1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:04,300 In Matthew 5 and 16 Jesus spoke those familiar words, let your 2 00:00:04,300 --> 00:00:07,100 light so shine before men that they may see your good works. 3 00:00:07,100 --> 00:00:09,200 And glorify your father, which is in heaven. 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,400 And the Apostle Paul in first Timothy 4 and verse 16 said that 5 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,200 we are to take heed unto ourselves and unto the doctrine 6 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:18,100 continuing them for. In doing this, Thou shalt both 7 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:20,900 save thyself and them that hear thee. 8 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,400 In other words, Christianity, true Christianity is more than a 9 00:00:24,407 --> 00:00:25,900 sermon. That is to be preached. 10 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:29,000 It's a sermon and it is a lifestyle that is to be lived. 11 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,400 And Paul says That we are to do, more than just merely, he'd the 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,300 doctrine were to heed, its place within our own life, were to 13 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:39,000 heat our self and then, and only then, do you have the 14 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,500 ingredients to convert others to Christ to show people that our 15 00:00:42,500 --> 00:00:45,900 religion is worth recommending? It really boils down to this. 16 00:00:45,900 --> 00:00:49,200 You may know all about the Bible and you may be very good at 17 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,400 articulating. What the Bible says about any 18 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,900 given subject, you may be very good at debating the scriptures 19 00:00:54,900 --> 00:00:57,900 with others and convincing other people of what the scriptures 20 00:00:57,900 --> 00:00:59,800 teach. But the fact of the matter is 21 00:01:00,500 --> 00:01:05,000 Talk is cheap and Paul says that, we're not only to pay he 22 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,800 that our Doctrine is correct that we do the right things when 23 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,000 we assemble and worship and that we preach the right things. 24 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,600 When we stand in public assembly and we declare the gospel with 25 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,600 it every day, and every moment of every day, our lives are to 26 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,300 be a living example of that gospel. 27 00:01:23,300 --> 00:01:26,600 Our lives are to be a magnetic force to those about us. 28 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,900 Our lives are to portray the principles of the Gospel. 29 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:33,200 In every respect. And so because of that, I 30 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,300 believe today that the greatest recommendation, the greatest 31 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:40,000 advertisement that you can attach to your religion is its 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,000 place within your own heart and your own life. 33 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,700 And I want to in that vein of thinking, I want to talk about 34 00:01:46,700 --> 00:01:49,700 for tests and I believe will tell us whether or not we have a 35 00:01:49,700 --> 00:01:52,600 religion that is worth recommending to other people. 36 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,400 And I want to begin with what I believe is, the most fundamental 37 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:59,300 of these and that is, can you recommend your religion in light 38 00:01:59,300 --> 00:02:01,900 of the teaching? One of the word of God, because 39 00:02:02,100 --> 00:02:05,600 frankly, if you can't do that, everything else is in vain. 40 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,600 In fact, I would ask you today. Can you prove what you believe, 41 00:02:09,699 --> 00:02:13,700 and what you practice and also does God approve of what you 42 00:02:13,700 --> 00:02:16,900 believe and what you practice? Well if you've answered one of 43 00:02:16,908 --> 00:02:20,000 those questions you've answered the other because God cannot God 44 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,900 does not God will not approve of or sanction, a religion that 45 00:02:23,900 --> 00:02:27,700 cannot be proven or substantiated by his word. 46 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,500 It's not enough that my religion feels It's not enough that my 47 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:34,600 religion seems, right? It's not enough that my religion 48 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,600 is my religion or that it's always been my religion or the 49 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,400 religion of my family or people that I respect or admire. 50 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,900 But rather can I prove my religion from the word of God, 51 00:02:44,900 --> 00:02:47,900 can I put my finger on the on the passage? 52 00:02:47,900 --> 00:02:50,900 Can I put my finger upon the command of the example, to the 53 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:52,900 necessary? Inference within the word of 54 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:55,200 God? That proves every practice? 55 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,400 Every procedure and every Doctrine. 56 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,400 Now, the Bible says that our religion is to be put It to that 57 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,300 test in 1st, Thessalonians, 5 and verse 21. 58 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:06,400 Paul said, prove all things and hold fast that which is good. 59 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,400 That means that we're two tests were to try and were to cast 60 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,300 aside and reject that which cannot be found in God's word, 61 00:03:12,300 --> 00:03:15,200 and we're to obstinately cling to those things that are right 62 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,100 and can be proven John. And first John four verse one 63 00:03:18,100 --> 00:03:20,800 said, beloved believe, not every Spirit, but try the spirits, 64 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,100 whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out 65 00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:26,000 into the world. And I don't have to tell you 66 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,700 today that there are literally hundreds and thousands of 67 00:03:28,700 --> 00:03:31,800 conflicting religious He is and theories and doctrines that are 68 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,800 being preached today and it confuses a lot of people and it 69 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:36,800 overwhelms. A lot of people but the Bible 70 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,000 says that we are to test and try the spirits. 71 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,300 Well, I only know one way to do that and that is to test and try 72 00:03:42,300 --> 00:03:45,000 what they say up next to what the Bible teaches. 73 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,600 And if they fail that test, I'm to reject them. 74 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,800 As John says, they are one of these false prophets of which 75 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,600 there are many in the world. Paul in First Corinthians 76 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:57,000 chapter 2 and verse one declared that his preaching was based 77 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,400 upon the premise of God's spirit and the Of God's spirit and that 78 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,300 the Corinthians were to accept what he said, not because he was 79 00:04:04,300 --> 00:04:07,500 a great and dynamic or eloquent speaker, not because the Apostle 80 00:04:07,500 --> 00:04:10,400 Paul claimed to be something great, or claim to be an apostle 81 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,400 of the Lord Jesus Christ, but, because Paul demonstrated that 82 00:04:13,500 --> 00:04:15,200 he had the Holy Spirit within him. 83 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,100 And he demonstrated that by The Miracles, which he performed. 84 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,100 And Paul, the says, when I came unto, you my preaching, I came 85 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:24,600 not with Excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto 86 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:25,800 you. The testimony of God. 87 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:29,000 He says, for, I determined to know, not to know anything. 88 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,700 Among you save Jesus. Jesus Christ and him crucified 89 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,500 and I was with you in weakness and fear and in much, trembling 90 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:37,600 and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of 91 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,300 man's Wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit, and 92 00:04:41,300 --> 00:04:46,000 of power, in other words, Paul had a seal of approval, he had 93 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,800 Vindication upon his preaching, the spirit of God, he proved 94 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,200 what he preached and he expected no one to accept anything on any 95 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,600 less of a standard. Well, do we prove what we preach 96 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:58,100 do? We prove what we believe do? 97 00:04:58,100 --> 00:05:00,800 We prove what we practice? By the Bible. 98 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,900 The scripture tells us in Acts chapter 17 verse 10, those at 99 00:05:04,900 --> 00:05:08,000 Maria more more noble than those in thessalonica, in that they 100 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,700 received the word with all Readiness of mind and they 101 00:05:10,700 --> 00:05:13,900 searched the Scriptures Daily to see whether those things were. 102 00:05:13,900 --> 00:05:16,400 So, now, here's a group of people that weren't about to be 103 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,600 misled. Here is a group of people who 104 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,700 went home and they burn the midnight oil. 105 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:24,300 After even after hearing the apostles themselves, preached in 106 00:05:24,300 --> 00:05:26,700 order to make sure that what they heard and what they 107 00:05:26,700 --> 00:05:29,500 understood was in accordance with the scriptures that they 108 00:05:29,500 --> 00:05:31,800 knew came. God and they weren't going to be 109 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:33,700 deceived. Now, I don't have to tell you. 110 00:05:33,700 --> 00:05:35,900 There are millions of people in the world today that are 111 00:05:35,907 --> 00:05:38,900 religiously gullible. In fact, I never cease to be 112 00:05:38,900 --> 00:05:41,200 amazed at just how gullible people are. 113 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,300 I turn on the television and the radio from time to time. 114 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:46,900 And I hear these preachers get on television and preach some of 115 00:05:46,900 --> 00:05:49,800 the most Preposterous and outlandish, doctrines that 116 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,100 you've ever heard in your life, they preach some of the most 117 00:05:52,100 --> 00:05:55,200 ridiculous things that aren't a 30 second cousin, what the Bible 118 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,200 teaches and people believe that how do I know? 119 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,900 They believe that well because those Those people living in the 120 00:06:00,900 --> 00:06:03,200 lap of luxury and they can get on television. 121 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,100 And they can tell people to show their seed of faith and to send 122 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:09,200 them a check to send them money. And I can tell you, somebody 123 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,600 sending them money. Otherwise, they couldn't live in 124 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,700 their Grand, Estates and drive their luxury automobiles and 125 00:06:14,700 --> 00:06:16,700 live in the lap of luxury that they are. 126 00:06:16,700 --> 00:06:19,600 People believe that and they swallow that Hook Line & Sinker 127 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,900 because those men are charismatic because those men 128 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:27,200 appear to speak with authority because those men for whatever 129 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,800 reason or another appeal to the people watching. 130 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,400 All they buy into that and they'll sacrifice for that 131 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,400 particular religion, not even taking the time to investigate 132 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,400 the word of God. And see if what they're saying 133 00:06:40,500 --> 00:06:44,500 is true, are you religiously gullible and expect other people 134 00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:47,400 to be the same? Or can you today? 135 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,200 Confidently, recommend your religion from of thus, saith the 136 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,800 Lord. Now, one of the Lord's disciples 137 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,700 I believe over the years has received somewhat of an unfair 138 00:06:57,700 --> 00:06:59,800 reputation, a little bit of a bad rap. 139 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,600 And that is the Lord's disciple Thomas. 140 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:05,900 Now I'm not upholding Thomas as being perfect and everything. 141 00:07:05,900 --> 00:07:08,900 He did and everything he said, but I do believe that Thomas at 142 00:07:08,900 --> 00:07:13,500 least to some degree is unfairly judged because all of my life, I 143 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:17,600 have heard of Thomas referred to in rather disparaging terms as 144 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,000 old doubting Thomas. And we usually think of Thomas 145 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,800 as a negative point in the Lord's, among the Lord's 146 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:25,800 disciples. But I think there's something 147 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,300 about Thomas, that is worth imitating. 148 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,100 There's something about Tom It's worth taking notice up and if 149 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:34,500 you go back in the twentieth chapter of the Book of John and 150 00:07:34,500 --> 00:07:37,300 read the story, a little more closely, I think it's easy to 151 00:07:37,300 --> 00:07:40,600 pick up on it, Thomas, you remember, or I should say Jesus 152 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,600 after his resurrection from the dead appeared unto, his 153 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,200 disciples and they met behind locked doors for fear of the 154 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,500 Jews. And the Bible says that Jesus 155 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:51,000 not only appeared to them, but that they were able to see the 156 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,600 ribbon places within his hands. And they knew based upon that 157 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,300 beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was, who he claimed to 158 00:07:57,300 --> 00:07:59,800 be. And so, they left that meeting. 159 00:07:59,900 --> 00:08:02,000 Excited about it and they encounter Thomas. 160 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,600 And I don't know what Thomas was with them in the first place. 161 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,000 I don't know where Thomas was, I don't know what Thomas was doing 162 00:08:08,100 --> 00:08:10,900 and perhaps Thomas deserve to be rebuked for not having been 163 00:08:10,900 --> 00:08:13,100 there. I do know that Thomas missed out 164 00:08:13,100 --> 00:08:15,600 on a great blessing by not being where he should have been when 165 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:17,600 he should have been there. And there are a lot of people 166 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,400 today in the Lord's church, that miss out on a lot of Blessings 167 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:21,900 by not being where they ought to be. 168 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,400 When they ought to be there. They're off doing something 169 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:25,900 else. Something that may be more 170 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:28,300 important when others are gathered together, learning 171 00:08:28,300 --> 00:08:30,800 about the lord. Well, Tha This was somewhere 172 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,200 else and whatever the reason, whatever the circumstance he was 173 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,400 not privy to the same information that the other 174 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,299 disciples were well, the disciples come to Thomas and 175 00:08:39,299 --> 00:08:42,400 they tell him Thomas. We've seen the Lord, these men 176 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,300 were excited. They had just seen their lord. 177 00:08:45,300 --> 00:08:48,800 Whom they had all seen crucified just a few days before. 178 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:54,500 But Thomas was skeptical and Thomas does not say, I will not 179 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:59,300 believe but Thomas says, I'm not going to believe it until I see 180 00:08:59,300 --> 00:09:01,800 the nail. Prince in his hand and the 181 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,700 ribbon place in his side Thomas says I'm not going to believe 182 00:09:05,700 --> 00:09:07,900 essentially until I see what you've seen. 183 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:13,400 Well Jesus gave Thomas that opportunity and you almost can't 184 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,400 blame Thomas from a human standpoint because it would be 185 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,800 difficult to believe someone who like you whose mind was 186 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,500 overwhelmed with grief. Here you are having hung all of 187 00:09:23,500 --> 00:09:26,800 your hopes and your dreams and Ambitions upon the ministry and 188 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,800 the message of this man whom you had seen the Romans. 189 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,900 Take out and crucified on the cross and laid and sealed in 190 00:09:32,900 --> 00:09:35,200 that tub. And you would think it's all 191 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,500 gone. It was all for naught and these 192 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:41,500 men were overcome with grief and despair and felt dejected. 193 00:09:42,500 --> 00:09:45,000 And so, what would you think if you were to be put in the 194 00:09:45,008 --> 00:09:47,500 sandals of Thomas? And someone were to come to you 195 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:50,300 and say the Lord is alive. He is risen from the dead, 196 00:09:50,300 --> 00:09:52,700 Thomas things. Well, we'd all like to believe 197 00:09:52,700 --> 00:09:56,200 that we all wish that were true, but I'm going to have to have a 198 00:09:56,208 --> 00:09:58,900 little bit more evidence than just your word for it. 199 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,000 Thomas says, I will see what you saw. 200 00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:04,200 Well, you know the lord gave him that opportunity. 201 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,100 Again, Jesus appeared to his disciples Thomas, was there this 202 00:10:09,100 --> 00:10:12,300 time and the Bible says that Jesus, not only allowed Thomas 203 00:10:12,300 --> 00:10:15,000 to look, but invited him to reach out and to touch the 204 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,400 ribbon places in his hands, and in his side and the Bible says, 205 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:20,900 when Thomas, did he exclaimed my Lord? 206 00:10:20,900 --> 00:10:25,000 And my God, that is to say, I now believe you are who you 207 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,800 claim, you are. Why I've seen the evidence, I've 208 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:33,400 seen the marks of evidence and so he believed And Jesus went on 209 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:38,700 to make a point out of that by saying, yes, it's blessed are 210 00:10:38,708 --> 00:10:41,900 those who have seen and believe but blessed will be those who 211 00:10:41,900 --> 00:10:44,400 have not seen and believed. And what that simply means is 212 00:10:44,500 --> 00:10:47,400 that the Apostles of Jesus Christ who were as we talked 213 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:50,100 about the other night, the witnesses of Jesus and of his 214 00:10:50,100 --> 00:10:53,000 resurrection were then to go forth and Harold the gospel to 215 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,300 the world. And we today believe in Jesus, 216 00:10:55,300 --> 00:10:58,400 not because we've seen him risen from the dead, but we believe in 217 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,100 him based upon the testimony of those who did. 218 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,000 But Thomas at that time was seeking information that was 219 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,800 available and that the other disciples had had the 220 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,500 opportunity to see. Well you know I there are plenty 221 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:12,800 of marks of identification within the word of God, 222 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:16,000 concerning the Lord's, True Religion and you maybe want to, 223 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,400 I don't know the hearts and Minds on the state of everyone 224 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:20,500 here. That today, we may have visitors 225 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:22,000 among us. And you don't count yourself. 226 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,500 A member of the Church of Christ, maybe you're searching. 227 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,300 Maybe you're looking from the truth, maybe you're confused and 228 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:29,900 you're overwhelmed and you don't know where to begin in your 229 00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:33,400 quest for what is, right? And Bombarded by all of these 230 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,900 doctrines and all of these churches, and all of these ideas 231 00:11:36,900 --> 00:11:39,700 that surround us in the world today and you don't know how to 232 00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:41,700 make heads or tails of it. Well, let me tell you where to 233 00:11:41,700 --> 00:11:44,400 start and where to end. And that's right here because 234 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:46,900 the Bible contains the marks of identification. 235 00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:50,000 Concerning the Lord's Church. It tells you all about it, such 236 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,100 as where it was establish how it was established upon what it was 237 00:11:53,100 --> 00:11:55,600 established. It tells you how it works. 238 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,100 It tells you upon what day it came together to worship. 239 00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:00,400 It tells you all about the doctrine that it breached, the 240 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:03,800 name that it wore and Salted on and you can investigate all of 241 00:12:03,808 --> 00:12:06,400 that in your Bible just as easily as anyone else. 242 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,800 And you can compare that to the religions that surround us today 243 00:12:09,900 --> 00:12:11,700 and you can know which one is the Lord's church. 244 00:12:11,700 --> 00:12:15,000 You can prove your religion by the Bible and if you can't do 245 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,700 that about the religion that you're in today, you need to 246 00:12:17,700 --> 00:12:20,700 change your religion. I'm going to tell you, it's a 247 00:12:20,700 --> 00:12:24,700 very risky thing to gamble. Your Eternal Soul upon a 248 00:12:24,708 --> 00:12:27,200 religion. Just simply because somebody you 249 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,300 like, or trust, or admire, maybe a family member told you that 250 00:12:30,300 --> 00:12:33,000 that's what's right, you? Delve into the word of God and 251 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,800 see if it's right and if it's not you need to change your 252 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:40,800 religion because the Bible says in Matthew 15 and 13 every plant 253 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,900 which my heavenly father hath, not planted shall be rooted up. 254 00:12:47,300 --> 00:12:51,900 Second of all, can you recommend your religion by the life that 255 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:55,500 you live and this becomes a very personal question. 256 00:12:55,500 --> 00:12:58,400 It hits close to home. Does your life and your 257 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,900 religion, do they complement each other. 258 00:13:01,100 --> 00:13:05,500 Does each make the other more attractive and easier to see? 259 00:13:06,500 --> 00:13:10,200 Now, the fact is, if a man's religion does not change him, 260 00:13:10,900 --> 00:13:13,100 then that man needs to change his religion. 261 00:13:13,900 --> 00:13:15,900 Now, I've said during this meeting already. 262 00:13:15,900 --> 00:13:20,900 That the real problem in religion tonight or today is the 263 00:13:20,900 --> 00:13:24,500 fact that no religion. It seems wants to demand 264 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:28,200 anything of anybody and they tell people just simply to come 265 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,400 as you are and be what you are. And you don't have to change 266 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:35,500 anything about your life. And in fact, that's how these 267 00:13:35,500 --> 00:13:38,000 megachurches grow. Because they claim to be 268 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,900 tolerant and to embrace people of every kind of lifestyle and 269 00:13:41,900 --> 00:13:45,200 every kind of background and just come and be what you are 270 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,700 and you're not going to be threatened by the word of God. 271 00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:50,000 You're not going to be happy, you're not going to have 272 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,000 constraints and demands placed upon you and they try to picture 273 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,900 that kind of a religion that would conform and change our 274 00:13:56,900 --> 00:14:00,400 life and make us to walk a straight and narrow pathway why 275 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,100 they paint. That kind of a religion, is 276 00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:04,500 something that so antique So outdated. 277 00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:07,500 And bigoted, it's not even worth your time or your consideration. 278 00:14:07,500 --> 00:14:08,500 Well, I'm going to tell you something. 279 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,800 If your religion doesn't change you, your religion isn't worth a 280 00:14:11,808 --> 00:14:14,100 dime. And your religion is certainly 281 00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:17,400 not the Lord's religion, because the Bible says, in second 282 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,100 Corinthians 5 and verse 17, that the religion of Christ will make 283 00:14:21,100 --> 00:14:24,300 him into a new Creature. If any man be in Christ, he is a 284 00:14:24,300 --> 00:14:27,000 new creature, old things are passed away, and behold all 285 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,100 things are become new. Sometimes people might talk 286 00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,700 about some family member or some loved one or somebody that 287 00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:33,900 attends church from time to time, and they say, you know, 288 00:14:33,900 --> 00:14:36,600 it's a shame that that person never has been baptized because 289 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,600 really, that's all they'd have to do, they wouldn't have to 290 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,800 change anything. Well, I don't know what Bible, 291 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,400 they've been reading out of because my Bible teaches that 292 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,500 when I come in to Christ, I become a brand new creation. 293 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,100 And everything was wrong in my life becomes, right. 294 00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:54,000 I turn it over to the Lord and the Lord takes my life, like a 295 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,800 lump of clay and he makes, and he knows that into what he wants 296 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,900 it to be. And the result is my religion 297 00:15:00,900 --> 00:15:04,400 will be a religion of life-changing conviction, not 298 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,200 convenience. And if that is not your religion 299 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:12,100 today, something is drastically wrong, Our Lives must Adorn, the 300 00:15:12,100 --> 00:15:16,000 doctrine of God, our savior, and all things, Titus 2 and verse 301 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,900 10, the Is did not Adorn the doctrine of God because they 302 00:15:19,900 --> 00:15:23,000 said one thing, they preached one thing they profess one 303 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,200 thing, but they did something entirely different and Jesus 304 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,000 condemned that kind of a shallow. 305 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,600 And that sort of pretentious and hypocritical religion all 306 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,400 condemned the practice of having a form of godliness. 307 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:38,600 But denying the power thereof, second of the chapter 3 and 308 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,800 verse 5, I don't know of any greater thing you could do to 309 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,300 draw people to Christ. I don't know of anything that 310 00:15:44,300 --> 00:15:47,100 you could do today to be a more powerful influence for good. 311 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:52,100 good than to Simply live, the life that Christ religion calls 312 00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:56,700 upon you to live Now I'm not much of a Salesman and I 313 00:15:56,700 --> 00:16:00,500 certainly don't like to get into these pyramid marketing, 314 00:16:00,500 --> 00:16:02,800 multi-level marketing type schemes. 315 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,700 Now there's nothing wrong with that if it's an honest Endeavor 316 00:16:05,700 --> 00:16:09,000 and an honest product and a lot of people get into that you know 317 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,500 and they make a little extra money and that's all fine but 318 00:16:11,500 --> 00:16:15,900 all I ask is just leave me out of it because invariably there 319 00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:18,700 are people around the country who are on to one of these new 320 00:16:18,700 --> 00:16:21,600 pyramid marketing schemes. Every time you see him and they 321 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,500 want to sit you down, and hold you hostage for Afternoon and 322 00:16:24,500 --> 00:16:27,800 put their sales pitch on you and get you involved and buy your 323 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,000 product. And I always seem to be a target 324 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,400 for that and it seems like more times than not it revolves 325 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,200 around some health product or some weight loss product and 326 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,200 maybe that explains why I'm such a Target. 327 00:16:38,300 --> 00:16:41,700 But nonetheless people will try to sit me down and tell me about 328 00:16:41,700 --> 00:16:44,100 this wonderful pill that they've come up with. 329 00:16:44,300 --> 00:16:48,600 And this pill will do everything that all of that exercise and 330 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:50,900 diet will do for you and even more. 331 00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:52,600 And you don't have to worry about getting out there and 332 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,800 sweating and walk. And running and doing all of 333 00:16:54,808 --> 00:16:57,100 that, you don't have to back away from the table. 334 00:16:57,100 --> 00:16:59,900 You just take a couple of these pills before you sit down to a 335 00:16:59,908 --> 00:17:02,400 big gut Buster meal. And you know, you're going to be 336 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,700 amazed at how the weight falls off preachers. 337 00:17:04,700 --> 00:17:07,400 Get into that kind of thing because it's sort of supplements 338 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,400 their income. And then the next time you see 339 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,900 them six months later, they have not lost any weight, there's big 340 00:17:11,900 --> 00:17:15,800 as the side of a barn but they wanted to charge you $100 for a 341 00:17:15,808 --> 00:17:19,099 bottle of those horse pills and then they wanted to get you 342 00:17:19,099 --> 00:17:21,300 involved in selling it and so on and so forth. 343 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:23,000 Well, I just don't have any patience with that. 344 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,099 I've been About that a few times and I don't have any interest in 345 00:17:26,099 --> 00:17:29,000 it, so if you want to get into that, more power to you, but 346 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,800 leave me alone. But I want to tell you 347 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,300 something, if I see you and all the sudden you've dropped 50 348 00:17:36,300 --> 00:17:39,800 pounds, you're not going to have to come up to me and say, look 349 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,700 at me, look what I've done. Look how good I look. 350 00:17:43,900 --> 00:17:45,800 Would you like to know what I'd been doing? 351 00:17:45,900 --> 00:17:48,800 No, I'm going to beat you to the back door and I'm going to say 352 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,400 you look wonderful. I want to know what your secret. 353 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,900 How did you do that? How did you lose that weight so 354 00:17:53,900 --> 00:17:56,800 fast? And you're going to have an 355 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,700 opportunity to tell me and I'm going to be all ears. 356 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,700 Now, that really held a straight something very serious today and 357 00:18:05,700 --> 00:18:09,500 that is our religion. That's the way I religion, 358 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:11,200 should be in the eyes of other people. 359 00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:16,300 And in fact, I will go so far as to say that if no one in your 360 00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:19,200 life ever observes. And I don't mean by what you say 361 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,700 by how you live, if they never observe that you are a 362 00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:26,000 Christian, that there is something different about you, 363 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,400 if no one ever approaches. You and says, what's different 364 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,200 about your life, why don't you go to these places? 365 00:18:32,300 --> 00:18:34,400 Why don't you wear these kind of clothes? 366 00:18:34,500 --> 00:18:37,600 Why don't you talk the way we? Why don't you enjoy the joke? 367 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:40,100 We all tell. Why don't you go to the bar with 368 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:41,600 people after church or after work? 369 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,800 Why don't you do this? Why don't you go to the school 370 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:45,400 dance? Why don't you do all of these 371 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:49,400 things? Your religion is very weak. 372 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,200 It's very impotent. You cannot recommend your 373 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,700 religion. Holding a beer in your hand. 374 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,400 You cannot recommend your religion running around half 375 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,100 naked, you cannot run. You cannot recommend your 376 00:19:04,100 --> 00:19:07,700 religion on a dance floor. You cannot recommend your 377 00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:11,000 religion going to many of the places that the world goes and 378 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,100 doing many of the things that the world does. 379 00:19:13,300 --> 00:19:18,600 In fact, you notify your profession of religion, Your 380 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:21,600 religion is something that must change your life and let me tell 381 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,500 you, when that happens, people are going to see the change and 382 00:19:24,500 --> 00:19:26,800 they're going to be drawn to you, that there are two kinds of 383 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,800 people in the world. There are people who have 384 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,300 destroyed their life by slim but they like to have a better life. 385 00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:36,100 There are people who are searching and they are looking 386 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,900 and they have a good and an honest heart that Jesus talked 387 00:19:39,900 --> 00:19:41,600 about over the parable of the sower. 388 00:19:41,700 --> 00:19:43,900 And then, there are other people in the world that they're 389 00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:47,100 antagonistic toward religion, they don't like Christianity, 390 00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:49,500 very much. Like a light that shines into 391 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:52,800 the darkness of their hearts and it's offensive to them, they 392 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:57,000 don't like it and so they don't like anybody to live a life 393 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,900 around them, that would afflict their conscience or that would 394 00:19:59,900 --> 00:20:02,700 Point them to A Better Way. Well, Jesus said, you know, 395 00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:04,700 where the light of the world we are the salt of the earth. 396 00:20:04,700 --> 00:20:06,900 Well, lights a good thing and like to some people from their 397 00:20:06,900 --> 00:20:08,500 perspective might be a bad thing. 398 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,600 And salt is a good thing and that it's a preservative. 399 00:20:12,900 --> 00:20:16,100 But salt has welcomed the, a painful thing when you pour it 400 00:20:16,100 --> 00:20:19,200 into a wound, and that's the way it is. 401 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,500 When people see the life that we live there, either drawn to it, 402 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:26,200 because they want a better life or those people are going to be 403 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:30,400 turned away by the life that we live, because they enjoy sin, 404 00:20:30,500 --> 00:20:33,600 and they want to remain in sin and so our life becomes an 405 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,600 offense to them, but I'm going to tell you a person who lives 406 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,200 the Lord's religion is not going to Be neutral. 407 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:46,900 And your life is not going to be met with indifference at school 408 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,000 work. Like the neighbors, those about 409 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,400 you, it's going to produce one result or the other. 410 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:58,700 And if it doesn't you need to examine your religion. 411 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,600 The Apostle Paul said those things which he has both learned 412 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:03,200 and received and heard and seen in me. 413 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,600 Do and the God of Peace shall be with you, Philippians 4 night, 414 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:08,800 can you Echo that statement along with Paul? 415 00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:12,400 It was Paul who said, be followers of me - I also am of 416 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,600 Christ First Corinthians 11 and verse 1. 417 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,400 Now, I understand that Paul is an inspired Apostle of Jesus 418 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,800 Christ and that he had Authority, that no other man, 419 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,400 possessed, or no other people had no other group of people 420 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,200 possess than what the apostles did. 421 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,800 But can you make that statement in principle today? 422 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,400 Can you tell people that you imitate me? 423 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,400 You live the life that I live. You be what I am and you'll be 424 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,100 saved. Number three, can you recommend 425 00:21:36,100 --> 00:21:38,500 your religion, by the way, you support it. 426 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,900 Now, one of the greatest recommendations, You can give do 427 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:46,200 anything is by your excitement, Your Enthusiasm, your Zeal for 428 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:50,000 that particular thing and that Zeal tends to be a bit 429 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,700 contagious. It tends to get people's 430 00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:56,400 attention at the very least, they see how important and how 431 00:21:56,400 --> 00:22:00,300 convinced and our convicted of that particular thing that you 432 00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:04,600 are stumble upon some product. You let some lady stumble across 433 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,300 some new cleaning detergent or some new cleaning solution that 434 00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:11,900 will take the stains out of everything that every She's ever 435 00:22:11,900 --> 00:22:15,100 spent all that money at the store and buying before and that 436 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,400 to try to get that stain out. Wouldn't do it. 437 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,500 You let it, you let her find that final, that product that 438 00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:22,800 did the trick and you see how long it takes her to tell 439 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,700 everybody else about it. She gets excited about that. 440 00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:31,300 You find something in life that you are really convicted about 441 00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:33,200 and you're going to be excited about it. 442 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:37,300 You're going to tell other people about Paul said in second 443 00:22:37,300 --> 00:22:41,300 Corinthians 4:13, I believed and therefore, did I speak. 444 00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:44,800 Now when you see therefore or wherefore in the scripture, that 445 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:46,800 means you need to look back and see what is there for. 446 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:51,300 And Paul says, I believed and therefore did I speak in other 447 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:54,200 words? I spoke because I believe my 448 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,700 speaking was an outgrowth of the fact that I believed it. 449 00:22:57,900 --> 00:23:01,200 Say it was a reflex of my conviction. 450 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,600 The apostles when they were commanded not to preach in the 451 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,200 name of Jesus Christ, they continue to do so. 452 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,600 And when called upon to explain themselves, they said we cannot 453 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:13,200 help. But tell the things that our 454 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,400 eyes have seen in our ears have heard, they could not help. 455 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:18,900 They could not contain it. It was like, it was to the 456 00:23:18,900 --> 00:23:21,700 Prophet, Jeremiah a fire shut up in their bones. 457 00:23:21,700 --> 00:23:25,900 They could not contain it. If your next-door neighbor's 458 00:23:25,900 --> 00:23:30,200 house was on fire, and you knew that the family was inside that 459 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,000 home. Do you suppose you would look 460 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:37,400 out the window and see the smoke and see the flames and shrug 461 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,900 your shoulders and say well I sure hope they smell the smoke 462 00:23:39,900 --> 00:23:44,100 before it's too late. I sure hope they come to realize 463 00:23:44,100 --> 00:23:46,700 that their house was on fire and get out of there. 464 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:49,500 You know. You know that that's an urgent 465 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:53,100 life and death situation and you would be calling 911. 466 00:23:53,100 --> 00:23:55,800 You'd be running next door and banging on the doors of the 467 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,400 windows and getting their attention and trying to rescue. 468 00:23:58,500 --> 00:24:01,100 Anybody that could be rescued. I'm going to tell you something 469 00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:04,000 today, there is a world surrounding us, that is going to 470 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:05,500 hell as quick as they can get there. 471 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:08,900 And there are people in your life every day. 472 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,500 There are people that you sit next to it work there are people 473 00:24:11,500 --> 00:24:13,600 that you play with on the playground at school. 474 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:15,900 There are people that you live next door to. 475 00:24:15,900 --> 00:24:18,700 There are people that you see every day with in your life and 476 00:24:18,700 --> 00:24:20,200 you know what? They're headed to hell and 477 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:22,300 they're going just as fast as they can. 478 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,500 And yet, we passed them by every day and we never say a word 479 00:24:27,500 --> 00:24:33,000 about their selves. We never say a word about Jesus. 480 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:36,900 And I don't know how to explain that. 481 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,300 Other than maybe we're not quite as convicted, as we should be. 482 00:24:42,900 --> 00:24:48,400 About what the Bible says. if we really believed, and we really 483 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:53,000 understood that people that we claim to love in this life, Are 484 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,700 bound for an eternity without God if they don't turn around. 485 00:24:57,700 --> 00:25:02,700 How could we possibly how could we possibly keep ourselves from 486 00:25:02,700 --> 00:25:05,900 telling them and doing everything we possibly can to 487 00:25:05,900 --> 00:25:09,200 save them? We recommend our religion. 488 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,200 Not only by what we say. But by people seeing its place 489 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,600 and it's priority within our own life. 490 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,900 Are you zealous of Good Works? Titus 2 and verse 14 are you 491 00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:20,900 ready unto every good work. Titus 3 and 1 Are you full of 492 00:25:20,900 --> 00:25:24,200 good works acts 9 and verse Six, I'm going to tell you, one of 493 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:26,600 the great frustrations for me and preaching the gospel, in 494 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,900 many places is to be called away from my home to travel hundreds, 495 00:25:30,900 --> 00:25:34,800 upon hundreds of miles to spend a week away from my family. 496 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,000 When I could be at home, watching my little girls grow up 497 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,700 and working with the local congregation, and perhaps 498 00:25:40,700 --> 00:25:44,000 accomplishing good down there, to be called, hundreds of miles 499 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:49,100 away to a congregation and not have that congregation care 500 00:25:49,100 --> 00:25:53,400 enough about the gospel and about the meeting to to show up. 501 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:58,800 Now, when you stand up here or In a Pulpit and you occupy this 502 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,700 place, you'll identify with that. 503 00:26:02,700 --> 00:26:05,500 I'll promise you not too long ago. 504 00:26:05,700 --> 00:26:08,400 I held a meeting in a congregation that I believe had 505 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:13,500 some of the most pitiful crowds that I can ever remember in the 506 00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:15,800 last 15 or so years. I've been holding meetings. 507 00:26:17,500 --> 00:26:21,300 On Sunday morning, this congregation had more than 60 508 00:26:21,300 --> 00:26:27,400 people in that building. And on Monday, Tuesday, 509 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:31,300 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, I counted, you know, 510 00:26:31,300 --> 00:26:34,300 how many of their own members, we could count on to be at that 511 00:26:34,300 --> 00:26:36,200 meeting. And I'm factored in people who 512 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,300 had health issues, who couldn't come because of their health. 513 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:43,200 And I understand that, There were just a little over 12 514 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:44,600 people. In that congregation you can 515 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:49,100 count on now sale that this they had a sign out front a banner 516 00:26:49,100 --> 00:26:52,900 that was made up in front of the church building and it said in 517 00:26:52,900 --> 00:26:56,200 big letters. Jesus wants you here, gospel, 518 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,600 meetings so-and-so, dates and so-and-so times. 519 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,200 I mean, it caught your attention going down. 520 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,500 The road is beautifully designed and very prominent along the 521 00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:07,900 side of the street. Jesus wants you here. 522 00:27:07,900 --> 00:27:10,700 Well, I'd had a belly full of it by Sunday and I got up and I 523 00:27:10,700 --> 00:27:12,800 told him, I said I'm going to get personal with you folks 524 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,500 here. And I told them, you know, we 525 00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:18,800 got 60 people here today. And there were about a dozen of 526 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:19,900 you. We could count on to be here, 527 00:27:19,900 --> 00:27:22,900 throughout the meeting. And I said, I do want to commend 528 00:27:22,900 --> 00:27:24,700 your sign. You have out front here. 529 00:27:24,700 --> 00:27:26,300 I said, I think that's really good. 530 00:27:26,300 --> 00:27:30,000 Jesus wants you here. In fact, I can't think of any 531 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,800 place in all the world that Jesus would have, wanted 532 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,500 everybody in this town to be this week, then right here, 533 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,600 listening to the gospel, being preached. 534 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,800 That could save their souls. I can't think of any place Jesus 535 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:46,000 would want them to be more than that and I said, do you suppose 536 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:53,400 Jesus would want you here too? It is the height of hypocrisy 537 00:27:53,500 --> 00:27:57,200 for us to claim that we want the church to grow to claim that we 538 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,300 care about people's Souls, their claim that the church is 539 00:28:00,300 --> 00:28:04,300 important to claim that the Lord is our all in all, but we're too 540 00:28:04,300 --> 00:28:07,600 busy and we just don't care enough to support a gospel 541 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:12,200 meeting to go to church. To put the Lord first in our own 542 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:16,000 wife. As the old saying goes, people 543 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:19,500 do not care what, you know, until they know that you care. 544 00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:25,100 That's exactly right. I don't want anything Ella 545 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:30,000 straights that point anymore. then the beautiful Parable that 546 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:34,600 Jesus told over recorded in Luke, the 10th chapter, remember 547 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:37,200 that Jesus said there was a certain man that went down from 548 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:41,600 Jerusalem to Jericho. That was an Infamous pathway. 549 00:28:41,700 --> 00:28:44,700 I believe it was something about 30 miles and it was a steep 550 00:28:44,700 --> 00:28:48,300 treacherous descent from the capital city down to the Dead 551 00:28:48,300 --> 00:28:52,400 Sea. And this road was saturated with 552 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,400 Bandits, and with feeds. And when you travel that road 553 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:58,400 way, you took your life into your own hands. 554 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:04,200 Well, this man left and he made the journey and it wasn't very 555 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,100 long before he fell among Thieves. 556 00:29:06,100 --> 00:29:09,500 The Bible says, and the thieves stripped him of his clothes. 557 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,500 And they beat him to a bloody pulp, and they left him on the 558 00:29:13,508 --> 00:29:15,900 side of the road and a pool of blood to die. 559 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,400 And then Jesus, introduces three characters to the story. 560 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,500 Jesus said, first of all, there came a priest. 561 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:27,500 Now, I don't know about you, but if I were broken down in the 562 00:29:27,508 --> 00:29:30,800 Mojave, Desert or power broken down by the side of the road, in 563 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:34,900 some dangerous and distant place, I think I would be pretty 564 00:29:34,900 --> 00:29:39,000 happy if I saw a preacher come along or if I saw someone that I 565 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,900 knew was a was a very devout church member, I'd be glad to 566 00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:44,500 see someone like that come along. 567 00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:48,000 Jesus says, here comes a priest. Well, you would think, wouldn't 568 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:52,100 you this man was the salvation of this poor man that had fallen 569 00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:55,900 upon such bad luck will know. Bible says, he just simply 570 00:29:55,900 --> 00:29:58,700 passed on his way, he didn't want to defile himself. 571 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,300 And he had other things to attend to, so he just goes 572 00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:07,100 merrily along his way and then Jesus says, here comes a levite. 573 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:12,100 Again, another person alleged to be a very religious person. 574 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:17,100 And so again, you would think of a religious person comes by that 575 00:30:17,100 --> 00:30:19,100 this person would be my salvation. 576 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:22,200 Well, the levite at least had the Curiosity to walk over there 577 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:25,600 and Survey the scene. But he is well didn't want to be 578 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:28,000 bothered and he would the other side of the road went on his 579 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,000 way. Then Jesus, introduces the third 580 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,500 character of The Story, by very mention of the name that would 581 00:30:33,500 --> 00:30:39,400 have made their nostrils flare with righteous, indignation He 582 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:44,100 said, then comes a Samaritan. And these Jews listening to 583 00:30:44,108 --> 00:30:47,400 Jesus, the very names Samaritan would have made them recoil, 584 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,500 because a Samaritan was nothing more than a half breed and a 585 00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:53,000 dog. And these people certainly put 586 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,400 no stock in whatever, religion is Samaritan by claim to have 587 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,000 But Here Comes The Samaritan and you know, story Jesus says that 588 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:05,700 he stops He takes the man and pours oil and wine into his 589 00:31:05,700 --> 00:31:08,100 wounds and binds them up. And he carries them down the way 590 00:31:08,100 --> 00:31:11,100 to a little end where he secures lodging, where he could 591 00:31:11,100 --> 00:31:14,800 convalesce and he pays the building full of Jesus says, 592 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:19,500 then to that group of Spectators, he said now who was 593 00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:21,200 neighbor to him that fell among Thieves. 594 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,400 Well, they couldn't even bring themselves to say, Samaritan 595 00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:26,900 They said it was the one who showed Mercy on him. 596 00:31:29,100 --> 00:31:33,100 And the point simply is this who recommended their religion? 597 00:31:34,300 --> 00:31:40,700 when the rubber met the road who recommended their religion, Was 598 00:31:40,700 --> 00:31:44,000 it the priest with all of his titles and all of his duties and 599 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,300 all of his religious garb? And who is it that recommends? 600 00:31:48,300 --> 00:31:51,300 His Religion Today, is it the person that likes to put on a 601 00:31:51,300 --> 00:31:55,000 Pious face and likes to tell people how religious he is and 602 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:56,700 our holy and how righteous he is. 603 00:31:56,900 --> 00:32:00,500 And likes to tell people how important the church is to them. 604 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:06,600 Or is it the person? That someone sees living the 605 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:10,500 life everyday. And sees just how important the 606 00:32:10,500 --> 00:32:13,700 church really is to them. A story. 607 00:32:13,700 --> 00:32:15,200 Some of the older preachers used to tell. 608 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:16,600 Maybe you've heard it, I don't know. 609 00:32:17,900 --> 00:32:20,400 But the young preacher was holding a gospel meeting in a 610 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:25,000 congregation one time. And about halfway through the 611 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:26,200 meeting. There was a prominent 612 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,800 businessman that came from that community and really everyone 613 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,800 was shocked to see him there because they would have thought 614 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,600 the last thing on his mind would be that little church down there 615 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,100 on the corner and certainly that little church would have been 616 00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:41,000 beneath a man of his ilk and his stature in the community. 617 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,600 But here he came and he came in and sat in the back of the 618 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:47,100 building and he listened very intently to the sermon and 619 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:51,700 people were floored. When the invitation hymn was 620 00:32:51,700 --> 00:32:56,300 sung and he walked forward and wanted to be baptized well, the 621 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:59,300 young preacher took him back and as they were getting ready for 622 00:32:59,300 --> 00:33:01,900 the baptism, the young preacher feeling somewhat proud of 623 00:33:01,900 --> 00:33:05,000 himself asked the man. He said, what did I say in my 624 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,600 sermon tonight to convince you to want to be baptized? 625 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,100 and the man said, well young man you preached A good sermon but 626 00:33:12,100 --> 00:33:13,800 he said, I'm going to be honest with you, you didn't say 627 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:18,400 anything, maybe want to be baptized He said, did you see 628 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,900 that little old lady that was sitting close to me back in the 629 00:33:20,908 --> 00:33:24,500 back and he knew her knew her. Well, she had been a longtime 630 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:28,700 faithful member of that church. He said, she's been my secretary 631 00:33:28,700 --> 00:33:34,600 for 30 years And said for that, 30 years I have never seen 632 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:38,000 anything. But a Godly woman. 633 00:33:40,100 --> 00:33:43,700 I know that woman loves this church and I have seen her make 634 00:33:43,700 --> 00:33:46,700 her way to this little church down here and the Heat and in 635 00:33:46,700 --> 00:33:49,800 the cold and in the snow and the ice and the rain. 636 00:33:51,100 --> 00:33:54,100 I see her when she has a few spare moments at work opening, 637 00:33:54,100 --> 00:33:56,700 her Bible and reading her Bible and I see her offering. 638 00:33:56,700 --> 00:34:01,200 Thanks for her food. I see her modest and her Godly 639 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:05,500 demeanor. and if you want to know why I did what I did today, 640 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:10,800 It's because for 30 years, I've seen just how important Jesus 641 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:14,000 Christ. And this little church is to 642 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,000 her, people are watching you every day. 643 00:34:17,300 --> 00:34:19,000 Are you recommending your religion finally? 644 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,900 Today, can you recommend your religion, by the way, it works 645 00:34:21,900 --> 00:34:24,500 for you. In other words, does your 646 00:34:24,500 --> 00:34:27,900 religion, give you something to Anchor to, in times of trouble, 647 00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:31,300 when a crisis comes? Can you recommend your religion? 648 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:35,400 When you lose your job and the future seems uncertain, can you 649 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,900 still recommend your Legion. What about when someone very 650 00:34:38,900 --> 00:34:41,199 dear to you get sick and they die. 651 00:34:41,300 --> 00:34:44,800 Can you recommend your religion? What about in times in your 652 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,800 life? When you're down and discouraged 653 00:34:48,199 --> 00:34:52,000 and depressed? Can you recommend your religion? 654 00:34:53,300 --> 00:34:55,199 Now, we'd all like to think that we could. 655 00:34:55,300 --> 00:34:58,600 But, you know, there are many people that don't because their 656 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:01,400 religion only plays a role in their life. 657 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:05,600 When all is well, all when everything's great, when 658 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:08,400 everything's encourage you, when everything's just going their 659 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:11,300 way. They're all excited about the 660 00:35:11,300 --> 00:35:13,700 church, they're faithful to the church, but you allow some 661 00:35:13,700 --> 00:35:15,400 problem to come along their life. 662 00:35:15,500 --> 00:35:18,900 And the first thing that happens is they start to grow wheat. 663 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:22,500 And before long, they fall by the wayside, they get 664 00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:25,200 discouraged and you make your way out there to see them. 665 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,300 And they say, well, now, when I get all this straightened out, 666 00:35:28,300 --> 00:35:31,000 when I get all of these problems worked out, then I'm going to 667 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,400 come back to the church wrong. You don't get it straightened 668 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,400 out until you get him to church because that's how and that's 669 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,100 where you get. It straightened out. 670 00:35:41,100 --> 00:35:44,900 You see, the Lord's religion is not only men as a vehicle of 671 00:35:44,900 --> 00:35:47,900 service and praise and worship to God. 672 00:35:47,900 --> 00:35:50,600 It is. Well, as meant is meant to be of 673 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:55,400 benefit to us and to help us steer the uncertain course of 674 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:57,700 Life. Paul said in second Corinthians 675 00:35:57,700 --> 00:36:00,900 6 and 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing. 676 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:05,000 David said in Psalm 3 and 3 thou art a shield for me, he said no 677 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:06,500 good thing. Will he withhold from them? 678 00:36:06,500 --> 00:36:11,800 That walk uprightly Psalm 84 and verse 11 and I Leave that today 679 00:36:12,500 --> 00:36:16,300 I believe that the religion of Jesus Christ provides the 680 00:36:16,300 --> 00:36:19,200 strength. It provides the encouragement, 681 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:23,900 it provides the power to face any circumstance within your 682 00:36:23,900 --> 00:36:27,100 life today. And if your religion does not do 683 00:36:27,100 --> 00:36:29,300 that, you have the wrong religion. 684 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,700 I worry about people who go around all the time with long, 685 00:36:33,700 --> 00:36:38,500 sad weary faces and their religion is not a source of joy 686 00:36:38,500 --> 00:36:43,600 to them, it's drudgery to them. A religion that makes people 687 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:45,700 look sick. My friends is not going to cure 688 00:36:45,700 --> 00:36:49,000 the world. The world has plenty of that out 689 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:51,700 there. What they need is a religion 690 00:36:51,700 --> 00:36:55,400 that infuses some hope and some optimism into their life. 691 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,600 They need a religion that shows them that there's a better way. 692 00:36:58,700 --> 00:37:01,500 They need a religion that shows that they have a future, they 693 00:37:01,500 --> 00:37:04,900 need a religion that shows them that regardless of how badly the 694 00:37:04,900 --> 00:37:08,400 chips may be down that regardless of how bad things may 695 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:11,400 be in their life. There's something better ahead 696 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:15,200 and we tell people, and we reflect that religion by our old 697 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,100 attitude about it, and by its place within Old life and my 698 00:37:18,100 --> 00:37:20,400 friend, if that's not your religion, you have the wrong 699 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,700 one. Because man does not merely need 700 00:37:23,700 --> 00:37:26,300 a Creed that he upholds. He needs a Creed that upholds 701 00:37:26,300 --> 00:37:29,900 him. And today, if that's not your 702 00:37:29,900 --> 00:37:35,700 religion, I offer to you a religion like that, I offer you, 703 00:37:35,700 --> 00:37:38,400 the Lord's religion, we offer to you. 704 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,200 Today, a religion that you can prove every point of it in the 705 00:37:41,207 --> 00:37:45,500 word of God. Try it and see, put it to the 706 00:37:45,500 --> 00:37:48,900 test. And see if you don't agree. 707 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,200 I offer you a religion today, that yes, is going to call upon 708 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,900 you to make some changes in your life and it's not going to be 709 00:37:55,900 --> 00:37:58,600 easy. And I would tell you today that 710 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:01,200 you need to count the cost before you make a decision to 711 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,900 obey it because you're going to have to change some things in 712 00:38:03,900 --> 00:38:05,800 your life. You're gonna have to give some 713 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:09,000 things up and you're going to have to completely rearrange 714 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,800 your life and your priorities and some things that never were 715 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:14,300 important to you before going to have to become number one. 716 00:38:15,300 --> 00:38:19,100 That's going to have to happen. And I'm offering to you a 717 00:38:19,100 --> 00:38:23,300 religion today that will give you an anchor in the worst of 718 00:38:23,300 --> 00:38:27,100 storms. We thank you for listening to 719 00:38:27,100 --> 00:38:31,900 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 720 00:38:31,900 --> 00:38:35,400 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 721 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:38,700 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 722 00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:43,800 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at 723 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:47,900 search of Christ. Bakersfield.com, our service 724 00:38:47,900 --> 00:38:53,100 times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays 725 00:38:53,100 --> 00:38:56,900 at 7:30 p.m. p.m. please make plans to join us. 726 00:38:57,500 --> 00:38:59,700 We would love for you to be our honored guest