1 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:02,900 It's wonderful to be here with all of you today. 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,000 We have a wonderful crowd for which we are thankful and if you 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000 do consider yourself a visitor, please know that you are our 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,700 honored guest. And we welcome you back every 5 00:00:12,700 --> 00:00:15,900 time that we have an occasion and an opportunity to meet and 6 00:00:15,900 --> 00:00:18,100 assemble what a great day, it's the Lord's day. 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,300 I've enjoyed so much, so far worshiping with you and I am 8 00:00:22,300 --> 00:00:26,100 honored now to be your speaker This morning for a little while 9 00:00:26,100 --> 00:00:29,300 we continue our series on the greatest sermon ever preached, 10 00:00:29,900 --> 00:00:33,800 it is the great Sermon on the Mount and in particular we're 11 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,700 talking about the part of The Sermon on the Mount called the 12 00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:40,800 Beatitudes that we began last time which covers the first 12 13 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,600 verses of The Gospel according to Matthew and I got to tell you 14 00:00:45,100 --> 00:00:49,400 in these passages the Lord gives us the ground rules and he gives 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,200 us the qualities and the characteristics to have true 16 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,100 blessedness. And true happiness. 17 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:00,100 Now, I'm just going to say this, if you really want to truly be 18 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:03,700 blessed in your life and you really want to be happy in your 19 00:01:03,700 --> 00:01:07,500 life and fulfilled. Please listen to the words of 20 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:10,800 Jesus today. I know the world says this a 21 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:12,200 lot. How you doing? 22 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,000 And they say I'm blessed and it's great. 23 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,200 It's a nice thing to say. I want to talk about really what 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,500 it means to truly be blessed and truly be happy. 25 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,300 It's found in the first 12 verses of The Gospel. 26 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:29,200 According to Matthew last time, we covered verses 3 and 4. 27 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:30,900 I'm not going to re-preach these verses. 28 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,600 I'm going to be very brief in summary, but I have to summarize 29 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,200 them quickly because they all flow together. 30 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,800 They all work together. So let's begin in Matthew 31 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,400 chapter 5, verses 3 and 4. Jesus began by saying blessed 32 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,400 are the poor in spirit. Spirit. 33 00:01:47,300 --> 00:01:49,300 Now, I got to tell you about poor in spirit, it literally 34 00:01:49,300 --> 00:01:54,700 means to be destitute. It means, utter poverty, but the 35 00:01:54,700 --> 00:01:57,600 Lord is very quick to say, what kind of poverty is talking about 36 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,800 because he's not talking about being poor physically or 37 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,000 monetarily. He's talking about being poor in 38 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,500 spirit. Meaning this and it's a good 39 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:08,400 thing, it's not a bad thing. It's a wonderful thing, it 40 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,500 doesn't matter what the world thinks, it's a great thing. 41 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,500 When you are poor in spirit, what you're saying is in your 42 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:16,400 heart, in your mind, you've made the determined resolve. 43 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,700 I am nothing without God. I can't do it without God. 44 00:02:20,900 --> 00:02:25,800 I need Jesus Christ. I'm a sinner all by myself. 45 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,200 I'm in perfect. And I need the Lord, that's a 46 00:02:29,208 --> 00:02:31,300 great thing because you know what's going to happen. 47 00:02:31,300 --> 00:02:34,300 If you understand that I am poor in spirit, you're going to 48 00:02:34,300 --> 00:02:37,700 recognize I need help and you're going to get the help from the 49 00:02:37,700 --> 00:02:41,000 only one that can help and that's God Almighty and his son 50 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,900 Jesus Christ. So, a person first, if they 51 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:45,800 really want to be blessed, if they really want to 52 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,800 truth-finding, find true happiness. 53 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,800 They need to be poor in spirit. Recognizing, I am destitute. 54 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:56,400 I am nothing without God. I will say this, this eliminates 55 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,100 the kind of person that says this, please get this. 56 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:05,600 I'm a good person. I don't need religion. 57 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:09,000 I don't need to be a Christian because I'm a good guy. 58 00:03:09,700 --> 00:03:12,900 I'm a good person. I'm a good woman, I do good 59 00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:15,800 things for people. I don't need to obey with the 60 00:03:15,808 --> 00:03:18,000 word of God, says they're obey the Lord because I'm a good 61 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,000 person. That is not somebody. 62 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,600 That is poured spirit. That is somebody that thinks 63 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,500 they're good enough on their own and guess what? 64 00:03:25,900 --> 00:03:31,900 Nobody is, what does Jesus say? Jesus says blessed are the poor 65 00:03:31,900 --> 00:03:34,600 in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 66 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,400 So if you want to go to heaven number, You got to be poor in 67 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,900 spirit, but then there's more and at least to the next one. 68 00:03:40,100 --> 00:03:44,600 Then Jesus says, blessed are those that mourn. 69 00:03:45,700 --> 00:03:48,200 What's that mean? The word morning? 70 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:52,100 They're in the context here, means morning, over your sin. 71 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:56,200 So I recognize I'm nothing without God, I have seen in my 72 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,300 life, then I'm going to mourn over my sin. 73 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,100 Those are personal infractions against God himself, and 74 00:04:03,100 --> 00:04:07,200 everybody sins. You know what's beautiful about 75 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:08,300 this? Please get this. 76 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:14,100 This is wonderful. God wants you to be guilty and 77 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:18,600 mourn over your sin. So you do something about it, 78 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,500 but God does not want you to live in a state of Perpetual 79 00:04:22,500 --> 00:04:25,600 guilt. Guilt is fine. 80 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:30,700 Perpetual guilt is not blessed. Are they? 81 00:04:30,700 --> 00:04:32,600 That mourn so they do something about it. 82 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,100 What does God say? You do about it. 83 00:04:34,100 --> 00:04:36,200 You obey the gospel. You come to Jesus. 84 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,000 You are baptized for the remission of your sins, you're 85 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,900 washed in the blood of the Lamb. Your sins are forgiven and guess 86 00:04:41,900 --> 00:04:45,900 what you are now comforted. Why, you know, you've been 87 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:50,400 forgiven That's number one, that's how you first be 88 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:51,800 comforted obey. The gospel. 89 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,100 Number two, there's a maintenance process. 90 00:04:54,100 --> 00:04:56,200 I love this because the Lord knows, we're going to make 91 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:57,400 mistakes that we're going to send. 92 00:04:57,500 --> 00:05:01,100 So first, John chapter 1 says, if you confess your sins he's 93 00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:02,900 faithful. And just to forgive you of your 94 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:05,900 sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness, even the 95 00:05:05,900 --> 00:05:09,200 contamination of that sin is gone when you confess that sin 96 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,300 to God with repentance in your heart, great stuff, your 97 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:14,300 comforted. But number three, there's even 98 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:17,100 more. There's even more. 99 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,800 What about the things that we habitually struggle with 100 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,900 everyday? What about the weaknesses that 101 00:05:23,900 --> 00:05:28,700 we keep falling back to? A lot of the times of the things 102 00:05:28,700 --> 00:05:31,300 that we struggle with, we struggle with things habitually 103 00:05:31,300 --> 00:05:35,700 over and over. We all have that Bible says in 104 00:05:35,700 --> 00:05:38,900 James 5:16 confess your faults, one to another and pray one for 105 00:05:38,900 --> 00:05:41,100 another that you may be healed the effective fervent prayer of 106 00:05:41,100 --> 00:05:44,400 a righteous man avails much therefore all we got to do when 107 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,000 we have those struggles as confess those to each other, 108 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,500 pray for each other, have accountability with each other, 109 00:05:49,500 --> 00:05:51,600 and guess what? Again, we're going to be 110 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,700 comforted because we're going to be forgiven. 111 00:05:53,900 --> 00:05:55,800 That is the context of the passage. 112 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:00,600 It is mourning over your sin, but secondarily in a secondary 113 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,200 sense. What about the things that we 114 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,600 all might mourn over in life, like the injustices that are 115 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:09,600 going on in the world? What about those things? 116 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,300 What about the things that were troubled with and that we worry 117 00:06:12,300 --> 00:06:14,000 about every day? What about that? 118 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,200 The child of God, with a proper relationship with God? 119 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,700 With the proper mindset, is going to be comforted, how in a 120 00:06:20,700 --> 00:06:24,200 secondary sense, comforted knowing that God is totally in 121 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,700 control. Great stuff. 122 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:29,900 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of 123 00:06:29,900 --> 00:06:31,200 Heaven. Blessed are they that mourn for 124 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,800 they will be comforted? Now, verse number five, he says 125 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:40,000 this, he said, blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the 126 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,900 earth. The characteristics that Jesus 127 00:06:42,900 --> 00:06:45,900 describes here. Stems from mental dispositions. 128 00:06:47,300 --> 00:06:51,000 It is a mental disposition, meaning to things. 129 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,400 Please get this. In meanings, it means, it comes 130 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:58,100 from conviction. And it comes from choice. 131 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,700 Now, I got to tell you. Somebody might say, well, wait a 132 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:07,900 minute Meek, that's just not me. That's just not my deal. 133 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:11,200 That's not my personality doesn't matter. 134 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:17,200 It is a mental disposition that comes from conviction and comes 135 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,400 from choice. You got to make the choice just 136 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:20,400 like, you got to make the choice. 137 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,000 I'm poor in spirit. I'm mourning over my sin. 138 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,400 Now, you got to make the choice to be meek. 139 00:07:26,500 --> 00:07:28,700 People don't like this word because they misunderstand it. 140 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:31,200 What is the word? I mean, first of all I will tell 141 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,500 you this meekness does not mean weakness at all. 142 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:39,700 Make this as defined as this it denotes one who is gentle humble 143 00:07:39,700 --> 00:07:43,400 consider it mild unassuming and courteous according to mr. 144 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,600 Fowler. And I got to tell you, these are 145 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,600 qualities that everybody likes. I don't know about you, but I 146 00:07:49,608 --> 00:07:51,900 want to be friends with people like that. 147 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:56,100 Nobody likes the guy that is arrogant and conceited and looks 148 00:07:56,100 --> 00:07:58,300 down upon everybody else and thinks they're better than 149 00:07:58,300 --> 00:08:00,400 everybody else. Nobody likes that people want to 150 00:08:00,407 --> 00:08:04,100 be friends with this guy. Now the one that was the very 151 00:08:04,100 --> 00:08:08,200 epitome of all these things in masterful detail was none other 152 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,200 than Jesus Christ himself and everything that Jesus was 153 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:15,600 allowed to do in able to do came from his mental disposition of 154 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:21,400 being meek. I know this, this Greek word is 155 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,200 not readily used in the English language, because people think 156 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,400 it's a sign of weakness because they misunderstand it. 157 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,600 And they think that if I am meek, I am unable to take care 158 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,900 of myself. And that's not true. 159 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:42,400 I like what one scholar said, he said, scriptural, meekness is 160 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,800 not weakness. It is the fruit of power. 161 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,400 It is the inner temperament that results from having the proper 162 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,900 relationship with God. Notice how they work together. 163 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,700 I'm poor in spirit, I mourn over my sin. 164 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,500 I have a proper relationship with God, guess what? 165 00:08:57,500 --> 00:09:00,600 Now, I can be this guy right here because of that 166 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,200 relationship. I can do that. 167 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,900 All right, this disposition allows the believer to face 168 00:09:07,900 --> 00:09:15,900 difficulty and even persecution that get this without worrying 169 00:09:15,900 --> 00:09:22,000 about your own personal rights. Have you ever heard somebody say 170 00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:25,200 I'm not giving in. I know my rights. 171 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:29,400 We're always worried about our own rights. 172 00:09:30,900 --> 00:09:33,600 Like in justices that may come our way. 173 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:39,100 I know my rights, the phrase in the world that says you got to 174 00:09:39,100 --> 00:09:41,800 take care of number one, nobody's going to take care of 175 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:42,700 you. So you got to take care of 176 00:09:42,700 --> 00:09:46,600 number one. All of these things are worldly 177 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,600 attitudes. They're not spiritual 178 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,200 dispositions of the mind that God wants you to have. 179 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,500 So if I have this disposition here, it is a sign of strength 180 00:09:57,500 --> 00:10:00,500 because number one, I don't have to worry about myself. 181 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:03,000 I don't have to worry about my rights. 182 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:09,100 And by the way, if you want to talk about strength, think about 183 00:10:09,100 --> 00:10:13,200 Jesus. You think about Jesus? 184 00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:17,400 When he stood before, Pilate and pilate says, don't you 185 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:22,100 understand what I can do to you? Don't you understand that? 186 00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:25,700 I have the power to crucify you. I have the power to set you free 187 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:28,200 if I want to. And Jesus said, you wouldn't 188 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,200 have that Authority. Except my father, gave it to 189 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,600 you. And then he then in his defense, 190 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,000 you know, he said in his defense, Nothing. 191 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,300 Like a lamb dumb before his Shearer he opened not his mouth. 192 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:51,400 He said nothing week, no Meek unassuming. 193 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,000 He didn't worry about his rights. 194 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:59,100 He was concerned about what God wanted, and folks, I'm going to 195 00:10:59,100 --> 00:11:01,800 tell you something, that's what the child of God must be. 196 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,100 I'll take it a step further. Let's go back. 197 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:08,900 Let's go back to the ones that may have heard Jesus. 198 00:11:08,900 --> 00:11:13,500 Uttering, such words or Jesus submitting himself to pilate and 199 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,000 the sentence to die on the cross. 200 00:11:17,100 --> 00:11:20,100 It must have flew in the face of every one of those Jewish people 201 00:11:20,100 --> 00:11:24,000 who were all about personal rights, even to the extent of 202 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,700 exerting, their personal rights over Rome, even to the point of 203 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:30,000 shedding blood, if that was necessary. 204 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:33,300 And yet, Jesus know, He was meek. 205 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:39,100 He gave in. Folks, listen, the kingdom of 206 00:11:39,100 --> 00:11:42,300 Jesus is not characterized by external force. 207 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,700 It is characterized by Inner Strength. 208 00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:50,200 Now, the final part of this beatitude brings much 209 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:54,000 controversy, Jesus says, blessed are the meek for they shall 210 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:58,000 inherit the earth. This phrase right here is very 211 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,000 much misunderstood a whole lot of things are said about this 212 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,700 and brings a lot of controversy. Let me talk to you. 213 00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:05,400 First of all, what it doesn't mean. 214 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:07,800 This is what it does. Not mean. 215 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:12,800 Number one, the Lord is not teaching that his kingdom will 216 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,700 be an Earthly one that he will rule on Earth for a thousand 217 00:12:16,700 --> 00:12:19,400 years. It also does not support the 218 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:23,800 premillennial Doctrine or the paradise Earth doctrine of the 219 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,600 Watchtower Society, doesn't support. 220 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:31,400 That Jesus is never going to set foot on this Earth ever again. 221 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:34,000 I'm so thankful When Jesus ascended to the father. 222 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,500 Remember in Acts chapter 1 and they said, Ed, what do you look 223 00:12:36,500 --> 00:12:39,000 it up in that way? You look it up for the same 224 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,600 Jesus who you saw going? The clouds will so come in like 225 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:43,500 manner. As you see him go in the clouds, 226 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,500 he's coming back in the clouds. What does the Bible say? 227 00:12:46,500 --> 00:12:50,100 What does Paul say is going to happen in the end those that are 228 00:12:50,100 --> 00:12:54,400 saved are going to meet him in the air and ever be with the 229 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:58,000 Lord forever. He's not coming back to this 230 00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,700 earth. He's not coming back to Reign 231 00:12:59,700 --> 00:13:01,500 for a thousand years. Not going to happen. 232 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,000 So inheriting, the Earth has nothing to do at all with this 233 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,100 Earth. It Also has nothing to do with 234 00:13:07,100 --> 00:13:10,500 this phrase Paradise Earth or the doctrine of the Watchtower 235 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:13,100 society, which teaches that Jesus. 236 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:16,000 When he comes back, we'll refurbish the Earth that we 237 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,800 currently now live on. No. 238 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,100 In fact, you know, the phrase that Peter talks about new 239 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:26,500 heavens and new earth that were new means uninhabited. 240 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,900 It means this. We're going to get somewhere. 241 00:13:28,900 --> 00:13:31,600 We're going to get to go somewhere that's uninhabited by 242 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,000 us. More on that in just a moment 243 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:38,700 where that is. So it's not this Earth at all. 244 00:13:38,900 --> 00:13:41,900 Number two. What else is it not inheriting? 245 00:13:41,900 --> 00:13:45,900 The Earth does not refer to material Prosperity. 246 00:13:46,300 --> 00:13:49,600 All right, first of all, there is nothing in the world wrong 247 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,300 with material Prosperity, maybe you have some, I don't know. 248 00:13:54,700 --> 00:13:59,100 There's nothing wrong with it. If you have been blessed 249 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:05,100 monetarily, good for you. Praise God for that because 250 00:14:05,100 --> 00:14:06,900 every good and perfect gift is from above. 251 00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:08,800 So, if you've been blessed, that's wonderful. 252 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,700 But I know, faithful Christians that are faithful Christians, 253 00:14:13,700 --> 00:14:16,600 wonderfully faithful Christians, and they struggle monetarily, 254 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:22,200 they struggled, desperately monetarily I also know that 255 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,800 Prosper some that do I know people in the world that are 256 00:14:25,808 --> 00:14:29,500 terrible people but man, they Prosper, financially Good people 257 00:14:29,500 --> 00:14:30,900 in the world that are really struggling. 258 00:14:31,100 --> 00:14:35,200 Okay, what's my point? My point is though, Prosperity 259 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:38,600 monetarily is not wrong. It's not necessarily promise to 260 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,100 someone who decides to live a faithful life. 261 00:14:41,900 --> 00:14:46,600 It's not a promise for that. What does God promised God 262 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:50,400 promises that our needs are taken care of but not prosperity 263 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:52,600 to Believers if you're just follow him. 264 00:14:52,700 --> 00:14:56,100 So what else does the Lord? Not mean, what's he talking 265 00:14:56,100 --> 00:14:56,700 about here? What? 266 00:14:56,700 --> 00:15:01,600 Some people believe that Jesus And inheriting the Earth means 267 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,800 to enjoy it fully. And here's the reason to 268 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:11,300 substantiate that theory. God created the Earth for his 269 00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:13,400 people to enjoy. Is that true? 270 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,700 Yes. Yes. 271 00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:23,800 I don't know about you. I enjoy life. 272 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:31,100 I do. I've had challenges like you 273 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:33,500 have, I've had struggles like you have, I've had some hard 274 00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:37,700 stuff like you have. But I can honestly say I've had 275 00:15:37,700 --> 00:15:41,100 a good life. And I enjoy it. 276 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:44,900 I enjoy the world. We live in. 277 00:15:46,300 --> 00:15:48,800 I just have it in perspective because I know it's not the end 278 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,500 but I enjoy it. So to substantiate the idea that 279 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:56,200 inheriting, the Earth means you fully enjoy, because God 280 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,000 prepared the Earth for his people to enjoy. 281 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,700 And for his glory, is that fact, true? 282 00:16:00,700 --> 00:16:05,400 That fact is true. All right, let's go further 283 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,500 though. Other people holding the fact 284 00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:12,400 that inheriting the Earth means this, that the righteous will 285 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,800 triumph over the wicked in the day of judgment. 286 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,200 Is that true? Yes, that's true. 287 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:22,000 How do I know that parable of the tares, remember the tears in 288 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,700 the wheat grow together, and in the end, the tears are bound up 289 00:16:24,700 --> 00:16:28,000 in their cast into the furnace. And then what does it say? 290 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,000 I love this phrase. I love this phrase. 291 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,400 That Jesus says he said, and then the righteous will shine 292 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:35,300 forth. So will the righteous triumph 293 00:16:35,300 --> 00:16:36,300 over the wicked? Yeah. 294 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:40,600 Yes. And while those two things seem 295 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,200 to have some kind of Merit, they missed the main idea and they 296 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,600 miss the context. So, in understanding what the 297 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,600 Lord means here about inheriting the Earth, we have to interpret 298 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,500 it in light of the interpretation of Old Testament 299 00:16:53,500 --> 00:16:56,700 history. It's very important to do that. 300 00:16:56,700 --> 00:16:58,700 Why? Because Jesus was also standing 301 00:16:58,700 --> 00:17:01,700 there talking to a Jewish audience on that day and they 302 00:17:01,700 --> 00:17:03,600 would have understood what he was saying. 303 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:07,700 It would have made sense when you use phrases like inherit the 304 00:17:07,700 --> 00:17:09,300 earth. Hold that thought. 305 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,599 Let's look at these two words inherit the Earth. 306 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:13,800 First. The word, Earth. 307 00:17:14,500 --> 00:17:17,200 The word Earth. Literally means land. 308 00:17:19,099 --> 00:17:22,300 Okay, so whatever the Lord is talking about the word Earth, 309 00:17:22,300 --> 00:17:27,300 their means land the word, inherit refers to one who 310 00:17:27,300 --> 00:17:31,000 receives their allotted portion of that land. 311 00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:35,700 Now, what's the illusion? The illusion, or diluting to the 312 00:17:35,700 --> 00:17:40,200 time when God promises people? What the promised land? 313 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,800 The promised land of Canaan, it was a literal specific place. 314 00:17:45,500 --> 00:17:48,900 It was the promised land. And by the way, To the promised 315 00:17:48,900 --> 00:17:52,100 land of Canaan. The literal Canaan was a picture 316 00:17:52,100 --> 00:17:56,500 of something. Greater That we're going to get 317 00:17:56,500 --> 00:18:01,000 some day. What he was saying is this, as 318 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:05,200 the children of Israel were promised, ancient Israel was 319 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:10,300 promised a promised land. So to the child of God, that 320 00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:13,800 faithful to Jesus Christ. All the days of his life will 321 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,500 have their allotted portion of that Promised Land. 322 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,200 What is that? It's heaven. 323 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,400 In that great. You want to go to heaven? 324 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:29,900 You got to be meek. You got to be meek. 325 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,100 The Christians are Pilgrim in this world. 326 00:18:38,100 --> 00:18:42,100 Making his way toward that promised inheritance me give you 327 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:45,900 some Bible for that in First Peter chapter 2 and verse 11. 328 00:18:47,300 --> 00:18:52,700 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from 329 00:18:52,700 --> 00:18:56,700 fleshly lusts, which war against the soul a Sojourner. 330 00:18:56,700 --> 00:18:59,700 By the way, is a traveler, a pilgrim? 331 00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:01,700 Is somebody that makes a brief stay? 332 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:08,400 Okay, that's all we are. We are Travelers in the world, 333 00:19:09,300 --> 00:19:13,900 making a brief. Stay in the world waiting for 334 00:19:13,900 --> 00:19:17,100 the promised inheritance or are allotted portion of the The 335 00:19:17,100 --> 00:19:20,100 promised land and that's Heaven, okay? 336 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,000 Again, you got to be me, all right, so let me ask you this, 337 00:19:24,500 --> 00:19:26,700 you might be wondering, okay? So what's the benefit? 338 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,500 What is the Practical benefit in my life of being meek? 339 00:19:31,300 --> 00:19:34,200 And number two, why do we need to have it? 340 00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:38,300 Two things. Why do we got to have it and 341 00:19:38,300 --> 00:19:40,000 what's the Practical benefit of it? 342 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,800 Here it is. Meekness is the key to gaining 343 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,900 this inheritance because it stems from an inner quality that 344 00:19:47,900 --> 00:19:51,300 allows man to endure life's hardships patiently. 345 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,800 I don't know about you, that's good stuff because I'm going to 346 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,600 tell you something. Life is hard, it's difficult 347 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,800 things are difficult in life, don't you want to have some kind 348 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,200 of a quality or something innate in you? 349 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,500 That gives you the strength to persevere and make it to the 350 00:20:08,500 --> 00:20:15,600 end. And not let go and give up. if 351 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,400 you knew how important the inheritance was, You do 352 00:20:19,408 --> 00:20:22,800 understand the importance of, not letting go and not giving 353 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,500 up. Meekness is the quality of 354 00:20:25,500 --> 00:20:27,500 gaining that it gives you the inner strength. 355 00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:30,000 And by the way, this doesn't sound like weakness to me. 356 00:20:30,100 --> 00:20:33,300 This sounds like, courage to me. It sounds like strength to me. 357 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:36,500 This is the quality that's going to give me the strength and the 358 00:20:36,500 --> 00:20:39,800 courage to make it to the end and endure the hardships of Life 359 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:44,000 patiently, no matter what. Let's go back to Moses and talk 360 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:48,100 about their Promised Land. Many that lived under Moses and 361 00:20:48,100 --> 00:20:51,500 many, that followed Moses did not manifest the spirit of 362 00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:53,500 meekness. They didn't have that quality at 363 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:53,900 all. You know what? 364 00:20:53,900 --> 00:20:57,900 That happen to happen to them, they died in the wilderness 365 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:01,000 falling short of the Promised Land. 366 00:21:03,900 --> 00:21:07,800 I want to fall short. Christian's can fall short, 367 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:09,700 though. They can fall short of their 368 00:21:09,700 --> 00:21:13,000 rest. If they don't patiently and 369 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,900 meekly and or let me give you some Bible for that. 370 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:18,000 And by the way anybody that would say that a person cannot 371 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,300 lose their salvation. Please look at this passage is 372 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:25,000 very sobering. Hebrews 4 and 1. 373 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,500 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, 374 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:33,000 This Promise remains to everybody that still living Let 375 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,100 us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 376 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,300 Let's not be short. Let's hang in there. 377 00:21:39,300 --> 00:21:42,500 Let's not give up. So Meek is not weak. 378 00:21:42,500 --> 00:21:45,900 It's the ultimate demonstration of strength and now we come to 379 00:21:45,900 --> 00:21:49,100 verse 6. They're building on one another. 380 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,300 I got to do something in order to remain faithful. 381 00:21:51,500 --> 00:21:54,200 I got to do something in order to stay the course. 382 00:21:54,300 --> 00:21:57,800 Here, it is. Blessed are those who hunger and 383 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,300 thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. 384 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,800 Now, I got to tell you this. We talked a whole lot about 385 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:05,100 living a righteous life, don't we? 386 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,700 How many times have we heard sermons on Godly living? 387 00:22:10,300 --> 00:22:13,300 Faithful living living the Christian Life. 388 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:17,700 Righteous Deeds all the things that we must do, obedient life 389 00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:21,400 and all that. And all that's true. 390 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:25,200 We spend a lot of time talking about righteousness but we don't 391 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:30,500 spend a whole lot of time. Talking about hungering and 392 00:22:30,500 --> 00:22:36,100 thirsting for it. I'm going to say this. 393 00:22:36,100 --> 00:22:39,600 Maybe that's the problem. Because if we're having a 394 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:44,300 problem with righteousness, maybe the problem is, we're not 395 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:50,300 hungering and thirsting for it. I know this. 396 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,600 I don't know about you, but I know in my life. 397 00:22:54,300 --> 00:22:58,400 If I want something really bad. I'm going to do whatever it 398 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:00,900 takes to get it. I don't know if that's good or 399 00:23:00,900 --> 00:23:02,900 not. I'm just telling you, that's the 400 00:23:02,900 --> 00:23:07,800 truth from me. If I want to buy something. 401 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,000 I'll do whatever I can or whatever. 402 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,900 I need to to have the means to get it because I want it. 403 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,400 If I want to achieve a goal and it means a lot to me. 404 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:20,700 I'm going to do whatever it takes to get it. 405 00:23:22,100 --> 00:23:28,100 Because I want to. there's a phrase that my coaches used to 406 00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:34,600 tell me and my teammates as they coached our football teams 407 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:39,400 you're going to want to How many times have you heard the phrase? 408 00:23:39,500 --> 00:23:42,400 This team just wanted it more than the other team. 409 00:23:42,900 --> 00:23:45,800 They weren't even as good, but they wanted it more. 410 00:23:47,300 --> 00:23:50,300 I'm going to tell you something, wanting it is everything because 411 00:23:50,300 --> 00:23:52,500 if you want it you'll do what it takes to get it. 412 00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:55,600 And it begins with hungering and thirsting for it. 413 00:23:55,600 --> 00:24:00,500 It's got to mean something. An intense desire. 414 00:24:01,300 --> 00:24:03,800 We understand about physical nourishment, but spiritual 415 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,100 nourishment, is more important than physical nourishment. 416 00:24:07,100 --> 00:24:08,800 It has to be part of the Christian Life. 417 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,000 We have to have an insatiable desire for righteousness, and 418 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,300 how do you get it? Somebody might say, well, how 419 00:24:15,300 --> 00:24:16,900 you get it? Oh, I'd like to have that. 420 00:24:16,900 --> 00:24:18,200 How do you get? Here's how you get it. 421 00:24:18,700 --> 00:24:23,700 You can't get it without this. Righteousness is obtained by 422 00:24:23,700 --> 00:24:26,700 seeking God's ways and walking in his commands. 423 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,000 That's it. You can't have God's 424 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,400 righteousness without that is it important? 425 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,700 It's absolutely important. Matthew 6:33. 426 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:39,500 But seek first, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and 427 00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:42,000 all these things shall be added unto you. 428 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,900 In this beatitude with the Lord is saying, is blessed are those 429 00:24:45,900 --> 00:24:49,000 who are poor in spirit meaning? I've rented myself. 430 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,500 I've got this huge void, right? I'm poor in spirit destitute in 431 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:55,800 spirit, but Jesus says, those that are blessed. 432 00:24:55,800 --> 00:25:00,400 Are those that All that void with God's righteousness. 433 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,800 Are you kind of at least at least getting the picture? 434 00:25:10,900 --> 00:25:13,500 That all of this is not weakness at all. 435 00:25:13,900 --> 00:25:18,700 It's about strength. But it's about where you get the 436 00:25:18,700 --> 00:25:23,600 strength. It's not you it's God. 437 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:29,000 It's his strength. It's not my personal 438 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:30,300 righteousness. The Bible says, there's none 439 00:25:30,300 --> 00:25:31,900 righteous. No, not one. 440 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,200 But when I fill the void of being poor in spirit with God's 441 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,300 righteousness, guess what? Good stuff. 442 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:43,400 It's a lifelong spiritual Quest. And when you grow spiritually, 443 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:48,200 please get this. You have to also grow in your 444 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:52,600 appetite for it. We talked about spiritual growth 445 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,000 while your appetite has to grow to very familiar passage. 446 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,200 I'm gonna get back to this passage later, but I want to put 447 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:00,800 it on a screen. First, Peter 2:2 as newborn 448 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,100 babes desire, the pure milk of the word that you may grow, 449 00:26:03,100 --> 00:26:05,400 thereby? We understand the passage goes 450 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,800 back to infancy and all of that and the milk of the word. 451 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:12,900 Okay, I'm just going to say this at some point in time Christian. 452 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,900 You got to need the meat. You got to do two things with 453 00:26:19,900 --> 00:26:22,000 the meek. You got a number one, crave it. 454 00:26:23,300 --> 00:26:26,500 And you got a number to be able to handle it and eat it and 455 00:26:26,500 --> 00:26:28,600 digest it. I'm talking about the meat of 456 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:30,300 the word of God, of the word of God. 457 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,200 So, in order for me to grow, my Hunger has to grow, too. 458 00:26:37,700 --> 00:26:41,500 It has to grow to righteousness requires responsibility. 459 00:26:41,500 --> 00:26:45,100 It's not a, it's not given to us without our obedience. 460 00:26:45,300 --> 00:26:48,400 In fact, John says this. Notice, when John says in first 461 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,300 John, chapter 3 and verse seven little children, let no one 462 00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:54,700 deceive you. He, who practices righteousness 463 00:26:54,700 --> 00:26:57,000 is righteous. Righteousness, is righteous, 464 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:01,000 just as he is righteous. Now share something with you 465 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,900 really quickly very quickly. When I was a football player, I 466 00:27:05,900 --> 00:27:10,000 hated practice, I really did. And maybe it was because our 467 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,400 coaches back were old school and they treated us like dogs. 468 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,000 They ran us to death, and they didn't give us any water because 469 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,200 they thought if they gave you any water, it was a sign of 470 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,400 weakness. We know that's wrong. 471 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,200 We know that doesn't exist today. 472 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:25,100 We know hydrations, everything we get it, but I was coached old 473 00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:28,500 school and I got to tell you, I hated practice, it was hard, 474 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:35,300 love game day, hated practice. Practice though is always hard. 475 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,100 So if you want righteousness, Jesus said you got a hunger and 476 00:27:40,100 --> 00:27:42,500 thirst after it. But oh there's more you have to 477 00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:48,700 even practice it. And that's hard, you know, why 478 00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:52,200 it's practice. And sometimes it goes against 479 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,300 our being, sometimes it goes against our nature. 480 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,800 That's what John says. Let's notice, what, what did 481 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,100 Paul say to Timothy? Not only do you have to practice 482 00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:03,300 it, you have to do something else. 483 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,900 You gotta pursue it, but you o. Man of, oh, man of God, flee 484 00:28:06,900 --> 00:28:09,900 these things and pursue righteousness godliness, Faith, 485 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:15,500 love, patience and gentleness. So if you want to be righteous, 486 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:17,900 you got a hunger and thirst. Thirst after it, you got to 487 00:28:17,900 --> 00:28:20,900 practice it according to John, and you have to pursue it 488 00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:25,100 according to Paul. It's a little harder than you 489 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:28,300 think. Because it requires what. 490 00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:35,300 Effort on all of our part. Furthermore, Paul reminds the 491 00:28:35,308 --> 00:28:38,000 Romans that salvation is obtained by obedience to the 492 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:39,400 faith that is found in the gospel. 493 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:40,900 I'm gonna give you some Bible here now. 494 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:44,800 Romans chapter 1 and verse 5 through him, we have received 495 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,200 Grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all 496 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:51,200 nations for his name. What is the foundation of what 497 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,300 is the standard? We drop down to verses 16 and 498 00:28:53,300 --> 00:28:55,300 17. For I am not ashamed of the 499 00:28:55,300 --> 00:28:58,700 gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for 500 00:28:58,700 --> 00:29:01,100 everyone. He believes for the Jew first, 501 00:29:01,100 --> 00:29:05,200 and also, for the Greek, for in it, the righteousness of God is 502 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:10,100 revealed. In the word, folks, in the 503 00:29:10,100 --> 00:29:12,800 gospel. The righteousness of God is 504 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:17,100 revealed from Faith to Faith. As it is written, the just shall 505 00:29:17,100 --> 00:29:22,400 live by faith. Jesus says this, if you do this, 506 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,700 if you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you're going to 507 00:29:26,700 --> 00:29:31,300 be filled. I got to tell you. 508 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:38,700 In 56 years of life. I have found people. 509 00:29:40,100 --> 00:29:47,100 Many, many, many people. Who are grasping seeking and 510 00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:49,000 diligently looking for something. 511 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:52,600 Because there's a void in their life. 512 00:29:54,500 --> 00:29:56,100 And they just don't know what they're looking for. 513 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,300 I'ma tell you what the answer is, when there's a void It is 514 00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:07,900 God's righteousness. And when you hunger and thirst 515 00:30:07,900 --> 00:30:12,500 for it, I love this. You're going to be filled. 516 00:30:14,300 --> 00:30:18,700 You are going to be filled. It is the promise of complete 517 00:30:18,700 --> 00:30:21,700 satisfaction. It is what you're looking for. 518 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:29,100 Godly desires, satisfied, spiritual bellies satisfied. 519 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:31,700 And this word filled here is a very interesting word. 520 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:37,700 It is a very strong word. It is a graphic word and in, its 521 00:30:37,700 --> 00:30:42,000 Origins and literally was used to the fattening of animals in a 522 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:49,000 stall. Okay, in a good way you're gonna 523 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:53,600 get fat and a good way. Spiritually. 524 00:30:55,500 --> 00:31:00,200 You will be filled. You're gonna be satisfied in 525 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:02,600 similar fashion. You're never going to go hungry. 526 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,800 You're never going to go lacking, because all hunger is 527 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:11,000 satisfied with the word of God. Just a little side point here. 528 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,900 Please from a spiritual standpoint, and a spiritual 529 00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:17,700 perspective. Okay, I have to make a couple of 530 00:31:17,700 --> 00:31:25,600 observations here, please. It's okay to have questions. 531 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:36,400 And it's okay to have doubts. Only if the source of the answer 532 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:41,000 for those questions and the satisfaction of those doubts is 533 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,500 found in that Source right there in the word. 534 00:31:46,100 --> 00:31:50,000 Then no problem. Because everybody's going to 535 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,700 have human feelings of doubt and questions. 536 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:56,600 Okay, I get it. No problem. 537 00:31:56,900 --> 00:31:59,300 If the source for the answers is the word of God. 538 00:32:00,900 --> 00:32:05,100 Number two thing I have to say. Please do not waste time. 539 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,300 Pondering the off. Cask theological question that 540 00:32:09,300 --> 00:32:11,100 has no answer and that is the question. 541 00:32:11,100 --> 00:32:16,600 Why don't do that? Number three. 542 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,600 I got to say at some point in time, in your life. 543 00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:24,300 Your faith is just going to have to kick in. 544 00:32:26,700 --> 00:32:29,400 You're going to have to believe it and accept it by faith was 545 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:32,700 faith. Faith is the substance of things 546 00:32:32,700 --> 00:32:37,300 hoped for the evidence of Things Not Seen. 547 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,500 I can't see it. So what faith? 548 00:32:42,700 --> 00:32:44,600 And I realize this is a growth process. 549 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,600 I do I do understand that I get it. 550 00:32:46,700 --> 00:32:48,200 So how do you going to erase the questions? 551 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,700 How you going to race, the doubt, how you going to do it? 552 00:32:50,700 --> 00:32:53,900 Here's how you're going to do it when the word of God is the 553 00:32:53,900 --> 00:32:57,400 answer. It will answer your questions 554 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:02,200 and strengthen your faith. And when your faith is 555 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:06,400 strengthened, the doubts will go away. 556 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,100 But it all stems from the word of God that great source. 557 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,400 Hungering and thirsting for righteousness, please goes 558 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:17,500 hand-in-hand with the word of God. 559 00:33:17,500 --> 00:33:19,300 Let's go back to that passage first. 560 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:21,800 Let's go back to 1st Peter, 2 and verse 2. 561 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:25,300 Again, please as newborn babes, what does that mean? 562 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:30,800 Newborn babes, it, actually, from Thayer means new or recent, 563 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,400 or earliest infancy? We understand this from earliest 564 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:38,300 infancy. A baby croc craves nourishment. 565 00:33:38,900 --> 00:33:42,600 They do I get that. We all get that, they crave 566 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:47,900 nourishment. It begins as a babe in Christ, 567 00:33:47,900 --> 00:33:50,000 craving the spiritual nourishment of the word of God, 568 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,800 but I have to say, it doesn't stop there. 569 00:33:53,100 --> 00:33:55,100 I want to ask you a question answer. 570 00:33:55,100 --> 00:34:00,700 This question to yourself. Are you hungry and thirsty for 571 00:34:00,700 --> 00:34:02,400 righteousness? That you may be filled. 572 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:07,100 Are you feeding on the word of God? 573 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:11,000 Do you still have the insatiable? 574 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,199 Desire for the spiritual nourishment? 575 00:34:13,199 --> 00:34:16,199 You once got from the word of God when you obey the gospel. 576 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:26,000 Are you still hungry? Or are you good? 577 00:34:26,699 --> 00:34:38,199 I'm good. because if you're good, you stopped growing. and 578 00:34:38,199 --> 00:34:41,199 if you stop growing, you begin to die. 579 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:45,500 Can't do it. Let's not do that. 580 00:34:47,699 --> 00:34:52,300 Why is it? That the word of God is 581 00:34:52,300 --> 00:34:54,699 all-sufficient. That we know that the Bible says 582 00:34:54,699 --> 00:34:56,699 that it is. But why is the word of God? 583 00:34:56,699 --> 00:34:58,700 All sufficient for all of these answers. 584 00:34:58,700 --> 00:35:02,100 Why is it, why is it the only thing that we need spiritually 585 00:35:02,100 --> 00:35:04,500 speaking? It's because of the word desire 586 00:35:04,500 --> 00:35:06,900 and because of the word pure, let's notice what they are. 587 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:12,700 The word Desire, by the way, is an emphatic in this sentence. 588 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:16,000 Meaning, this it's kind of like a baby that comes into the 589 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:19,500 world, whether it's nursing, whether it's with a bottle, 590 00:35:19,500 --> 00:35:22,900 whether it's whatever they need, nourishment, they have a desire 591 00:35:22,900 --> 00:35:26,400 to have it babies. Come into this world hungry. 592 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,500 So she's a child of God. You come in the world's hungry. 593 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:34,600 So you have that desire that burning deep desire. 594 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:35,800 Got it. All right. 595 00:35:36,300 --> 00:35:40,300 What about pure in the new King James says pure and the old King 596 00:35:40,300 --> 00:35:44,600 James it says sincere. You know what that word means? 597 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:48,400 The word pure in English language from the Greek word. 598 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:51,800 Literally means this words, these two words here without 599 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:55,500 wax. It means this without flaw. 600 00:35:55,500 --> 00:35:57,600 Let me tell you what the without wax part means. 601 00:35:58,300 --> 00:36:00,700 If a carpenter, and you may remember this from years ago, 602 00:36:00,900 --> 00:36:04,300 but a carpenter that goes and does beautiful work or sculptor 603 00:36:04,300 --> 00:36:07,800 that did beautiful work. That was considered Pure or 604 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,800 without flaw. It was said that his work was 605 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:12,300 without wax. Why? 606 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:15,300 Because guess what, when he messed up and he made a mistake, 607 00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:17,600 you know what they would do, they would take wax and they 608 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,100 would fit the imperfection with wax. 609 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,000 Therefore, it was now acceptable. 610 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:25,200 Guess what? It wasn't pure. 611 00:36:25,300 --> 00:36:27,600 It wasn't without wax, it did have a flaw. 612 00:36:29,100 --> 00:36:32,700 What's the word of God? Oh, it's without wax. 613 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:39,000 It is without a flaw. Hey, we got painters in this 614 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,400 audience. A painter's putty and paint make 615 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:44,600 a carpenter. What he ain't been saying that 616 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:48,500 for years because there's no such thing as perfect work. 617 00:36:49,100 --> 00:36:51,300 Perfect craftsmanship. There's always flaws, right? 618 00:36:52,300 --> 00:36:55,600 That's why they use wax for the imperfections, but the word of 619 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:57,800 God is trustworthy. You don't have to worry about 620 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:01,300 it. It has no flaw you know what 621 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:03,800 Peter's doing here. He's giving us a lesson on how 622 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:06,600 to be hungry to hunger for the right stuff. 623 00:37:07,300 --> 00:37:10,400 Now, please let me notice with you the dangers of filling your 624 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:15,600 minds with the wrong stuff. When you fill your minds with 625 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:18,500 the wrong stuff and destroys your appetite for the good 626 00:37:18,500 --> 00:37:21,100 stuff. What's the good stuff? 627 00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:22,100 We already said, who. What? 628 00:37:22,100 --> 00:37:24,600 That was. When you fill your mind with the 629 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:26,700 bad stuff. Me give an example of this. 630 00:37:27,100 --> 00:37:29,200 Luke chapter 15, don't turn in your Bibles there. 631 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,100 I'm going to be very brief couple, little tiny points and 632 00:37:32,100 --> 00:37:37,000 one observation, please, couple facts in Luke chapter 15. 633 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,900 The Story Of The Prodigal K, he goes to his father, he gets his 634 00:37:39,900 --> 00:37:41,900 inheritance. He goes out into the far 635 00:37:41,900 --> 00:37:45,400 country, he wasted all he spends it all he's starving. 636 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:48,900 Now, where is he now? He is in the pigpen slopping, 637 00:37:48,900 --> 00:37:53,800 the Hogs A degrading job for a Jewish boy because pigs were 638 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:59,800 unclean in the Old Testament. Say you got this guy a Jewish 639 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,300 boy, in this pig, pen starving to death and the Bible says 640 00:38:03,300 --> 00:38:06,600 what? He was so hungry, he would have 641 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:11,500 eaten the husks that the pigs ate, but nobody gave it to him. 642 00:38:12,300 --> 00:38:15,800 We already know all that part. Here's my point. 643 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,800 Here's my observation. Even if he was given the husks 644 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:25,300 to eat. It would not have satisfied him 645 00:38:25,300 --> 00:38:28,100 at all. You know why? 646 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:35,000 Husks, destroy the appetite. And pervert the taste. 647 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:41,900 And that's what happens when you fill your mind with garbage from 648 00:38:41,900 --> 00:38:45,100 a spiritual perspective, when you fill your mind from a 649 00:38:45,100 --> 00:38:48,700 spiritual perspective, on other things, in the word of God, or 650 00:38:48,700 --> 00:38:52,400 instead of the word of God, it destroys the appetite and 651 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,500 perverts The Taste side point here. 652 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:57,900 I'm not saying you can never read another book besides the 653 00:38:57,908 --> 00:39:00,600 Bible, my library is filled with books. 654 00:39:01,700 --> 00:39:03,900 Religious books, all kinds of books. 655 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:07,700 It's not my point. But please understand when you 656 00:39:07,700 --> 00:39:10,300 read a book it was written by a man. 657 00:39:11,500 --> 00:39:15,700 No matter how scholarly he might have been he still a man. 658 00:39:16,500 --> 00:39:21,100 Okay, the Bible is infallible, it's perfect is pure, it is 659 00:39:21,100 --> 00:39:26,300 without wax, it is without flaw. Man's books are with flaw, 660 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:29,000 perhaps. So we have to be careful. 661 00:39:29,100 --> 00:39:31,900 What I'm saying. Is this when you fill your mind 662 00:39:31,900 --> 00:39:36,300 with philosophical, meanderings and spiritual things from the 663 00:39:36,300 --> 00:39:40,900 world standpoint, that violate the word of God, don't do that. 664 00:39:42,500 --> 00:39:45,300 And when you start to Crave that which contradicts the word of 665 00:39:45,300 --> 00:39:48,900 God, you know what you're doing, you're destroying your appetite 666 00:39:49,900 --> 00:39:53,100 and your perverting, The Taste for the word of God. 667 00:39:54,300 --> 00:39:57,700 We don't want to do that. There's what Paul said after he 668 00:39:57,707 --> 00:40:01,400 instructed Timothy, by the way to charge those that teach no 669 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:03,700 other Doctrine. He said this in first Timothy 1 670 00:40:03,700 --> 00:40:06,800 and verse 4. He said this nor give heed to 671 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:09,600 fables and endless genealogies. I'm not going into this. 672 00:40:09,900 --> 00:40:12,600 We studied this first Timothy chapter 1, not long ago in our 673 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:14,200 Sunday, afternoons. I'm not going into that but I 674 00:40:14,207 --> 00:40:16,200 will say this, I'll sum it up like this. 675 00:40:16,900 --> 00:40:21,200 Paul is saying avoid the things that give rise to speculations 676 00:40:21,300 --> 00:40:25,400 that cause disputes or as the King James says questions. 677 00:40:26,300 --> 00:40:29,200 Rather than godliness rather than edification. 678 00:40:30,100 --> 00:40:34,400 In other words, avoid the things that act attack and corrupt and 679 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:37,000 assault, biblical truth, that's all I'm saying. 680 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:40,500 Avoid those things first, Timothy 6, and verse 20, there's 681 00:40:40,500 --> 00:40:45,200 more, oh Timothy guard. What was committed to your 682 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:47,400 trust. Avoiding profane and idle 683 00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:50,700 babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called 684 00:40:50,700 --> 00:40:53,000 knowledge. All right what is an idol 685 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,300 babbling? It literally is translated 686 00:40:55,300 --> 00:40:58,000 something out. Outside the sacred Temple. 687 00:40:58,500 --> 00:41:00,200 We don't need that. Chuck it out. 688 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:03,800 What else? What's contradictions of what is 689 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:05,800 falsely called knowledge? What's that? 690 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:11,100 It is opposing arguments the antithesis of what is falsely 691 00:41:11,100 --> 00:41:13,400 called knowledge. Don't need it. 692 00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:19,900 Don't need it. Avoid the garbage that comes in 693 00:41:19,900 --> 00:41:24,200 the name of religion philosophy. And remember that hungering and 694 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:28,700 thirsting for righteousness will always be connected to the word 695 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:33,400 and don't let your mind. Be corrupted in conclusion today 696 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:35,800 and I'm wrapping it up. Here we go. 697 00:41:37,500 --> 00:41:39,900 I want to summarize the first four Beatitudes as they fit 698 00:41:39,900 --> 00:41:41,800 together very fast, very briefly. 699 00:41:43,300 --> 00:41:45,400 He begins by saying blessed are the poor in spirit. 700 00:41:45,400 --> 00:41:47,700 In other words, I am destitute without God. 701 00:41:47,700 --> 00:41:50,800 I need God, great stuff. I need God. 702 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:52,800 And Jesus Christ. What's it going to cause me to 703 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:55,300 do? It's going to cause me to mourn 704 00:41:55,300 --> 00:41:58,500 over my sin with repentance and godly sorrow me. 705 00:41:58,500 --> 00:42:01,800 I'm gonna do something about it. I obey the gospel on washed in 706 00:42:01,808 --> 00:42:03,800 the blood of Jesus. I'm baptized for the remission 707 00:42:03,800 --> 00:42:05,100 of my sins. Guess what? 708 00:42:05,100 --> 00:42:08,400 I'm comforted now, I'm not living in a state of Perpetual 709 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:10,300 morning. I'm comforted because why, 710 00:42:10,500 --> 00:42:14,400 because I'm forgiven then he said Said I'm going to have the 711 00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:16,700 spiritual disposition that I need to have. 712 00:42:16,700 --> 00:42:20,000 I'm going to have meekness and meekness is going to give me the 713 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:21,800 right mindset. It's going to give me the 714 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:24,500 courage and the strength to persevere, no matter what. 715 00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:28,500 And I'm going to inherit my allotted portion in heaven, One 716 00:42:28,500 --> 00:42:31,200 Day by doing that. And then I got a hunger and 717 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:35,700 thirst for righteousness. Found it on the word of God, and 718 00:42:35,700 --> 00:42:39,000 I'm going to be filled satisfied. 719 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:47,700 In every way I'm done. I'ma tell you what. 720 00:42:50,600 --> 00:42:54,600 I'm not. But Jesus is. 721 00:42:56,500 --> 00:43:01,100 The greatest. And this sermon is the greatest 722 00:43:01,100 --> 00:43:05,000 sermon ever preached. And we've only just begun. 723 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:09,800 We never close a time when we assemble without extending an 724 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:11,200 invitation. Here's the invitation. 725 00:43:11,300 --> 00:43:14,200 Jesus says come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden 726 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:17,800 and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn of me 727 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:19,500 for. I am meek and lowly at heart and 728 00:43:19,500 --> 00:43:21,300 you shall find rest unto your souls. 729 00:43:21,300 --> 00:43:24,200 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 730 00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:27,600 You want to come to Jesus? Here's how you do it. 731 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:32,200 You got to hear the word of God, Romans 10:17. 732 00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:35,000 So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 733 00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:38,900 You've done that today. Upon hearing the word of God. 734 00:43:38,900 --> 00:43:43,500 Do you got a choice to make? You got to believe with all your 735 00:43:43,500 --> 00:43:46,400 heart, Hebrews 11 and 6, but without faith, it's impossible 736 00:43:46,400 --> 00:43:48,700 to please him for. He who comes to God, must 737 00:43:48,700 --> 00:43:53,000 believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who 738 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:55,500 diligently seek him. What else? 739 00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:58,100 I gotta change my life, I gotta change. 740 00:43:58,100 --> 00:43:59,900 My ways. How do you do that? 741 00:43:59,900 --> 00:44:02,500 You got to repent of your sins acts 17 and 30. 742 00:44:02,700 --> 00:44:05,200 Truly these times of ignorance, God overlooked. 743 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:08,900 But now commands all men everywhere to repent, that's a 744 00:44:08,900 --> 00:44:12,800 great thing change. For the good. 745 00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:16,300 Never let it be that we get to the point. 746 00:44:16,300 --> 00:44:19,500 We don't think we can change. We better be changing our whole 747 00:44:19,500 --> 00:44:24,600 life if it's for the good. Then what be willing to make the 748 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:26,900 greatest confession, you'll ever make the greatest words, it'll 749 00:44:26,900 --> 00:44:28,400 ever come out of your mouth confess. 750 00:44:28,400 --> 00:44:32,000 Jesus Christ as the Son of God acts. 8:37 then fear Philip said 751 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:34,100 if you believe with all your heart you made and he answered 752 00:44:34,100 --> 00:44:38,200 and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God upon 753 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:41,200 taking these steps. You are now a fit candidate to 754 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:44,700 find the point of Salvation. It's at baptism, here it is. 755 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:49,000 Be baptized for the remission of your sins. 756 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:52,100 Mark 16:16. Jesus said he who believes and 757 00:44:52,100 --> 00:44:56,500 is Baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be 758 00:44:56,500 --> 00:44:58,800 condemned. Are you saved? 759 00:44:58,900 --> 00:45:00,400 If you're not, you can do that today. 760 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:03,700 We'd love to assist you in that maybe our Maybe you've taken 761 00:45:03,700 --> 00:45:05,800 these steps, maybe there are things in your life that just 762 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:07,200 aren't right then. Fine. 763 00:45:07,300 --> 00:45:10,800 How about that other process? We talked about to be, comforted 764 00:45:10,900 --> 00:45:13,200 confess him before, God confess your sins. 765 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:15,300 He's faithful. And just to forgive us, our sins 766 00:45:15,500 --> 00:45:17,700 and cleanse us, from all unrighteousness, that's 767 00:45:17,700 --> 00:45:20,500 confession with repentance. So if you will confess those 768 00:45:20,500 --> 00:45:23,900 sins with repentance in your heart, God will forgive you and 769 00:45:23,900 --> 00:45:26,100 God will restore. When we pray. 770 00:45:27,500 --> 00:45:30,100 We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the 771 00:45:30,100 --> 00:45:35,900 Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you 772 00:45:35,900 --> 00:45:39,000 would like any additional information, or you would like 773 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:42,200 to receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail. 774 00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:46,600 Please email us at info at her Church of Christ 775 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:50,600 Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays 776 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:56,200 at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. 777 00:45:56,800 --> 00:46:00,400 Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our 778 00:46:00,400 --> 00:46:01,300 honored guest.