1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,200 I want to invite your attention to the Old Testament to the Book 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:07,300 of Judges the 16th chapter and we want to begin reading there 3 00:00:07,300 --> 00:00:14,400 in verse 18, Judges chapter, 16 beginning in verse 18, And when 4 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,900 Delilah saw that, he had told her all his heart, she sent and 5 00:00:18,900 --> 00:00:21,800 called, for the Lords of the Philistines saying, come up, 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,800 this wants for, he has showed me all his heart. 7 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:28,700 Then the Lords of the Philistines came up onto her and 8 00:00:28,700 --> 00:00:32,600 brought money in their hand, and she made him sleep upon her 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,800 knees and she called for a man and she calls him to shave off. 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:41,200 The Seven Locks of his head and she began to afflict him and his 11 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,500 strength went from him. And she said, the Philistines be 12 00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:50,100 upon these Samson and he awoke out of his sleep and said I will 13 00:00:50,100 --> 00:00:54,600 go out as at other times before and shake myself. 14 00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:00,600 But notice this phrase, this is our sermon today and he Wist not 15 00:01:01,100 --> 00:01:04,000 that the Lord was departed from him. 16 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:07,700 You know, in that story, very familiar Old Testament story. 17 00:01:07,700 --> 00:01:11,700 I'm sure he thought that everything was going to be just 18 00:01:11,700 --> 00:01:16,500 as it had been in times past. He thought that God would Grant 19 00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:20,100 him the strength to rise up and Shake himself and have it be as 20 00:01:20,100 --> 00:01:22,800 it was and all other times prior. 21 00:01:23,500 --> 00:01:27,300 But that sobering phrase, he knew not that the Lord was 22 00:01:27,300 --> 00:01:30,100 departed from him. Want to talk to you about that 23 00:01:30,100 --> 00:01:33,200 today for a little while. Before we do we have a wonderful 24 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,100 privilege now of going. Go to the great God of heaven 25 00:01:36,100 --> 00:01:38,500 and prayer. And we would invite all the wood 26 00:01:38,500 --> 00:01:41,400 to humble yourself in a manner that you see fit, while our 27 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,800 brother directs our minds at this time, prior to the events 28 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,600 under consideration this morning for a little while. 29 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,600 You remember back in the 15th, chapter of the Book of Judges, 30 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,600 we find the account of when Samson came to Lehigh, the 31 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,300 Philistine shouted against him and the spirit of the Lord came 32 00:02:00,300 --> 00:02:04,900 mightily upon him. And the Bible says that the Was 33 00:02:04,900 --> 00:02:09,400 that whereupon, his arms became as Flex that was burnt with fire 34 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,800 and his band's. Loosed from Office hands and the 35 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,300 scripture says that Samson found a new job own of an ass and put 36 00:02:17,300 --> 00:02:21,700 forth his hand and took it and slew a thousand men there with 37 00:02:22,100 --> 00:02:26,300 and Samson said with the Jawbone of an ass heaps upon heaps with 38 00:02:26,300 --> 00:02:31,300 the job and ask have, I slain 1000, man after this was done or 39 00:02:31,300 --> 00:02:34,700 after he was done speaking, the Bible says that he took that At 40 00:02:34,700 --> 00:02:38,700 jaw bone and he cast it out of his hand and called the place 41 00:02:38,900 --> 00:02:42,600 ramoth Lehigh. And the Bible says that the that 42 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:47,300 Samson was sore a thirst at that time and when he was he called 43 00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:50,400 on the Lord. And he said, hast, thou given 44 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,700 this great Deliverance into the hand of my servant and now shall 45 00:02:54,700 --> 00:02:59,800 I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised. 46 00:03:00,300 --> 00:03:04,100 And God clave, a hollow place that was in the jaw and there 47 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:05,600 came. Water they're out. 48 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,700 And when he had drunk, his Spirit came again and he was 49 00:03:09,700 --> 00:03:12,300 revived. And the last verse of that 50 00:03:12,300 --> 00:03:16,800 chapter says, and he judged Israel in the days of the 51 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,900 Philistines, 20 years. Well, then we find that Samson 52 00:03:20,900 --> 00:03:25,000 went to Gaza and it was there that he saw a harlot and went in 53 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,400 unto her and word. Got to those gas sites, that 54 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,500 Samson had come there and they come past him and that walled 55 00:03:31,500 --> 00:03:34,300 City and laid, wait for him all night. 56 00:03:34,300 --> 00:03:37,500 Say, Saying we're going to wait for him and in the morning when 57 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:40,600 it is day we're going to rise up against him. 58 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,300 He will be defenseless as it were and we will kill him. 59 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,600 You know, we talked about various cities not too long ago. 60 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,300 You remember last Lord's day we talked about the the place of 61 00:03:52,300 --> 00:03:56,600 Nineveh or the city of Nineveh and in Nineveh it had walls as 62 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:01,000 upwards to 100 feet tall. You remember, Jericho also 63 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,300 Jericho was a fenced or a walled City. 64 00:04:04,700 --> 00:04:08,000 Ancient cities either fell into those two categories. 65 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:13,000 They were either fixed or wall, or they were open cities and 66 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,000 fenced or walled cities was built for the purpose of 67 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,899 protecting them against the attack of an enemy. 68 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,600 And here, it was that the gas sites, find out that Samson is 69 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,900 there and they said that in the morning that's the time that 70 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:29,800 he's going to leave. They just assumed that would be 71 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,700 so they compass that walled City and they laid in wait and they 72 00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:35,800 purpose. Then when we see him in the 73 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:40,200 morning, he will be defenseless and we will rise up against him 74 00:04:40,300 --> 00:04:44,800 and we will kill him. But notice what happens Sampson 75 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:49,800 at midnight. The Bible says came and Rose up. 76 00:04:50,300 --> 00:04:54,300 And at midnight, he took the doors of the Gate of the city, 77 00:04:54,300 --> 00:04:58,700 and the two posts and went away with them bar and all and put 78 00:04:58,700 --> 00:05:01,900 them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of 79 00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:06,700 the hill that was before Hebron Then the Bible says that there 80 00:05:06,700 --> 00:05:11,100 was a woman in the valley of sorek named Delilah and Samson 81 00:05:11,100 --> 00:05:15,700 loved her, you know, very interesting, this term loved it 82 00:05:15,700 --> 00:05:19,200 was not as I understand from the scholars that tell me it was not 83 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,900 just simple attraction. It wasn't that she that he was 84 00:05:22,900 --> 00:05:26,700 just attracted to her beauty on a physical sense. 85 00:05:26,700 --> 00:05:31,700 Or from the outward show, he loved her deeply and dearly and 86 00:05:31,700 --> 00:05:34,900 we're going to find out that there are two motives that are 87 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:39,300 set forth in the story of Samson and Delilah we're going to find 88 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:43,200 that his motive or the reason that he did what he did and said 89 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:49,900 what he said was out of his deep love that he had for her soul of 90 00:05:49,900 --> 00:05:57,100 was a great motive in his life, but money was hers and notice 91 00:05:57,100 --> 00:06:01,200 our story, The Lords of the Philistines came to her and said 92 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:06,900 this, they said entice him, they said, Find out what he could be 93 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:10,300 bound with that we might afflict in another words. 94 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:12,900 Let's find out this great man of strength. 95 00:06:13,100 --> 00:06:16,500 Let's find out what we can wrap him up with bind him. 96 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:19,200 Tie him down that we as mortal men. 97 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:23,800 Normal normal, fellas can rise up against him and the flicked 98 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,700 in and the Lords of the Philistines told Delilah that if 99 00:06:27,700 --> 00:06:31,700 you do this, each one of us will give you an 1,100 pieces of 100 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:36,100 silver And so, here it is. I would imagine with, just the 101 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:40,000 sweetest tone, you can possibly fathom and your mind's eye at 102 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,400 Delilah's Den, dis Samson, Samson. 103 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,400 How come you're so strong? I would imagine. 104 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,000 She did it with a Sweetness in her voice and she did it from 105 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:53,100 her heart as she came to him. And wanted to inquire what it 106 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:55,400 is, exactly that would afflict him. 107 00:06:55,700 --> 00:07:00,600 And she says, we're in does thy strength lie and where with 108 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:05,400 could you be afflicted and Samson said this, he said well 109 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:10,700 I'll tell you if you take seven green whims or courts that have 110 00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:15,300 never been dried and you take seven brainwaves and you buy me 111 00:07:15,500 --> 00:07:18,300 I shall be as weak as any other man. 112 00:07:18,700 --> 00:07:22,800 Now I understand context really this Corridor these with that 113 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,900 Samson was referring to was so strong that you could put one on 114 00:07:26,900 --> 00:07:29,200 somebody and it would be so strong. 115 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:33,700 It would be virtually impossible for human strength to Brave 116 00:07:33,700 --> 00:07:38,300 Samsung says though you multiply that seven times and you put 117 00:07:38,300 --> 00:07:42,200 seven brain waves that have never been withered or never 118 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,800 I've never been dried. And I shall be as all other men 119 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:50,000 are The Bible says that the Lords of the Philistines laid in 120 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,100 wait in her chamber, they didn't trust what he had said. 121 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:57,400 They knew about the strength of this great, man, she rose up. 122 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,200 And she said after she had bound him with those seven green with. 123 00:08:01,500 --> 00:08:05,700 She said, this the Samson, the Philistines be upon thee and 124 00:08:05,700 --> 00:08:09,200 when he rose up he broke those seven green with. 125 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,500 Like they were thread thrown in a fire. 126 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,400 And she comes to him again. And she says Samson, Samson, 127 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:21,000 you've betrayed me Samson, why have you done this? 128 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:25,800 Why have you told me lies? Tell me, where, in by strength 129 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,700 lies, I pray thee. So At first she says that ever 130 00:08:29,700 --> 00:08:32,700 so sweetly. Then when he doesn't tell her 131 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:38,500 now she beseeches or begs him to tell her and Samson said this, 132 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:44,000 He said if you take a brand new rope that has never been used 133 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,900 and you bind me with that brand new rope I shall be as all other 134 00:08:48,900 --> 00:08:54,000 men are I shall be as weak as any human being and I shall be 135 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,600 overtaken. And the scripture says that she 136 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,700 took a brand new rope and bound him, but she tested him once 137 00:09:00,700 --> 00:09:04,000 more and there were those that were still lying weight in her 138 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:06,200 chamber. They were afraid to rise up 139 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,700 against Sampson before they knew that this would work And she 140 00:09:09,700 --> 00:09:12,300 cries out like she had done any time prior. 141 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,500 And she said Samson, the Philistines be upon thee, and he 142 00:09:16,500 --> 00:09:20,900 rose up in the Bible says he broke that rope, like it was 143 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,200 thread. Well, now her tone is about to 144 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:29,500 change. Now, she demands, she says, 145 00:09:29,500 --> 00:09:31,700 Samson. How can you do this to me? 146 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,200 How could you say these things to me and lie to me? 147 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,900 Tell me where in thy strength, lies. 148 00:09:40,700 --> 00:09:45,000 Samson said, if you shall take and bind the Seven Locks of my 149 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:50,300 hair or the Seven Locks on my head and shall bind it to a web 150 00:09:50,300 --> 00:09:53,400 and app. In, I shall be like all other 151 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,800 men. That's it right there. 152 00:09:55,900 --> 00:10:00,400 That is the Great equalizer with regards to my strength, you take 153 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,400 a web and you bind, the Seven, Locks of my hair and you put a 154 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,000 pin in it and you bind it to the wall. 155 00:10:07,100 --> 00:10:13,400 I will be as all other men are incidentally, Have you ever in 156 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,900 looking at this story, wondered what he meant by the Seven Locks 157 00:10:16,900 --> 00:10:19,400 of his head. I'll tell you what to different 158 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:24,100 Scholars said, Just for information, I guess one scholar 159 00:10:24,100 --> 00:10:28,600 said that it didn't represent anything but a symbol of all of 160 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:30,900 his hair. For example, you can look in 161 00:10:30,900 --> 00:10:34,900 many places in God's word and you can find the number 7 is 162 00:10:34,900 --> 00:10:37,600 used in reference to completeness one. 163 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,900 Scholar said, all it means is, is that Samson said, if you take 164 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,700 Take all of my hair and you put it in a web and you pin it to 165 00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:50,800 the wall, I shall be as all other men are, but another 166 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:54,900 scholar said he probably bound his hair in seven different 167 00:10:54,900 --> 00:10:57,400 locks really, doesn't matter though. 168 00:10:57,500 --> 00:11:01,000 Because what he tells Delilah, is you take my hair, you put a 169 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,300 web on it, you bind it to the wall. 170 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,900 I shall be as all other men are And here it was. 171 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,800 She does just that. And as she had done on two prior 172 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,600 times, she said Samson, the Philistines be upon thee. 173 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:20,900 Now, you picture this in your mind's eye, he raises up now 174 00:11:20,900 --> 00:11:23,800 picture this with your hair, he raises up. 175 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:28,100 And the Bible says, when he stood up all, that was fastened 176 00:11:28,100 --> 00:11:32,300 to his hair was still there, but his hair was so strong that it 177 00:11:32,300 --> 00:11:37,400 pulled the pin right out of the wall and he was not Afflicted. 178 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,500 what the line is about to get smart, she knows how much that 179 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:48,200 he loves her and she says this to him, How can you say that? 180 00:11:49,100 --> 00:11:54,500 How can you say that you love me and lie to me, like this? 181 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:59,000 Please tell me where in thy strength, lies. 182 00:11:59,500 --> 00:12:03,000 The Bible says that all daily day after day. 183 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,400 She kept asking an inquiring of him. 184 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,000 What is it? That makes you so strong. 185 00:12:09,900 --> 00:12:13,700 We'll finally, she wore him down and he commits treason against 186 00:12:13,700 --> 00:12:16,800 himself and against the great God of heaven. 187 00:12:17,500 --> 00:12:21,200 And he finally tells her that no razor has come to my head. 188 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,500 I've been a Nazarite from the time that I was born. 189 00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:27,600 And no razor has ever come to my head. 190 00:12:27,900 --> 00:12:31,000 But if a razor came to my head, in the seven locks of hair, 191 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,800 that's on my head shall be cut off. 192 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,200 Oh, I shall be as all other men are. 193 00:12:37,700 --> 00:12:40,800 And the Bible says that she Called for the Lords of the 194 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,000 Philistines and she said to them. 195 00:12:43,300 --> 00:12:48,600 Come now for he has now told me all of his heart and the Bible 196 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,800 says that the Lords of the Philistines came to Delilah. 197 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:55,800 And each one bearing 1,100 pieces of silver, they give 198 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:59,400 those to Delilah his. Now, she has done just exactly 199 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:03,000 what they have inquired, or they've asked her to do. 200 00:13:03,100 --> 00:13:07,600 She has upheld her side of the deal, her part of the bargain. 201 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:13,100 And notice what happens now. She entices him to sleep on her 202 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:18,000 knees and as he slept, and as his head laid there on her lap, 203 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,700 she called in for a man to come in, while he slept and took a 204 00:13:22,700 --> 00:13:25,200 razor. And the Bible says, he shaved 205 00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:29,000 off the Seven Locks from his head. 206 00:13:29,900 --> 00:13:34,600 But as she had done now, three times prior, she said Samson, 207 00:13:34,900 --> 00:13:38,300 the Philistines be upon thee. I want you to notice what he 208 00:13:38,300 --> 00:13:41,700 does. This is the entire point, he 209 00:13:41,700 --> 00:13:47,000 rises up out of his sleep and he says this, he said it shall be 210 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,900 as it's always been in essence as I paraphrase. 211 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:56,300 He says I will stand and I will shake myself and my strength 212 00:13:56,300 --> 00:14:00,500 will come upon me because the great God Of Heaven We'll give 213 00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:04,300 me the strength that he's given me each and every time. 214 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,300 Now this was a man that was able with God's help to rise up 215 00:14:08,300 --> 00:14:11,900 against a thousand Philistine men and slayed them with the 216 00:14:11,900 --> 00:14:15,900 Jawbone of an ass. This was that man this was that 217 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:20,100 man that was mighty in strength that had served had passed the 218 00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:23,900 test that Delilah had given him on three times prior. 219 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:29,600 He says I will rise and I will shake myself. 220 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,200 And it shall be as all other times, but here's the phrase. 221 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,900 How sobering it is. But he knew not. 222 00:14:40,100 --> 00:14:42,100 That the Lord was departed from him. 223 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,700 You know, the Bible then says that they took Samson they lay 224 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:49,600 hold on him. And you know what they did. 225 00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:53,300 They took him and they purposed we're going to pluck his eyes 226 00:14:53,300 --> 00:14:56,500 out. They took his eyes from him 227 00:14:56,500 --> 00:14:59,300 because they said we're going to find out. 228 00:14:59,300 --> 00:15:03,700 We're going to make sure that he will never ever be able to plot 229 00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:09,100 against us ever again, then to add further insult to injury as 230 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:13,500 it were and to give him even greater shame, they gave him a 231 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:17,400 job that the women had and that was grinding grain. 232 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,200 So here's this blind, man with no eyes. 233 00:15:20,300 --> 00:15:23,500 Grinding grain. The Bible says that in that 234 00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:27,300 house to house was full and the Lords of the Philistines were 235 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:30,900 present and all men and women were present there, too. 236 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:35,300 And the Bible says that in this structure, there were 3,000 men 237 00:15:35,300 --> 00:15:38,100 and women on the roof. And you know what they were 238 00:15:38,100 --> 00:15:40,900 doing? They were rejoicing, they were 239 00:15:40,900 --> 00:15:45,400 cheering, they were celebrating because of his great Victory 240 00:15:45,500 --> 00:15:48,800 against this man of God and notice what happens. 241 00:15:49,100 --> 00:15:51,700 They're going to now. Make A sacrifice under their 242 00:15:51,700 --> 00:15:55,300 idolatrous, God and that being day gone and they're going to 243 00:15:55,300 --> 00:15:59,700 offer up a sacrifice to him because after all he must have 244 00:15:59,700 --> 00:16:03,700 been the one that delivered Samson into our hands. 245 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:07,700 Well, after they do that, that's not enough. 246 00:16:09,100 --> 00:16:14,400 They said get him out. Bring him out that we might make 247 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,500 sport of him. In other words, we want to laugh 248 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:20,000 at him. It's not enough that he has no 249 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,700 eyes that he's grinding grain and he'll never be able to plot 250 00:16:22,700 --> 00:16:26,100 against us ever again. Let's make fun of me. 251 00:16:27,300 --> 00:16:30,500 The Bible says that they brought him out and I would imagine that 252 00:16:30,500 --> 00:16:34,700 all eyes were on him laughing at him. 253 00:16:35,100 --> 00:16:38,400 I would imagine that all eyes were on him, like he was the 254 00:16:38,408 --> 00:16:41,100 Grand Champion South at the county fair. 255 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,700 Every single I was looking upon Samson. 256 00:16:44,700 --> 00:16:48,600 Now listen there was a young lad that brought him out to those to 257 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:52,600 the porch area where there were these two great columns and not 258 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,400 just Columns of any sort. These were the ones that bore 259 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,800 the weight. Eight of this great structure. 260 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,400 So we ask something of the lab that is very reasonable. 261 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:09,200 He said let me touch the columns, let me touch the 262 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:14,200 pillars that I might be able to lean myself on them. 263 00:17:14,700 --> 00:17:17,800 Surely this was not an unreasonable request for a blind 264 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,200 man. And so this young lad, the Bible 265 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:25,200 says bring Samson before those two columns and he's standing 266 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,700 there by those pillars and the Bible says, and he reaches out 267 00:17:28,700 --> 00:17:32,300 with his right hand Touches one and they reaches out on the 268 00:17:32,300 --> 00:17:34,800 other hand and touches the other. 269 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,900 And he cries out to the Lord in prayer, one more time and he 270 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:42,600 says, oh Lord God, he says, give me strength. 271 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,600 Just one more time. He wasn't, asking for 272 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,000 deliverance from this time, he wasn't asking to have his 273 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,300 eyesight back. He just said this, he said, 274 00:17:52,300 --> 00:17:55,700 grant me the strength. Just one more time that I might 275 00:17:55,700 --> 00:17:59,800 be offended of the Philistines for my two eyes and the bye. 276 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,200 Bible says and he stood there and he had his hand on each one 277 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:07,100 of those pillars. And he cries out these words let 278 00:18:07,100 --> 00:18:11,300 me die with the Philistines and then it says that he bowed 279 00:18:11,300 --> 00:18:15,400 himself with all of his might and when he did that, great 280 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:19,800 structure Came Crashing Down and all that were in the house were 281 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:28,600 destroyed. Well. the scripture says, That 282 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,300 the dead which he slew in his death. 283 00:18:32,500 --> 00:18:37,800 Was far greater and far, more than the things that he had done 284 00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:41,600 or the people. He had slewed in his life. 285 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,000 But you know, just prior to this and that's because of the events 286 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,000 that transpired here in this occasion. 287 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,800 It's because He came to the find the fact that he was going to 288 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,100 give. Him Delilah and tell her 289 00:18:55,100 --> 00:18:57,000 something that was not hers to know. 290 00:18:58,900 --> 00:19:02,900 And he knew not. That the Lord was departed from 291 00:19:02,900 --> 00:19:06,000 me. I wonder today. 292 00:19:07,100 --> 00:19:13,100 I just wondered today as we live in this Christian Life, I wonder 293 00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:18,000 how it is with us. I wonder, could it be said that 294 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,700 Frank thought that everything was just as it has always been? 295 00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:27,200 But he knew not that the Lord was departed from. 296 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:32,900 What an awful thought it would be for the Lord to depart from 297 00:19:32,900 --> 00:19:35,600 us. Did you know, the Bible does 298 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,900 declare that the Bible speaks of such a thing? 299 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,400 Let me just say this to you. There are four things that we 300 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,200 can look at for very brief and very specific things and very 301 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:52,200 simple things in God's word that we can do each and every day. 302 00:19:53,500 --> 00:19:57,000 To make sure that the Lord will not depart from us. 303 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,600 Let me just say this though, before we progress on with 304 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,400 number one. It is true that it is a great 305 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,000 blessing to be a Christian. You know, our blessings in this 306 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:10,000 life are far greater than even the spiritual blessings that we 307 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,100 find through. Jesus Christ God's son and our 308 00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:17,000 savior, oh, there's tremendous blessings of a spiritual nature 309 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:21,500 and they are greater than any temporal blessing in this life. 310 00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:26,100 That is true, you and I live our life in such a way able to 311 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:30,400 handle all the challenges that come before us day by day 312 00:20:30,500 --> 00:20:34,300 because you And I know that are Christians, we've been baptized 313 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:37,200 for the remission of our sins and we're trying to serve the 314 00:20:37,208 --> 00:20:40,400 great God Of Heaven in accordance with the scriptures. 315 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,700 Those of us that have done that, we live by a different standard 316 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:47,800 governed by the word of God and it doesn't matter. 317 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:51,100 What comes our way. If we have that faith, that is 318 00:20:51,100 --> 00:20:54,100 deep within us. We've perfected that Faith by 319 00:20:54,100 --> 00:20:57,000 are obedient works. We have something that not 320 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,600 everybody has. We have hope. 321 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,100 We have hope of Heaven, all the greatest blessings of all 322 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:10,600 because what Jesus did for our sins so long ago and no Calgary 323 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:15,700 but you know, something else I am assured and God's word that 324 00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:19,600 God knows me. So well that even the very hairs 325 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,900 of my head are numbered. Jesus would say and perhaps the 326 00:21:23,900 --> 00:21:26,500 greatest sermon ever preached on The Sermon on the Mount. 327 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:31,000 He said if God so clothes the Lilies of the Field shall he not 328 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,200 closed? You O ye of little faith. 329 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,900 Oh Jesus. Didn't say that if we are 330 00:21:36,900 --> 00:21:40,800 serving God and we are living the Christian Life that we are 331 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,200 going to be blessed with riches Untold to become Millionaires, 332 00:21:44,300 --> 00:21:47,400 and wealthy, and have all of these temporal things that are 333 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,900 far greater than anyone else. No Jesus says that. 334 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:55,500 If you live the Christian Life In accordance with God's word, 335 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,800 even the necessities of life will be taken care of, and you 336 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,200 don't have to worry about any of those. 337 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,600 Now listen, that's a great blessing. 338 00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:08,800 But Jesus says that there's a condition. 339 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:11,700 And here it is. Here's number one. 340 00:22:12,300 --> 00:22:16,200 What can I do to make sure that God will not depart for me? 341 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:22,300 Simply put, I must seek first, the kingdom of heaven. 342 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:27,800 I must seek first God. I must put God first in my life 343 00:22:28,300 --> 00:22:32,300 and the kingdom is the church. That means that the church needs 344 00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:36,900 to be the most important thing that I am a part of In all the 345 00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:40,100 decisions that I make and it all the things that I do that's got 346 00:22:40,100 --> 00:22:45,000 to be first and foremost in my life in order to have the 347 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,200 connects the condition to have the blessing. 348 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,600 That Jesus said, you're going to have and your Necessities will 349 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,000 be taken care of. Let me just say this. 350 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,700 You know, it doesn't matter what I say to you right now. 351 00:22:57,500 --> 00:23:01,500 It doesn't matter what I say with my lips when I leave this 352 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:05,400 place all week long. It doesn't make any difference. 353 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:10,400 What I say to anyone about how important the Lord is in my 354 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:16,100 life. if my actions don't support what I say, You know, 355 00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:18,100 something else, that's very sobering to me. 356 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,600 I might be deceived and I might even deceive my brethren family, 357 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:28,500 friends, and whoever But God is Not deceived and God knows 358 00:23:28,900 --> 00:23:31,300 what's most important to me today. 359 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:36,600 You know, there's ways we show Our importance or things that 360 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,000 are important to us. You know, how we show that the 361 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,600 Lord's important to us. You've done it today. 362 00:23:42,100 --> 00:23:45,300 You've gathered here, on time side of Eternity, this is the 363 00:23:45,300 --> 00:23:47,900 Lord's day. This is the day that the Lord 364 00:23:47,900 --> 00:23:50,300 said, you're going to come together and you're going to 365 00:23:50,300 --> 00:23:54,100 worship God. This day is a special day and 366 00:23:54,100 --> 00:23:57,700 nothing could be more important than doing this in our life. 367 00:23:57,700 --> 00:23:59,800 We are not the first take this assembly. 368 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:03,200 We're to come together and worship God and you have done 369 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:06,600 that today. Because you have an appointment 370 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,900 with your lord today, and you didn't break it. 371 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:15,300 But, you know, more than just worship, there are other ways. 372 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,800 How about my lifestyle, how about the things that I do? 373 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:23,500 How about the folks that I hang out with, how about the friends 374 00:24:23,500 --> 00:24:26,600 that I choose. Also. 375 00:24:27,700 --> 00:24:31,000 What about the daily decisions? Remember, sermon, I preached to 376 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:35,500 you about a year ago on decisions Remember that 377 00:24:36,100 --> 00:24:40,000 decisions and choices. Sometimes we think that the only 378 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,200 thing that God is concerned with are the big decisions in our 379 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:47,900 life, the ones we consider life-changing and huge make no 380 00:24:47,900 --> 00:24:51,800 mistake. God is concerned with every 381 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:56,900 little daily decision that I make because when I make those 382 00:24:56,900 --> 00:25:02,600 decisions, I am showing God how important he is to me and how 383 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,400 important living the Christian Life. 384 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:08,500 It is to me, too. So we ask ourself is the Lord 385 00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:10,700 number one. If I were to ask you this 386 00:25:10,700 --> 00:25:15,200 question today because listen I need those blessings at Matthew 387 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,500 6 and 33 talked about. I need the blessings that Jesus 388 00:25:18,500 --> 00:25:23,000 spoke of and I don't want the Lord to depart from me ever in 389 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,100 my life. So I asked us all. 390 00:25:25,100 --> 00:25:29,200 The question is the Lord, number one in your life. 391 00:25:30,900 --> 00:25:33,900 Your daily decisions, and I mean every day. 392 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,900 Determine the answer. Number two, though. 393 00:25:38,900 --> 00:25:42,200 Something else that we must do in order for the Lord not to 394 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:46,800 depart from us. You remember in Paul's second 395 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,600 letter to the young evangelist Timothy and second Timothy 396 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,600 Chapter 2. All he talked about some things 397 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,900 prior to verse 5, he talks about some things that are very 398 00:25:55,900 --> 00:25:58,300 important for the Evangelist to know about. 399 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,000 He talks about a man that's going to go to war. 400 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,700 He's not going to be worried about the things in life that 401 00:26:03,700 --> 00:26:06,100 his eyes going to. Be single and so on and so 402 00:26:06,100 --> 00:26:08,100 forth. After he goes through all of 403 00:26:08,100 --> 00:26:10,800 those things though, you know, what else he says? 404 00:26:11,500 --> 00:26:16,600 He says, in verse 5, I believe he says that a man that's going 405 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:24,200 to strive for masteries yet. Is he not crowned unless what? 406 00:26:25,100 --> 00:26:30,800 Unless he strives lawful me Now that's sobering isn't it. 407 00:26:31,500 --> 00:26:34,700 That means that if I have good intentions but it's not lawful 408 00:26:34,700 --> 00:26:37,700 it's not going to work, it's not good enough. 409 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:40,500 Let me illustrate it. This way I gave you this 410 00:26:40,500 --> 00:26:42,600 illustration over seven years ago. 411 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:45,200 If you remember it, you got a great memory but it's been over 412 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:46,700 seven years on give to you again. 413 00:26:49,300 --> 00:26:52,300 When I was in high school, I used to run track. 414 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:57,000 One of the events that I ran in. Was the 400 meters or 440 yards. 415 00:26:57,100 --> 00:27:00,900 400 meters is a metric quarter-mile, very grueling 416 00:27:00,900 --> 00:27:04,200 event, very grueling race. Here's the rules though. 417 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,900 If you have seven people on a track, you have to stay in your 418 00:27:07,900 --> 00:27:11,100 lane the entire time. And the way that it's set is 419 00:27:11,100 --> 00:27:15,400 that they lined up every single contestant on along that line 420 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,400 straight out from the beginning of inside of that track all the 421 00:27:18,408 --> 00:27:21,800 way to the Side of the track. It wouldn't be fair because the 422 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:25,500 offside guys better run farther than the inside guy. 423 00:27:25,700 --> 00:27:28,700 So they staggered the lanes, they have the fella and laying 424 00:27:28,700 --> 00:27:31,600 one at the starting position, then in lane two, they move them 425 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,300 out ever. So slightly and moving forward, 426 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:36,000 laying three does the same thing. 427 00:27:36,100 --> 00:27:39,200 He goes out a little further and he goes up forward all the way 428 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:43,000 until laying seven, that fellow's, way out in front on 429 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,500 the outer part of the track, but everybody runs the same 430 00:27:46,500 --> 00:27:49,200 distance. Here's what happened. 431 00:27:49,700 --> 00:27:52,300 If guns sound in there was a fella in length 7. 432 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:57,300 He had never run in a track meet in his life and man, he was just 433 00:27:57,300 --> 00:27:59,200 pumped up. And when the gun sounded here, 434 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,300 he comes, he shot out of there like a scared rabbit and he came 435 00:28:03,300 --> 00:28:06,400 around that track and he was leading the pack leading all of 436 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:11,100 us by a great distance. When he came across around that 437 00:28:11,100 --> 00:28:15,200 final turn though, he just decides, I no longer like number 438 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,000 seven, I think I'll go to number one. 439 00:28:18,500 --> 00:28:21,800 So he's in laying 7 and he shoots in all the way to the 440 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,400 inside of the track and he runs in Lane one for a little while. 441 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,600 Well, there's laughter and cheers by those that are 442 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,200 watching and he decides I no longer like number one, they got 443 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,500 bounced out to three or four and he does. 444 00:28:34,900 --> 00:28:39,000 And so that last 50 yards, this fella is weaving like this on 445 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,500 the Track, he looks dead, straight at that Finish Line at 446 00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:46,200 that tape and here he comes. When he crosses the finish line 447 00:28:46,300 --> 00:28:50,100 up, his hands went all. He thinks he has won the race. 448 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,700 Until he turned around. And the judge said, you are 449 00:28:54,700 --> 00:28:58,500 disqualified. For leaving your leg. 450 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,500 Another words, like Paul said, it doesn't matter how you 451 00:29:03,500 --> 00:29:07,600 strive. If you do not strive with in 452 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,700 accordance to the rules, Folks, that's living the Christian 453 00:29:11,700 --> 00:29:15,900 Life. Today, I don't get to wake up 454 00:29:15,900 --> 00:29:17,800 and decide how I'm going to serve God. 455 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,800 We do things specifically in this assembly today not because 456 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:26,900 we've chosen it to be so, but we do things in this assembly 457 00:29:26,900 --> 00:29:29,100 because that's what the word of God tells us. 458 00:29:29,100 --> 00:29:32,600 We must do and we cannot deviate from it. 459 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,600 If we were to add a musical instrument in our assembly 460 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:42,500 today, we might think that in our ears, it's greater it sounds 461 00:29:42,500 --> 00:29:44,800 better. And after all, we're doing it 462 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:46,000 for the Lord. Right? 463 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,800 So we're just adding to the worship, something that will 464 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,900 help us along. Doesn't matter our intentions, 465 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,300 it doesn't matter any of that, it's not striving to lawfully. 466 00:29:56,300 --> 00:29:59,800 Therefore that worth it is not acceptable in the eyes of God. 467 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,000 We have before us one loaf of unleavened bread. 468 00:30:04,300 --> 00:30:07,300 We cannot have several loads. We cannot break the lope and 469 00:30:07,300 --> 00:30:10,500 send one down, one side, and the other down the other side 470 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,200 because it would change the meaning that it is, and it would 471 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,400 change the way Jesus instituted it. 472 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:19,600 Therefore, we can't do that. We have one cup on the Lord's 473 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,900 table, not because we decided that that would be the very best 474 00:30:22,900 --> 00:30:25,800 thing to do. No, we have one cup on the 475 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:27,900 Lord's table because that's what Jesus did. 476 00:30:27,900 --> 00:30:32,400 When he instituted the Lord's. Supper he took One cup, and one 477 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:36,900 cup is representative of the New Testament or New Covenant by 478 00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:39,300 which we are bound. And the fruit of the vine 479 00:30:39,300 --> 00:30:43,500 therein is the grape juice. And it represents the blood of 480 00:30:43,500 --> 00:30:46,200 Jesus. These things are the communion 481 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,900 of the body and blood of the lord. 482 00:30:48,900 --> 00:30:52,600 We can't change it, or we change what it means. 483 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:57,800 And it doesn't matter how we mean, well, It doesn't matter 484 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:02,100 how we really feel about it. What matters is, oh, you've got 485 00:31:02,100 --> 00:31:08,900 to strive but you have to strive lawfully in all that, you do, 486 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:14,300 that's sobering to me to think that the way and the manner that 487 00:31:14,300 --> 00:31:17,900 I do, everything in my service to God is in question. 488 00:31:19,100 --> 00:31:22,900 I need to do what God has instructed me to do and strive 489 00:31:22,900 --> 00:31:27,100 all the days of my life, but I must make certain that I would 490 00:31:27,100 --> 00:31:33,200 do so lawfully. Thirdly, though, in verse 6 of 491 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,600 second, Timothy 2, very interesting passage of 492 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:39,800 scripture. And Paul is keeping the same 493 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:44,600 thought as he's going down verse by verse and now he has another 494 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:49,300 example, another thing, you can compare the Christian Life too. 495 00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:54,700 He says the husband made the farmer, the landowner, whatever 496 00:31:54,700 --> 00:31:58,400 you want to call him. He is not going notice exactly 497 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:03,100 what Paul says, he says this, the husbandman that labor Earth 498 00:32:03,300 --> 00:32:07,600 must be first partaker of the fruits. 499 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:12,100 Is that me, it means this, according to the Greek text, the 500 00:32:12,100 --> 00:32:17,900 husbandman must labor before partaking of the fruits. 501 00:32:18,100 --> 00:32:21,600 That tells me this. Yes, indeed. 502 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:26,000 We are saved by grace in that. It is not my works of Merit, 503 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,600 that's going to earn or deserve me a spot into heaven. 504 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,700 That's true. But we must demonstrate or 505 00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:35,600 perfect our faith by our obedient works. 506 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:37,700 And that's what Paul is telling Timothy. 507 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:41,000 He says if you'll want the prize first of all, he's got through 508 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,100 saying you're not going to strive and let's just drive off. 509 00:32:44,100 --> 00:32:45,800 Leave, you're not getting the prize no matter how hard you 510 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,200 try. Now we sang, you're not going to 511 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,800 get the prize at the end. You're not going to get the 512 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:54,700 fruit of the land and until you roll up your sleeves and go to 513 00:32:54,700 --> 00:32:58,200 work. And what's something that I can 514 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:01,600 do so that the Lord will not depart from me. 515 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:09,200 That is I would demonstrate and perfect my faith by my daily 516 00:33:09,300 --> 00:33:13,600 obedient works. That's a responsibility. 517 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:17,000 We all have books. We got to work. 518 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,200 For the Lord. Fourthly though. 519 00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:25,500 I know this is not a pleasant one, but we have to say it. 520 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,200 There's something else that we can do. 521 00:33:30,700 --> 00:33:34,500 So that the Lord will not depart from us and that is, we must 522 00:33:34,500 --> 00:33:37,800 stay away from things that are sinful. 523 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:44,800 We must avoid at all cost sin in James 1 and beginning. 524 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,600 In verse 14, you remember on our Wednesday evening studies, we 525 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:52,000 studied this, when we study the Book of James James had just got 526 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,300 through saying that. Let no man say when he is 527 00:33:55,300 --> 00:33:57,700 tempted that he's tempted of God. 528 00:33:59,100 --> 00:34:03,400 Listen, don't ever think that God has thrown a stumbling block 529 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:07,600 in your path in your way that causes you to stumble. 530 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:10,900 He will not do that. God is our refuge. 531 00:34:10,900 --> 00:34:14,699 He's the one that we turn to what happens when a man sins. 532 00:34:14,900 --> 00:34:16,600 How many times have we heard people say? 533 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:20,500 Yes I did. Yes, I said but let me just 534 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,400 explain it to you. It wasn't my fault. 535 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:28,500 Because this, that for the other, you know what James says 536 00:34:28,500 --> 00:34:31,900 about that, James puts it right in my lap. 537 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:35,500 If I am going to stand in my life, he says, it's my fault. 538 00:34:35,900 --> 00:34:38,900 What happens. First of all, he says, that God 539 00:34:38,900 --> 00:34:43,300 does not tempt any man and then he says, this of what happens 540 00:34:43,500 --> 00:34:48,400 when you are tempted, every man is tempted, when what he's drawn 541 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:54,900 away of his own lust and enticed, that tells To me, this, 542 00:34:55,500 --> 00:35:01,000 I am going to be tempted to sin when I am drawn away by my own 543 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:05,500 lust and enticed notice what else he says. 544 00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:11,500 Then when lust is conceived. Moved it brings forth. 545 00:35:11,500 --> 00:35:17,500 What it brings forth, sin. Sin is what's born. 546 00:35:18,700 --> 00:35:23,500 Of lust being conceived. And sin when it is finished, 547 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:29,000 brings forth, death. We need to do all that we can to 548 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,400 depart from things that are causing us to stumble. 549 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:37,700 If there are things in your life that make you weak, stop doing 550 00:35:37,700 --> 00:35:40,000 them. If there are people in 551 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:42,700 associations, in your life that are bad company. 552 00:35:42,700 --> 00:35:46,500 Bad influences in your life, stop hanging out with them. 553 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,000 If you cannot live the Christian Life and your current 554 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:55,900 surroundings, change your surroundings Don't let something 555 00:35:55,900 --> 00:36:00,500 be thrown in front of you that will cause you to be led Away by 556 00:36:00,500 --> 00:36:04,500 your own lust. Here's the point though. 557 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,300 This is the great God Of Heaven. This is the merciful god of 558 00:36:08,300 --> 00:36:09,500 Heaven, though. Listen. 559 00:36:11,500 --> 00:36:15,400 If I don't get away from the lust and I Stumble and I sin, 560 00:36:16,300 --> 00:36:19,300 you know, what's great? What's great is if I'm a 561 00:36:19,300 --> 00:36:23,700 Christian, I can be forgiven of all of that, like it never 562 00:36:23,700 --> 00:36:26,000 happened. Remember the story in Acts 563 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,800 chapter 8, when Philip was preaching to those that Samaria 564 00:36:29,300 --> 00:36:31,800 all he was preaching to some folks including signing the 565 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:35,700 sorcerer that was as against God and every way shape or form, 566 00:36:35,700 --> 00:36:39,100 before he heard the word of God, and notice what happens, here 567 00:36:39,100 --> 00:36:42,100 comes a preacher on the scene, he preached Has two things, 568 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:44,900 which shows me by the way that you cannot have one without the 569 00:36:44,900 --> 00:36:47,100 other. He preaches Christ, and he 570 00:36:47,100 --> 00:36:50,000 preaches the kingdom. He preaches Christ and he 571 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:53,000 preaches the church. Those to run hand in hand. 572 00:36:53,100 --> 00:36:56,200 You can't have one without the other notice what happens. 573 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,100 They received the word with gladness. 574 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:02,900 They received the word readily, and they received the word 575 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,600 willingly, and what happened? They were baptized including 576 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,500 son. You remember back in that time 577 00:37:09,500 --> 00:37:13,400 and not today, but back in that time, they didn't have Bibles 578 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,100 and written forms that they had to do something to confirm the 579 00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:17,800 word of God. That was Priest favorite. 580 00:37:18,500 --> 00:37:22,300 So they had to pass on spiritual gifts of the holy spirit, given 581 00:37:22,300 --> 00:37:25,700 to those new converts, but Philip was just a preacher. 582 00:37:25,900 --> 00:37:29,200 He was not an apostle and only an apostle could do that. 583 00:37:29,300 --> 00:37:32,700 So they call for Peter and John and here comes Peter and John 584 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:36,500 and all of a sudden Simon backslides. 585 00:37:36,700 --> 00:37:41,000 He looks at this This idea and he sees Peter and John laid 586 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:45,000 their hands on people and receiving the miraculous gifts 587 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:48,300 of the Holy Spirit to confirm the word of God. 588 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:52,800 And he says this, let me have that gift and he offers them 589 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:56,700 money that he could have the gift that whoever he laid his 590 00:37:56,700 --> 00:38:01,000 hands on, they would receive this miraculous measure of the 591 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,100 Holy Spirit. Peter said this though, thy 592 00:38:04,100 --> 00:38:07,000 money. Perish with thee. 593 00:38:07,300 --> 00:38:12,100 He Said, repent of this vile wickedness and pray God, that 594 00:38:12,100 --> 00:38:16,100 the thoughts of Mine Heart may be forgiven thee. 595 00:38:16,500 --> 00:38:19,400 There's a second law of Pardon. That means if I'm a Christian 596 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:21,500 but I stumbled I get to make it right. 597 00:38:21,500 --> 00:38:24,700 What do I do? Peter says you repent of this by 598 00:38:24,700 --> 00:38:28,900 wickedness, you confess these things and pray to God that 599 00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:32,100 those things would be forgiven. You remember that? 600 00:38:32,100 --> 00:38:35,100 Simon says to Peter. He says, please pray for me. 601 00:38:35,300 --> 00:38:37,400 Pray for me that the things that you've just said. 602 00:38:37,500 --> 00:38:41,200 Said that are going to happen to me, as a result of my sin will 603 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:47,100 not come upon me, and he did. So, Sin is something we got to 604 00:38:47,100 --> 00:38:50,900 keep out of our life folks. It really is. 605 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:56,400 I know that Sins Not Pleasant. I know those aren't Pleasant 606 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,800 things to talk about, but listen, it's the quickest way 607 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:06,000 for God to depart from us. We thank you for listening to 608 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:10,800 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 609 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:14,300 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 610 00:39:14,300 --> 00:39:17,600 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 611 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:23,100 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 612 00:39:23,100 --> 00:39:25,500 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 613 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:31,400 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 614 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:35,800 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 615 00:39:36,300 --> 00:39:38,600 We would love for you to be our honored guest.