1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,360 Other than that, I think we're we're going to be today. 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,840 We're going to be in a fun one. I think everybody, I was telling 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:08,800 Mark that no worries. I don't know if anybody else is 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,680 getting anything out of this, but it beat me up pretty good. 5 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:17,760 So we'll be in, we'll be in James 3 again or back in James 6 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,680 in chapter 3. And Lord, I just lift up this 7 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:22,000 time. I lift up everybody here. 8 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,600 Lord, I thank you that I thank you that you do, that you do 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,200 show up, Lord that you do give us your words, Lord, that you 10 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,479 can be. We can hear from you because 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,280 you're a living God came and came and died, but you rose 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,760 again for us, Lord, to work through us, to talk through US. 13 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,800 Lord that we just submit our lives to you. 14 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,640 And Lord that you would use us, use us in this community, use us 15 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:52,280 in this, in our workplaces, just to minister one another and 16 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:53,800 minister to the world as a whole. 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:55,520 Pray all this in Jesus name, Amen. 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:01,640 OK so starting in verse one, not many of you should become 19 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,720 teachers my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be 20 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:11,320 judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways 21 00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:15,480 and if anyone does not stumble in what he says he is perfect. 22 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,240 He is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 23 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,960 If we put bits in the into the mouth of horses so that they 24 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:27,800 obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 25 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:31,960 Look at the ships also. Though they are so large and are 26 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:36,040 driven by strong winds, they are guided by the very by a very 27 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,960 small rudder, wherever the will of the pilot directs. 28 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,120 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts great 29 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,680 things. How great a forest fire is set 30 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,240 ablaze by such a small fire, and the tongue is a fire, a world of 31 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,840 unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our 32 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:58,160 members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire 33 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,920 course of life, and setting on fire by hell. 34 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,840 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea 35 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,760 creature can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no 36 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,440 human being can tame. The tongue is restless evil, 37 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:20,280 full of deadly poison. With with it we bless our Lord 38 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,080 Father, and with it and with it we curse people who are made in 39 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,120 the likeness of God. From the same mouth comes 40 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,160 blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought 41 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:36,120 not to be so doing. Our sorry does a spring pour 42 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,440 forth from the same opening, both fresh water and salt water? 43 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,720 Can a big tree, my brothers, bear olives or grape produce 44 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,800 figs? Neither can a salt pond yield 45 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:56,040 fresh water so lot there. So the name of the the the 46 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,480 title. As I said up this morning, I was 47 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:01,840 trying to figure out the corniest title I come up with, 48 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:09,160 but it's think before we send it and sending it is the idea. 49 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:14,000 If you guys have ever like done extreme sports, you know 50 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,600 somebody will ride a mountain bike and you're just sending it 51 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,400 right? You're just going to go well, a 52 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,840 lot of times when we're communicating, we we act like 53 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,400 that, right? We'll be somebody will send me 54 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:29,520 an e-mail or something or Facebook post or whatever and I 55 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:35,040 want to respond and well, that's when you just are going to send 56 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,840 it. You know, whatever is going to 57 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,440 happen, me and Matt can, I'm picking on Matt because he's, he 58 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,080 loves to, he loves to debate and argue, right? 59 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,160 And me and him can have fun. But there are, there are 60 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,760 conversations I have with Matt that we're friends and we know 61 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,720 each other and we can kind of jab at one another and, and have 62 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,480 fun with that, right? But some of those conversations 63 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,120 you want, you don't want to have those with, with, with others, 64 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,200 right, with, with people you're trying to reach. 65 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:07,080 You want to you want to be soft with your words, but so that's 66 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,360 the the idea of sending it is that when this is going to be a 67 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:15,240 whole study on on our communication, James calls it 68 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,880 tongues. But you have to remember that in 69 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,640 James's times, there weren't texts, Facebook posts, emails, 70 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,320 Snapchat, Instagram, none of that existed. 71 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:29,160 So when when he talked about speaking, he was actually 72 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,240 talking about speaking Right now, we have all kinds of other 73 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:37,440 ways to speak into people and we want to be careful about that. 74 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,920 But where this starts is not many of you should become 75 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:46,240 teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be 76 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:52,080 judged with greater strictness. And in in construction, I have a 77 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:56,080 line that I tell I tell up and comers all the time, if you want 78 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:57,760 the truck, you aren't ready for the truck. 79 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:03,000 And what that means is when you get on a construction site, the 80 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,400 boss has a has the company truck and he gets to drive it home or 81 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,920 whatever that is. And guys will get the idea that 82 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,080 they want the truck, they want the cell phone they want, they 83 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,880 want to do what he's doing. And if they want it for the 84 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,840 purpose of having the truck or having the cell phone, they're 85 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:22,640 not ready for it, right. If the reason you want to get up 86 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:24,800 in front of people and teaches because you want you think 87 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:29,680 you're you, you have something to say and you want to be up 88 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:35,000 there, you're not ready, right? This is and I I say that with 89 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:40,520 complete humbleness. This is my favorite position in 90 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:45,800 anybody is being the second guy be be the guy behind right? 91 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:51,200 This is the that will be judged with greater strictness, right? 92 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,440 I am accountable to everything I say up here. 93 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,120 You know, I'm accountable. I'm accountable when I'm, when 94 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,920 I'm down talking with you guys because of the position I'm in 95 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:07,960 and I'm accountable for each and everything by God, right? 96 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:12,160 He put he not because I'm any different or or better than 97 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:17,880 anybody, but because of of the calling he's put on my life to 98 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:22,720 be here and to be this and being a pastor is not to be the boss. 99 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,360 It's not about power and prestige. 100 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,320 It's it's about being a shepherd right. 101 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,520 It's about guiding and directing. 102 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:37,320 But some other warnings that Jesus had about that trying to 103 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,600 be out there was Matthew 616 says Jesus said to them, watch 104 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,760 and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and 105 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,720 the disciples were confused by that because they're disciples 106 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,760 and they listen about as well as we do most of the time. 107 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:58,040 But you move on to chapter 23, he says about the Pharisees and 108 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,800 the Sadducees. They love the place of honor at 109 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,800 feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greeting in the 110 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,920 micro marketplace and being called rabbi by others. 111 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,760 But you are not to be called rabbi for you have one teacher 112 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:17,240 and you are all brothers and call no man your Father on 113 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,200 earth, for you have one Father who is in heaven. 114 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,920 Neither be called instructors for you have one instructor. 115 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,440 The Christ, the greatest among you shall be your servant. 116 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:34,640 And as teachers we are to point to Jesus not think that I, I 117 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,280 have any anything to point out for myself right? 118 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:41,440 Not I don't offer anything except what's in this book. 119 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:47,600 My my goal every every time, every Sunday morning, every 120 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:51,560 conversation I had is that you're left you're left thinking 121 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,800 about what Jesus said, not what Nick said. 122 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,600 And when you when you do that, you don't end up where in 123 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:04,640 Malachi 2 two. This is another point of priests 124 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,320 and teachers and those that think they have something 125 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,520 missing the mark. And it's if you will not listen, 126 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:16,120 if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says 127 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:19,720 the Lord of hosts, then I will send a curse upon you and I will 128 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:23,320 curse your blessing. Indeed, I have already cursed 129 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:27,080 them because you do not lay it to heart, right. 130 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,920 So anytime that a teacher gets up and thinks that I have, I 131 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,960 have something new to offer. I, you, you need to listen to 132 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:36,280 me. I'm the important one in the 133 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,720 room. They're they're in danger, 134 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,200 right? The Pharisees and the priests, 135 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,960 their number one problem is they had, they thought they had 136 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:50,560 something to offer and, and that they could add to God's word. 137 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:54,600 And that is, you know, when you look at when you look at the 138 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,360 like the way the Pharisees and the Sadducees talked about the 139 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:03,200 Sabbath and Jesus explained the Sabbath was made for men, not 140 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:04,720 men for the Sabbath, which was this. 141 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,800 The point of the Sabbath was not to add a bunch of rules to your 142 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,240 life. The point of the Sabbath was for 143 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,080 you to rest. You know, you were going to have 144 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:19,120 a day of rest, not a day of work resting and the the Sadducees 145 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,800 and the Pharisees, they, they spent time making rules and 146 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,680 putting putting burdens on people that we're adding to 147 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:33,760 God's word and we don't want to do that as as a pastor, as a 148 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:38,920 teacher, my number one job is to serve the Lord and and being a 149 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:43,480 shepherd. That's that is the the mission 150 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,920 that he's given me in that. But the number one thing is that 151 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,840 I'm submissive to the word when I'm teaching that all scripture, 152 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,800 and this is second Timothy 316. All scripture is breathed out by 153 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,960 God and it's profitable for teaching, for reproof, for 154 00:09:57,960 --> 00:09:59,800 correction and for training and righteousness. 155 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,920 And and that is when you come to the word of God, when you come 156 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,120 to the word of God, do you look at it and think you have some 157 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,320 something to offer right? That you it's like, well, that 158 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,600 isn't you know, I don't I don't agree with that. 159 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,400 Well, if you don't agree with it, you need to figure out why 160 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,320 you're wrong, right? Because the Bible's right. 161 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,200 And, and it might be when we don't agree with something, it 162 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,160 might be that we don't understand what it's saying and 163 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,720 we need to study more to understand it. 164 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:34,280 But I guarantee you everything in this book is true. 165 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,600 And so you never want to be as a teacher at any level. 166 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:43,560 You don't want to be teaching and changing what it says you 167 00:10:43,560 --> 00:10:48,040 want. That is my my biggest 168 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:52,080 responsibility and a burden on my heart when I'm teaching right 169 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:55,520 is that I don't get out in front of it and start telling you guys 170 00:10:55,520 --> 00:11:01,680 what I think you need to hear right is I want I want to be in 171 00:11:01,680 --> 00:11:05,720 complete submission to what the what the text we're in says. 172 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:14,520 My first role is to follow Jesus and by following him, I am able 173 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:18,520 to lead others to him. This is done by shepherding, not 174 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,320 bossing, right? So is shit, if you think about 175 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:24,640 has anybody ever, and my, my uncle has sheep, but has anybody 176 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:29,320 ever tried to push sheep? They, they are not a pushable 177 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,360 animal, right? They will follow you all kinds 178 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,200 of places. But if you decide you're going 179 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:35,880 to push them, they're going to split in all kinds of 180 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:40,680 directions. And and that is why as a as a 181 00:11:40,680 --> 00:11:45,880 pastor, as a teacher, the idea is that we lead to where we're 182 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:47,680 going. And we do that by being in the 183 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:50,040 word, right, not by letting you follow me. 184 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,880 I watch it. There's, you know, YouTube's got 185 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,200 YouTube and Facebook has some really good. 186 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:59,360 There are some guys on Facebook that are our pastors and there's 187 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:00,920 some really good things to say, right? 188 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,000 But I've been watching them and they're not, I mean, they're, 189 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,600 they're just saying really good things, but they're not in that 190 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:09,640 you. What they aren't doing is 191 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,280 pointing you to Jesus there. And I'm not, I don't want to, 192 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,560 I'm not calling any of them out. I think they have good 193 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:17,600 ministries. But when you watch them, they're 194 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,720 not they're just they're applying principles, but they're 195 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,080 not putting you back to the word. 196 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,680 And guys, I guarantee there's nothing I'm going to teach you 197 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:32,360 on a Sunday morning that if you can't find the verse that I, 198 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,880 that I'm talking about, if you can't apply it, it's, it is, 199 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,600 it's, it's hay and stubble, right? 200 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,640 If it, if it isn't something you can like foundation, lock it 201 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,960 down and say this is what the Bible says about that. 202 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:50,080 John 1226 says if anyone serves me, he must follow me. 203 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,280 And where I am, there will be there will my servant be also. 204 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,760 If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 205 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,400 And that's our job. Everybody here, right? 206 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,440 And that's parents. When you're teaching your kids 207 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,640 right, The goal is, is that we're in Christ and following 208 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:07,480 him. And by following him we are able 209 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:12,680 to lead others. And the honor that a follower of 210 00:13:12,680 --> 00:13:17,280 Christ is looking for is, is just simply to reflect Jesus 211 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:19,520 into this world. That is that is the honor, 212 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:20,240 right? It's not. 213 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,440 I want to be honored as A and worldly honor. 214 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:28,920 I want to have the honor to to serve my King, to serve Jesus 215 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:36,040 and do what he wants us to do. John the Baptist in John 3 216 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:42,760 really, really sums this up. John, John 3 starting in verse 217 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,600 26 and they came to John and this is John's disciples. 218 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:51,040 They came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you 219 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,600 across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, look, he is 220 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,120 baptizing and all are going to him. 221 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:01,200 And John answered, A person cannot receive even one thing 222 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,080 unless it is given to him from heaven. 223 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,360 And then if we skip down to verse 30, it says He must 224 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:13,200 increase and I must decrease. He who comes from above is above 225 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:17,240 all, and he who is on the earth belongs to the earth and speaks 226 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,880 in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is 227 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:24,440 above all. So at no point is a teacher 228 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:30,920 supposed to guide you and direct you on the ways of the world, 229 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,040 right? I, I, as a, as a teacher, you 230 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:37,320 need to be in your word. And that's like I said, that's, 231 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,920 that's when you're sharing, when you're sharing with people. 232 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:48,760 It's not not being anti culture or cultural. 233 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:56,200 Or there's a pastor in Bangor, Bangor, ME, Pastor Ken, what's 234 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:01,120 last name Graves, Ken Graves. And he's got a he's got a great 235 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,400 line and he is 10. It's like 75 year old, just a 236 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,680 big mountain of a man. And he has a voice that comes 237 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:12,680 from his toes. And he says that the church 238 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,320 needs to get rid of the four letter F word. 239 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,520 And F was like, what that's that's feels. 240 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,800 I feel right. I don't feel anything. 241 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:24,760 Are you led by the spirit or not right? 242 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:29,080 Our feelings feelings are not what guide us. 243 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:30,960 Our heart is dreadfully wicked, right? 244 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,160 So we need to be we need to be led by what the word of God says 245 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:41,760 and bring our our feelings into submission. 246 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,440 His his whole story on that. If you guys want to look him up, 247 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,280 Ken Graves on feelings and it is a funny little. 248 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:54,560 He is an entertaining guy, but not one of the pastors I was 249 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:58,760 talking about earlier because he really that's the the funnest 250 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,760 thing about guys that just lean into the word. 251 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,840 And so that's what it says. You know, there's a, there's a 252 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:09,880 guy that teaches about same sex attraction and he's actually on 253 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,840 the West side, but he's, he's one of the, he's a brother of a 254 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:18,680 guy that goes to our church in Tri-cities and, and he, he comes 255 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,680 in and, and shares and he says, and, and he's sharing the word 256 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:24,040 of God And he goes, and I understand that when I'm sharing 257 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:26,480 that that sucks. That's hard in the world we live 258 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:27,760 in. When you start sharing what the 259 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,600 Bible says about that, that's hard. 260 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:35,280 But that's what it says, right? That's, you know, joking before 261 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,880 service is I'm going to say offensive things up here, but 262 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:41,400 I'm going to say them because that's what they were. 263 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,800 God says I don't have to be offensive. 264 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,240 I don't have to come up with reasons to be offensive. 265 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:53,080 It's got plenty of minute. And that as if if someone is 266 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:57,400 offended at any point, and this should be your goal as well. 267 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,960 If if you're offending somebody, they need to be offended by the 268 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,960 God you serve, not by the words that are coming out of your 269 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:06,560 mouth because you want to win the argument. 270 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:13,040 And that is our goal. And and as a pastor, that is 271 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:18,680 truly guys, I don't and this is just this the idea of standing 272 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:24,440 up here and what is my job as a teacher and being held to a 273 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:28,640 higher standard. And why, you know, as I was 274 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:36,280 going through it, it's being it is a it is a humbling thing to 275 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,440 think that that anybody would look at Nick Adams and think I 276 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:45,920 had anything to offer because I know that the only good thing 277 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:49,360 about me is Jesus. And I I say that in people, you 278 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:52,560 know, I got saved 20 years ago, 25 years ago now. 279 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,280 And and people think that. Well, yeah. 280 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,200 But you know, you're you're a Christian, you know, you're this 281 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,320 nice guy. I'm not none of those things 282 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:06,560 outside of Christ. I am the, I'm the same worthless 283 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,920 guy that was 3030 years old when I got saved. 284 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,280 If I walk away from Jesus, I'm actually worse than that because 285 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,200 I know more. I know I know truth now. 286 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:19,400 So if I walk away from it, I'm even worse. 287 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:25,160 And so the only thing I have to offer anybody is the reflection 288 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:30,040 of Christ in my life. John first, John 17 says, but if 289 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,880 we walk in the light and as he is in the light, we have 290 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,960 fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son 291 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:41,080 cleanses us from all sin. And that's, that's where we all 292 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:47,560 want to be right in his light. And as a pastor, my job is to 293 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:54,160 point you to to him, to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit and the 294 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:58,080 Holy Spirit's voice in your life, not my voice in your life. 295 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,200 You know that, you know when it's when you look in Acts, 296 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,120 there's a couple, a couple of different moments. 297 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:08,320 So Acts 13 four, it says, so being sent out by the Holy 298 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:12,360 Spirit, they went down to Cesola and from there they sailed the 299 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:15,080 Cypress. So they were sent by the Holy 300 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,560 Spirit. And then one of my one of my 301 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:22,840 favorite ones is Acts 16 six. And it says, and they went 302 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:27,280 through the region of Fygra and Galatia and having been 303 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:31,040 forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 304 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:35,160 So they not only were sent by the Holy Spirit at one point, 305 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:39,240 but at a later point they were forbidden from going somewhere, 306 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:42,040 right? So the Spirit is speaking to 307 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,840 their hearts. And that's, that is what my 308 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,560 desire for, for us is that we're hearing from the Lord, Not that, 309 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,760 not that on Sunday morning, you guys come in and get a message 310 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,280 from the Lord and you go out and then you wait till next Sunday. 311 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:00,720 But that each and every one of us in this room are we have that 312 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,960 relationship with the Lord and we're hearing from him. 313 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,000 We're, we're hearing whether we need to take this job or that 314 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,800 job, whether we need to, whether we need to buy this car, that 315 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,000 car, you know, all of those things. 316 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:16,240 Do I need to go talk to the Do I need to go talk to the homeless 317 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:20,000 guy in the corner? Do I do I need to does this 318 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,200 cashier have do I have a word for them right. 319 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:25,920 That's the Holy Spirit working in your heart. 320 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:30,760 That's what that's what our, our goal is, right, is to walk in 321 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:37,000 that light and be guided by the Spirit into a, into a deeper 322 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:40,480 walk with Christ, right, But not just self focused. 323 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,840 As we get into a deeper walk with Christ, we, there's a, 324 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,520 there's a reflection because what does Christ want to want to 325 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:48,080 do? He isn't willing that any should 326 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:49,960 perish. So he wants to be out in our 327 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:53,760 community sharing with people, and he's going to do that 328 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,280 through each and every one of us. 329 00:20:56,360 --> 00:21:00,160 Now, as a, as a pastor, my job is also to protect the body, 330 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,440 right with the elders and, and other other men and women in 331 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,680 leadership to watch over the safety of the body right to 332 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,040 guide and direct. And that includes, that includes 333 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,320 watching for doctrinal issues and that stuff and false 334 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:18,920 teachers as they as they try to come in. 335 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:23,280 But it also has to do and what we're going to get into the rest 336 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,640 of it later. But that also has to do watching 337 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,560 for gossip and backbiting and any other threats of the body, 338 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,160 right? Because we're supposed to be 339 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:36,440 moving in unity, guys. This is when you look at when 340 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:45,160 you look at how how important it is to be walking in Christ in a 341 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,960 body. If you go back to Acts, Ananias 342 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:53,320 and Sapphira, when Peter when they walked in and and lied and 343 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:55,920 Peter said, why are you lying to the Holy Spirit and they fell 344 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:00,480 down dead. If we lived in that church 345 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:06,560 today, right, How many of us would have in, you know, in the 346 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,520 last, in the last, we'll just say last 25 years of my life, 347 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:11,480 would I have lived through it, right? 348 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:16,560 If I ever have I ever been in church and had a bad motive, 349 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:19,840 right? And the goal there isn't isn't 350 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,840 that we all walk around perfect. It's that we need to remember 351 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:29,920 that this isn't a game we play. The Holy Spirit is living in 352 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,720 inside each and every one of us. If we're a believer in here 353 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:38,240 today and he has a goal for us to reach the community, but he 354 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:40,640 has a goal to change us from the inside out. 355 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:47,120 And as a, as a teacher, that's my goal is always to just point 356 00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:50,040 to him and say we need to, we need to listen to what he has to 357 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,920 say. It's why it's why last week I, I 358 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:59,080 completely can be at peace letting someone else stand up 359 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:02,960 here and teach because they're just sharing what the word of 360 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:08,400 God says, right? It's not this is not a we're not 361 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,040 looking for anything except that Jesus gets glorified. 362 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:16,400 We go back to Malachi 2 and this is this is a guy that did it 363 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,760 right. You know, all through Malachi 2, 364 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:23,720 the Lord is talking about corrupt priests. 365 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:27,880 But then he talks about this guy and verse six and seven, it says 366 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:31,480 true instruction was in his mouth and no wrong was found in 367 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,320 his lips. He walked with me in peace and 368 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:36,720 uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 369 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:40,240 For the lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and 370 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,600 people should seek instruction from his mouth. 371 00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:45,280 For he is a messenger of the Lord of hosts. 372 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:51,960 And that's for for me, that's that's a verse God gave me when 373 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,480 we came here. But it also is a verse that we 374 00:23:54,480 --> 00:24:00,280 should all strive for that we should be looking to be that 375 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,880 messenger for the Lord by reflecting his light into our 376 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,560 community. And when I, when I came, you 377 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:11,280 know, I, I was praying about what to do and I watching over 378 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,040 the the community of Sandpoint. Am I supposed to do this? 379 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,160 And and the Lord gave me a vision for grace or for sorry 380 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:19,400 for bridges. Sandpoint. 381 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,840 Jesus has called us to reflect his light into a Dark World, 382 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:28,200 causing us to become bridges of light connecting the lost of his 383 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:32,360 of this world to him. And that's just as, as Jesus 384 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,880 shines light into our lives, our light reflects out onto other 385 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,040 people, right? And that's that connection. 386 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:40,600 And that's what we're supposed to be doing. 387 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,560 That's when we talk about me standing up here and being a 388 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:48,200 teacher. You, you guys, you guys teach 389 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,400 the world you're in, whether that I mean, I, I today is just, 390 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,120 I'm going to pick on Matt Day. He's a UPS driver. 391 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,560 How many, how many customers does he see on a regular basis? 392 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,040 And, and I've had both kinds of UPS drivers, right? 393 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:04,160 I've had the happy guy, which I'm just picturing Matt is the 394 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:09,760 energetic happy guy dropping off packages or the the grumpy UPS 395 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,240 driver. But the I it makes you ask 396 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,800 questions when you got when you got a guy that it's raining or 397 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:17,360 whatever. The thing has a bunch of boxes 398 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:19,280 and he's just he's upbeat and he's happy. 399 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:20,760 He's like, what's what's going on with that guy? 400 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,960 And that want that, that's teaching people stuff, right? 401 00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:31,200 This world can be a dark and miserable place and we have a 402 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,720 joy because of what the Lord has done in our lives. 403 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:39,200 And when we share that with the world, we're, we're teaching 404 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:40,400 them that there's something better. 405 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:49,840 And so be be about his business. And, and then just to remember 406 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:58,000 that you may be the the only Christian somebody in your 407 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,320 sphere influence knows. And because of that, you are 408 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:04,080 teaching what it's like to be a Christian. 409 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:10,680 So you will be judged with greater strictness as you're, as 410 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:12,360 you're explaining what that's like, right? 411 00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:14,960 So you don't want to explain what I what you think. 412 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:16,840 You want to explain what the Lord says, right? 413 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,080 You want to, you want to share with them the words of God. 414 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:24,880 And to do that, you need to be in those words, right, That you 415 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,240 don't, you don't sleep then you don't have the Bible under your 416 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:29,480 pillow and learn by osmosis, right? 417 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:31,480 You need to be in your word. You need to be reading it. 418 00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:38,480 Verse 2 says for we all stumble in many ways and if anyone does 419 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:44,400 not stumble in what he says he is a perfect man able also to 420 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:48,280 bridle the whole body and the word perfect there as much as I 421 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,160 wish it could be that if I just keep quiet I can be perfect. 422 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,560 It just means mature or being complete. 423 00:26:55,040 --> 00:27:00,160 Not perfect as in sinless, but mature like ready for solid food 424 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,120 or walking and not crawling right. 425 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:06,120 If you can, if you can bridle your tongue, if you can, if you 426 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:11,040 can speak from a position of pointing to Jesus, then you're 427 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:18,480 ready to for solid food. First Corinthians 32 Paul is is 428 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,200 scolding the Corinthians is that I fed you with milk, not solid 429 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,240 food for you were not ready for it and even now you are not 430 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:30,280 ready for it and that's you know how long how long have you been 431 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:31,920 saved? How long have you been walking 432 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:38,800 with the Lord? And you should be able to master 433 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,840 your tongue, but not because you have the strength, but because 434 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:50,160 you've given it to the Lord. And that's that's that 435 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,600 communication. Jane, like I said to begin with 436 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,720 is James didn't have text and Facebook and e-mail and 437 00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:00,080 Instagram and Snapchat. He just had talking and maybe 438 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:05,240 maybe writing a scroll. But we have lots of ways to 439 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:07,600 communicate and we are held accountable for him. 440 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:13,280 Guys, do you scroll Facebook or YouTube or Instagram and see 441 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:18,640 memes you like and and laugh about and do you share them? 442 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:24,880 So when I say that is so, especially in this role, and I, 443 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:28,640 I think I've done good with this over the years because my, my 444 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,480 Facebook page has always been connected to a ministry of some 445 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,840 kind. But is I'm accountable when I 446 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,040 hit send. Did you know, especially in this 447 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,760 role when I hit when I, when I decide to post something, a 448 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:45,520 pastor posted that, which means Jesus stamped that approved. 449 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:50,680 I know that's not true, right? I know that that Jesus doesn't 450 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:54,120 approve of everything Nick does, but everybody that looks at my 451 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:56,120 Facebook doesn't know that, right? 452 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,680 Well, Pastor Nick said that's OK, which that's a weird that 453 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:01,520 Pastor Nick thing still doesn't roll off my tongue. 454 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,560 But are you that kind of careful with your words, right? 455 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,760 Are you are you thinking that way? 456 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,120 And when I say how, how do you get to be that kind of careful? 457 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,080 And that's Galatians 522 through 23. 458 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,160 But the fruit of the Spirit is Lovejoy, peace, patience, 459 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:26,600 kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and 460 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,280 self-control. Against such there is no law. 461 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:35,160 So how do I control my tongue to the Spirit, Right. 462 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:37,960 I have to be, I have to be submitted to him. 463 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:42,480 I have to, I have to rely on his, his words coming out of my 464 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:46,560 life. Verse 3, three and four says if 465 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:50,600 we put bits in the mouth of horses so that they obey us, we 466 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,720 guide their bodies, their whole bodies as well. 467 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:57,800 Look at the ships also, Though they are so large and are driven 468 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:02,200 by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever 469 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:07,960 the will of the pilot directs. So in the title, send it, right 470 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:13,640 when I decide to just send it and let them have it, it's like 471 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:16,880 yank in the rein of a horse just puts him in the ditch, right? 472 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:25,680 And it's that is we don't ever have that We we don't have that 473 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:27,560 right. I'm just going to I'm just going 474 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:29,200 to tell that guy what I think of him. 475 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,040 I'm going to tell that girl what I think of him. 476 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:35,080 They don't have the right to act like, you know, when I do that 477 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:38,760 I'm in my own flesh. All right, now there is 478 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:43,120 definitely time that the Lord wants to talk to somebody and 479 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,480 needs to say some abrupt things to them. 480 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,240 But if you're going to be that instrument, you need to be sure 481 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,000 that's coming from Him and not from you. 482 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:58,640 And because if it's just coming from you, it is, it is wasteful 483 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,720 for you. It is wasteful for them, right? 484 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:05,360 It's it's not going to do you any good because you're going to 485 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,920 try and do it and you're not going to feel any better because 486 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:10,880 you know the reason I just got to get this off my chest and 487 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:12,640 you're not going to feel any better and they're not going to 488 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,200 get any any growth out of it. They're not going to be directed 489 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,520 to the Lord. And that is our goal, right. 490 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:24,800 Verses 5 through 8 says so. Also, the tongue is, is a small 491 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,240 member, yet it boasts of great things. 492 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,000 How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire. 493 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:35,880 And the tongue is a fire of of a world of unrighteousness. 494 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:38,840 The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole 495 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:44,640 body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire 496 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,200 by hell. For every kind of beast and 497 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,960 bird, of reptile and sea creature can be tamed and has 498 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:54,680 been tamed by mankind. But no human being can tame the 499 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:58,480 tongue. It is restless, evil and full of 500 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:04,040 deadly poison. So the only way that you're any 501 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:09,240 of what I'm about to say you can be successful in not doing is if 502 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:12,120 you submit to the Lord and you submit to the Holy Spirit in 503 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:13,920 your life and you say, Lord, I can't. 504 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:21,080 You need to quiet, quiet my quiet my outside voice until I 505 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:26,960 have something from you to say. So the Bible has a lot to say 506 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,400 about different, different communications, different 507 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,360 tongues. The lying tongue is Proverbs 508 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,360 12/22. Lying lips are an abomination to 509 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,280 the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. 510 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:43,720 A flattering tongue. A lying tongue hates its 511 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,240 victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. 512 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:48,800 And that's just a manipulator, right? 513 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:52,240 Manipulating people with what you say. 514 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,840 A proud tongue. Psalms 12/4 Those who say with 515 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,040 our tongues we will prevail. Our lips are with us. 516 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,560 Who is the master over us, right? 517 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:08,000 Do I have something to say that is not from the Lord? 518 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,560 That but I get the right to say it, you know. 519 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:16,280 Am I the master of my own words and my own thoughts? 520 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,720 Ecclesiastes 5/2 is an overused tongue. 521 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,720 I'm probably the most guilty at this. 522 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:28,800 I I talk too much. Be not rash with your mouth, not 523 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:33,640 let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in 524 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,800 heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 525 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:42,720 A swift tone, saying things quickly without without having 526 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,840 that pause to let the Lord work through you in it. 527 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:51,640 And James 119 says, know this my beloved brothers, let every 528 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,560 person be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to get angry. 529 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:57,960 And then you got the tail bearing tongue, which is a 530 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:04,680 gossip, right Levi Leviticus, sorry, Leviticus 1916. 531 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,239 You shall not go around as slanders among your people and 532 00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:11,040 you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor. 533 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:16,400 I am the Lord. So we want gossip is something 534 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:21,840 that is cancerous, right? When we when when we have a when 535 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:25,320 we have a problem with a church member. 536 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,440 But if we even even if we have a child problem at work, right? 537 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:31,159 You should be known at some known as somebody that doesn't 538 00:34:31,159 --> 00:34:33,920 talk about people that you talk to people, right? 539 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:36,280 If you have a problem with somebody at work, you need to go 540 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:40,560 to them and talk to them. And that that goes that goes 541 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,960 across the board. That's that's family members, 542 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,120 that's church members, that's work people, right? 543 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:50,199 If you have a problem, you start that with that person, right? 544 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:53,159 You have those conversations. And if somebody comes to you 545 00:34:53,159 --> 00:34:58,560 with a problem about somebody, the I think I told you guys 546 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:02,480 already, Pastor Steve is the tri-cities. 547 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:06,680 He's he's a big guy and he's a lot of fun in a lot of ways. 548 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:09,840 And thank goodness I got saved there. 549 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:13,520 So I, I got trained to this at a young age and didn't have to 550 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:20,840 experience it the hard way, but is if you came to Steve and said 551 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:24,200 so and so did this and did this and, and, and this is going on 552 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:25,320 and you need to take care of this. 553 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:27,920 And Steve would just look at you and go, well, did you talk to 554 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:31,960 them? Well, no, I, well, let's go and 555 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:36,120 talk to him. And so now he's, he's actually 556 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:38,440 now we're going to get now we're going to go talk to that person, 557 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:40,080 right. So if they came up and attempted 558 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:43,280 to like make somebody look bad and maybe they were being 559 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:46,040 honest, maybe they weren't, but it's the point of that. 560 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:47,280 We're not going to do that right. 561 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,800 We're we're going to we're going to work this out together, 562 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:54,960 right. And so having that thought, you 563 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,520 know, my don't know if I told I told this recently. 564 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:01,280 I don't know if it was here is the other gossip moment was 565 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:05,040 Pastor Mitch, but you guys heard about a lot. 566 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:09,880 He's married to Marcy and they were at home and Steve and they 567 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:12,360 all came from California together to the tri-cities. 568 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:14,800 And so they're all friends and and stuff. 569 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:18,360 And and Marcy was mad at Steve about something And Mitch got 570 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:25,040 home and Marcy's venting about Steve and and Mitch goes, you 571 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,640 need to stop or we're going to need to call Steve. 572 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,920 And a few minutes went by and she didn't stop and he dialed 573 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:32,040 the phone. He said Steve's here. 574 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:36,280 So it's that level, right? We don't need to talk about 575 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:38,280 other people. We need to talk to them because 576 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:41,040 the whole point is we need, we need a good relationship with 577 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:43,960 each other, right? And when we talk, when we, when 578 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:48,240 we, when we're slandering other people, even even in the 579 00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:52,720 relationship of our marriage, we need to hold each other 580 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:54,920 accountable to not, not allow that to happen, right? 581 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:59,680 We need to be focused on what the Lord would do in that 582 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:01,120 matter. Because if, if somebody's doing 583 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:02,400 something and they're in sin, right? 584 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:06,880 I need to, I need to address that, not talk about it. 585 00:37:07,720 --> 00:37:14,280 And so and then Psalm one O 916 and 17 the cursing tongue. 586 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:19,480 For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor 587 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:22,000 and needy and the broken hearted to put them to death. 588 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:25,560 He loved to curse and let curses come upon him. 589 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:27,640 He did not the light and blessing. 590 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:37,760 May it be far from him so to remember that that God's desire 591 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:41,280 is that none should perish, right? 592 00:37:41,720 --> 00:37:47,040 So I don't want to be, I don't want to be saying that person is 593 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:50,800 beyond saving. Now they might be beyond saving, 594 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:53,680 but I don't want to say that right? 595 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,200 I want, I want to do all I can to save them. 596 00:37:56,360 --> 00:38:00,440 I want to do all I can to shine light into their lives, not not 597 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:07,160 tell them that they are they are cursed and and be a stumbling 598 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:10,400 block that they get to look at later on and go, well, I'm not 599 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:13,040 saved because of that guy, right? 600 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:14,840 I don't believe in Jesus because of that guy. 601 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:21,360 I don't want to be that person. So in all of that, it sounds 602 00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:22,960 like it'd be better if I was just a mute. 603 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:29,800 But at the end, the spirit can redeem even our thoughts, right? 604 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:36,480 And that is Second Timothy for two says, preach the word, be 605 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:40,720 ready in season and out of season to reprove, rebuke, 606 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,840 exhort with complete patience and teaching. 607 00:38:44,720 --> 00:38:47,960 So we do have something to offer this world, but what we have to 608 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:51,440 offer is what the Spirit pours into us, right? 609 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:56,720 We pour that out into the world, then suddenly, then suddenly the 610 00:38:56,720 --> 00:39:01,680 world has changed. And it's changed because of what 611 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:03,280 the Spirit's doing through US, right? 612 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:10,920 So we are to be in the word sharing what Jesus has to say 613 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:14,840 and sharing it with the heart Jesus has for those you're 614 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:17,840 speaking to. And that goes back to 615 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:20,520 Christianity is not a self help book, right? 616 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:26,160 I'm not at any point telling you to, you know, act like this or 617 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:28,080 act like that. I'm telling you to get in your 618 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:34,160 word and follow what he says, be in prayer and listen to the 619 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:38,280 Lord, right? Because outside of that, you 620 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:40,600 have no hope. I have no hope out. 621 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:44,720 If I, if I decide that I'm going to try really, really hard to be 622 00:39:44,720 --> 00:39:47,840 really, really good, I'm really, really going to fail. 623 00:39:49,240 --> 00:39:55,120 But if I decide that Lord, I can't and you need to guide me 624 00:39:55,120 --> 00:40:01,280 and direct me, I have a chance. And Romans 616 says, do you not 625 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:03,880 know that? If you present yourselves to 626 00:40:03,880 --> 00:40:07,760 anyone as an obedient slave, you are slaves of the one whom you 627 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:11,240 obey, either to sin, which leads to death, or obedience, which 628 00:40:11,240 --> 00:40:14,760 leads to righteousness. So unless we obey Jesus, I will 629 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:21,600 obey my selfishness, I will obey the the sin that is inherent in 630 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:25,600 me, in my flesh. Romans 719. 631 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:28,920 Paul goes on to say, For I do not do the good I want to, but 632 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:33,480 the evil I do not want to do is what I keep on doing, and that 633 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:36,960 is unless Jesus is doing it, I am lost. 634 00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:44,680 Simply put, unless I am in a constant place of peace, relying 635 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:48,240 on the Spirit to work through me, and being willing to obey 636 00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:58,840 Him at all times, I'll fail. And Romans 6, 17 and 18, it 637 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:03,720 says, But thanks be to God, that you were once slaves of sin, 638 00:41:03,720 --> 00:41:09,160 having become become obedient from the heart to a standard of 639 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,920 teaching which you will, you were committed. 640 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:15,280 And having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of 641 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:19,240 righteousness. And that's the promise, right 642 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:23,400 when we say, Lord, not my will, but your will. 643 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:28,640 And Lord, I am not smart, I need you to show me. 644 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:35,400 He will and he does. Verse 9 of James it says, with 645 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:38,920 it we will bless our Lord and Father, and with it we will 646 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:43,720 curse people made in his likeness from the same mouth. 647 00:41:43,720 --> 00:41:48,360 Some bless and some curse. My brothers, these things ought 648 00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:52,360 not be so. Does a spring pour forth from 649 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:54,280 the same opening fresh in salt water? 650 00:41:56,760 --> 00:42:00,600 Can a fig tree? My brothers bear olives and 651 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:04,280 grapevines and produce figs. Neither can a salt pond yield 652 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,480 fresh water. Has anybody seen the help the 653 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:15,040 movie Mississippi Maids? And there's a scene at the end 654 00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:17,920 of the movie that one of the maids that got let go brought 655 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:21,440 back a peace offering to her her ex boss. 656 00:42:22,480 --> 00:42:25,080 And the peace offering was her chocolate pie. 657 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:30,480 And the moral of the story is in that chocolate pie with some of 658 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:33,400 her poop, they never say how much. 659 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:36,440 They they never say, well, it wasn't a lot. 660 00:42:37,600 --> 00:42:40,480 No, they it just says poop doesn't say how much. 661 00:42:40,480 --> 00:42:43,960 Nobody asked because is there any amount of poop in a pie that 662 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:48,920 you're going to eat? I mean, and that's, that's it. 663 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:50,240 It doesn't matter how much chocolate. 664 00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:52,000 It doesn't matter how much goodness is in there. 665 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:57,240 They're not. I'm good, right, And and that's, 666 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:01,560 you know, I have a little bit of the spirit. 667 00:43:02,720 --> 00:43:04,840 I gave him a little bit of what the Lord wanted me to tell him, 668 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:08,920 but I had to tell him something. You know, that's that's wasted, 669 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:14,600 right? We I add nothing up here and 670 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:21,360 that that is in in India. I have AI have a friend that is 671 00:43:21,880 --> 00:43:24,520 I've met him in Uganda. He's a Indian guy and he goes to 672 00:43:24,520 --> 00:43:30,560 a church in India and they don't have, they don't have anybody 673 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:32,640 teaching. They're, they're, they just read 674 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:36,120 the Bible, right? That is literally the whoever's, 675 00:43:36,120 --> 00:43:39,120 whoever's the guy that day just gets up and reads the Bible. 676 00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:40,880 And that's how they, they learn, right? 677 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:44,000 Because you can't corrupt that you're just going to read the 678 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:46,480 word. And, and really at the end of 679 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:48,800 the day, guys, I want you guys to be in James. 680 00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:51,360 I want you to be looking at it and and listen to what he has to 681 00:43:51,360 --> 00:43:53,880 say, not what I have to say, right. 682 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:57,920 I'm just trying to point at him at what he said at the Holy 683 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:02,200 Spirit. Philippians 4 is 8 says finally, 684 00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:05,640 brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, 685 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:08,960 honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is 686 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:13,080 lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence in 687 00:44:13,080 --> 00:44:19,080 it, if there's anything worthy of praise, think about these 688 00:44:19,080 --> 00:44:23,920 things. So before we send it, well, we 689 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:25,480 should filter it through. Is it true? 690 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:27,480 Is it honorable? Is it just, is it pure? 691 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:29,360 Is it lovely? Is it commendable? 692 00:44:29,440 --> 00:44:32,400 Is it excellent? Is it worthy of praise? 693 00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:39,240 Talk about these things. And the the think acronym that 694 00:44:39,240 --> 00:44:43,480 is you know, is, is it true? Is it helpful? 695 00:44:43,480 --> 00:44:44,960 Is it inspired? Is it necessary? 696 00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:48,000 Is it kind? The lady that actually I didn't 697 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:52,480 know this lady named Beth Day wrote these three gates, which 698 00:44:52,480 --> 00:44:56,080 is if you are tempted to reveal a tale that someone told you 699 00:44:56,080 --> 00:45:00,080 about another, make it pass before you speak through gates 700 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:03,800 of gold 3 narrow gates first is it true? 701 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:08,520 Then ask yourself is it needful? Give honest answers in your 702 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:11,600 mind. The last and narrowest is is it 703 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:17,360 kind and if if to reach your lips at last it passes through 704 00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:23,040 these three gateways, then you may tell the tale and not fear 705 00:45:23,240 --> 00:45:25,280 what the outcome of speech may be. 706 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:28,800 And I would just encourage us all to be to be in prayer about 707 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:31,320 our our communications with others. 708 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:34,800 You know that and that's that's at the grocery store at the bank 709 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:40,400 line UPS driver as he's as he's talking to people. 710 00:45:40,400 --> 00:45:44,960 But we, we all interact with this world and we may be the 711 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:49,960 only Christian that people know. And you are the light in this 712 00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:54,040 world and you were, you were put here the day you gave your life 713 00:45:54,040 --> 00:45:55,920 to the Lord. The reason we don't vanish is 714 00:45:55,920 --> 00:46:00,040 because you were put here to go and shine that light into the 715 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:04,200 world. And, and Lord, I just thank you 716 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:06,400 for everybody here. And I thank you for this time 717 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:13,760 and thank you that you do speak Lord, that you are living and 718 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:15,680 you want to work through US Lord, and that you would just 719 00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:20,360 shine light in this community through the body of believers 720 00:46:20,360 --> 00:46:25,280 here Lord, and that we would go out and just reflect you into 721 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:26,720 the world. And I pray this all in Jesus 722 00:46:26,720 --> 00:46:27,560 name, Amen.