1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,040 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,280 Turn to your Bibles, please, to 1st Corinthians Chapter 7 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,200 tonight. We are in a different phase in 9 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:31,640 our series now. We have been somewhere around 10 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:36,040 2425 messages in the first six chapters of First Corinthians. 11 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,520 However, we are going to very rapidly change the speed of 12 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,840 which we are going through the book of First Corinthians here 13 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,200 over the next few weeks. It's not that what we're about 14 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,000 to read is less important and what we are reading before was 15 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:50,520 more important. No, it's all important. 16 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,160 It's all the word of God, Amen. But I would say that these 17 00:00:53,160 --> 00:00:56,640 chapters that we're going over very well lend themselves to be 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,880 looked at in one sitting. It will lend themselves very 19 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,240 well to be looked at in more of a 30,000 foot view, if you will, 20 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,720 to be able to look over exactly what is going on to help us 21 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,480 understand exactly what's taking place in the lessons that we 22 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,000 need to learn in Chapter 7. Certainly could be looked at in 23 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,800 that very way. In fact, if you were to read the 24 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:19,320 whole chapter, it's 40 verses. And no, we're not going to read 25 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,840 all 40 verses here tonight because if we did, I don't know 26 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,640 that I have any time to preach. But the idea is if you were to 27 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,760 read all 40 verses here tonight, we're going to cover a lot of 28 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,160 them by God's grace. And I was asking you to 29 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,360 summarize what is this chapter about? 30 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:36,320 If you give me one word, how would you summarize chapter #7 31 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:38,600 of First Corinthians? You might say something like 32 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,040 this marriage. You could maybe say something 33 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,520 like this sex, you could say something like this 34 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,440 relationships, or even singleness. 35 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,800 However, I'm going to go in a different direction here 36 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:52,480 tonight. Although every single one of 37 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,400 those subjects can be found in this chapter, there's no denying 38 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,160 that all of them will be covered here in First Corinthians 39 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,080 Chapter 7. If there was an overarching 40 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:06,120 theme that really covers all of those things and more, it would 41 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,440 be this word and this word alone. 42 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,360 Contentment, contentment. Now, again, that may not seem to 43 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,000 really track with those other words I gave you just a few 44 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,600 moments ago, but I believe this principle is immestakable and 45 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,440 it's all over our text. Listen, we have trouble with 46 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:25,880 this issue of contentment, don't we? 47 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,200 Let's be honest here tonight. It's a good place to be honest, 48 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:29,040 right? We're in church. 49 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,440 Amen. We have trouble with this issue 50 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,040 of contentment. What is it right now outside, 51 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,400 it's cold and we're saying this, boy, I sure wish it was warm. 52 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,840 You know what all of us will say in July, boy, don't you? 53 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,800 Don't you miss when it was cold? I mean, that's the way that it 54 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,400 is is. And we say, well, I would love 55 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,520 to be the fall, at least it's kind of in the middle and the 56 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:49,360 fall point so wet and it's everything. 57 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,400 I love the spring and said we can never be content. 58 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,960 It's always that we're looking for something else. 59 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,680 When life is slow, we crave excitement. 60 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,160 When life is full, we crave rest. 61 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,560 I mean, we don't have a lot of money. 62 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,280 We wish we had more. When we have more, we wish for 63 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,600 simpler times. I mean, it's just that's the way 64 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,440 life is. It seems like we struggle with 65 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,120 this issue of being content. Now, in this text we're about to 66 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,800 read and address, Paul addresses sexual relationships from a 67 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,080 different angle than before. Now he's talking about how 68 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,240 married couples should handle marriage. 69 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:26,200 He's talking about how single people should handle singleness. 70 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,440 And if we were to sum up all of those verses, like I just said a 71 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,320 few moments ago, it would really be all about this. 72 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:36,400 And it's something we all struggle with being content, 73 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,680 right? So let's go ahead and go to the 74 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,840 1st 9 verses here of First Corinthians chapter #7 let's go 75 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,040 ahead and read beginning in verse #1 where it says this. 76 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,560 Now concerning the things, where have you wrote unto me? 77 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,240 It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 78 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,200 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have 79 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,680 his own wife. Let every woman have her own 80 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,960 husband. Let the husband render unto the 81 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:03,360 wife do benevolence, and likewise also the wife unto the 82 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,120 husband. The wife hath not power of her 83 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,360 own body, but the husband, and likewise also the husband hath 84 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,440 not power of his own body, but the wife. 85 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,320 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a 86 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,640 time, that you may give yourselves the fasting and 87 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,120 prayer, and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for 88 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,280 your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, 89 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,440 not by commandment. For I would that all men even 90 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,960 were as I myself. But every man hath this proper 91 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,040 gift of God, one after this manner, another after that. 92 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,200 I say therefore, to the unmarried and widows, and it's 93 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:41,560 good for them if they abide even as I they cannot contain, let 94 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,320 them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn. 95 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,360 Now, we'll stop right there. Again, we'll take a look at many 96 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,560 of the verses in our text here tonight. 97 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,760 But it's very obvious here that there's something very different 98 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,280 that's going on in this conversation than what we have 99 00:04:56,280 --> 00:04:57,920 seen before. Certainly we've looked at the 100 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,440 issue of fornication. Certainly we've looked at the 101 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:03,640 issue of the church at Corinth that is not doing right when it 102 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:06,640 comes to relationships. But now Paul is giving marriage 103 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:08,920 counseling, but he's not even just giving marriage counseling. 104 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:10,680 He's giving singleness counseling. 105 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,280 He's giving counseling to everybody of how they are to 106 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:17,200 live with sexual propriety within their lives. 107 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,920 Well, remember this church at Corinth, just by way of 108 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,840 reminding you was living in the middle of sexual confusion. 109 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,720 Right in the middle, looming large over the church at 110 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:28,640 Corinth, was that temple of Aphrodite. 111 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,200 It loomed over everything that happened in Corinth. 112 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,320 Many people have been saved out of that culture. 113 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:36,760 Many people have been saved out of those troubles. 114 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,760 And remember, just because you got saved doesn't mean you know, 115 00:05:39,840 --> 00:05:41,400 know everything on the first day, Amen. 116 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,240 Amen. It might be, you know, the 117 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,080 second day or the third day before you know everything, 118 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:46,360 right? Got to make sure you're 119 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,040 following along, OK? It's a lifelong of learning, 120 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:50,800 Amen. And just because you have some 121 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,840 of these old habits, the Spirit is telling you those aren't 122 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:55,520 good. But sometimes, you know, OK, 123 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:57,000 this is what I'm not supposed to do. 124 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,240 I got to confess this and forsake it, get it out of my 125 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:00,680 life. But I don't know what the right 126 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:02,920 thing is to do. And so now Paul is trying to 127 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,520 explain to them, we've talked about, he's saying, we've talked 128 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,360 about some things you're not supposed to do anymore. 129 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,320 But let's talk about the relationship in a right way. 130 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,200 Let's talk about it in a way so that we can understand exactly 131 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,040 what our responsibility has been. 132 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,640 In fact, this is not just something that Paul is talking 133 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,400 out of the blue. This is Corinth who is concerned 134 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:21,800 about this. Because what did it say in verse 135 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,960 #1 concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me. 136 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,840 So Paul is saying this. This isn't me just throwing this 137 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:31,560 on to you. He's saying you have actually 138 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,600 asked me about these things. You have asked me with some 139 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,200 concerns that you have in this area, and I want to teach you 140 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,480 biblically about what these things are all about. 141 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,840 They need help in these manners. And he starts with the most 142 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:49,120 basic of instructions. It is good for a man not to 143 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,720 touch a woman. Now you say, well, pastor, you 144 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,920 mean that a man is never allowed to touch a woman. 145 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,680 And of course we understand that that is not what is being said 146 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,800 specifically after we read just everything else and what the 147 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,200 chapter is all about and understanding how God has 148 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,800 created a marriage relationship for what it is. 149 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,800 But when it talks about that issue of it being good for a man 150 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,600 not to touch a woman, that word touched there has the 151 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:13,920 connotation the Greek oven inflaming. 152 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,480 Here's the idea that you need to keep your hands off of the 153 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:22,480 opposite sex in a way that inflames, but don't make me talk 154 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:24,760 about specifics here tonight because this pastor don't want 155 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,400 to talk about specifics and you understand what I'm talking 156 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,080 about here tonight. The idea is this, that we should 157 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,280 be in a situation where we handle ourselves with propriety. 158 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:39,200 We should be in a way that we handle ourselves in a way that 159 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,400 we are always above board with the opposite sex. 160 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,240 Can I help you with something that I have done as a pastor 161 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,040 just to be able to make sure that I am doing right in this 162 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,520 area? I have to have standards in 163 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,400 place, and some because I'm a pastor and some just as prudent 164 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,680 just being a man. When I counsel a woman in my 165 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,480 office, typically, if I counsel a woman in my office, you know 166 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,000 who's there? That woman back there, in case 167 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:03,880 you don't know who I'm pointing to, that's my wife. 168 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,080 OK, somebody's saying Peyton. Why would Peyton be back there? 169 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,680 No, my wife will be with me. If my wife can't be there, you 170 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:12,200 know what'll happen? The doors open. 171 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:14,040 Why? Because I want to be in a 172 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,240 situation where both of us can be accountable, to make sure 173 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,840 that we are not in a place where someone could even wonder if 174 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:22,920 that we are doing something that's inappropriate. 175 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:27,680 With Chapter 7, verse #1 you know, really for me, when it 176 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,600 comes to the other women here in the church, and particularly 177 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,320 those who are anywhere close to my age or anything like that, 178 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:34,559 you know what I'm not going to do? 179 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,000 I'm not going to hug on you. I'm not going to do it. 180 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,600 Do you know why? Is it because I think that 181 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:42,720 there's something really weird going on or anything like that, 182 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,440 Just for propriety's sake to be able to know that I'm not going 183 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,160 to do that. Now, I hesitated saying this and 184 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,080 I even wondered in my notes if I should write this down because 185 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,400 some of you are going to wonder if you're an older lady, you 186 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:57,480 wonder if I, if I, if, if I hug you, then what do I think about 187 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,440 your age? And so here's The thing is, if 188 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,320 you're somewhere around my mother's age, if she was alive 189 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,320 somewhere around there, I don't think that it's an issue. 190 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,320 But the idea is this. We need to think about this. 191 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,640 As many of you say, that's a little bit overboard, isn't it? 192 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,400 I mean, really, should we be thinking about stuff like that? 193 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,360 It is good for a man not to touch a woman in a way that 194 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,920 could inflamed. It is good to have standards and 195 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,680 propriety. I don't think it's that crazy in 196 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:27,560 a culture where there's no standards, in a culture where 197 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:30,440 there's no propriety, in a culture where you can't even 198 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:34,080 read the news because the news itself is filled with 199 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,320 pornography. I was reading the news on Monday 200 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:40,880 and the headlines about the Grammys on Sunday night, and I 201 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,800 realized there was links that I couldn't even click on the news 202 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:50,400 because of the way people were dressed on Sunday in the 203 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,080 Grammys. This is the culture we live in 204 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,240 today. So no, it's not pharisaical. 205 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,640 It's not weird to say, you know what we ought to be able to 206 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:04,520 treat as men, women, as ladies. We ought to act as gentlemen and 207 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,840 have some sort of difference between the way that we handle 208 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,400 the opposite sex and the way that the world does. 209 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:12,160 That's the way that we should be. 210 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,800 And so he starts right out, like, make sure you're careful 211 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,960 with the opposite sex. But then he continues on with 212 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,040 that is. And by the way, is physical 213 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,720 touch between man and woman the enemy? 214 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:28,440 No, I think that's quite clear here in our text. 215 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,680 However, it is a tiger that needs to be in the proper 216 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:34,400 enclosure. It needs to be something that 217 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,200 has guardrails around it. And verse #2 teaches us this, 218 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:44,960 the guardrails or this marriage, the enclosure is this marriage. 219 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,080 This is what God intends. So that brings us to what I want 220 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,480 us to see here tonight as we go through our outline. 221 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,240 And if you have not seen this before, this is the back of the 222 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,040 prayer bulletin. You can follow along with that. 223 00:10:55,360 --> 00:11:01,400 And #1 says this, number one says this, be content in 224 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:06,120 marriage. I told you all right, be content 225 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,680 in marriage. Paul begins with his admonition 226 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:12,320 in verse #2 nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man 227 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,120 have his own wife. Let every woman have her own 228 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,920 husband. In my Bible, I've underlined his 229 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:22,280 own wife. In my Bible, I've underlined her 230 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:24,240 own husband. Meaning this. 231 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:30,240 Have the one that belongs to you when it comes to the issue of 232 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:34,200 sex and when it comes the issue of physical relations, you are 233 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,240 with the one that belongs to you. 234 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,040 You are not to be with the one that does not belong to you. 235 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,240 You say pastor, do you have to say this in 2026? 236 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,240 Yes, they had to say it in about 50 AD and we have to say it 237 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,440 today. Stay with the one that belongs 238 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,760 to you. I just had a phone call 239 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,080 yesterday with a gentleman. I don't want to get into all the 240 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,520 situation, but he sent me a video. 241 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:01,120 He was starting a program, a very ill advised program in a 242 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,320 lot of ways, and he wanted me to see the video and to maybe give 243 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,080 him some biblical advice, whether it was good or not. 244 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:10,280 And in this video he said something like this in dealing 245 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:14,480 with the pornography epidemic in this country and dealing with 246 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:19,240 the issues of against sexual impropriety, he said this. 247 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,400 He said there's faithful men in our churches who love their 248 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,760 families, love Jesus, but deal with sexual integrity. 249 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:30,200 Now, I want to be very careful how I say this. 250 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,760 Again, I'd be appropriate. I'm not trying to to talk in a 251 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,960 way that is this lewd or crude here tonight. 252 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,960 I really don't. I want us to just have straight 253 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:43,120 talk here tonight, but but to be do it in a way that doesn't come 254 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:47,200 across as crass. But he says there's faithful men 255 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,680 who love their families, love Jesus, but deal with sexual 256 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:53,600 integrity. And he asked for my feedback. 257 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,240 I talked to him on the phone yesterday and I said everything 258 00:12:56,240 --> 00:13:02,040 about that phrase is wrong. I said if a man deals with 259 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,960 sexual integrity issues, quote UN quote, he's not being 260 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,320 faithful. He's literally being unfaithful. 261 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,440 He doesn't love God the way he should because he says if you 262 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,000 love God, Jesus said keep my commandments and it's not an 263 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,360 issue with sexual integrity. I said, brother, it's an issue 264 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,480 with sin, and you can call it whatever you want to call it, 265 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,960 but it's sin. Proverbs 5 verses 15 through 18 266 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,600 says drink waters out of thine own cistern, running waters out 267 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:34,360 of thine own. Well. 268 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,320 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, the rivers of water in 269 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,800 the streets, let them be thine own and not thy strangers with 270 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:42,800 thee. Let thy fountain be blessed and 271 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,720 rejoice with the wife of thy youth. 272 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:51,280 I had to tell him that this is not what God intended and to be 273 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:54,760 able to say this, but this is what the world is saying today 274 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:57,720 and it's even getting into the church today that we need to 275 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,520 call it what it is. It's wrong. 276 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,760 We call it what it is, sin. Now, understand if you have an 277 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:10,800 issue tonight in dealing with pornography, understand that 278 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,960 this is something that is so pervasive in the world today 279 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,320 because it wasn't that long ago, it was pretty difficult to get 280 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,280 your hands on that type of material. 281 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,960 Now it's about two or three clicks away on your phone, in 282 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,320 your pocket, on a tablet and a laptop. 283 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,680 And listen, you don't always have to be looking for it. 284 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,760 Sometimes it'll find you. If you struggle with this here 285 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:40,280 tonight, I want you to to listen. 286 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:42,720 I want you to listen closely to what I have to say. 287 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,920 And I'm speaking mostly to the men, but the statistics tell us 288 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:47,640 that it's on the rise for women as well. 289 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,200 I want to speak to you tonight specifically as men. 290 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,480 If you have an issue with this, what you need to do is be open 291 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,800 and confess before the Lord. Then go and talk to another 292 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,280 faithful man in the word of God who can help keep you 293 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,720 accountable in this area. This is what you need to do. 294 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,400 You say, well, if I do that, what will happen? 295 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:13,600 I would encourage you to think of it this way. 296 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,360 If you don't do it, what will happen? 297 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,440 It's a victimless crime. People will say the victims are 298 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:25,880 so multitude. Families are the victims. 299 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,840 Wives particularly are the victims. 300 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:34,760 The women in those videos are the victims, often involved in 301 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:39,280 human trafficking. And if there was no appetite for 302 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,960 it and if there was no type of market for it, then it wouldn't 303 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,800 happen. But billions and billions of 304 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:50,120 dollars get put into pornography in this in this country every 305 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,120 year. More money goes into pornography 306 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,600 than all four major sports leagues. 307 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:02,120 Only fans takes in billions of dollars a year. 308 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,320 This is a real issue. And I will tell you this, if you 309 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:11,440 come to me as your pastor, that I can tell you I have a track 310 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:15,800 record that I will deal with you in a way that is is is 311 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:21,920 charitable, in a way that has understanding. 312 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,560 But I'll tell you this, we'll have to call sin, sin. 313 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,680 We'll have to call it what it is, because if we don't call it 314 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:32,000 what it is, then we can't get to the root of the problem. 315 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:34,560 And Paul starts right off at the bat. 316 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,520 He says this when it comes to these issues, Hey, gentlemen, 317 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:43,000 it's your own wife. Ladies, it's your own husband. 318 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,960 And if we don't get real in churches today about this issue, 319 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,640 then it's something that could cause great, great harm. 320 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:55,400 And they already is causing great, great harm within our 321 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:59,240 churches. So how do we deal with this? 322 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,360 Well, Paul says there's two things that can be done. 323 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:06,440 And this is not a detailed list, but I believe it probably 324 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,200 addresses the issues of which they were writing to him about. 325 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:10,800 I understand. I'm not going to give you all 326 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,800 the tips on how to help you in your marriage here tonight, 327 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,680 because if you know that, let me know because I'd be glad to know 328 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,319 all of those as well. It's a lifelong of learning when 329 00:17:20,319 --> 00:17:21,960 it comes to the marriage relationship. 330 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,480 But Paul, I believe, addresses a couple things of which they were 331 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,800 probably asking him when it mentions in verse number one 332 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:28,920 that they were communicating with him. 333 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,240 And the first is this, when it comes to being content in 334 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:35,760 marriage, letter A stay marital, stay marital. 335 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:37,120 What do you mean by that, pastor? 336 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:39,080 Well, let's go back and read verses 3 through 6. 337 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,720 Let the husband render unto his wife do benevolence, and 338 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,240 likewise also the wife unto the husband. 339 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,440 The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband. 340 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,120 And likewise also the husband hath not the power of his own 341 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:57,920 body, but the wife. Now what is this saying? 342 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,600 This is saying that as a husband and wife, your lives are 343 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:06,520 intertwined and any action or inaction affects the other. 344 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,680 I found out very early in marriage and sometimes I'm still 345 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,800 reminded that what I do, I think just effects myself. 346 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,880 In some ways, it affects my wife more than effects myself. 347 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,160 And there are some things that Diane does that affects me more 348 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:21,520 than it affects herself. And it says here, when it comes 349 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,280 to the marital relationship, when it comes to that, which 350 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,840 means being connected between husband and wife, particularly 351 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,960 when it comes to being physical in a relationship, what do you 352 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,040 need to do? You need to make sure that you 353 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,240 are marital within your marriage. 354 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,920 Say, pastor, I'm not comfortable with you talking about this 355 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:42,280 tonight. You want to know who's 356 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,280 uncomfortable tonight? You want to know who knew this 357 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:50,880 chapter was coming for months? This guy. 358 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,240 All right. But here's the problem. 359 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,120 Because preachers are uncomfortable, doesn't get 360 00:18:55,120 --> 00:18:58,040 talked about. I would hope that you would 361 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,040 understand it's good to be in a church where maybe the 362 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,000 uncomfortable things are still spoken of and that, yeah, maybe 363 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,480 the pastor doesn't really want to talk to you about being 364 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,200 marital and marriage. But if you don't hear it from 365 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,000 here, where are you going to hear it? 366 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:16,480 You know, there's new believers all the time that you you take 367 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,520 for granted, maybe some of you that have been in the faith for 368 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:22,200 a long time, new believers that have been indoctrinated by the 369 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:27,840 world and they have no idea about sexual propriety within 370 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:29,280 the marriage between a husband and wife. 371 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:31,880 And if they don't get it from the church, here's really, I get 372 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:35,600 it some podcast. If they don't get it from the 373 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:36,840 church, they'll get it somewhere. 374 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,280 I've talked to Christian New Christians, babes in Christ, who 375 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,040 in their naivete have told me that the best place that they 376 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,560 can learn about the physical relationship is from 377 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,760 pornography. Now, I want to make clear here 378 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:54,600 tonight that that is not only unwise, it is an absolute snare 379 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,320 of the devil. And that is not what should be 380 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,520 done. But there's also just some new 381 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:02,520 believers who flat out do not know. 382 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:04,840 And you might think that's laughable, but in this culture 383 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,840 today where anything goes, just because someone gets saved and 384 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,320 comes into the church and a husband and wife are new in 385 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,360 Christ, you can't expect that they understand everything about 386 00:20:13,360 --> 00:20:15,640 the Bible the moment they get into the church. 387 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,840 It took you a while to learn. It took me a while to learn. 388 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,880 And when it comes to this issue, we need to be able to have frank 389 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,640 discussions about this, not explicit discussions. 390 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,760 But at least frankly, cover the idea of what we're talking about 391 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,120 here tonight. You don't need me to be explicit 392 00:20:33,120 --> 00:20:36,000 this evening for you to understand what I am saying and 393 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,120 most importantly, what the Word of God is saying about this. 394 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:42,880 Listen, Hebrews 313 four, marriage is honorable and all, 395 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,480 and the bed undefiled. God created marriage. 396 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:48,400 God created sex. And by the way, God created sex 397 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:53,800 for more than just procreation. He created it for pleasure, but 398 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,680 yet the world has taken that which God has created for 399 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,800 pleasure and has turned it into something that causes great 400 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:06,160 harm, great sadness, great destruction. 401 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:11,960 The idea of free sex that is peddled out in the world today, 402 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,120 that there is no consequences. Meats for the belly and belly 403 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:16,400 for meats. Remember that from First 404 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,080 Corinthians chapter 6. It's just an urge, like eating. 405 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:23,040 It's not a big deal, is a damnable lie straight from hell, 406 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:26,680 and it is causing many, many people to stumble. 407 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,840 It's causing our young people to stumble and go into marriage 408 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,680 relationships with a idea of what marriage is like. 409 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,360 That's not true. So yes, the church needs to talk 410 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:39,840 about this. Yes, there are pastors who are 411 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:41,400 uncomfortable talking about this. 412 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:42,720 You say how many? I don't know because I don't 413 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:44,560 talk to him about it, but I know this guy is. 414 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:54,360 But it needs to be talked about. This is not what Paul is saying 415 00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:58,440 here is not demanding marital relations with one another. 416 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,840 I am not teaching tonight that you should go to a spouse and 417 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,000 you should make demands upon them. 418 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:09,360 Marriage is lovingly meeting all of one another's needs. 419 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:15,040 We say that again, marriage is about one spouse meeting all of 420 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:19,240 the other spouses needs, but also recognizing that this is a 421 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,800 need as well and not just a want. 422 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,960 Now, again, I can't speak to every situation here tonight. 423 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:27,360 I can't speak to every couple here tonight. 424 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:31,120 I'm not trying to pretend that I can, but I will say this, that 425 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:33,040 this is something that a husband and wife should have a 426 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,600 conversation about. You say, well, I don't know if I 427 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,520 could talk to my wife pastor about that. 428 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,760 I don't know if I could talk to my husband about that pastor. 429 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:42,600 That might be a sign that there's a greater problem with 430 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:47,240 intimacy, the emotional and spiritual intimacy, that you 431 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:49,720 cannot have that conversation with each other. 432 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,000 And again, I know that there's all kinds of situations here 433 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,040 tonight. There are some who are married 434 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:57,400 with someone who's not a believer. 435 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,360 There's different ages, there's different physicalities. 436 00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:04,040 I understand these things and boy, I am, I am. 437 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:08,680 So I'm very understanding of these things. 438 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,320 But at the same time, the word of God makes it clear that God 439 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:16,600 created this for a husband and a wife to be able to have an 440 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,640 intimacy of that which God has blessed in a way that really 441 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,280 can't be explained other than no, it's from God. 442 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:29,880 And when it's in the marriage relationship, it's right and 443 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,720 it's great. When it's not in a marriage 444 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,840 relationship, it's a snare and causes more problems than you 445 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:40,320 can imagine. So what do we see? 446 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:44,320 Letter A stay marital but the letter B it also would say this 447 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,320 stay married, stay married. There were some issues in the 448 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:49,840 church at Corinth. What were those issues you might 449 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,600 ask? Well there were couples who 450 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,680 maybe someone had gotten saved but yet the other did not. 451 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:58,720 Now we understand the Bible makes it clear in Second 452 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:02,480 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 14, be not therefore unequally yoked 453 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:04,800 together with unbelievers for what fellowship have the 454 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:06,320 righteousness with unrighteousness and what 455 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,000 communion hath light with darkness. 456 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,760 And I will encourage you if you are single, particularly our 457 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,240 young people that are here tonight, that when it comes to 458 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:17,160 looking for a spouse by God's someday, you have to start with 459 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,480 this. They need to be a believer 460 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:23,280 because if you are on any other footing, you will not be able to 461 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:26,200 have the relationship. You will not be able to raise 462 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:30,000 children together. It causes nothing but confusion. 463 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:34,640 And so this is not Paul saying you ought to find an unbeliever. 464 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:36,720 And then let's talk about from there. 465 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,480 It's talking about the very real issue. 466 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:42,200 And some of you have come across this, you were both unsaved, one 467 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,520 of you got saved and now the other's unsaved. 468 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,440 What do you do? And some of them thought this, 469 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,000 well, if I'm saved and the other doesn't get saved, should I just 470 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,840 leave them? Is that what I'm supposed to do? 471 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:53,680 Well, what does Paul say about that? 472 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:55,720 Let's go to verse #10 because we haven't picked up there yet. 473 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:59,480 Verse #10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the 474 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,840 Lord. Let not the wife depart from her 475 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:03,920 husband, but. And if she depart, let her 476 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,800 husband remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband, and 477 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,880 let not the husband put away his wife. 478 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,600 But to the rest speak I not the Lord. 479 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:16,000 If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be 480 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,840 pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 481 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,080 By the way, when it says, But to the rest I speak, and not the 482 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:22,560 Lord. There are some people, people 483 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,640 who are unscrupulous Bible teachers, who will say, well, 484 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,640 this isn't really inspired from the Lord because this is just 485 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:30,120 Paul's opinion, It's not the Lord. 486 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,800 I would say to you that what he is saying here, because we know 487 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,280 all scriptures given by inspiration of God, that doesn't 488 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,800 mean just parts of the Bible. That means all of the Bible from 489 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,520 book to book, cover to cover. But I would say to you that what 490 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,440 he's saying is that this is not something that the Lord, I would 491 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,760 say our Lord Jesus Christ specifically spoke on, but he is 492 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,480 speaking on this particular situation now. 493 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:54,080 This is not call backing off saying, hey, you know what, I 494 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,960 know I was, I was preaching scripture to you before, but 495 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,040 now, hey, I'm just going to give you my opinion for a little 496 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:00,560 while. There's nothing in the Bible 497 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,720 suggests that he is saying rather this is something that 498 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,560 Jesus Christ did not speak about because of the infancy of the 499 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,240 church. But now with the proliferation 500 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,360 of the church and so many more people believing this is a real 501 00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:13,840 issue and it's something I'm covering. 502 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:17,480 And as he's covering it, he is covering it as Scripture. 503 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,960 But verse 13 the woman which that not, or which hath a 504 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,120 husband that believeth not. And if he be pleased to dwell 505 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:28,120 with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is 506 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:31,040 sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified 507 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,520 by the husband. Else were your children unclean? 508 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:36,400 But now are they holy? But if the unbelieving depart, 509 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,480 let him depart. A brother or sister is not under 510 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,680 bondage of such cases. But God hath called us to peace. 511 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,680 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy 512 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:47,960 husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, 513 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:49,800 whether thou shalt save thy wife? 514 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:54,720 So should someone who is saved leave the spouse who is unsaved? 515 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,800 And Paul says this, No, what you need to do is try to win them to 516 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:03,040 Christ, that you need to in that relationship continually show 517 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,640 Jesus Christ. Now there could be the case 518 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:09,000 where the other one leaves and if the other no one leaves, he 519 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,080 says that you shouldn't feel that that is your fault, that 520 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,400 that is the decision that they have made. 521 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:18,120 But yet here it does make very clear that if you are in that 522 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:19,560 relationship, here's what you ought to do. 523 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:24,680 Do everything that you can by loving them to win them to Jesus 524 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,320 Christ. Now you might say, well, how 525 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:28,600 could I win a spouse to Jesus Christ? 526 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,160 Do I just need to ask them every day? 527 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:31,880 Do you want to get saved? You want to get saved? 528 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,360 You want to get saved? You keep asking that every day. 529 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:36,080 I'll tell you, it's not going to go well. 530 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:42,200 It's just not. But why did Paul say that it was 531 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,720 important to stay married? I believe it was because of 532 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,960 this. The best way to win them is to 533 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,720 love them and have a consistent Christian walk. 534 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:56,640 The best way to win them is to love them and to have a 535 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:01,080 consistent Christian walk. You know, if I was to ask you 536 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:02,240 tonight, you know, how many of you are tired? 537 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:04,200 Like everybody raised their hand because that's we all live like 538 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:05,960 in this. No, no, we don't live in the 539 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:07,720 state of Massachusetts, live in the state of tired because 540 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:09,360 everybody's in the state of being tired. 541 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,520 But you know, I'm tired tonight, You're tired tonight. 542 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,040 But let's just say I have this case of exhaustion. 543 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:18,840 I'm just dealing with it a lot. And I go to the doctor and I 544 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:20,720 say, hey, doc, you know, I, I got this problem with being 545 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:22,240 exhausted. He said, well, how many hours of 546 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,280 sleep do you get a night? They will probably about 3 or 4. 547 00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:28,200 How much caffeine you drink? I said, well, I don't know how 548 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:29,760 much. I don't know about like the 549 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:32,360 milligrams of caffeine, but it is five cups a day. 550 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:34,320 Is that a bad thing? He said what? 551 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,760 We'll we'll, you know, do you have the same bedtime every 552 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,040 night? So now I got, you know, I got 553 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,400 Yeah, I got I, you know, some nights I go to bed at 8:00. 554 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,360 But, you know, most of the time I go to bed at one or two or 555 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,520 something like that. You know what he would say? 556 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,000 He'd say, you know, why don't you go ahead and fix those 557 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,840 things first? Maybe if there's don't work, 558 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,160 then we can do something a little bit deeper. 559 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:57,480 But there's not a lot that he can do until you do the things 560 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,080 you know that you're supposed to do. 561 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:04,280 Now I'm not saying your unsaved wife or husband will get saved 562 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,680 if you live consistently. But why would they if you don't 563 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,560 live out the message you want them to accept in the 1st place? 564 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,880 I'm going to run that by you one more time. 565 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,560 I'm not saying that just because you live a consistent Christian 566 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:20,760 life that they will automatically come to Christ. 567 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:22,880 There's no promise of that. They have free will. 568 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:28,760 But I will say this, I can't give you any other extra helps 569 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:33,520 to reach your unsaved spouse for Christ until you do the things 570 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,800 you're supposed to do and that's this. 571 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,520 Be consistent. As a Christian, you want to win 572 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:41,800 an unsaved spouse to Christ. Be at church every time the 573 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,920 doors are open. You want to win an unsaved 574 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,120 spouse to Christ? Don't yell at Him. 575 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,200 You want to win an unsaved spouse to Christ, don't cuss 576 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,960 around Him. You want to win an unsaved 577 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,320 spouse to Christ. Don't be watching things on TV 578 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:01,480 that are obviously against that which your Christianity says, 579 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,360 because then if you're not even living a consistent Christian 580 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:07,440 life, and who's going to see you for who you are more than your 581 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:10,400 spouse? If they see that you don't even 582 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,640 really believe the message like you say that you do, why are 583 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:16,600 they going to believe? And I don't really have any 584 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:20,880 other options to give you until you do the most basic, just like 585 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:22,280 the doctor says. Well, hey, you know what? 586 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,160 You're supposed to go to bed on time, stop drinking so much 587 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,320 caffeine. I'll have a consistent bedtime, 588 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,080 then we'll talk. When people ask me how do I win 589 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,120 my unsaved family member or my unsaved spouse to Christ? 590 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:34,080 I can't help you till you do that. 591 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,320 That doesn't guarantee you'll get saved, but that's where you 592 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,520 start. That's why Paul says you need to 593 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:41,640 remain in the marriage relationship. 594 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:43,480 So we seem to be content marriage. 595 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,560 You stay marital, you stay married, but also #2 be content 596 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:48,880 in singleness. We're to be content in 597 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,200 singleness as well. That's covered in several 598 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,920 different places here. In our text, we saw verses 8 599 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,280 through 10 as well. First of all, when it comes to 600 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,400 that letter A, don't let it have power over you. 601 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,520 Letter A, when it comes to the issue of singleness, don't let 602 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,200 it have power over you. Now interestingly enough, Paul 603 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:11,240 was single, He said in verse #7 or Chapter 7 verse #8 I say 604 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,080 therefore to the unmarried in widows, it is good for them if 605 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,760 they abide, even as I. Now a lot of us don't think 606 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,840 about whether Paul is married or not, something that probably 607 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,800 doesn't cross our minds. However, I am of the persuasion 608 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:23,200 that Paul was actually a widower. 609 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:27,160 The reason why was because the Pharisees most often were 610 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:29,240 married. Paul said he was a Pharisee, he 611 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,280 sat at the feet of Gamaliel and so he would have very, very 612 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,800 likely been married, but yet there's no mention of his wife 613 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,600 ever in the word of God. Now why would that be? 614 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,720 Best I could tell was probably because he was a widower not 615 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:44,160 listen I'm not going to fight anyone about that. 616 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:45,520 I have no biblical basis for that. 617 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,440 I wouldn't fight you anyway not that I can think of but hope you 618 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,320 wouldn't fight me but it does seem very clear to me that 619 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:54,320 that's what he's talking about that he is in this relationship 620 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:59,080 or rather the state and status of being single in his life. 621 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,400 And so he is saying that when it comes to that. 622 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:05,600 Don't let it have power over you for I would verse 7 that all men 623 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,600 were even as myself, but every man that had this proper gift of 624 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:11,000 God, one after this man or another after that. 625 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:13,560 I say therefore the unmarried and the widows, it is good for 626 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:18,240 them if they abide even as I Paul makes it clear for those 627 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:19,640 who are in a season of singleness. 628 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,920 Don't think you're at a disadvantage because you're 629 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:24,800 single. Don't think that you're at a 630 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,440 disadvantage because you're single because this breeds 631 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:29,720 discontentment. And believe it or not, there are 632 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,400 actually some advantages to being single. 633 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:33,280 Now, I know what they were saying. 634 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,200 Oh, yeah, somebody married. I know there's advantages to 635 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:37,400 being single. I remember that. 636 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:38,560 You know, that's not what I'm talking about. 637 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:39,680 I'm trying to be silly here tonight. 638 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,880 Paul's going to talk about that here in just a moment. 639 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:48,400 Don't use singleness as an excuse to be unfaithful in your 640 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,880 walk with God. Be content in that which you are 641 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:55,840 in in this season of your life. In fact, if I was to give you 642 00:32:55,840 --> 00:33:00,240 some encouragement here tonight, if you are single, it would be 643 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,640 this. Don't just try to find the right 644 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:04,880 person. Instead, be the right person. 645 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:07,520 That's where I would say you need to start. 646 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:09,440 Don't just try to find the right person. 647 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:12,680 Be the right person. You say, well, why is why would 648 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:15,040 you say that? Well, because it puts the focus 649 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,840 in the right place. It puts the emphasis on the 650 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:20,000 right syllable, if you know what I mean. 651 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,360 Because if you're just looking for that one, I'll tell you 652 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:25,720 this. That breeds this contentment. 653 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:28,360 Looking, looking, looking, looking, looking, looking, 654 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:31,440 looking, looking, looking, looking, looking. 655 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:32,400 No, not under there. All right. 656 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:34,160 Looking. Where are they? 657 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:38,480 You're always looking. But if your focus is this today 658 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:43,040 I need to be the type of man, gentlemen, I need to be the type 659 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:48,520 of woman ladies that would be a good candidate for the right 660 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:50,600 kind of person, you will do well. 661 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,480 Why? Because now the emphasis is on 662 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,360 how can I draw closer to God? How can I be more like Christ? 663 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,760 And what's interesting is if you do that, you think God's going 664 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:03,320 to take care of you. You think God will bring the 665 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:05,560 right person along if that's what he desires for you in your 666 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:08,440 life. But instead, you can get 667 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,480 yourself all worked up into that next step that you don't even 668 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:15,440 know if God has for you or not. And then you waste the day that 669 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:18,800 God calls today and today. He wants you to do this. 670 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,360 Be more like Christ and tomorrow be more like Christ. 671 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:26,639 It helps you be content in the season that God has for you. 672 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,800 And also, by the way, what you end up catching them with is 673 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:32,960 what you'll need to keep them at the same time. 674 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,320 If you quote UN quote catch them with godliness, that's good to 675 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,719 keep them with godliness. If you have to catch them with 676 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:44,880 some other means that are not godly, then you're building 677 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:48,080 again on a bad foundation. So he says this, don't, don't 678 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:50,239 let this season have power over you. 679 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:53,360 And in fact, Paul says this, I wish, I wish more like me. 680 00:34:54,639 --> 00:34:57,120 I wish there were more that were out there that were in the 681 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:00,720 situation that I am right now. And Paul, I believe, is one who 682 00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:03,960 could say that as having been married and being a widower. 683 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:06,320 He says it's not as bad as you think. 684 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:09,800 God has a purpose behind it. In fact, letter B, if we look at 685 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:11,960 that as well, don't just let it have power. 686 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:13,760 Don't let it have power over your singleness rather. 687 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:21,760 But letter B, do let it have purpose for you #32 Drop down 688 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:24,960 there very quickly. Verse #32 It says, But I would 689 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:30,320 have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for 690 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:32,600 the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the 691 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:34,480 Lord. But he that is married careth 692 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:36,560 for the things that are of the world, how he may please his 693 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:38,640 wife. There is difference also between 694 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,440 a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for 695 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:45,120 the things of the Lord, but she may be that she may be holy in 696 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:48,920 both of the body and spirit. But she that is married careth 697 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:51,760 for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 698 00:35:52,240 --> 00:35:56,040 Now stop here for just a moment. What is Paul saying? 699 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:00,680 He's saying being single doesn't have to be a negative. 700 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:03,960 There are positives to it as well. 701 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:06,440 And again, there are those who would be single. 702 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:09,080 So that's crazy, but don't even make any sense. 703 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:12,400 But you know, it's interesting to me that even in our culture 704 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:15,400 today, we've been lifelong renters. 705 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:18,760 We have been since we've been married now 22 years. 706 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:22,440 All we've ever done is rent. And you know, the goal for 707 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,680 people is to buy. You know, there's renters and 708 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,640 there's buyers and you know, the goal would be to buy. 709 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:30,360 And it almost seems like sometimes people think, well, if 710 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:33,400 you're not a buyer, if you don't own a home, you're almost less 711 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:36,800 than, well, you don't have, you're wasting your money every 712 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:38,640 month. You're throwing it down a down a 713 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,720 hole with, with rent. I mean, don't you know, And I 714 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:43,600 understand some of the arguments with that and some of those 715 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:45,960 arguments are true. But what's interesting to me is 716 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:49,160 sometimes I'll have someone who is an owner come up to me and 717 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,560 they'll say something like this boy, you know, I sure like to 718 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:54,800 get out from under this house. I had to fix the roof, then I 719 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,800 had to fix the foundation, then I had to fix everything between 720 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:00,600 the roof and foundation. And you know what we do? 721 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:02,480 There's something that needs to be fixed in our house. 722 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:06,960 It gets fixed. We lost almost every major 723 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:08,720 appliance in our home in about 2 1/2 years. 724 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:11,880 Almost every single one of them. I'm not going to say it was a JS 725 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:15,240 fault because this is online and could be used for legal 726 00:37:15,240 --> 00:37:17,880 purposes. But I will say we lost almost 727 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:19,280 every one of them in 2 1/2 years. 728 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:20,680 You know how much came out of pocket? 729 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:23,720 Zero. I know it's part of our rent. 730 00:37:23,720 --> 00:37:27,080 But what I'm saying is it didn't take a hit on our budget out of 731 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:29,200 nowhere. What I'm saying is, OK, renting, 732 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,280 maybe not the thing that you want to do, but it's not all 733 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:34,480 bad. In fact, there's some things 734 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:37,480 that people who own look at renting and say, you know, I 735 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:40,600 have some fondness for that. And I'm not saying those who are 736 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:42,960 married pine for the days of being single. 737 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:45,320 I know that I don't. But I will say this, there are 738 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:48,480 some things that I look back in my single life and I think as 739 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:52,160 Paul was saying, I could totally give myself to the Lord and his 740 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:55,800 pursuits because I didn't have to concern myself with providing 741 00:37:55,920 --> 00:38:00,840 for a wife and four children. And So what he's saying here is 742 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,760 not that you are unholy if you are married, No, quite the 743 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,080 opposite. But what he is saying is that if 744 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:09,280 you are in a singleness situation, that you should 745 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:12,600 understand that you have a unique opportunity to serve the 746 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:16,000 Lord, that if you are in a marriage relationship, you won't 747 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,840 have because you can totally dedicate yourself to the things 748 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:22,760 of God. There are all kinds of sermons I 749 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:26,880 like to listen to and books I'd like to read and different 750 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:30,520 things that I would just like to and studies that I would like to 751 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:31,080 do it. All those things. 752 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:33,240 But some of them I can't. Because I'm dealing with a son 753 00:38:33,240 --> 00:38:36,880 who has to go to therapy three times a week for physical 754 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,480 issues. Because I have to take care of a 755 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,080 wife and family who do need other things fixed that the 756 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:47,400 maintenance won't fix. Because there's certain things 757 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:48,640 that won't fix that belong to us. 758 00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:51,160 Or because I need to run errands. 759 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:55,400 Or because it's a lot more time to get groceries for more than 760 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:58,920 what we have. And I say that about myself, but 761 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:00,800 it's exactly the same for Diane as well. 762 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,880 In some ways, in a home, in a family, even more so. 763 00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:09,440 And so Paul says this, if you're in a season of singleness, don't 764 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:12,400 let discontentment strike because you have a unique 765 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:16,360 opportunity to serve God that if you become married by God's 766 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:17,880 grace, you will never have again. 767 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:23,400 Well, I mean, marriage, marriage is where it's at. 768 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:25,280 Well, maybe that's not what God has for you. 769 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:29,240 Owning a home is where it's at. Maybe that's not for everybody. 770 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,080 And even when it's not for everybody, you see that there 771 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:33,360 are some advantages to the other. 772 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:36,280 Now, listen, I know some of you might be here tonight saying 773 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:38,920 you're speaking like someone who has been married for 22 years 774 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:40,600 and you don't know what you're talking about. 775 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:43,400 That's fine. Don't take my word for it. 776 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:47,640 You can take polls. Paul was in that season. 777 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:51,840 That season turned into a lifetime after his wife died. 778 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:54,440 And there was not a sign of regret. 779 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:57,960 In fact, he says this, I wish more people lived like me. 780 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:01,720 And you say, well, that seems like that's a little bit over 781 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:03,160 the top. Well, because I think he was 782 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:06,320 trying to course correct the thinking of the age was that if 783 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:09,680 you were single, you were less than, or that if you're single, 784 00:40:09,680 --> 00:40:14,720 you're broken, or if you're single, you're no good, nobody 785 00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:17,160 can use you. What's the point? 786 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:20,320 It seems like God has great value on you. 787 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:25,520 If you're single, be content in the season that God's given you. 788 00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:29,040 The bottom line is this. If God gives you a spouse, 789 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:32,040 praise the Lord. If God doesn't give you a 790 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:36,240 spouse, praise the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord. 791 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:39,280 So we're to be content in marriage, we're to be content in 792 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:41,840 singleness, and finally we're to be content in Our Calling. 793 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:46,400 Look, verse #17 quickly it says. But as God hath distributed to 794 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:49,960 every man, as the Lord hath called everyone, so let him 795 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:53,280 walk. And so ordain I in all the 796 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:54,800 church. That's yeah, in all the 797 00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:57,680 churches. So he says, and he says there's 798 00:40:57,680 --> 00:40:59,840 something I need to tell you about your walk. 799 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:02,240 There's something I need to tell you, all of you, about your 800 00:41:02,240 --> 00:41:06,280 consistent Christian walk. Verse #18 is any man called 801 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:08,520 being uncirc or called being circumcised? 802 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:10,280 Let him not become uncircumcised. 803 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:14,240 If any man is uncircumcision, let him not be circumcised. 804 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:18,040 There was a great debate during that time about circumcision and 805 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:20,120 uncircumcision. Now, interestingly enough, now, 806 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:21,680 now follow along here for just a second. 807 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:24,640 The idea was that there were some who, after they got saved, 808 00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:26,440 felt like they needed to be circumcised. 809 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:29,600 And there were some who were circumcised who felt they needed 810 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:32,320 to become uncircumcised. And you say, pastor, you don't 811 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:34,520 know what I'm talking about. Historically, there were medical 812 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:38,680 procedures to help men to be able to seemingly become 813 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:43,600 uncircumcised again and that they were compelled to do that. 814 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:47,520 And so Paul here is saying again, stop what you're doing. 815 00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:51,560 Be content what your situation is. 816 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:55,360 Is any man being uncircums of any man called beings? 817 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:57,760 We just read that verse 19. Circumcision is nothing, and 818 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:00,320 uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments 819 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:02,480 of God. Let every man abide in the same 820 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:04,960 calling wherein he was called. Art thou being? 821 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:08,320 Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it, but if thou 822 00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:11,320 mayest be free, use it rather. For he that is called in the 823 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:13,280 Lord being a servant is the Lord's freeman. 824 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:17,400 Likewise also he that is called being free is Christ's servant. 825 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:21,080 You're bought with a price. Be not ye the servants of men. 826 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:26,400 Brethren, let every man wherein he is called therein abide with 827 00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:29,800 God. Paul broadens this out by not 828 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:33,200 just talking about circumcision and uncircumcision and talking 829 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:37,240 about singleness and marriage. Even talks about free and those 830 00:42:37,240 --> 00:42:39,560 who were slaves. He says for those of you who 831 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:43,760 were slaves in that time, he says you think your life is 832 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:45,120 going to change because it's free. 833 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:48,320 Certainly there will be changes, but at the same time it's not 834 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:51,080 all that you think it will be. For those of you that were free 835 00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:53,480 and you think that you don't serve anybody, he said, well, 836 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:55,640 you still are a servant even if you're free. 837 00:42:56,000 --> 00:43:00,880 And so he says you're not going to find your contentment in your 838 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:03,400 situation. You're going to find your 839 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:06,440 contentment in Christ circumcised. 840 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:07,600 Well, I wish I was uncircumcised. 841 00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:09,400 The uncircumcised, I wish I was circumcised. 842 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:12,720 The free says I wish I was in bonds and the bond says I wish I 843 00:43:12,720 --> 00:43:16,120 was free. And, and this, this total lack 844 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:20,840 of, of contentment. And you add that on top of 845 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:23,800 everything we've built upon here, the marriage folks, who, 846 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:26,360 well, marriage is supposed to solve anything but everything. 847 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:28,240 But then even in the marriage, there's still contentment 848 00:43:28,240 --> 00:43:33,120 problems. And he says the contentment 849 00:43:33,120 --> 00:43:38,320 really isn't the issue at all with your situation. 850 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:40,920 It's really the issue with Christ. 851 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:43,160 And that's what it comes down here to tonight. 852 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:48,080 Your situation in life doesn't dictate your satisfaction with 853 00:43:48,080 --> 00:43:50,800 life. If you don't get anything from 854 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:52,360 this message tonight, you say, well, I don't know that all of 855 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:55,920 this applies to me. This message cannot apply 100% 856 00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:58,040 to every person in this room. It would be impossible because 857 00:43:58,200 --> 00:43:59,720 you have to be married and single at the same time. 858 00:44:00,240 --> 00:44:03,160 And if you got that going on, I need to meet with you after 859 00:44:03,160 --> 00:44:04,600 church, all right? Because there's some things I 860 00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:07,080 don't know. So understand that at best this, 861 00:44:07,080 --> 00:44:10,840 this is a 50% message. 50% of it actually applies to your life 862 00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:13,480 here tonight. But here's what 100% applies to 863 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:16,280 you tonight. Your situation in life doesn't 864 00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:22,000 dictate your satisfaction with life, that no matter how much 865 00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:26,160 you have in the bank matter, how good your car is, how good your 866 00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:31,120 job is, no matter if you're married or single, whether 867 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:34,720 you're Jew or Gentile, whether you're a business owner or 868 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:38,880 you're an employee, you can be content in Christ. 869 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:42,080 That's what this whole chapter is about. 870 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:46,360 Sure is about singleness, yes. Is about marriage, yes. 871 00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:51,880 But really what we find right in the middle, He says you need to 872 00:44:51,880 --> 00:45:01,080 be content in Him. It even says in verse #23 you're 873 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:02,920 bought with a price. Just stop. 874 00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:06,800 What was that price? The blood of Jesus Christ. 875 00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:10,760 Amen. That God thought you precious 876 00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:14,720 enough to pay for your sins with His precious blood. 877 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:18,520 That ought to be enough to make you content for the rest of your 878 00:45:18,520 --> 00:45:22,480 life. Well, it's not enough pastor. 879 00:45:22,520 --> 00:45:24,600 Man's got to live by. Hold on. 880 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:31,520 Jesus Christ loved you so much He shed His blood for you. 881 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:35,000 That'll make us content. Oh, life's not that easy, 882 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:36,640 pastor. No, we're the ones that make it 883 00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:40,440 more complicated. You can be married and be 884 00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:43,720 content. You can be single and be 885 00:45:43,720 --> 00:45:46,360 content. You can be any of these life 886 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:50,720 issues and you can be content. Your life may not be what you 887 00:45:50,720 --> 00:45:53,880 want it to be because of your mistakes in the past. 888 00:45:54,720 --> 00:45:57,480 Your life may not be all that you want it to be because of 889 00:45:57,480 --> 00:46:00,840 your sin in the past. Your life may not be all that 890 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:04,440 you want it to be because of someone else's decisions that 891 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:06,960 have been forced upon you in the past. 892 00:46:07,520 --> 00:46:09,760 Any or all of those things could be true. 893 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:13,760 That still doesn't mean that you can't be content. 894 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:18,280 Nobody can steal content from you because contentment isn't 895 00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:24,640 found in what it's found in who. So I ask you tonight, are you 896 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,080 right with God? Now you're not contented. 897 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:29,040 Maybe it's because there's sin in your heart and you can't be 898 00:46:29,040 --> 00:46:30,680 content because you're not right with him. 899 00:46:31,040 --> 00:46:33,960 I'd encourage you Psalm 139 verse 23 to 24. 900 00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:38,120 Search me, O God, know my heart, try me and know my thoughts and 901 00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:41,160 see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way 902 00:46:41,240 --> 00:46:43,520 everlasting. It could be that you have a lack 903 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:49,240 of contentment because of deep rooted sin that you have to 904 00:46:49,240 --> 00:46:53,240 confess, or it could be that you just need an attitude 905 00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:56,720 adjustment. Just be thankful for what God's 906 00:46:56,720 --> 00:46:59,320 done for you. Your situation may not be what 907 00:46:59,320 --> 00:47:00,640 it wants you what you want it to be. 908 00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:03,800 Your body may not be treating you the way you want it to. 909 00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:09,200 Your money situation may not be all that it needs to be, May not 910 00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:11,120 have as many friends as you wish that you'd had. 911 00:47:12,080 --> 00:47:14,400 You may not be able to have any of the things that you thought 912 00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:15,960 you would have at this time of life. 913 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:18,200 You thought you'd be so much further than you are at your 914 00:47:18,200 --> 00:47:20,760 age. I don't know what it is, but you 915 00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:23,480 could still be content because you have Christ. 916 00:47:23,960 --> 00:47:26,200 If you have Christ, you have everything. 917 00:47:26,560 --> 00:47:29,360 That's not a cliche, that's just the truth. 918 00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:33,160 Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of 919 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:36,080 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 920 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:39,560 to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 921 00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:44,160 know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org. 922 00:47:44,440 --> 00:47:48,960 Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, 923 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:51,800 MA. May the Lord bless you as you 924 00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:52,960 grow in His Word.