1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,760 It's wonderful to be here with all of you today, and we and we 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,840 always say welcome. We have quite a few of our 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,560 members that are missing today and we hope that all is well 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,120 with them, but we have a great crowd because you are here. 5 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,640 I do consider it an honor always to speak concerning the word of 6 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,040 God, and I'm really enjoying the series that we're doing on The 7 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,800 Greatest Sermon Ever Preached, and that's the Sermon on the 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,320 Mount covered in Matthew Chapter 5, Matthew Chapter 6 and Matthew 9 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,800 Chapter 7. As you can see on the screen, I 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,480 have Matthew 5, verses 38 through 42, and I've been titled 11 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:38,360 Our Remarks Going the Second Mile. 12 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,480 And you might remember if you looked at the last thing that I 13 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:45,320 talked about when Jesus dealt with the concept of marriage and 14 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:47,520 how marriage is binding and all of that. 15 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,360 There's another group of scriptures that follows that 16 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:51,920 that I'm going to skip for a time. 17 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,400 I'll probably get back to them, but that group of scriptures is 18 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,520 covering swearing and taking oaths and what all that means. 19 00:00:58,520 --> 00:00:59,960 And that's really a deep subject. 20 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:02,680 And I thought I would skip that for now because I really want to 21 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,760 talk on this subject. I want to talk about going the 22 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,360 second mile. I want to share something with 23 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,560 you. Before we begin though, when I 24 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,720 was a younger man and I gave a lot of lessons, even as a 25 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,280 younger preacher, I remember that all of my lessons that I 26 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,320 gave were pretty much topical. I would get a topic in mind and 27 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:25,360 I would study out the topic and I would find passages of 28 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,320 scripture that fit my topic. And while that's fine, what can 29 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:33,440 happen to us sometimes is sometimes we grab a topic and 30 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,880 then we look at scriptures to support the topic, and sometimes 31 00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:40,320 we don't go into the context of the passages and we can take 32 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:43,520 those things a little bit out of context and just make our own 33 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,160 application. So something happened to me 34 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,880 about 15 years ago. I was diagnosed with cancer, and 35 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:52,960 you all know that. And I'm going to tell you, 36 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,840 sometimes with adversity and with pain and suffering, 37 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,960 sometimes comes a lot of good. And a lot of good came from my 38 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,240 being sick. One of the things that came from 39 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,840 my being sick is it changed the way I studied the Bible. 40 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,120 I was so sick and I couldn't talk and I couldn't swallow. 41 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,920 So all I can do is study for like a year and it changed the 42 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:17,480 way I studied. I no longer studied to write 43 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,720 sermons on topics. I just studied the Bible and all 44 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,840 of a sudden all of these topics started leaping off the page at 45 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,800 me when I just studied the Bible. 46 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,880 So a number of years ago I decided the way that I'm going 47 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,920 to teach is the way that Jesus set the example as the master 48 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:39,520 teacher, and that is giving an expository lesson or saying the 49 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,760 scriptures, teaching the scriptures, and then giving an 50 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,280 application that people can understand and people could 51 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,080 apply to their life. And that's what I'm going to do. 52 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,360 With regards to this subject of going the second mile. 53 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,800 What did Jesus actually mean? Well, our text is taken in verse 54 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,920 41 of Matthew chapter 5. Jesus said this, whoever compels 55 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:03,320 you to go one mile, go with him too. 56 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,920 What an interesting concept. With the last two sections of 57 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:10,520 Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is addressing the Christian's 58 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,480 position toward his enemies. That's the context. 59 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,720 Please get that Jesus is dealing with the Christian's position 60 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,240 toward his enemies. In fact, in these last two 61 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,360 sections, in verses 38 through 42 that we're going to discuss 62 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,000 today, Jesus is encouraging certain restraints. 63 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:34,280 And then in verses 43 through 48, Jesus is encouraging certain 64 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,800 actions, but when you put them together, you have a perfectly 65 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,880 balanced code of conduct. In other words, you put the 66 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,480 sections combined, you put them together and proper conduct 67 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,880 emerges. Let's go back to verse 38, 68 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,880 though. It's a very familiar passage and 69 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,840 everybody has quoted this perhaps in their life, the 70 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,600 phrase an eye for an eye. Jesus said this going back in 71 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,320 verse 38. You have heard that it was said 72 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,240 an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 73 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,080 The law of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth actually 74 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,280 goes back to the Old Testament. It can be found in a number of 75 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,360 passages. I'll notice one with you. 76 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,760 It's found in the book of Exodus chapter 21 beginning in verse 77 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:19,440 23. But if anyone any harm follows, 78 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:21,519 then you shall give life for life. 79 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,240 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 80 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,240 burn for burn, wound for wound and stripe for stripe. 81 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,920 In other words, under the Mosaic Law, Mosaic law was to be 82 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,480 carried out to the proper judicial form. 83 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,920 But here's the problem. But by the day that Jesus was 84 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,800 living, many perversions were happening within the Mosaic 85 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,680 system. People were taking the law into 86 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,920 their own hands. And, you know, that kind of 87 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,080 happens even today. You know, we have laws that are 88 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:54,920 over us and we're protected by laws. 89 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,400 We'll get to that in just a moment, but we're protected by 90 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,800 laws that are over us. But sometimes people take it too 91 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,840 far and they pervert what the law is supposed to be, and they 92 00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:05,560 take matters into their own hands. 93 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,200 And when people take matters into their own hands, they have 94 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,880 all kinds of trouble. There was perversions occurring 95 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,880 within the judicial system of Moses. 96 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,720 And you know what happened? Personal revenge started kicking 97 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,480 in. Personal revenge replaced 98 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,240 judicial justice, and people acted as their own judge and 99 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,800 jury. All right, you know who really 100 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,760 misinterpreted the law that was under the law of Moses? 101 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,040 One of the things that was really perverted was by those of 102 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,120 the scribes. And I don't have time to go into 103 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:36,880 all the things about the scribes. 104 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,760 Bible talks about the scribes and the Pharisees, and Jesus 105 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,320 addressed them so many times, and I don't have time to go into 106 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,360 that. Let me just say this about this 107 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,520 point. The scribes had the knowledge of 108 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,160 the law and they could even draft legal documents. 109 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,160 What they missed the point was under Mosaic law, this point or 110 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,360 this law of an eye for an eye, it was actually designed as a 111 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:05,080 way of mercy and as a way of benevolence and not revenge. 112 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:11,800 They used it as a way to justify anger and malice and hatred and 113 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,000 bitterness. And I think that's sometimes 114 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:18,840 what we do, isn't it? Somebody wrongs us and we want 115 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:22,280 to go to the extreme, to wrong them back or give them back 116 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,880 what's coming to them because we don't like what happened to us. 117 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,960 And that happens. That's kind of human nature. 118 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,080 That actually happened back then under the law of Moses. 119 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,320 Jesus knew that. But did you know that the 120 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,560 concept or the law of an eye for an eye actually was for four 121 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,600 reasons and actually had four positive results? 122 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,880 This is what God intended. This is what it was for. 123 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,920 It encouraged restraint. It was a control mechanism. 124 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,680 Number two, It was fair and just. 125 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,120 In other words, those that were in a position of judging or 126 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,240 judicial areas, They could fairly judge and they could 127 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,840 fairly sentence #3. It was merciful. 128 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:05,000 It eliminated excessive retaliation, an eye for an eye. 129 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,920 In other words, it was fair treatment. 130 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:11,960 And #4, this is huge. It prevented crime, Swift 131 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:16,720 punishment, produced fear. Some of you that have known me 132 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:18,080 for a long time have heard me say this. 133 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:23,200 I actually had this, an old, old sermon many years ago, and I 134 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,680 said this statement. I said crime is not deterred by 135 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,560 the severity of the punishment, but crime is deterred by the 136 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,280 certainty of it. In other words, if there's no 137 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:35,880 other way out and you're going to get in trouble, you're 138 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:37,040 probably not going to commit the crime. 139 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,400 Let me give you an example. I use this example too. 140 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,040 I don't know, 20 years ago, but I did a little research, 141 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,800 actually did it this morning. I looked it up and found some 142 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:46,960 new statistics and it kind of supports my point. 143 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:53,480 Years ago, Singapore had laws. There was absolutely no 144 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,400 tolerance policy whatsoever. If you were caught drug 145 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:00,120 trafficking, OK? And all the drug Lords and all 146 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,760 the drug traffickers, if you were caught selling drugs, it 147 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,080 was an immediate death sentence, absolute immediate death 148 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:11,480 sentence. No big trial, no get the dream 149 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,040 team. No way to get off you were you 150 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,360 died, you were executed. They still have the death 151 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:21,120 penalty for drug traffickers. But here's the difference in 152 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,640 drug trafficking now in Singapore, it is regulated by 153 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,880 how much drugs you actually have and how much you actually sold. 154 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,680 So guess what? Crime has gone the way back up 155 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,159 again because they modified the law. 156 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,080 Crime is deterred by the certainty of the punishment. 157 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,280 People take chances right on death row. 158 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:46,960 Right now, as of August 2023 this year, there are 50 people, 159 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,960 50 men on death row in Singapore, and only three 160 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:57,760 actually committed a murder. So it deters crime. 161 00:08:58,680 --> 00:09:02,760 The problem is, when it's not totally certain, people take 162 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:04,560 chances. And now guess what's happening 163 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:07,080 in Singapore? The crime rate for drugs is 164 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:11,000 going up. What once was no problem at all, 165 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,360 that happens. God said with this eye for an 166 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,200 eye concept. It encouraged restraint. 167 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,560 It was fair and just. It was merciful and it prevented 168 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:24,640 crime because it was immediate. Jesus says all of that. 169 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,560 But then Jesus says this in the next verse. 170 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,240 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. 171 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:37,040 In other words, the child of God must seek a higher ethic, and 172 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,080 that's God. And I'm going to tell you 173 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:46,720 something, I am not perfect, and sometimes I really want to not 174 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,400 physically like physical altercations, but sometimes I 175 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:54,200 want to retaliate. In fact, I used an example that 176 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:55,600 happened. Tanner was there. 177 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:01,120 I used this example in when I gave a lesson in Oakdale not 178 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,840 long ago. I talked about the spirit of 179 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,160 meekness and meekness. What Jesus talked about is the 180 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:11,000 epitome of strength. Meekness is about strength. 181 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,240 It's about not worrying what your personal rights are. 182 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,800 There was a guy that we were blocking some parking places off 183 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,840 with cones on a job, We're doing a commercial job, and he 184 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:22,400 decided, you know, back in between the cones. 185 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:27,880 Anyway, he talked to my guys pretty rough, said some terrible 186 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,280 things, and I thought, you know what, he shouldn't get away with 187 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:31,480 that. So I confronted him. 188 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,040 Not to have a physical altercation, just to say, hey 189 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:35,360 man, there's no reason to talk like that. 190 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,160 It escalated. And the guy wanted to fight. 191 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:45,600 What are we in high school? I saw that man the other day. 192 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,560 I walked up to him. The guy was mean. 193 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:54,040 Guy was mad, Guy was angry. Guy was rotten. 194 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,320 He still was when I talked to him again. 195 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:58,440 But you know what I did? I walked up to him. 196 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,080 I stuck my hand out. I said, you know what, Sir? 197 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:02,560 There's no reason why we ought to have a problem. 198 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,320 I escalated that because I tried to confront you. 199 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,200 I should have let it go. Clearly you're very angry. 200 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,200 You know what? He said. 201 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,000 I'm not angry. You got mad yelling at me. 202 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:17,400 I'm not angry, OK? I patted him on the shoulder and 203 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:22,280 I said, OK, have a nice day. So I should have done the first 204 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,400 time. What we want to do is retaliate 205 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,520 because that's our nature. We want to stand up for our 206 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:31,520 rights. Jesus is saying, wait a minute. 207 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:33,040 Don't have the spirit of retaliation. 208 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:35,880 Remember, the higher ethic is God. 209 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,680 Let God deal with it. Paul addressed this issue in 210 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:41,320 Romans 12/17. Repay no one evil for evil. 211 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:43,600 Paul said this in First Corinthians 4:00 and 12:00. 212 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,200 And we labor working with our hands, being reviled. 213 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:51,320 We bless. Being persecuted, we endure in 214 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:55,080 First Peter chapter 2 and 19. Peter actually commends those 215 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:56,920 who suffer wrong and you know what he does? 216 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:02,520 He uses Jesus as the example of somebody that suffered and did 217 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:08,000 nothing. Wow, the example Jesus did with 218 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,240 his behavior. But I think the Lord's command 219 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,560 must be interpreted, though in light of its context, because 220 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,320 Jesus was not teaching that we are to be spiritually passive. 221 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,920 In fact, Jesus is saying this minimize personal pride, 222 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:25,360 personal dignity, and be willing to accept behavior that comes 223 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,560 our way. That's not fair, and sometimes 224 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:30,520 that is difficult for us to endure. 225 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,160 That is not fair. In other words, revenge is 226 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:39,120 unacceptable because God is ultimately in control and God 227 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,640 will take care of it. Romans chapter 12 and verse 19. 228 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,360 Beloved, do not avenge yourself. Would rather give place to 229 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,880 wrath, for it is written. Vengeance is mine. 230 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:50,880 I will replace as the Lord. You know what this means. 231 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,200 Give place to wrath. It's divine wrath. 232 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:57,640 Give it to God. I'm going to tell you something 233 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:01,440 When you're angry because of what somebody has done for you, 234 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,280 they may or done to you, they may leave and never think about 235 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,800 you ever again. And you're boiling inside 236 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,720 because of what happened. Don't let him do that. 237 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:16,360 Don't give him the power. Don't give him that kind of 238 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:21,320 control over your life. Give it to God, because God says 239 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:25,120 I'll take care of it. Now, first of all, I have to 240 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,840 make a point that the Lord is not teaching that Christians 241 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:31,120 cannot take advantage of legal or civil rights or civil 242 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,360 authority or civil protection. That is over them. 243 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,040 Because in Romans chapter 13, I love Romans 13. 244 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,120 I'm so glad that God has put together these structures. 245 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,280 The Bible says in Romans 13 that the powers that be are ordained 246 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,560 of God, even to the point when it says he does not bear the 247 00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:50,480 sword in vain, even the death penalty. 248 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,360 God has put that in structure to take care of two things. 249 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,440 There's two things, by the way, that the law does for us, and 250 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,360 we're allowed to benefit from it and take advantage of it. 251 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:00,480 You know what the two things are? 252 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:06,560 Here They are #1. It protects the innocent #2. 253 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:13,200 It punishes the wicked. And Paul says in Romans 13, you 254 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,400 don't have to worry if you're a good person obeying the law. 255 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:17,680 You don't have to worry about the law. 256 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,120 It's there to protect you. You can see a police officer and 257 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:22,080 wave to him. Be happy. 258 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,160 If you're breaking the law, man, you run from the law. 259 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,720 It's to put fear in evil doers and it's to give comfort to 260 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,400 those who do good. All that being said though, we 261 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,640 need to exercise caution because even with the illegal structure 262 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:40,480 that protects us, what often times begins as a quest for 263 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:44,720 justice quickly ends in a hint, a hunt for vengeance, Letsky 264 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,160 said. This the law is not placed in 265 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,280 our hands, but is taken out of them. 266 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,400 The very God who placed that law and its execution where it 267 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,880 belongs, into the hands of the government, places another law 268 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:01,200 and its execution, the law of love, into the hearts of 269 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,920 Christ's disciples. OK, but there are areas where we 270 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,360 should not be passive. When should we not be passive 271 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,040 #1? When God's honor or truth is at 272 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:17,080 stake, we should not be passive. Christians have to resist some 273 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,080 stuff too. Even though we don't resist an 274 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:24,120 evil person personally, we do resist evil have to. 275 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,640 Another thing we got to resist. And if you're having trouble 276 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,160 with temptation, please the most practical passage. 277 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:32,680 One of the most practical passages in all the Bible about 278 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,360 temptation is James the 4:00 and 7:00. 279 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,040 If you're having a struggle, then remember what it says. 280 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,240 Submit yourself therefore to God and then resist the devil and he 281 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,160 will flee from you. Two things I got to do, both I 282 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,400 got to submit to God and I got to resist the devil. 283 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,360 So if I'm having a really hard time with temptation and 284 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,360 weaknesses and falling back, and most of the time we fall back on 285 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,120 the same weaknesses over and over because that's our 286 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:58,000 weaknesses. If that's the case, then ask 287 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,760 yourself, am I doing both? I have to do both. 288 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,480 I have to submit to God and I got to resist the devil. 289 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,240 I got to do both. So we do have to resist some 290 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:08,680 things. What does Paul tell Titus? 291 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,800 Paul told Titus resist evil talkers and Titus, Excuse me, 292 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,320 Titus chapter one, verses 9 through 13. 293 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:20,280 Even when Jesus cleansed the temple, he came in and he was 294 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:22,360 angry. By the way, being angry is not a 295 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,400 problem. Sinning because of your anger is 296 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,000 the problem. Jesus was angry and he 297 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,960 overturned the tables of the money changers who were stealing 298 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,560 from people and he said you've made my father's house a den of 299 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,760 thieves. He was angry and he overturned 300 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:38,440 the tables of the money changers. 301 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,760 What was Jesus doing? He was resisting evil. 302 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:46,000 He was not resisting an evil person that he is telling us not 303 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:47,960 to do. So what was he talking about? 304 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,600 What's the point? What the Lord is talking about 305 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:53,840 here? He's referring to all forms of 306 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,840 personal treatment. Here they are. 307 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,680 What do we resist, these forms of personal mistreatment. 308 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:05,240 Here they are the loss of honor, the loss of property, the loss 309 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,760 of freedom, and the loss of control. 310 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,760 That's what he's going to deal with, with these passages that 311 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,400 are before us today. Four real life applications. 312 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,560 Notice the first one found in the second part of Matthew 5 and 313 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,240 39. And man, when you look at this, 314 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,359 this is a rough one. Here we go. 315 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,440 But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to 316 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,760 him. Also, everybody has heard the 317 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:33,240 phrase, turn the other cheek. Everybody's heard that phrase. 318 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:35,520 Well, what does it actually mean? 319 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,840 Was Jesus actually saying that if somebody smacks me on this 320 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,280 side of my face, I got to stand there and go ahead and be 321 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,000 smacked on the other side of my face. 322 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:46,640 By the way, I can't imagine anybody standing there getting 323 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,560 smacked in the face. And now they got a sport. 324 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:52,960 Yeah, they got a sport. Now they stand there like this 325 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,480 and the one guy gets his rear back and smack him as hard as he 326 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,960 can, and if the guy doesn't fall, then the other guy gets, 327 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,600 he gets his turn. What a dumb sport. 328 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,440 Jesus was not talking about literally necessarily being 329 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:09,760 smacked in the face as a command. 330 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,520 Please notice this part is a command. 331 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,560 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. 332 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,680 That's a command. In other words, don't have the 333 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,360 spirit of retaliation. That's the command. 334 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,720 The example that he's using is extreme, and it's the idea of 335 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:28,520 somebody slapping you on the cheek. 336 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,240 What's he talking about? He's talking about somebody 337 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,800 taking your honor. That's the point. 338 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,600 I got to tell you something. I'd rather be punched in the 339 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,840 mouth and smacked in the face. When somebody slaps you in the 340 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:44,880 face, it is a form of disrespect. 341 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,160 Absolutely. What they're saying is I'm 342 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,240 taking away your honor, your manhood. 343 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:53,360 What are you going to do about it? 344 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,240 You know, some societies, in some countries, when they have a 345 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,560 duel, you know what they do? They take the gloves out and 346 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:04,360 they smack the other person in the face, provoking a duel. 347 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:07,560 You know why? Here's my honor. 348 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:09,480 I'm going to take your honor, smack you in the face. 349 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:10,400 What are you going to do about it? 350 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,080 Then you take out your swords and you go to the duel. 351 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,400 That's what certain customs in certain countries do. 352 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,360 That's what he's talking about. It's a gross insult to be 353 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:21,760 smacked in the face. It's public, it's antagonistic. 354 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,840 It's deliberate. What he's saying is, is don't 355 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,560 have the mind or the spirit of retaliation when somebody wants 356 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:32,520 to take away your honor. And the extreme example he gives 357 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:36,040 is even if somebody smacks you in the face, Wow. 358 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,560 Well, let's talk about Jesus. Let's talk about the greatest 359 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,400 man that ever lived, the strongest man that ever lived. 360 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,720 What did Jesus do? He had the perfect example of 361 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,800 this disposition. He staunchly defended the truth. 362 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,040 He staunchly upheld the law of God. 363 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:57,480 But he didn't care about himself. 364 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:01,320 He didn't care about his own personal honor at all. 365 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,640 He didn't care about that at all, Wasn't concerned about that 366 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:05,600 one born bit. They they spit in his face. 367 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:06,720 They beat him. They mocked him. 368 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,360 He never retaliated. He was, as the prophet Isaiah 369 00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:16,520 spoken Isaiah 53 like a lamb before the slaughter, like a 370 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:20,400 sheep before its shear is dumb. So he opened, not his mouth. 371 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:23,360 I'm going to tell you something. If you think that's weakness, 372 00:20:23,360 --> 00:20:24,880 that is not. That is strength. 373 00:20:26,360 --> 00:20:30,560 Have you ever stopped to consider Jesus said I could call 374 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:34,320 down 12 legions of angels and put a stop to the whole thing. 375 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:38,600 That's how influential he was. That's how powerful he was. 376 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,640 That's how much he had from God. He could have done it, but he 377 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:42,960 didn't. He submitted. 378 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:48,680 Submission is the ultimate form of strength, man. 379 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,800 That's that's strong. Isaiah predicted this too. 380 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,920 About Jesus. Notice these This is speaking in 381 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,480 the words of Jesus before Jesus was crucified. 382 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,640 Isaiah 50 and six. I gave my back to those who 383 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:06,520 struck me and my cheeks to those who plucked out the beard. 384 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:14,320 I did not hide my face from shame and spitting when Jesus 385 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:18,200 was hanging on the cross. And you know, this is really a 386 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,280 picture of forgiveness. And I want you to please grasp 387 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:24,880 this because sometimes people think I don't have to forgive 388 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:29,760 somebody unless they ask me. I've actually heard people say 389 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,600 that in fact, I'm not required. In fact, I even heard somebody 390 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,240 say one time I'm not even allowed to forgive unless they 391 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:39,000 really say forgive me. Did you know you could forgive 392 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,200 anybody for any reason at any time? 393 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,720 Now there's a difference between us forgiving somebody and God 394 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,440 forgiving somebody. If they want God's forgiveness, 395 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:50,760 they got to get it from God. But my forgiveness, I can give 396 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:53,440 it to anybody. Give me the perfect example. 397 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,200 Jesus is hanging on the cross in Luke 23. 398 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,640 And of all the things that were happening, the painful nails 399 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:03,560 between his hands and his feet and all that, and he says, you 400 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:09,440 know the words, Father, forgive them, for they know not what 401 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:14,480 they do. What was Jesus doing? 402 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:16,080 We talk about the pain of the cross. 403 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,680 What about the shame? What about the honor? 404 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,080 Was he concerned about his own honor? 405 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:23,320 No. Hebrews 12/2 says, looking unto 406 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:26,240 Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy 407 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,600 that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, 408 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,760 and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God, the 409 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:38,880 shame of the cross. That's loss of honor now. 410 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:40,320 Jesus can deal with loss of property. 411 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,440 He says this. Now if anyone wants to sue you 412 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,680 and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak. 413 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:48,880 Awesome. What's this talking about? 414 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,160 By the way, a tunic was an undergarment or a shirt. 415 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:57,960 OK, the cloak was more important, it was more valuable, 416 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,080 it cost more. And the cloak was more valuable 417 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,920 because the cloak was used. I don't know, like a long 418 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,960 overcoat, but the cloak was used at night time as a blanket. 419 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:11,560 What they would do is they would take their cloak. 420 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,000 It was very valuable and they would cover themselves at night. 421 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,360 It would protect him from cold and rainy nights. 422 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:23,080 Very important. That's what it was. 423 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,280 It was valued higher than the undergarment or the tunic. 424 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,360 And the people of the Lord's day, they only had one cloak 425 00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:36,800 because nobody had. You know, there were very many 426 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:40,200 people that were rich. Something about the cloak In the 427 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,320 Old Testament, you could actually give your cloak to 428 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,200 someone as a token. In other words, I'm going to 429 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:48,120 give you something as a pledge, whether you have a deal, a 430 00:23:48,120 --> 00:23:50,680 business deal here, in order to show you that I'm telling the 431 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:55,080 truth, Here's my cloak. But the cloak had to be returned 432 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,040 under Mosaic law by nightfall. Why? 433 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,000 Because that's what you used as a blanket at night. 434 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,760 Watch what the Bible says in Exodus 22 and 26. 435 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,240 If you ever take your neighbor's garment as a pledge that's 436 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,800 talking about the cloak, you shall return it to him before 437 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:09,960 the sun goes down. Why am I showing you this 438 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:11,920 passage? I'm showing you this passage to 439 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:17,320 show Jesus is saying if somebody comes to you and they say give 440 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:23,720 me your tunic, give me your shirt, give me your cloak too. 441 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:27,960 Now what it doesn't mean is this. 442 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,160 It doesn't mean if somebody literally sues you for something 443 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,200 that you don't have, you don't, that's that. 444 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,560 In other words, you don't have to give that they're wrong, they 445 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,640 wrongfully sue you and then you just give them double. 446 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,280 That's not what that means. It's a principle and an example. 447 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:45,640 If somebody basically saying this, the Christians have this 448 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,920 mindset, If somebody says, wait a minute, give me your shirt, 449 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:53,960 oh, OK, give me your cloak too. It's all part of second mile 450 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:55,560 stuff that we're going to get to in just a moment. 451 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:01,360 In other words, give them both voluntarily. 452 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,280 That's the spirit of the Christian. 453 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:08,880 That's loss of property. What about loss of liberty or 454 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,760 freedom? And now we get to our passage. 455 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:15,680 Matthew 541, Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him too. 456 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,120 What is this talking about in context? 457 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,480 During the Day of Jesus, Roman rule prevailed. 458 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,160 And you had to. You had to live under Roman law. 459 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:29,760 OK, one of the laws, believe it or not, that existed was a Roman 460 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,520 soldier could have a Jewish person travelling along as a 461 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:37,120 companion on a journey. And by Roman law, the Roman 462 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:41,680 soldier could make the Jewish citizen carry his pack for one 463 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,360 mile. In other words, here's my pack. 464 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:49,880 You are a Jewish person following me. 465 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:54,760 Carry this one mile and you would have to do it by law. 466 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,080 It infuriated the Jewish citizen. 467 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:05,840 They hated that it relieved the soldier, but it inconvenienced 468 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,400 and angered the citizen. You know why? 469 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:14,080 Because you're asking somebody to carry their enemy's weapons. 470 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,400 Look at the mindset here. Look at the picture that Jesus 471 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,280 is describing here about second mile going the second mile. 472 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:23,520 He's going to teach a great lesson. 473 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,240 Here he uses the example of somebody compels you to go one 474 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,600 mile carrying the pack, carrying the that the weapons of your 475 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,200 enemy for one mile you're going to go to. 476 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,560 Now let me just mention something about Rome and the 477 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:46,280 Jews. They hated being under the Press 478 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,480 of thumb of Rome, and I'll be very brief. 479 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,640 But I have to mention, do you remember when Jesus made his 480 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:55,640 triumphal entry into Jerusalem and he rides in on that Sunday? 481 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,160 I believe it was on a Sunday. And he rode in on the back of a 482 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:02,680 colt of a donkey, and they began to say hosanna to the highest. 483 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,920 And the word hosanna can be interpreted and can be defined 484 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,880 as a form of praise. But that's not what they meant. 485 00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:17,640 The word hosanna there comes from the Hebrew Hoshiah Nah, And 486 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:22,360 that means God save us. Did Jesus come to save him? 487 00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:26,480 Yes, But they misunderstood. They thought that Jesus was 488 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:28,800 going to save them with an earthly Kingdom of the 489 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,240 oppressive thumb of Rome. Finally, Rome's going to be off 490 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:34,480 our backs. What they didn't realize is 491 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,080 Jesus didn't come to to save them from Rome. 492 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:41,160 He came to save them from sin, like he did for the whole world, 493 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,240 and they misunderstood the whole thing. 494 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,560 So the oppressive thumb of Rome was always on them and they 495 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:51,760 hated it. So when a soldier would, say, 496 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:55,040 carry my pack for a mile, it infuriated them. 497 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,760 You know what Jesus says, oh, I got a different, I got a 498 00:27:58,160 --> 00:27:59,400 different thing. You're going to, I got a 499 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,040 different tactic. I got a different mindset for 500 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:03,440 you. This is a humiliating practice, 501 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:05,600 by the way, and it didn't originate with Rome. 502 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,360 It traces all the way back to the Persian Empire under Cyrus 503 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:12,720 and it was adopted by Rome. This practice. 504 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,680 What's the point? The point is this. 505 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,280 Every servant of God must be also a servant of those that 506 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:24,000 rule over us. That's the fact. 507 00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:26,920 At this time it would have been Caesar. 508 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,600 So that's what going the second mile means in the context that 509 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:33,560 Jesus gave it. This is extreme. 510 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,720 Absolutely. In other words, what he's saying 511 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,040 is do it cheerfully. If somebody compels you to go 512 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,400 one mile, the application is go with him too. 513 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,880 Don't you see the mindset? I don't care about my rights. 514 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,800 I'm going to be a servant. I'm going to be a server of 515 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:58,280 others. Our brother prayed about and I 516 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:02,400 thought about that song about the beauty of Jesus. 517 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,320 Remember that song? Let the beauty of Jesus be seen 518 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:10,280 in me. That's what it's all about. 519 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,840 And if somebody compels you to go on mile, don't think about 520 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,720 your righteous. Go to OK and do it cheerfully. 521 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,640 That's the point. I know all this stuff's hard. 522 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,080 And by the way, if it wasn't hard, the Lord wouldn't have to 523 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:25,240 instruct us. We just do it automatically. 524 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:30,720 But it's hard. Go the Second Mile too in 525 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,840 application for us then. What does Second Mile religion 526 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:36,920 mean? It means we are to manifest the 527 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,720 same demeanor that Jesus is talking about specifically in 528 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:44,600 this example, in our everyday lives, in our spiritual lives, 529 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,680 in our family relationships, and even in our occupations. 530 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:56,040 Yes, even in our jobs. Ephesians chapter 6 Beginning in 531 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,320 verse 5. Bond servants be obedient to 532 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,360 those who are over, who are your masters according to the flesh, 533 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:03,960 with fear and trembling insincerity of heart as to 534 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:07,240 Christ, not with eye services men pleasers at, but as bond 535 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:11,520 servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart with 536 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:16,160 goodwill, doing service as to the Lord and not to men, knowing 537 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,440 that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from 538 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:22,080 the Lord whether he is a slave or free. 539 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:28,160 Paul adds something though in Philippians do all things 540 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:34,200 without complaining and disputing OK, When a person 541 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:42,800 complaints OK, everybody looks bad, including the person doing 542 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,320 the complaining. Sometimes we think that if we 543 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,920 complain, the only one looking bad is the one we're complaining 544 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:50,760 about. But really, when you complain, 545 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:57,680 you are also looking bad. What about in the workplace? 546 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:01,920 It's like the person that complaints to all the other 547 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,160 employees about their employer, or about their boss or about 548 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:07,560 their manager makes everybody look bad. 549 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:12,440 So I'm going to say this, this does not mean that if you have a 550 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:16,360 dispute, if you have a true complaint, that you cannot go to 551 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:19,360 your superior, your supervisor, your boss, and you can voice 552 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:20,680 those things. It's not what that means. 553 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,840 What it means is be the right kind of person in every aspect 554 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:27,880 of your life, including as an employee, and do it without 555 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:34,080 complaining to other people. All right, what about this? 556 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:35,680 What if you got a rotten boss? Now? 557 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:37,960 I got a rotten one. Well, I got a rotten one. 558 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,400 What about this first Peter? Two and eight servants. 559 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:43,160 Be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only for the 560 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,920 good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 561 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:50,040 Got to be the same way. And if we can't be that kind of 562 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:53,720 a person or that kind of a Christian in our workplace, then 563 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,680 just quit, get another job. You don't have to put up with it 564 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:02,040 if you're being mistreated, but take the complaint to the one 565 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:05,640 that can matter and not just complain and murmur behind the 566 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:06,720 scenes. When you do that, everybody 567 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:08,080 looks bad. All right, let me give you a 568 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,160 great example of what all this means. 569 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:14,080 Second Mile religion is this that Christians need to show a 570 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:18,360 willingness to be imposed on rather than wanting to impose on 571 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,080 others. And the greatest example that I 572 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,040 can think about is a very familiar example. 573 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:23,520 I'm going to tell you a little Bible story. 574 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,280 The story when that there was a lawyer, there was a man, I I I 575 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:29,200 won't spend too much time, but I got to tell the story. 576 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,240 There was a lawyer and he comes to Jesus and first of all the 577 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:36,520 Bible says he comes to Jesus trying to test him. 578 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:40,640 That's a big mistake. He comes to Jesus and he tries 579 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:43,360 to test Jesus, think he's going to stop Jesus. 580 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:49,320 And he says, tell me master, what must I do to inherit 581 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,920 eternal life? And Jesus says, what does the 582 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:57,200 law say and how do you read it? And the lawyer says, you shall 583 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,720 love the Lord your God with all your heart, without your soul, 584 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:04,560 with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor 585 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:11,320 as yourself. And Jesus says, OK, you've said, 586 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,920 well, do that and you will live. But then the Bible says that the 587 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:18,640 lawyer seeking to justify himself, he says this, oh, wait 588 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:19,760 a minute. But who's my neighbor? 589 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:22,760 Who's my neighbor? You know why he didn't want to 590 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,720 go the second mile? He didn't want to do that. 591 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:27,200 He wanted to know, Give me the bare minimum. 592 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:31,080 That's all I'm going to do. Jesus says, well, let me tell 593 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:34,600 you a little story. He said there was a man one time 594 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,920 and he was on the road to Jericho and he fell among 595 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:42,000 thieves. And the Jericho Rd. 596 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:46,000 That went from Jerusalem to Jericho descended some 3000 feet 597 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:50,360 and covered about 15 miles. It was filled with highway man. 598 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:53,200 It was rough and rife with robbers and all of that. 599 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:57,000 The man's by himself and he falls among thieves and they 600 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:58,760 beat him and they leave him for dead. 601 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:04,160 And a priest came. Yeah, a worshipper of God. 602 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:10,440 And the Bible says when he saw him, he passed by on the other 603 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:15,400 side, did nothing. Then here comes a Levite, a 604 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:17,440 worker in the temple. Here he comes, and he's worse. 605 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:19,800 You know what it says? It says when he came and looked 606 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,960 on him, he passed by on the other side. 607 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:26,880 That was even worse. Maybe the man that's laying 608 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:29,760 there for dead, looking over and seeing the priest says, oh, 609 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:31,880 that's a worshipper of God. He's a servant of God. 610 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:34,239 Surely a servant of God will help me, but he doesn't. 611 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:38,199 And then when you saw the Levite, the worker man, he's a 612 00:34:38,199 --> 00:34:39,840 worker. He understands stuff. 613 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,679 He'll help me. But he passes by on the other 614 00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:46,360 side. And Jesus says, here comes a 615 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:48,440 Samaritan. And the Jews hated Samaritans. 616 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:50,320 It was a combination of a Jew and a Gentile. 617 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:53,880 They hated him, wouldn't worship with them, couldn't stand him, 618 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:56,719 avoided Samaria on their travels, everything. 619 00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:01,160 And he comes, and he sees the man, and he gets off his animal, 620 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:04,560 and he seizes wounds, and he takes oil and wine, and he pours 621 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,400 it into his wounds, And he takes bandages, and he wraps it up. 622 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,960 And he takes the man, and he puts him on his animal, and he 623 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:13,720 takes him into the inn. And he spends the night cooling 624 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:15,760 his fevered brow. And he carries for him all night 625 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:17,120 long. And the next morning he goes to 626 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:19,920 the keeper of the inn, and he reaches into his pouch and he 627 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:22,840 pulls out money. How much to Daenerys? 628 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,520 That's two days wages. Now think about what you make in 629 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:28,640 a day. Two days wages. 630 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:31,840 And he hands it to the keeper of the inn and he says, you take 631 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:37,440 care of him while I leave now, and when I get back, when I get 632 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:40,240 back, if that's not enough, I'll pay for it. 633 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,800 Jesus says tell me who was neighbor to that man. 634 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,400 And the lawyer said the one who showed him mercy. 635 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:55,000 And Jesus says go and do likewise. 636 00:35:56,480 --> 00:36:02,400 That is Second Mile religion. Sometimes we think that Second 637 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,240 Mile Religion is only our service to God because we 638 00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:10,160 misunderstand what our service to God is, and we think that our 639 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:12,600 service to God is just. I go to church all the time. 640 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:14,040 I'm just, I follow with the word of God. 641 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:16,360 I follow the Bible and then go do whatever I want. 642 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,920 No service to God. Yes. 643 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,400 Is worship to God. Yes, it's included, yes. 644 00:36:25,240 --> 00:36:29,640 But serving God is also including serving others. 645 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:32,640 I'm going to make a very bold statement. 646 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:36,280 You can't serve God acceptably without serving others. 647 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:41,360 Now, serving others does not erase your duty to God in 648 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:45,440 spiritual matters. It's included, but let's not 649 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:48,840 exclude the kind of people we should be. 650 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:51,920 What did that lawyer say? You got to love the Lord your 651 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:54,360 God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and your 652 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:56,560 neighbor as yourself. Finally, the last one. 653 00:36:57,720 --> 00:37:01,160 Jesus deals with a lot lack of self or the lack of control. 654 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:02,880 Not self-control. The lack of control. 655 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:06,680 In this passage, verse 42 talks about lending. 656 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:10,280 He said give to him who asks you and from him who wants to borrow 657 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:12,000 from you, do not turn away. All right. 658 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,880 Again, a very extreme example. Nobody. 659 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,760 You never relinquish control more than when you lend your 660 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:23,360 money to somebody else. I want to say something about 661 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:26,800 control, though, OK? And those of you that are older 662 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,880 probably would agree by way of experience. 663 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:34,000 But what I found in my life when I was younger, I thought, man, 664 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,000 I'm going to be, I'm a control guy. 665 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,280 I'm going to control stuff. I'm going to make all these 666 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:41,960 decisions so that I am in control. 667 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:44,600 I've got it all mapped out. I've got it all lined up. 668 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:47,360 Here's my plans, here's my business plan. 669 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,680 Here's my financial plan. Here's my family plan, man, I 670 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:53,320 got her dialed in. Do you know the control is an 671 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:58,360 illusion? You could be in business and 672 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:02,240 today it can be good and tomorrow it can be bad, and it 673 00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:03,840 could be totally out of your control. 674 00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:09,280 Understand control is an illusion. 675 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:14,200 What Jesus is trying to instruct here is the concept of losing 676 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,200 control. You relinquish control 677 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:19,360 personally when you give or lend to somebody else. 678 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:21,840 You don't know if you're going to ever get that back. 679 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:25,520 You have no idea if you're going to ever get that back. 680 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:30,360 Human nature says this man. Hold on selfishly to what is 681 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:35,000 mine. I'm not Sharon. 682 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:40,800 But remember this, OK? Remember this. 683 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:51,080 God owns everything. What you have, God has blessed 684 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:57,080 you and allowed you to have. If you are blessed and you are 685 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:00,280 blessed in your giving, God has blessed you with more so you can 686 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:04,800 give more and do more. Don't you see? 687 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,280 Our entire life, our lives, our life of surface. 688 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:10,160 It's our life. By the way, Christianity is not 689 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:12,760 what we do is what we are. It's who we are. 690 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,080 I can stand here and I could preach a long time and I try 691 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:19,760 hard not to do that. I'm almost finished, but I'm 692 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:21,880 going to tell you I could do that. 693 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:27,480 But that's not the most important thing in terms of my 694 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:31,760 influence over those that either listen to me or follow me or 695 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:35,040 know who I am or watch my example, I'm going to tell you 696 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:37,120 right now. The most important thing is, do 697 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:39,720 you see it in my life? That's what matters. 698 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:46,280 Like the saying that says your actions speak so loudly I cannot 699 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:51,080 hear a word you say. Christianity is who we are. 700 00:39:51,600 --> 00:39:54,760 It's what we are in every aspect of our life. 701 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:57,520 We are not our own. We've been bought by the price. 702 00:39:57,520 --> 00:40:00,760 1st Corinthians 619 Or do you not know that your body get this 703 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:05,600 is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? 704 00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:13,280 Let that soak in. When I was 18, I was so dumb I 705 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:17,440 thought, Man, I'm old man, No, no. 706 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,080 Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy 707 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:23,880 Spirit, who is in you, who you have from God, and that you are 708 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:29,320 not your own? So our conduct needs to be 709 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:31,800 generous, dread generous, and liberal toward others. 710 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:35,120 Now Mosaic law provided for lending to the poor. 711 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:39,160 So Jesus's words must be interpreted in light of such a 712 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:42,120 context. In Exodus chapter 22, beginning 713 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:45,680 in verse 25. If you lend money to any of my 714 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:49,880 people who are poor among you, notice you shall not be like the 715 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:52,200 money lender to him. You shall not charge him 716 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:54,240 interest. If you ever take your neighbor's 717 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:56,880 garment as a pledge, here's that passage again. 718 00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:58,280 It's a different passage, same thing. 719 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:01,520 You shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for 720 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:05,200 that is his only covering. It is his garment for his skin. 721 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:08,160 What will he sleep in? And it will be when. 722 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:13,880 But when he cries to me I will hear, for I am gracious lending 723 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:17,360 in the Old Testament. OK, I got to say this too. 724 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:19,840 And I want to tell you this too. And this is not in any way, 725 00:41:19,840 --> 00:41:24,800 shape or form a a positive on me. 726 00:41:27,440 --> 00:41:33,240 I I'm an easy target. I I know that and I've been 727 00:41:33,240 --> 00:41:37,280 taken advantage of. If somebody asks me for 728 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:41,760 something, says they promise it's not for drugs or alcohol or 729 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:44,280 whatever. I've been taken advantage of 730 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:46,200 they. And one time I saw the guy 731 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:48,080 around the corner bought a bottle and flying around the 732 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:50,280 corner at the at the mission in San Luis Obispo egg because all 733 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:53,360 way back to college I've been doing that so I get I could be 734 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:55,920 an easy mark. Well, there's some encouraging 735 00:41:55,920 --> 00:41:57,720 passages here. First of all, it's never wrong 736 00:41:57,720 --> 00:41:59,680 to give. If you give and you get taken 737 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:01,960 advantage of, it's OK. But I'm just saying this. 738 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:04,400 I've learned a little something because I usually feel really 739 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:07,600 guilty about not giving to everybody that asks or needs. 740 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:12,960 So I I feel a little bit better. A Christian is under no 741 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:18,640 obligation to lend to those who are lazy, undeserving or greedy 742 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:21,280 because that would violate other scriptures. 743 00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:23,280 Second Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 10. 744 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:26,360 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this. 745 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:29,400 If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 746 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:33,160 Now I got to tell you, there's a difference between somebody's 747 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:35,480 looking for a job and just hasn't found one yet, and 748 00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:38,240 somebody that refuses to get a job who's gonna kick back, do 749 00:42:38,240 --> 00:42:41,200 nothing. The Bible says that a man that 750 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:45,520 does not work should not eat first Timothy 5 and verse 8. 751 00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:48,240 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for 752 00:42:48,240 --> 00:42:50,640 those of his household, he is denied the faith and is worse 753 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:52,800 than an unbeliever. Another passage, first 754 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:55,880 Thessalonians, chapter 4, verse 11, that you also aspire to 755 00:42:55,880 --> 00:42:59,560 leave a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with 756 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:02,520 your own hands as we command you. 757 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,560 OK. All that being said and all 758 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:10,480 that's true, the Christian must be open hearted and generous to 759 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:12,280 those who do have legitimate needs. 760 00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:15,520 And we know the difference. James, Chapter 2. 761 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:17,680 I love this passage because sometimes people say, you know, 762 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:19,320 works don't matter. Yeah, works matter. 763 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:23,000 Not works of merit, but works of obedience. 764 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:25,080 Sure, you demonstrate your faith by your works. 765 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:27,280 How do you do that? James Two says, what is it? 766 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:29,800 Profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith and does not 767 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:33,160 have works, can space save him? If a brother or sister is naked 768 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:36,360 and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart 769 00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:39,400 in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do nothing for them. 770 00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:43,240 You do not give them the things which are needed for the body. 771 00:43:43,240 --> 00:43:46,120 What is a profit? That's also faith by itself. 772 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:48,720 If it does not have works, is dead. 773 00:43:48,920 --> 00:43:52,320 So what's Jesus doing in these passages? 774 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:57,760 In this masterful sermon, he is covering 4 forms of mistreatment 775 00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:02,440 and how to respond to each one of them, and it requires A 776 00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:04,400 tremendous amount of self restraint. 777 00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:08,640 Here's the four points. Again, loss of honor. 778 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:11,960 If somebody tries to take your honor, don't have a spirit of 779 00:44:11,960 --> 00:44:13,480 retaliation. You know what God will deal with 780 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:16,440 that. Have the spirit of meekness. 781 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:18,440 Like Jesus said earlier in the chapter. 782 00:44:18,960 --> 00:44:21,120 He even gives the extreme of slapping on the cheek. 783 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:24,920 Don't have a spirit of retaliation #2 loss of property. 784 00:44:24,920 --> 00:44:27,040 Somebody comes to you and says, hey man, give me that, give me 785 00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:29,240 that coat, give me that shirt. I really need to shirt, OK, give 786 00:44:29,240 --> 00:44:31,920 me cloak too. It's the mindset. 787 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:35,600 It's the giving mindset. Loss of liberty or freedom. 788 00:44:35,720 --> 00:44:40,320 Somebody compels you go a mile, go to go the extra mile. 789 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:43,560 And we do that in every aspect of our life, both spiritually 790 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:45,640 and temporally, in our relationships and our 791 00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:48,560 occupations and all of that. That is our life. 792 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:52,320 That is who we are. But just remember this, this 793 00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:55,280 includes or the context is dealing with how you deal with 794 00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:56,520 people. Please get that. 795 00:44:57,320 --> 00:45:00,840 How you deal with people. And finally the last the loss of 796 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:03,840 control, somebody asked to borrow, relinquish control. 797 00:45:03,920 --> 00:45:07,200 Remember, it's all God's anyway. And those that are deserving and 798 00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:09,520 those that really need it do what you can. 799 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:14,200 When ability meets opportunity, then we have responsibility to 800 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:17,080 give. And that's the purpose of what 801 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:19,600 the Lord was trying to say. I'm finished this morning. 802 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:22,080 Thank you so much for your kind listening. 803 00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:25,480 I hope this makes sense. I hope something was said that 804 00:45:25,480 --> 00:45:29,720 was helpful to you in some way. We never close a time when we 805 00:45:29,720 --> 00:45:32,000 teach from the word of God without extending an invitation 806 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:34,880 to somebody that might be subject to the gospel call, the 807 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:36,160 invitation to become a Christian. 808 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:38,560 Very simple. Romans 10/17 says. 809 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:41,520 We got to hear the word of God. So then faith comes by hearing 810 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:45,400 and hearing by the word of God. That's what has the ability to 811 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,360 produce being saved. Then we have a choice to make. 812 00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:49,440 We got to believe with all your heart. 813 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:52,160 Hebrews 11 and six. Without faith, it's impossible 814 00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:55,680 to please him, For he who comes to God must believe that He is 815 00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:58,640 and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. 816 00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:02,320 But then I got to make a change. I got to change my life. 817 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:04,600 I got to change my heart. I got to change my ways. 818 00:46:04,760 --> 00:46:07,680 All that is a simple word called repentance. 819 00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:10,160 Repenting of my sins, Acts 17 and 30. 820 00:46:10,440 --> 00:46:13,920 Truly these times of ignorance, God overlooked, but now commands 821 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:17,760 all men everywhere to repent. And then be willing to make the 822 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:21,400 greatest statement you will ever make, confessing Jesus Christ as 823 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:24,840 the Son of God. Acts 8 and 37 Then Philip said, 824 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:26,440 if you believe with all your heart you may. 825 00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:29,880 And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the 826 00:46:29,880 --> 00:46:32,520 Son of God. Upon taking these steps of 827 00:46:32,520 --> 00:46:35,080 obedience, you're now a fit candidate to go to the point of 828 00:46:35,080 --> 00:46:38,800 salvation, to contact the blood of Jesus at baptism, which is 829 00:46:38,800 --> 00:46:43,160 what saves you in Mark 1616, be baptized for the remission of 830 00:46:43,160 --> 00:46:45,600 sins. He who believes and is baptized 831 00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:48,520 will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. 832 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:52,880 We thank you for listening to our podcast put on by The Church 833 00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:57,360 of Christ at 2215 Plans Rd. in Bakersfield. 834 00:46:58,040 --> 00:47:01,520 If you would like any additional information or you would like to 835 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:04,480 receive a free Bible correspondence course by mail, 836 00:47:05,240 --> 00:47:10,560 please e-mail us at info@churchofchristbakersfield.com. 837 00:47:11,280 --> 00:47:16,480 Our service times are Sundays at 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM and 838 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:20,960 Wednesdays at 7:30 PM. Please make plans to join us. 839 00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:23,600 We would love for you to be our honored guest.