1 00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:06,700 As we mentioned, just briefly a moment ago that in the parable 2 00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:10,700 that was before this one that being the parable of the hidden 3 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:15,700 treasure, we find that Jesus depicts the value of the Kingdom 4 00:00:16,100 --> 00:00:20,600 to one who accidentally find it. Binds it that the Kingdom of 5 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,900 Heaven is like unto a treasure. That was hidden in a field, and 6 00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:29,300 when a man found it, he went and sold everything that he had in 7 00:00:29,300 --> 00:00:31,600 order that he might buy the field. 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,000 And when we search the scriptures regarding all of the 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:39,000 conversion stories, especially those that we find in the book 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,100 of Acts, we find no greater example, as we've brought out 11 00:00:43,100 --> 00:00:46,600 from time to time. Then that of a man named the 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,900 Apostle Paul, there is no greater example of a man that 13 00:00:50,900 --> 00:00:56,200 was respected and honored and looked up to by his peers. 14 00:00:56,500 --> 00:01:00,000 Have you ever stopped to consider what exactly Paul gave 15 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,400 up that he might Jesus Christ, you remember that? 16 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,600 This was a man that was looked up and looked upon by his peers 17 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:13,100 as a man of great respect. He was for sake of the, of a 18 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:17,400 better term, the very Hired Gun of the Sanhedrin when he would 19 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,200 go out and he would persecute the Church of God. 20 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,100 And as he said, he wasted it, he was the one that was there. 21 00:01:26,100 --> 00:01:29,700 When the Martyr Stephen, the first one that would die for his 22 00:01:29,700 --> 00:01:33,300 faith, in the 8th chapter of the book of Of Acts where the Bible 23 00:01:33,300 --> 00:01:36,500 says, when this man Stephen was stoned to death. 24 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,300 That those that through those rocks at him to his death, they 25 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:45,700 laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul, Saul of 26 00:01:45,700 --> 00:01:50,500 Tarsus obviously beat later became the Apostle Paul. 27 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,000 He was a man, that was persecuting and binding, all 28 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,200 that would call upon the name of the Lord, but all of a sudden on 29 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,700 one very special day on one, very special day. 30 00:02:01,900 --> 00:02:05,900 In the ninth chapter of the book of Acts, we find Luke's account 31 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:08,500 of exactly what happened to this man. 32 00:02:08,699 --> 00:02:11,200 We know the story, I'll not go into it. 33 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,700 Any further. All we know is that Jesus speaks 34 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:17,300 to him. He blinds him with a blinding 35 00:02:17,300 --> 00:02:22,500 light and all of a sudden, everything is about to change. 36 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,400 All of his former values are about to go by the wayside 37 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:28,500 things. He thought that were important 38 00:02:28,500 --> 00:02:31,700 from time to time. No longer are important. 39 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,200 Aunt. He took himself and his social 40 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:39,400 standing and social status and he cast it aside to be one that 41 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,100 would be beaten one. That would be persecuted all the 42 00:02:43,100 --> 00:02:46,300 days of his life. He would be one that would go 43 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:48,700 and have an infirmity In the Flesh. 44 00:02:48,700 --> 00:02:54,200 Described simply as a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan 45 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,700 to Buffett him as the Bible says, yes. 46 00:02:57,700 --> 00:03:01,400 He suffered much for the Lord and later we find that he was 47 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,900 behind. Did for his faith. 48 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,700 He gave up everything to obey Jesus. 49 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,500 I want us to listen to the words of Paul as found in one of his 50 00:03:11,500 --> 00:03:16,000 letters in Philippians chapter 3 and we will read beginning there 51 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,400 in verse number 4. But I want you to notice the 52 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:24,200 assessment or exactly how Paul viewed the things that he must 53 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:29,200 of given up to be a Christian. He said though, I might also 54 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:34,300 have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that 55 00:03:34,300 --> 00:03:37,600 he hath whereof he might Trust In the Flesh. 56 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:41,300 I'm or circumcised. The Eighth Day of the stock of 57 00:03:41,300 --> 00:03:45,900 Israel of The Tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews as 58 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:47,100 touching. The law. 59 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:52,200 A Pharisee concerning Zeal persecuting the church touching 60 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:57,600 righteousness, which is in the law blameless, but what things 61 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,700 were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ. 62 00:04:01,900 --> 00:04:05,900 Yay doubtless and I count all things but loss for the 63 00:04:05,900 --> 00:04:10,200 Excellency of the knowledge of Christ, Jesus, my Lord, for whom 64 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,800 I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them. 65 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:21,000 But dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having 66 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,700 mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is 67 00:04:24,700 --> 00:04:28,800 through the Faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of god 68 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:33,100 by faith that I may know him. And the power of his 69 00:04:33,100 --> 00:04:37,700 resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made, 70 00:04:37,700 --> 00:04:43,100 conformable unto his death. If by any means, I might attain 71 00:04:43,300 --> 00:04:46,600 unto the resurrection of the Dead, you know? 72 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:50,100 Also, the Apostle Paul would say that in writing of the Gospel of 73 00:04:50,100 --> 00:04:55,200 the glory of Christ, he would refer to it as a treasure, the 74 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,400 Apostle. Paul also said, in second, 75 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,600 Corinthians, chapter 4 and verse 7. 76 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,400 He said, but we have this treasure Measure in Earthen 77 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:09,100 vessels that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not 78 00:05:09,500 --> 00:05:14,000 of us, he considered the kingdom, considered it beyond a 79 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,600 shadow of a doubt as a treasure and worth, giving up all that he 80 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,400 has anything. That is necessary in order that 81 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,000 he might obtain it. He clearly understood that the 82 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:31,600 kingdom was extremely valuable because the kingdom or in the 83 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,900 Kingdom. We find that it is a refuge from 84 00:05:34,900 --> 00:05:40,100 the powers of Darkness. It is a domain of righteousness. 85 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,300 It is a domain of Peace, joy and safety. 86 00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:49,100 It is unshakable in itself. And finally, the Apostle Paul 87 00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:53,200 knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that one who is in the kingdom 88 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:58,100 and remains there is destined for eternal glory. 89 00:05:58,900 --> 00:06:02,900 Well Jesus gave that Parable that Paul fits in and then at 90 00:06:02,900 --> 00:06:06,700 that time and then he gives the one that we're going to discuss 91 00:06:06,700 --> 00:06:10,100 from now on during the course of this study in that is the pearl 92 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,700 of great price. Here's the fellow that's looking 93 00:06:13,700 --> 00:06:16,400 for it. You know, I would imagine if you 94 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,100 talk to people, I do. Everyone talks to folks 95 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,400 sometimes people look in their life and they think something's 96 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,800 missing, you know, every Walk of Life. 97 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,600 There's someone that has something in their life. 98 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,400 Life. That is just not, right? 99 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,300 Something that is missing or something that is lacking. 100 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,900 There's a lot of folks, I know a lot of folks or can read about a 101 00:06:38,907 --> 00:06:41,600 lot of folks. And so, on Howard Hughes for 102 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:46,600 example, a man that was a billionaire but something was 103 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,200 missing. Money couldn't buy. 104 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,200 All of the happiness in the world and you know what 105 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,700 happened? When he died, what we find with 106 00:06:54,700 --> 00:06:58,500 Howard Hughes, very shamefully and very sad. 107 00:06:58,900 --> 00:07:02,300 He died with his fingernails with inches long. 108 00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:06,500 Corkscrews, he died with rotting teeth and a sunken chest. 109 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:13,300 He died a billionaire, junkie. A drug addict, something was 110 00:07:13,300 --> 00:07:17,500 missing, something was missing that all the money in the world, 111 00:07:17,500 --> 00:07:21,400 all the fame in the world. All the power in the world could 112 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,400 not buy. Jesus pictures, though that 113 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:28,000 there's a man and he calls him a merchant man. 114 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:31,400 This is a man that's in the for sake of a better term. 115 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,900 Let's just say he's in the pearl business, you know? 116 00:07:34,900 --> 00:07:38,200 I would just imagine in my mind's eye as Jesus pictures, 117 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,200 this Merchant, man, I can picture that he has all manner 118 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,900 of pearls, with all manner of price tags. 119 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:49,900 Oh, perhaps, he found some that didn't cost very much and then 120 00:07:49,900 --> 00:07:53,200 maybe he cost. Others cost him quite a lot. 121 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,800 I don't know. All I know is is Jesus pictures 122 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:01,100 this man as an Goooal that has pearls. 123 00:08:01,100 --> 00:08:06,200 That is his life business and then all of a sudden something 124 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,500 happens. The reason something happens is 125 00:08:09,500 --> 00:08:14,700 his eyes were open. He was looking for something 126 00:08:14,700 --> 00:08:18,200 that was greater. The Bible says that that which 127 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:23,600 is greater was the pearl of great price, you know, it's very 128 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:28,000 interesting to me as I look at this, Parable, this man does 129 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,800 not. What most of us would do in a 130 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,200 similar situation. You know, if I'm a coin 131 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,000 collector and I'm not, I don't know. 132 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,700 The I don't know the first thing about coins, but just say, for 133 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:43,700 example, I'm a coin collector, I would imagine that I would spend 134 00:08:43,700 --> 00:08:46,700 my life and I would purchase various coins. 135 00:08:47,100 --> 00:08:52,300 And as I got more and more coins, my treasure, if you will 136 00:08:52,300 --> 00:08:59,400 or my, my, my hobby would grow and the price or the Value of it 137 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,500 would grow. Also as I added coins to it, I 138 00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:06,400 would just imagine if I like coins or that was something that 139 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:10,600 was of interest to me that if I came across one that was 140 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:14,300 priceless or one that was of Great Value. 141 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:19,100 I wouldn't do what this man did I would imagine if that is my 142 00:09:19,100 --> 00:09:22,800 hobby, what I'm going to do is I'm going to try to keep what I 143 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,800 have and then mortgage whatever's necessary or figure 144 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,700 out a way that I might be. Bullet come up with the 145 00:09:29,700 --> 00:09:33,200 resources. In order that I might buy this 146 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:37,400 Priceless or this very expensive coin. 147 00:09:37,900 --> 00:09:41,300 I'll tell you what, I probably wouldn't do if that's my hobby 148 00:09:41,300 --> 00:09:44,000 or my business. It's not even a good business 149 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,600 decision. I wouldn't sell all of them or 150 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:52,400 trade all of them, because before I had all of these and 151 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:56,200 here is one chances are. I'm not going to give up all of 152 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,500 those in order that I might obtain. 153 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:04,000 Pain, just one coin. So understanding that. 154 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:09,300 That is the picture that Jesus portrays about this, man. 155 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:15,900 He said the Kingdom of Heaven is likened, unto a merchant, man, a 156 00:10:15,900 --> 00:10:20,800 man that had spent his life collecting and having these very 157 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:24,500 valuable pearls. All of a sudden, he comes across 158 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:28,300 one that is of great, price of great value. 159 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:34,600 You know what he does? He sells it all. he gives it all 160 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:40,200 up, all of a sudden, every one of those other pearls and all of 161 00:10:40,208 --> 00:10:45,400 his other possessions, all of a sudden Don't Mean a Thing The 162 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:51,100 only thing that means anything is, how can I get that one? 163 00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:56,300 But this fella found this Pearl because this fellow was looking 164 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:00,900 for that Pearl and I hope we all understand as I'm sure we do. 165 00:11:01,300 --> 00:11:03,800 We're not talking about pearls tonight. 166 00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:07,000 Jesus is picturing in this Parable. 167 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:11,100 You know what a parable is a parable is laying alongside 168 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:14,200 another words, you take something that you know about 169 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,000 and you lay it alongside something you don't know about, 170 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,300 you can compare and you can understand the illustration and 171 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:24,500 therefore Jesus. I gave this sermon in these two 172 00:11:24,500 --> 00:11:28,700 verses about this, man about the kingdom of heaven. 173 00:11:29,100 --> 00:11:31,800 But you know, I think what most people want to do though is 174 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,600 figure out how they can keep all the old things too. 175 00:11:35,100 --> 00:11:38,800 I think that's what a lot of people do today with regards to 176 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,600 the Lord, they want all the benefits of the Kingdom. 177 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,600 They want the benefits of forgiveness. 178 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,400 They want all of those things. They want an inheritance in 179 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,600 heaven. And by the way, I don't know if 180 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,300 I made the statement here or at another place in a sermon, I 181 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:57,500 don't remember. So if I have made it here bear 182 00:11:57,500 --> 00:12:01,800 with me but let me just say this, I don't care what people 183 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:06,400 in the world say with regards to Satanic rituals and satanic 184 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,100 things and they don't believe in God and all that. 185 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:12,000 And they don't want to go to heaven and certain affiliations 186 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,500 that believe in in that heaven is not a place that you want to 187 00:12:15,500 --> 00:12:19,300 go that you want to be on this Earth, if a person really 188 00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:24,500 understood and a A person can really grasp what heaven is all 189 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:29,700 about and not just that but have an understanding of the opposite 190 00:12:29,700 --> 00:12:34,600 of that and the alternative is an eternity in hell and know 191 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,200 what held is all about. I'm going to tell you something, 192 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,400 there's not a person in this world that has that 193 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,400 understanding that doesn't want to go to heaven. 194 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,000 If you really knew about hell and you really came to the 195 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:53,600 understanding that there's only two places, there's heaven, and 196 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:58,300 there's hell and both places regardless of where you end up, 197 00:12:58,900 --> 00:13:02,300 it's for eternity and it will never change. 198 00:13:02,300 --> 00:13:06,400 You will never leave that state. If a person really understood 199 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,300 that and really could grasp that there's nobody in this world 200 00:13:10,300 --> 00:13:13,000 that would want to go to hell for all eternity. 201 00:13:13,700 --> 00:13:16,200 But you know, I think sometimes people want to hold onto the 202 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,400 world and have the Beautiful Things That Heaven of Heaven. 203 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:22,800 That's pictured in the scriptures that the same time. 204 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:24,900 Jesus. So, beautifully pictures. 205 00:13:24,900 --> 00:13:28,500 This Merchant man had a different attitude because this 206 00:13:28,500 --> 00:13:32,200 man, when he found that pearl of the greatest value, he was 207 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:36,800 willing without reservation to get rid of all that he had in 208 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:42,500 order that he might obtain it. He was undeterred by the price 209 00:13:42,700 --> 00:13:43,400 now. Do you remember? 210 00:13:43,500 --> 00:13:46,800 Member a few weeks ago, couple weeks ago, we talked about 211 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:51,900 counting the cost the parable that Jesus portrayed about 212 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:54,000 counting the cost. You remember? 213 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,400 Jesus said this? That a man is in the kingdom is 214 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,900 likened unto a man that builds a tower. 215 00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:04,700 And this man is to sit down first and count the cost to see 216 00:14:04,900 --> 00:14:07,700 whether he has sufficient to finish it. 217 00:14:07,700 --> 00:14:11,200 You remember also, what Jesus said, Jesus said, if you don't 218 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:15,500 love or you don't hate your father, Mother and all of that, 219 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,700 you cannot be my disciple. We talked about what that meant 220 00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:22,000 Jesus was not teaching hate. We know that. 221 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,600 Jesus is the very epitome of love what Jesus was saying 222 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,100 there. That word hate means to love 223 00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,800 less. All Jesus was saying, is this 224 00:14:32,100 --> 00:14:37,100 unless you love less everybody in this world and everything in 225 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:41,100 this world, you cannot that work and not means impossible. 226 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:47,000 Okay, it's impossible. To be my disciple, sometimes we 227 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:52,600 get deterred by the price but we can't. 228 00:14:53,500 --> 00:14:58,600 Jesus said, if you love father and mother more than me, you're 229 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,700 not worthy of me. Well, let's notice the meaning 230 00:15:02,700 --> 00:15:05,700 of this Parable, really quickly in this Parable. 231 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,400 We find that the person that's described here, represents 232 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,400 someone who is on a mission to find that, which is of the 233 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:16,000 greatest value, he believes that there's something out there 234 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,100 that's worth looking for, or he would not be seeking it. 235 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,100 And when he finds it, he does without reservation immediately, 236 00:15:23,100 --> 00:15:27,300 recognizing its value, he's willing to sell all that he has 237 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:30,500 in order that he might obtain it notice though. 238 00:15:30,500 --> 00:15:33,600 I think this is important. And for us to understand at this 239 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:39,100 time because we're talking about buying and selling and Jesus is 240 00:15:39,100 --> 00:15:43,300 referring or making reference to the kingdom of heaven, or 241 00:15:43,300 --> 00:15:46,400 salvation. So, let me clarify this point 242 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:50,000 really quickly. Jesus was not suggesting in this 243 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:54,100 Parable, nor was he suggesting in the parable just prior to 244 00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:57,300 this. That a person can buy his 245 00:15:57,300 --> 00:16:01,300 salvation because the Bible says, it is a gift. 246 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,600 Gift. It is a gift and it's a gift 247 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,300 from God. I don't just leave it there. 248 00:16:08,300 --> 00:16:10,000 We'll explain it a little bit further. 249 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:16,200 First of all, in Romans 6:23 Paul said this very interesting 250 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,500 how Paul pictured this by divine inspiration and by the way, 251 00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:24,500 nothing that you can read about in the Bible is for the purpose 252 00:16:24,500 --> 00:16:27,700 of taking up space. There's a reason for every 253 00:16:27,700 --> 00:16:32,100 single thing that is written in this grand old book and It is 254 00:16:32,100 --> 00:16:35,100 god-breathed. It is God's will it is God's 255 00:16:35,100 --> 00:16:38,300 words. It is God's way keeping that in 256 00:16:38,300 --> 00:16:40,400 mind. Through the inspiration of the 257 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,800 Holy Spirit. Paul wrote this, to Rome in 258 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:49,800 Romans, chapter 6 and verse 23, Paul said for the wages of sin 259 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:55,800 is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus 260 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:59,300 Christ. Our Lord, there is a difference 261 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:04,300 between wages. Of sin and gift of Salvation. 262 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:10,099 Notice very briefly and very, very simply if I go out and I 263 00:17:10,099 --> 00:17:13,700 work for a man for a certain wage for a certain amount of 264 00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:16,500 hours. And we agree upon that, as long 265 00:17:16,500 --> 00:17:22,700 as I perform that task or that Duty, he owes me a livable wage, 266 00:17:22,700 --> 00:17:27,400 he owes me specifically what he agreed to pay me I can earn 267 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,400 that. Anybody that's ever worked for a 268 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:35,000 dime knows that you put the time in, you do your job tasks. 269 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,900 It is owed to you. That's what it's like in 270 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:44,200 reference to sin, know, if you live in sin and you don't get 271 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:48,100 sin out of your life. And by the way, sin is raining 272 00:17:48,100 --> 00:17:51,100 in a person's life because of two things. 273 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:55,800 Number one, because the blood of Jesus has not been applied at 274 00:17:55,800 --> 00:18:01,300 baptism, that person is still In sin because baptism is what 275 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:05,600 takes away the sin. It's what washes, our sins away 276 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:10,100 but also for the one that's the backslider for the one that 277 00:18:10,100 --> 00:18:13,300 refuses to live in accordance with God's word. 278 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:18,500 For the one who is guilty that Jesus talked about of loving 279 00:18:18,500 --> 00:18:22,500 other things in this world more than loving Jesus. 280 00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:27,200 And by the way, the reason for that, if you love other things 281 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,400 more than you love, Jesus, He's the reason that that's a problem 282 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,300 is because the things that you decide to do the choices, you 283 00:18:34,300 --> 00:18:37,800 make the decisions, you make will reflect that. 284 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,300 And Jesus said, I will be number one. 285 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,100 Jesus also would say that if he's number one, then in 286 00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:49,300 essence, all of the decisions that we make in our life will 287 00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:54,500 prove and demonstrate by obedient Works our faith. 288 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:56,700 Let's go a little step further, though. 289 00:18:56,900 --> 00:19:01,100 And understanding this idea very Simply first of all, we talked 290 00:19:01,100 --> 00:19:06,200 about wages of sin, I go out and I sin, I have what's coming to 291 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,700 me, you know, that little phrase that looks saying he got what's 292 00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:11,900 coming to him. That's kind of what it's like 293 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:17,800 when you go out and sin you have to reap the benefit of that or 294 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:22,800 the lack thereof I go out and I sin and I reject the teachings 295 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:26,500 that are found in the gospel and my life does not coincide with 296 00:19:26,500 --> 00:19:29,900 what's taught to me there. I've Got what's coming to me? 297 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,700 And I better just take it because that's what's coming 298 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:41,700 death, spiritual death for all eternity but I can't go to God 299 00:19:41,700 --> 00:19:44,400 and that last, and final day before the Judgment seat of 300 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,100 Christ and say, look look what I've done. 301 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,100 Here's the checklist of all of the Good Deeds that I've done, 302 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:55,100 therefore I have earned my salvation. 303 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,600 That's not how that works. Paul said salvation. 304 00:19:58,700 --> 00:20:04,800 And is a gift of God. But what about my obligation to 305 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,000 work? A lot of times folks, say, you 306 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:13,700 see, we're not saved by works, we're saved by grace. 307 00:20:13,900 --> 00:20:15,400 How does this all work real quick? 308 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:20,300 Now, we are saved by grace through faith. 309 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,500 The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians, chapter 2 and verses 310 00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:29,200 8 and 9, for by grace, are you saved through faith and not of 311 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:34,100 yourselves, it is the gift of God and not of Works, lest any 312 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:38,000 man should boast that. Just simply means that I can't 313 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:45,200 do enough Good Deeds to Warrant, or Merit or deserve the grace of 314 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,700 God. That's what that means. 315 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:55,700 But it doesn't remove me from my responsibility to demonstrate my 316 00:20:55,900 --> 00:21:03,300 faith by my obedient works as James said, if I don't work, if 317 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:07,400 I don't obey, if I don't perfect my faith and that's what the 318 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,300 Bible says, we are seen. Our faith is seen. 319 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:15,600 By the way, we demonstrate that Faith by our works. 320 00:21:15,900 --> 00:21:18,800 You can't go to heaven without works. 321 00:21:19,100 --> 00:21:23,300 But I believe, with all of my heart that a person doesn't fall 322 00:21:23,300 --> 00:21:26,800 in and out of Salvation, based upon their Works. 323 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:28,700 In terms of, I've done good today. 324 00:21:28,700 --> 00:21:32,000 I've earned good. So, I mean grace tomorrow, I do 325 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,600 bad. So, I'm out side of Salvation 326 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:36,100 because I've not done enough. Good. 327 00:21:36,100 --> 00:21:42,300 No, I believe we fall in and out of Grace, Because by the grace 328 00:21:42,300 --> 00:21:44,800 of God, we have the gift of Salvation. 329 00:21:45,100 --> 00:21:49,400 If we don't work, we fall from grace. 330 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,800 You know, it is only then that we have this Grace though. 331 00:21:55,800 --> 00:22:00,200 Is when we submit to the working of God in our lives which takes 332 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:05,800 place when were baptized into Christ, Colossians chapter 2 and 333 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:09,300 verses 11 through 13. Paul said in whom also ye are 334 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:14,100 circumcised with the circumcision made without hands 335 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,700 in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the 336 00:22:18,700 --> 00:22:23,500 circumcision of Christ. Buried with him in baptism. 337 00:22:23,500 --> 00:22:27,600 Wherein also you are risen With him through the faith of the 338 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:32,300 operation, who hath raised him from the dead and you being dead 339 00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:36,000 in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh. 340 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:40,400 Hath he quickened or Made Alive together with him having 341 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:47,600 forgiven you all trespasses. When are you forgiven your 342 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,400 trespasses? We got to do something about 343 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:56,700 this sin because of all the things in the world that are 344 00:22:56,700 --> 00:23:00,400 cause a person to be lost. Did you know that there's only 345 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,700 one thing in this whole world that of keep you out of heaven? 346 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,400 Only one. And that's in. 347 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,400 If sins in your life, you've got to get rid of it. 348 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,200 You get rid of it by being washed in the blood of Jesus. 349 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,400 And that's done at baptism. Then we must stay with are 350 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:29,100 obedient Works in Grace all the days of our life, you know, in 351 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:35,000 this parable It describes how some people react to the kingdom 352 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,700 of heaven. When they know there must be 353 00:23:36,700 --> 00:23:40,100 something out there, that's worthy of Great Value and have 354 00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:44,200 been searching for it. You know, I'm looking very much 355 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:50,400 forward, 2007 in going to the Philippines, I'm really looking 356 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,400 forward to that. Because I tell you something, 357 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,900 sometimes we get carried away with all the hustle and bustle, 358 00:23:57,900 --> 00:24:02,400 and modernization, and riches, and so on, and sometimes it's 359 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,000 challenging. Don't misunderstand me. 360 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,600 I'm not saying we have to go to foreign lands to save folks 361 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:07,800 because I don't believe that at all. 362 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:10,000 I believe that there's folks to save right here. 363 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,000 I believe that there's folks to save period or the Lord would 364 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:14,900 come back. I've always believed that I 365 00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:19,600 still do but it's going to be wonderful to see folks. 366 00:24:20,500 --> 00:24:25,700 That have nothing but they're searching for something better. 367 00:24:26,700 --> 00:24:30,000 And all of a sudden they hear in the Bible, they hear in the 368 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,600 gospel. It's told to them, they can have 369 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:38,700 a mansion on a hill top one day they can live in a place with a 370 00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:42,000 street of pure gold. They can go to a place and be 371 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:46,100 part of an institution being the church that they don't have to 372 00:24:46,100 --> 00:24:48,600 have social standing or social status. 373 00:24:48,900 --> 00:24:52,500 Nobody cares about how Much money they have no one's looking 374 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:56,100 at their credentials, the only thing they've got to have is a 375 00:24:56,100 --> 00:24:59,900 good and honest heart. And that's all and they have to 376 00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:03,300 have a willingness to serve God, that's it. 377 00:25:03,700 --> 00:25:06,900 And that person does that is baptized for the remission of 378 00:25:06,900 --> 00:25:10,200 his or her sins and then lives, according to God's will. 379 00:25:10,500 --> 00:25:14,500 They're going to that place in heaven one day? 380 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:20,000 You know, there's some wonderful Bible examples of how there were 381 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:25,800 individuals that were searching and looking for something better 382 00:25:26,300 --> 00:25:30,800 looking for the truth, many examples in the scriptures about 383 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:32,600 that. But you know what's very 384 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:36,800 interesting about these people? Unlike Paul Paul was not looking 385 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,500 Paul stumbled across it but there was others that were 386 00:25:40,500 --> 00:25:44,200 looking for the truth. They were searching God's word, 387 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:48,200 they were doing something religiously that they were 388 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:52,600 trying to be better or find better or do better. 389 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:58,400 Notice very familiar story, I'll not go into it, but the story of 390 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:02,100 Ethiopian eunuch the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch in the 391 00:26:02,100 --> 00:26:05,200 8th chapter of the book of Acts, I'll just say this. 392 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:09,500 Now we know the story, we know that Philip, the Evangelist went 393 00:26:09,500 --> 00:26:11,000 there and preached unto him. Jesus. 394 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,900 We know he obeyed the gospel. We know they came to a body of 395 00:26:13,900 --> 00:26:15,900 water. I know where they went down into 396 00:26:15,900 --> 00:26:18,000 the water. We know that he was baptized. 397 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:22,600 We know that his sins were washed away that day and after 398 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,100 he was baptized for the remission of his sins. 399 00:26:25,100 --> 00:26:28,600 He went on his way rejoicing and the spirit caught away Philip 400 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,500 that he saw him no more. Now there was no rejoicing 401 00:26:32,500 --> 00:26:37,700 before baptism rejoicing only happened after they both came up 402 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:42,500 out of the water saying all that to say this. 403 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:47,900 You know, this man was going or he went to Jerusalem to worship. 404 00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:52,800 He went to Jerusalem to worship under the Old Law. 405 00:26:53,700 --> 00:26:59,400 That is a religious move or religious act. 406 00:26:59,900 --> 00:27:04,200 In fact, when the angel of the Lord sent Philip to him, you 407 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,000 remember what he was doing, he was sitting in his Chariot 408 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,300 reading. The word of God, he was reading 409 00:27:11,300 --> 00:27:17,000 from the prophet, Isaiah He was looking for something that was 410 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:20,100 better. We find also that his immediate 411 00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:25,400 desire to be baptized shows his estimation of the value of the 412 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:30,800 Salvation offered through Jesus Christ. you know, sometimes 413 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:35,700 folks say well, Being a good person is enough. 414 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:37,400 I'm going to tell you something. Listen to me. 415 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,700 I know some wonderful people that I dearly love. 416 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:45,900 But they're lost according to God's word. 417 00:27:46,900 --> 00:27:51,000 Because their own goodness is not going to save them. 418 00:27:51,900 --> 00:27:54,600 Their obedience is what will save them. 419 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:58,400 Great example, we know when the church was established in Acts 420 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,900 2, that the Jews were first converted. 421 00:28:01,900 --> 00:28:05,100 The gospel went to the Jews, we know that and Acts 2, on the day 422 00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:08,900 of Pentecost, three thousand Souls were saved or added to the 423 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:12,800 apostles on that day as the first of the church. 424 00:28:13,300 --> 00:28:18,700 We go all the way till acts 10 and no Gentiles were converted 425 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:22,100 before that time. Do you remember a man named 426 00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:24,900 Cornelius? This was a good man. 427 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:30,700 This was a wonderful man. In fact, he prayed to God always 428 00:28:30,700 --> 00:28:33,200 and gave much alms to the people. 429 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:35,500 That's wonderful things isn't it? 430 00:28:35,900 --> 00:28:38,700 Aren't those good things? Those are good works. 431 00:28:40,100 --> 00:28:44,800 But you know, his goodness his good deeds and his things that 432 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,900 he was doing in his life while he was an error, they weren't 433 00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:52,100 enough to save him but he was praying. 434 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,700 He was looking for what was right? 435 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,900 He genuinely wanted to do that which was right. 436 00:28:59,900 --> 00:29:04,100 So the Lord sent Peter to him to tell him what he must do and he 437 00:29:04,100 --> 00:29:08,500 told him words, much like Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch on 438 00:29:08,500 --> 00:29:14,500 that Chariot that day and he was baptized to for the remission of 439 00:29:14,500 --> 00:29:17,500 his sins. You know, this coincides with 440 00:29:17,500 --> 00:29:20,100 the promise of Jesus. As found on The Sermon on the 441 00:29:20,100 --> 00:29:24,000 Mount, in Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 6, you remember what Jesus 442 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,200 said, he said, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after 443 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,500 righteousness, for they shall be filled. 444 00:29:29,900 --> 00:29:34,600 God took note of his spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst and 445 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:38,100 sent Peter to take the gospel to him. 446 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,300 Lydia is also another occurrence that we find in the book of Acts 447 00:29:42,300 --> 00:29:45,800 the 16th chapter and verses 11 through 15. 448 00:29:46,100 --> 00:29:48,600 We find that she was converted to. 449 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,500 But what we find is her meeting with other women to pray 450 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:57,000 illustrates. She was searching spiritually 451 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,500 and upon hearing the things that were spoken by. 452 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:02,800 Bye, Paul. She and her household were 453 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,000 baptized. Yes, these are examples in the 454 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:10,400 scriptures that should remind us, that people are looking for 455 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,900 something people are looking for some purpose. 456 00:30:14,100 --> 00:30:18,300 They're looking for some meaning out there that's worth diligent 457 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:22,800 search, and there are those that are willing to win, they find it 458 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:28,100 to turn their back on, whatever is necessary in order to have 459 00:30:28,100 --> 00:30:31,300 it. You know. 460 00:30:33,700 --> 00:30:37,100 I stood this not too long ago. One of the greatest challenges I 461 00:30:37,100 --> 00:30:43,300 think it is is to know sometimes what to say, as not only a 462 00:30:43,300 --> 00:30:47,300 preacher but a Christian to others to try to instill in them 463 00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:49,400 the importance of putting the Lord first. 464 00:30:50,300 --> 00:30:52,400 It's difficult, sometimes, it's challenging. 465 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,600 I often wonder when we preach on stuff like that. 466 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:58,600 I Watson wonder what goes through the mind of The 467 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:00,900 Listener. Now, I'll tell you this. 468 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,300 I can sure see how a person would want to. 469 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:05,800 On me off. I could see that right off the 470 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:10,600 bat, but I can't see someone turning their ear or turning a 471 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:14,600 deaf ear to Jesus, who said, I will be number one in your life. 472 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,200 And if you want to go to heaven, you make me number one. 473 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:24,000 I can't understand how someone would turn from those words from 474 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,600 him. Well, you know, I'll just tell 475 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:31,800 you this, I'm so thankful that my father was one, who was 476 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,200 diligently. For the truth. 477 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,200 He was I don't know how many years it was I was either a 478 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:43,900 little boy or even before I was born my dad was searching for 479 00:31:43,900 --> 00:31:47,900 answers. He was searching for the truth 480 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:53,800 and what he would do is he would go and compare certain doctrines 481 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:57,500 and teachings to the Bible simple as that he didn't have 482 00:31:57,500 --> 00:32:01,000 someone standing there telling him he was comparing it to God's 483 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,500 word. And all of a sudden one day he 484 00:32:05,500 --> 00:32:10,300 found the Lord's church and I remember something that was I 485 00:32:10,300 --> 00:32:12,100 remember this like it was yesterday. 486 00:32:12,300 --> 00:32:16,800 I was a little fella and I remember in 1973. 487 00:32:17,900 --> 00:32:21,200 I remember standing outside a church building on a Sunday 488 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:24,000 morning. I remember a preacher came up to 489 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:28,000 my father and said, don't you think it's time Don't you think 490 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,900 it's time to obey the gospel? Don't you think it's time to be 491 00:32:31,900 --> 00:32:34,300 baptized for the remission of your sins? 492 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,900 My dad said he says, well, I'm coming around. 493 00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:42,600 I'll get there and this fellow looking dead straight in the eye 494 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:47,400 and says know you're there. You need to go to heaven, you 495 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:51,100 need your sins washed away, and you need to do it right now. 496 00:32:52,100 --> 00:32:54,600 My father, and my mother obeyed, the gospel that day. 497 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,100 My sister's, followed shortly thereafter. 498 00:32:57,900 --> 00:33:00,600 When my sister, Louise? Who's married to Brett, hickey 499 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:03,800 that you all know. On the same day, we obeyed the 500 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,800 gospel together. I'm going to tell you something, 501 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:10,600 I'm standing before you today because my father was searching. 502 00:33:11,700 --> 00:33:15,400 I'm not putting the emphasis or the credit to my father. 503 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:17,300 I'm putting the credit to what Jesus said. 504 00:33:17,300 --> 00:33:20,400 He said, if you look for it, you'll find it period. 505 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,200 The Providence of God will make it. 506 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:26,300 So if you want the truth, you will find it. 507 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:32,600 That's beautiful to me because all that means is we got to be 508 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:35,300 people that are searching for, what's right? 509 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:38,700 We need to be searching for the pearl of great price. 510 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:42,800 Let's notice really quickly as we draw our lesson to a close. 511 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:46,100 How did they search? That's very important. 512 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:48,600 How did these people in the scriptures? 513 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:52,100 Search for that? Pearl of great price, we find 514 00:33:52,100 --> 00:33:56,500 with the Ethiopian eunuch, he became a student of the Bible. 515 00:33:56,900 --> 00:33:59,500 You know what else we find? And also that he applied the 516 00:33:59,508 --> 00:34:04,200 scriptures to the best of his understanding, he was open to 517 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:08,000 what Philip the Evangelist had to say concerning these 518 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,400 scriptures. You remember, also those bereans 519 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,900 as evidenced in Acts 17 and verses 10 and 11, you remember 520 00:34:15,900 --> 00:34:20,400 Paul said they were more noble than those of thessalonica. 521 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:25,199 You know why? Because with Readiness of mind, 522 00:34:25,699 --> 00:34:31,699 they received the word gladly, that's what they did, but they 523 00:34:31,699 --> 00:34:36,600 didn't just leave it there. Paul, praise them, Paul praise 524 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:38,500 them. You know why they didn't just 525 00:34:38,500 --> 00:34:41,100 take his word for it. They went home and they searched 526 00:34:41,100 --> 00:34:44,100 the Scriptures Daily to see if those things were. 527 00:34:44,100 --> 00:34:49,400 So that's what a person has to do in seeking out the Lord, 528 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:53,400 that's what a person needs to do in their life but Also, apply 529 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:56,900 diligence that is Readiness of mind to grasp. 530 00:34:56,900 --> 00:35:00,100 What others are saying about God's word. 531 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:04,000 But here's number three because I just said about others. 532 00:35:04,100 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaking of God's word. It is God's plan that we preach 533 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:08,900 the gospel to the lost. That's true. 534 00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:13,700 I want you to notice though, in the end, let the scriptures and 535 00:35:13,700 --> 00:35:17,000 the scriptures only be final Authority. 536 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:21,200 Demonstrate that demonstrate that by your respect for God's 537 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:22,800 word. By searching the Scriptures 538 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:28,200 Daily to see if these things were so like the Ethiopian 539 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,700 eunuch, like those at Barea, like Cornelius, like Lydia and 540 00:35:31,700 --> 00:35:36,500 many other religious people. It is possible to be lost in the 541 00:35:36,500 --> 00:35:42,600 present state that we are in and it is it is possible to be lost 542 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,500 in our present understanding of God's word. 543 00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:49,900 So let's search the scriptures. Let's find out exactly what's 544 00:35:49,900 --> 00:35:54,300 found in God's word for us. us, let's seek after that pearl of 545 00:35:54,300 --> 00:35:58,500 great price and then when we find it let's be willing to part 546 00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:02,300 with all that we have if necessary in order to obtain it 547 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:07,300 You know, I would just imagine because we don't have trials 548 00:36:07,300 --> 00:36:09,400 today. I it's almost embarrassing to 549 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,700 say that we have trials compared to those that we read about in 550 00:36:12,700 --> 00:36:18,200 the New Testament. Oh, I think probably the Do the 551 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:20,800 hardest thing ever, I guess said to me was somebody laughed at 552 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:23,500 me? No one's ever beat me for 553 00:36:23,500 --> 00:36:25,400 serving the lord. They've made fun of me for doing 554 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,900 it. I remember when I was growing up 555 00:36:27,900 --> 00:36:29,800 going to rodeos. I remember if Sunday rolled 556 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:32,100 around, we turn my steer out and I wouldn't be there. 557 00:36:33,100 --> 00:36:35,700 I remember I remember making fun of me. 558 00:36:37,300 --> 00:36:40,400 Big deal. That's it. 559 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:42,800 It's about the worse. It gets right there. 560 00:36:44,500 --> 00:36:48,500 I remember also, there was a young man, my dad baptized from 561 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:53,100 from my high school is about 4 years younger than then I was at 562 00:36:53,100 --> 00:36:56,800 and will.i.am and at the time I was graduating and he was a 563 00:36:56,808 --> 00:36:59,100 freshman. I remember this like it was 564 00:36:59,100 --> 00:37:03,600 yesterday, his family said, this is wonderful. 565 00:37:03,900 --> 00:37:06,700 It was wonderful that he went to the church to what the services 566 00:37:06,700 --> 00:37:09,900 on a regular basis. That was wonderful until he 567 00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:13,700 wanted to obey the gospel and take a stand for what was right? 568 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:18,100 Until he wanted to get baptized and you know what they told him. 569 00:37:18,100 --> 00:37:21,500 They told this young man, the grandparents who had a lot of 570 00:37:21,500 --> 00:37:22,900 wealth. Look him dead straight in the 571 00:37:22,900 --> 00:37:25,800 eye and said if you get baptized, you're out of the will 572 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:30,200 You know what? This little fella said, leave me 573 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:33,300 out. He was willing. 574 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:38,100 To turn his back on whatever because I'll tell you something. 575 00:37:38,100 --> 00:37:42,900 If you know about heaven and you know where the alternative is, 576 00:37:43,300 --> 00:37:47,400 there's nothing in this world. That's more important. 577 00:37:48,300 --> 00:37:51,400 I wonder if we could ask the Apostle Paul, that was beheaded. 578 00:37:51,700 --> 00:37:55,300 If we could ask Peter, who was crucified upside down, if we 579 00:37:55,300 --> 00:37:58,700 could speak to Stephen tonight that were stoned or even 580 00:37:58,700 --> 00:38:00,700 polycarp, that was burned at the stake. 581 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,300 Before he was a judge to the Flames, they try to get him to 582 00:38:04,300 --> 00:38:07,500 reject Jesus Christ and he said eighty and six years. 583 00:38:07,500 --> 00:38:09,500 Have I served him and he's never done me wrong. 584 00:38:10,500 --> 00:38:14,700 How could I possibly do it now? How could I possibly reject my 585 00:38:14,700 --> 00:38:20,200 Lord and Master that saved me I'll bet you if we could talk to 586 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:24,300 every one of those tonight which we can't they would say it was 587 00:38:24,300 --> 00:38:26,600 worth it. All one more thing and I'm going 588 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:31,900 to quit. Sometimes Christians though, 589 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:37,700 find The Pearl. But they don't realize the value 590 00:38:37,700 --> 00:38:42,500 of it Mila straight at this way, there was a man about 20 years 591 00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:46,000 ago. They call him a rock hound. 592 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,000 That's just a funny way of saying he like rocks. 593 00:38:51,100 --> 00:38:54,000 And this guy, what he would do is he would go out on various 594 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:59,500 digs and he would dig into the Earth and come up with various 595 00:38:59,500 --> 00:39:03,600 types of rocks. He would take them to collectors 596 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:07,800 or even jewelry makers and he would sell them and they would 597 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:11,100 take those stones those rocks and they would do whatever with 598 00:39:11,100 --> 00:39:16,600 them. well, one day about 20 years ago, this fella he goes on 599 00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:21,600 this dig, and he comes up with a blue rock that he simply refers 600 00:39:21,700 --> 00:39:26,200 as A hunk of Bleu. That was it. 601 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,800 He thought, you know, this is kind of pretty weighs about a 602 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:34,100 pound. Looks pretty nice. 603 00:39:34,900 --> 00:39:36,300 I'll tell you what I'm going to do. 604 00:39:36,700 --> 00:39:39,400 See, he didn't know the real value of it because he would 605 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:42,200 leave that to those that would do that for a living. 606 00:39:42,300 --> 00:39:45,900 The appraisers would do that, but he looked at it and thought 607 00:39:45,900 --> 00:39:48,000 I would imagine this has some value. 608 00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:53,000 He put a price tag on it. A $500 and tried to sell it, not 609 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:56,500 knowing what it was. He just tried to sell it for 500 610 00:39:56,500 --> 00:39:59,100 dollars. Well, being in this business, he 611 00:39:59,100 --> 00:40:01,800 loved this business had a little store doing this. 612 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:04,900 He loved the Business. But it didn't always pay the 613 00:40:04,900 --> 00:40:07,600 bills. So he thought this I've always 614 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:11,000 got that Blue Rock. I want 500 but if I have to pay 615 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,100 the PG&E bill or whatever, I'll just lower the price. 616 00:40:15,500 --> 00:40:19,300 He never could sell it. So we cast it into a closet or 617 00:40:19,300 --> 00:40:22,800 under his bed and it stayed there for two decades. 618 00:40:23,500 --> 00:40:27,900 Good thing though, good thing it was never sold because what he 619 00:40:27,900 --> 00:40:31,200 did is he almost hawked for a few hundred dollars. 620 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:34,500 What turned out to be the largest and most valuable 621 00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:40,100 Sapphire ever found, he abandoned that Sapphire to the 622 00:40:40,100 --> 00:40:44,300 darkness of his closet. For a sapphire, that's called 623 00:40:44,300 --> 00:40:50,400 the Star of David and it's worth 2.75 million dollars. 624 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,300 Don't we do that sometimes though. 625 00:40:56,700 --> 00:40:58,900 I don't want to trivialize the church. 626 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:04,900 But sometimes we do that. We find The Pearl. 627 00:41:06,900 --> 00:41:11,600 But we don't know what we found. And the reason is because we 628 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:17,100 have not placed the value on it. That is rightful for it to have. 629 00:41:18,700 --> 00:41:22,800 How was it with you tonight? Have you found the pearl of 630 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:26,400 great price? The idea that we need to 631 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,600 understand is a person is saved when they hear the word of God, 632 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:33,400 believe in Jesus for whom, he is as the Son of God when they 633 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:36,700 repent of their past life and make the determination, I no 634 00:41:36,700 --> 00:41:39,300 longer am going to head in the direction that I've been 635 00:41:39,300 --> 00:41:41,100 heading. I'm going to make a change. 636 00:41:41,500 --> 00:41:43,100 It's kind of like this Merchant man. 637 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:49,100 I'll give it all up for the Lord, because I know that if I 638 00:41:49,100 --> 00:41:52,800 do that, I'm going to be saved. And then we confess the name of 639 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:55,700 Jesus as the Son of God, that is very simple. 640 00:41:55,700 --> 00:41:58,300 I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 641 00:41:58,500 --> 00:42:02,300 That's all. And then baptized for the 642 00:42:02,300 --> 00:42:07,100 remission of our sins. We thank you for listening to 643 00:42:07,100 --> 00:42:11,900 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 644 00:42:11,900 --> 00:42:15,400 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 645 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,700 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 646 00:42:18,700 --> 00:42:24,200 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 647 00:42:24,200 --> 00:42:26,600 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 648 00:42:27,300 --> 00:42:32,500 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 649 00:42:32,500 --> 00:42:36,900 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 650 00:42:37,500 --> 00:42:39,600 We would love for you to be our honored guest.