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 --> 00:00:22,080 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:29,080 Luke chapter #18 And I will, as I mentioned, not be here for the 8 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,640 Sunday before Thanksgiving. So I thought it'd be appropriate 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,440 for me today to preach on more of a Thanksgiving theme. 10 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,080 And so that's what we'll do here this morning from Luke chapter 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,280 #18 And I have to admit, Thanksgiving is probably one of 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,440 my favorite holidays. I really do enjoy Thanksgiving. 13 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,200 It's always caused me a little bit of heartburn to know. 14 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,800 That it seems like the way that it works now is it as soon as 15 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,080 November 1st hits, it's all Christmas. 16 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,720 And there's almost no thought of Thanksgiving. 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,200 You already see the Christmas decor going up. 18 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,280 You can already see the trees going up. 19 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:02,960 And those are got to be artificial trees. 20 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,080 There's no way those trees are going to be able to last from 21 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,320 January 1st, well, November 1st, all the way until after. 22 00:01:08,320 --> 00:01:10,600 Christmas. And so people are putting all 23 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,440 those things up and look, if you that's what you want to do, 24 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,400 look, that's between you and the Lord. 25 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,920 All right, I'm not getting involved in what your home decor 26 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,720 decisions are. But I will say there's a lot of 27 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:23,080 discouragement on my end. The fact that people forget how 28 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,920 wonderful Thanksgiving truly is. And it's amazing to me that we 29 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,680 live probably, what, about 45 minutes from where they would 30 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,040 have celebrated the very first Thanksgiving in Plymouth. 31 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:38,280 And the governor at that time, William Bradford, wrote in 32 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,720 Plymouth Plantation. The fact that, yes, their 33 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,560 Thanksgiving would have looked a little bit different than ours 34 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,280 would have in the sense that they didn't have stuffing and 35 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,480 pumpkin pie and those types of things. 36 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,960 That they certainly had Turkey as well as other wild fallow. 37 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:58,160 And they said there was a great store of wild turkeys of which 38 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,520 they took many. Besides venison and other game 39 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,520 meet as well. Now, think about this. 40 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,880 For Thanksgiving 2025, it's estimated that about 30 million 41 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:13,480 turkeys will be enjoyed, 30 million turkeys here in the 42 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,320 United States alone, nearly 87% of Americans surveyed by the 43 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,960 National Turkey Federation. I'd love to go to one of those 44 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:20,680 meetings. You know the. 45 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:24,640 National Turkey Federation. But there's a real group that 46 00:02:24,640 --> 00:02:28,520 has said nearly 87% of Americans surveyed plan to eat Turkey on 47 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,440 Thanksgiving. With the average weight of 48 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,320 turkeys per just for Thanksgiving around 16 lbs, that 49 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:38,360 means somewhere around £480 million of Turkey will be eaten 50 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,160 on that day, or maybe more accurately, on that day and in 51 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,160 sandwiches the days after Thanksgiving as well. 52 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,360 Of course, we know that the American symbol of the American 53 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,560 bird, if you will, is the bald eagle. 54 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,640 But did you know that Benjamin Franklin was very upset with the 55 00:02:54,640 --> 00:02:57,840 bald eagle being named as the national bird? 56 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,640 He said that the bald eagle had very bad moral character. 57 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:02,680 Now, I don't know how he knew that. 58 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,040 Maybe sat down with a couple of them and, you know, talk with 59 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:06,440 him a little bit. I'm not sure. 60 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,760 I'm sure it's because it's a scavenger bird more than 61 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,080 anything. But Benjamin Franklin's idea, by 62 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,080 the way, Benjamin Franklin, a lot of good ideas, one of his 63 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,680 worst ideas, making the Turkey the national bird. 64 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,600 Now thankfully that was wholeheartedly rejected. 65 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,240 The largest Turkey ever raised that that has been found and 66 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:32,120 raised 86 lbs and 86 LB Turkey. And I have so many questions 67 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,720 about that that we cannot cover in the few minutes that I'm 68 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:36,360 here. That's a big Turkey. 69 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,120 Now I will say this, that the Bible records an even greater 70 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:45,240 and larger Turkey, that 87 LB Turkey that I just mentioned. 71 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,720 That Turkey is mentioned in the text that we're in here in Luke 72 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,680 chapter 18. You say, pastor a real Turkey. 73 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:56,160 Well, OK, maybe I'm kind of pushing it a little bit, but 74 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,920 there was someone who acts in a way that is very Turkey like. 75 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,720 And there is someone who does not understand truly what being 76 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,600 thankful is all about. And you might say, well, pastor, 77 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,440 listen, we, we love Thanksgiving around here. 78 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,320 We live in New England. Thanksgiving's a big thing. 79 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:16,920 Listen, you can love the day, you can love the food and not 80 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,240 understand a lick about what true biblical Thanksgiving is 81 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:22,800 all about. And that's what I want to look 82 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,880 at here this morning from Luke chapter #18 So if you would, 83 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,160 would you please stand for the reading of God's Word, Luke 84 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:33,360 chapter 18 in verse #9 By the way, the sermon today is 85 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,080 sponsored by the National Turkey Federation. 86 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:36,200 I just thought I'd put that out there. 87 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:42,080 No, that's not true. Verse 9 says And he, this being 88 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,120 Jesus, spake this parable unto certain, which trusted in 89 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,720 themselves that they were righteous and despised others. 90 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,400 Now keep verse 9 in mind. What we're going to read in the 91 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:54,240 next few verses makes more sense in the context of who Jesus is 92 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,200 speaking this parable to. Two men went up into the temple 93 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:02,000 to pray, the 1A Pharisee and the other a publican. 94 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,800 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. 95 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:09,000 God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners, 96 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,880 unjust adulterers, or even as this publican. 97 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,840 I fast twice in the week, I give ties of all that I possess. 98 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,360 And the publican standing afar off, without, lift up much as 99 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:24,400 his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be 100 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,720 merciful to me a Sinner. And Jesus sums up this parable 101 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,960 by saying this. I tell you this man went down to 102 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,320 his house justified rather than the other. 103 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:37,720 For everyone that exalted themselves shall be a based. 104 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:41,920 And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 105 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,560 There's a key to Thanksgiving that is found here. 106 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:48,040 Not in the biggest Turkey. I think you figured out who that 107 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:53,240 was, the Pharisee. But in that humble publican, and 108 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,800 it might not be as simple as you think, that sense that humble 109 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,920 publican doesn't actually go together the way you would think 110 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,360 it would at first. But there's something about his 111 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,800 life that was lacking in the Pharisee that should be an 112 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,520 encouragement and help to us this morning. 113 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,000 Why don't you be seated as we pray together here today. 114 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,160 Heavenly Father, do pray to be with us this morning. 115 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,400 Thank you again for this time. Thank you again for your word. 116 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,360 I pray that we would learn from this Pharisee and this publican 117 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:24,120 one who had the right outlook on humility and Thanksgiving, the 118 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,440 other did not. Or help us to look at their 119 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,640 lives and make sure that we have the right posture, not just for 120 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:34,120 this 4th Thursday of November, but Lord that we would have 121 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,920 every day as well. Thank you again for this time 122 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,640 and we ask it all in Jesus name. Amen. 123 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,560 Well, first of all, we see this Thanksgiving Turkey, if you 124 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,080 will, and that Turkey, yes, is the Pharisee. 125 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,920 Now, you might ask yourself this morning, who is a Pharisee or 126 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,240 what is a Pharisee? I know we come from different 127 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,360 backgrounds and some of you have been in church longer and some 128 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,120 of you have been in church not as long. 129 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,720 I think it's important for us to give at least a little bit of an 130 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,960 understanding of who this Pharisee was. 131 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,200 A Pharisee would have been a religious leader at the time. 132 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,280 A Pharisee would have been someone who was highly regarded 133 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,520 and looked upon as very, very spiritual. 134 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,040 It would be nothing for people to see a Pharisee go to the 135 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,240 temple to pray. It would be nothing for people 136 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,400 to see a Pharisee to be standing on a street corner and praying. 137 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,480 The problem with the Pharisee was not what they were doing. 138 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,600 The problem with the Pharisee was the heart behind what they 139 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,800 were doing. The thing was that they had no 140 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,240 real desire to draw closer to God. 141 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,760 They had no real desire to have a real relationship with God. 142 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,440 They constantly wanted to be seen of men. 143 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,160 They constantly wanted to have people look at them and say wow, 144 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,840 look at that Pharisee. Look at how he stresses, look at 145 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:41,560 what he does. Look at how he prays. 146 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:43,920 Look, look at how he handles himself. 147 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,360 That truly is a godly man. And this was a man who would 148 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,000 have been respected that as people looked upon the 149 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,880 Pharisees, not knowing the hearts, but just looking on the 150 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,520 outward appearance, people would have looked at the Pharisees and 151 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,040 would have respected them as spiritual leaders. 152 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,760 But listen, this morning this Bible says this in first Samuel 153 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:06,360 chapter #16 that man looks on the outward appearance, God 154 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,680 looks upon the heart. And here this Pharisee may have 155 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,640 looked good on the outside, but Jesus would later on explain the 156 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,880 Pharisees as this whited sepulchers, meaning this, that 157 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,520 they sure did look good on the outside, but on the inside they 158 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,480 were filled with nothing but death. 159 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,120 And so here's this Pharisee and he had some problems. 160 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,920 The first was that he was unrealistic. 161 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,840 He was unrealistic, He was haughty, and he was proud like 162 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:34,159 many of the Pharisees. And in his estimation, he had, I 163 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:36,960 would put it this way, more of God than everyone else did. 164 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:41,080 In his mind, he was the one that had the corner on religion. 165 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:44,400 He was the one who had a corner on being able to have a real 166 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:48,040 relationship with God. But he was unrealistic about who 167 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,360 he was. Look again at verse #11 It says 168 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,560 the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. 169 00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:58,080 Now stop right there a moment. No truer words could be found in 170 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,680 this parable than when it says that he prayed with himself, 171 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,080 meaning this God was nowhere near this. 172 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,360 Prayer do. You know this morning that if 173 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,280 you have. Sin in your heart that is 174 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:12,760 unconfessed that you can pray with yourself, but you can't 175 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,720 pray with God. Blasphemy, you might say God 176 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,240 will always hear me when I pray God, God will always listen to 177 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:21,760 me. There's never a time that God 178 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,960 won't listen to you. No, it's not that God can't 179 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,320 listen to you. We know what God's abilities 180 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,880 are, that He's omnipresent, that He's omnipotent. 181 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,840 We understand these things, but that God chooses to not hear our 182 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,360 prayers when we have iniquity within our heart. 183 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:40,200 That's why it says in Psalm 66, verse 18, if I regard iniquity 184 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:41,880 in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. 185 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,440 This man was unrealistic. He thought he was close to God. 186 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,000 He thought he was doing well. Do you see what he says about 187 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,120 himself? He says I'm not like other 188 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:50,960 people. We'll look at that in a moment. 189 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:53,600 I'm not like all of these other people, including this publican. 190 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:55,440 He says I fast twice in the week. 191 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,120 Now, by the way, that's typically twice more than I fast 192 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,960 in a week. I'm sure not going to fast on 193 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,520 Thanksgiving week unless I'm fasting on Wednesday to make 194 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:07,880 more room for Thursday. Not fast twice in a week. 195 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,040 I tithe on everything. By the way, that meant that he 196 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:14,920 gave 10% not just of his money, but 10% of any increase that he 197 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,080 had. Oh man, he was doing everything 198 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,800 that the law told him to do. There's only one problem. 199 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,080 That law was designed to be able to show him his need for God, 200 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:30,400 and that law instead he took as. How good he was in himself and 201 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,200 he was completely unrealistic about who he was. 202 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,720 In relation to God today, there's a very basic place that 203 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,120 you can start. Are you realistic about where 204 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:45,720 you stand with the Lord today? I mean, are you willing to get 205 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:50,080 real with the Lord here today? Are you far from God this 206 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,160 morning? Perhaps you're not on speaking 207 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,400 terms like you once were. Perhaps you are disobeying Him 208 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,600 and and you're not confessing those sins before the Lord. 209 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,680 Listen at least this morning as you hear the word of God preach 210 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:05,040 at least this morning. Why you have to stare, hurt me 211 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:06,400 for the next few minutes at least. 212 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,320 Be realistic about where you are spiritually. 213 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,520 Wouldn't it be a shame to come to church and to leave church 214 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:14,920 and never be honest about yourself with where you are 215 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,320 spiritually? To never be honest with where 216 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,520 you stand before Him with the gospel, To never be honest with 217 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,120 yourself to that maybe you've fallen far from the Lord. 218 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,240 Listen, can I tell you the people, and I've mentioned this 219 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,800 before, the people that I enjoy pastoring the most, It's not the 220 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:33,040 people who fast twice a week necessarily and tithe over all 221 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,520 their goods. Now, I don't know who ties on 222 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:36,800 goods or whatever because I don't count the offerings, but 223 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:38,400 you understand what I'm saying this morning. 224 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:41,760 The people that I enjoy working with the most are the ones who 225 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:43,240 are realistic about where they are. 226 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:47,160 Spiritually, some of you don't seem to agree with that. 227 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:48,400 That's OK. You don't have to speak for me, 228 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,800 but I'll speak for me. As a pastor, it's a lot easier 229 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:56,200 to work with someone who says this, I know who I am and I know 230 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:00,440 I've got work to do, then for someone to be able to say I, I 231 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:05,320 am God's gift to the church. I am God's gift to my family. 232 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:09,280 I am God's gift to listen, when you get to that place and you're 233 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,400 not realistic about where you are spiritually, it's a very 234 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,000 difficult thing. And this man was not realistic 235 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,280 about where he was, but he wasn't just unrealistic, he was 236 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:19,520 unsympathetic as. Well, did you catch that in 237 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,960 verse #11 I stopped right in the middle as we read it a few 238 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,280 moments ago. He says, God, I thank thee that 239 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:29,840 I am not as other men. Are extortioners unjust 240 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,840 adulterers? Or even as this publican now? 241 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,920 He looked at the downtrodden. He looked at those who are 242 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,040 having difficulty in their spiritual life. 243 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,600 And instead of having pity, instead of having care, instead 244 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,240 of as a religious leader trying to do what he could to minister 245 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:53,840 the Lord unto that person, he looks at them and uses them in 246 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,200 an illustration, in his own prayer to God. 247 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,960 He says God. You don't know how good you have 248 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:06,760 it with me. I could be an extortioner, I 249 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:11,240 could be an adulterer. I could be like this publican 250 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:12,720 over here. We'll talk about what that means 251 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,000 in. Just a moment, I could be like 252 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,600 this publican, but instead, Lord, I've got good news. 253 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:24,080 I'm me, I'm a Pharisee. Well, I'll remind you that there 254 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,200 would have been a Pharisee who, in a different parable of a Good 255 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:33,200 Samaritan, saw someone in need and his faith, quote UN quote, 256 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:35,720 didn't even cause him to go across the street to help 257 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,480 someone who needed it. Oh, he was unsympathetic to the 258 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,760 needs of others. Listen, it's hard to be truly 259 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,800 thankful in your spiritual life when you have such a lofty 260 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,800 opinion of yourself. You know why? 261 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:55,400 Because other people just get in your way. 262 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,520 To be honest with you, there are times the pastor, if I'm not 263 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,800 careful, I get a call. There could be a situation and 264 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:07,120 my first response could be, I can't believe I have to deal 265 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,240 with this, with that person, with this issue. 266 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:14,080 Here they go again. You say, pastor, do you really 267 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,400 feel that way? Well, in my flesh I do at times. 268 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:22,440 Sure, I'm being honest with you today, but aren't you glad that 269 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,160 our Lord and Savior, when we come to Him in prayer, never 270 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:30,720 says you're here again? How many times have we talked 271 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,280 about this? How many times but but he he's 272 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,840 not the God of second chances. We blew past the second chance a 273 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:42,000 long time ago, but he's the God of multiple chances, of dozens 274 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,840 of chances and he's still there. And if he could have pity on us 275 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,800 and if he'd see our frame that we are but dust, then we need to 276 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,840 be able to look at others and say, yes, I see their need. 277 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,200 I see their issue. And that doesn't mean I agree 278 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:56,720 with it. It doesn't mean that I approve 279 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,840 sin. I won't do that, but I will 280 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,680 minister them the love, the mercy, and the grace of Jesus 281 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,120 Christ. But this man just looked at the 282 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:05,960 downtrodden. This man just looked at those 283 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,560 who are in sin and said this. I'm glad I'm not. 284 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,440 Like them. But here's the problem. 285 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:16,080 He was unsympathetic, He was unrealistic, but he was also 286 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:18,920 unjust. Say unjust. 287 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:20,960 What do you mean? Well Jesus said at the end of 288 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,280 the parable, only one of them left the temple. 289 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,680 Justified meaning this. Only one of them left right with 290 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,800 God. The Pharisee, the respected 291 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:34,720 religious man, left not right with God. 292 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,560 And isn't that the point of going to the temple for them was 293 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,120 to make sure that they had a right relationship with God? 294 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:46,080 Think about this. He left not receiving what he 295 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:50,960 never asked for. The pastor, did you mean to say 296 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:55,160 that I did? He left not receiving what he 297 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,840 never asked for. What should he have asked for? 298 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,160 Forgiveness. He never asked for it. 299 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:02,280 So what? He never received it. 300 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:07,720 Wouldn't it be a shame to come to church to get up early? 301 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,120 By by the way, we always look at Sunday being early like it's 302 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,760 usually later than the other days of the week, but we look at 303 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,400 Sunday as being the early day. But let's just say for the sake 304 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:22,840 of argument, we get up early, we come to church, we we sing the 305 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:28,560 songs, we give the offerings, we stand up, we sit down, we 306 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:34,320 worship, we do all the things and leave and never receive what 307 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,040 we never asked for. What is that? 308 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:42,240 Well, that we leave here closer to God than when we came in. 309 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,360 What does that mean? That while we're here, we 310 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:47,880 recognize there's sinfulness within my life. 311 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:49,840 There's things that aren't right. 312 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,800 I want to confess them before the Lord so I can be right with 313 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:58,400 him. Well, nobody knew this man's 314 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,320 heart. The Pharisee didn't even 315 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:05,319 recognize his own heart. But here's the thing, God knew 316 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:08,400 his heart and we could look good on the outside. 317 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:10,800 We can come and say all the right things and dress the right 318 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,800 way and act the right way. But wouldn't it be ashamed to do 319 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,400 that for days, months, or even years in church and never really 320 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,760 get what this church is all about? 321 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,160 Which is what? Getting right with the Lord. 322 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:25,480 Make sure that you're right with him. 323 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,680 We don't just come here because it's our Sunday habit. 324 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,800 We don't just come here because it's just the place to be. 325 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:34,320 We don't come here because the beautiful. 326 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:38,720 Building Why do we come here? Because this is a place God is 327 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:43,000 designated for us to meet with him and to get right in our 328 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,360 lives and to be encouraged and to be able to chip away those 329 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:49,560 things that are not Christ like so that we can be more Christ 330 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:55,600 like than when we came in. And this biblical Turkey didn't 331 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:59,520 get any of it. He stood there in church and 332 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,760 missed the point. He left feeling so good about 333 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:04,280 himself. But Jesus said he didn't leave 334 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,680 justified. He didn't leave right with me. 335 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,240 So compare this Thanksgiving Turkey if you will, to the 336 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:14,000 thankful tax collector. You say, pastor, where is a tax 337 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,160 collector here? I read this, but I didn't see 338 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,080 anywhere where it mentioned anything about tax collector. 339 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,680 Well, that tax collector would have been the publican. 340 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,880 That publican was another word that they would have used that 341 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,920 time for a tax collector. Now, no one today has a whole 342 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:28,840 lot of regard for tax collectors. 343 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,000 I, I imagine if you're here and you're working with the IRS, 344 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,400 first of all, thank you for joining us. 345 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:37,120 Secondly, don't mention anything else about your job. 346 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:39,440 All right to anyone. Else all right, but I I think 347 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,560 we're all OK here. But listen, just the nervous 348 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:45,320 laughter you just had shows the regard we have for the tax man. 349 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,200 It was even worse back then. Why? 350 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,600 The publican typically was an extortioner. 351 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:53,280 The publican typically was a thief. 352 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:54,360 You say, well, how do you know that? 353 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:58,400 Zacchaeus is a good example. He took for the government and 354 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,920 then he took for himself. In fact, they were the lowest 355 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:07,640 regarded of the people because the tax collectors in that time 356 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,680 period there in Israel came from Israel and worked for the Roman 357 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,680 occupiers, which meant this the publicans were typically looked 358 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,080 at as turncoats as well as thieves. 359 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:23,880 So here you have the publican, or the the the Pharisee rather, 360 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:27,320 who was respected. But then you have this publican 361 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:31,360 who was repugnant to the people. Nobody liked him, nobody wanted 362 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:33,400 to talk to him, nobody wanted to hang around him. 363 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,760 If you saw him on one side of the street and you were walking 364 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,080 on the same side of the street, you'd walk to the other side of 365 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,000 the street because you didn't want him to see you, because he 366 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,880 might ask you for money. And you would have no recourse 367 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,320 but to give him that which he asked for because he was 368 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,600 deputized on behalf of the Roman Empire. 369 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:49,760 So no one's looking at his public and then saying, hey, 370 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:51,520 this is a great guy. No one's. 371 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,680 Looking at him and saying this is a man who is right with God, 372 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:59,440 but yet man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the 373 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:01,920 heart. See, the first thing I see about 374 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:05,640 this thankful tax collector is that he was unpretentious. 375 00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:09,800 There's no pretense about him. Look at what it says in verse 376 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,480 #13. It says he stood afar off, he 377 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:14,760 didn't couldn't even bring himself to draw close to the 378 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,880 Lord. It says that he would not so 379 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:19,800 much lift up his eyes unto heaven. 380 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,760 It says he smote his breast. Do you know what all of these 381 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,960 activities, his posture, if you will, do you know what all of 382 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:32,200 this suggests? He saw himself for who he was, a 383 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:36,120 man in need of God. There was no pretense 384 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:38,640 whatsoever. During the Civil War, someone 385 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,600 reported to Abraham Lincoln that Edwin Stanton, one of his 386 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,400 cabinet members, had referred to him as a fool. 387 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,800 Mr. Lincoln replied. Well, I must check into that, 388 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,320 for I found he is usually correct in his judgments. 389 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,680 He said that of himself. Now, that might be a little bit 390 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,800 extreme, but the idea is this, are we so full of ourself? 391 00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:03,680 Are we so full of where we think we are spiritually that we're 392 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,880 not able to do a little bit of unpretentious introspection into 393 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:11,640 our life and to say maybe I'm not as far as I thought I was? 394 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:13,600 Now, I'm not trying to convince you that you're not right with 395 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:15,480 God this morning. Either you are or you aren't. 396 00:21:16,360 --> 00:21:20,640 But I will say this, every single one of us can do better 397 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,120 in drawing closer to the Lord. In fact, if you came here this 398 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:25,960 morning, say actually pastor, I'm doing pretty good. 399 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:30,000 I can't even identify one area of my life that I can find 400 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,360 improvement in my relationship with the Lord. 401 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:36,800 Well, you might have more in common with the first man than 402 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,640 the second man. Because if I was to stand up 403 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:41,840 here and give you a list over the next 5 minutes of things 404 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:44,520 that I need to improve my Christian life, 5 wouldn't. 405 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:46,640 Minutes wouldn't cover the amount of time I need to write 406 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,360 it all down. Is it? 407 00:21:48,360 --> 00:21:49,640 What were you? Proud of your sin? 408 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,320 No, quite the opposite. I'm just saying He's still 409 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,680 working on me and I know that every day that I need to draw 410 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:57,080 closer. That's why I need to be in His 411 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:58,520 Word. That's why I need to be in 412 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,720 prayer, because there's so much that He's chipping away at me. 413 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:05,440 And until I get to glory every day, I want Him to show me a 414 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,360 little bit more so I can be right with Him. 415 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,480 No pretense. The issue is this, though. 416 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,880 You got to be humble. You know why nobody likes to be 417 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,240 told they're wrong? Now I've got a very interesting 418 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,720 job for 30 to 40 minutes three times a week. 419 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,600 I tell you you're wrong and you can't do anything about it. 420 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:28,480 Well, I mean, you could, but actually, let's not cover that 421 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,360 part. Yeah, you could not come back. 422 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:32,880 I guess. I've had a few people stand up 423 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,800 and leave during a sermon. I've had my son a few weeks ago 424 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:39,600 told me I was fired. And there were a lot of people 425 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:41,480 that were like, yeah. All right, Yeah. 426 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,680 They wouldn't say it themselves, but they were with AJ, you know? 427 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,440 But you know, humility is the key because you have to be able 428 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,240 to look at yourself and see yourself or who you are. 429 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:54,480 That's right. Who, who, who was the most 430 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:57,760 humble of all? Would that not be Jesus Christ? 431 00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:03,800 Who exhibited humility? If anyone, if anyone, could have 432 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,400 ever been exempt from humility, it could have been Jesus. 433 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:08,400 Why? Because he's. 434 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:14,160 Everything but yet even Jesus modeled humility to us. 435 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:18,600 Read Philippians chapter 2 and try to find the fact that he's 436 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,640 humble. You'll see it all over that he 437 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:24,360 humbled himself. The came from the very highest 438 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:32,120 of heaven to be with us and then we and you say, well, I I didn't 439 00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:33,560 put him on a cross. Your sin did. 440 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:36,800 You may not have held the hammer, and you may not have 441 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,720 held the nails, but your sin and my sin put them on the cross 442 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,640 just the same. Humility. 443 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,520 Colossians 3, verses 12 through 15. 444 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:47,960 Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels 445 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,640 of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, 446 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,840 long-suffering for bearing one another, forgiving one another. 447 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:56,920 If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ 448 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:01,160 forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put 449 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,960 on charity, which is the bond of perfectness, and let the peace 450 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,400 of God rule in your heart parts to which also you're called in 451 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,840 one body. And be ye thankful. 452 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,880 You can't truly understand what thankfulness is all about. 453 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,600 And true, you have a humble posture. 454 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,480 When you're humble, you're grateful for what you. 455 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,680 Receive. When you're grateful for what 456 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,720 you receive, you're able to give thanks. 457 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:28,720 Maybe you would say something like this. 458 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:33,680 Well, Pastor, I'm humble. I mean, I, if people knew who I 459 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:39,360 was, they wouldn't be impressed. You know, that's maybe being 460 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,680 more halfway to humility because I think we all could admit that 461 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:45,240 to a point. People knew what I thought. 462 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,640 If people knew what I truly did, they wouldn't be impressed. 463 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:52,920 That's not humility. Humility is this. 464 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:59,720 I know who I am and I'm not impressed because I know I need 465 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:04,960 him every minute of every hour of every day. 466 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,280 Even the hymn says I need the every hour. 467 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,280 I need him more than every hour. There's not a minute that goes 468 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:13,520 by that I don't need him. But I would tell you in my 469 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:18,000 spiritual pride and arrogance, there are times I think I don't 470 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,000 need him. I run on autopilot. 471 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,080 I'm good. I'm a pastor after all. 472 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:28,160 Well, I need him just as much as anyone else does. 473 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,320 And you need him as much as anyone else does. 474 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,640 This thankful tax collector was unpretentious. 475 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,760 He was also unambitious. What was the? 476 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,400 Pharisee doing while he was praying, he was praying like 477 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,280 this. I'm sure glad I'm not like him, 478 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,720 but what was this publican doing? 479 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,600 He he wasn't looking at the Pharisee. 480 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:53,760 In fact he wasn't even looking up at heaven. 481 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:57,840 He was just looking down. And I'd submit to you. 482 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,960 He's looking to himself. And he didn't like what he saw. 483 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,960 You know, you might feel this morning, Well, I'm not all that 484 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,480 I need to be, but I'm better than my spouse. 485 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,920 You know, I'm not even trying to be cute about this. 486 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:13,880 This thought can go through our minds if we're not careful. 487 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,200 I'm better than my spouse. I'm better than my children. 488 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:20,960 I'm better than some of the church people. 489 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:23,520 I'm better than the people at work. 490 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:25,880 I'm better than what? What? 491 00:26:26,120 --> 00:26:30,080 Who thought like that? It was the Pharisee. 492 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,560 You know what Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse 12 says? 493 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,320 For we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare 494 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,560 ourselves with some that commend themselves. 495 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,000 But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing 496 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,080 themselves among themselves are not wise. 497 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,600 We don't get to compare ourselves to other people to see 498 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,600 how well we're doing spiritually. 499 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,240 Well, I'm doing better than the one in the Pew in front of me. 500 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,560 Well, I'm doing better than the one in the Pew behind me. 501 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,000 I'm doing better than someone in my Sunday school class. 502 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,080 I'm doing better than that new convert. 503 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,280 I'm doing better than listen. The only one you can truly 504 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,960 compare yourself to is this. Listen, Jesus Christ. 505 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,800 And every time we truly compare ourselves to Jesus Christ, we 506 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,080 are found. Wanting because I don't know 507 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:21,640 about you, but when I compare my life to Jesus, I am far from who 508 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:25,040 he's called me to be. So I don't get to compare myself 509 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,080 to any of you. I don't get to compare myself to 510 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,840 other pastors. I don't get to compare myself 511 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,720 with my family. The unpretentious, unambitious 512 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:38,200 nature of the truly humble child of God is this. 513 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:45,360 Lord, I look at me and I look at you, and I'm in need. 514 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,240 A great killer of a thankful spirit is looking around at what 515 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,880 other people have and what other people are. 516 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:55,160 You know, it's amazing that people will get gifts. 517 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,440 Sometimes they get big gifts, especially this time of year, 518 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,080 and they're really happy about them until they find out about a 519 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,400 gift that somebody else got that's bigger than their gift. 520 00:28:04,360 --> 00:28:06,680 And the gifts of the world oftentimes have strings 521 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:08,560 attached, don't they? I always love this time of year 522 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:12,200 that they have those commercials for a December to remember. 523 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:18,040 Get get your loved 1, Alexis. Now listen, if you come to my 524 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:22,280 house, my apartment, and park a Lexus. 525 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,320 In front of our apartment and say, pastor, we got you for 526 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:30,160 Christmas, Alexis, and here's the lease for you to pay. 527 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:34,800 I'd say take that back to the dealership. 528 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,040 I don't care if it's the 25th of December, park it in front and 529 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:39,880 be there when it opens on the 26th. 530 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:41,480 I don't want, but that's what the world does. 531 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:43,680 They need bigger, they need better and they need more. 532 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:47,280 Listen, thankfulness is this. I don't care what other people 533 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,600 have. Lord, I see who you are. 534 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:52,960 And I see who I am, and that's enough for me. 535 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:57,600 Contentment is not having what you want, but wanting what you 536 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:59,840 have. That's what true contentment is 537 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:02,240 not having. It's not having what you want, 538 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:06,320 but it's wanting what you have. So this man was unpretentious. 539 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:08,320 He's unambitious. But here's the best part. 540 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,600 He was unconditionally pardoned. What did Jesus say? 541 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:17,720 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather 542 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,080 for than the other. For everyone that exalted 543 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:23,240 themselves shall be a based and he that humbleth himself shall 544 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:25,920 be exalted. The Pharisee was supposed to 545 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:30,280 have the direct path to God. The publican was supposed to be 546 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:34,520 as far from God as possible. But Jesus flips the script. 547 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:39,360 He subverts the expectations. He says the Pharisee was the one 548 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:43,960 who was far. But that man that's Republican, 549 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:47,080 who was humble was the one who got right with God. 550 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:49,880 Why? Because it all comes down to the 551 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:51,720 heart. Now listen to me carefully this 552 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,560 morning. The key to unlocking all 553 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:59,280 spiritual gifts in your life is humility. 554 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,680 Say, why is that? Can you truly be saved? 555 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:08,320 Until you're humble, you don't realize your need for salvation. 556 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:13,320 You don't realize your sin. You don't realize that you can't 557 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:17,000 save yourself. Well, pastor, I'll just do 558 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:17,720 enough. Good. 559 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:23,520 That's not salvation, pastor. I'll just take the vessels of of 560 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,200 the sacraments that give grace through the Church. 561 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:31,440 That's not salvation. Well, I just I will do. 562 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,160 And every single one of those features, these two words I'll 563 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,120 do. But that's not what salvation 564 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,520 is. The humility is this. 565 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:46,360 I can't save myself. I see myself for who I am, but I 566 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:48,040 don't. I do know who can save me. 567 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,160 Jesus Christ, the proud don't ask for help. 568 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,520 I remember not that long ago, before we had GPSS and we get 569 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,200 lost. No man, I say, no man ought to 570 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:00,840 go in the gas station, ask for directions. 571 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:03,040 So I asked for, I asked for directions. 572 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:05,280 The gas station once. Listen, I'm. 573 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:06,520 Listen, that's between you and the Lord. 574 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:08,520 But practically speaking, you're dead to me, all right? 575 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:09,960 I don't want to. I don't want part of that. 576 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:11,800 All right? Listen, I'd rather be lost for 577 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,640 five hours and go and ask some guy at a gas station how to get 578 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:15,760 somewhere. You say, well, you're stupid. 579 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:16,440 Well. Listen, I said. 580 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,040 I had a lot to. Work on all right, I've 581 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:22,760 mentioned that already. But in our pride, we don't want 582 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:26,240 help. The humble among us say, I can't 583 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:31,320 do this myself, I need help. You can't be saved on your own. 584 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:33,960 You're not going to be just with God. 585 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,720 You won't be right with God. You will never be saved until 586 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,800 you get to the place we say Jesus. 587 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:42,280 Only you can save me. Have you had that time in your 588 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:44,400 life? Have you had a time and a place 589 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:46,040 where you have called upon Jesus Christ? 590 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,520 You know, I didn't ask what time you were baptized as a child. 591 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:50,640 I didn't ask what you joined a church. 592 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,880 I I didn't ask when you felt like you, you did a good deed 593 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,600 that really made the heart warm of another person. 594 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,960 No, what I'm asking is this. Do you know a time and a place 595 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:03,960 where you were born again? As Jesus said to Nicodemus, He 596 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:08,040 said you must be born again. It's a singular event that must 597 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:10,800 take place in your life and that doesn't happen until you humble 598 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:12,480 yourself. By the way, it took Nicodemus a 599 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,040 while to humble himself. Have to get to that point 600 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:18,000 because that night he seemed to think that Jesus didn't quite 601 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,160 have it all together. But we find that at the end of 602 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:25,080 Jesus life, who was there and who was faithful when many 603 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,040 others weren't. A man who humbled himself named 604 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:32,000 Nicodemus. But you know, if you are saved 605 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:34,560 here this morning, humility doesn't stop the day you get 606 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:38,160 saved. Humility continues. 607 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:41,360 And if we're to remain right with God, if we're to have a 608 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,280 thankful heart, we must remain humble. 609 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:47,760 It is the key to Thanksgiving, you know, not the key to the 610 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,840 day, the key to the heart that God calls us to have. 611 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,280 There's a lot of discontentment that pops up in our life. 612 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:56,480 And I will say this, there's a lot of discontentment that pops 613 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,680 up this time of year. Our expectations are not 614 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,400 fulfilled. What may be family gatherings 615 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:03,960 aren't all that we hope them to be. 616 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,440 Or we feel like our life isn't something that is from a 617 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:12,400 painting of Currier and Ives. Or we feel like our Thanksgiving 618 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:15,760 is not like a Norman Rockwell painting where the mom brings 619 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:17,560 out that huge Turkey and everyone's looks like they're 620 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:23,560 about to jump onto it. And we say, well, what do I have 621 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:26,640 to be thankful for? Child of God, may I remind you 622 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,960 that you have everything to be thankful for. 623 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,360 And you don't understand that until you're truly humble in 624 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:37,880 your spirit, not just to be saved, but for every moment of 625 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,520 our lives, after you have everything to be thankful for. 626 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:47,000 First Thessalonians 518 says this in everything, give thanks. 627 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:51,320 Now I could take an hour to preach just that phrase, and I 628 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:52,880 don't know we could reach the depths of it. 629 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:59,640 In everything, give thanks. But what follows is equally as 630 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:03,400 mind blowing as the first. In everything, give thanks for 631 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,120 this. Is the will of God in Christ 632 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,400 Jesus concerning you. Some of you might have questions 633 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:10,800 about what's God's will for your life? 634 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:14,320 What does he have for me? What direction do I need to go? 635 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,600 Where do I need to turn? I can't answer all those 636 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:21,719 questions for you in specificity this morning, but I can tell you 637 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:25,679 what God's will for your life is this Give thanks for everything. 638 00:34:26,639 --> 00:34:29,679 Give thanks for everything. You'll never do that until 639 00:34:29,679 --> 00:34:32,679 you're humble. Because there was a Turkey that 640 00:34:32,679 --> 00:34:35,960 thought it was all in himself and he missed it. 641 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:39,199 And there was a man who on the outside looked like he didn't 642 00:34:39,199 --> 00:34:41,520 have it together, but on the inside he realized this. 643 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:45,840 If I want to be right with God, I got to humble myself before 644 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:49,560 him. Are you giving thanks in your 645 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:53,600 life the way you should? Are you thankful for what you 646 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:56,960 have? Or you discontent wanting more, 647 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:01,120 say, pastor you, you're saying that I, I can't have a nice car. 648 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:02,640 You're saying I can't have a nice house. 649 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:04,520 Or you're saying I can't have have goods. 650 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:07,560 No, no, it's OK to have goods as long as those goods don't 651 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:12,040 control you. God does provide those types of 652 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:13,520 things and thank the Lord for that. 653 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:17,880 But when it's never enough, listen, goods will never satisfy 654 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:20,640 you. They'll never satisfy you. 655 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,440 Every time I get a new phone, I think, man, I'm gonna love this 656 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:25,760 phone. It's gonna be incredible. 657 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:27,520 And then after a week, it's like, man, it's pretty much like 658 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:32,480 the old phone. It's like, yeah, but now I've 659 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,920 got a contract. For another two years, man. 660 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:38,760 I thought this is going to satisfy no, this one's going to 661 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:43,040 satisfy me look look I I got before I had a 32 inch TV and 662 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:47,160 now I got a 42 inch TV and you put it up on the water man, this 663 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:49,280 is incredible and a couple. Weeks later, you think you know 664 00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:51,600 that wall could really support a bigger TV. 665 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:54,800 And now it's incredible. They're so cheap. 666 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:57,680 You can get like a 95 inch TV for like a nickel. 667 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:02,240 It's unbelievable. But it won't. 668 00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:05,120 Satisfy say, pastor, you're saying I can't have ATV in my 669 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:06,280 house? When did I say that? 670 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:10,240 I'm saying this, if you think it's going to satisfy you, 671 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,560 you're missing out. Why don't you just be thankful 672 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:16,600 for what you have, and if the Lord blesses you with more, be 673 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:18,920 thankful for that. But in the meantime, just be 674 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:20,840 thankful for what God has given you. 675 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:25,080 Are you thankful for the money you have or do you wish it was 676 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,000 more? Oh, here you go, Pastor. 677 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,200 You say I can't make more money. No, I mean we understand that 678 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,360 money is something that we need to live this life. 679 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:39,080 But you also need to realize that it cannot rule your life. 680 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:41,600 The Bible doesn't say that money is the root of all evil. 681 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:43,440 It doesn't say that. People misquote that all the 682 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,880 time. It says the love of money is the 683 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:50,200 root of all evil. That means this. 684 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:53,200 You'd be thankful for what you have. 685 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:55,480 You say I don't have much in the bank account. 686 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:58,880 You have more than 90% of the world, so you don't even know 687 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,200 what I have in the bank. No, but I understand what 90% of 688 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:05,680 the world has, and it's not much, and that even the poorest 689 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:09,840 among us is doing better than some of those who are fairly 690 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:14,280 wealthy in other countries. Be thankful for what you have. 691 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:16,640 Are you thankful for your health? 692 00:37:17,720 --> 00:37:21,480 Say, pastor, if you knew my health, there would be much to 693 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:24,200 be thankful for, and I understand that. 694 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:26,280 I want to be compassionate about that today, that some of you are 695 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,360 going through some very difficult health things. 696 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:32,160 I've had some deep and troubling times health wise in my life, 697 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:34,000 particularly in the last few years. 698 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,920 But I will say this, even the things that I've dealt with, I 699 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:40,000 knew when I was in the midst of it, I would get better by God's 700 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:42,520 grace. And there was something mentally 701 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:44,680 that was helpful. When you know, I don't feel well 702 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:46,400 today, but in a month I'll feel better. 703 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:48,360 There's something that can help you. 704 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:51,960 But when I look at some who have long term illness, including my 705 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:56,520 wife, and there is no promise of that, You're supposed to be 706 00:37:56,520 --> 00:38:01,040 thankful for that. That's a cruelty of which God is 707 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:04,320 inflicting upon us. No, it's not. 708 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,720 Paul understood this. Remember, Paul dealt with a 709 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:11,320 thorn in the flesh. We don't know what it was. 710 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:13,600 I believe it was physical and I believe that it was something 711 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:16,360 likely, or at least part of it dealt with his eyes. 712 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:18,440 It seems like he had difficulty with his eyesight. 713 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:21,760 He had, he had others that would write for him and sometimes he'd 714 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:25,480 say at the end of a epistle, see mine own handwriting. 715 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:28,720 It was almost like he knew he had to sign the end of a letter 716 00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:31,760 and it was, it was hard to read because he had difficulty. 717 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:33,160 Listen, you can believe that or not. 718 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:34,960 I'm not going to split fellowship with you over that. 719 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,320 I know this. I know that he had some thorn in 720 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:41,560 his flesh and he asked God three times to take it away. 721 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:44,400 But listen to this now. I want you to listen carefully 722 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,160 to what I'm saying. God loved him so much that he 723 00:38:47,160 --> 00:38:51,680 didn't take it away. That's hard. 724 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,040 God loved him so much that he didn't take it away. 725 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:58,040 Why? 2nd Corinthians 12 verses 7 726 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:00,120 through 9. And lest I should be exalted 727 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:02,240 above, measure through the abundance of revelations that 728 00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:04,720 was given to me, a thorn in the flesh. 729 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:07,280 The messenger of Satan to Buffett me, lest I should be 730 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:09,960 exalted above measure for this thing I besought the Lord 731 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:11,600 thrice, that it might depart from me. 732 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:16,720 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my 733 00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:18,440 strength is made perfect in weakness. 734 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:20,040 And so this is what Paul says about that. 735 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:23,920 Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, 736 00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:26,120 that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 737 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:29,160 He says this, I don't want my body to be this way. 738 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:30,880 I'm praying to God to take it away. 739 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:34,240 But God has revealed to me to be thankful for these situations 740 00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:38,280 because He has multiplied grace upon grace in my life that I can 741 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:40,320 have the power of God within my life. 742 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:44,120 He realized how good God was even in the midst. 743 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:46,640 Of the difficulties, so he could be thankful. 744 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:49,680 Are you thankful in the midst of your trials? 745 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:51,440 I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand this morning to 746 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,680 ask who's going through a trial because the problem is probably 747 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:55,440 most of us would raise our hands to be honest with you. 748 00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:59,040 I'm supposed to be thankful through trial OK pastor now 749 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:02,640 you're like the money thing OK, I get that you know the health. 750 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:04,600 I don't know about that but you're saying to be thankful 751 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:07,080 through trials. Is that are you crazy pastor? 752 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:10,720 Well, let's just talk to Peter about that He's in first Peter 753 00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:13,240 chapter 4 verse 12 through verse 14. 754 00:40:13,240 --> 00:40:15,760 Beloved, think not strange concerning the fiery trial which 755 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:19,000 is to try you as though some. Strange thing happened unto you, 756 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:25,440 but rejoice in so much as year partakers of Christ's 757 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:29,240 sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, you may be 758 00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:32,600 glad also with exceeding joy, if he be reproached for the name of 759 00:40:32,600 --> 00:40:34,840 Christ. Happier ye for the spirit of 760 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:38,400 glory, and God rested upon you. On their part he is evil spoken 761 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:40,080 of, but on your part He is glorified. 762 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:43,360 Again, Paul says it's in your trials. 763 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:47,440 You can even give thanks. This is if if you're being tried 764 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:50,080 in the name of Christ. That means you're not doing 765 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:53,280 anything wrong, but these trials just coming your way that you 766 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:55,240 rejoice it. Lord, thank You that You brought 767 00:40:55,240 --> 00:40:57,200 this to my life to make me stronger. 768 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,120 Not thankful for the situation itself, because some of those 769 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:03,200 situations can be pretty bleak and pretty difficult. 770 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:06,680 But know that God and his goodness, Romans 828 for the 771 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:10,000 believer will take the bad things of this life and he will 772 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:12,520 turn them into good. That's a good guy. 773 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:15,440 So what about the trials I go through because I've made 774 00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:18,280 mistakes? Well, there's been a few that we 775 00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:22,160 can all admit we've done with those Hebrews. 776 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:26,600 Chapter 12 reminds us, Hey, lift up your head to understand this. 777 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:30,600 God's correcting you through the trial because He loves you and 778 00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:33,480 He's part of the family. And if he didn't love you, he 779 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:36,480 wouldn't correct you. Because He loves you, He's 780 00:41:36,480 --> 00:41:39,680 willing to correct you to bring you back to him. 781 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:43,800 Man, we've got a good God and we've got a lot to be thankful 782 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:46,120 for. There is a story of a humble 783 00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:49,160 farmer who went into the city one day and when he did so, he 784 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:52,440 went to a restaurant. And as his habit was after he 785 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:55,400 ordered the meal and the meal came, he decided to pray. 786 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:58,320 He bowed his head and he prayed a simple prayer right there at 787 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:00,880 his table. As he lifted his head, he heard 788 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:05,800 a few teenagers behind him laughing, and he turned around 789 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:08,080 to look at them. And the teenagers said this. 790 00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:13,600 Hey pops, where you come from? Does everybody pray before they 791 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:13,840 eat? He. 792 00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:16,080 Just kind of looked back at them, he says. 793 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:22,840 Well, not everybody. The Hogs don't even that man 794 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:25,040 understood. I need to give thanks. 795 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:28,240 I need to give thanks for the food that's in front of me. 796 00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:32,200 I need to thank God for everything, listen in 797 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,320 everything. Give thanks for this is the will 798 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:38,520 of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 799 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,880 Thank Him, but you can't truly thank Him until you have a 800 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,280 posture of a publican and not the posture of a Pharisee. 801 00:42:47,320 --> 00:42:50,000 Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of 802 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,920 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 803 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:56,400 to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 804 00:42:56,400 --> 00:43:01,000 know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org. 805 00:43:01,280 --> 00:43:05,800 Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, 806 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:08,640 MA. May the Lord bless you as you 807 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:09,840 grow in His Word.