1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,100 We welcome you all once again this evening to the service and 2 00:00:04,100 --> 00:00:06,700 we have a good audience with visitors with us, I believe. 3 00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:11,500 And so whoever you are wherever you're from, we certainly want 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:15,100 you to feel welcome and we want you to be comfortable, we're 5 00:00:15,100 --> 00:00:18,800 enjoying the meeting and we're looking forward to studying the 6 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,000 scriptures together for a while this evening. 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,400 One of the things that the Apostle Paul wrote about in the 8 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:29,300 New Testament was the need of congregations being fitly joined 9 00:00:29,300 --> 00:00:33,600 together. ER, and this is, I think a need 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,100 in every congregation as it, make any difference where it is. 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,100 And so, I taught this at home and I feel no, hesitation of 12 00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:45,300 teaching it here, he wrote about our being fitly joined together 13 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:49,400 and the original word in the Greek means to be closely joined 14 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,400 together as you might have guessed. 15 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,200 And when we see a congregation that is closely joined together, 16 00:00:55,500 --> 00:00:59,400 I can assure you. It is not an accident in order 17 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,800 for this to be the case. In order for a congregation to 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,900 be fitly joined together, every member has to be willing to 19 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:11,500 contribute to his, or her share to the well-being of the church. 20 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,900 And if some are only interested in their own well-being, they 21 00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:20,000 may exhibit that attitude in ways which caused other members 22 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,400 to feel disenchanted and disappointed by their selfless, 23 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,200 actions and members who are inconsistent of our I should 24 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,600 say, in considerate of others, feelings, and spiritual 25 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,800 well-being. Being are not fitly joined 26 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,500 together, nor will a group of people, no matter how large a 27 00:01:36,500 --> 00:01:39,200 building. If it is full of those kinds of 28 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,200 people, you're not going to have a congregation that are that is, 29 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:45,600 I should say, fitly joined together. 30 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,700 So I'm going to study with you about some things this evening 31 00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:53,000 that deal with that, with that topic, let's begin by asking a 32 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,600 simple question, what is a Christian? 33 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,900 Well, from a gut from God's perspective and I think you need 34 00:01:58,900 --> 00:02:02,900 to understand this in Can Griffin's 5 and 17? 35 00:02:02,900 --> 00:02:07,700 Paul said therefore If any man be in Christ, he is a new 36 00:02:07,700 --> 00:02:11,000 creature, behold. All things are passed to old 37 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:16,100 things are passed away, behold. All things are become new and so 38 00:02:16,100 --> 00:02:20,200 when an individual hears, the word of God and he believes it 39 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:24,400 repents of his sins confesses his or her faith in Christ and 40 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,700 is baptized in water for the remission of sins from God 41 00:02:28,700 --> 00:02:31,300 standpoint. This individual is a New 42 00:02:31,300 --> 00:02:35,600 creature, I mean, by that, that this individual now is free of 43 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,400 their sins. God has washed away. 44 00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:41,900 All of their own sins by applying the blood of Jesus 45 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:44,000 Christ. To him, the sixth chapter of 46 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,600 Romans tells us that we are baptized into the death of 47 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,300 Christ. And that like, is he was raised 48 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:54,000 up. We also are raised up to walk in 49 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,700 newness of life, and so obviously, since Jesus shed his 50 00:02:57,700 --> 00:03:02,600 blood in his death, when we are baptized Into into Christ. 51 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:08,200 We are obviously baptized into his death or baptized into his 52 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,400 being which allows us to contact his blood. 53 00:03:11,700 --> 00:03:15,000 So we are new creatures and old things are passed away. 54 00:03:15,500 --> 00:03:19,000 But that doesn't necessarily mean that just because God sees 55 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,300 us as new creatures, that we always see ourselves as new 56 00:03:23,300 --> 00:03:25,800 creatures. And I think this sometimes is a 57 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,700 real problem. God, May cleanse us, he may wash 58 00:03:29,700 --> 00:03:32,900 us, he may make Us every Whit whole and clean. 59 00:03:32,900 --> 00:03:37,900 However, if we do not change our life, that is, if I repentance 60 00:03:38,100 --> 00:03:41,800 has only been momentary, you know, repentance involves a 61 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:47,100 change of heart that results in a change of life or you might 62 00:03:47,100 --> 00:03:52,000 say repentance is a change of life that is brought about by a 63 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,300 change of heart Solomon. I believe it was said as a man 64 00:03:55,300 --> 00:03:57,600 thinketh in his heart. So is he? 65 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,500 And so that's absolutely the way it is. 66 00:04:00,700 --> 00:04:05,200 If Continue to think in the old ways, if your mind continues to 67 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:09,000 be filled with things that are not good and that are not clean 68 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,800 and that are not pure than it is very unlikely that you're going 69 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:17,100 to be able to very long be successful, in living a life 70 00:04:17,100 --> 00:04:21,000 that is clean and pure in Ephesians, four verses 20 71 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,900 through 22 through 24. Paul said, and I think this 72 00:04:25,900 --> 00:04:29,100 passage illustrates how we become new. 73 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,600 Paul said that, you put off all a concerning, the former 74 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,000 conversation, the old man, which is corrupt. 75 00:04:37,100 --> 00:04:41,000 According to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of 76 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,800 your mind that you put on the new man, which after God is 77 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,700 created in righteousness and true holiness. 78 00:04:48,700 --> 00:04:50,300 You're welcome to come on in sir. 79 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:58,500 We're to put off our old man, our old former conversation. 80 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:01,700 Now, the in the King James version, which I use 81 00:05:01,700 --> 00:05:05,200 exclusively, I just love it. That's what I'm used to using. 82 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,300 And that's that just, it's too late for me to change after 40 83 00:05:09,300 --> 00:05:14,200 years, but the word conversation in the King James version often 84 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,600 means most of the time. In fact, it means our manner of 85 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:24,300 living, or our way of life. And so Paul says, we are Put off 86 00:05:24,300 --> 00:05:28,700 concerning the former conversation or the farmer way 87 00:05:28,700 --> 00:05:32,300 of life. The old man which is he said 88 00:05:32,300 --> 00:05:35,600 corrupt now after we obey the gospel, we don't want to 89 00:05:35,608 --> 00:05:40,800 continue to live in a in a man, be a man that is still corrupt 90 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,300 who still thinks bad things and who still does bad things, we 91 00:05:45,300 --> 00:05:49,400 want to put that kind of Life Away, put it off and he said, it 92 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,400 is corrupt. According to the deceitful 93 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:56,100 lusts, one of the things that is sad Sad about Sin, is that it is 94 00:05:56,100 --> 00:05:58,700 a decision is deceitful in its nature. 95 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,300 It's the kind of thing that promises us happiness. 96 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,800 We think we're going to be happy if we can live in that sin. 97 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,000 When in fact, it is only momentary pleasure. 98 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,000 It's a little bit. Like, when a child, have you 99 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,700 ever noticed a child? You can't keep them happy, very 100 00:06:13,700 --> 00:06:15,000 long. You ever noticed that? 101 00:06:16,900 --> 00:06:19,800 They may want to go for an ice cream cone when they're little, 102 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,700 I'm talking about for that matter. 103 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,500 When they get bigger they may want to go for an ice cream cone 104 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:28,000 but have you ever noticed when you take a child and get him or 105 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,300 her something that they really want, maybe an ice cream cone, 106 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:35,100 they're so happy at the moment, but when the ice cream cone is 107 00:06:35,100 --> 00:06:38,500 gone, the happiness is gone. And so it was kind of an 108 00:06:38,500 --> 00:06:40,700 infatuation. You might say, it was an 109 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:44,600 excitement that that was brought about by the eating of the ice 110 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:48,800 cream cone, but the happiness Is short-lived to say the least. 111 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,300 And so that's the way sin is it may promised happiness. 112 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,800 It may look like a great time and in fact the Bible speaks of 113 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,200 the pleasures of sin in the world but the truth of it is it 114 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:04,700 is a momentary excitement or a momentary infatuation. 115 00:07:04,700 --> 00:07:09,500 If you will about that kind of living it's not going to really 116 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,400 make you happy and you may think you're going to be happy but you 117 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,300 will wake up one of these days and be sad. 118 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:20,500 And empty and feeling like you do not have what you need to 119 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:22,900 have in order to really be happy. 120 00:07:23,300 --> 00:07:27,200 So Paul said, we put it off and be renewed in the spirit of your 121 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:32,300 mind that you put on the new man, which after God is created 122 00:07:32,300 --> 00:07:34,800 in righteousness and true Holiness. 123 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:39,900 It is a fact that too many never become new within themselves, 124 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,600 and until they become new within themselves, until they start 125 00:07:43,700 --> 00:07:46,400 living a different life and taking a different way. 126 00:07:46,500 --> 00:07:49,400 Way, it is not very likely that they're going to Long be 127 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,100 successful in living the Christian Life. 128 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:57,500 Now, then in Galatians 2 and verse 20, Paul said, I am 129 00:07:57,500 --> 00:08:01,400 crucified with Christ. How can you say that? 130 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:05,800 I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. 131 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,900 Well, obviously he is still living and so he wasn't 132 00:08:09,900 --> 00:08:12,600 crucified with Christ in a physical way. 133 00:08:13,500 --> 00:08:17,600 Paul is not telling us that he was crucified like the Lord was 134 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:22,500 on a cross and died physically, but he refers to his crucifixion 135 00:08:22,500 --> 00:08:26,600 in a figurative way, he refers to the fact that he has cut off 136 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,900 all of his old life and you know, when we die, we are cut 137 00:08:30,900 --> 00:08:34,299 off from this life and so Paul said, I am crucified with 138 00:08:34,299 --> 00:08:37,400 Christ. I have cut off since In I've cut 139 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:41,500 off the old way of living, and so, the Way I Live Now is not 140 00:08:41,500 --> 00:08:45,700 the way I used to live the way I think now is not the way I used 141 00:08:45,700 --> 00:08:49,000 to think and that's the key to learn to think differently. 142 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,000 So that you will in fact be different rather than just 143 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,600 having to put on an act of living and looking like you're 144 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,400 better. So he said nevertheless I live 145 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,100 yet not I but Christ liveth in me. 146 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,500 How does Christ live in US? According to Ephesians 3 and 147 00:09:05,500 --> 00:09:10,200 verse 17 The Bible tells us that Jesus dwells in our hearts by 148 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,300 faith, there is such a thing as the indwelling Christ. 149 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,000 People like to talk about the dweller indwelling of the spirit 150 00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:20,800 but the Bible speaks of the indwelling Christ. 151 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,600 And the Bible tells us that we have that he dwells in Us by 152 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:25,200 faith. Well. 153 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,400 Alright how do you get Faith? Romans 10:17. 154 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:32,600 So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 155 00:09:32,900 --> 00:09:34,900 So let's see if we can figure this out. 156 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:40,200 When you read your Bible, oh, when you read your Bible and you 157 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:44,100 read about what the Lord tells you to do, and what the Lord 158 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,800 wants you to be, and how he wants you to be and how he wants 159 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,700 you to think. If you let the Lord live in you 160 00:09:50,700 --> 00:09:55,200 if you let his word dwell in you and you begin to do those things 161 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,300 that Jesus did and think in the way that he thought be. 162 00:09:58,300 --> 00:10:02,200 The kind of person that he was, Jesus, is dwelling in your 163 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,200 hearts, through faith in his word. 164 00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:10,000 You know, I that I used to have trouble understanding how the 165 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,900 spirit in the world. How Christ in the world until I 166 00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:18,500 realized that I was looking at it from the wrong standpoint. 167 00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:23,200 How is it that sin dwelleth in us? 168 00:10:23,900 --> 00:10:28,400 The Bible speaks of individuals in which it is said that sin 169 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,400 dwelled in them or dwelt in then how to send well in a man? 170 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:38,500 Well, send dwells in a man by the actions he does if you see a 171 00:10:38,500 --> 00:10:44,300 man whose actions are always evil, if he's a thief, if he's a 172 00:10:44,300 --> 00:10:48,500 profane or immoral man, sin is living in him. 173 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,400 Sin is dwelling in. Him on the other hand, if you 174 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,300 see a man, whose who is producing the fruit of the 175 00:10:55,300 --> 00:10:58,300 spirit, which according to the scriptures are things such as 176 00:10:58,300 --> 00:11:01,100 love and joy, and peace and goodness. 177 00:11:01,300 --> 00:11:04,000 And Paul said against such, there is no law. 178 00:11:04,300 --> 00:11:06,800 You don't have to, you don't have to have a law against those 179 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,900 things because that's just going to improve the church. 180 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:12,600 It's just going to improve the community in which the 181 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,500 individual lives. So there is no law against those 182 00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:18,100 kinds of things. When you see an individual 183 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:21,000 producing, the Fruit of the Spirit, And you can be certain 184 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,400 that not only is the Spirit dwelling in him, but Christ is 185 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:26,800 as well. In fact, as I see it, there are 186 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,800 pretty much the same thing if one dwells in you. 187 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,700 The other one will and you will produce the fruit of the spirit. 188 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:39,400 Paul said, In Romans 12 and verse 1. 189 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:43,500 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God, that ye 190 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:47,900 present, your bodies, a Living Sacrifice, holy acceptable, unto 191 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:51,800 God, which is your reasonable service. 192 00:11:52,700 --> 00:11:55,000 This is a beautiful passage, and I want to spend just a minute or 193 00:11:55,008 --> 00:11:59,000 two on it. Paul said, I want you to present 194 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:03,800 your bodies a Living Sacrifice Now, other the Old Testament 195 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:08,400 law, there was a morning and an afternoon sacrifice every 196 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:14,200 morning at 9:00 every afternoon at 3:00, third, our ninth hour. 197 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:19,100 There was a sacrifice, there was an oblation as it was sometimes 198 00:12:19,100 --> 00:12:22,300 called at the Tabernacle, or in the temple. 199 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:26,500 And each time, this service came, the priest came and would 200 00:12:26,500 --> 00:12:30,100 stand before the before the veil and he would officiate. 201 00:12:30,100 --> 00:12:34,400 And he would offer the blood of a sacrificed animal in the place 202 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,400 of the sins of Israel. This went on day after day, 203 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:45,600 after day, after day for nearly 1,500 years, this continued The 204 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,600 only time this practice was altered. 205 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,000 It was one day out of the year. When they had, what was called 206 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,700 the day of atonement. Now, you've probably heard of 207 00:12:56,700 --> 00:12:59,900 the day of atonement, but you may not realize how important it 208 00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:05,600 was and even is to us today. It had a typical or a figurative 209 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,700 meaning which is absolutely beautiful to comprehend. 210 00:13:10,900 --> 00:13:14,000 You remember on the day of atonement, the Bible tells us 211 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,000 how that an animal would be brought it. 212 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:17,500 What? Usually be a goat. 213 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,800 And this animal would be brought in and the priest would lay his 214 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:26,200 hands on the head of that animal and confess over that animal. 215 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:31,500 The sins of Israel. And then the Bible says a strong 216 00:13:31,500 --> 00:13:36,600 man would lead that animal out into the Wilderness and 217 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,900 releasing. I seem strange, doesn't it? 218 00:13:40,900 --> 00:13:43,500 What in the world could be the meaning of that? 219 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:49,500 Oh, it's beautiful. Because you see Once that animal 220 00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:54,500 was released, it figuratively carried the sins of Israel out 221 00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:57,800 yonder. Now it was only figurative and 222 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,900 the only way you really find forgiveness under the Old 223 00:14:00,900 --> 00:14:03,700 Testament. Covenant is in a ceremonial 224 00:14:03,700 --> 00:14:08,200 since I mean by that they were forgiven in the sense that 225 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,400 that's all they could do and God move their sins away. 226 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,800 So that they were not held guilty of them. 227 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,300 That is they would not be condemned if they should die at 228 00:14:17,300 --> 00:14:20,200 that time. I'm but every year God would 229 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,600 remember those sins again? And so when that animal was 230 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,600 carried out into the Wilderness, it figuratively or typically 231 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:32,400 carried with it, the sins of Israel and when it was turned 232 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:36,800 loose, It was the animal became Anonymous. 233 00:14:37,300 --> 00:14:39,400 Nobody knew where the animal came from. 234 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,900 It was just another animal that wandered freely somebody problem 235 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:45,600 but he would pick it up and bring it back and turn it into 236 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,400 his or her own heard. But as far as the people were 237 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,400 concerned, and as far as God was concerned, it had a beautiful 238 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:57,100 meaning because it's typified that the sins of Israel were 239 00:14:57,100 --> 00:15:01,500 carried into an anonymous State. Have you ever wondered where 240 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:06,100 your sins go? When you commit a saint and you 241 00:15:06,100 --> 00:15:09,100 ask God's forgiveness, have you ever wondered what does he do 242 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:14,000 with them? It isn't as though you haven't 243 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,300 sinned and yet God doesn't consider you guilty of saying. 244 00:15:19,100 --> 00:15:22,400 And so it is it was typified by this act. 245 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:26,500 Your sins are out yonder in anonymity to you. 246 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,500 And you will never be charged with those things. 247 00:15:30,500 --> 00:15:33,800 Again, they will never be identified with you. 248 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,500 Again, you won't have to answer for them in the day of judgment 249 00:15:37,500 --> 00:15:41,600 either God forgets about them, they're out yonder, as we might 250 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,000 say, in, Never Never Land, never to be seen again. 251 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,500 And that's what this day of atonement was all about. 252 00:15:48,700 --> 00:15:53,000 It was a figurative expression and a figurative or typical act, 253 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,200 which pointed toward the time in which we live right tonight. 254 00:15:58,900 --> 00:16:01,800 You know, we talked about God seeing the end from the 255 00:16:01,808 --> 00:16:03,800 beginning, that's the proof of it. 256 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,100 He realized that he saw the time when his people in fact the Old 257 00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:12,000 Testament said there would be a time God said when he would not 258 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,200 remember their sins and their iniquities but he would forgive 259 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,300 them and remember them against them. 260 00:16:17,300 --> 00:16:20,300 No more. The day of atonement was a type 261 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:22,900 expressing that beautiful action. 262 00:16:24,300 --> 00:16:28,800 Well so there was the animal that was sacrificed but under 263 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:33,200 the New Covenant, we don't sacrifice animals and Paul said 264 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:38,400 he wants our bodies to be a Living Sacrifice unto the Old 265 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,700 Testament. It was a dead sacrifice. 266 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:46,100 But under the new our bodies become a Living Sacrifice. 267 00:16:46,100 --> 00:16:49,600 How does how does that work? Well, it's it goes back to the 268 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,000 same idea as Paul saying I've been crucified with Christ. 269 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,600 Nevertheless, I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me. 270 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:02,800 It is the idea of we crucify ourselves to sin and we turn our 271 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:05,099 backs upon that on that kind of thing. 272 00:17:05,099 --> 00:17:08,599 Even though it may hold, you know, an interest forests and we 273 00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:12,599 may have an affinity toward it. We turn our backs to ooh, that 274 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:18,500 And our bodies become a Living, Sacrifice every day. 275 00:17:18,500 --> 00:17:23,200 We just put out all on the Altar and we sacrifice our wants and 276 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:27,500 our think souls and our ideas in order to put the Lord and his 277 00:17:27,500 --> 00:17:31,400 church first. That's what it means to be a 278 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:35,800 Living Sacrifice. He said you do this, that it may 279 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:41,200 be holy acceptable, unto God, which is your reasonable service 280 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:44,100 and the word reasonable in the original language. 281 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:49,800 Ames rational or logical. In other words, it is no more 282 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:54,000 than fair to ask us to live that way considering what the Lord 283 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:58,300 has done for us. Jesus died for us. 284 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,400 Is it too much to ask that we live for in? 285 00:18:01,900 --> 00:18:05,500 You see what I'm saying? You know. 286 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:11,800 The idea of putting the Lord first is a difficult thing, and 287 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,900 I'll try to get back to that before we're through with our 288 00:18:13,900 --> 00:18:17,000 lesson. Let me say also that a Christian 289 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:21,700 is not only a new creature, but a Christian is also one who is a 290 00:18:21,700 --> 00:18:25,800 disciple of Christ and there's one reads, the 11th chapter of 291 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:29,400 the book of Acts and verse 26. You will notice there that in 292 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,800 that passage Barnabas had brought Paul to Antioch. 293 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,100 And the scripture says for a whole year, they assembled 294 00:18:37,100 --> 00:18:40,500 themselves with the church and taught much people have you ever 295 00:18:40,500 --> 00:18:42,600 thought what this passage is really saying? 296 00:18:44,300 --> 00:18:47,300 Do you realize that it is difficult to get people to 297 00:18:47,300 --> 00:18:53,900 attend a week's meeting today? It difficult, in fact, just last 298 00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:58,600 Lord's Day I heard of a congregation in California, so 299 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,600 don't be worried that it's Tennessee, but I heard of a 300 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:06,300 congregation in California who had a meeting booked with a 301 00:19:06,300 --> 00:19:12,200 preacher for six years. And when the meeting time, came, 302 00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:15,900 just one week. Would you believe there were two 303 00:19:15,900 --> 00:19:19,500 families in that congregation that left that area and went to 304 00:19:19,508 --> 00:19:22,700 Disneyland. The meetings been booked for six 305 00:19:22,700 --> 00:19:25,400 years. How long does it take to change 306 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,900 it to change plans to go to Disneyland overnight? 307 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,600 At the most? And yet, Paul and Barnabas 308 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:38,400 assembled themselves with the church and for a whole year and 309 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:43,600 it is intimated or implied that every day they work diligently 310 00:19:43,700 --> 00:19:47,100 teaching much people. You talk about dedication. 311 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:51,100 Were they put in the church ahead of themselves? 312 00:19:51,500 --> 00:19:55,700 There's the proof of it, there's the proof of it and the Bible 313 00:19:55,700 --> 00:19:59,800 says it was there that the name Christian came to be known 314 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,500 first. You think of the whole of the 315 00:20:02,508 --> 00:20:07,600 dedication those Brethren showed in Acts 20 and 7, the bible 316 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,100 says, and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples 317 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:13,600 came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them ready to 318 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:17,900 depart on the morrow and continued his speech until 319 00:20:19,500 --> 00:20:21,800 Morning. How can we become that 320 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,300 dedicated? How can it be that we could ever 321 00:20:24,300 --> 00:20:27,100 become dedicated like those New Testament? 322 00:20:27,100 --> 00:20:30,200 People want to let me get back to the point I started to make 323 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,900 while ago and got a little ahead of myself and Matthew, 16 and 324 00:20:32,900 --> 00:20:37,300 24, Jesus said to his disciples If any man will come after me 325 00:20:37,700 --> 00:20:44,100 let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me again, 326 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:47,600 an obscure passage and you had to think about this a little bit 327 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:51,200 to see what he is saying. Jesus is certainly not saying, 328 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,900 and I've actually been asked the question by a few people. 329 00:20:54,300 --> 00:20:57,500 He's certainly not saying that if we obey the gospel, we've got 330 00:20:57,500 --> 00:21:00,700 to pick up across and lug it around with us all the time, we 331 00:21:00,700 --> 00:21:03,900 do better than that. And yet there is something that 332 00:21:03,900 --> 00:21:07,700 we do that is likened to bearing our across. 333 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,100 What do you suppose that might be well? 334 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:14,300 Bearing, our cross is whatever it might be, that we have to put 335 00:21:14,300 --> 00:21:20,000 away in order to put Christ. First It's not necessarily 336 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:23,700 something that's wrong that we're putting away, but if it 337 00:21:23,700 --> 00:21:27,800 comes between us and our responsibility to the Lord, that 338 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:31,300 comes second or third or fourth, or somewhere else down the line, 339 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:36,200 and the Lord and the church come first, I wouldn't be surprised. 340 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:41,200 In fact, I'm pretty sure. That the doctrine of self loss, 341 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:46,000 that's what I choose to call it that the doctrine of self loss. 342 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,800 Is not the most difficult Doctrine, you'll ever have to 343 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:56,500 accept. Now, if Jesus had said deny 344 00:21:56,500 --> 00:22:00,000 yourself certain things that would be pretty easy. 345 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,200 But he didn't say that. It's far more encompassing, it's 346 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,900 far greater. He said just deny yourself. 347 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:12,300 And so, whatever it might be in my life that I really want, but 348 00:22:12,300 --> 00:22:17,500 it's going to infringe on my ability to live faithfully and 349 00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:20,200 serve Faithfully. While I put that somewhere else 350 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:26,100 and it goes down the line as far as intentions go and as far as 351 00:22:26,100 --> 00:22:30,700 importance goes and so that's the way that I carry my cross 352 00:22:30,700 --> 00:22:35,300 and I do it every day. You know, just here, I remember 353 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:37,200 a story. And by the way, this is a true 354 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,400 story. And it literally tugged at the 355 00:22:39,500 --> 00:22:42,200 strings of my heart, the moment I saw it. 356 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:48,300 In the area where I live, is a famous world, famous hospital 357 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:52,200 called Stanford. There's a great College there, 358 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:56,500 but there's also a hospital and they treat all sorts of diseases 359 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,000 and do all kinds of research and all that kind of thing. 360 00:23:00,900 --> 00:23:04,600 Some years ago in the Bay Area, in the Stanford Hospital. 361 00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:11,100 A young lady came in to be half some research done. 362 00:23:11,100 --> 00:23:13,500 She was very very sick, but nobody seemed to know what it 363 00:23:13,500 --> 00:23:16,700 was. And after running some tests or 364 00:23:16,700 --> 00:23:20,600 remember, this is true. After running at some tests, 365 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,100 they came up with a diagnosis, and I don't recall what the name 366 00:23:24,100 --> 00:23:28,000 of the disease was, doesn't matter, but it was almost always 367 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:33,200 fatal. Almost always. and they told her 368 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:39,700 her only chance would be if she could receive some antibodies. 369 00:23:41,300 --> 00:23:46,600 Like a vaccination from someone who had had the disease and 370 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,900 survived it and their body had built up antibodies. 371 00:23:51,100 --> 00:23:57,300 Talk about a stroke of luck. Because this girl, this little 372 00:23:57,300 --> 00:24:02,800 girl had an older brother. Who had had the same disease as 373 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,900 it turns out and had miraculously survived it and was 374 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:11,700 healthy. And so the doctors consulted 375 00:24:11,700 --> 00:24:15,300 with the parents, would they consent to the little fella 376 00:24:15,300 --> 00:24:19,300 coming in? And perhaps giving a transfusion 377 00:24:19,300 --> 00:24:22,500 of his blood to his, to his older sister. 378 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:29,600 Whose name was by the way, Lisa? And they said, well, if he's 379 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,100 willing we're willing and so the doctors brought the little 380 00:24:33,100 --> 00:24:36,300 fellow in and they told him that this was a very serious 381 00:24:36,300 --> 00:24:39,900 situation. And that his sister was probably 382 00:24:39,900 --> 00:24:45,100 going to die, unless she received his blood because he 383 00:24:45,100 --> 00:24:48,800 had the antibodies in his blood that could make her healthy 384 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,200 again. And would he consent, would he 385 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:56,800 consider giving his blood to his sister so that she might be 386 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,800 healthy again? The little fellow swallowed 387 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,100 deeply a time or two. And then said, yeah, I'll do it 388 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:07,500 if it'll help Lisa. The next day, the transfusion 389 00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:11,200 was set up. They brought both young people 390 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,800 in on a gurney and set them up near each other, and the 391 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,000 transfusion began to take place the little fellow looked over at 392 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:25,200 his at his sister and was just Overjoyed to see the color begin 393 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:30,200 to return to her cheeks. As she received the transfusion. 394 00:25:33,300 --> 00:25:39,500 And then his face got sober. and he looked up into the face of 395 00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:44,300 the doctors and said, will I die right away? 396 00:25:50,100 --> 00:25:53,600 You see he thought that he was going to have to die. 397 00:25:54,800 --> 00:26:02,000 In order for his sister to live. But he unhesitatingly said, 398 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,200 sure, I'll do it if it'll help Lisa. 399 00:26:06,500 --> 00:26:08,200 Now that's what you call dedication. 400 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,700 That's a true story. If you have a Congregation of 401 00:26:14,700 --> 00:26:18,100 people who love each other, to the point that they would do, 402 00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:20,800 that sort of service for one another. 403 00:26:21,300 --> 00:26:26,900 You have a congregation that is fitly joined together. if we're 404 00:26:26,900 --> 00:26:30,200 going to be fitly joined together, there is a 405 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,400 responsibility in the church for each of us. 406 00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:38,400 All of us have a responsibility to promote unity in Ephesians 407 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:40,100 four. Verses 1 through 3. 408 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,700 Paul said I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you 409 00:26:43,700 --> 00:26:47,500 that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you're called 410 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:53,400 with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing 411 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:54,600 one. Another in love. 412 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:59,200 Are you getting this endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit? 413 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:03,200 In the bond of Peace. We are fitly joined together 414 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:07,700 because we are well, we're working together in lowliness. 415 00:27:07,900 --> 00:27:11,100 That means the idea of not considering ourselves better 416 00:27:11,100 --> 00:27:14,700 than the other. But the other way around. 417 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,300 And meekness weaknesses. Interesting. 418 00:27:18,300 --> 00:27:20,900 I think most of us really don't understand what meekness is all 419 00:27:20,900 --> 00:27:25,000 about and sometimes a Meek person is thought to be a 420 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,200 coward. Not at all. 421 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,600 Meekness is the man who or the woman who has the ability to 422 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,600 strike back and perhaps even be be victorious. 423 00:27:35,100 --> 00:27:38,500 But because of meekness, they choose not to do that. 424 00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:42,700 They choose to allow somebody else to have the upper hand. 425 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:46,400 That's meekness has nothing to do with being a coward and a 426 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,800 Meek person shows some of the strongest characteristics that 427 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,200 you'll ever find anywhere and then long suffering. 428 00:27:54,300 --> 00:27:58,500 If we're fitly joined together, we are joined together and we 429 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:01,000 are long-suffering with each other. 430 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,100 That is, we're not impatient with each other. 431 00:28:04,300 --> 00:28:07,500 We're willing to give one another time to make some 432 00:28:07,500 --> 00:28:11,600 changes and to heal, maybe from a disagreement that we might 433 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,700 have had. And Paul said, we forbearing one 434 00:28:14,700 --> 00:28:18,300 another in love that is we put off any sort of, you know, any 435 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:21,900 sort of retaliation because we love those people. 436 00:28:22,900 --> 00:28:25,600 And he said, then we Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in 437 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,800 the bond of Peace, when you have that kind of peace. 438 00:28:29,900 --> 00:28:34,300 There, there is created by that. Feeling a bond. 439 00:28:35,300 --> 00:28:39,500 That you are loathe to break. It's so good. 440 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:44,100 It's so wonderful that you just won't hardly allow anything to 441 00:28:44,100 --> 00:28:47,400 come along to ruin it. How can you do this? 442 00:28:47,700 --> 00:28:51,500 Well quickly, we can do it by having a respect for the Bible, 443 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:56,000 in 2nd, Timothy 3:16 and 17. Paul said, and here's one other 444 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,200 one of those plain passages that we hear all the time and is 445 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,800 seldom really understood. Paul said, all scripture is 446 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,000 given by inspiration of God and is profitable. 447 00:29:05,100 --> 00:29:08,600 For Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction. 448 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:12,000 In righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly 449 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,400 furnished unto all good works. Want you to notice quickly these 450 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:20,000 words that Paul uses, he says it is profitable the word of God, 451 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,800 Scripture. That's what you know, scripture 452 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,200 is what you write down. And that's what this book is 453 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,000 that which is written down. And Paul said all scripture 454 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,400 everything that's written down in the word of God is given by 455 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:36,200 inspiration and he says it is profitable for for Doctrine, 456 00:29:36,500 --> 00:29:38,800 Look up the word Doctrine, if you'd like in a Bible 457 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,100 dictionary, you'll find it simply means that which is to be 458 00:29:42,100 --> 00:29:47,400 taught And so there is nothing better to teach than the 459 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:51,500 doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of God, use the 460 00:29:51,508 --> 00:29:53,100 Bible. I remember a story. 461 00:29:53,100 --> 00:29:56,100 A true story. We're at the time. 462 00:29:56,100 --> 00:29:59,000 One of our younger preacher, not young anymore but was young at 463 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:03,000 the time he had held a meeting at a place and in those days 464 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,100 meetings ran two weeks, three Lords days and about 26 sermons 465 00:30:07,900 --> 00:30:09,700 and they wanted him back the next year. 466 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,900 And this young man was just in a dither because he didn't have 467 00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:15,700 enough sermons to go back the next year. 468 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:20,400 And he went to Brother who marry gay and he told him said, what 469 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:21,800 am I going to preach brother gay? 470 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,700 When I go back there next year. Brother gay said just preach the 471 00:30:24,708 --> 00:30:28,200 Bible, just preach the Bible. That's that's all you need to 472 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:29,200 preach. That's what you. 473 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:30,900 That's what you ought to be preachy. 474 00:30:31,100 --> 00:30:34,400 And certainly that's right. So Doctrine, is that which is 475 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:39,200 profitable to be taught and then Paul said it is also profitable 476 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:42,500 for reproof. And this word reproof here in 477 00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:47,400 the original literally means it is able to convict us. 478 00:30:48,900 --> 00:30:52,500 That which is given in the word of God, May convict us. 479 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:56,600 Now, let me illustrate how that works, if I fall away from the 480 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:59,000 truth. The doctrine that is profitable 481 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:04,400 to be taught that same Doctrine is also profitable to convict me 482 00:31:04,700 --> 00:31:08,700 of my sin. And then that same Doctrine is 483 00:31:08,700 --> 00:31:14,200 also profitable. To correct me and the word 484 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,700 correction in the original means to restore to an upright state. 485 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:22,700 So the same doctrine that is profitable to be taught may also 486 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:26,900 convict me and then it may help me to rise back to an upright 487 00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:29,600 State. And then finally, Paul said it 488 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:35,000 is profitable for instruction in righteousness in order that I 489 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,400 don't make the same mistake again that same doctrine, that 490 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,700 is profitable for all of those other things. 491 00:31:40,900 --> 00:31:46,400 Is possible now to keep me going in the right way or wonderful 492 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:49,200 passage. What a wonderful passage. 493 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:53,300 See if we have a proper respect for the scriptures. 494 00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:56,100 No wonder. Paul said it is Thoroughly 495 00:31:56,100 --> 00:31:58,100 furnished. That is we can be thoroughly 496 00:31:58,100 --> 00:32:01,800 furnished unto all good works in First Corinthians 1 and 10. 497 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,600 Paul said, now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord 498 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:08,700 Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing and that there be 499 00:32:08,700 --> 00:32:12,400 no divisions among you. But that you be perfectly joined 500 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,900 together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 501 00:32:15,900 --> 00:32:18,600 In other words, we're not to just be going off at every 502 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,700 direction and disagreeing with each other over things that 503 00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:24,500 really don't matter. In fact, listen to what he wrote 504 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:28,600 to Titus in Titus 3 and 9 he said but avoid foolish 505 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,900 questions. You mean there's a foolish 506 00:32:31,900 --> 00:32:36,100 question? Yeah, there's foolish questions 507 00:32:36,100 --> 00:32:38,700 and if you think about it, it could only be one thing. 508 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:47,600 Foolish questions would have to be anything that is not germane 509 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,800 to Salvation. If it hasn't got anything to do 510 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,400 with, you going to heaven brother, it's not worth fighting 511 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:59,100 about you, realize that it doesn't matter enough to 512 00:32:59,100 --> 00:33:02,200 disagree and cause trouble and have hard feelings. 513 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:06,600 If, if it's not going to keep somebody from going to heaven, 514 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:11,500 Paul said, you avoid foolish questions and genealogies. 515 00:33:11,700 --> 00:33:15,100 Now we don't have that problem today but in Paul's day, the 516 00:33:15,100 --> 00:33:17,700 Jews, oh they'd get around and argue. 517 00:33:18,900 --> 00:33:22,000 And they would try to trace their genealogical line back to 518 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:26,000 Abraham and brother if they could, that was a big Plus on 519 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:29,400 their side. Paul said, forget all of that. 520 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,000 Why would he say that? Well, because it didn't matter 521 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,400 anymore. Whether you came from Abraham or 522 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:39,500 wherever y because Christ is all and in all and everything to 523 00:33:39,500 --> 00:33:42,400 everyone. Now it no longer matters about 524 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:44,700 the law. The law has been fulfilled in 525 00:33:44,700 --> 00:33:48,000 Jesus, nailed to the cross. Paul said in the colossian 526 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:50,100 letter. So forget about all of those 527 00:33:50,100 --> 00:33:55,400 things and contentions he said and strivings about the law, Oh, 528 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,300 they love to get together and argue about the law of Moses. 529 00:33:58,300 --> 00:34:00,600 Why? It didn't even apply to them 530 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,100 anymore. That was some of those foolish 531 00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:07,400 questions that Paul is talking about and Paul said they are 532 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:12,500 unprofitable and vain it, there's no benefit to it. 533 00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:18,300 And I've often wondered why that some insist on inducing and 534 00:34:18,300 --> 00:34:23,100 introducing things either by their lives, or by their private 535 00:34:23,100 --> 00:34:27,400 studies or teachings, which are just likely to cause Strife. 536 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,199 I had a phone call today. In fact, about that very thing 537 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:31,900 in another part of the United States. 538 00:34:32,900 --> 00:34:37,100 Why do people want to do that? I do, I just don't understand 539 00:34:37,100 --> 00:34:39,000 it. People like that will cause a 540 00:34:39,007 --> 00:34:42,900 congregation to not be fitly joined together. 541 00:34:43,900 --> 00:34:47,800 Well, I could go on and on we can help by supporting the work 542 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:51,699 of the church and, you know, I think every congregation needs 543 00:34:51,699 --> 00:34:57,000 to have a reason to be there other than just worshiping. 544 00:34:57,600 --> 00:34:59,800 I think one of the greatest things that ever happened to the 545 00:34:59,808 --> 00:35:03,900 church where I live. Early on in the work. 546 00:35:03,900 --> 00:35:09,600 When I started that we started out with 13 people and early on 547 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:13,600 in that work, the work and the Philippines began to kind of 548 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:18,200 evolve and it looked like it was going to go and Our People, by 549 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:22,500 that time we probably had 25 but our people got together and we 550 00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:26,100 made a commitment to see that that work went forward. 551 00:35:26,100 --> 00:35:28,300 We agreed to back, it come, what may? 552 00:35:28,700 --> 00:35:31,200 As long as those rather than over there were trying to do 553 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:33,700 right and live right? We would back it. 554 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,600 They would send me over there once a year to help them and 555 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:41,000 encourage them. And so for 25 years now we've 556 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:44,000 continued to do that. The work has grown and it is 557 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:47,600 progress in wonderful ways. But I think also, Oh, it has 558 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:50,100 been tremendously. Good and profitable for the 559 00:35:50,100 --> 00:35:53,900 church at home because it's given the breadth and at home, a 560 00:35:53,900 --> 00:35:58,500 reason to feel needed. Their contribution. 561 00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:02,100 They know when they give is going to be used for a 562 00:36:02,100 --> 00:36:04,300 profitable thing. It's not just going to sit in 563 00:36:04,300 --> 00:36:07,800 the bank account somewhere, but it's going to be used to preach 564 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,000 the gospel. In fact, one of the proudest 565 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:14,900 moments of my life, if you'll pardon me using that term, Well, 566 00:36:14,900 --> 00:36:17,900 some years ago, when our Treasurer got up before us in a 567 00:36:17,908 --> 00:36:22,900 business meeting and gave an account of the financial affairs 568 00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:26,500 of our congregation. And and said, when you expect, 569 00:36:26,500 --> 00:36:29,800 when you figure it all out, here's the money that came in. 570 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,000 Here's the money that went out and he said of the money that 571 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:39,700 came in Ninety-seven percent of all of our expenditures. 572 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:42,800 Went directly to preach the gospel. 573 00:36:44,700 --> 00:36:47,400 The other three percent paid the utilities, and that sort of 574 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:51,400 thing. 97% that made me feel good. 575 00:36:51,900 --> 00:36:55,400 And that continues to be the case, perhaps not in those same 576 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:59,100 rationales, but that continues to be the case even today. 577 00:36:59,100 --> 00:37:01,400 And it's been so good for the breath. 578 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:05,100 If you, if you have a work that you all are involved in here, 579 00:37:05,100 --> 00:37:08,500 you know what I'm talking about. We can also help this be the 580 00:37:08,500 --> 00:37:12,100 case by maintaining the purity of the church, because Christ 581 00:37:12,100 --> 00:37:14,300 died to make it pure, according to a fish. 582 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:19,900 Asians 5 verses 25 and 26. It's up to us to maintain the 583 00:37:19,900 --> 00:37:21,800 church. It's not going to happen by 584 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:24,200 accident. If you want the church here in 585 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:26,300 this place to be a fitly joined together. 586 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:27,900 Well it's going to take some work. 587 00:37:28,900 --> 00:37:32,900 And I'll leave this passage with you tonight in Philippians 1:27. 588 00:37:32,900 --> 00:37:36,300 Paul said, only let your conversation, there's that old 589 00:37:36,900 --> 00:37:40,800 Elizabethan term. Again meaning manner of Life, 590 00:37:41,100 --> 00:37:46,300 only let your conversation be as it becometh, the gospel of 591 00:37:46,300 --> 00:37:50,200 Christ, the word becometh there. And the original means as is 592 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:55,700 worthy of the gospel of Christ. Be careful that whatever you do 593 00:37:55,700 --> 00:37:58,600 and whatever you were involved in be careful. 594 00:37:58,900 --> 00:38:06,000 It is worthy of a Christian. Don't, you know don't negate and 595 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:09,000 don't lessen. The value of your influence on 596 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:14,100 the World by living in such a way that it is not worthy of the 597 00:38:14,100 --> 00:38:17,900 gospel of Christ that it's not worthy of a Christian. 598 00:38:18,500 --> 00:38:23,000 Well just think on these things these are some things that we 599 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,700 can be involved in if the church is must be involved in if the 600 00:38:26,700 --> 00:38:29,800 church is to be fitly joined together. 601 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:34,000 We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the 602 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:39,700 Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you 603 00:38:39,700 --> 00:38:42,800 would like any additional information, or you would like 604 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:46,000 to receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail. 605 00:38:46,700 --> 00:38:50,500 Please email us at info at her Church of Christ 606 00:38:50,500 --> 00:38:54,400 Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays 607 00:38:54,400 --> 00:39:00,000 at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. 608 00:39:00,700 --> 00:39:04,200 Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our 609 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:05,100 honored guest.