WEBVTT 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:30.659 This is the sermon title and reference from last 00:09:30.659 --> 00:09:34.320 week, but I'm not going to preach the same sermon 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:37.779 I preached last week. I might sometime, if the 00:09:37.779 --> 00:09:41.740 Lord so let, but not today. Before I begin, I 00:09:41.740 --> 00:09:44.019 just want to kind of tell you, I did go this 00:09:44.019 --> 00:09:46.200 week. Like most of you know, I was out of town. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:49.379 I did go to the annual meeting for the Southern 00:09:49.379 --> 00:09:54.100 Baptist Convention. Much went on there. My experience 00:09:54.100 --> 00:09:57.940 was largely airports. Driving a rental car in 00:09:57.940 --> 00:10:02.519 heavy traffic, walking a lot, voting about 60 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:07.419 to 70 times on various issues, listening to some 00:10:07.419 --> 00:10:12.620 pretty good debating on various issues. My feeling 00:10:12.620 --> 00:10:14.960 is that we, as Southern Baptists, even though 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.940 there are controversies, we are stronger than 00:10:18.940 --> 00:10:22.419 ever, that our convention is stronger than ever. 00:10:22.860 --> 00:10:25.919 And part of that is because with the controversies 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:28.039 that are going on in the world, God's people 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:30.860 are being drawn to stick close to God's word. 00:10:31.539 --> 00:10:33.899 And that is something. And that is something 00:10:33.899 --> 00:10:37.120 that we also should be a big part of. Today's 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:39.220 actual sermon title, which will probably be coming 00:10:39.220 --> 00:10:43.000 up in a second, is Treading on God's Mercy. And 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:44.960 it does come from, grab your Bibles, take a little 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:49.279 breath, Judges chapter 2. Amen. Thank you for 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:52.779 those of you who participated. Feel free to be 00:10:52.779 --> 00:10:55.399 bold. This is God's word. This is what we trust 00:10:55.399 --> 00:10:57.799 to be true. Whatever I get right or get wrong 00:10:57.799 --> 00:11:00.600 in the next 45 minutes, 40 minutes or so, or 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:05.899 less possibly, God will get it right. God's word 00:11:05.899 --> 00:11:08.320 is solid. And so if you allow yourself to be 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:11.299 affected by what we're about to read, then you 00:11:11.299 --> 00:11:14.120 will be affected by what we're about to read. 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:16.679 Before we begin to read it, I want to share with 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:19.580 you an illustration. During World War II, the 00:11:19.580 --> 00:11:22.299 Germans forced many 12 - and 13 -year -old boys 00:11:22.299 --> 00:11:26.580 into the Junior Gestapo. They were running out 00:11:26.580 --> 00:11:29.360 of older men, and they forced a lot of boys, 00:11:29.419 --> 00:11:31.519 ages 12 to 13, into what was called the Junior 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:33.759 Gestapo. These boys were treated very harshly, 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:37.919 given inhumane jobs to perform. When the war 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.519 ended, most had lost track of their families 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:44.299 and wandered without food or shelter. As part 00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:46.919 of an aid program to post -war Germany, many 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:51.179 of these youths were placed in tent cities. Here, 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.220 doctors and psychologists worked with the boys 00:11:53.220 --> 00:11:55.860 in an attempt to restore their mental and physical 00:11:55.860 --> 00:11:58.240 health. They found that many of the boys would 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:00.460 awaken in the middle of the night screaming in 00:12:00.460 --> 00:12:04.460 terror. One doctor had an idea for handling that 00:12:04.460 --> 00:12:07.559 fear. After feeding the boys a large meal, he 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:09.919 put them to bed with a piece of bread in their 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:13.159 hands. while they were told to save it until 00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:17.820 morning. The boys then slept soundly. The doctor 00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:20.360 hypothesized that it was because after so many 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:22.940 years of hunger, they finally had the assurance 00:12:22.940 --> 00:12:28.580 of food the next day. I submit to you, there 00:12:28.580 --> 00:12:31.460 is maybe a deeper reason. And we're going to 00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:33.440 look a little bit into it in Scripture today. 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:36.860 Judges chapter 2, beginning in verse 11, reads 00:12:36.860 --> 00:12:46.570 as follows. Then from there, Then the sons of 00:12:46.570 --> 00:12:49.049 Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and 00:12:49.049 --> 00:12:52.570 served the Baals. And they forsook the Lord and 00:12:52.570 --> 00:12:54.590 the God of their fathers, who had brought them 00:12:54.590 --> 00:12:57.289 out of the land of Egypt and followed other gods 00:12:57.289 --> 00:13:00.370 from among the gods of the peoples who were around 00:13:00.370 --> 00:13:03.309 them, and bowed themselves down to them. Thus 00:13:03.309 --> 00:13:05.809 they provoked the Lord to anger. Let's stop just 00:13:05.809 --> 00:13:07.190 there one second and make sure we understand 00:13:07.190 --> 00:13:10.120 what's happening. So this is post -Joshua. This 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:12.960 is after they've settled in the land but not 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:16.320 conquered the full land. They have already begun 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:19.220 to wander. They've already been visited by an 00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:21.139 angel, a messenger from God who told them to 00:13:21.139 --> 00:13:25.480 knock that crap off. They didn't really repent 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:28.039 per se, but they recognized what they were doing 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.840 was wrong. They wept. And then the men who were 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.519 grown men who had seen the incredible things 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:35.220 that God had done stayed their course. And we 00:13:35.220 --> 00:13:38.019 talked about last year. last year, last week, 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:39.960 about how that is supposed to be us. We're supposed 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:43.220 to say the course. But now we see that as those 00:13:43.220 --> 00:13:47.379 men are gone, the people living in the land, 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:49.820 even though they know the stories of the incredible 00:13:49.820 --> 00:13:52.679 things that God has done, they begin to serve 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:55.600 these false gods that were intermixed amongst 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:59.960 them. And they did not cast out the bad, the 00:13:59.960 --> 00:14:02.879 people that were not supposed to be there. And 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:06.879 they no longer have their older generation to 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:10.639 kind of hold them to. So they forsook the Lord 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:13.240 and served the Baal and the Ashtoreth, verse 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:18.039 13 says. God's not pleased. If anybody ever tells 00:14:18.039 --> 00:14:20.259 you that you should never be angry, you can tell 00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:23.220 them that that's just not true. God gets angry. 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:28.700 Here it says that they provoked the Lord to anger. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:32.240 Verse 14 then says, and the anger of the Lord 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.539 burned against Israel. And he gave them into 00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:39.600 the hands of plunderers who plundered them. And 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:41.580 he sold them into the hands of their enemies 00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:44.059 around them so that they could no longer stand 00:14:44.059 --> 00:14:48.980 before their enemies. So what's happening here 00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:51.899 is the Israelites are choosing to be disloyal 00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:54.940 to God, the God that brought them into this land 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:57.379 of milk and honey, the God that did so many miraculous 00:14:57.379 --> 00:14:59.360 things on behalf of their previous generations. 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:05.820 They've turned away from God. Now we see God 00:15:05.820 --> 00:15:08.980 provoked to anger and God begins to allow them 00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:13.659 to suffer defeat. Even becoming, in a sense, 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:18.480 an enemy himself to his own people. That's what's 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:23.059 actually happening. His people then get mastered 00:15:23.059 --> 00:15:26.139 by other people. These other people are not God's 00:15:26.139 --> 00:15:31.139 people. They do not follow God. Though they had 00:15:31.139 --> 00:15:33.740 the opportunity to. Remember, all of these are 00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:35.799 all descendants going back essentially to Noah. 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:41.379 So for a while, they did follow God. Esau, for 00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:44.879 example. He wasn't a real godly man, but he certainly 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:46.879 would have declared that God was the only God. 00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:54.100 But they all drift. God then takes away their 00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:57.919 ability to stand before their enemies. That statement 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:01.690 right there scares me. more than anything. Because 00:16:01.690 --> 00:16:05.269 if God removes from the church the ability to 00:16:05.269 --> 00:16:07.690 stand before their enemies, we're going to be 00:16:07.690 --> 00:16:13.269 in trouble. When we are losing, sometimes we 00:16:13.269 --> 00:16:16.450 have to ask ourselves, is it because we have 00:16:16.450 --> 00:16:22.710 played with other gods? Wherever they went, the 00:16:22.710 --> 00:16:24.870 hand of the Lord, this is verse 15, wherever 00:16:24.870 --> 00:16:27.309 they went, the hand of the Lord was against them 00:16:27.309 --> 00:16:30.519 for evil as the Lord had spoken. and as the Lord 00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:32.860 had sworn to them, so that they were severely 00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:35.220 distressed. This is the amazing thing. They were 00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:38.820 told in advance by God that if they played the 00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:41.059 harlot with the false gods, they would suffer 00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:44.279 like they are now suffering. They were warned, 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:49.539 maybe threatened, right? They were told they 00:16:49.539 --> 00:16:53.220 would be cursed if they did not stay true to 00:16:53.220 --> 00:16:56.250 the Lord. And now, just as God has spoken to 00:16:56.250 --> 00:16:59.909 them, they have chosen not to stay faithful. 00:17:02.889 --> 00:17:05.910 God is against them rather than for them. They're 00:17:05.910 --> 00:17:08.809 still his people. But he is against them, it 00:17:08.809 --> 00:17:11.150 says, rather than for them. It says he intended 00:17:11.150 --> 00:17:16.910 them harm. He kept his promise this way. He told 00:17:16.910 --> 00:17:21.430 them, I will do this to you if you ignore me 00:17:21.430 --> 00:17:26.009 and go after the false gods. They were severely 00:17:26.009 --> 00:17:29.650 distressed and in turmoil. And verse 16 says, 00:17:29.849 --> 00:17:32.930 Then the Lord raised up judges who delivered 00:17:32.930 --> 00:17:35.490 them from the hands of those who plundered them. 00:17:35.490 --> 00:17:36.809 I want you to understand that theologically, 00:17:37.109 --> 00:17:39.750 this he raised up judges thing is a very challenging 00:17:39.750 --> 00:17:43.089 concept. Here in the scripture it says that the 00:17:43.089 --> 00:17:46.210 judges, and we call them judges because they 00:17:46.210 --> 00:17:48.869 supposedly sort of ruled and made decisions, 00:17:49.009 --> 00:17:50.950 kind of like what Moses did, right? And what 00:17:50.950 --> 00:17:53.599 Joshua did. But actually, when you read the stories 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:55.599 of the judges, you'll see that's not really what 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:58.339 they do. They become like rulers. They become 00:17:58.339 --> 00:18:01.220 like military leaders. They lead God's people 00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:05.299 out of this. They have a specific purpose. God 00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:11.000 sends them to be saviors. It's said in verse 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:13.960 16 again, the Lord raises up judges who delivered 00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:16.839 them from the hands of those who plundered them. 00:18:16.859 --> 00:18:18.819 Now, why were those people plundering them again? 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:21.900 They're plundering them because God was not only 00:18:21.900 --> 00:18:25.119 allowing it, but making it happen as he had told 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.559 them he would. So they're being plundered. Then 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:30.880 they begin to suffer so badly that God raises 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:34.680 up judges or saviors, if you will, as an example 00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:38.579 of virtue to free them from the plunderers that 00:18:38.579 --> 00:18:44.299 God himself had sent. God sent saviors. The worthless 00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:48.759 false gods could neither plunder them. if God 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:53.700 wasn't allowing it, nor save them. Why? Because 00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:56.640 these false gods essentially do not exist at 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:00.200 all. And if they have any power whatsoever, it 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.039 is because they are demons or evil spirits, which 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:05.799 God has already promised to protect his people 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:09.099 from, but because they are not walking, if you 00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:11.500 will, in God's protection, they are now subjected 00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:15.240 to the plunderers, and then they need the saviors, 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:18.859 which God sends. God could both plunder them 00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:21.980 or save them. And he had told them that he would 00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:24.839 do either one of those things based on whether 00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:28.759 or not they were a faithful people to him. That's 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:31.140 what they were told. We read about it back in 00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:35.579 Deuteronomy. Verse 17. Yet they did not listen 00:19:35.579 --> 00:19:38.579 to their judges, for they played the harlot after 00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:41.460 other gods and bowed themselves down to them. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:44.019 So God sent saviors. Listen to the beautiful 00:19:44.019 --> 00:19:46.980 symbolism of this. God sent saviors to tell them, 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:50.119 this is what you need to do. You've not been 00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:51.720 doing it. That's why you're suffering from the 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:53.440 plunder. So now, here's what you need to do. 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:57.720 And yet, they still do not do it. Warned that 00:19:57.720 --> 00:20:00.160 they would suffer. They are now suffering. God 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.839 sends saviors for them who tell them, knock it 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:06.880 off. Do it right. God will take care of it. And 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:09.789 still, They play the harlot after other gods 00:20:09.789 --> 00:20:12.150 and they bow themselves down to them. They turned 00:20:12.150 --> 00:20:15.549 aside quickly from the way in which their fathers 00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:18.890 had walked in obeying the commandments of the 00:20:18.890 --> 00:20:22.069 Lord. They did not do as their fathers. That 00:20:22.069 --> 00:20:25.109 phrase there, to turn aside quickly, has been 00:20:25.109 --> 00:20:27.670 oft studied, dug into, and whatever. It is to 00:20:27.670 --> 00:20:30.029 say that they quickly were able to completely 00:20:30.029 --> 00:20:32.750 commit themselves to this new course of action. 00:20:33.550 --> 00:20:35.390 And without getting off on this tangent just 00:20:35.390 --> 00:20:38.130 yet, understand that this is the capability of 00:20:38.130 --> 00:20:41.430 humans. Have you ever been walking into a room 00:20:41.430 --> 00:20:43.569 to do something and realized you needed something 00:20:43.569 --> 00:20:45.769 that was in the room that you just left? And 00:20:45.769 --> 00:20:48.430 you went, wait. You went back and got it. And 00:20:48.430 --> 00:20:49.710 then you went, wait. And you went back into the 00:20:49.710 --> 00:20:51.569 room and did what you needed to do, right? Have 00:20:51.569 --> 00:20:53.970 you ever walked over to loosen a bolt? And as 00:20:53.970 --> 00:20:55.490 you're walking toward loosening the bolt, you 00:20:55.490 --> 00:20:57.430 go, oh, I need a wrench. And you turned and went 00:20:57.430 --> 00:21:00.369 and got a wrench. Have you ever been going to 00:21:00.369 --> 00:21:02.549 school and forgot your homework? Oh, I got to 00:21:02.549 --> 00:21:04.940 go back and get it. Have you ever been doing 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:07.059 something? You're having a conversation. This 00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:08.259 will probably hit a little close to home for 00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:09.720 some folks. You're having a conversation. It 00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:10.920 might even be kind of an important conversation. 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:12.799 You're on date night or something and your phone 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:15.079 rings and you're like, hold that thought. And 00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:17.960 you check and see who it is. We are so capable 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:21.259 of turning when we're not actually supposed to 00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:25.319 be turning. As soon as we figure out that if 00:21:25.319 --> 00:21:27.359 we turn and get a certain result that it's available 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:29.619 to us, right? Somebody might be calling me. It 00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:31.839 might be important. It's during the work day. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:34.940 It could be a work call. Right? Or whatever. 00:21:35.180 --> 00:21:38.720 All of a sudden, we turn quickly away from everything 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.420 that we're in. We're so quick at turning that 00:21:41.420 --> 00:21:47.400 we forgot how to be where we are. And that's 00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:50.500 what they did. Living in the promised land under 00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:53.579 God's rule, they forgot how to be the people 00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:55.559 of God in the promised land under God's rule, 00:21:55.619 --> 00:21:57.259 receiving the blessings that God was sending. 00:21:58.180 --> 00:22:00.859 You say, well, I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't 00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:03.259 turn away from receiving a blessing. Like somebody 00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:05.640 is trying to give me something or tell me something 00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:07.000 and it's going to be a blessing and I wouldn't 00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:12.279 be distracted then. Are you sure? Have you answered 00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:13.819 your phone when someone was talking to you about 00:22:13.819 --> 00:22:15.920 something important? Have you been distracted 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:17.980 thinking about other things during the sermon, 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:21.160 during inspirational moment time, during the 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:24.019 worship songs? See how quick and easy it is for 00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:28.259 us to turn? We say we are adamant, we believe 00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:30.619 what we believe, we are who we are, but as soon 00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:32.559 as an impetus comes, as soon as something comes 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:34.400 along that is a distraction or a temptation, 00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:39.900 we have the ability to turn. Oh, but wait. Now 00:22:39.900 --> 00:22:42.460 the plunderers have come, and the saviors have 00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:45.579 come, and they're being called to turn. Being 00:22:45.579 --> 00:22:47.660 completely capable of doing so, they're being 00:22:47.660 --> 00:22:49.400 called to turn from the course of action that 00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:50.980 they're on so that they can have what God would 00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:56.460 rather for them, and yet they do not. They didn't 00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:59.000 listen. They still played the harlot and bowed 00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:01.680 down to them. And their doing so became the reason 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:04.859 that they didn't listen. They were following 00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:08.200 Baal rather than God. The plunderers come. A 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:09.640 good thing comes. They probably said, you know 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:12.440 what? Yay, Baal saved us. Yay, we escaped our 00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:15.079 torment. Yay, we got out of trouble. But they 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:16.960 would not turn back to God as they were supposed 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.319 to. They turned aside quickly from following 00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:21.140 the commandments of the Lord. They did not do 00:23:21.140 --> 00:23:23.259 what their fathers had done, being obedient to 00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:25.990 God. Verse 18. When the Lord raised up judges 00:23:25.990 --> 00:23:29.390 for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered 00:23:29.390 --> 00:23:31.589 them from the hand of their enemies all the days 00:23:31.589 --> 00:23:35.190 of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity 00:23:35.190 --> 00:23:38.029 by their groaning because of those who oppressed 00:23:38.029 --> 00:23:39.710 and afflicted them. So basically the people cried 00:23:39.710 --> 00:23:41.710 out, Oh, this is horrible. We're suffering. They're 00:23:41.710 --> 00:23:45.630 wet tears. We need help. They didn't say, God, 00:23:45.690 --> 00:23:47.650 please help us. They just said, Oh, this is horrible. 00:23:47.730 --> 00:23:49.829 The complaining and groaning was going on and 00:23:49.829 --> 00:23:52.509 God loved them. And so God sent them a Savior. 00:23:52.990 --> 00:23:54.569 Now, whether or not they followed the Savior 00:23:54.569 --> 00:23:56.430 was still up to them. And did they? No. We've 00:23:56.430 --> 00:23:58.410 already read they did not follow the Savior. 00:23:58.470 --> 00:24:00.910 The Savior still saves, but they didn't follow 00:24:00.910 --> 00:24:04.390 him. When God raised up judges, God intervened 00:24:04.390 --> 00:24:06.509 for the judge because the judge was faithful 00:24:06.509 --> 00:24:09.950 to God. That's compassion. And victory, or at 00:24:09.950 --> 00:24:13.529 least escape, was given by God during the judge's 00:24:13.529 --> 00:24:15.890 intervention. Now, this is a summary passage. 00:24:15.970 --> 00:24:17.890 We'll see more detail later when we read other 00:24:17.890 --> 00:24:21.109 chapters of the book. This happened because God 00:24:21.109 --> 00:24:24.640 was moved to pity. by their groaning, which they 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:27.460 did because they were oppressed by the oppressors 00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:32.019 whom God had sent. There is a pattern here that 00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:34.380 we are meant not to follow. Verse 19, and we're 00:24:34.380 --> 00:24:36.720 almost done with the text. But it came about 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:39.140 when the judge died that they would turn back 00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:42.480 and act more corruptly than their fathers in 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:44.599 following other gods to serve them and bow down 00:24:44.599 --> 00:24:46.920 to them. They did not abandon their practices 00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:50.160 or their stubborn ways. Once the human saviors 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:52.240 died, the people would go right back to worshiping 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:56.420 false gods even more than before. Verse 20. So 00:24:56.420 --> 00:24:58.619 the anger of the Lord burned against Israel and 00:24:58.619 --> 00:25:01.519 he said, because this nation has transgressed 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:04.180 my covenant which I commanded their fathers and 00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:09.019 has not listened to my voice. Because this nation 00:25:09.019 --> 00:25:12.380 has transgressed the covenant that I made with 00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:16.539 their fathers and has not listened to my voice. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:20.720 I also will no longer drive out, and so on. The 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:23.500 worst that's going to come is going to come because 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:25.099 they would not. A few things I want you to see 00:25:25.099 --> 00:25:27.180 in the text, and the first thing is, let us not 00:25:27.180 --> 00:25:31.160 make any mistake. We see God sending plunderers. 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:33.619 Mostly these plunderers come from the surrounding 00:25:33.619 --> 00:25:37.220 nations, largely Mesopotamia, which is very wealthy, 00:25:37.299 --> 00:25:40.319 and they had a lot of powerful armies built up. 00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:42.420 It's one empire into another, into another, and 00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:46.670 so on. Even Syria and Assyria and Egypt, they're 00:25:46.670 --> 00:25:49.049 persecuted by people all around them who have 00:25:49.049 --> 00:25:52.049 built up strong armies. Now, the land of Israel 00:25:52.049 --> 00:25:56.930 is very defendable. Jerusalem is built on a mountain. 00:25:58.150 --> 00:26:01.309 It's only approachable from one direction. The 00:26:01.309 --> 00:26:03.569 land of Israel is very defendable. There are 00:26:03.569 --> 00:26:07.809 caves and mountain fortresses at that time. It's 00:26:07.809 --> 00:26:10.750 very defendable. But God's people could not defend 00:26:10.750 --> 00:26:14.160 themselves. It seems very bad. To be like, God 00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:16.940 sends armies to plunder them and makes it so 00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:19.480 that they can't stand against the armies. Man, 00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:23.680 God is not nice. You see, the reality is, God 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:27.980 is merciful. God has a trait of withdrawing his 00:26:27.980 --> 00:26:31.480 wrath even when people are completely worthy 00:26:31.480 --> 00:26:35.279 of that wrath. Even when they deserve it completely. 00:26:35.819 --> 00:26:38.700 You see, God sent the plunderers because they 00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:40.640 were worshiping false gods. That's not good. 00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:42.619 It's not good to worship false gods. It's not 00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:45.339 good to give abeyance to a demon. Right? Because 00:26:45.339 --> 00:26:47.839 even if by some chance that demon does something 00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:51.420 for you, it is only to get you deeper stuck in 00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:53.960 the evil that is part there. And to the point 00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:55.839 that then, if you would later choose to do otherwise, 00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:58.640 you're trapped in your own sin and wickedness. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:01.279 You're stuck there. You lose the ability to turn 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:06.000 away. They deserved to be plundered. They deserved 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:10.460 worse. And then God sends the plunderers to stop 00:27:10.460 --> 00:27:12.579 the progression of their sin. See, they were 00:27:12.579 --> 00:27:14.940 doing worse and worse. You know, during the period 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:18.099 of time, while the plunderers were coming, people 00:27:18.099 --> 00:27:20.440 would stay at home, or men would be part of the 00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:22.759 army to try to fight off being plundered, right? 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:24.819 They're hiding out in caves. And during that 00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:27.900 period of time, this wasn't actively going on 00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:32.829 as much. Worship of the god Molech. The chief 00:27:32.829 --> 00:27:34.769 worship service of the god Molech is where you 00:27:34.769 --> 00:27:37.569 burn your firstborn child alive in the fire. 00:27:39.349 --> 00:27:41.509 So, during the time that the plunderers were 00:27:41.509 --> 00:27:44.690 coming, they were not burning their children 00:27:44.690 --> 00:27:47.609 alive in the fire because the plunderers were 00:27:47.609 --> 00:27:49.329 coming. Now, not because they thought it wasn't 00:27:49.329 --> 00:27:51.069 the right thing to do, because as soon as the 00:27:51.069 --> 00:27:53.450 plunderers were defeated by the judge, they went 00:27:53.450 --> 00:27:56.650 back to that false worship. And that's one horrible 00:27:56.650 --> 00:27:59.230 example of false worship, but there are a lot 00:27:59.230 --> 00:28:01.789 of others. One of the reasons that Israelite 00:28:01.789 --> 00:28:04.049 men were so led into the worship of Baal and 00:28:04.049 --> 00:28:09.109 Asherah was because temple prostitutes were made 00:28:09.109 --> 00:28:11.569 available so men could go and sleep with the 00:28:11.569 --> 00:28:13.390 prostitutes to bring the rain on their crops. 00:28:14.069 --> 00:28:16.369 So here's the deal. You're 22 years old, married 00:28:16.369 --> 00:28:18.329 to your beautiful bride. She's home pregnant 00:28:18.329 --> 00:28:20.890 with your oncoming child. And so she's a little 00:28:20.890 --> 00:28:23.849 more round than normal. No problem. You can go 00:28:23.849 --> 00:28:26.410 sleep with three or four prostitutes at the temple 00:28:26.410 --> 00:28:31.980 because that's Baal worship. Or let's say you 00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:33.740 have a little bit of a spat or argument with 00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:35.960 your wife and you disagree on something. No problem. 00:28:36.119 --> 00:28:37.759 You can go sleep with the temple prostitutes. 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:41.720 They're there for you 24 hours a day. Well, that's 00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:44.579 not allowed in Christianity. I only get to be 00:28:44.579 --> 00:28:47.319 with my wife in Christianity in God's way, in 00:28:47.319 --> 00:28:49.839 the way that God would have us to do it. But 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:53.900 if you go sign on to other religions, other faiths, 00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:56.640 you can do it. Even some faiths that claim to 00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:59.250 be Christian. You can do whatever you want. As 00:28:59.250 --> 00:29:01.630 long as you make it to confession before you 00:29:01.630 --> 00:29:03.930 take communion, you'll receive the grace of God. 00:29:04.609 --> 00:29:06.849 So you want to sleep around? Fine. Just make 00:29:06.849 --> 00:29:09.529 sure you confess it and get it forgiven. Right? 00:29:10.390 --> 00:29:14.049 Wrong! That is not what Scripture says. That 00:29:14.049 --> 00:29:15.869 is not what the Bible says. Those are traditions 00:29:15.869 --> 00:29:19.890 of men. Not what God says. And so they were pursuing 00:29:19.890 --> 00:29:31.730 these young, exciting, lusty, demonic, And God 00:29:31.730 --> 00:29:35.630 sent plunderers to stop it, to stop the progression. 00:29:35.970 --> 00:29:38.029 You're sinking into hell while you are still 00:29:38.029 --> 00:29:42.329 alive. And without the plunderers that he sent 00:29:42.329 --> 00:29:45.170 the Savior, the judge, people would have thought, 00:29:45.190 --> 00:29:46.869 well, we don't really need him. We've got Baal. 00:29:47.029 --> 00:29:49.410 We don't need a judge. We don't need a Savior. 00:29:50.329 --> 00:29:52.250 Right? We just keep, as long as we sacrifice 00:29:52.250 --> 00:29:56.190 our firstborn son and daughter and sleep with 00:29:56.190 --> 00:29:58.269 the prostitutes, everything will be fine. And 00:29:58.269 --> 00:30:02.250 besides, it's fun. It's good. I never have to 00:30:02.250 --> 00:30:03.710 worry about any frustration or stress anymore. 00:30:03.730 --> 00:30:07.069 I can always take it out on whoever or get it 00:30:07.069 --> 00:30:09.430 out by involving myself with temple activities. 00:30:10.049 --> 00:30:13.009 These are wicked, wicked, horrible behaviors 00:30:13.009 --> 00:30:15.490 that God's people should never lend themselves 00:30:15.490 --> 00:30:19.210 to. And the plunderers came to stop the progression. 00:30:20.430 --> 00:30:25.930 But then in stopping the progression, there was 00:30:25.930 --> 00:30:28.319 much suffering. And God's people suffered. It's 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:31.720 horrible. Oh, woe is us. We're suffering so badly. 00:30:33.180 --> 00:30:36.640 And God then had mercy on them. And He sent the 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:39.799 judges, the saviors, to provide solace, to provide 00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:42.960 peace, to show the right way, just as He did 00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:49.039 with Jesus 2 ,000 years ago. And then, instead 00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:52.299 of turning to the Savior's way, instead of following 00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:56.220 the example laid out by God, They continue with 00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:58.779 the progression of the false worship, doing the 00:30:58.779 --> 00:31:01.099 wrong things. Oh, well, what does this sound 00:31:01.099 --> 00:31:04.759 like? It's what we have been doing, what mankind 00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:06.960 has been doing for 2 ,000 years, as people have 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.519 been drifting. And you see their suffering, and 00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:12.119 you realize that when soldiers, during World 00:31:12.119 --> 00:31:15.640 War II, when the draft came up, and every man 00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:20.619 of warful age had to be registered and would 00:31:20.619 --> 00:31:23.059 go off to fight, right? And they were drafting. 00:31:24.490 --> 00:31:26.369 hundreds of thousands of people were being drafted, 00:31:26.529 --> 00:31:28.430 men, right? And while they were being drafted, 00:31:28.430 --> 00:31:29.789 they were learning to fight. That wasn't great. 00:31:30.089 --> 00:31:33.049 They were suffering. They were eating military 00:31:33.049 --> 00:31:35.910 fare only. They were getting healthy. They were 00:31:35.910 --> 00:31:39.089 getting sent off to war to fight, right? Meanwhile, 00:31:39.150 --> 00:31:40.650 on the other side of the war, really horrible, 00:31:40.690 --> 00:31:43.730 wicked things were taking place. But imagine 00:31:43.730 --> 00:31:46.890 the progression if nobody does anything to stop 00:31:46.890 --> 00:31:53.609 Adolf Hitler and his agenda. It spreads over 00:31:53.609 --> 00:31:56.710 the whole world. And that kind of regime rules 00:31:56.710 --> 00:31:59.069 the world and kills everybody that doesn't agree. 00:31:59.150 --> 00:32:02.450 So, his progression was being stopped by American 00:32:02.450 --> 00:32:05.930 armies and the Allied forces. At the same time, 00:32:05.930 --> 00:32:08.930 in the United States of America, a number of 00:32:08.930 --> 00:32:11.630 very bad things were progressing quite heartily. 00:32:11.769 --> 00:32:14.690 The U .S. was doing things and false religions, 00:32:14.809 --> 00:32:18.579 evil, wicked things were happening in... greater 00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:21.460 numbers, but then as the draft comes in and all 00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:24.019 these men are called off to war, the progression 00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:30.519 stops. And the men who came home from war were, 00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:34.619 by their nature, militarily, better character. 00:32:35.579 --> 00:32:38.720 They learned things about honor and discipline. 00:32:38.920 --> 00:32:40.920 Not necessarily got saved, although I'll submit 00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:43.519 to you there were a lot of men who got saved 00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:45.420 during World War II because they were called 00:32:45.420 --> 00:32:48.039 up to fight. And a lot of Christian men went 00:32:48.039 --> 00:32:50.220 up and they were sharing the gospel. And there's 00:32:50.220 --> 00:32:52.559 what's called foxhole conversions. And it happened 00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:57.160 a lot. And so the war stopped the progression 00:32:57.160 --> 00:33:01.039 of that evilness. Of that wickedness. Right? 00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:03.299 And who knows where we would be if it were not 00:33:03.299 --> 00:33:05.480 for that. And it could happen again. It has happened 00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:07.839 again in our lifetime. We have people here in 00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:09.880 this room who have served in military conflict. 00:33:10.059 --> 00:33:12.549 First hand military conflict. And we wouldn't 00:33:12.549 --> 00:33:15.730 want that, but we also understand that that military 00:33:15.730 --> 00:33:19.089 conflict was stopping the progression of wickedness 00:33:19.089 --> 00:33:22.230 and evilness and therefore necessary. And at 00:33:22.230 --> 00:33:25.190 the same time, God, throughout all of this, God 00:33:25.190 --> 00:33:29.750 has sent a savior. There is a better way. And 00:33:29.750 --> 00:33:36.089 this is what they did. They followed these young, 00:33:36.089 --> 00:33:42.539 demonic, wicked ways. of religion rather than 00:33:42.539 --> 00:33:50.099 returning to God. So God had mercy on them. Then, 00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:53.359 when God sends the punishers, God is having mercy 00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:55.720 on them, stopping the progression of wickedness. 00:33:55.819 --> 00:33:58.480 Then God sends the Savior. He is having mercy 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:00.539 on them to show them that the choices that they 00:34:00.539 --> 00:34:02.700 have made, they can turn from it and there is 00:34:02.700 --> 00:34:05.440 great blessing to be had in the Lord. Then they 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:09.670 turn to wickedness. God sends punishers. So I 00:34:09.670 --> 00:34:11.510 want you to understand that when God is sending 00:34:11.510 --> 00:34:14.570 these people this horrible eventualities, horrible 00:34:14.570 --> 00:34:17.309 circumstances, actually that is an aspect of 00:34:17.309 --> 00:34:21.849 God's mercy. You would surely think so if you 00:34:21.849 --> 00:34:25.730 were born a first child and maybe called up to 00:34:25.730 --> 00:34:29.909 war rather than burned alive in the fire. Which 00:34:29.909 --> 00:34:34.809 would you rather have? God's people were treading 00:34:34.809 --> 00:34:38.730 on God's mercy. They turned quickly toward worshiping 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:41.820 Something that was absolutely wrong. Then they 00:34:41.820 --> 00:34:44.400 receive a corrective sampling of God's wrath. 00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:46.380 They were not destroyed utterly, which was probably 00:34:46.380 --> 00:34:48.280 what they deserved. They received a corrective 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:51.360 sampling of God's wrath. They cry out in anguish. 00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:59.059 And then God shows mercy again. The wrath is 00:34:59.059 --> 00:35:02.000 a statement about sin. Jesus would ultimately 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:04.559 be subject to the worst culmination of God's 00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:06.840 wrath. He would take the effect of all sin on 00:35:06.840 --> 00:35:10.230 himself. The mercy is a testimony of God's character 00:35:10.230 --> 00:35:12.190 and His willingness to spare humans the worst 00:35:12.190 --> 00:35:14.889 of it. But as long as there are people of God 00:35:14.889 --> 00:35:17.530 who won't turn to Him, there will be enemies 00:35:17.530 --> 00:35:22.190 that those people cannot have victory over. I 00:35:22.190 --> 00:35:24.730 submit to you that this realm that we are right 00:35:24.730 --> 00:35:28.170 now discovering, the realm of God's people who 00:35:28.170 --> 00:35:31.289 are tearing with, playing with, bowing down to, 00:35:31.369 --> 00:35:34.750 messing with the idols of the world, that is 00:35:34.750 --> 00:35:39.989 where The greatest victory for the enemy is. 00:35:40.349 --> 00:35:43.650 The greatest victory is not in lost people, right? 00:35:43.769 --> 00:35:46.750 Because they could still get saved. They could 00:35:46.750 --> 00:35:49.130 get saved before they die. And they could go 00:35:49.130 --> 00:35:51.789 to heaven. They have a victory at their disposal 00:35:51.789 --> 00:35:55.550 through Jesus Christ. They could be saved. The 00:35:55.550 --> 00:35:57.269 greatest victory for the enemy is certainly not 00:35:57.269 --> 00:35:59.670 in victorious Christians doing what it is that 00:35:59.670 --> 00:36:01.750 God would have them to do. That's no victory 00:36:01.750 --> 00:36:04.059 for him at all. So the greatest victory for the 00:36:04.059 --> 00:36:06.460 enemy is taking place on that middle ground where 00:36:06.460 --> 00:36:08.820 Christians, supposed Christians, supposed people 00:36:08.820 --> 00:36:13.079 who believe in Jesus are not following the Lord. 00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:16.739 They're not. Rather, they're tearing with idols. 00:36:16.860 --> 00:36:18.500 They're going after the things of this world 00:36:18.500 --> 00:36:24.400 that entertain, that distract, that tempt. And 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:29.119 God then sends a lack of victory. And in some 00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:30.860 cases, out of that lack of victory, they turn 00:36:30.860 --> 00:36:34.139 to the Lord. But in many, they do not. As long 00:36:34.139 --> 00:36:36.460 as there are people of God who won't turn to 00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:38.880 him, there will be enemies of God that cannot 00:36:38.880 --> 00:36:42.179 be beaten. That brings us to our conclusion already. 00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:48.099 You and I can turn quickly. Just like they did. 00:36:48.960 --> 00:36:51.159 You could be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:36:51.260 --> 00:36:54.599 adamant follower. I'm a follower of Jesus. I'm 00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:56.199 not going to back down. I'm going to stand firm. 00:36:56.380 --> 00:36:57.659 I said I'm going to live for him for my whole 00:36:57.659 --> 00:37:00.519 life, and I'm going to do that. And all it takes... 00:37:00.969 --> 00:37:03.590 It's for the world to find that chink in your 00:37:03.590 --> 00:37:05.550 armor, that thing that entices you. I really 00:37:05.550 --> 00:37:08.389 want to see my children do well. I really want 00:37:08.389 --> 00:37:10.050 to be able to pay my bills and not have to worry 00:37:10.050 --> 00:37:12.469 about it. I really want my health to be what 00:37:12.469 --> 00:37:15.010 it needs to be. I really want my relationships 00:37:15.010 --> 00:37:17.409 to go in the direction they need to go. And the 00:37:17.409 --> 00:37:21.150 enemy, by some worldly method, offers that to 00:37:21.150 --> 00:37:23.670 you. And you and I know, we've already talked 00:37:23.670 --> 00:37:28.110 about this, you can turn quickly. An excuse will 00:37:28.110 --> 00:37:31.679 do it. A reason will do it. Logic will do it. 00:37:31.699 --> 00:37:34.739 A better outcome will do it. It would be easy 00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:38.940 enough for us to turn quickly. But you are forewarned 00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:45.380 by God. Do not turn away from your Lord. He is 00:37:45.380 --> 00:37:47.780 Lord. That means He tells you what to do and 00:37:47.780 --> 00:37:50.400 you do it. You are forewarned. If you turn away 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:55.860 from God, you will be set upon by enemies over 00:37:55.860 --> 00:38:00.170 which you cannot have victory. And you say, well, 00:38:00.230 --> 00:38:02.429 that's not fair. That seems harsh. I'm telling 00:38:02.429 --> 00:38:05.550 you, that is one of the greatest outpourings 00:38:05.550 --> 00:38:09.829 of God's mercy. And we see it as bad during, 00:38:09.989 --> 00:38:12.690 and we may cry out. We'll say, oh, save us. Oh, 00:38:12.909 --> 00:38:15.829 help me. Oh, something. Somebody intervene. Please 00:38:15.829 --> 00:38:19.269 give me what I need. And you may get it. But 00:38:19.269 --> 00:38:22.530 if you do not, in that process, turn to the Lord, 00:38:22.590 --> 00:38:25.309 you turn quickly away, reason, excuse, whatever 00:38:25.309 --> 00:38:27.610 temptation, distraction came, you turn quickly 00:38:27.610 --> 00:38:30.210 away. If you do not, in that moment, turn quickly 00:38:30.210 --> 00:38:34.429 back to the Lord, then there is no lasting victory 00:38:34.429 --> 00:38:37.690 or sustenance. You can turn quickly to the Lord. 00:38:38.150 --> 00:38:42.440 You can turn quickly away from the Lord. And 00:38:42.440 --> 00:38:45.800 His mercy does not mean that you can or should 00:38:45.800 --> 00:38:48.380 stay the course in any form of false worship 00:38:48.380 --> 00:38:54.900 or idolatry or turn when things are okay, while 00:38:54.900 --> 00:38:57.320 things are going pretty good, to worshiping idols 00:38:57.320 --> 00:39:01.940 or unrighteousness in any general sense. God 00:39:01.940 --> 00:39:03.860 is taking care of me. Everything is fine. All 00:39:03.860 --> 00:39:06.579 my bills are paid. All is good. Well, I can just 00:39:06.579 --> 00:39:10.400 watch this. See that. Be part of that. Well, 00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:16.280 now we should be able to know. The New Testament 00:39:16.280 --> 00:39:20.719 standard of giving is sacrificial giving. Jesus 00:39:20.719 --> 00:39:22.599 gave his life. You want to be like Jesus? Give 00:39:22.599 --> 00:39:25.599 your life. We now live not for ourselves, but 00:39:25.599 --> 00:39:30.679 for the one who died for us. So, when the opportunity 00:39:30.679 --> 00:39:32.659 comes along to have something a little better, 00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:36.880 first ask yourself, if the Lord so wills, should 00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:39.659 I step up? Should I improve? Should I have more? 00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:41.719 Should I spend my money that way? And if God 00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:44.780 says something otherwise, then you do it God's 00:39:44.780 --> 00:39:47.960 way. Always choose God's way. But the world will 00:39:47.960 --> 00:39:50.320 continue to present to you as long as you watch 00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:53.280 TV or do social media or go to work or go to 00:39:53.280 --> 00:39:55.300 school. The world will continue to present to 00:39:55.300 --> 00:39:57.099 you alternatives. And if you turn quickly to 00:39:57.099 --> 00:39:59.820 one of them, you can expect that God will send 00:39:59.820 --> 00:40:02.860 enemies to turn you back. Enemies that you cannot 00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:05.300 defeat. And if when those enemies come, you cry 00:40:05.300 --> 00:40:07.480 out to him, he will be merciful. And if he is 00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:09.460 merciful, it does not mean that you have turned 00:40:09.460 --> 00:40:12.460 back to him. It means, perhaps, he loves you 00:40:12.460 --> 00:40:17.119 and is merciful. Know, then, that if you are 00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:20.320 in anguish, right now, if you're going through 00:40:20.320 --> 00:40:22.659 something, I can't fathom, I can't stand it, 00:40:22.679 --> 00:40:26.820 I'm suffering, that you can cry out. And even 00:40:26.820 --> 00:40:29.619 if that suffering is arising out of your wandering, 00:40:29.739 --> 00:40:31.500 even if you deserve it because you did something 00:40:31.500 --> 00:40:34.500 bad, God will still hear you as God's people, 00:40:34.639 --> 00:40:37.409 and he will intervene. He is not going to solve 00:40:37.409 --> 00:40:39.329 the problem of your faithfulness for you. That's 00:40:39.329 --> 00:40:41.369 yours to solve. You need to turn back to God. 00:40:41.550 --> 00:40:44.510 But he will step in for you if you believe, if 00:40:44.510 --> 00:40:46.170 you trust him. So what is the problem? Why are 00:40:46.170 --> 00:40:48.369 we not crying out? We say, oh, so this is the 00:40:48.369 --> 00:40:50.369 great lie of the enemy. See, you didn't do exactly 00:40:50.369 --> 00:40:52.610 what it is that God wanted you to do. So now 00:40:52.610 --> 00:40:54.190 if you cry out to God, he's not going to listen. 00:40:54.449 --> 00:40:58.110 That is a lie. If you are God's people, no matter 00:40:58.110 --> 00:41:00.750 what your suffering, if you cry out to God, whether 00:41:00.750 --> 00:41:03.150 it is suffering of your own making, if you cry 00:41:03.150 --> 00:41:07.980 out to God, He will send a Savior. He will respond. 00:41:08.440 --> 00:41:11.539 That's the word. That's what God, God is merciful. 00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:14.840 He loves you. He's not trying to punish you because 00:41:14.840 --> 00:41:17.579 you deserve punishment. You're getting it because 00:41:17.579 --> 00:41:20.300 that's the way it works. Right? And he's stopping 00:41:20.300 --> 00:41:24.039 the progression of your own wickedness. Cry out 00:41:24.039 --> 00:41:29.159 to him and he will intervene. The problem that 00:41:29.159 --> 00:41:31.380 we've got in this world then is we think that 00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:33.719 Just once you believe the gospel, that settles 00:41:33.719 --> 00:41:37.079 it. Once you accept, someone tells you the truth, 00:41:37.079 --> 00:41:38.719 you go, yeah, that makes sense to me. Mentally 00:41:38.719 --> 00:41:41.199 ascend to the truth that that's enough. And that's 00:41:41.199 --> 00:41:43.019 not true. That isn't even how people got saved. 00:41:43.119 --> 00:41:45.239 It's not how people get saved now. The word says 00:41:45.239 --> 00:41:48.159 in Acts 13, 48, when the Gentiles, that's us, 00:41:48.199 --> 00:41:51.880 by the way, but our predecessors a long time 00:41:51.880 --> 00:41:54.440 ago, when the Gentiles heard this, they began 00:41:54.440 --> 00:41:58.420 rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. 00:41:59.339 --> 00:42:00.800 Glorifying means shining a light on. Look how 00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:04.159 awesome this is. And as many as had been appointed 00:42:04.159 --> 00:42:07.460 to eternal life believed. What are you called 00:42:07.460 --> 00:42:10.539 to do? Believe. And then in the Enlightenment, 00:42:10.699 --> 00:42:12.699 hundreds of years ago, they began to say that 00:42:12.699 --> 00:42:14.159 you can believe something without it affecting 00:42:14.159 --> 00:42:15.840 your life. And I'm here to tell you that's not 00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:18.159 true. If you believe it, it changes everything 00:42:18.159 --> 00:42:21.019 that you are. If you believe that your car is 00:42:21.019 --> 00:42:22.820 blue, every time you go to a parking lot, you're 00:42:22.820 --> 00:42:24.579 going to look for a blue car. But if you believe 00:42:24.579 --> 00:42:26.420 that your car is black and you own a blue car, 00:42:26.500 --> 00:42:28.849 you're never going to find your car. Right? If 00:42:28.849 --> 00:42:31.389 you believe it, you believe it. And it affects 00:42:31.389 --> 00:42:33.670 everything that you are. And you turn quickly, 00:42:33.769 --> 00:42:36.989 always turn quickly to the Lord. Never turn quickly 00:42:36.989 --> 00:42:40.329 away from the Lord. Believe. That's what saves 00:42:40.329 --> 00:42:42.550 people. That's what changes people. That's what 00:42:42.550 --> 00:42:44.869 affects people. Believe. And then in the worst 00:42:44.869 --> 00:42:46.969 times, in the sufferingest times, in the times 00:42:46.969 --> 00:42:49.389 when you're really down and out, believe. Cry 00:42:49.389 --> 00:42:54.469 out. Whether it's for the first time, Maybe you're 00:42:54.469 --> 00:42:56.269 saying to Jesus, hey, I'm realizing today I did 00:42:56.269 --> 00:42:58.210 not have you as Lord and Savior. I'm realizing 00:42:58.210 --> 00:43:00.090 today I've not truly submitted my life to you. 00:43:00.269 --> 00:43:03.590 Then cry out to the Lord. Whosoever calls upon 00:43:03.590 --> 00:43:05.670 the name of the Lord will be saved. Say, okay, 00:43:05.730 --> 00:43:08.349 Jesus, save me in earnest. I thought I was saved 00:43:08.349 --> 00:43:11.849 before. I guess I'm not. Save me, Lord. Maybe 00:43:11.849 --> 00:43:13.530 you say, oh, I didn't even think I was before. 00:43:13.690 --> 00:43:17.329 I now know. He'll answer. He'll send a Savior. 00:43:17.550 --> 00:43:20.030 He sent Jesus, and he'll send Jesus again into 00:43:20.030 --> 00:43:22.059 your life if you cry out. Then you say, well, 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:24.460 I did cry out, but I see that I have a drift. 00:43:24.539 --> 00:43:27.460 Turn back quickly. You can. Just the same as, 00:43:27.519 --> 00:43:29.079 oh, my phone just rang. I've got to check and 00:43:29.079 --> 00:43:31.519 see who that was. You can say, wait, Jesus is 00:43:31.519 --> 00:43:34.260 saying, wait, Holy Spirit is saying, wait, the 00:43:34.260 --> 00:43:37.019 Word says, I'm going to turn from that. Go home 00:43:37.019 --> 00:43:40.480 today and throw away your rated R soft pornography 00:43:40.480 --> 00:43:46.039 and live for Jesus as a righteous man. Turn quickly 00:43:46.039 --> 00:43:49.960 to Jesus. Turn quickly to the God of the universe. 00:43:52.039 --> 00:43:54.059 home today and look at your checking account 00:43:54.059 --> 00:43:56.659 and make a serious decision about how much of 00:43:56.659 --> 00:43:59.199 that money is really submitted to the God of 00:43:59.199 --> 00:44:01.800 the universe. And if you can't physically daily 00:44:01.800 --> 00:44:04.519 submit dollar after dollar after dollar, then 00:44:04.519 --> 00:44:06.420 just write a check to the church for every penny 00:44:06.420 --> 00:44:08.380 you got because it's the only thing that's going 00:44:08.380 --> 00:44:12.500 to affect your soul. Submit to the God of heaven. 00:44:13.139 --> 00:44:17.199 He created you. He owns you. If you're a Christian, 00:44:17.360 --> 00:44:20.960 He saved you. You now live for Him, not for you 00:44:20.960 --> 00:44:24.420 any longer. You're called to believe and to let 00:44:24.420 --> 00:44:27.300 your belief affect you. And so you've wandered. 00:44:27.300 --> 00:44:29.800 And you realize, hey, my suffering is part and 00:44:29.800 --> 00:44:31.539 parcel because I wandered. And the enemy will 00:44:31.539 --> 00:44:34.079 tell you that God doesn't care. God is punishing 00:44:34.079 --> 00:44:36.119 you. God sent the plunderers into your life. 00:44:36.179 --> 00:44:38.199 God is the one doing that. And so you're just 00:44:38.199 --> 00:44:39.559 stuck with it. You've got to live with it. And 00:44:39.559 --> 00:44:42.239 it's a lie. It's a lie. It's a lie. It's a lie. 00:44:42.380 --> 00:44:45.719 Even if God sent it, which it says He will, He'll 00:44:45.719 --> 00:44:48.539 still send a Savior if you'll quickly turn to 00:44:48.539 --> 00:44:50.679 Him. He'll still send a Savior. All you really 00:44:50.679 --> 00:44:53.000 have to do is cry out. You don't even have to 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:57.059 turn to Him. You can get a Savior for free. Like 00:44:57.059 --> 00:45:01.860 the red Ferrari. For free! Just cry out! But 00:45:01.860 --> 00:45:04.840 the enemy is taking your voice. Because he's 00:45:04.840 --> 00:45:07.360 making you think that God is not going to answer. 00:45:07.539 --> 00:45:10.099 But He is. Even if you deserve what you're getting, 00:45:10.340 --> 00:45:14.130 He's still going to answer. Psalm 46 .1 declares, 00:45:14.250 --> 00:45:17.650 God is our refuge and strength, a very present 00:45:17.650 --> 00:45:21.349 help in time of trouble. Psalm 34 .7 says, The 00:45:21.349 --> 00:45:23.889 angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear 00:45:23.889 --> 00:45:27.389 him and delivers them. This verse speaks of God's 00:45:27.389 --> 00:45:29.690 protective presence and intervention in the lives 00:45:29.690 --> 00:45:32.230 of those who honor him with reverence and obedience. 00:45:32.349 --> 00:45:36.030 Turn quickly to the Lord. It's the righteous 00:45:36.030 --> 00:45:39.829 cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out 00:45:39.829 --> 00:45:43.119 of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the 00:45:43.119 --> 00:45:45.719 brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed 00:45:45.719 --> 00:45:48.079 in spirit. If you would say, ah, I'm broken, 00:45:48.219 --> 00:45:51.619 I'm hurting, I'm struggling. God wants to save 00:45:51.619 --> 00:45:55.260 you. And the next time, all you really have to 00:45:55.260 --> 00:45:57.320 do is believe enough to cry out and then believe 00:45:57.320 --> 00:46:00.579 he'll answer, which the word says he will. Psalms 00:46:00.579 --> 00:46:04.139 91, 15 -16 says, He will call upon me and I will 00:46:04.139 --> 00:46:06.860 answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I 00:46:06.860 --> 00:46:09.480 will rescue him and honor him. With a long life 00:46:09.480 --> 00:46:11.739 I will satisfy him and let him see my salvation. 00:46:13.460 --> 00:46:15.340 Putting it a little more close to home, Jesus 00:46:15.340 --> 00:46:18.079 said, John 16, 33, These things I have spoken 00:46:18.079 --> 00:46:20.780 to you so that in me you may have peace. In the 00:46:20.780 --> 00:46:22.800 world you have tribulation, but take courage, 00:46:22.900 --> 00:46:27.559 I have overcome the world. John 14, 1 -3, Do 00:46:27.559 --> 00:46:29.579 not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. 00:46:29.659 --> 00:46:31.900 Believe also in me. In my Father's house are 00:46:31.900 --> 00:46:34.039 many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would 00:46:34.039 --> 00:46:36.059 have told you. For I go to prepare a place for 00:46:36.059 --> 00:46:38.400 you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will 00:46:38.400 --> 00:46:40.300 come again and receive you to myself that where 00:46:40.300 --> 00:46:46.000 I am, there you may be also. A traveler engaged 00:46:46.000 --> 00:46:49.699 a guide to take him across the desert area. When 00:46:49.699 --> 00:46:51.619 the two men arrived at the edge of the desert, 00:46:51.639 --> 00:46:54.679 the traveler, looking ahead, saw before him trackless 00:46:54.679 --> 00:46:59.760 sand swept by winds. There was not a single footprint 00:46:59.760 --> 00:47:03.539 or a path or a marker of any kind. Turning to 00:47:03.539 --> 00:47:06.099 his guide, he asked in a tone of surprise, Where 00:47:06.099 --> 00:47:10.300 is the road? With a reproving glance, the guide 00:47:10.300 --> 00:47:17.360 replied, I am the road. Jesus is the way. The 00:47:17.360 --> 00:47:21.579 hadas. The way. It's the path of your life. The 00:47:21.579 --> 00:47:25.539 road. He knows the answer to every decision you 00:47:25.539 --> 00:47:31.400 will ever face. He knows that little outlet that 00:47:31.400 --> 00:47:34.699 God always leaves when God allows temptation 00:47:34.699 --> 00:47:37.260 to come into your life. He knows where that exit 00:47:37.260 --> 00:47:41.320 exists, even if it's a secret door. Jesus is 00:47:41.320 --> 00:47:45.820 the way. He is the guide. He is the road. He 00:47:45.820 --> 00:47:50.780 is our way through unfamiliar territory. But 00:47:50.780 --> 00:47:54.900 it is your perception that stops you from turning 00:47:54.900 --> 00:48:01.010 to Him. There was a shoe salesman, a northerner, 00:48:01.070 --> 00:48:06.090 New York, New Jersey, something like that. And 00:48:06.090 --> 00:48:10.409 his company sent him to Africa. He suffered a 00:48:10.409 --> 00:48:12.329 little culture shock when he got there and eventually 00:48:12.329 --> 00:48:15.429 kind of got his feet under him and started trying 00:48:15.429 --> 00:48:19.130 to sell shoes. That was his job. He sent back 00:48:19.130 --> 00:48:23.789 a telegram. This was a while back. I want to 00:48:23.789 --> 00:48:26.289 come home. Nobody wears shoes in this part of 00:48:26.289 --> 00:48:29.849 Africa. Basically he said, my job is impossible. 00:48:30.030 --> 00:48:31.809 I can't sell shoes. Nobody here wears shoes. 00:48:32.550 --> 00:48:35.030 So they called him back. He came back to live 00:48:35.030 --> 00:48:37.889 in America in the comfort of prosperity. Sell 00:48:37.889 --> 00:48:40.969 shoes to Americans. Probably eking out a living 00:48:40.969 --> 00:48:44.590 would be my guess. And they sent another salesman 00:48:44.590 --> 00:48:48.809 to Africa. He shipped back order after order. 00:48:49.090 --> 00:48:52.010 Eventually he wrote the home office as he reached 00:48:52.010 --> 00:48:55.130 the top of the sales list. And he said, Everybody 00:48:55.130 --> 00:48:59.489 here needs shoes. It's a question of how you're 00:48:59.489 --> 00:49:02.329 going to look at it. If you're going to do for 00:49:02.329 --> 00:49:05.050 yourself, if you're going to embrace the ways 00:49:05.050 --> 00:49:06.530 of the world, if you're going to find comfort 00:49:06.530 --> 00:49:08.389 in something that is offered to you, if you find 00:49:08.389 --> 00:49:10.670 a good reason to go after something that is not 00:49:10.670 --> 00:49:13.130 Jesus, no matter how good the reason, the logic, 00:49:13.150 --> 00:49:15.190 or the wisdom is, if you find a good reason to 00:49:15.190 --> 00:49:17.030 go after something, I submit to you, if you would 00:49:17.030 --> 00:49:19.090 find a good reason to go after the Bible instead 00:49:19.090 --> 00:49:23.570 of Jesus. Or church instead of Jesus. Or worship 00:49:23.570 --> 00:49:26.610 instead of Jesus. If you find the best reasons, 00:49:26.789 --> 00:49:31.469 you'll find the least hope. We are called to 00:49:31.469 --> 00:49:36.730 believe. Paul Lee Tan writes this illustration 00:49:36.730 --> 00:49:41.849 in the book. He says, Napoleon saw Italy, but 00:49:41.849 --> 00:49:44.849 he didn't see the Alps. He had an objective and 00:49:44.849 --> 00:49:48.250 knew where he was going. Washington saw the Hessians 00:49:48.250 --> 00:49:51.150 at Trenton. A man of small stature would have 00:49:51.150 --> 00:49:55.869 seen the Delaware choked with ice. The majority 00:49:55.869 --> 00:50:00.269 of people that live see obstacles. Few of us 00:50:00.269 --> 00:50:04.050 see the objectives. What is our objective? We 00:50:04.050 --> 00:50:07.170 are meant to look like Jesus enough that people 00:50:07.170 --> 00:50:09.630 can see Jesus in this lifetime and get saved. 00:50:09.730 --> 00:50:14.170 That is our objective. Paying your bills? That's 00:50:14.170 --> 00:50:15.889 not your objective. Should you? Sure, that's 00:50:15.889 --> 00:50:17.110 good stewardship. It's the right thing to do. 00:50:18.400 --> 00:50:21.599 Cooking your meals, not your objective. If it 00:50:21.599 --> 00:50:24.619 comes down to following Jesus or eating, don't 00:50:24.619 --> 00:50:28.159 eat, die. Because you'll starve to death, go 00:50:28.159 --> 00:50:30.860 to heaven. Let's get our priorities straight. 00:50:31.400 --> 00:50:33.239 Seek ye first the King of God, all these things 00:50:33.239 --> 00:50:35.920 shall be added unto you. But it's the things, 00:50:36.119 --> 00:50:39.260 they are the trappings of the false religions 00:50:39.260 --> 00:50:41.940 of the world. And they are offered to our people. 00:50:43.380 --> 00:50:45.900 And our people see them and begin to think that 00:50:45.900 --> 00:50:49.550 they are the objective. But they are not. If 00:50:49.550 --> 00:50:52.590 you die at 80 years old on your deathbed and 00:50:52.590 --> 00:50:55.949 look back and you collected more stuff, talked 00:50:55.949 --> 00:50:57.650 to more people, were listened to more than anyone 00:50:57.650 --> 00:51:00.710 else, raised more children or grandchildren, 00:51:01.010 --> 00:51:05.670 but did not know God, did not know Jesus Christ, 00:51:05.769 --> 00:51:09.510 the Son of God, did not sow any fruits into the 00:51:09.510 --> 00:51:11.550 kingdom of heaven, did not lead people to Jesus, 00:51:11.750 --> 00:51:14.170 what will the next moment after your death look 00:51:14.170 --> 00:51:18.059 like? You will be weeping in sorrow, wishing 00:51:18.059 --> 00:51:20.219 you never had a car, wishing you never had a 00:51:20.219 --> 00:51:22.360 house, wishing you never had a job, wishing you 00:51:22.360 --> 00:51:24.579 never had a dollar, wishing you never had good 00:51:24.579 --> 00:51:28.719 health. Because as the parable of the rich man, 00:51:28.940 --> 00:51:30.900 and it's not even a parable, but the story, I 00:51:30.900 --> 00:51:33.340 say that by accident, the story of a rich man 00:51:33.340 --> 00:51:35.179 and Lazarus, not a parable, but a true story 00:51:35.179 --> 00:51:37.480 of Lazarus. Lazarus goes to heaven, he's getting 00:51:37.480 --> 00:51:40.900 all that he's getting. And the man goes to hell 00:51:40.900 --> 00:51:42.519 and he says, you got everything in life. Because 00:51:42.519 --> 00:51:44.699 he what? He turned aside and went after those 00:51:44.699 --> 00:51:46.860 things. And I can assume that repeatedly God 00:51:46.860 --> 00:51:48.739 showed him mercy, stopped his progression into 00:51:48.739 --> 00:51:51.739 wickedness, and then again he showed mercy, and 00:51:51.739 --> 00:51:54.320 then again he went into wickedness, and the cycle 00:51:54.320 --> 00:51:56.599 continued as it might with you or it might with 00:51:56.599 --> 00:51:58.619 me if we are willing to turn to the things of 00:51:58.619 --> 00:52:01.739 the world. But we must not be because eventually 00:52:01.739 --> 00:52:04.639 there will be no more turning. No more turning. 00:52:05.210 --> 00:52:07.670 If you tread on God's mercy for this whole life, 00:52:07.730 --> 00:52:09.010 it will eventually come down to you. You will 00:52:09.010 --> 00:52:15.250 never turn again. Believe for souls saved. Believe 00:52:15.250 --> 00:52:17.750 in a growing church. Believe in godly marriages. 00:52:17.889 --> 00:52:19.969 Believe in men who stand firm for what's right. 00:52:20.110 --> 00:52:22.489 Believe in prayer and worship that carries our 00:52:22.489 --> 00:52:25.230 very concerns to the throne room of God. Believe 00:52:25.230 --> 00:52:27.250 in crops that are white unto the harvest and 00:52:27.250 --> 00:52:30.260 a body. that will work and go out into the fields 00:52:30.260 --> 00:52:32.480 and bring them in. Believe in another generation 00:52:32.480 --> 00:52:35.500 of God -fearing, loving New Heights members who 00:52:35.500 --> 00:52:41.000 will treasure the God of miracles. Believe in 00:52:41.000 --> 00:52:44.440 a hundred more children born to members of this 00:52:44.440 --> 00:52:46.920 and future generations with a chance to reach 00:52:46.920 --> 00:52:48.880 New Heights in Jesus, every one of them, because 00:52:48.880 --> 00:52:51.480 we are serving God now and we will not stop. 00:52:53.099 --> 00:52:55.780 God is not just in the business of rewarding 00:52:55.780 --> 00:52:58.400 those who seek Him, although that is in His character. 00:52:59.320 --> 00:53:07.039 Maybe you would rather call upon His mercy because 00:53:07.039 --> 00:53:10.539 the young and attractive false gods of mankind 00:53:10.539 --> 00:53:14.000 call you and you need only answer. And then when 00:53:14.000 --> 00:53:15.679 it starts to go wrong and you face enemies you 00:53:15.679 --> 00:53:17.380 cannot beat, you can just cry out to God for 00:53:17.380 --> 00:53:21.039 mercy. But actually, we are called to faithfulness. 00:53:22.159 --> 00:53:24.820 And we can turn to Him just as quickly as we 00:53:24.820 --> 00:53:31.400 could turn to them. And we must. We must turn 00:53:31.400 --> 00:53:34.480 to Him. And so if you're here today and you realize 00:53:34.480 --> 00:53:40.960 that you have been lured, tricked, pulled, maybe 00:53:40.960 --> 00:53:44.840 even by you, or by demons and evil spirits, or 00:53:44.840 --> 00:53:47.739 worldly things, you think, man, I could be good 00:53:47.739 --> 00:53:51.440 at that. And so you went after it. Think, man, 00:53:51.519 --> 00:53:53.440 that'll be good for my kids. And so you went 00:53:53.440 --> 00:53:56.159 after it. That'll be good for my career. And 00:53:56.159 --> 00:53:58.360 so you went after it. If you've been lured by 00:53:58.360 --> 00:54:01.420 worldly things, and you say, well, I never put 00:54:01.420 --> 00:54:05.559 them over top of Jesus. That doesn't matter. 00:54:06.079 --> 00:54:08.960 The Bible says you shall have no gods in my presence. 00:54:10.039 --> 00:54:12.260 Right? That's what the King James means when 00:54:12.260 --> 00:54:14.000 it says you shall have no other gods before me. 00:54:14.039 --> 00:54:15.920 It doesn't mean on top of me or first in line. 00:54:16.280 --> 00:54:19.739 It means in my presence. Understand that these 00:54:19.739 --> 00:54:22.460 people, They did not say that God no longer exists. 00:54:22.920 --> 00:54:25.840 In fact, historically, we see in the Dagon Temple 00:54:25.840 --> 00:54:30.159 stuff attributed to God right next door. They 00:54:30.159 --> 00:54:33.179 were still worshiping God. They just were also 00:54:33.179 --> 00:54:37.179 carrying with the evils of the world. And you 00:54:37.179 --> 00:54:42.239 and I cannot. Look at everything in your life, 00:54:42.360 --> 00:54:45.179 and if it does not honor God, first and foremost, 00:54:45.340 --> 00:54:48.840 above all, cut it out and say, I am living for 00:54:48.840 --> 00:54:52.880 Jesus. is the impact of our belief. That is what 00:54:52.880 --> 00:54:55.880 it means to no longer be treading on mercy. If 00:54:55.880 --> 00:54:58.099 you realize you are treading on mercy, turn quickly 00:54:58.099 --> 00:55:01.739 because you can and He is able to give you victory. 00:55:03.019 --> 00:55:04.719 I ask the praise team to come forward at this 00:55:04.719 --> 00:55:06.360 time and lead our closing hymn.