to mention this before we go any further. if 117 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:33,600 you're a child of God and you're hurting, Is God there for you? 118 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:40,800 He certainly is. If you lose a loved one and you 119 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,200 stand over a newly made grave of a loved one. 120 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:48,100 And you mourn and you ask of God for help. 121 00:07:48,100 --> 00:07:51,200 Does he help you? Yeah, sure does. 122 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,100 Is that what this is talking about? 123 00:07:55,100 --> 00:08:00,000 No, remember, we are dealing with a spiritual perspective, so 124 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,400 let's just stay with me on this, in verse 4. 125 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:08,400 Blessed are those who mourn? And you know, what's interesting 126 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:12,400 about the word mourn. There's nine different words 127 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,300 that could be translated in the New Testament. 128 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:22,100 Nine different words that describe someone's sorrow of all 129 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:24,700 the words that can be translated from sorrow. 130 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:29,100 Throw the word that is found here from the original for morn 131 00:08:29,300 --> 00:08:31,900 is the strongest of every one of them. 132 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:35,299 It literally means something that is great. 133 00:08:35,299 --> 00:08:38,500 It's talking about something that is difficult. 134 00:08:38,700 --> 00:08:43,600 It's talking about something that is hurtful but spiritually 135 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:45,400 speaking, what's he talking about? 136 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,100 He's talking about this. He said, blessed are those that 137 00:08:49,100 --> 00:08:51,200 more now from a spiritual perspective? 138 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,900 Here's the answer. Blessed are those that mourn 139 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:01,200 over their sin? You know what that means. 140 00:09:02,100 --> 00:09:05,500 It means you have Godly sorrow in that great because that leads 141 00:09:05,500 --> 00:09:07,100 to repentance. You change your life. 142 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:09,900 It begins by being poor in spirit. 143 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,800 I'm nothing without Jesus. I need Jesus in my life. 144 00:09:13,700 --> 00:09:15,600 I see that. I have sin in my life. 145 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,000 I see that Jesus died on the cross for those sins. 146 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,600 I want to be saved in that great. 147 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,800 So what do you do? You have Godly sorrow over your 148 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,900 sin? Now, let me just say this, 149 00:09:28,900 --> 00:09:31,900 wouldn't it be awful if there was no solution? 150 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:36,500 Wouldn't it be absolutely terrible if you recognized? 151 00:09:36,500 --> 00:09:40,800 You were in sin but there was no solution, you know what Jesus 152 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,400 said. Blessed are those who mourn over 153 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,600 their sin for they will be comforted. 154 00:09:47,700 --> 00:09:49,700 How is that? Because there's an answer. 155 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,700 Look at the answer. 1st Peter 3:21. 156 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:55,700 This is the King James rendering of this verse. 157 00:09:55,700 --> 00:09:57,500 I like it. I like how it reads in the King 158 00:09:57,500 --> 00:10:00,700 James. The like figure, whereunto even 159 00:10:00,700 --> 00:10:06,300 baptism doth also. Now, save us, not the putting 160 00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:10,300 away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience 161 00:10:10,300 --> 00:10:11,900 toward God, by the resurrection of. 162 00:10:11,900 --> 00:10:14,000 Jesus Christ. Why are you going to be 163 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,200 comforted? Because there's an answer. 164 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,100 There's an answer be baptized for the remission of your sins. 165 00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:23,900 But what about after that? Are you going to sin? 166 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:25,700 Yeah. Are you going to make mistakes? 167 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,700 Yes, you are. In fact, the Bible says that a 168 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:33,400 man that says he has no sin is the liar and the truth is not in 169 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,900 him. So, we understand that. 170 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:40,200 And in 1st John, we also learned that when we sin, we have an 171 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,900 advocate with the father that's Jesus Christ. 172 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,900 So, here's the great answer. We contact the blood of Jesus at 173 00:10:46,900 --> 00:10:50,000 Bay Baptism We rise to walk in newness of life. 174 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,600 That is Comfort to us understanding. 175 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,900 We got rid of our sins but you know what? 176 00:10:54,900 --> 00:10:59,100 We're going to make mistakes. So here's something else we get 177 00:10:59,100 --> 00:11:04,300 to do this when you sin after that, in first John 1 and verse 178 00:11:04,300 --> 00:11:07,600 9. If we confess our sins, he's 179 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:12,300 faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from 180 00:11:12,300 --> 00:11:15,700 all unrighteousness. That's the answer. 181 00:11:15,700 --> 00:11:19,500 So blessed are those that mourn over their sin with Godly 182 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:21,400 sorrow. Leading to repentance, they're 183 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:23,200 going to be comforted, there's an answer. 184 00:11:23,900 --> 00:11:26,600 That's great stuff. What else? 185 00:11:27,900 --> 00:11:31,600 What about the meek You know, sometimes people think Meek is 186 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,000 weak. But it's not. 187 00:11:36,700 --> 00:11:39,300 It is the absolute ultimate of strength. 188 00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:43,700 Do you know why? Because it's the only thing that 189 00:11:43,700 --> 00:11:46,900 we can do. It's not a timid thing. 190 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,600 It's not a it's not a weak thing. 191 00:11:51,500 --> 00:11:53,600 It's something that we do by choice. 192 00:11:55,100 --> 00:11:57,800 And have you ever stopped to consider any time in your life? 193 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,400 Where their submission from you at all? 194 00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:05,900 That took a choice and that took strength What about meekness? 195 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:10,100 What Jesus say, blessed are those that are Meek that are 196 00:12:10,100 --> 00:12:12,200 meek for, they shall inherit the earth? 197 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:13,700 What's it mean? To be meek? 198 00:12:13,700 --> 00:12:17,000 And by the way, it's an act of strength because it's a choice, 199 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:22,500 it means this be gentle. Be humble. 200 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:30,600 Consider it mild unassuming and courteous. 201 00:12:31,700 --> 00:12:34,600 Every one of those are attributes that the child of God 202 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,800 is supposed to have, right? So Jesus said, blessed are the 203 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,400 meek for they shall inherit the earth. 204 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:46,700 Now obviously, it doesn't mean this Earth, and it doesn't mean 205 00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:50,300 that if you are Meek, you're going to have a big windfall of 206 00:12:50,300 --> 00:12:53,600 Finance, finances role. In your way, doesn't mean that 207 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:57,800 it All in fact, the language could actually be translated for 208 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:06,200 they shall inherit a allotted portion of land. and when the 209 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,200 children of Israel promised the land of Canaan, physical Canaan, 210 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,700 It's worth reference to that, it's the language of that, but 211 00:13:14,700 --> 00:13:17,000 we're not talking about literal physical land. 212 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,300 Now we're talking about spiritual applications. 213 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,500 So spiritual Canaan is heaven. What is Jesus saying? 214 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,000 He said, blessed are those that are meek for, they will inherit 215 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,300 their allotted portion in heaven. 216 00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:35,500 Great blessings. So, that's the beginning of 217 00:13:35,500 --> 00:13:37,800 Faith, but then there's more, there's more. 218 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:42,400 There's the growth of faith and, you know, you've heard me preach 219 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:47,900 on the subject of Faith, before many times over the years and 220 00:13:47,900 --> 00:13:52,300 then one phrase when Jesus said, you have to have the faith of a 221 00:13:52,300 --> 00:13:54,200 mustard seed. Remember that. 222 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,700 And what it was talking about is Jesus wasn't saying if you just 223 00:13:57,708 --> 00:14:02,100 have a tiny little bit of Faith, they had that I Mustard Seed is 224 00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:05,600 very small. What Jesus was Saying is he was 225 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,500 saying, you have to go back to what the principle of the 226 00:14:08,500 --> 00:14:11,300 mustard seed is. And that is those starting off 227 00:14:11,300 --> 00:14:14,200 very small. It grows to Greatness. 228 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,900 Your faith has to grow. So there's the beginning of 229 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:21,300 Faith, but then there has to be the growth of faith and Jesus 230 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:25,900 calls that this hungering and thirsting for righteousness. 231 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,300 That's what he calls that your faith has to grow hungering and 232 00:14:31,300 --> 00:14:37,900 thirsting for righteousness. Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 6. 233 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,600 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst? 234 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,900 After righteousness, for they will be filled. 235 00:14:43,900 --> 00:14:46,900 Now, go back in your mind, the We first one we said, write 236 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,400 blessed are the poor in spirit what you're saying is from a 237 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:54,400 self-righteous standpoint, you get rid of it all and you got a 238 00:14:54,408 --> 00:14:58,600 void, okay? Then in this one you fill the 239 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,500 void with the righteousness of God and that's part of growth. 240 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,400 You fill it with that. You take away self-righteousness 241 00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:08,500 and you fill it with the righteousness of God. 242 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,400 You start being different. In addition to this though, not 243 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:18,700 only the growth of Faith, the maturing of Faith, the maturing 244 00:15:18,700 --> 00:15:21,500 of faith. And the first thing he lists is 245 00:15:21,500 --> 00:15:24,400 being merciful. Matthew 5 and verse 7. 246 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,900 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy. 247 00:15:28,500 --> 00:15:33,100 Now there's a little reciprocal law here. and really, if you 248 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:40,000 think about it is very sobering, if I am going to have the mercy 249 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:45,800 from God, then I have to have the qualification Allah tea or 250 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,100 the characteristic of being merciful. 251 00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:52,100 Sometimes people are not merciful to others. 252 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,900 Sometimes, people demonstrating no mercy. 253 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,100 Sometimes people come and they ask for forgiveness, but you 254 00:15:58,100 --> 00:16:01,900 don't extend any Mercy. Sometimes you sit back and you 255 00:16:01,900 --> 00:16:02,400 think? Yeah. 256 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:06,100 Well, we'll see. Little side note here, have you 257 00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:09,700 ever stopped to consider that when it comes to your own 258 00:16:09,700 --> 00:16:11,700 personal? Forgiveness of someone else, 259 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:16,800 there are no requirements. Have you ever considered that? 260 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:21,700 The person does not have to ask for forgiveness, for you to 261 00:16:21,700 --> 00:16:24,400 forgive them? How do I know that? 262 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:25,700 I'm a name? Drop a good one. 263 00:16:26,100 --> 00:16:29,800 Jesus Christ on the cross, father forgive them for they 264 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,600 know not what they do. When Stephen was being stoned to 265 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:38,200 death, he said lay not this sin to their charge, don't you get 266 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:40,000 it? When you let somebody you're 267 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,200 letting yourself off the hook. You're not going to be 268 00:16:43,300 --> 00:16:45,200 negatively influenced by it anymore. 269 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:47,100 What are you doing? Showing Mercy. 270 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,600 Two things. Matthew chapter 7 talks about 271 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,500 how you judge somebody and whatever Mercy, you have 272 00:16:54,500 --> 00:16:57,400 whatever Mercy you don't have the same is coming back to you, 273 00:16:57,500 --> 00:17:00,800 right? But think of it this way. 274 00:17:02,700 --> 00:17:07,000 If I'm going to be merciful, I get Mercy back from God I need 275 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,300 that. So do you number two? 276 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,900 Here's a practical benefit. If I'm a person that shows Mercy 277 00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:16,900 to everybody else, don't you think that people are going to 278 00:17:16,900 --> 00:17:20,900 probably do the same for me? Maybe not in every case, but for 279 00:17:20,908 --> 00:17:23,900 the most part, people usually return. 280 00:17:23,900 --> 00:17:27,599 Goodness, with goodness. Jesus, dealt with those things. 281 00:17:28,099 --> 00:17:30,100 Mercy from God, and also, Mercy from others. 282 00:17:30,100 --> 00:17:33,000 So, we have the beginning of Faith, the growth of faith, and 283 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:37,400 the maturing of faith, Here's another one for the maturing of 284 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,400 faith, and that's pure in heart in Matthew 5. 285 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:47,100 And 8 blessed are the pure in heart for, they shall see God. 286 00:17:48,300 --> 00:17:51,200 You know, at some point in life, one scholar said, each of us 287 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:55,900 must decide. What is the highest joy for the 288 00:17:55,900 --> 00:17:58,400 thing? That Delights us and directs us. 289 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,400 What? We are determines, how much we 290 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,900 enjoy and what we have and what we do. 291 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:09,700 So the heart of man determines who and what he is it is his 292 00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:16,100 identity and who we are and what we are, determines our life Now, 293 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,700 the Gospel of Jesus Christ is concerned about the heart, all 294 00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:22,900 the emphasis is placed on the heart. 295 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,700 Now, I read not long ago, and I thought it was interesting and I 296 00:18:25,708 --> 00:18:28,100 got to tell you, I did go and confirm it. 297 00:18:28,100 --> 00:18:30,200 I Googled it, you know, we live in a Google age. 298 00:18:30,300 --> 00:18:31,800 What if I find out anything is Google it. 299 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,500 So I Googled it and I came up with some sources and what I'm 300 00:18:35,500 --> 00:18:39,000 going to tell you is true. There was a scientist and he 301 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,700 wrote an article, I read the article first and the article 302 00:18:42,700 --> 00:18:48,600 said that the snowflake which looks pure on the outside and is 303 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:52,300 often times a symbol of Purity on the outside. 304 00:18:52,700 --> 00:18:56,200 Every single snowflake has something in common. 305 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,500 There's a speck of dirt at its core on the inside. 306 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:08,300 I thought well surely not. So I looked it up many sources 307 00:19:08,300 --> 00:19:13,000 confirmed the same thing, so maybe you're sitting there 308 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,000 thinking, wait a minute. Wait a minute. 309 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,500 You're just proving your point. No I'm not. 310 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:24,600 I what I'm saying is this the snowflake appears on the outside 311 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:28,500 to be one way. But what we're talking about in 312 00:19:29,300 --> 00:19:33,100 reality is it's dirty at its core. 313 00:19:33,900 --> 00:19:36,600 We're talking about what is at the core and when it comes to 314 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:41,300 human beings, at the same thing, what we are at our core when you 315 00:19:41,300 --> 00:19:46,700 look behind, or beneath the facade, Gabe gave a lesson the 316 00:19:46,700 --> 00:19:51,200 other night couple Wednesday's ago and he dealt with tearing 317 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:54,500 down the facade and he was right. 318 00:19:56,100 --> 00:20:00,200 That's my point right now, too. What we are in the outside can 319 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:06,200 be perceived as one thing, but what God does is God looks on 320 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,900 the heart. God looks on the inside. 321 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,100 That's what God cares about on the inside. 322 00:20:14,300 --> 00:20:18,300 Look beneath the facade or the dressing amateur Faith, reflects 323 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:22,800 the change, get this in someone who recognizes his tremendous 324 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,200 need for God. And who has sought him with 325 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:32,000 intense desire, Faith changes. A person on the inside. 326 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:38,000 If G, if Christianity has it changed your life, you got some 327 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:44,600 work to do, Jesus has to change your life and Jesus called Here, 328 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:49,600 pure in Heart. Another words the result is not 329 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:53,800 a cover, but it's a reflection of the image of God, that's in 330 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:58,100 our hearts, and is determined by what we are inside. 331 00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:01,400 Just some defining terms here, what does it actually mean to be 332 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,600 pure? It means to be cleansed or 333 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,400 purified. Please get this when I say pure, 334 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:12,000 I'm not saying perfect. And if a person is thinking that 335 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,500 they're going to be perfect, it's not going to happen. 336 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,000 And if a Christian has set aside a standard before they become a 337 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,400 Christian, for example, that I could never be that good, I 338 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,800 could never be perfect. Therefore, I won't obey the 339 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:29,100 gospel and try to serve God. You're missing the whole point. 340 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,500 It's not a matter of being perfect. 341 00:21:32,500 --> 00:21:35,800 It's a matter of being cleansed and purified. 342 00:21:37,100 --> 00:21:41,500 It is unmixed with the things of the world, the worldly things, 343 00:21:41,500 --> 00:21:44,300 the fleshly things, the sinful things in life. 344 00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:51,900 Unmixed. When we combine the things of 345 00:21:51,900 --> 00:21:54,000 the world with the things in Jesus Christ, you know what 346 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,100 we're doing, we're actually putting oil and water together, 347 00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:59,800 they don't mix. Remember last Lord's day, I 348 00:21:59,808 --> 00:22:05,100 talked about fear, overcoming fear and I said faith and fear 349 00:22:05,100 --> 00:22:07,700 are at odds with each other. They are. 350 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:10,400 So you cannot be a person of faith. 351 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:14,400 If you're a person of fear, what drives you So when you are a 352 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,300 Christian you have the things that we have in Christ and were 353 00:22:17,300 --> 00:22:20,600 cleansed and purified. We keep those worldly things 354 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,400 outside. We keep them away from us. 355 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,800 You know, why they don't work. They don't go together. 356 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:30,100 They're like oil and water. little example, I don't have 357 00:22:30,100 --> 00:22:35,500 time to go in these passages but in Matthew 23, Remember when 358 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:38,100 Jesus says, woe to you scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites, first 359 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:40,000 cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish. 360 00:22:40,100 --> 00:22:42,700 But inside they're full of extortion, and self-indulgence 361 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:45,800 blind Pharisees, first cleanse, the inside of the cup and the 362 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,200 dish and that the outside may be clean. 363 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,900 Also, we all know that K. If you're going to clean the 364 00:22:50,900 --> 00:22:53,100 dish, don't just buff the outside. 365 00:22:53,100 --> 00:22:54,900 You got to clean the inside. How do you do that? 366 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,100 Submerge it in the water. Clean the inside. 367 00:22:57,100 --> 00:22:58,900 It takes care of the outside. Okay. 368 00:23:00,500 --> 00:23:02,800 There's something else though, that they would have understood 369 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:07,600 when Jesus said those words. The cup and dish that he was 370 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:11,600 referring to. They were not just some ordinary 371 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:16,000 cup and dish. In the time, historically around 372 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:20,900 when Jesus said that, Jesus was referring to a very special cup 373 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,700 and a very special dish. It was the cup and dish that 374 00:23:24,700 --> 00:23:29,700 were used to serve Delicacies. So, in other words, you've got 375 00:23:29,700 --> 00:23:32,800 some dinner going on. You got some function, going on, 376 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,400 and everybody's there, all the guests are there. 377 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,900 Here, come the servants out and they have a cup and a dish. 378 00:23:39,900 --> 00:23:41,700 The ones were talking about right here. 379 00:23:41,900 --> 00:23:45,500 Everybody knew here, it comes. Here comes the Delicacies. 380 00:23:46,700 --> 00:23:49,100 You know, Jesus says, nope that's not you. 381 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,200 You appear to be one thing on the outside but that's not you 382 00:23:53,900 --> 00:23:57,100 inside, you are extortion and self-indulgence. 383 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:06,600 So, the basic idea is that of Integrity singleness of heart as 384 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:12,700 opposed to duplicity and a double heart, a divided heart 385 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:16,700 You know, the Bible says that a double mantid mind. 386 00:24:18,300 --> 00:24:24,800 Is unstable in all his ways. Sometimes people struggle. 387 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:27,700 Because they can't choose a side. 388 00:24:27,700 --> 00:24:32,800 They can't pick a lane. You got to pick a lane. 389 00:24:34,700 --> 00:24:38,800 You got to choose a lane. Years ago in high school, back 390 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:40,900 in the 1980s. Seems like a million years ago. 391 00:24:41,300 --> 00:24:45,600 I was running a track meet And this guy named Corey Ziegler, 392 00:24:46,300 --> 00:24:48,000 never ran a track meet in his life. 393 00:24:49,100 --> 00:24:50,700 And it was actually one of the funniest things you've ever 394 00:24:50,700 --> 00:24:53,000 seen, but he lines up, we're going to run the 400 meter, 395 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:57,400 hated that race about kill you. And you take off and it's really 396 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,800 a 400-meter Sprint. It's wide open your dead at the 397 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:04,200 end. Cory Ziegler for some reason 398 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,300 like started in and outside Lane. 399 00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:09,500 The gun went off. We went around the first turn of 400 00:25:09,500 --> 00:25:11,600 here. He comes, he comes barreling in 401 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,400 all the way to Lane one, and then he drifts out there by the 402 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,300 lane for, and then back in and back out, he did that the whole 403 00:25:18,300 --> 00:25:21,700 time he came in first, he thinks I won. 404 00:25:23,500 --> 00:25:28,600 No, he didn't compete lawfully. He was disqualified. 405 00:25:29,500 --> 00:25:34,100 Because he couldn't pick a lane. Let's not let that be for us 406 00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:37,300 folks, as Christians, don't be disqualified because you can't 407 00:25:37,300 --> 00:25:40,300 pick a lane. Keep the things of a world where 408 00:25:40,300 --> 00:25:43,100 they belong and choose Jesus and pick a lane. 409 00:25:44,500 --> 00:25:49,200 Pick a lane singleness of heart is clear clean purpose of heart 410 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:53,700 that keeps us and helps us. It keeps the things that are in 411 00:25:53,700 --> 00:25:57,600 the world out of our life. If we're struggling on the 412 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:00,000 outside, maybe it's because we're struggling on the inside. 413 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,100 Okay, now, at this point in time, we have to talk about the 414 00:26:03,100 --> 00:26:06,800 heart, the heart of the Bible, we've dealt with various aspects 415 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:08,400 of it. This lesson, we'll tie it all 416 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,800 together. This is everything that the 417 00:26:10,808 --> 00:26:14,000 Bible describes about the heart. Because we hear that a lot. 418 00:26:14,500 --> 00:26:16,700 We hear people say, oh, I feel it in my heart. 419 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:18,600 We hear people say this is about your heart. 420 00:26:18,700 --> 00:26:24,100 I love with you all my heart. So, let's talk about that in the 421 00:26:24,100 --> 00:26:26,800 Bible. The heart is described in 422 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,800 several ways. Number one, it describes 423 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:37,000 emotions now, You cannot take emotion out of the picture and 424 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,600 if a person thinks they're going to live the Christian Life as a 425 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:42,100 robot with no emotion, you're kidding yourself. 426 00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:45,000 What good is that what good is that? 427 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,000 But when we say that we have emotions what we're saying is we 428 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,700 can never be guided or directed by our emotions. 429 00:26:52,700 --> 00:26:56,300 It's not good enough. We're Guided by the word of God. 430 00:26:56,300 --> 00:26:59,800 We follow what the word of God says, and we do so with every 431 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,800 fiber of our being even our Emotions. 432 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,900 Here's a couple of passages that uses the word as described as 433 00:27:07,900 --> 00:27:16,300 emotions, John 14 and one, let not your heart, be troubled, you 434 00:27:16,300 --> 00:27:19,500 believe in God believe. Also in me, here's that fear 435 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:25,800 Faith thing again. Don't Be Afraid have faith. 436 00:27:27,500 --> 00:27:30,600 So he says, don't let your heart be troubled that your emotions. 437 00:27:30,700 --> 00:27:33,300 Don't Be Afraid. What else do? 438 00:27:33,300 --> 00:27:36,300 Another one? Nehemiah two and two, therefore 439 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:38,900 the king said to me, why is your face sad? 440 00:27:39,700 --> 00:27:44,300 Since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of 441 00:27:44,300 --> 00:27:48,800 the heart, that's emotion. That's emotion. 442 00:27:49,900 --> 00:27:55,400 But sometimes also heart is intellect or it's the mind in 443 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,900 Mark chapter 2 and verse 8 and immediately when Jesus perceived 444 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:04,900 in his spirit that they reasoned thus within themself, he said to 445 00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:06,900 them. Why do you reason about these 446 00:28:06,900 --> 00:28:12,100 things in your hearts? Now here, he's not talking about 447 00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:15,500 emotion, he's not talking about feeling what he's saying is. 448 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:22,000 Why do you reason these things in your Mind sometimes heart in 449 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:26,200 the Bible is mind or intellect. Here's another passage in 450 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:30,400 Hebrews 4:12. For the Lord, for the word of 451 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:34,500 God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword 452 00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:36,400 piercing. Even to the division of Soul, 453 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:41,400 and Spirit and of joints and Marrow, and is a discerner of 454 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,800 the thoughts and intents of the heart. 455 00:28:46,300 --> 00:28:48,400 Also sometimes you know what it is. 456 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:52,800 It's the will of man, it's your will. 457 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,400 How many times have we said? God does not take away, free 458 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,100 will. It's true. 459 00:29:00,300 --> 00:29:02,900 There were two beings that were created with Freewill one, Where 460 00:29:02,900 --> 00:29:08,500 Angels and the other is man. All other aspects of nature. 461 00:29:08,500 --> 00:29:12,000 Don't have free, will we have free will? 462 00:29:12,900 --> 00:29:17,400 And sometimes the heart is referred to as or described as 463 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,700 the will of man in Daniel chapter 1 in verse 8. 464 00:29:20,700 --> 00:29:26,600 I love this, but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not 465 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,300 defile himself with the portion of the Kings Delicacies, nor 466 00:29:30,300 --> 00:29:33,000 with the wine, which he drank therefore, he requested to the 467 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,700 chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 468 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,100 How many times have you heard me say that? 469 00:29:39,100 --> 00:29:44,200 My dad told me my whole life. You have to decide the person 470 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:47,500 you want to be in advance and make the decision in advance. 471 00:29:48,700 --> 00:29:51,100 And if you're bouncing around, like a ping-pong ball. 472 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:56,100 If you're bouncing around like that and always kind of getting 473 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,300 messed up and making the wrong choice, it's because you haven't 474 00:29:59,300 --> 00:30:04,400 done this, you haven't purposed in your heart, in advance, what 475 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,100 the decision is going to be, and the kind of person that you're 476 00:30:08,100 --> 00:30:12,100 going to be. Jesus said this in Luke 21 verse 477 00:30:12,100 --> 00:30:14,400 14. Therefore settle it in your 478 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:19,000 hearts that your will not to meditate beforehand on what you 479 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,400 will answer. So altogether, the biblical 480 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:26,700 picture of the heart is that it's the entirety of the inner 481 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,900 man. So when we talk about somebody 482 00:30:29,900 --> 00:30:34,600 that has a pure heart, we're talking about somebody that has 483 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:38,200 a mature faith. We give you some examples about 484 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:43,400 this about amateur Faith. True Christianity is not simply 485 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,100 a matter of Reform, Behavior now, Behavior matters, but 486 00:30:47,100 --> 00:30:48,500 that's not what we're talking about. 487 00:30:48,500 --> 00:30:51,500 We're talking about changing something on the inside, it's a 488 00:30:51,500 --> 00:30:54,700 matter or condition of the state of a person's heart. 489 00:30:54,700 --> 00:30:58,500 And if you have a pure heart, please hear me because I know 490 00:30:58,500 --> 00:31:01,100 how it is. I know exactly how it is, when 491 00:31:01,100 --> 00:31:03,300 you go in the world and I'm in the world, I have to go out in 492 00:31:03,308 --> 00:31:11,200 the world to if you have, Amateur faith. 493 00:31:12,900 --> 00:31:18,200 That stems from a pure heart. You will have the courage to be 494 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:24,500 different. If you don't have the courage. 495 00:31:25,500 --> 00:31:30,400 To be different in your life. When all your friends are doing 496 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,800 things, they shouldn't do. Got some work to do. 497 00:31:34,500 --> 00:31:37,800 We don't have a mature faith, we don't have Pure Heart. 498 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:42,800 Jesus says, fix it on the inside when you have that kind of faith 499 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,400 when you have that kind of heart, you know what, it's 500 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,200 great. Could you have the courage to 501 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:49,800 even be different, notice how it all works. 502 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:52,700 As a matter of the Inner Man, becoming something new and 503 00:31:52,700 --> 00:31:56,400 better. We noticed this so far Poor in 504 00:31:56,400 --> 00:32:00,200 spirit. Poor in spirit. 505 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,100 You get rid of all self-righteousness. 506 00:32:04,300 --> 00:32:07,800 No air gets you realize you're nothing without the Lord. 507 00:32:09,100 --> 00:32:12,800 That's on the inside. Then you're going to mourn over 508 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,700 your sin. I have Godly sorrow for my sin. 509 00:32:16,700 --> 00:32:18,600 I want to be saved. I got to do something about it. 510 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,400 Jesus said, you know what, your me comforted, that's the answer, 511 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:25,300 being baptized for the remission of my sins and start my journey 512 00:32:25,300 --> 00:32:26,600 as a Christian. What else? 513 00:32:27,500 --> 00:32:30,300 I'm not going to have any animosity toward other people. 514 00:32:30,300 --> 00:32:33,100 There's not going to be thoughts of retaliation toward others. 515 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:36,700 I got rid of that on the inside. I'm Meek, I'm gentle. 516 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:40,500 In other words, it is a choice that I have made on the inside. 517 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:43,700 And then I'm going to have a growing faith. 518 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:47,000 And I'm going to demonstrate that by hungering and thirsting 519 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:50,500 for righteousness. So what I feel the void here. 520 00:32:50,700 --> 00:32:54,300 No, self-righteousness here. I fill it with the righteousness 521 00:32:54,300 --> 00:32:59,100 of God there. And that is a mature faith. 522 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,200 And I'm going to show Mercy toward others. 523 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:08,000 I'm going to do that. Because I'm going to realize 524 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:12,700 that in my life. On gothis brow on Mount Calvary 525 00:33:12,700 --> 00:33:15,900 so long ago. As we just see, just even a 526 00:33:15,908 --> 00:33:18,400 glimpse of Calvary, what Jesus did for everyone. 527 00:33:19,900 --> 00:33:23,200 It ought to cause us to throw aside any kind of arrogance at 528 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:28,100 all and be merciful because Jesus was by his act and God 529 00:33:28,100 --> 00:33:30,000 showed Mercy through Jesus Christ. 530 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,400 On the cross, I'm going to show Mercy to other people, too. 531 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,600 That's kind of person I'm going to be and you know what, I'm 532 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:39,800 going to get Mercy from God. That's what Jesus said. 533 00:33:40,900 --> 00:33:43,200 But then I'm going to do this. I'm going to be pure in heart. 534 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:48,400 That means that Jesus is reflected in my life. 535 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,900 That's when Jesus Christ is actually formed in you. 536 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,800 And you know, in every point it's not the outward Behavior. 537 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:00,700 But it's the inward man, that becomes something new and 538 00:34:00,700 --> 00:34:04,300 something better and when you change it on the inside, it 539 00:34:04,300 --> 00:34:10,400 automatically fixes the outside. If you ever heard somebody say 540 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:12,600 something to a Christian about, you just look happy all the 541 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:17,400 time. By the way, nobody, no Christian 542 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:20,600 should walk around. Sour, like, you just ate a bowl 543 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:25,300 of prunes Nobody wants to be like that. 544 00:34:25,699 --> 00:34:29,699 Nobody's told to be like that either and sober minded means 545 00:34:29,699 --> 00:34:31,800 serious, minded about your faith. 546 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:35,300 That's what that means. He ever heard somebody say 547 00:34:35,300 --> 00:34:38,300 something to a Christian about how happy they look, there's 548 00:34:38,300 --> 00:34:40,800 just something about, there's something about them on their 549 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:44,400 face. There was a Hindu man. 550 00:34:45,500 --> 00:34:49,900 He was a traitor in India. He went up to a missionary and 551 00:34:49,900 --> 00:34:52,100 he says what do you put on your face to make it shine? 552 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:55,900 He said sir, I don't put anything on my face. 553 00:34:57,900 --> 00:35:00,300 He said, it's something that we put on. 554 00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:02,300 It's not something that we put on, on the outside. 555 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:06,200 But something that comes from within, it's the reflection of 556 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:11,300 the light of God in our hearts. So let me ask you all today. 557 00:35:12,100 --> 00:35:14,200 What are the things that are most important to you in your 558 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:17,100 life? What's most important and why 559 00:35:17,100 --> 00:35:20,700 does it matter? What's most important in? 560 00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:24,200 Why does it matter? This is why it matters talked 561 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:26,800 about the importance of the heart important stuff. 562 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,300 Why does it matter what's most important? 563 00:35:30,300 --> 00:35:35,200 Jesus said in Matthew 6 and 21 for where your treasure is 564 00:35:35,300 --> 00:35:38,600 there? Your heart will be also. 565 00:35:39,300 --> 00:35:42,300 So in closing, let me ask you this. 566 00:35:42,700 --> 00:35:46,400 How's your heart? What's it filled with? 567 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,000 How would it be described? Faith. 568 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:53,100 That's matured is a wonderful blessing. 569 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,900 It brings us into the very presence of God. 570 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:02,800 And it allows us to reflect the image of God in our life and you 571 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:07,200 know what, everybody's watching and just maybe because of the 572 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:11,400 demonstration of your attitude and your life, you may bring 573 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:14,800 people to Christ that maybe they wouldn't even have known that 574 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,400 you're a Christian. Had you not been that way in 575 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:19,900 your life? I'm through this morning. 576 00:36:19,900 --> 00:36:21,800 Thank you so much for your kind listening. 577 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:26,100 We never close a service without extending an invitation to 578 00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:29,800 someone that might be subject to the gospel call, we talked about 579 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:32,300 that very idea that we are poor in spirit but then there's an 580 00:36:32,300 --> 00:36:35,800 answer. Paul said so faith comes by 581 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:39,300 hearing and hearing by the word of God, Romans 10:17. 582 00:36:40,100 --> 00:36:45,800 Jesus then said in Mark 16:16 he that believeth and is baptized 583 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:48,300 shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be 584 00:36:48,300 --> 00:36:51,700 damned Jesus. Further said in Luke 13 and 3 585 00:36:51,700 --> 00:36:57,000 and also verse 5 I tell you no but except you repent you will 586 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,200 all likewise perish. Jesus further said, if you 587 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:03,100 confess me before men I will confess you before. 588 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:06,900 My Father, which is in heaven and Acts chapter 8 tells us that 589 00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:11,900 confession the good confession. The only confession I believe 590 00:37:11,900 --> 00:37:17,200 that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and upon taking those steps 591 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,400 of obedience leading toward the point of Salvation. 592 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:24,600 First, Peter 3:21, the like figure whereunto even baptism 593 00:37:24,900 --> 00:37:31,300 doth also now save us. We thank you for listening to 594 00:37:31,300 --> 00:37:36,100 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 595 00:37:36,100 --> 00:37:39,600 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 596 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:42,900 information, or you would like to receive a free Bible 597 00:37:42,900 --> 00:37:48,400 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her 598 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:50,800 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 599 00:37:51,500 --> 00:37:56,700 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 600 00:37:56,700 --> 00:38:01,200 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 601 00:38:01,700 --> 00:38:03,800 We would love for you to be our honored guest.