1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,040 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,760 Second Samuel chapter #6 is where we will be in the Word of 8 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:33,360 God as we continue our series, A Man after God's Own Heart. 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,400 And you know, there's a lot of different philosophies that are 10 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,440 out there today about how to bring people into church. 11 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,280 How do we bring people into church? 12 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,400 And a lot of those philosophies deal with this, with the belief, 13 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,040 and I would say a mistaken belief, but the belief that 14 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,760 church has largely become irrelevant today in society. 15 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:55,920 And maybe you've heard something along these lines. 16 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:57,960 Well, the church just isn't what it used to be. 17 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,720 And so the church is going to have to adapt or the church will 18 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,280 have to change if it wants to remain relevant within today's 19 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,360 society. And usually when those kind of 20 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,360 conversations take place, there's a lot of changes that 21 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,720 take place within the church house then. 22 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,320 A lot of. Changes, for instance the 23 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,200 presentation of how the church is portrayed. 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,600 It could end up looking a lot more like something you would 25 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,680 see at TD Garden or something from Great Woods or City Center 26 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,960 or whatever you called it whenever you were a kid when you 27 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,440 went over to those places that it looked something more that 28 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,440 was out of one of those large arenas than something that 29 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,120 maybe, well, felt like church. Perhaps the music started to 30 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,680 change and the music sounded like something that was more at 31 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:44,120 those venues than what you would expect it to be from a House of 32 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,400 God. There's a pastor that has 33 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,960 decided to look sloppy and he looks sloppy on purpose because 34 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,800 he wants to be able to kind of be more relatable. 35 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,880 In fact, it was ironic that I was coming in tonight. 36 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,880 I was dressed with the clothes that I was grilling in because I 37 00:01:57,880 --> 00:01:59,840 had to change into my suit here this evening. 38 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,680 I thought, wow, I'm here for a laid back on church service 39 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,800 night in my khakis, my shirts, untucked, everything. 40 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:06,200 Maybe I should just preach like this. 41 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,680 Like, no, that's I don't think that's what I want to do this 42 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:09,759 evening. But there are churches where 43 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:12,920 that is a purposeful decision for the pastor to go up into the 44 00:02:12,920 --> 00:02:14,840 pulpit. If they have a pulpit with 45 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,400 ripped jeans or a untucked shirt and have that kind of look to 46 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,000 look maybe more relatable, perhaps a church building that 47 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,240 looks a lot more than like a nightclub than something that 48 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,880 you would be able to relate to as a typical looking church. 49 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:35,040 So are churches irrelevant and need to be made relevant by 50 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,720 making these changes? My answer, as you could probably 51 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:39,400 imagine, by the suit that I'm wearing. 52 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,000 Tacky, maybe, but at least it's a suit all right. 53 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,680 But by the way, the building is, and by the type of music that we 54 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:47,920 have at all these things, the answer is this. 55 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,880 Are we irrelevant because we choose to make a difference 56 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:55,920 between US and the world? My answer would be no. 57 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,160 Actually, you're making ourselves, I believe, as 58 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,200 relevant as ever. Because if we attempt to look 59 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,080 like the world, then we just kind of get combined with 60 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,720 everything else that happens out in the world. 61 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,760 And it's our desire to be different from the world, not 62 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,200 for the sake of being different in and of itself, but to be able 63 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,440 to follow that which the Lord says, whether it's in precept or 64 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,480 in principle, that when the Bible speaks clearly about 65 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,640 something that we follow it. And when the Bible gives us 66 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,880 principles, we try to make sure that we follow those principles 67 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,800 within the church as best that we can as we apply them with the 68 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,320 Holy Spirit's help. Well, tonight we're going to see 69 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:36,240 that David is going to make his first administrative decision. 70 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,200 We already seen him go to battle the last time that we were in 71 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:41,600 the book of Second Samuel. But he's going to make an 72 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,200 administrative decision that's this, that the Ark of the 73 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,880 Covenant needs to go to the new capital city, what we would call 74 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,800 the city of David, Jerusalem. Remember how he took the city of 75 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,240 Jerusalem from the Debbie sites? It should have been taken over 76 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,600 300 years ago. The people of Judah forsook that 77 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:00,640 command that was placed upon them. 78 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,080 But David says, I'm going to go in and I'm going to take 79 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,240 Jerusalem as it should have been all that time ago. 80 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:07,840 Jerusalem is now being established as the capital. 81 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,240 And as such, Dave has a great desire for the Ark of the 82 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,080 Covenant to come into the capital city where the 83 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,440 Tabernacle will also reside. However, there's going to be 84 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,720 some problems. It's not going to go the way 85 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,120 that he expected. In fact, I would say that the 86 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,880 end result was nothing short of a catastrophe. 87 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,680 But as we look at that this evening, I believe there's some 88 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:34,280 principles that will help us as we understand how we have the 89 00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:39,240 church services that we have, how we execute the philosophies 90 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,040 that we have here within the church, and why, why we have 91 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,280 church the way we do, why we do the things that we do. 92 00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:49,000 Are we old fashioned just because we like old fashioned 93 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,640 things? Do we just want to be old 94 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,280 fashioned because that's just the way to go? 95 00:04:54,280 --> 00:04:57,600 Or is there a greater principle that we really need to hold on 96 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,480 to? I believe David gives us the key 97 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,280 here in Second Samuel chapter #6 So why don't you stand with me 98 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:06,280 for the reading of God's Word? Second Samuel chapter #6 and 99 00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:11,400 we're going to read beginning in verse #1 and says again, David 100 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,200 gathered together all the chosen men of Israel. 30,000 And David 101 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,000 arose and went with all the people that were with him from 102 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,440 Baal of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose 103 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,120 name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwell 104 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,560 between the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon 105 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,240 a new cart and brought it out of the House of Abinadab that was 106 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,880 in Gibeah and Aza and Ohio. The sons of Abinadab drave the 107 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,720 new cart, and they brought it out of the House of Abinadab, 108 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,600 which was at Gibeah accompanying the Ark of God in Ohio, went 109 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,200 before the Ark. And David and all the House of 110 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,320 Israel played before the Lord on the manner of instruments made 111 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,560 of fir wood, even on harps and on sultries and on timbrels and 112 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,840 on cornets and on cymbals. And Can you imagine that this 113 00:05:55,840 --> 00:05:57,600 would have been a glorious scene? 114 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,360 The Ark of the Covenant is making its way back to 115 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,760 Jerusalem, and there's all of this incredible music that's 116 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:07,240 being played, and all of them are praising the Lord Almighty. 117 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,120 I mean, nothing could go wrong, right? 118 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:15,760 But when they came to Nakon's threshing floor, Aza put forth 119 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,760 his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the ox and 120 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:21,760 shook it. And they angered the Lord, was 121 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,280 kindled against Aza, and God smote him there for his error, 122 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,760 and there he died by the Ark of God. 123 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:29,640 You want to talk about a party ending? 124 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,200 That'll do it right there. And David was displeased because 125 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,440 the Lord had made a breach upon Aza, and he called the name of 126 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,400 the place Parizaza to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord 127 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,240 that day, and said, How shall the ark of God, or whether the 128 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,560 ark of the Lord come to me? So David would not remove the 129 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,320 ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David. 130 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,800 But David carried a side into the House of Obed Edom the get 131 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:55,360 tight. And the ark of the Lord 132 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,800 continued in the House of Obed Edom, the get tight three months 133 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,720 and the Lord. Bless Obed Edom and all his 134 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,240 household. There were a lot of people. 135 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,960 Who were out there on that parade route in their sincerity, 136 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,680 believing that nothing could possibly go wrong. 137 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,760 However, there was several things that were sincerely wrong 138 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,680 with the scene that we have. And although sincerity is a 139 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,760 wonderful thing when it comes to worshiping our Lord, there is 140 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,560 some greater principles that are even above sincerity that I want 141 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,040 us to look at here tonight. So why don't you be seated and 142 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,400 let's pray together our only Father. 143 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,160 Do you just pray to help me to be able to say clearly and 144 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,600 kindly what I believe is in your word tonight? 145 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,320 Lord, help us to be able to be the church that we need to be, 146 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,640 not because we just want to be old fashioned for the sake of 147 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:41,720 old fashioned. I don't think there's anything 148 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,480 to glory in of that. But Lord, because we want to be 149 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,800 biblical in everything that we do and that when you command us 150 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,400 to do something in your Word that we do it, or when there's a 151 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,800 principle in your Word that we want to follow that principle 152 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:55,960 within our. Church the very best that we 153 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,560 can. Lord help us to be able to have 154 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,440 the wisdom to know and to discern these things and to see 155 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,560 this from the life of David and we do ask it in Jesus name, 156 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,920 Amen. Well, you can see that a joyful 157 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,360 event turns to tragedy here in just a matter of moments. 158 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,240 Here within our text, David gathers together about 30 159 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:18,400 thousand of his choice men, 30,000 of the men who he knows 160 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,760 are going to be thrilled to be able to be on. 161 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,360 Could we call this a detail to be able to bring the Ark of the 162 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,720 Covenant there to the city of David? 163 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,880 And so this procession begins. The music is playing and they've 164 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,440 got all these instruments, and it really would have been a 165 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,520 wonderful scene. And so as it begins, the Ark of 166 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:40,200 the Covenant has been loaded up onto what the Bible calls a new 167 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,159 cart. And there's two men that are 168 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:45,720 responsible for directing and driving this cart. 169 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,680 One man is named Ohio and the other is named Aza. 170 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,160 And so the Ark of the Covenant has been placed within the cart. 171 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,760 And now these oxen are pushing this cart and they are going 172 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,240 straightway towards Jerusalem. And again, it seems like nothing 173 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,280 could go wrong. Everyone is rejoicing. 174 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,480 It's a wonderful day there. The Ark of the Covenant, which 175 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,360 had been really placed off to the side for quite a while. 176 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,400 Remember in First Samuel that it had been taken away by the 177 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:14,080 Philistines for a while, but then returned back to the people 178 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,720 of Israel. And really it had been more of a 179 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:18,440 sideline more than anything else. 180 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,800 But David says this Ark of the Covenant represents the very 181 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,440 presence of God, and it's important that we give it the 182 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,280 place of prominence because it just shows that we are putting 183 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,760 God in the place of prominence that we should within our own 184 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,920 nation. And so he decides that it's 185 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:35,840 supposed to come and everything is going well. 186 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,960 But the Bible says that the cart gets near the threshing floor of 187 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:44,640 one named Obed Edom. And as this cart gets to the 188 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:47,800 threshing floor rather that Nakon and his threshing floor, 189 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:49,600 Obed Edom comes just a little bit later. 190 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,880 But as the cart is coming towards Nakons threshing floor, 191 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:54,280 there's a little bit of a problem. 192 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,560 Now understand this that the roads that they would have had 193 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:00,800 there would have likely just been dirt roads, muddy roads. 194 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,800 We're not talking about pavement, asphalt, concrete, 195 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:05,760 anything like that. They're just dirt roads. 196 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,560 And if you are going into a threshing floor, you know 197 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:11,760 threshing floors where they would have threshed wheat and so 198 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,280 there'll be carts that would be going in and out there all the 199 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,840 time. As carts are going in and out of 200 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,280 that threshing floor, there's going to be ruts. 201 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,040 I mean, that's what happens when you have dirt roads. 202 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:25,480 Ruts begin to form as carts over and over go through that same 203 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,680 place. And so there's going to be ruts 204 00:10:27,680 --> 00:10:29,520 that are carved into this dirt Rd. 205 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:34,160 But as this cart that Aza is driving is going down the road, 206 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,440 it's not turning into the threshing floor. 207 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,520 Rather it's continuing straight towards Jerusalem. 208 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:43,280 And so because of that, it is not going to go into those ruts 209 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,480 that have been developed. It's going to be going over 210 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:48,120 those ruts. It's going to be going right 211 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:49,400 over them. And So what does that mean? 212 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,160 Well, if you're driving a cart, it's going to be a little bit 213 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,200 bumpy for a minute because you're, you know, going through 214 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,400 these undulations in the ground, up and down. 215 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,680 And so as this is happening, Aza realizes as the cart is bouncing 216 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:06,880 up and down, the Ark of the Covenant could possibly fall out 217 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,720 of the cart. Now, could you imagine being in 218 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,320 charge of the Ark of the Covenant and you drop it on the 219 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,280 ground? Could you imagine how bad that 220 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:20,320 would be with all of Israel watching with God and man before 221 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,320 you, and you are the one in charge of the safekeeping of the 222 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,360 ark and it falls on the ground, possibly breaks. 223 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,160 Who knows what would happen, But I could imagine in that moment 224 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,120 he panicked. In that moment he didn't know 225 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,680 what to do. In fact, he did the only thing 226 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:36,120 that he knew. Which to do? 227 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,200 Which was to grab the ark and try to stabilize it. 228 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,880 I I got to grab it and I got to make sure it doesn't fall. 229 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,000 But in that moment that he grabbed it, what happened? 230 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:50,480 He died and immediately party's over. 231 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:56,440 Immediately the music stops. David, who is rejoicing, is now 232 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:58,800 confused. What happened? 233 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,840 How could this be? In fact, verse 8 says that David 234 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,520 was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Aza. 235 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:10,880 That breach is literally the power of God coming upon Aza and 236 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,400 resulting in his death. How could something like this 237 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,160 happen? How could they get to the place 238 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:21,000 where it was just so wonderful and it seemed like everybody was 239 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,960 sincere in how they were praising God and it seemed like 240 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:30,080 everything was God focused and God centered, and now God comes 241 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:34,920 in as displeased with this whole thing just because a man touches 242 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:36,520 the ark of the covenant. For a moment and. 243 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,960 And he did it for a good reason. It wasn't even like those in 244 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:41,840 First Samuel who tried to look inside. 245 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,600 Do you remember when they tried to look in the Ark of the 246 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:45,800 Covenant and they died? Because, you know, you're not 247 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:47,520 supposed to look inside the Ark of the Covenant. 248 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,160 That's not a Hollywood thing. That's a Bible thing that God 249 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,440 had said that they weren't supposed to do that. 250 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:57,560 And so, yes, now, as in his sincerity, he's a good guy. 251 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,360 All he's trying to do is touch the ark to make sure it doesn't 252 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:02,600 topple over. And now he's dead. 253 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:04,840 And David said, how could this be? 254 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:08,120 Well, the answer to that is this. 255 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:14,440 There were a series of bad choices that had been made that 256 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:19,400 brought them to the point while they were sincere, they were 257 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,320 sincerely wrong about a lot of different things. 258 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:23,640 Now, I want to kind of take a look at our Bibles here for just 259 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,440 a few minutes so I can explain it to you so you can see exactly 260 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,360 what happened. So we're going to work our way 261 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,520 back to Second Samuel, but first. 262 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:35,440 So leave your spot there, but go to Exodus chapter #25 Exodus 263 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:47,600 chapter #25 When you get there, look at verse #10 Exodus 25, 264 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:54,240 verse 10. And there are instructions now 265 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,280 about the Tabernacle being constructed. 266 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,360 And you remember that when God gave Moses the instructions for 267 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,880 constructing a Tabernacle, there was no leeway. 268 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,800 There was no ability for them to make their own particular 269 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:06,920 flourishes or designs. God said this. 270 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,200 This is the way that it must be made. 271 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,840 You make it to the exact specifications. 272 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:14,040 You say, well, why would God do something like that? 273 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,320 Well, one, because he's God and he's allowed to. 274 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:21,080 And two, because the Tabernacle was a picture in every corner, 275 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,840 in every edifice, a picture of the coming Jesus Christ. 276 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:29,240 And so for them to put their own marks upon the Tabernacle was in 277 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,960 essence for them to say that Jesus would not be enough. 278 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,440 Now they wouldn't have realized that, but that's what it would 279 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,600 have been. And so God was very particular 280 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:39,520 about how this was to be constructed. 281 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,960 So look at verse 10. And they shall make an arc of 282 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,400 shit wood, 2 cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and 283 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,440 a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half 284 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,760 the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with 285 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,160 pure gold within, and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt 286 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:56,720 make upon it a crown of gold roundabout. 287 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:00,360 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in 288 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,760 the four corners thereof. And two rings shall be in one 289 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:05,800 side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. 290 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,280 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them 291 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,160 with gold. And thou shalt put the staves 292 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,600 into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be 293 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,840 born with them. And the staves shall be in the 294 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,480 rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it. 295 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:26,360 What do we find from this text? That God had a very particular 296 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,880 way for the ark of the Covenant to be transported. 297 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,840 And that was this. That there were rings on the 298 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:36,480 side of the ark of the Covenant. That there were staves that fit 299 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,960 inside of those rings. And that the ark of the covenant 300 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:42,360 was never supposed to be put into a cart. 301 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,640 It was always supposed to be born or carried. 302 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,040 The ark of the covenant was supposed to be carried. 303 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,200 And so because of that, what do we see? 304 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,760 We see that when we get to Second Samuel chapter #6 that 305 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,120 they were not following God's plan for the transportation of 306 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,160 the ark. No, no, what they said was for 307 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,880 whatever reason, we are going to do this our own way. 308 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,600 Then that's the only place. Go to Numbers chapter 4. 309 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:16,200 Numbers chapter #4 because it wasn't just supposed to be 310 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,160 carried. There was more than that as 311 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,960 well. Numbers chapter #4 Look at verse 312 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:29,280 #15 give you a second to get there and says this. 313 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,640 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the 314 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,720 sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary as the camp is 315 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,600 set forward, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it, 316 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:40,960 but they shall not touch any holy thing. 317 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,520 What are those next 3 words, lest they. 318 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:48,880 Die and it was said two things quite important here from what 319 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,640 we just read 1. It wasn't just that the Ark of 320 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,160 the Covenant was supposed to be carried, but it was supposed to 321 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:58,240 be carried by the sons of Levi, and particularly the sons of 322 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:01,480 Kohath, which were a family within the tribe of Levi. 323 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,319 But on top of that, they were told these particular men are to 324 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:08,920 carry it, and these particular men are not to touch it. 325 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:11,760 They can touch the staves, it's going to be over their 326 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,440 shoulders, but they cannot touch the Ark of the Covenant. 327 00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:16,280 They cannot touch the other vessels. 328 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,440 Why? If they touch it then. 329 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:20,319 Hey. Will die. 330 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,599 Seems pretty clear to me. This isn't one of those things 331 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:26,960 in the word of God where you go, well I don't know, I maybe could 332 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,320 see it a different way. The Bible was so clear that what 333 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:35,560 David and Aza and Ohio and all those who were involved with the 334 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:39,320 debacle that took place of the Ark of the Covenant on its way 335 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:43,960 to Jerusalem, all of them for whatever reason ignored, 336 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,560 neglected, or were ignorant of the fact that the Word of God 337 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,600 says this. This isn't the way you're 338 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,320 supposed to do it. You say, well, I mean, is it 339 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,400 really that big of a deal? Again, when it's the Lord who 340 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,360 says this is the way to do it? You have to follow what the Lord 341 00:18:00,360 --> 00:18:02,520 says. It's the Lord's ark. 342 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,760 It's the Lord's rules. It's the Lord's house. 343 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,680 It's the Lord's way. That's the way it always has to 344 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:11,240 be. So it begs the question here 345 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:17,040 tonight, where on earth did they get the idea to put the ark in a 346 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,160 cart? I mean, if the Bible is so clear 347 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,480 about what they should have done, the book of Exodus, the 348 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,280 Book of Numbers, this is the way you need to do it. 349 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,720 You need to carry it. These are who needs to carry it. 350 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,280 Don't ever touch it. And a clear warning, if you 351 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:33,240 touch it, you die. Why on earth would they have 352 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:37,240 done anything else? And believe it or not, the 353 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:41,600 answer is hidden in a text that we studied about a year ago. 354 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,440 So I want you to keep moving closer to Second Samuel, but I 355 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:45,840 want you to stop in First Samuel. 356 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:52,200 First Samuel chapter #6, First Samuel chapter #6. 357 00:18:53,680 --> 00:19:01,320 Now you'll remember that back when Samuel was a young lad that 358 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,680 Eli was the high priest, Hofni and Phineas were his wicked 359 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:08,320 sons, and that there was a time when the Philistines were coming 360 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,920 to battle, and Hofni and Phineas had this idea that we should 361 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,920 take the Ark of the Covenant and we should take it with us out to 362 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,440 battle. Remember Hofni and Phineas. 363 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,160 Nor did the men of Israel have any desire to worship the God of 364 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:22,880 the Ark. They were using it as a good 365 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,160 luck charm. By the way, the Ark of the 366 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:26,840 Covenant is not some good luck charm. 367 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:28,960 Well, whoever holds it holds the power. 368 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:30,680 Listen, God has the power, friend. 369 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:33,400 It's not about who holds it holds the power. 370 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:37,280 Again, that's a Hollywood construct that's being thought 371 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,240 of. That is not what the Word of God 372 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:42,440 talks about. The Philistines have in that 373 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,040 battle take possession of the ark. 374 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:46,480 But then you remember what happens. 375 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,840 They take possession of the ark and they put it in the House of 376 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:50,880 their gods. And at first the statue falls 377 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,520 down in front of the ark. They put the statue back up. 378 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,480 They say, let's kind of strange. The statue falls down again and 379 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,320 now the statue is broken before the ark. 380 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,080 And then all of a sudden things start getting weird. 381 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,520 You know, they start having some personal problems. 382 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:06,080 Do I need to go back into all that? 383 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,960 They were having some of those boils and some very sensitive 384 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,520 places in their bodies. And a lot of things are going 385 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,640 on. And they say, man, this is 386 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,520 really weird. You know, and it really all 387 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:17,240 started back when this ark came in. 388 00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:19,040 We ought to just send it back to Israel. 389 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,960 But, you know, we want to know if it really is the ark or not. 390 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:23,800 And so they constructed this weird. 391 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,640 Way of trying to figure out whether it was the arc that was 392 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:29,040 causing all these problems or not. 393 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,800 And look at what happens in chapter 6 verse #1 it says and 394 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,000 the ark of the Lord is in the country, the Philistines seven 395 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:36,680 months. And the Philistines called for 396 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,440 the priests and the diviners saying, What shall we do to the 397 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,200 ark of the Lord? Tell us wherewith we shall send 398 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,120 it to his place. And they said, if you send away 399 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:47,960 the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty, but in any 400 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,000 wise return him a trespass offering, then he shall be 401 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:54,640 healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed 402 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,440 from you. Then said they, what shall be 403 00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,720 the trespass offering which we shall return to him? 404 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:04,680 They answered 5 golden emeralds. There's that well sensitive boil 405 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:08,000 that is mentioned there, and five golden mice according to 406 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:13,360 the number of the For one plague was you on you all, and on your 407 00:21:13,360 --> 00:21:16,160 Lords. Wherefore he shall make images, 408 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,280 your em rods, images of your vice that mar the land. 409 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,040 Give glory unto the God of Israel, Peradvention. 410 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:25,880 Peradventure He will lighten his hand from off you and off your 411 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:29,480 gods, and from your land. Wherefore then, do you harden 412 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,960 your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh harden their hearts when 413 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,000 he had wrought wonderfully among them? 414 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:37,280 Did they not let the people go and depart us? 415 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:38,600 Stop right there, just a moment, they said. 416 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:42,640 They said, we've got to be smarter than Pharaoh. 417 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,200 We've got to be smarter than the Egyptians. 418 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,720 They allowed their whole nation to almost be burned down to the 419 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:52,720 ground because they refused to see the clear hand of God. 420 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:54,960 And the Philistine says, we can't do that. 421 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,680 We've got to make sure, we've got to make sure with what we 422 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,760 have in front of us that we give glory to the God of Israel. 423 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:03,000 They're not talking about salvation. 424 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,680 They're just talking about the fact that they recognize that 425 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,720 there is a God who is doing something here. 426 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,880 And so they said so. So we need to humble ourselves 427 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:15,040 before him in this manner. But then look at verse #7 well, 428 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:15,800 how do they do this? Now? 429 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:17,680 Therefore, make a. What are those next? 430 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:23,080 2 words a new cart. And take two milk kind of which 431 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,720 there had come no yoke, and tie the kind of the cart and bring 432 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:32,320 their calves home from them. So where did the Israelites get 433 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,640 the idea of transporting the ark on a new cart? 434 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:38,360 It didn't come from the Word of God. 435 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,120 It didn't come from the commands and precepts that God had given 436 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:45,320 back in the wilderness. The whole idea of this new cart 437 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:49,720 theology came not from God, but came from the Philistines. 438 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,360 They had seen the Philistines. No, no, they had seen the world 439 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,480 having transported the ark in this way. 440 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,840 And somewhere in their memory they decided, I've seen this 441 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,080 before. I think we can do this too. 442 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,920 Listen, the word of God is so precise. 443 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:08,040 The word of God, every word, every letter, every jot, every 444 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:10,720 title is there for a reason. Do you think it's an accident 445 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:14,800 that a new cart is mentioned here in First Samuel chapter 6 446 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,680 and a new cart is mentioned? The exact same phrase, the exact 447 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,800 same way, the exact same adjective there in Second Samuel 448 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:26,680 chapter 6. No, it's there as a warning and 449 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:32,400 a signpost to us that we are not to look to the Philistines to be 450 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,960 able to craft our. Own worship and practice when it 451 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:41,600 comes to the things of God. See, here's the issue tonight. 452 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:45,360 You Baptist. You independent Baptist. 453 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:49,640 You're so old fashioned, you like everything old. 454 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,840 Well, I would argue that point a little bit tonight. 455 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:56,600 I'm arguing that because I look to my right and I see a 456 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,760 television screen. I'm Bart, look at the back and I 457 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,520 can see myself because there's a television there showing me. 458 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:10,480 We're live streaming to thousands and thousands of 459 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:16,120 people minus a few 1000. We have technology, there's a 460 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,040 board back there filled with technological things. 461 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:22,440 No, no, the issue is not whether something is old fashionable. 462 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,040 You just like old fashioned things because you're 463 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,200 independent about. No, that's not the issue at all. 464 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,000 The issue was not new versus old. 465 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:31,440 You know, when it comes to this issue that we're looking at 466 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:35,240 tonight of new cart theology, it really comes down to this not 467 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:38,960 what is new versus what is old. It's what is true versus what is 468 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,400 false, because that's what this comes down to. 469 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:46,680 Newcart theology isn't dangerous because it's new. 470 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,720 Newcart theology is dangerous because it's false and contrary 471 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:52,760 to God's. Word. 472 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:59,920 There's nothing that we do as a church that was should resemble 473 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:01,720 what the world does in their worldliness. 474 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:08,520 The world has its place outside of these doors, but in this. 475 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,160 Church. We should be a refuge and a 476 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:13,120 haven from the things of the world. 477 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,520 We deal with the things of the world all the other days of the 478 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,520 week. And by the way, God has called 479 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,600 us to do that, hasn't he? He's called us to be 480 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,600 missionaries to the world, to love the world. 481 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:28,280 But at the same time, when we come into the God's house, this 482 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:30,000 is to be a refuge from the things of the world. 483 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,560 No, no, it's not to be a refuge from the people of the world 484 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:34,800 because we should see people from the world coming in here 485 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:36,960 and coming to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. 486 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,400 And we should love them with the gospel, but we should love them 487 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,360 with the gospel and not love them with the very world of 488 00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:46,480 which they are looking at and living it out there. 489 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:50,400 And they need to be saved from. And new cart theology says this, 490 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,280 we need to be as much like the world as possible. 491 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,120 And we'll show them the world and then eventually we'll show 492 00:25:56,120 --> 00:25:58,800 them Christ. And that makes us relevant. 493 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:04,160 But the Bible says this. We're called to be lights in a 494 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,560 Dark World. We're called to be salt. 495 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,120 We're called to be water in a dry and barren land. 496 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,080 You know, God's called us to be different. 497 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,480 Remember, Titus chapter #2 calls, tells us that we're 498 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:20,680 called to be a peculiar people. And I'll tell you, some of us do 499 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:27,280 that peculiar thing pretty well. We're to be different, zealous 500 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,560 of good works. There is a line of theology, 501 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:32,800 there's a line of thinking that is out there today and is 502 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,600 prevalent in churches that is very sincere. 503 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,160 Oh no, David was sincere in Second Samuel chapter 6. 504 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:44,880 Aza had a good heart. Look, I'm not as mean as you 505 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,080 think I am tonight, all right? Haza had a good heart. 506 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:49,840 He didn't want the ark to fall. But the problem was this. 507 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,720 Even though he was sincere in what he was doing, he was 508 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:56,400 sincerely wrong. And the issue is not sincerity 509 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,240 in and of itself. The issue is this. 510 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,560 Will we stand upon the truth of God's word, whether it's in 511 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,760 principle or in precept? And everything else ought to be 512 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:09,960 rejected, particularly when it comes to our worship of God. 2nd 513 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,160 State 2nd Corinthians 614 through 17. 514 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:14,640 I've read these verses before, but I have to read them here. 515 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:20,360 Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. 516 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:22,520 For what fellowship hath the righteousness? 517 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:24,080 With unrighteousness? What? 518 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:25,600 Communion hath life with darkness. 519 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,000 What conquered and brought Christ with Belial? 520 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:30,600 What part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 521 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,000 What agreement had the temple of God with idols for you, the 522 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,800 temple of living God? As God has said, I will dwell in 523 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,320 them and walk in them. Will be their God, they shall be 524 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:43,120 my people. Wherefore come out from among 525 00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:46,200 them and be separate, saith the Lord. 526 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,560 And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. 527 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:53,640 James 44YE adulterers and adulterer, says, No, you not 528 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,920 that friendship. The world is enmity with God. 529 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,640 Whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy 530 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:05,200 of God. Again, this is not me being 531 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,080 against things that are new. That's what not. 532 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,200 That's not what this is about. Believe it or not, not 533 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:15,040 everything that is new is evil. However, we must be careful when 534 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,320 incorporating new philosophies and new items within a church to 535 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,400 make sure that we are not simply doing it to be carbon copies of 536 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,280 the world. There's a lot of questions that 537 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,600 are out there today that we have to grapple with on a regular 538 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,800 basis of church. How do we use social media? 539 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,880 How do we use it in a way that's pleasing to God? 540 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:36,360 How do we? Use our live stream there. 541 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,080 Do we even use live? There are churches that have 542 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,440 different philosophies about live streaming and what it 543 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,400 means. I know some churches that won't 544 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,840 even let you use a live stream unless you remember they have to 545 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:47,200 come to those conclusions on their own. 546 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:48,560 These. I'm not saying that's the right 547 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:50,360 way to do it, but I'm saying these are questions that 548 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:51,840 actually need to be grappled with. 549 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:56,440 The use of AI within a church. How do we use AI? 550 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,800 Is there ever a place to use it? Do we use it rightly? 551 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,920 Do we use it wrongly? Replacing church services with 552 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,360 small groups and instead of having a church service, just 553 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:06,600 meeting at different people's houses and to be able to do 554 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,720 things. These are questions that 555 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,360 churches and pastors have to grapple with. 556 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,840 And we have to ask ourselves this question, why are we doing 557 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,720 what we're doing or why would we change that which we're already 558 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:20,680 doing? For what purpose? 559 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,760 You know, there's a time when a lot of things were new again. 560 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,840 New is not the enemy. There was a time when the piano 561 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:30,160 was new. Churches and incorporate piano 562 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:35,160 was unthinkable at a point about 150 years ago, but we don't 563 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:37,280 think anything now in fact, our piano is electric we don't have 564 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:41,040 a piano it's a keyboard that. Mimics a piano. 565 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:44,480 Church chairs. You know, there's an argument at 566 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,240 some point, though, about whether churches have chairs in 567 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,400 the auditorium or not. Say, well, what do you mean? 568 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,240 Well, like pews instead of chairs? 569 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:54,120 Can people argue about stuff like that? 570 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:56,640 You ever been around church? We can find all kinds of stuff. 571 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:01,280 To argue about. Use chairs, TV's, as screens in 572 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:06,160 a church, even the live stream itself, whether it should be a 573 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:08,800 thing or not, or whether you're in church and that's it. 574 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:11,000 And we don't live stream at all. These are all questions. 575 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,600 But again, the issue is not whether something is new if it's 576 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,600 the enemy. The question is this, does what 577 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:22,160 we see violate the word of God in precept or in principle? 578 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,840 And if something is changed within our worship of God, 579 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,560 within our service to God, simply to. 580 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,640 Be like the world. It's Newcart theology, and we 581 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:37,240 must keep it at arm's length. How do you identify this Newcart 582 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:39,120 theology? I'm going to give you 5 things 583 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:42,240 very quickly here from our text, five ways you can identify this 584 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:46,040 Newcart theology because I believe our text gives us, if we 585 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:49,600 go back to Second Samuel, some clues as to how we can identify. 586 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,400 It first of all #1 Newcart theology focuses on thrills 587 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,840 before theology. Newkart theology focuses on 588 00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:00,400 thrills before theology. What we see here in Second 589 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:02,720 Samuel chapter 6 was an exciting day. 590 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:06,520 And by the way, if it had been done right, it would have been a 591 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,840 very exciting day. However, it could be argued that 592 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:14,080 David's excitement clouded his judgement as to what the 593 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:18,360 scripture said because David did not search the scriptures to see 594 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:20,920 how it should be done. You know what's ironic after 595 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:24,520 what we read in verse #11 if you were to go to First Chronicles 596 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:27,840 15, don't do that right now, but you can later and see a 597 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,080 companion passage because you know, we're at the place now 598 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,880 where the kings and the Chronicles are starting to align 599 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,200 a little bit. If you were to see this in First 600 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:40,080 Chronicles 15, verses 1/2 and 13, it says this. 601 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:43,840 And David made him a house in the city of David, prepared a 602 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:46,040 place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. 603 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,280 And then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the 604 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:53,080 Levites, For them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, 605 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:55,560 and to minister unto him forever. 606 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:59,360 For because he did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a 607 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:03,120 breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due 608 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:04,840 order. So what happened after 609 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:08,440 everything came crashing down? David went to the Scriptures. 610 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,760 He said this isn't about the feeling, it's about making sure 611 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:16,760 that we are not violating the word of God and doing what God 612 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:19,440 wants us to do. And listen, emotions aren't the 613 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,280 enemy. We are emotional creatures. 614 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:24,160 God created you. OK, God created most of you with 615 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:27,000 emotions here tonight. All right. 616 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,080 I would say a good 90% of you tonight, God has created you 617 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,080 with emotions, all right? And it's a good and it's the 618 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:35,640 right thing. But when emotions drive us and 619 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,320 propel us, instead of being the reaction to what happens, 620 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,680 instead it becomes the action. It is a very dangerous place to 621 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:44,800 be. So I don't see that, Pastor. 622 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:50,280 Oh, yeah, That rage text you sent, that phone call that you 623 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:53,560 made in the heat of the moment. Oh, yeah. 624 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:55,120 Emotions can get the best of us can. 625 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:57,920 And should church be an emotional place? 626 00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:00,800 Well, I mean, I would say yes, in a lot of ways. 627 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:06,360 We meet with God here. He teaches us, He convicts us, 628 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,120 He encourages us. I think many times I just get to 629 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:13,400 sit here and enjoy the special music that we have. 630 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,240 And then I look out in the crowd and realize that other people 631 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:17,760 are moved in the way that I'm moved. 632 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:21,960 Hey, that's a blessing. But I will say this, it's not 633 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:26,480 something to be manufactured. It's not something that we 634 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:29,800 purposely put together to make sure that the lighting package 635 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:34,400 is right and the fog machine is right and that the lights go 636 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:36,240 down low. You say, pastor, that's not a 637 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:41,880 thing that is very much a thing to manufacture a feeling. 638 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,720 It's a dangerous thing. New cart theology takes the 639 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,120 thrill and kicks the theology out. 640 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,200 That's what happened here. First of all, new cart theology 641 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,840 focuses on thrills before theology #2 novelty becomes the 642 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,200 old habit, novelty becomes the old habit. 643 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:02,880 The new part of the cart is. Interesting. 644 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:05,920 Again, this was given to us by the inspiration of God. 645 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,760 He could have just said it was a cart in both places, but he 646 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,320 purposely said that it was a new cart. 647 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:16,480 I will say this, a large part of the New Age church movement is 648 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:20,960 incorporating that which is new. Like it's a Christian arms race. 649 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,400 We've got to have the newest and the best and the biggest and the 650 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:25,920 brightest. And if we're going to have a 651 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:28,440 successful church, if we're going to reach people, we've got 652 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:31,719 to have more stuff than the other people have stuff. 653 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:37,600 Now, this is very graphically shown, not necessarily here in 654 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:39,360 New England, but I will tell you just. 655 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:43,880 Even last week or a couple weeks ago when we were in Springfield, 656 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:46,920 MO. And Springfield, MO had the 657 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:50,199 largest concentration of not just independent Baptist 658 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:52,239 churches, but if I have my understanding, churches in 659 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,159 general per capita in the United States. 660 00:34:55,560 --> 00:35:01,840 About 50 to 60 years ago, a lot of what we would call old 661 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:04,880 fashioned type churches and not the fact that they were again 662 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:07,600 right because they're old fashioned, but because there was 663 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:11,040 a definite type and style of worship and honoring of the 664 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,840 Lord. But times change and churches 665 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:19,640 want to remain relevant. And it shocked me over the times 666 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:23,360 that we've been able to be out there to see churches with play 667 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:28,160 zones that would make a YMCA jealous. 668 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:31,360 I mean, I'm talking about those tubes, you know, that the kids 669 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,120 always want to go through and they're crawling through in the 670 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:37,480 ball pits and all that stuff. Video games, beach volleyball 671 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:42,840 for the adults, pickleball, all of these different things that 672 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:46,000 are available. Basically the church becoming 673 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:50,600 like a small social club or maybe a large social club. 674 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,120 And in the mix with that is also a little bit of church. 675 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:57,600 You know, the problem with novelty, The problem with 676 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:02,040 novelty is that novelty wears off and you need more novelties. 677 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:08,280 You get bigger novelties and better novelties and. 1st 678 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:11,880 Corinthians 1558 says this. Therefore, my beloved brethren, 679 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,280 be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the 680 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:18,080 Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain 681 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:19,800 with the Lord. This is an interesting verse 682 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:23,640 because it says to be steadfast and unmovable, and in our 683 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:26,920 Christian walk we are to be steadfast and unmovable, but 684 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:30,520 then it says always abounding. You know, it's interesting that 685 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:33,920 oftentimes if we're not careful, we think that abounding means we 686 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:38,040 have to constantly. Change with the times to keep up 687 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:39,400 with what other people are doing. 688 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:42,360 But the Bible actually makes it clear that if you want to 689 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:48,200 abound, be steadfast, unmovable, stand on the word of God for 690 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,440 what it is. Am I for activities? 691 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:52,880 I'm for activities. We had children's activity this 692 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:54,720 afternoon. It was a disaster, all right, 693 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:57,800 kind of like the children's activity we had before where I 694 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:02,520 couldn't somehow hook up the airplay to my to the TV and it 695 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:04,360 was awful. But you know what I found out 696 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:06,880 through all that? There was a young lady that got 697 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:11,880 saved, is baptized. I'm thankful for activities and 698 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:14,080 things like that. But when the tail starts to wag 699 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:17,480 the dog, what's the point of having activity, by the way? 700 00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:20,400 Well, an activity ought to fulfill one of the purposes of 701 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:25,640 the Great Commission to bring people to Christ, to help people 702 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:27,320 to grow with one another. Oh yeah. 703 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,480 Pastor, how does a church picnic help people to grow together? 704 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:31,680 We got new believers with older believers. 705 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:34,320 You mix them together, they talk, they fellowship, they get 706 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:36,440 to know one another. That's part of discipleship. 707 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:39,240 That's the older teaching. The younger, well, it's just 708 00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:41,040 about novelty. We've got to have new things, 709 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:42,960 new stuff, new stuff, new stuff, new stuff. 710 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:45,080 Be careful. That's new cart theology. 711 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:49,080 Novelties come and go, and they require more and more novelties 712 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:51,840 to keep people plugged in. By the way, what you win people 713 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:52,960 with is what you got to keep them with. 714 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:59,000 So to be so careful, new cart theology, novelty becomes the 715 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,200 old habit. Also #3 it's big on sincerity, 716 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:05,560 but it's lacking in Scripture. It's big on sincerity and 717 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:08,920 lacking in scripture. Listen, good intentions do not 718 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,280 compensate for going the wrong direction. 719 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:16,320 I'm going to say that again. Good intentions do not 720 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:19,840 compensate for going the wrong direction. 721 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:25,800 David was sincere, Aza was sincere, Ohio was sincere, but 722 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:29,360 they all were sincerely wrong. Now, I want you to listen very 723 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:32,640 carefully to what I have to say. There are a lot of New Age 724 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:37,240 Christian believers that are very sincere in what they 725 00:38:37,240 --> 00:38:39,400 believe. I'm not here to mock them 726 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:44,960 tonight, to make fun of them tonight, or to try to make any 727 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:48,520 type of joke about who they are. I'm not trying to do that at 728 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,920 all. I believe they can be very 729 00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:52,560 sincere. I believe sometimes they can be 730 00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:56,560 even more sincere than some of us if we're not careful. 731 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:01,800 But I will say this, that that sincerity does not compensate 732 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:05,240 for a lack of being grounded in the Word of God. 733 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:11,640 It's so important to be grounded in the Scriptures, by the way. 734 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:13,880 That's why it's important we bring our Bibles with us to 735 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,360 church. A lot of churches today, they 736 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:18,640 have the. Bible verses on the screen and 737 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:21,160 people are encouraged not to bring your Bible. 738 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,800 In fact, oftentimes it's a choice that pastors make to show 739 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:28,480 lots of different Bible versions in they're sermons. 740 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:30,000 Why? Because you get to the place 741 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:31,720 where you say this. I don't even need to bring my 742 00:39:31,720 --> 00:39:34,880 Bible to church with me because I'm I can't carry 5 Bible 743 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:36,840 versions with me. No, no, you know what I want you 744 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:38,160 to do? I want you to be able to bring 745 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:42,120 your King James Bible to church and I want you to write what God 746 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:46,200 has done for you in your life, to mark verses, to put quotes 747 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,080 and to learn and to grow to be a Bible. 748 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:53,040 Believer. See, once we're in the 749 00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:56,840 Scriptures, that builds sincerity, true sincerity. 750 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:00,360 I want you to be Bible literate. I want you to have a walk with 751 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:01,800 God. This is my desire. 752 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:07,400 No, sincerity is great, but it does not compensate for a lack 753 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:09,960 of Scripture. New cart theology. 754 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:13,320 Listen, the world is the template and not the Word. 755 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:16,960 The world is the template and not the Word. 756 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:20,200 You know, Israel had this weird infatuation with the 757 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:22,960 Philistines. It was weird. 758 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,600 Like they kept trying to be like the Philistines. 759 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:31,400 Remember when the Philistines took over and then Samuel was 760 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:33,560 this judge for a while And then they said, you know, we want a 761 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:35,320 king to be just like all the other nations. 762 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,160 Why do you want to be like the Philistines? 763 00:40:39,240 --> 00:40:41,800 Hey, we got to move. We got to move the ark back to 764 00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:43,720 Jerusalem. Hey, you know who did that 765 00:40:43,720 --> 00:40:46,280 really well a few years ago? The Philistines. 766 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:51,480 And it was the very people who were there were oppressors who 767 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:55,480 they were trying to copy. Again, may I remind you, the 768 00:40:55,480 --> 00:40:58,720 world is not your friend. No, I want to be careful. 769 00:40:58,720 --> 00:41:00,280 I'm not talking about the people of the world that we were 770 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:02,280 supposed to be friend and love them to Christ. 771 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:06,000 What I'm saying is this, the world system of which Satan is 772 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:08,720 intimately in charge of, remember the Prince and the 773 00:41:08,720 --> 00:41:11,560 power of the air? This world system of which he 774 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:14,960 administrates today that we see manifest itself in so many 775 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,280 different ways that Satan himself is in charge of the 776 00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:20,200 system. The world is not your friend. 777 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:23,480 So why would we turn around and bring the world's music into 778 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:26,760 God's house and just change a few words? 779 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:30,160 Why would we take the world's methodology and bring it into 780 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:33,000 the church and just sanitize it a little bit? 781 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:35,480 No, this place must be different. 782 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:38,520 This place must be a haven. No, again, not old fashioned for 783 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:41,600 the sake of being old fashioned, but just being right because we 784 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,120 want to be right with God. And how do we know that we're 785 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:46,520 right with God? We search the scriptures and we 786 00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:49,280 use the Word as the template, not what we see out in the 787 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:52,880 world. We don't need the world's music, 788 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:56,080 the world's methods, the world's modes, the world models, nor do 789 00:41:56,080 --> 00:41:59,040 we need the world mentorship. What do we do? 790 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:01,320 We do what we do. Because it says it in the word 791 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:03,520 of God. Hey, why do we preach? 792 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:07,320 Wouldn't it be better just get rid of the pulpit, move these 793 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:10,160 chairs up a little bit and have an Oprah style talk every 794 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:13,760 service? I probably need less. 795 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:15,080 Preparation, I can tell you that. 796 00:42:17,320 --> 00:42:19,200 Could we get rid of preaching all together and maybe just have 797 00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:25,600 a drama or some type of video? Could we just change the 798 00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:28,800 elements of the Lord's Supper to make them more interesting? 799 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:33,400 Couldn't we just use music that sounds more like a rock concert? 800 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:35,320 That if you were outside the church that you couldn't tell 801 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:37,360 the difference between being a church or great woods? 802 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:42,280 Couldn't we just do that because won't that bring the people in? 803 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:44,880 I mean, isn't that what people are looking for? 804 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:50,520 Well, it is what people are looking for, but what they 805 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:52,320 really need to be looking for is Jesus. 806 00:42:53,160 --> 00:43:00,600 And if we obscure Jesus with the world, you know, it's like, it's 807 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:05,520 like giving your dog a pill. Anybody ever do that before you 808 00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:08,440 have a dog that needs a pill and they don't want the pill. 809 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:10,120 Our dog, Bonnie, bless her heart. 810 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:13,280 Well, anyway, I was going to mention she's no longer with us, 811 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:16,880 but Bonnie is. She didn't want a pill. 812 00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:18,000 So you know what we did? I knew she. 813 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:19,560 Didn't want the pill, but it's good for her, right? 814 00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:22,280 So what do you do? You wrap it in something, get 815 00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:25,680 some peanut butter, you get some cheese, you get some cream. 816 00:43:26,120 --> 00:43:28,560 I would get anything. And we get, you know what she 817 00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:30,320 would do? She would lick the peanut butter 818 00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:33,400 and she'd spit out the pill. And we're getting near the end 819 00:43:33,400 --> 00:43:36,400 of her life and I'm and I'm like, get a pill, carry your, 820 00:43:36,720 --> 00:43:39,880 carry your body. You got to stay alive and. 821 00:43:40,720 --> 00:43:43,080 Eventually I said she has no more will to live. 822 00:43:43,080 --> 00:43:46,800 I can't because if she's going to live, it's going to because 823 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:49,040 of that peanut butter. It's not going to be because of 824 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:53,560 the pill. Why would a church treat Jesus 825 00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:56,520 Christ like the pill? That's not good. 826 00:43:57,960 --> 00:43:59,040 And. Wrap it up. 827 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:01,600 In that good taste in peanut butter. 828 00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:03,720 But we don't. Want him to know about Jesus 829 00:44:03,720 --> 00:44:06,400 until it's. Too late now. 830 00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:08,440 Why don't we show them Jesus when we come in the door? 831 00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:11,720 Why don't we show them Jesus when they sit down here? 832 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:15,080 Why don't we, Why don't we show them Jesus in the parking lot 833 00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:17,760 when they're coming in? And we don't act like crazy 834 00:44:17,760 --> 00:44:20,360 worldly people honking at each other and, and do all crazy 835 00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:21,840 stuff. And we just, we love each other 836 00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:24,840 in the parking lot and in the Pew and, well, the chairs or 837 00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:28,720 wherever we are that we just show them love. 838 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:32,600 The word is the template, not the world. 839 00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:36,840 If if the world had good ideas, it could redeem itself. 840 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:41,720 Now what the world needs is Jesus Christ, and we can't 841 00:44:41,720 --> 00:44:44,080 obscure Him. The last part of Newcart 842 00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:46,200 theology is this that I see from our text. 843 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:53,880 The sacred becomes standard. It almost feels like nowadays 844 00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:55,440 there's nothing left that's sacred. 845 00:44:57,040 --> 00:45:01,360 It would become so casual in so many areas of our life as a 846 00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:02,840 touch. The sacred ark. 847 00:45:03,520 --> 00:45:07,160 He was not supposed to touch. Now listen, God is love. 848 00:45:08,080 --> 00:45:11,040 God is mercy. God is grace. 849 00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:13,080 Aren't you glad he's those things? 850 00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:15,680 If you can't say Amen to anything else tonight, you can 851 00:45:15,680 --> 00:45:18,360 at least say Amen to this. God is love and mercy and grace, 852 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:22,080 and all God's people said Amen, but you know this. 853 00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:29,200 God is also this. He's holy, He's just, He's 854 00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:33,680 truth, He's all those things. You know what I found? 855 00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:38,560 New cart theology often does. It emphasizes the one side and 856 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:43,000 tries to eliminate the other. It makes God your cosmic buddy 857 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:50,120 and not the thrice holy God. Now listen, do we have a friend 858 00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:52,320 that sticketh closer than a brother in Jesus Christ? 859 00:45:52,520 --> 00:45:54,840 Yeah. Do we get to call him ABBA 860 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:57,760 Father, which connotates A closeness? 861 00:45:58,040 --> 00:46:01,120 Oh, yes. But you cannot eliminate the 862 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:04,400 holiness, the truth and the justice of God. 863 00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:06,680 The sacred cannot become standard. 864 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:10,360 Yeah, I want to be careful about this, I really do. 865 00:46:11,720 --> 00:46:15,200 But when we come to church, it's a special place and we do a 866 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:18,400 special things when we come to church. 867 00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:20,480 I, I, I purposely dressed the way to do. 868 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:22,800 Why don't I wear ripped jeans? Well, one, because, you know, I 869 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:25,120 don't have any ripped jeans. I guess if I ripped them, I'd be 870 00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:29,680 working and well, anyway, so, you know, but why? 871 00:46:29,720 --> 00:46:34,280 Because I want my dress to show that what's taking place is 872 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:37,600 serious. What takes place behind this 873 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:41,960 pulpit is Kingdom work. Well, you'd be a lot more 874 00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:44,000 relatable if you wouldn't wear tacky suits like that. 875 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:45,920 Well, that may be the case. And maybe this is a little bit 876 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:47,040 loud. All right, I'm still praying 877 00:46:47,040 --> 00:46:51,000 about that. But anyway, I do know this 878 00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:55,120 because I want to show to those who are here what we're doing is 879 00:46:55,120 --> 00:46:59,000 serious. And so I want my dress to show 880 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:01,720 how serious. Listen, if I can dress up to go 881 00:47:01,720 --> 00:47:05,880 to a nice restaurant, then I can dress up to go to the House of 882 00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:07,800 God. Now we have to be careful about 883 00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:08,160 this. We. 884 00:47:08,360 --> 00:47:11,440 Don't want to become Pharisees? Look down at people. 885 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:14,120 I've had people apologize on when I just came from work, I 886 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:16,120 said. You just came from work and you 887 00:47:16,120 --> 00:47:19,280 came to church. Praise God, I'm so happy you 888 00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:21,440 came to church. We don't be Pharisees about 889 00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:22,800 this. The Pharisees, they were caught 890 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:24,160 up in the long roads, weren't they? 891 00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:27,280 They were caught up in all those things, but they didn't have it 892 00:47:27,280 --> 00:47:28,840 in the heart. I want to be very careful about 893 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:31,360 what I say here tonight, but I do want to say there is a heart 894 00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:32,120 attitude. Of just I. 895 00:47:32,120 --> 00:47:33,760 Want to give God my best? Why? 896 00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:35,440 Because there's still some things that are sacred. 897 00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:38,680 The House of God is sacred. The worship of God is sacred. 898 00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:41,680 Our praise of God is sacred, and we don't want any of it to be 899 00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:43,440 tainted with any part of the world. 900 00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:46,200 We want to be pure and we want to be good and we want to be 901 00:47:46,200 --> 00:47:49,080 right, and we want to be pleasing to our Lord because we 902 00:47:49,080 --> 00:47:51,640 want everything we do to be pleasing to our Lord. 903 00:47:52,880 --> 00:47:55,840 But new cart theology focus on thrills before theology. 904 00:47:56,120 --> 00:47:59,160 Novelty becomes the old habit. It's big on sincerity but 905 00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:02,160 lacking in Scripture. The world is the template and 906 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:04,680 not the Word, and the sacred becomes standard. 907 00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:11,800 We got to beware of new cart. Theology as a church we must now 908 00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:15,520 and for as long as this church is here, which I pray for a very 909 00:48:15,520 --> 00:48:20,280 long time, that it rejects new cart theology and says we just 910 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:23,560 want to do what the Word of God says, how the word of God says 911 00:48:23,560 --> 00:48:25,880 it. And if there are philosophies 912 00:48:26,320 --> 00:48:30,240 that we find in the word of God that aren't expressly stating 913 00:48:30,240 --> 00:48:31,800 what we should do, the Bible doesn't tell us whether we 914 00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:32,720 should have a live stream or not. 915 00:48:33,720 --> 00:48:37,360 That we apply Scripture the best that we can and we prayerfully 916 00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:39,280 ask the Lord to help us with these things. 917 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:42,320 I'll say a couple things and I'll be done. 918 00:48:44,480 --> 00:48:47,080 To make a difference, you have to be different. 919 00:48:48,280 --> 00:48:50,360 You can't change something by adding more of the same. 920 00:48:52,720 --> 00:48:54,720 I, I, I love everything about New England. 921 00:48:54,720 --> 00:48:58,440 There's one thing that's bugged me for 12 years, and that is the 922 00:48:58,440 --> 00:49:02,840 lack of sweet tea. Yes, someone for tea up here, 923 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:04,120 they'll give you a cup of hot tea. 924 00:49:04,840 --> 00:49:05,960 Like, that's not what I'm asking for. 925 00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:07,960 I'm asking for like, iced tea, you know? 926 00:49:08,600 --> 00:49:10,360 And there's not a lot of sweet tea up here, is there? 927 00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:13,880 I like sweet tea with a lemon, lots of sugar. 928 00:49:13,880 --> 00:49:15,440 It's the way to do it. All right, You say, well, that's 929 00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:16,800 unhealthy, right? Well, you know. 930 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:21,720 Yeah. Anyway, I'm not even disagreeing 931 00:49:21,720 --> 00:49:23,080 with you. I'm in the pulpit. 932 00:49:23,080 --> 00:49:24,640 I got to tell the truth. That's not good for you, but it 933 00:49:24,640 --> 00:49:26,840 tastes great. But up here, a lot of people 934 00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:28,880 will give you, you know. Unsweet tea, it's cold, they'll 935 00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:30,280 give you sugar. And you know what you do you 936 00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:33,280 like stir it for an hour and that sugar just comes, travels 937 00:49:33,280 --> 00:49:35,120 around in there. It's like you have the sugar 938 00:49:35,120 --> 00:49:37,160 vortex that settles to the ground and that's it. 939 00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:41,640 You know, if I want to make sweet tea, I don't just add. 940 00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:45,560 More unsweet tea. I have to put something. 941 00:49:45,560 --> 00:49:47,320 In that will make a. Change. 942 00:49:48,160 --> 00:49:50,360 Say, pastor. That's common sense, like you're 943 00:49:50,360 --> 00:49:51,440 talking. To us like we're. 944 00:49:51,440 --> 00:49:53,160 Infants. I mean, that is common sense, 945 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:55,840 but you know, when it comes to our Christian life, we don't 946 00:49:55,840 --> 00:50:01,720 take that very common principle and apply it if we want to be 947 00:50:01,720 --> 00:50:03,160 relevant. We don't need to look like the 948 00:50:03,160 --> 00:50:05,840 world. We need to look different than 949 00:50:05,840 --> 00:50:08,680 the world if we want to be relevant. 950 00:50:08,720 --> 00:50:12,080 We don't need to copy. What the world does, this needs 951 00:50:12,080 --> 00:50:15,560 to be a haven from the world if we're to be relevant. 952 00:50:15,600 --> 00:50:19,840 We are not to hide Jesus Christ. We're to make sure that 953 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:25,280 everything we do uplifts Jesus Christ and that we don't hide 954 00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:28,800 the message by the other things that we do. 955 00:50:29,240 --> 00:50:31,920 That. Everything uplifts Jesus Christ. 956 00:50:32,800 --> 00:50:35,840 I pray that at Liberty Baptist Church, this is who we are and 957 00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:38,400 this is what we do and this is what we do in the future. 958 00:50:38,680 --> 00:50:43,080 But I will give you one piece of warning that we can have 959 00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:46,640 theology that's correct. We can be orthodox in. 960 00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:50,480 Everything that we do, we can have the right music. 961 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:54,560 The right standards, the right approach and all these things, 962 00:50:54,560 --> 00:50:56,440 but listen. We can be lifted. 963 00:50:56,440 --> 00:51:00,040 Up in pride? Well. 964 00:51:00,360 --> 00:51:02,000 All those other people are using new carts. 965 00:51:03,040 --> 00:51:08,320 But we use staves. We we know who we are. 966 00:51:08,680 --> 00:51:12,920 Those other people. Listen, just because you have it 967 00:51:12,920 --> 00:51:15,800 right doesn't mean you're getting it right in your. 968 00:51:15,800 --> 00:51:18,600 Heart. So we need to be very. 969 00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:20,040 Careful, as a church, that we don't. 970 00:51:20,320 --> 00:51:23,760 Look at our who we are as a church, as a source of pride. 971 00:51:24,240 --> 00:51:25,960 You know who we are. We're old fashioned. 972 00:51:27,320 --> 00:51:29,760 That's probably not the way we need to go around. 973 00:51:30,280 --> 00:51:34,760 Who are we? We're disciples of Christ and we 974 00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:41,000 just want to, in every fiber of our being, radiate Him inside 975 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:43,880 the church house and outside the church house. 976 00:51:44,840 --> 00:51:50,040 New cart theology is dangerous. It's sincere, always. 977 00:51:50,040 --> 00:51:54,480 It's sincere, it's exciting, it is so exciting. 978 00:51:55,640 --> 00:51:59,240 It's got elements that just thrill. 979 00:51:59,240 --> 00:52:01,280 You down to. The core, but. 980 00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:03,000 That. Doesn't make it right. 981 00:52:03,600 --> 00:52:05,760 If you're not sure you can ask Aza. 982 00:52:06,600 --> 00:52:11,280 Well, you can't ask Aza because he's dead and there are many 983 00:52:11,280 --> 00:52:14,760 people who will be actually LED astray by following new cart 984 00:52:14,760 --> 00:52:18,880 theology instead of getting what they need right from the 985 00:52:18,880 --> 00:52:21,720 scriptures. Thank you for listening to the 986 00:52:21,720 --> 00:52:24,800 sermon from the pulpit. Of Liberty Baptist Church If 987 00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:27,960 this message was a blessing to you, or if there's any way we 988 00:52:27,960 --> 00:52:31,080 can serve you, please let us know by contacting us at 989 00:52:31,200 --> 00:52:35,960 info@mylibertybaptist.org. Or you can visit us this Sunday 990 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:39,880 at 800 Washington St. in Easton, MA. 991 00:52:40,120 --> 00:52:42,920 May the Lord bless you as you grow in His Word.