1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,100 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist sermon archives. 2 00:00:06,300 --> 00:00:09,100 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty, Baptist 3 00:00:09,100 --> 00:00:13,100 Church in Eastern Massachusetts. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:17,500 or contact us at my Liberty, Baptist dot org or just look us 5 00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:19,800 up on Facebook. And now, we hope that this 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,200 message from God's word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,500 Pastor appreciate the opportunity to be here and have 8 00:00:28,500 --> 00:00:30,300 enjoyed the weekend tremendously. 9 00:00:32,299 --> 00:00:37,000 We appreciate you guys and your support for us, your prayers for 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,600 us, your partnership with us, and I won't give a whole 11 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,900 Ministry run down kind of like I did in Sunday school. 12 00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:48,400 Other than to say it is a blessing to know that over these 13 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,500 last seven projects. These last eight years, that 14 00:00:51,500 --> 00:00:54,400 we've been able to partner together over 75,000 John and 15 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,900 Romans that have gone out all over the world, really several 16 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:03,500 different places and and we Lee will assemble over half a 17 00:01:03,508 --> 00:01:08,500 million John in Romans every year, as a Ministry, I'm in 18 00:01:08,500 --> 00:01:10,600 churches, all up and down the east coast. 19 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,700 And as far west, as Buffalo New York and as far south as 20 00:01:14,700 --> 00:01:17,500 Maryland, Delaware all through New England and just praise the 21 00:01:17,508 --> 00:01:21,100 Lord for the opportunity that he's given us to be part of this 22 00:01:21,100 --> 00:01:24,000 ministry. I believe you support brother 23 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,000 Dale money as well. Is that right? 24 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,300 Yes. He was the man that God used to 25 00:01:28,300 --> 00:01:31,800 ultimately get us into the seed line Ministry Archer. 26 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,100 Church when we lived in Michigan for, for about a seven year 27 00:01:35,100 --> 00:01:39,100 period, we lived in Michigan and due to my job that I had at the 28 00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:41,900 time and our church, they're got involved with the seed line 29 00:01:41,900 --> 00:01:44,400 Ministry when brother Dale was doing seed line. 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,800 They're out of Milford Ohio and he would come up during our 31 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,700 missions conference. And after doing that, about four 32 00:01:50,700 --> 00:01:53,300 years in a row, we went forward surrender to what the Lord would 33 00:01:53,300 --> 00:01:56,300 have us do and less than a year later, he opened the door to 34 00:01:56,300 --> 00:02:00,400 come to Upstate New York, and having been born and raised in 35 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,100 Ohio and my wife from Ohio. As well and then living in 36 00:02:03,100 --> 00:02:05,400 Michigan we've been in the midwest our whole lives and 37 00:02:05,700 --> 00:02:08,600 never would have dreamt that the Lord would have brought us to 38 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,900 the east coast Upstate New York in the Northeast to to work with 39 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:15,000 seed line. But I'm so glad that the Lord 40 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,500 did that and we just rejoice in the last 16 and a half years now 41 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,700 of all that the Lord has allowed us to do and all the folks that 42 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:26,800 he's allowed us to meet through all these years at all these 43 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,700 churches. And so appreciate that so much. 44 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,400 All right. First Samuel chapter four. 14 45 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,700 this morning, swear, we're going to be First Samuel 14. 46 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:40,200 We're going to read some verses here out of our text here this 47 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,300 morning and then we will ask the Lord's blessing upon the 48 00:02:44,300 --> 00:02:47,500 message. But let's start in first Samuel 49 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,500 chapter 14 and we will begin in verse 1. 50 00:02:53,300 --> 00:02:55,700 The Bible says, now it came to pass upon a day. 51 00:02:55,700 --> 00:02:58,500 That Jonathan, the son of Saul. Suddenly, the young man that 52 00:02:58,500 --> 00:03:01,200 bear his armor come. Let us go over to the 53 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,200 Philistines Garrison that is on the other side, but he told not 54 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,000 his father and Saul tarried in the uttermost part of gibeah 55 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,600 under a pomegranate tree, which is in my grand and the people 56 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,400 that were with him were about 600 men down in verse 6. 57 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,800 It says in Jonathan said to the young man, that bears armor come 58 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,500 and let us go over under the Garrison of these. 59 00:03:21,500 --> 00:03:24,900 Uncircumcised it may be That the Lord will work for us. 60 00:03:24,900 --> 00:03:29,600 For there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. 61 00:03:30,300 --> 00:03:31,900 And his armor Bearer said unto him. 62 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,200 Do all that is in thine heart, turn thee behold. 63 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,400 I am with the according to thy heart, then said, Jonathan 64 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,500 behold. We will pass over unto these men 65 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:44,800 and we will discover ourselves unto them if they save us to 66 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,600 unto us. Terry until we come to you, then 67 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,800 we will stand still in our place and will not go up under them. 68 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:53,800 But if they say thus come up, Unto us. 69 00:03:54,100 --> 00:03:57,400 Then we will go up for the Lord. Hath delivered them into our 70 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:59,700 hand. And this shall be a sign unto us 71 00:04:00,100 --> 00:04:02,700 and both of them discovered themselves under the Garrison of 72 00:04:02,700 --> 00:04:05,500 the Philistines. And the Philistine said, behold 73 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,200 the Hebrews come forth out of the holes, where they had hid 74 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,100 themselves and the men of the Garrison answer, Jonathan and 75 00:04:11,100 --> 00:04:14,800 his armor Bearer and said come up to us and we will show you a 76 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,800 thing and Jonathan said unto his armor Bearer come up after me 77 00:04:19,100 --> 00:04:21,600 for the Lord hath. Delivered them into the hand of 78 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,600 Israel. And Jonathan climbed up upon his 79 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,600 hands and upon his feet and his armor-bearer after him, and they 80 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,000 fell before Jonathan and his armor-bearer slew after him and 81 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,800 that first Slaughter which Jonathan and his armor Bearer 82 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,400 made was about 20 men within as it were and half acre of land, 83 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,700 which a yoke of oxen might plow and there was trembling in the 84 00:04:41,700 --> 00:04:44,900 host in the field in among all the people The Garrison in the 85 00:04:44,900 --> 00:04:48,600 spoilers, they also trembled and the Earth quaked. 86 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,500 So it was a very great trembling and the Watchman of Saul and 87 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:54,300 give you of Benjamin. Look Behold the multitude melted 88 00:04:54,300 --> 00:04:58,400 away and they went on beating down one another down in verse 89 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,900 20 it says and Saul and all the people that were with him 90 00:05:00,900 --> 00:05:04,000 assemble themselves and they came to the battle and behold 91 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,100 Every Man's sword was against his fellow and there was a very 92 00:05:07,100 --> 00:05:10,500 great discomfiture, moreover, the Hebrews that were with the 93 00:05:10,500 --> 00:05:13,700 Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the 94 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:15,900 camp from the country round about even. 95 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:18,700 They also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul 96 00:05:18,700 --> 00:05:21,700 and Jonathan likewise all the men of Israel which had hid 97 00:05:21,700 --> 00:05:24,200 themselves in Ephraim? When they heard that the 98 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,300 Philistines fled even, they also followed hard after them in the 99 00:05:27,308 --> 00:05:29,900 battle. So the Lord saved Israel that 100 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:33,600 day and the battle passed over unto Bethel. 101 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,100 Even, let's pray. Father, we love you this 102 00:05:36,100 --> 00:05:37,900 morning. We thank you for your word. 103 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:41,000 I pray now that as we look into your word this morning that 104 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,200 you'd speak to us, I pray that you bless the reading and the 105 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,300 preaching of your word. We thank you for it. 106 00:05:46,300 --> 00:05:48,900 Thank you that we have it. Thank you that we can read it. 107 00:05:48,900 --> 00:05:52,400 Understand it help us to be diligent students of it. 108 00:05:52,700 --> 00:05:56,400 And Lord, we know that without your word, we would be lost 109 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,000 without hope, but because you gave your word and because you 110 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,400 sent your son to die on the cross for us, and because this 111 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,700 word is the testimony in the record of that. 112 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:07,400 We're just so thankful that we can have a relationship with 113 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,400 you. I pray here this morning that 114 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,500 you just meet here in the midst of us as, as we have gathered 115 00:06:12,500 --> 00:06:16,800 together around your word and we again, just thank you for it. 116 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,900 We thank you for our savior. I pray that Christ would be 117 00:06:19,900 --> 00:06:22,500 magnified and all that said, and done and exalted. 118 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,700 It in all things and and Lord. Again, we love you. 119 00:06:25,700 --> 00:06:27,700 Thank you for this day in Jesus name. 120 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:35,100 Amen. Here in 1st Samuel. 14. 121 00:06:35,100 --> 00:06:37,600 We have the account of this battle. 122 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,600 That is fought here between the Israelites and the Philistines. 123 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,500 And as we read through those versus the first thing that kind 124 00:06:43,500 --> 00:06:47,300 of jumps out that I want you to notice is, is there's a lot of 125 00:06:47,300 --> 00:06:49,800 Israelites that are gathered together. 126 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:54,100 There's a lot of Israelites that ultimately join into the battle 127 00:06:54,100 --> 00:06:57,700 and fight, by the time we get down to the end of that passage. 128 00:06:57,700 --> 00:07:00,700 But initially, it was only Jonathan and his armor Bearer 129 00:07:00,900 --> 00:07:03,600 that had. That had begun things that had 130 00:07:03,700 --> 00:07:07,000 And things up. If you will and the picture that 131 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,800 that I see here is this. You can identify kind of if you 132 00:07:10,808 --> 00:07:16,500 will for different groups, if you will, here in this passage 133 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:20,200 and though, this is the historical account of the this 134 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,500 battle that the children of Israel fought, I think we can 135 00:07:23,500 --> 00:07:27,700 also see types of Christians or Believers represented here. 136 00:07:28,300 --> 00:07:32,300 You'll notice that as we began the passage we have Saul and the 137 00:07:32,308 --> 00:07:36,500 600 with them and it's It says he tarried in the uttermost part 138 00:07:36,500 --> 00:07:38,600 of gibeah. And if you study that word 139 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,800 tarried often times in the scriptures, that's that seen in 140 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:46,500 a negative light, tarrying. Basically, it's this that Saul 141 00:07:46,500 --> 00:07:49,100 is there. There's an army of Philistines 142 00:07:49,100 --> 00:07:52,000 arrayed against him. There's a battle to be fought 143 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,600 but yet he's just not. He's just there doing nothing. 144 00:07:55,100 --> 00:07:58,300 The Bible says that he tarries there and the uttermost. 145 00:07:58,300 --> 00:08:00,800 So the first group would be those that are just kind of 146 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:04,500 there and they're doing nothing and that would Representative of 147 00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:06,600 Saul and those 600 that were with him. 148 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,300 As we read on further, we saw a couple more groups. 149 00:08:10,300 --> 00:08:12,500 It says, in verse 21, the Hebrews that were with the 150 00:08:12,500 --> 00:08:16,800 Philistines that they turned about or they in the country 151 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,900 round about, they turn to be with the Israelites, so some of 152 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:22,800 the Israelites were off living with the Philistines that would 153 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:24,700 picture. The second group, the first type 154 00:08:24,700 --> 00:08:28,100 of first group of Christians is a type who are just kind of 155 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:30,300 there doing nothing. But the second group would be 156 00:08:30,300 --> 00:08:33,000 those that are often the world there with the Philistines. 157 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,100 The Are a picture of the world and you have some Christians 158 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:38,799 that are often the world doing the things of the world living 159 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,400 like the world but yet they turn to join the battle. 160 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,300 The third group there in verse 22, the Bible tells us that the 161 00:08:46,300 --> 00:08:49,100 men of Israel which had hid themselves, they came out and 162 00:08:49,108 --> 00:08:51,300 began to fight. So the third group would be 163 00:08:51,300 --> 00:08:55,300 those, those that are in hiding and that would picture those 164 00:08:55,300 --> 00:08:58,500 today that are that are for whatever reason, just kind of in 165 00:08:58,500 --> 00:08:59,800 hiding. They're not really doing 166 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,900 anything either. But as opposed to gather to get 167 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:04,900 gather together, And they're safe little Camp. 168 00:09:04,900 --> 00:09:09,800 So to speak, they're often cave somewhere hiding from the enemy. 169 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,400 The Bible tells us that we have an enemy, we have a spiritual 170 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,000 enemy and that the weapons that we fight with are not carnal but 171 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,200 their spiritual. And so we are. 172 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,500 We engage in spiritual warfare, right? 173 00:09:21,500 --> 00:09:24,000 Ephesians 6, the armor of God and all of that. 174 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,000 We are to fight a spiritual battle. 175 00:09:26,500 --> 00:09:29,500 But of course, when you go into battle, it takes courage. 176 00:09:29,700 --> 00:09:32,600 When you go into a physical battle, how many have served in 177 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,400 the armed forces? Anyone here, several? 178 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:40,900 I don't know if you saw any kind of battle scenario, but 179 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,800 obviously, you know, that to go into battle takes a great deal 180 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,600 of Courage, the opposite of Courage would I suppose be fear. 181 00:09:47,900 --> 00:09:50,000 And some of these Israelites, they were afraid. 182 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:51,900 They saw the enemy, but they went and hid. 183 00:09:52,100 --> 00:09:54,800 By the way, the enemy knew they were hitting because hiding 184 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,500 because when Saul and sir not Saul Jonathan and his armor 185 00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:03,400 Bearer went up to confront them. What did the Philistines say? 186 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,600 Oh, they've come out of their dens where they've been in 187 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,700 hiding. So these three groups, if you 188 00:10:08,700 --> 00:10:11,800 will, that probably number somewhere in the several 189 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,300 thousand, you have those that are just kind of sitting around 190 00:10:15,300 --> 00:10:18,000 and doing nothing. You have those that are off 191 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,100 living in the world, those that were with the Philistines and 192 00:10:21,100 --> 00:10:23,600 then you have those that are fearful they don't want to get 193 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,300 involved and they're just hiding but then you have a fourth group 194 00:10:27,300 --> 00:10:30,600 and of course that's represented by Jonathan and his armor 195 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,300 Bearer. This would be the Christian or 196 00:10:33,300 --> 00:10:36,600 the believer that wants to get something done for the Lord. 197 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,200 That basically says, look, there is a battle to fight and so 198 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,400 there is an enemy to engage with. 199 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,100 And so we are going to go and we are going to fight for the Lord, 200 00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:49,400 we are going to do this and and and so they do, and the Lord 201 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,400 gives them that sign. This wasn't an unwise decision. 202 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:56,500 This wasn't Jonathan just blindly charging ahead, but he 203 00:10:56,500 --> 00:11:01,000 says to his armor Bearer will let them know we're coming and, 204 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,400 and if they say, hold on will come down then. 205 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,500 We know that the Lord's not in it, but if they say, come on up, 206 00:11:06,500 --> 00:11:09,900 if they Invite us on up, we know that the Lord is in this, so as 207 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:13,500 far as Jonathan is concerned, he's heard from the Lord, he 208 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:15,700 knows that the Lord is in what they're doing. 209 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,000 And so they're going to go and they're going to get something 210 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,100 done for the Lord and so they do they go and they begin the 211 00:11:21,100 --> 00:11:25,800 battle and 20 men. It says that first Slaughter was 212 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,100 about 20 men. And then, of course, there's 213 00:11:28,100 --> 00:11:30,300 trembling, there's the earthquake and they begin to 214 00:11:30,300 --> 00:11:32,000 turn and fight and all these things. 215 00:11:32,300 --> 00:11:34,600 And what's interesting is the other three groups, they all 216 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,000 eventually get involved. Once Jonathan and his armor 217 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,200 Bearer stirred, some things up those that were with Saul 218 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,300 tarrying in the uttermost, they joined the battle. 219 00:11:45,900 --> 00:11:48,000 Those that were off living with the Philistines. 220 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,600 The Bible says, they turned and join the battle, so they turn 221 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,800 from the Philistines and they joined with Saul and the 222 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,600 Israelites and then those that were in hiding came out and 223 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,300 joined as well. And of course, the Lord then in 224 00:12:01,300 --> 00:12:05,800 verse 23 saved Israel that day in the battle passed over unto 225 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,800 Bethel even and it brings up the question. 226 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,100 What made the difference in the life of Jonathan? 227 00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:14,500 I mean, is there anything in this chapter in this account 228 00:12:14,500 --> 00:12:18,800 that sets Jonathan apart from everybody else on that day? 229 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,400 And what's interesting is if you continue to read, you'll see 230 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,000 that and this really is the heart of the message. 231 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:26,200 What we're going to look at here. 232 00:12:26,500 --> 00:12:30,900 Next starting in verse 24. The Bible says in the men of 233 00:12:30,900 --> 00:12:35,300 Israel were distressed that day for Saul had a jerk to people 234 00:12:35,300 --> 00:12:38,800 saying cursed, be the man that eateth any food until evening 235 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,900 that I may be Avenged on mine enemies. 236 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:44,900 So none of the people tasted any food and all they of the land 237 00:12:44,900 --> 00:12:48,300 came to a wood and there was honey upon the ground and when 238 00:12:48,300 --> 00:12:51,400 the people were come into the would behold the honey dropped 239 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:55,200 but no man put his hand to his mouth for the people, feared the 240 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:59,100 oath but Jonathan heard not when his father charged, the people 241 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:02,500 with the Yo, wherefore, he put forth the end of the rod that 242 00:13:02,500 --> 00:13:06,300 was in his hand and dipped it in an honeycomb and put his hand to 243 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:09,000 his mouth and his eyes were enlightened. 244 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,900 Now, I want you to notice that phrase, his eyes were 245 00:13:11,900 --> 00:13:15,100 enlightened Jonathan, tasted of the honey that came from the 246 00:13:15,108 --> 00:13:18,600 honeycomb and the Bible tells us that his eyes were enlightened 247 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,200 on that day as they were fighting that battle. 248 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,900 Hold your finger here and turn over to Psalm 19. 249 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:29,300 Psalm 19 and I want you to see this picture. 250 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:35,900 ER, that the Bible gives us Psalm 19 starting in verse 7. 251 00:13:38,900 --> 00:13:41,800 The Bible says, the law of the Lord is perfect. 252 00:13:41,900 --> 00:13:45,000 Converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is 253 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,800 sure making wise, the simple. The statutes of the Lord are 254 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:53,000 right rejoicing, the heart, the Commandment of the Lord is pure 255 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,500 enlightening. The eyes notice that phrase 256 00:13:55,500 --> 00:13:59,200 there, enlightening, the eyes, the fear of the Lord is clean 257 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,400 enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are 258 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:05,800 true and righteous altogether. More to be desired. 259 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:07,700 Are they than gold? Yay. 260 00:14:07,900 --> 00:14:10,600 Than much fine, gold sweeter also than notice. 261 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:17,000 This honey and the honeycomb. So here in Psalm 19, what have 262 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:19,000 we just read about in these four verses? 263 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,700 The word of God, right? The law of the Lord. 264 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,300 The testimony of the Lord, the statutes of the Lord, the 265 00:14:26,300 --> 00:14:29,600 Commandment of the Lord, the fear of the Lord, the judgments 266 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,500 of the Lord. If you ever go to Psalm 119 and 267 00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:35,800 just read through all hundred and seventy six of those verses 268 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,900 174 of them, make a reference to the word of God and you'll find 269 00:14:39,900 --> 00:14:43,500 those words over and over and over law Commandments statutes, 270 00:14:43,500 --> 00:14:45,600 judgments testimonies. And so, on. 271 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:50,200 All speaking of the word of God, what is the word of God do? 272 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,100 Well, according to verse 7, first of all, it converts the 273 00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:54,900 soul. That's where it starts, right? 274 00:14:54,900 --> 00:14:57,700 When a person gets saved. And they accept Christ as 275 00:14:57,700 --> 00:14:59,600 Savior. The word of God is that 276 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,100 Incorruptible seed by which we are what born again. 277 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,500 So, the word of God, it converts the soul, but it also, it makes 278 00:15:07,500 --> 00:15:10,100 wise the simple. It rejoices the heart, it 279 00:15:10,100 --> 00:15:13,900 enlightens the eyes, it enlightens the eyes. 280 00:15:14,700 --> 00:15:18,300 It is clean enduring forever, and it's true and righteous 281 00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:22,000 altogether, and then it gives a couple more comparisons more to 282 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:26,200 be desired, are they? And what is the they in verse 283 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,200 10? Well the statutes the laws, the 284 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,700 judgments, the testimonies the Commandments, the words of God, 285 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:36,200 more to be desired. Are the words of God than gold 286 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:37,600 yea than much. Fine. 287 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:39,500 Gold. What's the Bible telling? 288 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:45,000 Us these words are more valuable than gold than silver than 289 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:50,300 money. Also sweeter than honey. 290 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:53,600 And the honeycomb. The Bible is likened to honey 291 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,900 and honeycomb and sweeter than honey, and the honeycomb. 292 00:15:56,900 --> 00:15:59,200 What did Jonathan do in first Samuel 14? 293 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,300 It says he dipped his rod in the honeycomb and he brought out 294 00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:05,600 some honey. And what happened when he did 295 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:10,100 that, his eyes were enlightened. His eyes were enlightened. 296 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:15,200 What happens when we as Believers are in the word of God 297 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:19,200 on a daily basis? What happens when we dip into 298 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,500 that? That is sweeter than honey in 299 00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:24,900 the honeycomb spiritually. Speaking, our eyes are 300 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:29,000 enlightened, you know, you have these, these four groups, if you 301 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,300 will, you have those sitting around you have those off in the 302 00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:34,000 world. You have those that are afraid 303 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,400 and they're in hiding and and it's interesting not a single 304 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:42,600 one of Any of those three groups, tasted any honey that 305 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,200 day because of what Saul had said, because of the oath that 306 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,300 he had made. But Jonathan didn't hear when 307 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:49,800 Saul made the oath. Why? 308 00:16:50,100 --> 00:16:53,300 Well, maybe, because he's already busy trying to get 309 00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:55,500 something done for the Lord but he didn't hear. 310 00:16:55,900 --> 00:16:58,900 He tasted of the honey, his eyes were enlightened. 311 00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:01,900 In other words, he was strengthened, he was refreshed. 312 00:17:01,900 --> 00:17:05,800 He was renewed when he tasted of that honey and none of the other 313 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,900 ones. Did he says, on in verse 98, 314 00:17:09,700 --> 00:17:12,099 then answered one of the people and said, thy father, straitly, 315 00:17:12,099 --> 00:17:14,000 charged the people with an oath saying cursed. 316 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,300 Be the man that eateth any food this day and the people were 317 00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:20,099 faint. Then said Jonathan my father 318 00:17:20,099 --> 00:17:23,900 hath troubled, the land. See I pray you how mine eyes 319 00:17:23,900 --> 00:17:27,500 have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 320 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,400 How much more if haply the people had eaten freely today of 321 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,600 the spoil of their enemies which they found for had there. 322 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,600 Not been now a much greater Slaughter. 323 00:17:38,300 --> 00:17:43,500 Among the Philistines. Notice that phrase in verse 30, 324 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:46,900 how much more, how much more could have been accomplished 325 00:17:46,900 --> 00:17:49,800 today? Basically, from Jonathan's 326 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:51,800 perspective. He goes into the Woody taste, 327 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:53,800 the honey as eyes are enlightened now, he's been 328 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,100 renewed, he's got some strength. He's just expelled. 329 00:17:57,100 --> 00:18:01,200 A lot of strength and energy. Starting this battle and 330 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,900 beginning this conflict and so he tastes this honey and renews 331 00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:08,300 a strengthened but yet everybody else none of them had taken any 332 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,400 It says in the end of verse 28, the people were faint. 333 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,400 They were faint because they hadn't tasted of the honey. 334 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,800 And Jonathan, basically here says how much more, how much 335 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:21,600 more could have been accomplished, if y'all would 336 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,900 have just taken a little honey, if you all would have just had 337 00:18:24,900 --> 00:18:29,800 your eyes, enlightened, by the honey, how much more could be 338 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:34,000 accomplished? Folks, how much more could we 339 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:38,700 accomplish as a local church as individual Believers? 340 00:18:39,100 --> 00:18:43,500 If we would just be in this book everyday because the parallel is 341 00:18:43,500 --> 00:18:47,400 very simply this as necessary, as our physical food is for our 342 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:51,400 physical health and well-being, so much more, our spiritual food 343 00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:53,500 for our spiritual health and well-being. 344 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,500 Job. 23:12 job says, I have esteemed the words of his mouth 345 00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:02,400 more than my necessary food. Jesus said to the devil, in 346 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:06,200 Matthew chapter 4, quoting from Deuteronomy chapter 8, man shall 347 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:10,800 not live by bread alone, but by what every word that proceedeth 348 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:17,600 out of the mouth of God. So we like to eat some of us 349 00:19:17,700 --> 00:19:21,500 really like to eat. We eat several times a day, we 350 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:25,700 eat a variety of different things and we do it, because if 351 00:19:25,700 --> 00:19:28,900 we don't, we'll get week, we'll get sickly, we'll lose our 352 00:19:28,900 --> 00:19:32,500 health. But yet, we also take pleasure, 353 00:19:33,100 --> 00:19:37,900 normally usually, I suppose in what we eat, we eat to survive, 354 00:19:37,900 --> 00:19:41,800 but it's also enjoyable. And it's necessary. 355 00:19:42,500 --> 00:19:46,800 How much more? You know, how if you, if you, if 356 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,900 you were to be honest, how many of you would say? 357 00:19:49,900 --> 00:19:54,900 I absolutely despise eating anything at any time. 358 00:19:55,400 --> 00:20:00,000 I mean, I know I have to, I know, I know I have to eat but I 359 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,600 absolutely cannot stand it. I mean, I don't know, maybe 360 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:05,900 there's somebody out there that would have that mindset but I 361 00:20:05,900 --> 00:20:09,200 think it's fair to say that most of us we enjoy a good meal, 362 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,000 right? And yet, do we approach this 363 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:16,600 book as if I I don't have time for this. 364 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:22,700 I mean I'll read this morning I guess because I know I have to, 365 00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:28,200 I know, I know spiritually, it's what I need but know that that 366 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,900 ought not be how we approach. We if we enjoy eating our 367 00:20:31,900 --> 00:20:34,500 physical food because it tastes good. 368 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,300 You know this these words are sweeter than honey in the 369 00:20:38,308 --> 00:20:41,800 honeycomb spiritually speaking. This ought to be as sweet if not 370 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,100 sweeter to us than whatever it is. 371 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:45,500 You're going to have for lunch today. 372 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:51,900 This is our spiritual food. It's our spiritual nourishment 373 00:20:51,900 --> 00:20:57,000 and the picture here in 1st Samuel. 14 is it's what set 374 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,200 Jonathan apart? It's what made the difference 375 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,500 for him as opposed to everybody else. 376 00:21:01,700 --> 00:21:05,100 He tasted of that honey, his eyes were enlightened and how 377 00:21:05,100 --> 00:21:06,900 much more could have been accomplished. 378 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,800 How much more could we as individual Believers, or as 379 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:13,900 local New Testament Church has accomplished for the cause of 380 00:21:13,900 --> 00:21:16,000 Christ. If we would just be in this book 381 00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:23,100 on a daily basis all the time. I'm notice I said, at the end of 382 00:21:23,108 --> 00:21:27,300 verse 28, I read there in the people were faint, you know, 383 00:21:27,300 --> 00:21:31,500 they did even those that were doing nothing, those that were 384 00:21:31,500 --> 00:21:36,200 living in the world, those that were Off hiding. 385 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,700 You could say, well, they got right? 386 00:21:38,700 --> 00:21:42,800 And they joined the battle. But yet, they were faint. 387 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,700 And it says, in verse 31 and they smote the Philistines that 388 00:21:46,700 --> 00:21:50,400 day from michmash to Agile on and the people were very faint. 389 00:21:50,700 --> 00:21:52,700 So we're going to see a progression here. 390 00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:56,900 Also that takes place, they join in with the battle. 391 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,200 Jonathan takes the honey as eyes are enlightened, but nobody else 392 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,800 tastes it. They keep fighting the Bible 393 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,400 says, they were faint. Jonathan makes his statement, 394 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,200 how much more could have been accomplished, but they press on 395 00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:13,000 the Bible says, then that they became very faint. 396 00:22:13,300 --> 00:22:16,300 So there's a downward progression, if you will a 397 00:22:16,308 --> 00:22:21,700 downward trajectory, as far as their, their, their energy 398 00:22:21,700 --> 00:22:28,100 there, Sustenance, if you will. Verse 32, then says this and the 399 00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:32,200 people flew upon the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves 400 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,700 and slew them on the ground and the people did eat them with the 401 00:22:35,700 --> 00:22:38,100 blood. You see what it ultimately 402 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:42,900 deteriorated all the way to. They went from faint to very 403 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:47,200 faint to, basically kill and eat and don't even bother to cook 404 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,700 it. In essence is what happens here. 405 00:22:50,300 --> 00:22:53,900 They took sheep oxen, calves, slew them on the ground and the 406 00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:56,600 people did eat them with the In other words, they didn't even 407 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,700 bother to light a fire. They didn't even bother to cook 408 00:22:58,700 --> 00:23:00,800 anything. They just cut them open and they 409 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,700 dug in and I know that's gross and I know that's disgusting. 410 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,900 But you know what? Sin is gross and disgusting, is 411 00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:09,000 it not? And what happens when we 412 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,200 neglect, what is sweeter than honey in the honeycomb. 413 00:23:12,300 --> 00:23:15,700 What happens when we refuse to go to the word of God, on a 414 00:23:15,700 --> 00:23:19,400 regular basis and have our eyes, enlightened by the word of God, 415 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,000 on a regular basis. What happens to us spiritually? 416 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,400 We get faint, do we not? If we continue on, we get very 417 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,600 faint. And then ultimately, if we're 418 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,700 not careful, we're going to find ourselves in something. 419 00:23:33,900 --> 00:23:38,600 That maybe 24 hours, 48 hours prior to that moment, we would 420 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,200 have thought I would never do that. 421 00:23:40,500 --> 00:23:43,900 I mean, do you ever think of those quote-unquote big sins? 422 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,200 And think to yourself? I could never. 423 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,600 I would never do that. I guarantee you, if you ask 424 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,400 these guys, the night before is there sitting there around Camp 425 00:23:52,900 --> 00:23:56,500 there with Saul and the pomegranate tree if you would 426 00:23:56,500 --> 00:24:00,400 have asked them, do you think tomorrow night by this time that 427 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:05,600 you'll just you know, grab a sheet Cut it open dig in they 428 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,200 would have said no, absolutely not don't you know, that's 429 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,900 forbidden by the law. I mean it's not just forbidden 430 00:24:10,900 --> 00:24:12,600 by the law. This goes all the way back to 431 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,300 Genesis when Noah and his sons and their wives came off the Ark 432 00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:23,200 in Genesis chapter 9, God says to them, Genesis 9, 3 & 4, Every 433 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,800 moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you. 434 00:24:25,900 --> 00:24:30,500 Even as the green herb, have I given you all things, but flesh 435 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:34,500 with the life thereof which is the blood thereof, shall ye not 436 00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:37,700 eat, they were not to eat the blood. 437 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,700 Of course, that's given in the law in. 438 00:24:40,700 --> 00:24:46,900 Leviticus chapter 17 verses 13 and 14, God gives very detailed 439 00:24:46,900 --> 00:24:49,900 admonitions asked to not to eat the blood. 440 00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:54,000 They are to pour out the blood Mud and they are not to eat it. 441 00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:58,900 Leviticus chapter 17, 13 and 14. Also, Leviticus 19. 442 00:24:58,900 --> 00:25:02,300 Verse 26. You shall not eat anything with 443 00:25:02,700 --> 00:25:06,600 the blood. You'll even remember the 444 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:11,600 controversy in Acts chapter 15, when after the death burial and 445 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,600 resurrection of Christ, some were going around and teaching 446 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,600 that you couldn't be saved unless you were circumcised and 447 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,500 this big controversy came up. And so they sent these questions 448 00:25:21,500 --> 00:25:25,300 to the apostles and, and James presiding there in Jerusalem. 449 00:25:25,500 --> 00:25:30,200 And basically they they wrote back and and, and they told they 450 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:34,000 only listed a couple of things that that the Believers were to 451 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,800 abstain from, they were too. Staying from fornication, they 452 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,000 were to abstain from things that were strangled and basically 453 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,700 don't eat anything with the blood. 454 00:25:44,700 --> 00:25:48,600 Circumcision the outward Act of circumcision had nothing to do 455 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,300 with whether or not a person could be saved or was saved. 456 00:25:53,300 --> 00:25:55,800 There in that new testament time. 457 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:59,400 And so the point is this, that this isn't just Jewish law. 458 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,500 This goes before the law with Noah. 459 00:26:01,700 --> 00:26:04,600 This is after the law after the death burial and resurrection of 460 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:06,700 Christ. And the book of Acts, they were 461 00:26:06,700 --> 00:26:08,800 not to eat with the blood and yet they did. 462 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:14,000 And again, the picture is this, it's gross, its disgusting. 463 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,400 And yet it's something that they engaged in, why? 464 00:26:17,500 --> 00:26:21,600 Because their eyes weren't enlightened, they were starving, 465 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:24,500 they were famished, they Were they had no energy left. 466 00:26:24,500 --> 00:26:30,400 They they went and all day day, all day long, and they fought 467 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,400 this battle. And they kept going, and they 468 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,300 kept pushing, and they kept exerting. 469 00:26:35,300 --> 00:26:38,100 And yet, they didn't take any nourishment, and they got faint 470 00:26:38,100 --> 00:26:40,600 and then very faint. And ultimately, they ended up in 471 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:42,800 Sindh that can happen to us if we're not careful. 472 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:49,500 If we neglect the word of God, So, that's the picture that 473 00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:53,300 scene here in 1st Samuel 14 and and it's just so interesting 474 00:26:53,300 --> 00:26:57,600 because when you compare that with Psalm 19 and just like in 475 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,500 the honey and the enlightening of the eyes to what happens when 476 00:27:00,500 --> 00:27:04,200 we as Believers are in the word of God, how our eyes are 477 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,000 enlightened. I want you to turn to one more 478 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,800 place as as we close this morning. 479 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:13,400 Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1. 480 00:27:22,700 --> 00:27:26,800 As I as I study the word of God, I like to study words I like to 481 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,600 study phrases and then compare scripture with scripture by 482 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,600 using those words and phrases the way they're used in 483 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,100 scripture. And we certainly see that here 484 00:27:36,100 --> 00:27:39,900 in in these passages that we've looked at in first Samuel and 485 00:27:39,900 --> 00:27:42,200 Psalm 19. But I want you to notice here in 486 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,400 Ephesians chapter 1, of course Paul. 487 00:27:44,500 --> 00:27:48,100 He is writing to Believers in the church, right? 488 00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:52,900 So that's that's his that's the Instead, that's the recipient of 489 00:27:52,900 --> 00:27:57,000 this particular epistle was sent to the church at Ephesus. 490 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,000 The church comprised of born-again Believers. 491 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,600 He says, in verse 9, having made known unto us, the mystery of 492 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,200 his will according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed 493 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,100 in himself that in the dispensation of the fullness of 494 00:28:11,100 --> 00:28:14,300 times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, 495 00:28:14,500 --> 00:28:18,000 both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him 496 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:21,000 in whom also, we have obtained, an inheritance Since being 497 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,200 predestinated, according to the purpose of him, who worketh all 498 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,500 things, after the counsel of his own will that we should be to 499 00:28:27,500 --> 00:28:31,000 the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. 500 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,600 So, I want you to notice that he's writing to Believers. 501 00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:37,000 He's talking about things that have happened past tense. 502 00:28:37,100 --> 00:28:40,700 He's talking about things that are predestined to happen future 503 00:28:40,700 --> 00:28:42,900 tense. But because they are predestined 504 00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:44,700 to happen. It's as if they've already 505 00:28:44,700 --> 00:28:47,000 happened. In other words, those who first 506 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,500 trusted in Christ are predestined to be conformed, to 507 00:28:50,500 --> 00:28:54,700 the the image of his son. If you're saved, you are 508 00:28:54,700 --> 00:28:58,800 predestined to be glorified. And one day receive a body like 509 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,100 his body. I mean, it's a guarantee. 510 00:29:01,300 --> 00:29:06,300 It's going to happen. Verse 13 goes on says in whom 511 00:29:06,300 --> 00:29:11,200 also ye trusted past tense after that ye heard the word of Truth. 512 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:14,700 The Bible tells us that Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by 513 00:29:14,700 --> 00:29:17,300 the word of God. The word of God is The 514 00:29:17,300 --> 00:29:22,000 Incorruptible seed by which we are born again that liveth and 515 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,200 abideth forever. So again in whom also, you 516 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,000 trusted past tense after that, ye heard the word of Truth, The 517 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,700 Gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that ye 518 00:29:32,700 --> 00:29:36,200 believed past tense Since you were sealed with that, Holy 519 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:40,200 Spirit of Promise, past tense there not being sealed, they 520 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,900 don't have to go for some special ceiling of the Holy 521 00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:45,100 Spirit. They've already been sealed. 522 00:29:45,100 --> 00:29:48,100 When were they sealed? When they first trusted Christ? 523 00:29:48,300 --> 00:29:51,600 When they believed, after responding to the gospel, verse 524 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:55,900 14, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the Redemption 525 00:29:55,900 --> 00:29:59,000 of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory. 526 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:01,800 So they are in dwelt by the spirit, they are sealed by the 527 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,000 spirit. It's like a down payment. 528 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:08,200 If you will upon that, which is Promised The Inheritance, the 529 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,500 Redemption. Speaking of the ultimate 530 00:30:10,500 --> 00:30:14,100 Redemption of not, just the spirit being born again, but the 531 00:30:14,100 --> 00:30:17,300 Redemption of the body, when this corruptible body is changed 532 00:30:17,300 --> 00:30:20,700 into Incorruptible, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. 533 00:30:22,100 --> 00:30:26,700 So he says all of that and he's writing to Believers and much of 534 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:29,300 what he speaks of in those verses that we just read our 535 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:30,800 past tense. These are things that have 536 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,500 happened, they've trusted in Christ, they've been sealed. 537 00:30:33,500 --> 00:30:37,700 They've responded to the gospel. Wherefore, I also verse 15 after 538 00:30:37,700 --> 00:30:40,300 I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the 539 00:30:40,300 --> 00:30:41,900 saints. Cease not to give. 540 00:30:41,900 --> 00:30:45,200 Thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the god 541 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,500 of our Lord Jesus Christ. The father of Heaven, may give 542 00:30:48,500 --> 00:30:51,700 unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation. 543 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:54,700 Action in the knowledge of him. So this is what Paul is praying 544 00:30:54,700 --> 00:30:58,800 for that, they might receive the spirit of wisdom and the 545 00:30:58,808 --> 00:31:02,500 knowledge, a revelation in the knowledge of him. 546 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:06,900 And look at Verse 18, the eyes of your understanding being 547 00:31:06,900 --> 00:31:11,800 enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling 548 00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:15,000 and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the 549 00:31:15,008 --> 00:31:18,300 Saints. What is Paul here, praying? 550 00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:22,200 To happen to these. These people is he praying for 551 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:24,100 their salvation? No, we've already established. 552 00:31:24,100 --> 00:31:25,700 The fact that they're saved, right? 553 00:31:25,700 --> 00:31:28,700 They first trusted in Christ. They're sealed by the Holy 554 00:31:28,700 --> 00:31:33,600 Spirit, but he's praying. That they will be given by the 555 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:37,100 Lord, the spirit of wisdom, the Revelation in the knowledge of 556 00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:41,600 him that they may know, the hope of his calling the eyes of their 557 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:45,400 understanding being enlightened. When you compare that to First, 558 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:49,600 John 5 verse 13, these things have, I written unto you, You 559 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,300 that believe on the name of the son of God again, is he writing 560 00:31:52,300 --> 00:31:55,400 to unbelievers know, he's writing to Believers that, ye 561 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,800 may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on 562 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:02,200 the name of the son of God. These things are written for 563 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:06,200 that purpose and they're written for us as Believers. 564 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:07,200 Right? Why? 565 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:09,300 So our eyes would be enlightened. 566 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,200 It's very important that I want you to notice in verse 18, he 567 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,400 doesn't say the eyes of your understanding being opened. 568 00:32:16,700 --> 00:32:19,100 Because their eyes have already been opened. 569 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,600 Their eyes were opened the moment that they trusted in 570 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,000 Christ which had happened before for many of them. 571 00:32:27,700 --> 00:32:31,000 For really all of them that he specifically writing to these 572 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,500 are saved individuals. Their eyes have been opened, 573 00:32:33,700 --> 00:32:39,100 they once were blind. But now they see they were 574 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:43,400 blinded by the God of this world, but now they've received 575 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:47,300 sight. They were lost in darkness, but 576 00:32:47,300 --> 00:32:51,400 now they are in his light. Now, they can see their eyes 577 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:55,200 have been opened, but Paul's request is for something to 578 00:32:55,200 --> 00:33:00,200 happen to them for something, to be, given to them present tense 579 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:04,800 future tense, kind of an ongoing tense if you will, that they 580 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,200 would be given the spirit of wisdom Revelation in the 581 00:33:07,208 --> 00:33:09,100 knowledge of him. So that the eyes of their 582 00:33:09,100 --> 00:33:13,600 understanding being enlightened kind of an ongoing thing. 583 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,800 The picture is this how many times must our eyes be 584 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:19,000 spiritually? Open. 585 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:24,100 One time, one time once your eyes are open spiritually, they 586 00:33:24,100 --> 00:33:28,000 are opened. But how often do we need to have 587 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:33,000 our eyes, enlightened all the time, right every day. 588 00:33:33,700 --> 00:33:36,000 I've said this before, and I'll probably say it again. 589 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,900 I know it sounds cliche, I grew up in a Christian home, went to 590 00:33:38,900 --> 00:33:41,300 a Christian School. I've heard all my life that were 591 00:33:41,300 --> 00:33:45,600 to read our Bible every day and, you know, we can make it sound 592 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,500 almost like a, you know, like a kid Sunday school song or a 593 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:51,600 Touche, read your Bible every day. 594 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:55,900 You know, how often we should read our Bible every day, right? 595 00:33:56,700 --> 00:33:59,500 Read your Bible every day. Be in the word of God. 596 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:01,800 Why? So, our eyes can be opened. 597 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,000 Well, know if you're here this morning and you're saved your 598 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:07,300 eyes are open, your eyes have been open to the truth of the 599 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:10,800 word of God. But we need continual 600 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:13,199 Enlightenment from the word of God. 601 00:34:13,199 --> 00:34:15,800 We need to have our eyes, enlightened by the word of God, 602 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:21,199 on a regular basis, why? Well as, as we saw in first 603 00:34:21,199 --> 00:34:25,000 Samuel 14, those that did not have their eyes and light and 604 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,699 they got faint and but they pressed on. 605 00:34:27,900 --> 00:34:29,600 Praise the Lord. Let's keep going. 606 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:31,699 Keep swinging that sword. Keep fighting that battle. 607 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,300 They got very faint now, can't quit. 608 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:36,900 Now, come too far to turn back. Just keep pressing. 609 00:34:36,900 --> 00:34:39,600 Keep pressing. Keep pressing all the a sudden 610 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:41,800 now they're starving. They feel like they're going to 611 00:34:42,199 --> 00:34:44,199 fall over dead. You know. 612 00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:46,500 It's like Esau, you know, give me. 613 00:34:46,900 --> 00:34:49,500 Give me a bowl of soup before I literally died. 614 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:52,500 Of course, he wasn't going to literally die, but you know, 615 00:34:52,500 --> 00:34:56,199 when you're starving boy you just feel like, huh, do anything 616 00:34:56,699 --> 00:34:59,600 for something to eat, whether you feel like you're starving or 617 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:02,900 literally starving the response, often times is the same, right? 618 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:06,700 It's the same thing, spiritually, Spiritually. 619 00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:09,400 We get to the point where we're just starving for the word of 620 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:12,900 God and we have at that point two choices, run to the word of 621 00:35:12,900 --> 00:35:15,900 God or fall into some sin, right? 622 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:17,600 And may we choose the word of God. 623 00:35:18,300 --> 00:35:20,800 You know, we're going to end it, just a few moments were going to 624 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:24,600 pray over those scriptures and the John and Romans are 625 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:28,900 designed. With with an Evangelistic 626 00:35:28,900 --> 00:35:32,100 purpose in mind. So folks could have that booklet 627 00:35:32,100 --> 00:35:36,200 John and Romans in booklet form so that their eyes can be opened 628 00:35:36,500 --> 00:35:39,900 as they read those verses. And as they go through that 629 00:35:39,900 --> 00:35:43,600 marked Edition and read those highlighted verses, and come to 630 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:46,800 realize that they're a sinner in need of a savior and that Christ 631 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:50,000 came and, you know, the the gospel in a nutshell 1st 632 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:54,100 Corinthians 15. That Paul gives to that church 633 00:35:54,100 --> 00:35:57,200 that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures and 634 00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:58,800 that he was buried and that he rose again. 635 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,500 According to the scriptures. I mean that the death burial and 636 00:36:01,500 --> 00:36:05,600 resurrection of the Lord. Jesus Christ is is the gospel. 637 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,700 The message that we give and those John and Romans are given 638 00:36:08,900 --> 00:36:12,700 for that purpose so that their eyes will be opened. 639 00:36:13,100 --> 00:36:15,700 So that they come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus 640 00:36:15,700 --> 00:36:18,200 Christ. And that's so important, but 641 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:20,800 bearing precious seed they also print New Testaments and they 642 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:24,800 also print whole Why? Because when a person gets saved 643 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:27,700 though, the word of God is that Incorruptible seed by which 644 00:36:27,700 --> 00:36:31,800 they're born again. The word of God is also by what 645 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:34,900 we grow. It's also, what cleanses us on a 646 00:36:34,900 --> 00:36:39,700 daily basis, you know, again picture the picture of the 647 00:36:39,700 --> 00:36:42,800 Tabernacle in the wilderness and you walk through that gate and 648 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,300 the first thing you come to is the Altar and the altar is given 649 00:36:46,300 --> 00:36:49,100 very with, very specific dimensions. 650 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,000 But after the altar, you come to the Laver. 651 00:36:52,300 --> 00:36:55,500 And it's interesting, if you study all of the furniture of 652 00:36:55,500 --> 00:36:58,600 the Tabernacle, the Laver is the only thing that it doesn't give 653 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:02,000 us the size of it. Doesn't tell us how big it is. 654 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:06,200 What's the picture you first approached the Altar and for us 655 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,400 we go to the altar. Once we go to the Cross. 656 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,800 Once for salvation, how often do we though? 657 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:17,000 Go for cleansing? As often as we need it as often 658 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,300 as we need it. And that's what the word of God 659 00:37:19,300 --> 00:37:21,700 is for us as Believers. If you're here this morning and 660 00:37:21,700 --> 00:37:25,900 you're not saved your greatest need is for your eyes to be 661 00:37:25,900 --> 00:37:29,400 opened. To trust Christ for salvation to 662 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,700 realize that he came. He died. 663 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:35,900 He was buried. He rose again, he died for our 664 00:37:35,900 --> 00:37:37,300 sins. He died for my sins. 665 00:37:37,300 --> 00:37:40,700 He died for your sins and through faith in the blood of 666 00:37:40,700 --> 00:37:42,000 Christ faith. In the Lord. 667 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,400 Jesus Christ. All who call upon the name of 668 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:48,500 the Lord shall be saved. Your eyes can be opened and you 669 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:50,800 can have salvation. You can settle that today. 670 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:54,000 But if you're here this morning and you are saved and I would 671 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,200 say that's probably many if not most of us. 672 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:59,300 If you know Christ as Savior your eyes have been opened but 673 00:37:59,300 --> 00:38:03,000 are they enlightened are your eyes and lightened to the truth 674 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:06,100 of God's word? Because folks, if we're going to 675 00:38:06,100 --> 00:38:09,500 be the type of Christian that God wants us to be, if we're 676 00:38:09,500 --> 00:38:11,700 going to be the type of Christian, if we're going to be 677 00:38:11,700 --> 00:38:14,200 like the picture of Jonathan saying, you know what, there's a 678 00:38:14,207 --> 00:38:16,100 battle to fight. Let's get something done for the 679 00:38:16,100 --> 00:38:17,800 Lord. Are not going to be able to do 680 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:19,500 it under our own strength and power. 681 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:24,000 We have to have what is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, we 682 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:27,300 have to have our eyes and light and by the word of God, Amen. 683 00:38:42,300 --> 00:38:45,000 Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of 684 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,800 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 685 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:51,300 to you or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 686 00:38:51,300 --> 00:38:56,100 know by contacting us at info, at my Liberty Baptist dot org, 687 00:38:56,200 --> 00:38:59,400 or you can visit us this Sunday at eight hundred Washington 688 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,600 Street in Eastern. Massachusetts, may the Lord 689 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:04,900 bless you as you grow in his word.