WEBVTT 00:00:00.810 --> 00:00:03.290 It's good that we can be together this morning. 00:00:04.450 --> 00:00:06.969 I've been so thankful to be able to be here with 00:00:06.969 --> 00:00:10.789 my family over the last week. This meeting has 00:00:10.789 --> 00:00:13.730 been a tremendous blessing to us. I hope that 00:00:13.730 --> 00:00:17.629 this meeting has been a blessing to you. You 00:00:17.629 --> 00:00:19.949 know, a lot of the times the speaker gets a lot 00:00:19.949 --> 00:00:23.789 of the attention during a meeting, and it's easy 00:00:23.789 --> 00:00:26.190 for people to see the work that he's done to 00:00:26.190 --> 00:00:29.480 prepare and deliver his messages, but... There's 00:00:29.480 --> 00:00:31.800 a whole lot of people that work and put forth 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:34.479 a lot of effort to make a gospel meeting a success 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:38.039 and I just I'm thankful for everyone everyone 00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:41.179 coming together working behind the scenes doing 00:00:41.179 --> 00:00:44.579 all the things That have helped to make this 00:00:44.579 --> 00:00:47.020 gospel meeting a success in my mind So thank 00:00:47.020 --> 00:00:49.619 you so much for your collective effort this week 00:00:49.619 --> 00:00:52.219 Thank you for being here this morning. If you 00:00:52.219 --> 00:00:54.799 consider yourself a visitor, we're especially 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:58.450 happy that you're here We hope you find us worshiping 00:00:58.450 --> 00:01:02.030 God in a manner that's acceptable and in line 00:01:02.030 --> 00:01:04.750 with the teachings of the Bible. And we hope 00:01:04.750 --> 00:01:07.010 that our message this morning is uplifting to 00:01:07.010 --> 00:01:09.950 you and informative to you. We're going to continue 00:01:09.950 --> 00:01:13.609 today as we finish this series of lessons about 00:01:13.609 --> 00:01:16.870 restoring New Testament Christianity. Our focus 00:01:16.870 --> 00:01:19.189 has been this week on going back to the Bible 00:01:19.189 --> 00:01:22.150 to find our faith, to find our doctrine, and 00:01:22.150 --> 00:01:27.750 to find our practice. We've talked a lot about 00:01:27.750 --> 00:01:30.049 a lot of doctrinal things over the course of 00:01:30.049 --> 00:01:32.590 this meeting and this morning we're going to 00:01:32.590 --> 00:01:36.469 turn our focus onto how we should hold these 00:01:36.469 --> 00:01:40.430 Bible -based convictions in a Christ -like manner. 00:01:41.870 --> 00:01:43.849 You know, I think it's important that we do from 00:01:43.849 --> 00:01:46.609 time to time go back to the Word of God and study 00:01:46.609 --> 00:01:50.090 the doctrine that it gives us and study the practices 00:01:50.090 --> 00:01:52.890 of the New Testament Church. I think it's important 00:01:52.890 --> 00:01:55.069 we search the scriptures to make sure our faith 00:01:55.069 --> 00:01:58.439 looks like just like that of New Testament Christians. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:01.159 And we feed on the Word of God. We bring it into 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:04.579 our heart and mind so we can develop strong Bible 00:02:04.579 --> 00:02:07.480 -based convictions that we can know the truth 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:09.740 and be willing to teach that truth with others. 00:02:10.780 --> 00:02:12.680 But there's something that we need to be aware 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:15.979 of when it comes to having Bible -based doctrinal 00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:18.560 convictions. How are we going to hold those convictions? 00:02:18.659 --> 00:02:21.360 What kind of heart, mind, and attitude do we 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:24.500 need to have toward the things that we've studied 00:02:24.500 --> 00:02:27.389 this week? You know, I think it goes without 00:02:27.389 --> 00:02:30.430 saying we all want to be right before God and 00:02:30.430 --> 00:02:33.569 it should be important for us all to stand in 00:02:33.569 --> 00:02:36.729 a Manner that's pleasing and acceptable and right 00:02:36.729 --> 00:02:39.789 before God and at the same time We also want 00:02:39.789 --> 00:02:42.949 others to be right with God. Also, we want our 00:02:42.949 --> 00:02:45.750 family We want our friends our neighbors our 00:02:45.750 --> 00:02:48.409 schoolmates our co -workers. We want all the 00:02:48.409 --> 00:02:51.889 people around us also to be right with God But 00:02:51.889 --> 00:02:56.330 what do we do? What do we do when we find ourselves 00:02:56.330 --> 00:02:59.550 in a position where we are convinced from the 00:02:59.550 --> 00:03:03.750 scriptures that we are right, but we have someone 00:03:03.750 --> 00:03:07.490 close to us that is wrong? What if they don't 00:03:07.490 --> 00:03:10.110 know the truth? What if they don't understand 00:03:10.110 --> 00:03:12.349 the scriptures? What if they've been taught and 00:03:12.349 --> 00:03:16.590 they believed doctrinal error? What do we do 00:03:16.590 --> 00:03:19.569 then? What should be our response? What should 00:03:19.569 --> 00:03:23.009 be our reaction? There's a couple different things 00:03:23.009 --> 00:03:25.250 that we could do when we find ourselves in this 00:03:25.250 --> 00:03:28.069 situation on one hand We could have that this 00:03:28.069 --> 00:03:30.830 attitude right here the attitude that says you 00:03:30.830 --> 00:03:35.449 know what I really hate to do it But I'm gonna 00:03:35.449 --> 00:03:38.030 have to straighten this person out I'm gonna 00:03:38.030 --> 00:03:40.689 have to tell them how the cow ate the cabbage 00:03:40.689 --> 00:03:44.110 I'm gonna have to show them and tell them how 00:03:44.110 --> 00:03:47.629 wrong they are and I'm gonna make sure that they 00:03:47.629 --> 00:03:52.460 understand it very clearly I really hate to do 00:03:52.460 --> 00:03:54.219 it, but you know, I'm gonna have to straighten 00:03:54.219 --> 00:03:57.020 all the people out around me who don't know the 00:03:57.020 --> 00:04:00.099 truth. I've got the truth and these people don't, 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:02.819 but if I can have my way with them and get my 00:04:02.819 --> 00:04:06.120 hands on them, I'll make sure that they come 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:10.979 to know the truth one way or another. Now, I 00:04:10.979 --> 00:04:13.020 sure hope I didn't look like that guy right there 00:04:13.020 --> 00:04:14.680 this week through the course of the meeting, 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:19.319 right? I don't think this is necessarily the 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:21.259 right attitude or the right heart we ought to 00:04:21.259 --> 00:04:23.259 have toward people. When we feel like we're right 00:04:23.259 --> 00:04:25.740 and people around us are wrong, this is not the 00:04:25.740 --> 00:04:28.319 right way to respond. Now, I don't want you to 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:32.259 misunderstand me. It is important that we do 00:04:32.259 --> 00:04:34.939 what we can to try to convert the sinner from 00:04:34.939 --> 00:04:38.000 the error of his way. The Bible teaches us that 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.740 in James chapter 5 verse 19 to 20. It says, Brethren, 00:04:41.779 --> 00:04:45.660 if any do err from the truth, if someone has 00:04:45.660 --> 00:04:48.980 erred from the truth, It says, And one convert 00:04:48.980 --> 00:04:52.199 him, let him know that he which converteth the 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:54.819 sinner from the error of his way shall save a 00:04:54.819 --> 00:04:59.540 soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of 00:04:59.540 --> 00:05:05.430 sins. So it is important that we care. We should 00:05:05.430 --> 00:05:07.290 care enough about people around us if they're 00:05:07.290 --> 00:05:09.069 wrong if they're an error We should care enough 00:05:09.069 --> 00:05:11.709 about them to try to help them and to try to 00:05:11.709 --> 00:05:14.290 convert them The Bible says when we do that when 00:05:14.290 --> 00:05:16.610 we convert the airing brother It says we save 00:05:16.610 --> 00:05:20.410 his soul and we hide a multitude of sins But 00:05:20.410 --> 00:05:23.310 the way that we go about trying to help them 00:05:23.310 --> 00:05:25.930 see their error and trying to convert them makes 00:05:25.930 --> 00:05:29.139 all the difference doesn't it? If our approach 00:05:29.139 --> 00:05:33.180 is 100 % truth and little to no grace, patience, 00:05:33.379 --> 00:05:37.579 mercy, or love, I don't know that we're holding 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:41.680 our convictions in a Christ -like manner. If 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:45.439 this is what we look like, pointing the finger, 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:48.120 condemning everyone around us, you know, sometimes 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:51.339 it feels good. If we were to be honest, you know, 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:54.860 sometimes we might thrive on the opportunity. 00:05:55.359 --> 00:05:58.199 to show someone how right we are and how wrong 00:05:58.199 --> 00:06:00.220 they are, you know, to put them down and push 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:03.939 us up. And we got to fight and battle back against 00:06:03.939 --> 00:06:07.120 that temptation, to feel that way, to act that 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:10.420 way, and to teach people with that kind of heart 00:06:10.420 --> 00:06:14.339 and that kind of mindset. So what are we going 00:06:14.339 --> 00:06:17.759 to do? If that's not the right response, if that's 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:19.860 not holding our convictions in a Christ -like 00:06:19.860 --> 00:06:22.100 manner, what am I gonna do when I'm right and 00:06:22.100 --> 00:06:24.220 the people around me are wrong? Well, you'll 00:06:24.220 --> 00:06:26.459 notice there the sign on the screen. We tried 00:06:26.459 --> 00:06:28.860 going left and it didn't work. Let's try going 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:33.360 right. There's another way to respond. And it's 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:35.439 the response that says, you know what? We just 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:38.839 really don't need to worry about who's right 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:42.459 and who's wrong. All we just need to do is just 00:06:42.459 --> 00:06:46.600 love one another. Just love one another The idea 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:48.420 that says it did don't matter if you're right 00:06:48.420 --> 00:06:50.740 or you're wrong, you know, you have your opinion. 00:06:50.740 --> 00:06:54.519 I have my opinion I have my interpretation. You 00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:57.120 have your interpretation. It really doesn't matter 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:00.019 We just need to get the focus off who's right 00:07:00.019 --> 00:07:02.220 and wrong and we just need to love one another 00:07:02.220 --> 00:07:06.980 Now this sounds really good. This sounds really 00:07:06.980 --> 00:07:08.699 good You know a lot of people in the religious 00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:10.779 world would tell us this is the way that we need 00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:14.939 to be And it's really easy to take this approach. 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:18.240 All you got to do is just go to the internet 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:21.560 and find some image or meme that says we just 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:23.319 need to love one another and you can, you know, 00:07:23.420 --> 00:07:26.639 upload that to social media and you can advance 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:30.500 this idea that we just don't need to focus on 00:07:30.500 --> 00:07:32.399 who's right or wrong, just love one another. 00:07:33.620 --> 00:07:35.819 As good as that sounds, I don't think that's 00:07:35.819 --> 00:07:39.550 the right response. Don't believe that this is 00:07:39.550 --> 00:07:41.670 the right response, you know, we see in first 00:07:41.670 --> 00:07:45.410 Peter chapter 4 verse 8 That love is important 00:07:45.410 --> 00:07:48.889 We should love one another fervently. We should 00:07:48.889 --> 00:07:52.069 show brotherly love one to another First Peter 00:07:52.069 --> 00:07:54.910 4 8 says above all above all things have fervent 00:07:54.910 --> 00:07:57.990 charity That's love among yourselves for charity 00:07:57.990 --> 00:08:00.870 shall cover the multitude of sins The Bible says 00:08:00.870 --> 00:08:04.610 showing grace love and charity covers a multitude 00:08:04.610 --> 00:08:08.139 of sins You know we also read there in James 00:08:08.139 --> 00:08:11.779 5 19 to 20 that when we convert the airing brother 00:08:11.779 --> 00:08:15.660 we hide a multitude of sins. You know we got 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:17.500 a verse that says we need to tell people the 00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:19.379 truth and try to convert them and that hides 00:08:19.379 --> 00:08:21.399 a multitude of sins and then we got another verse 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:23.500 that says we need to love one another and that 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:27.680 too is involved in helping hide and cover a multitude 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:30.720 of sins. But at the same time this idea that 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:34.059 it's all a hundred percent grace Just love one 00:08:34.059 --> 00:08:37.980 another, have good feelings toward each other, 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:40.860 and just don't focus on what's right and what's 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:43.460 true and what the Bible teaches. A hundred percent 00:08:43.460 --> 00:08:47.179 grace and no truth. This too is not the right 00:08:47.179 --> 00:08:51.039 response. This is not how we should respond when 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:53.100 we feel like we're right and the people around 00:08:53.100 --> 00:08:57.399 us are wrong. So what do we do we're back to 00:08:57.399 --> 00:08:59.679 where we started right we tried going right that 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:01.820 didn't work We tried going left that didn't work. 00:09:01.820 --> 00:09:05.360 What are we gonna do? Did you notice I changed 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:08.340 the sign I introduced a new sign on the screen 00:09:08.340 --> 00:09:14.059 I Introduced a sign with three arrows There's 00:09:14.059 --> 00:09:16.120 another approach there's another answer to this 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:18.480 situation let me tell you what we do need to 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:23.240 do we need to look to Jesus We need to look to 00:09:23.240 --> 00:09:25.620 Jesus. I want you to stop for a moment. I want 00:09:25.620 --> 00:09:29.879 you to think about Jesus. When Jesus came to 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:34.440 this world, He was the incarnate, the living 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:37.419 and only begotten Son of God. He was God in the 00:09:37.419 --> 00:09:42.240 flesh. He had all power. He had all understanding. 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:50.840 He knew everything. He could do anything. If 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.080 there was anyone who could stand up and say that 00:09:53.080 --> 00:09:56.980 they were right It would certainly have been 00:09:56.980 --> 00:10:01.700 Jesus in fact Jesus was right Every hour of the 00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:05.559 day Every day of the week every day of the year 00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:08.419 Jesus was always right and you think about the 00:10:08.419 --> 00:10:10.620 type of people that Jesus interacted with on 00:10:10.620 --> 00:10:14.100 a daily basis It was easy for him to see how 00:10:14.100 --> 00:10:18.899 wrong they were Jesus was surrounded by wrong 00:10:18.899 --> 00:10:26.460 people Every day, all day long. I wonder how 00:10:26.460 --> 00:10:29.639 Jesus felt being the rightest man in the room 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:32.879 on all occasions. In every occasion, no matter 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:35.679 who he found himself with, Jesus was always the 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:40.080 rightest man in the room. And he could always 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:42.860 find something wrong with the people around him. 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:48.480 And so how did Jesus respond to that? How did 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:50.940 he respond? Let's look at John chapter 1 verse 00:10:50.940 --> 00:10:54.580 14. John 1 and 14 talks about Jesus being the 00:10:54.580 --> 00:10:57.240 Word, the Word that was made flesh, the Word 00:10:57.240 --> 00:10:59.340 that dwelt among us, John says. And John says 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:02.500 we beheld His glory, the glory of the Word, the 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:05.039 glory of Jesus coming in the flesh. It was the 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:07.519 glory as of the only begotten of the Father. 00:11:07.779 --> 00:11:09.759 And when this Word was made flesh in the form 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:13.639 of Jesus, notice it says He was full of grace 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:16.940 and truth. The truth that I want you to take 00:11:16.940 --> 00:11:19.600 away from John 1 -14 is that when Jesus came, 00:11:19.720 --> 00:11:26.440 He was full. He was full of both grace and He 00:11:26.440 --> 00:11:29.620 was full of truth. What's that look like? That 00:11:29.620 --> 00:11:33.700 looks like this. A hundred percent grace and 00:11:33.700 --> 00:11:39.019 a hundred percent truth. Now you know what? I 00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:41.659 don't think I've ever managed at any moment in 00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:45.539 my life To be like Jesus in this way I don't 00:11:45.539 --> 00:11:47.919 know that I've ever found the right balance between 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:49.960 a hundred percent grace and a hundred percent 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:52.240 truth if I'm going to be honest with you You 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:55.059 know, there are times that I'm probably too much 00:11:55.059 --> 00:11:58.480 truth to the expense of grace Or I'm too much 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:02.279 grace at the expense of truth Maybe times I'm 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:04.399 too hard and heavy -handed with people. They 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:06.039 got to know the truth I got to tell them the 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:08.580 truth, but in the process I sacrifice maybe mercy 00:12:08.580 --> 00:12:12.419 patience and grace When I get to feeling bad 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:16.320 and you know next time I'll show more mercy grace 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:18.360 and patience than maybe I should maybe at the 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:20.740 at the expense of watering down or not sharing 00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:23.000 the whole truth like I should and I'm always 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:25.139 striving to find the right balance in that and 00:12:25.139 --> 00:12:27.379 I to be honest I don't know that I ever find 00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:31.740 it but Jesus did Jesus didn't have any problem 00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:35.220 with that wasn't hard for him because when he 00:12:35.220 --> 00:12:37.700 came to this world he was a hundred percent grace 00:12:38.929 --> 00:12:41.350 he was a hundred percent truth and we see that 00:12:41.350 --> 00:12:43.769 illustrated very well in the story that brother 00:12:43.769 --> 00:12:46.629 David read to us from John chapter 8 this morning 00:12:46.629 --> 00:12:49.389 John chapter 8 verse 3 to 11 remember they brought 00:12:49.389 --> 00:12:51.850 that woman taken in adultery and they brought 00:12:51.850 --> 00:12:54.409 him to Jesus and they said Jesus we caught this 00:12:54.409 --> 00:12:56.590 woman in the act of adultery well what do you 00:12:56.590 --> 00:12:58.429 think that we should do for her the law says 00:12:58.429 --> 00:13:01.330 stoner and the law of Moses did say that the 00:13:01.330 --> 00:13:03.870 Word of God said that the punishment for adultery 00:13:03.870 --> 00:13:07.379 was public execution by stoning Word of God was 00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:09.980 very clear about that. That was in God's law. 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:12.460 And so they bring this woman to Jesus and they 00:13:12.460 --> 00:13:15.419 say Jesus What do you think we ought to do to 00:13:15.419 --> 00:13:18.460 this woman now? They didn't really care about 00:13:18.460 --> 00:13:21.860 this woman. They were using her as a pawn Right 00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:27.139 in their scheme to try To trip Jesus up and turn 00:13:27.139 --> 00:13:29.600 the people against him in their mind. They were 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:31.840 thinking this You know, we're gonna put this 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.919 woman before Jesus and say the you know, the 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.960 law says stoner What do you want to do Jesus? 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:38.860 If Jesus were to respond by saying, okay, that's 00:13:38.860 --> 00:13:42.399 fine. Just go stoner What was their response 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.460 gonna be their response was gonna be why Jesus 00:13:45.460 --> 00:13:49.059 that's awful unmerciful of you Can't you show 00:13:49.059 --> 00:13:51.220 this woman a little grace? Can't you show her 00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:55.159 a little love compassion and mercy? So they thought 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:57.539 they would have him, you know, if if he responded 00:13:57.539 --> 00:13:59.899 well, just go ahead and stoner They they say 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:03.559 you don't have enough grace and mercy Lord But 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:06.070 you know if Jesus was to say You know, don't 00:14:06.070 --> 00:14:08.669 worry about it. Don't stone her. Just show her 00:14:08.669 --> 00:14:10.450 a little grace and mercy. You know what they 00:14:10.450 --> 00:14:11.870 were going to say then. They were going to turn 00:14:11.870 --> 00:14:14.490 around and say, well, Jesus, you don't believe 00:14:14.490 --> 00:14:16.690 the Word of God. The law says we must stone her. 00:14:16.929 --> 00:14:18.950 And you're not honoring, you're not being true 00:14:18.950 --> 00:14:22.490 to the scriptures. You see, they thought they 00:14:22.490 --> 00:14:24.450 were going to catch him either way he responded 00:14:24.450 --> 00:14:28.110 to this situation. But Jesus was so much smarter 00:14:28.110 --> 00:14:30.649 than they were, right? He's seen this coming 00:14:30.649 --> 00:14:34.269 from a mile away. How did Jesus handle this? 00:14:36.439 --> 00:14:38.620 Bible says he stooped down on the ground and 00:14:38.620 --> 00:14:40.379 began writing in the ground. We don't know what 00:14:40.379 --> 00:14:43.019 he he wrote We could only speculate and I'm not 00:14:43.019 --> 00:14:45.200 interested in speculating about it It'd just 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:47.340 be my opinion if if I told you what I thought 00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:52.019 he wrote But I do know this his audience the 00:14:52.019 --> 00:14:53.799 people who were standing there watched him right 00:14:53.799 --> 00:14:58.419 on the ground And he stood up and he said we 00:14:58.419 --> 00:15:01.980 can stone this woman We can certainly do that. 00:15:02.059 --> 00:15:05.659 He said but I want the the person who is without 00:15:05.659 --> 00:15:08.679 sin to be the first one to cast a stone at her. 00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:12.179 And then he stooped back on the ground and continued 00:15:12.179 --> 00:15:15.179 to write. And what happened? The Bible says that 00:15:15.179 --> 00:15:17.519 those who were gathered there to accuse and condemn 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:20.639 this woman one by one, they walked away until 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:25.679 it was only Jesus and this woman. And Jesus stood 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:28.120 up and looked around. He said, woman, where are 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:31.860 those people who brought you to me to condemn 00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:35.679 you to death for this sin? They they're gone. 00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:39.000 They're not here. They're gone Lord and Jesus 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:43.000 said neither do I condemn you neither do I condemn 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:51.340 you He said go and Sin no more now I want you 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:54.940 to consider what Jesus did here. I think Jesus 00:15:54.940 --> 00:15:59.179 demonstrated the perfect balance of being full 00:15:59.179 --> 00:16:03.399 of grace full of truth. He was full of grace 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:05.899 in the sense that he said neither do I condemn 00:16:05.899 --> 00:16:08.779 thee. Now don't misunderstand what Jesus said. 00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:14.679 Jesus wasn't saying that this woman's sin wasn't 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:17.759 serious, that it wasn't terrible, that it wasn't 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:21.159 wrong. Jesus says neither do I condemn thee. 00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:23.759 What he's saying is that I'm not going to condemn 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:27.000 you and see that the punishment that you deserve 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:30.350 is carried out. That's what he was saying here. 00:16:30.350 --> 00:16:32.529 I'm not going to condemn you to death I'm not 00:16:32.529 --> 00:16:35.509 going to Execute the punishment that the law 00:16:35.509 --> 00:16:37.710 prescribed for this woman who was caught up in 00:16:37.710 --> 00:16:40.990 this great sin Jesus wasn't being weak on sin 00:16:40.990 --> 00:16:43.269 here. He wasn't saying that sins not a problem 00:16:43.269 --> 00:16:45.649 He wouldn't saying that we shouldn't condemn 00:16:45.649 --> 00:16:48.429 sin. He condemned sin the Bible condemned sin. 00:16:48.429 --> 00:16:52.850 We should condemn sin But he what he was saying 00:16:52.850 --> 00:16:54.789 here is he was going to show mercy grace and 00:16:54.789 --> 00:16:57.549 compassion and see that this woman had another 00:16:57.549 --> 00:16:59.710 chance and that she wasn't put to death for the 00:16:59.710 --> 00:17:01.649 great sin that she committed. In that way he 00:17:01.649 --> 00:17:04.450 showed grace and he showed mercy. But he didn't 00:17:04.450 --> 00:17:06.509 do it at the compromise of the truth because 00:17:06.509 --> 00:17:10.329 you know the next thing he said? The very next 00:17:10.329 --> 00:17:12.289 words out of his mouth he said, neither do I 00:17:12.289 --> 00:17:15.069 condemn thee but he told her go and sin no more. 00:17:15.269 --> 00:17:17.190 You need to go and you need to stop committing 00:17:17.190 --> 00:17:20.750 this sin. He told her the truth that what she'd 00:17:20.750 --> 00:17:22.769 done was a sin and she needed to quit. She needed 00:17:22.769 --> 00:17:27.410 to stop. He didn't hold that truth back. He didn't 00:17:27.410 --> 00:17:29.029 tell her, don't worry about it. You're okay. 00:17:29.170 --> 00:17:31.230 Everything's fine. You didn't do anything wrong. 00:17:34.569 --> 00:17:38.009 He made sure she knew she committed sin, but 00:17:38.009 --> 00:17:40.130 he wanted her to go and sin no more. Isn't that 00:17:40.130 --> 00:17:47.130 beautiful? So simple. In one sentence, Jesus 00:17:47.130 --> 00:17:51.150 demonstrated the perfect balance of grace. And 00:17:51.150 --> 00:17:53.430 you know, Jesus has left us an example, hasn't 00:17:53.430 --> 00:17:57.829 he? I think Jesus would have us to do likewise, 00:17:57.869 --> 00:18:02.089 to try to show that same level of grace and truth 00:18:02.089 --> 00:18:04.490 as we deal with people and try to hold our Bible 00:18:04.490 --> 00:18:08.769 -based convictions. Jesus is our example. First 00:18:08.769 --> 00:18:11.849 Peter chapter 2 verse 21 says that Jesus left 00:18:11.849 --> 00:18:14.430 us an example that we should walk in His footsteps. 00:18:14.710 --> 00:18:17.009 We should hold our Bible -based convictions. 00:18:17.679 --> 00:18:20.220 In this way, we should hold them in a Christ 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:22.160 -like manner and this morning I want to talk 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:24.259 about several different ways that we can hold 00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:26.519 those convictions some thoughts some attitudes 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:29.380 that We need to hold on to we need to keep in 00:18:29.380 --> 00:18:33.099 mind To make sure we have conviction. Yes, but 00:18:33.099 --> 00:18:35.119 we're holding it in the right way. Here's the 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:36.759 first thing We've got to do we've got to love 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:41.099 the truth More than we love just being right. 00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:43.880 It's a difference between loving the truth and 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:47.500 loving to be right Okay, we need to be truth 00:18:47.500 --> 00:18:50.420 -seekers and we we need to love truth more than 00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:53.559 we do just being right, you know The Bible says 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:55.619 we if we're not truth -seekers if we don't love 00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:58.359 the truth we can fall under a strong delusion 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:01.119 That's what Paul told the Thessalonians 2nd Thessalonians 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:04.400 2 9 to 12 He talks about even him who's coming 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:08.210 is after the working of Satan with power signs 00:19:08.210 --> 00:19:10.630 and lying wonders with all deceivableness of 00:19:10.630 --> 00:19:13.049 unrighteousness and them that perish why he talks 00:19:13.049 --> 00:19:15.670 about a group of people being deceived by the 00:19:15.670 --> 00:19:19.130 lying wonders and signs of those who work with 00:19:19.130 --> 00:19:22.029 Satan and they are deceived by Satan in his lies 00:19:22.029 --> 00:19:25.509 because as it says they receive not the love 00:19:25.509 --> 00:19:29.049 of the truth they receive not the love of the 00:19:29.049 --> 00:19:31.269 truth that they might be saved for this cause 00:19:31.269 --> 00:19:33.650 God shall send them a strong delusion that they 00:19:33.650 --> 00:19:36.809 should believe a lie God allows us to believe 00:19:36.809 --> 00:19:39.190 lies if we don't have a strong love and desire 00:19:39.190 --> 00:19:41.829 for the truth That they all might be damned or 00:19:41.829 --> 00:19:45.569 condemned who believe not the truth but had pleasure 00:19:45.569 --> 00:19:48.970 in unrighteousness we need to Listen very carefully 00:19:48.970 --> 00:19:51.289 to what the Bible is teaching us if if we don't 00:19:51.289 --> 00:19:53.670 love the truth if we don't seek after the truth 00:19:53.670 --> 00:19:56.190 if we aren't open to learning and Knowing the 00:19:56.190 --> 00:19:58.910 truth God will allow us to come under a strong 00:19:58.910 --> 00:20:01.309 delusion. He will allow us to believe religious 00:20:01.309 --> 00:20:04.880 lies He'll let us believe whatever we want And 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:08.400 you know, a delusion is a very dangerous thing 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:11.519 to be under. And you know, the Bible calls this 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:15.380 not just a delusion, a strong delusion. A strong 00:20:15.380 --> 00:20:17.200 delusion. You know what the problem with a delusion 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:20.319 is? Every single person in this world who's come 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:23.240 under that strong delusion, they think that they're 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:26.500 right. There have been times that I didn't understand 00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:29.079 the truth, that I was wrong, but lo and behold, 00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:31.180 guess what? All along I thought I was right. 00:20:31.909 --> 00:20:34.309 I couldn't see that I was wrong. That's what 00:20:34.309 --> 00:20:36.309 it means to be under a delusion. When you're 00:20:36.309 --> 00:20:38.269 under a delusion, you're delusional. You think 00:20:38.269 --> 00:20:41.609 you're right when you're actually wrong. Now 00:20:41.609 --> 00:20:45.470 that's a dangerous place to be, isn't it? The 00:20:45.470 --> 00:20:48.470 proverb is true, Proverbs 21, 2. Every way of 00:20:48.470 --> 00:20:51.289 a man is right in his own eyes. We think we're 00:20:51.289 --> 00:20:56.130 right. If we don't have a love for the truth, 00:20:56.529 --> 00:21:00.240 we may never see that. We might be wrong in one 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:03.319 area or this area or that area We will never 00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:05.200 come to find the truth and know the truth if 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:07.700 we don't love the truth And if we just think 00:21:07.700 --> 00:21:10.579 every way of everything in our everything we 00:21:10.579 --> 00:21:14.680 believe everything we know is right We could 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:17.039 come under this strong delusion and never come 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:20.440 to know the truth So to do this we have to be 00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:22.819 open to the idea that we might be wrong. That's 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:26.359 not easy is it? It's not easy to be open to the 00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:28.920 idea that you might be wrong. Now don't misunderstand 00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:31.980 me. I'm not saying that we should be so wishy 00:21:31.980 --> 00:21:35.839 -washy and not commit to understanding or knowing 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:37.960 anything that we just question everything and 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:40.559 we can't ever come to the truth on anything. 00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:42.880 We can't have confidence in what the scripture 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:47.299 teaches. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm 00:21:47.299 --> 00:21:49.740 saying is we should be open to the possibility 00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:55.420 and the idea that in some things We might be 00:21:55.420 --> 00:21:59.779 wrong We might be able to learn something From 00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:02.900 the Bible when it's needed. We need to be willing 00:22:02.900 --> 00:22:10.339 to say I was wrong If we need to change to get 00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:12.740 right with God and a part of our faith a part 00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:16.039 of our doctrine a part of our practice We need 00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:19.259 to be willing to say I was wrong will never be 00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:23.210 able to Honestly say we're right until we were 00:22:23.210 --> 00:22:31.549 willing to say that we were wrong If you're wrong 00:22:31.549 --> 00:22:34.829 about something if you study the scriptures and 00:22:34.829 --> 00:22:37.009 you come to find out you're wrong about something 00:22:37.009 --> 00:22:40.009 We need to love the truth more than we might 00:22:40.009 --> 00:22:44.190 hate to say I was wrong No one likes to I don't 00:22:44.190 --> 00:22:49.349 like to confess that I was wrong Nobody does 00:22:50.890 --> 00:22:54.289 But if we are wrong, we need to love the truth 00:22:54.289 --> 00:22:56.630 more than we hate admitting that we were wrong 00:22:56.630 --> 00:23:00.509 all along Proverbs 23 23 tells us to buy the 00:23:00.509 --> 00:23:03.849 truth and sell it not if we come to learn something 00:23:03.849 --> 00:23:06.710 That's new that's different from what we've always 00:23:06.710 --> 00:23:09.289 known always been taught when we find that truth 00:23:09.289 --> 00:23:13.150 the Bible says by that truth By the truth sell 00:23:13.150 --> 00:23:16.460 it not When you find the truth take hold on it 00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:19.359 invest in it latch on to it hold on tight to 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:21.400 it Don't sell it. Don't give it up for anything 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:25.599 buy the truth and sell it not Pay the price to 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:28.240 know to understand and to obey the truth no matter 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:31.240 what it costs you Here's the second thing. We've 00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:33.720 got to do if we want to properly hold our convictions 00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:36.240 in a Christlike manner We got to be careful that 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:39.509 we don't let knowledge puff us up You know, knowledge 00:23:39.509 --> 00:23:41.849 will do that to us if we're not careful. The 00:23:41.849 --> 00:23:44.029 example is from 1 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 00:23:44.029 --> 00:23:47.009 1 to 2. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 8, 1, he says, 00:23:47.170 --> 00:23:50.589 Now as touching things offered to idols, we know 00:23:50.589 --> 00:23:54.529 that we have knowledge. Paul, what he's telling 00:23:54.529 --> 00:23:58.150 the Corinthians here is that he understood, and 00:23:58.150 --> 00:24:00.210 there were some of these Corinthians that understood, 00:24:00.950 --> 00:24:03.970 that meat that was offered in an idol's temple 00:24:04.299 --> 00:24:07.640 then later sold on the streets in meat markets 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:11.380 in 1st century Corinth. Paul knew that that meat 00:24:11.380 --> 00:24:16.000 was just meat. It was not contaminated in any 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:18.500 way because it was offered in an idol's temple. 00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:20.839 Paul had that knowledge. He understood he could 00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:25.079 eat anything as it was sanctified by the Word 00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:27.079 of God and by prayer. That's what he told Timothy 00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:29.960 in 1st Timothy chapter 4. Paul understood that 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:31.980 he could eat meat offered in the idol's temple 00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:34.400 because that meat was just meat. The idol was 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:37.400 nothing. The meat offered in the idol's temple 00:24:37.400 --> 00:24:39.880 was just meat, and Paul had every right or privilege 00:24:39.880 --> 00:24:43.440 to eat that meat. But he says, you know what? 00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:47.900 Knowledge puffeth up. Paul says we need to be 00:24:47.900 --> 00:24:49.920 careful. He tells these Corinthians, be careful 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:52.480 that that knowledge and that understanding doesn't 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:55.460 puff them up with pride. Knowledge puffeth up, 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:59.440 but charity edify. Charity is what builds up. 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:03.220 If any man think that he knoweth anything, He 00:25:03.220 --> 00:25:06.779 knoweth not nothing yet as he ought to know We 00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:09.480 got to be careful that our knowledge our understanding 00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:11.980 of the scriptures and what they teach Doesn't 00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:14.339 cause us to develop this attitude that Smith's 00:25:14.339 --> 00:25:17.240 I'm smarter and I know more than you therefore. 00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:22.039 I am better than you You know if we let knowledge 00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:24.759 puff us up, that's the attitude that will develop 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:28.059 That we're better than everybody else because 00:25:28.059 --> 00:25:30.920 we know so much more about the scriptures than 00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:34.460 everybody else You know, we could know it all 00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:37.839 we could know everything But the Bible says if 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:39.779 we don't have love in our heart, it don't matter 00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:43.339 how much we know. It's all for nothing It's all 00:25:43.339 --> 00:25:46.380 for nothing. 1 Corinthians 13 to Paul says though 00:25:46.380 --> 00:25:48.660 I have the gift of prophecy and understand all 00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:51.079 mysteries and all knowledge Paul said I could 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:52.900 understand it all and have all the knowledge 00:25:52.900 --> 00:25:55.420 in the world about God and about the scriptures 00:25:55.420 --> 00:25:57.900 and though I have all faith which comes from 00:25:57.900 --> 00:26:00.039 the Word of God so that I could remove mountains 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:02.579 Paul says if I have not charity if I don't have 00:26:02.579 --> 00:26:06.500 love he says I'm nothing you can know it all 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:09.680 and it don't matter one bit if you can't have 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:13.980 love in your heart Ephesians chapter 4 verse 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:16.400 15 it tells us we do need to speak the truth 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:19.000 truth is important important knowing the truth 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:22.400 is important But it tells us we need to speak 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:24.680 the truth in love so that we may grow up into 00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:27.480 him That's Christ in all things which is the 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:29.519 head of the body of the church God causes to 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:31.920 speak the truth and love but do it from a humble 00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:35.299 and sincere heart And I want to show you this 00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:37.539 later in first Corinthians chapter 8. That's 00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:40.819 that chapter where he introduced the idea You 00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:43.119 can eat meat that's offered to idols. It's not 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:46.700 sinful Paul says but you need to be careful about 00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:49.759 doing that Tells the Corinthians you need to 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:51.740 be careful about doing that. You might have every 00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:55.839 right to do it But what does he say in verse 00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:59.039 13 he says wherefore if meat make my brother 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:02.470 to offend He says, I know I can eat meat that 00:27:02.470 --> 00:27:04.529 was offered in the idol's temple. I can go buy 00:27:04.529 --> 00:27:06.829 it in the meat market and eat it. I got no problem 00:27:06.829 --> 00:27:08.849 with that. But he says, you know, if that's going 00:27:08.849 --> 00:27:10.849 to offend my brother and cause him to stumble, 00:27:10.930 --> 00:27:12.910 if he don't have the same knowledge and understanding 00:27:12.910 --> 00:27:17.109 about that that I do, he says, here's what I'm 00:27:17.109 --> 00:27:18.849 going to do. If that's going to cause my brother 00:27:18.849 --> 00:27:21.450 to be offended, he said, I will eat no flesh 00:27:21.450 --> 00:27:24.650 while the world standeth, lest I make my brother 00:27:24.650 --> 00:27:27.930 to offend. He says, I won't eat another bite 00:27:27.930 --> 00:27:32.700 of meat my whole life. If I thought that eating 00:27:32.700 --> 00:27:35.619 that meat was going to offend or cause my brother 00:27:35.619 --> 00:27:39.519 to stumble so you see godly knowledge always 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:43.359 acts with consideration and love toward others 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:47.880 It takes both the knowledge and the understanding 00:27:47.880 --> 00:27:50.319 of how to hold that knowledge and love others 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:53.319 at the same time When we're holding our Bible 00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:55.460 based convictions, we can't let knowledge puff 00:27:55.460 --> 00:27:59.640 us up and make us proud Something else we've 00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:01.980 got to do is make sure that we don't ignore the 00:28:01.980 --> 00:28:04.200 weightier matters. We don't want to develop the 00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:07.240 mindset of the person who said, you know what, 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:09.500 I just can't see the forest because there's too 00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:14.039 many trees in the way. Right? We don't want to 00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:18.019 miss the forest for the trees. In Matthew chapter 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:20.880 23, Jesus told the scribes and the Pharisees, 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:23.359 he said, woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, 00:28:23.380 --> 00:28:26.480 hypocrites. By the way, that's not something 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:30.089 you want to hear from the Lord. Okay? When the 00:28:30.089 --> 00:28:34.769 Lord says to you, whoa, you're a hypocrite. That 00:28:34.769 --> 00:28:37.269 is not what you want to hear from the Lord. That's 00:28:37.269 --> 00:28:39.769 not good. But he told these scribes and Pharisees, 00:28:39.950 --> 00:28:42.990 whoa unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, 00:28:43.029 --> 00:28:46.529 why? For ye pay tithe, you give one tenth of 00:28:46.529 --> 00:28:49.210 mint and anise and cumin. Those were some of 00:28:49.210 --> 00:28:53.109 the tiniest spices among the Jews at that time. 00:28:53.529 --> 00:28:56.289 He said, you give a tenth of these tiny spices, 00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:59.500 You give a tenth back to God, but you have omitted 00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:03.640 the weightier matters of the law. Judgment, mercy 00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:06.900 and faith. He says, these ought ye to have done, 00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:12.660 and not to leave the other undone. The idea here 00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:15.279 is that we shouldn't get so focused on the minor 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:17.960 details that we lose sight of the big picture. 00:29:18.359 --> 00:29:20.920 That's what Jesus is trying to help the Pharisees 00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:23.779 to understand now don't misunderstand it giving 00:29:23.779 --> 00:29:27.079 10 % of their spies Spices tithing of their spices 00:29:27.079 --> 00:29:29.359 that was important to God. They needed to do 00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:32.980 that. That wasn't wrong They needed to do that. 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:35.779 They needed to give a tenth of those things But 00:29:35.779 --> 00:29:37.859 you know what the problem was they were so focused 00:29:37.859 --> 00:29:41.119 on that That they overlooked the weightier matters 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:43.799 of the law. They overlooked judgment. They overlooked 00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:47.920 mercy. They overlooked faith Both are important 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:52.559 The small things, the weightier matters, it's 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:54.779 all important. We don't need to get too focused 00:29:54.779 --> 00:29:59.859 and fixated on one or the other and focus on 00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:03.059 one to the exclusion of the other. So we shouldn't 00:30:03.059 --> 00:30:05.859 lose sight of what matters most. Yes, these doctrinal 00:30:05.859 --> 00:30:08.720 things matter. Yes, having Bible -based convictions, 00:30:09.339 --> 00:30:11.380 having the right faith, having the right practice, 00:30:11.539 --> 00:30:13.380 teaching the right doctrine, all of those things 00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:16.490 matter. And we've tried to emphasize that over 00:30:16.490 --> 00:30:18.710 the course of this meeting. But don't lose sight 00:30:18.710 --> 00:30:20.849 of what matters most. What matters most? Loving 00:30:20.849 --> 00:30:23.130 God and loving people. When you boil it down 00:30:23.130 --> 00:30:27.049 to its most basic elements, loving God and loving 00:30:27.049 --> 00:30:32.299 people is what it all boils down to. In Matthew 00:30:32.299 --> 00:30:35.180 chapter 22 verse 35, a lawyer comes to Jesus 00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:37.299 and says, Master, which is the greatest commandment 00:30:37.299 --> 00:30:39.920 in the law? Jesus tells him, love the Lord thy 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:41.880 God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with 00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:44.460 all thy mind. That's the first and great commandment. 00:30:44.660 --> 00:30:47.279 The second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy 00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:49.759 neighbor as thyself. Jesus said, look, on these 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:52.119 two commandments hang all the law and the prophets, 00:30:52.619 --> 00:30:56.019 everything else in the law. Believe the law had 00:30:56.019 --> 00:31:00.349 613 commandments in it. All the law and then 00:31:00.349 --> 00:31:03.250 all the prophets hang on these two commandments 00:31:03.250 --> 00:31:06.910 to love God and Love our neighbor and Jesus recognized 00:31:06.910 --> 00:31:09.789 that that was the motivation for obeying the 00:31:09.789 --> 00:31:12.410 entirety of the law obeying the whole law boiled 00:31:12.410 --> 00:31:16.049 down to the motivation of loving God and Loving 00:31:16.049 --> 00:31:18.269 our fellow man. So we can't lose sight of what 00:31:18.269 --> 00:31:20.589 matters most loving God loving our fellow man 00:31:20.589 --> 00:31:22.329 Here's something else. We can't lose sight of 00:31:22.329 --> 00:31:24.910 we can't lose sight of the gospel the death burial 00:31:24.910 --> 00:31:28.039 the resurrection The gospel that saves us and 00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:30.359 washes us clean and makes us right with God. 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:35.480 Yes, these doctrinal things matter. But this 00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:38.279 is one of the things that matters most. The death, 00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:40.460 burial, the resurrection of Jesus. We can't lose 00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:43.380 sight or ignore the weight of your matters. Here's 00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:45.319 something else that will help us hold our doctrinal 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:47.220 convictions in a Christ -like manner. You need 00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:50.839 to keep a mirror handy and use it often. What 00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:52.779 do I mean by that? We need to look in the mirror 00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:55.440 and genuinely try to see our own faults and failures. 00:31:57.740 --> 00:32:01.039 We're not careful. We get really good at pointing 00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:03.660 out the faults and failures of everyone around 00:32:03.660 --> 00:32:07.000 us But then when we look in the mirror guess 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:09.819 what it's hard for us to find fault and see our 00:32:09.819 --> 00:32:12.240 own failures Do you ever you ever get that way? 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:16.579 You ever get that way it's really easy for me. 00:32:16.579 --> 00:32:19.160 I can tell you all of my wife's faults and failures. 00:32:19.160 --> 00:32:23.819 I'd be easy But then I might struggle to tell 00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:29.460 you maybe even one of my faults You're be honest 00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:34.299 you ever been that way We need to be careful 00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:37.680 of that We need to keep a mirror handy and use 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:42.240 it often for ourselves Matthew 7 1 we need to 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.019 consider our self before we'll overly scrutinize 00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:48.740 those around us Judge not that you be not judged 00:32:48.740 --> 00:32:50.859 for with what judgment you judge you shall be 00:32:50.859 --> 00:32:52.779 judged with what measure you meet It shall be 00:32:52.779 --> 00:32:55.220 measured to you again why behold us thou the 00:32:55.220 --> 00:32:59.220 mote That's the tiny speck that is in thy brother's 00:32:59.220 --> 00:33:02.380 eye, but consider is not the beam That is in 00:33:02.380 --> 00:33:04.460 nine oh nine how will thou say to thy brother? 00:33:04.619 --> 00:33:06.799 Let me pull out the moat the speck out of thine 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:10.240 eye behold a beam is in thine own eye Thou hypocrite 00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:13.299 when Jesus calls you a hypocrite it is not good 00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:16.700 So we don't want to be guilty of this he says 00:33:16.700 --> 00:33:19.940 thou hypocrite Cast out the beam out of thine 00:33:19.940 --> 00:33:22.779 own eye and then shout thou see clearly to cast 00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:26.879 out the moat out of thy brother's eye now Don't 00:33:26.879 --> 00:33:29.039 misunderstand what Jesus said Jesus didn't say 00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:31.460 we shouldn't try to remove the speck out of our 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:35.039 brother's eye That's not what he said If we see 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:37.400 a speck in our brother's eye, yes We should try 00:33:37.400 --> 00:33:39.819 to remove it if we if someone we know and love 00:33:39.819 --> 00:33:41.859 is in error and they don't understand the truth 00:33:41.859 --> 00:33:44.559 We should try to help them and we should try 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:48.039 to help them see the error of their way Jesus 00:33:48.039 --> 00:33:50.079 didn't say don't try to remove a speck in your 00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:52.480 brother's eye. He said look before you do You 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:54.259 need to make sure you're also looking in the 00:33:54.259 --> 00:33:58.740 mirror to check your own eyes first Need to be 00:33:58.740 --> 00:34:00.740 willing to see our own faults and failures and 00:34:00.740 --> 00:34:03.819 not just those of the people around us Matthew 00:34:03.819 --> 00:34:06.000 7 and 12 we need to treat others the way we want 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:08.099 to be treated Therefore all things whatsoever 00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:11.059 you would that men should do to you do do ye 00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:14.619 so even Do ye even so to them for this is the 00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:20.920 law and the prophets? When we are confused, when 00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:22.940 we have a misunderstanding, when we don't know 00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:26.900 what's right, how do you want people to approach 00:34:26.900 --> 00:34:29.460 you and teach you the truth? Do you want them 00:34:29.460 --> 00:34:33.780 to come heavy -handed, 100 % truth, no grace? 00:34:35.420 --> 00:34:39.099 Come with a proud heart, humiliate you, talk 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:43.260 down to you, make fun of you. Is that how we 00:34:43.260 --> 00:34:45.599 want people to correct us and bring us to a knowledge 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:49.219 of the truth? No. I've never appreciated anyone 00:34:49.219 --> 00:34:53.260 who came to me with that attitude. I have appreciated 00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:55.519 those who've come to me kindly, lovingly, and 00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:57.380 patiently to try to help me see something that 00:34:57.380 --> 00:34:59.980 I didn't understand. And if that's the way we 00:34:59.980 --> 00:35:02.239 like to learn and be corrected, that's the way 00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:04.920 we not need to try to help others learn when 00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:07.940 we're trying to correct them. Second Timothy 00:35:07.940 --> 00:35:10.940 2, 24 -25, servant of the Lord must not strive 00:35:10.940 --> 00:35:13.900 or quarrel, but be gentle unto all men, apt to 00:35:13.900 --> 00:35:17.000 teach, patient, in meekness instructing those 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:19.300 that oppose themselves. We need to correct the 00:35:19.300 --> 00:35:21.639 airing with gentleness, patience, and meekness 00:35:21.639 --> 00:35:25.199 in our heart. That needs to be our attitude. 00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:29.360 Keep a mirror handy and use it often. And then 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:32.059 the last thing that'll help us to hold our convictions 00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:35.860 in a Christlike manner is never forget what makes 00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:40.119 you right. Never forget what makes you right. 00:35:40.119 --> 00:35:42.099 I'm gonna ask you a question. Does knowing what's 00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:47.590 right really make you right with God? Does knowing 00:35:47.590 --> 00:35:52.670 everything Right and having a correct and perfect 00:35:52.670 --> 00:35:54.510 knowledge of everything. Is that really what 00:35:54.510 --> 00:36:00.989 makes you right with God Yes, and no I hate it 00:36:00.989 --> 00:36:03.230 when people answer questions by saying yes and 00:36:03.230 --> 00:36:09.050 no Kind of wishy -washy, isn't it? But let me 00:36:09.050 --> 00:36:12.760 let me explain what I mean When I ask the question 00:36:12.760 --> 00:36:15.340 does knowing what right is that really what makes 00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:17.500 you right with God? Let me explain what I mean 00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:23.039 when I say yes and no John 8 31 John 8 31 Jesus 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:25.360 said to those Jews which believed on him if you 00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:28.309 continue in my word Then are you my disciples 00:36:28.309 --> 00:36:30.250 indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth 00:36:30.250 --> 00:36:32.969 shall make you free. Jesus is telling us plainly 00:36:32.969 --> 00:36:35.230 here that we need to continue in the Word and 00:36:35.230 --> 00:36:37.289 when we do that we shall know the truth and it's 00:36:37.289 --> 00:36:39.530 important that we know the truth because Jesus 00:36:39.530 --> 00:36:41.630 says here it's the truth that makes us free. 00:36:42.070 --> 00:36:45.429 So on one hand yes, it is important that we know 00:36:45.429 --> 00:36:48.269 what's right. We continue in the Word to understand 00:36:48.269 --> 00:36:50.130 what's right, to know what's right, to learn 00:36:50.130 --> 00:36:51.849 the truth. When we know the truth that's what 00:36:51.849 --> 00:36:55.780 makes us free. But I want you to notice something 00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:58.519 about this passage. Who's Jesus speaking to here? 00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:01.179 Jesus is speaking to those which had already 00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:04.340 believed on him He's speaking to those who were 00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:06.780 already his disciples. He says you are truly 00:37:06.780 --> 00:37:11.079 my disciples If you will continue in my word 00:37:11.079 --> 00:37:14.199 know the truth and that truth will make you free 00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:17.260 Jesus says this to those who had already believed 00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:20.019 and were already his disciples So look after 00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:22.519 we come to Christ after we become his disciple 00:37:22.519 --> 00:37:25.820 there's a lot of learning to do and then we need 00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:28.219 to give a diligent effort to grow in knowledge 00:37:28.219 --> 00:37:30.880 and understanding we need to come to understand 00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:33.059 and know what is right by the truth of God's 00:37:33.059 --> 00:37:37.519 Word so we can be made free from error and False 00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:40.019 teaching and false doctrine so that we can know 00:37:40.019 --> 00:37:43.869 that we're in a path of truth So on one hand, 00:37:43.869 --> 00:37:45.929 yes, it is important for us after we've come 00:37:45.929 --> 00:37:48.530 to Christ to continue to study and grow in a 00:37:48.530 --> 00:37:53.889 knowledge of the truth. But what about before 00:37:53.889 --> 00:37:57.929 we come to Jesus? What about before we believe 00:37:57.929 --> 00:38:00.530 on Him? What about before we become one of His 00:38:00.530 --> 00:38:03.750 disciples? I want to tell you the truth that 00:38:03.750 --> 00:38:06.849 we need. If we're not a disciple of Christ, if 00:38:06.849 --> 00:38:08.869 we haven't believed in Him and come to Him for 00:38:08.869 --> 00:38:13.019 salvation, the truth that we need is Jesus. That's 00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:16.800 where we start. The truth that we need is Jesus. 00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:19.900 Jesus said in John 14 -6, I am the way, the truth, 00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:22.519 and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but 00:38:22.519 --> 00:38:26.599 by me. There's no way to be right with God but 00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:30.039 by Jesus. And that's where it all starts. Knowing 00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:34.099 the truth that is Jesus is what makes us right 00:38:34.099 --> 00:38:38.730 before God. And that's the truth. We all need 00:38:38.730 --> 00:38:40.929 to understand. That's the truth we all need to 00:38:40.929 --> 00:38:42.929 accept. That's the truth that we all need to 00:38:42.929 --> 00:38:46.130 obey. We need to obey Christ. And when we know 00:38:46.130 --> 00:38:51.269 this truth that is Jesus, when we come to love, 00:38:51.849 --> 00:38:54.630 accept, and give our lives to the Lord Jesus 00:38:54.630 --> 00:38:57.750 for the great sacrifice He made for us, when 00:38:57.750 --> 00:38:59.949 we know the truth that is Jesus, then guess what? 00:38:59.989 --> 00:39:03.110 You'll want to know. the rest of what he has 00:39:03.110 --> 00:39:06.050 to say the rest of what he has to teach and You'll 00:39:06.050 --> 00:39:08.329 want to follow and obey the rest of the truth 00:39:08.329 --> 00:39:12.050 that he's delivered unto us in his word Jesus 00:39:12.050 --> 00:39:15.250 said in John 14 15 if you love me keep my commandments 00:39:15.250 --> 00:39:17.469 when you love the Lord We're happy and we're 00:39:17.469 --> 00:39:20.469 glad to obey him and follow and learn and follow 00:39:20.469 --> 00:39:26.010 in his commandments In John 15 14 Jesus said 00:39:26.010 --> 00:39:28.929 you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command 00:39:28.929 --> 00:39:33.159 you So knowing the truth and knowing what's right 00:39:33.159 --> 00:39:35.800 is very important but that first truth that most 00:39:35.800 --> 00:39:38.860 important truth is knowing Jesus and Once we 00:39:38.860 --> 00:39:42.099 come to know him then we start a lifelong journey 00:39:42.099 --> 00:39:44.360 of trying to know and understand everything he 00:39:44.360 --> 00:39:47.039 taught and Doing our best to put it into practice 00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:50.179 to honor and serve him I want you to understand 00:39:50.179 --> 00:39:53.199 something this morning It's important that we're 00:39:53.199 --> 00:39:57.099 right We want to be right in the sight of God 00:39:57.500 --> 00:39:59.820 We want to teach and practice things that are 00:39:59.820 --> 00:40:03.880 right and true. But at the same time, what I've 00:40:03.880 --> 00:40:05.780 tried to help you see this morning is there is 00:40:05.780 --> 00:40:10.980 a wrong way to be right. There is a wrong way 00:40:10.980 --> 00:40:14.659 to be right, and we need to be careful. We need 00:40:14.659 --> 00:40:17.659 to be careful that we hold our convictions, our 00:40:17.659 --> 00:40:20.659 Bible -based convictions. You can take a strong 00:40:20.659 --> 00:40:22.619 stand on what the Bible teaches. We've tried 00:40:22.619 --> 00:40:28.800 to do that this week. But at the same time hold 00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:31.059 those convictions in all the wrong ways with 00:40:31.059 --> 00:40:33.239 the wrong heart the wrong mind the wrong attitude 00:40:33.239 --> 00:40:37.239 It's a wrong way to be right We need to be careful 00:40:37.239 --> 00:40:39.239 of that. I hope this lesson today will help us 00:40:39.239 --> 00:40:41.360 all to make sure we don't go down that one -way 00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:43.400 Street, right? We don't go the wrong way down 00:40:43.400 --> 00:40:49.639 a one -way Street. Let's be right But let's hold 00:40:49.639 --> 00:40:51.599 the have the right heart and the right attitude 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:54.039 at the same time Let me tell you something else. 00:40:54.039 --> 00:40:57.150 Not only is there a wrong way to be right There's 00:40:57.150 --> 00:41:00.829 a right way to be wrong Now I'm saying I'm not 00:41:00.829 --> 00:41:03.269 saying it's right to be wrong. That's a contradiction 00:41:03.269 --> 00:41:06.369 can never be right to be wrong What I'm saying 00:41:06.369 --> 00:41:08.750 is that when we do find out that we are wrong 00:41:08.750 --> 00:41:10.929 when we do find out we hadn't been taught the 00:41:10.929 --> 00:41:13.889 truth When we do find out that we're in a in 00:41:13.889 --> 00:41:16.449 a place at a place in our life where we're not 00:41:16.449 --> 00:41:19.869 right with God There's a right way to respond 00:41:21.489 --> 00:41:24.309 There's a right way to respond when we come to 00:41:24.309 --> 00:41:26.309 learn that we're wrong and we aren't right with 00:41:26.309 --> 00:41:29.849 our God. If you aren't right with God today, 00:41:30.309 --> 00:41:36.010 don't you think it's time to make a change? Could 00:41:36.010 --> 00:41:41.309 you think of a better time than today, than right 00:41:41.309 --> 00:41:44.230 now? If you're not right with God, if you're 00:41:44.230 --> 00:41:46.909 not living for God, if you haven't believed in 00:41:46.909 --> 00:41:50.190 the gospel of Jesus, If you haven't put your 00:41:50.190 --> 00:41:52.429 faith in Christ and His sacrifice, if you haven't 00:41:52.429 --> 00:41:54.690 repented of your sins, if you hadn't confessed 00:41:54.690 --> 00:41:58.750 faith, if you haven't obeyed the gospel and baptism, 00:41:58.809 --> 00:42:00.929 if you're not right with God, don't you think 00:42:00.929 --> 00:42:02.909 it's time for a change? Don't you think it's 00:42:02.909 --> 00:42:06.190 time to look to Jesus and to come to Him? Because 00:42:06.190 --> 00:42:08.530 after all, we saw from the Scriptures, He's the 00:42:08.530 --> 00:42:11.510 way, He's the truth, He's the life. You know, 00:42:11.530 --> 00:42:14.829 He will never lead us astray. When we come to 00:42:14.829 --> 00:42:17.550 Jesus, we can trust that He will never lead us 00:42:17.550 --> 00:42:19.670 astray. Here's how we come to Christ if we want 00:42:19.670 --> 00:42:21.489 salvation. If you're here this morning and you 00:42:21.489 --> 00:42:24.809 don't have salvation. You've got a wonderful 00:42:24.809 --> 00:42:27.590 opportunity today. You've got an opportunity 00:42:27.590 --> 00:42:29.949 to believe the gospel of Jesus. And here's the 00:42:29.949 --> 00:42:33.070 gospel. It's a simple story. Jesus came, He died, 00:42:33.150 --> 00:42:37.230 was buried and rose from the dead for you. He 00:42:37.230 --> 00:42:39.909 suffered on a cross. He was tortured on a cross, 00:42:39.909 --> 00:42:42.070 not because He committed sin, but because you 00:42:42.070 --> 00:42:45.849 commit sin. The penalty for sin is death. Romans 00:42:45.849 --> 00:42:48.510 6 .23 says the wages of sin is death. We deserve 00:42:48.510 --> 00:42:51.409 the death penalty because of our sin. Jesus went 00:42:51.409 --> 00:42:54.269 and paid the death penalty on the cross. He paid 00:42:54.269 --> 00:42:56.550 the price for sin so that we wouldn't have to. 00:42:56.869 --> 00:42:59.789 He took our place. He took our punishment. He 00:42:59.789 --> 00:43:03.170 took that penalty upon Himself. And we got to 00:43:03.170 --> 00:43:05.010 believe in that death, burial, and resurrection. 00:43:05.489 --> 00:43:07.750 That's what Jesus said when He started His teaching 00:43:07.750 --> 00:43:10.269 ministry in Mark 1 -15. He said, Repent and believe 00:43:10.269 --> 00:43:12.250 the gospel. We've got to believe the gospel of 00:43:12.250 --> 00:43:14.150 Jesus. We've got to believe the death, burial, 00:43:14.230 --> 00:43:15.730 and resurrection. We've got to believe it so 00:43:15.730 --> 00:43:17.789 much that we're willing to repent of our sins. 00:43:18.769 --> 00:43:21.030 The fact that the sinless Son of God died on 00:43:21.030 --> 00:43:23.210 the cross to save us and to set us free from 00:43:23.210 --> 00:43:26.530 sin motivates us to turn away from sin in our 00:43:26.530 --> 00:43:28.710 life, to change our heart, to change our mind, 00:43:29.110 --> 00:43:31.630 to move away from sin and walk in a different 00:43:31.630 --> 00:43:35.739 path. And that turning of heart and mind resulting 00:43:35.739 --> 00:43:37.940 in a change of direction in our life, that's 00:43:37.940 --> 00:43:40.059 what repentance is all about. And we've got to 00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:42.920 repent. There's no doubt about it. Jesus said 00:43:42.920 --> 00:43:45.679 in Luke 13 .3, I tell you, nay. He said, except 00:43:45.679 --> 00:43:49.539 you repent, ye shall all likewise perish. If 00:43:49.539 --> 00:43:51.980 we don't repent, Jesus tells us we are going 00:43:51.980 --> 00:43:55.659 to perish. So we must believe the gospel so much 00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:58.199 so that we repent and turn away from sin We need 00:43:58.199 --> 00:44:01.260 to confess faith in Christ Romans 10 9 to sin 00:44:01.260 --> 00:44:05.760 9 to 10 says if we believe in our heart and Confess 00:44:05.760 --> 00:44:08.440 with our mouth the Lord Jesus will be saved It 00:44:08.440 --> 00:44:10.920 says for with the heart man believes to righteousness 00:44:10.920 --> 00:44:13.340 with the mouth confession is made to salvation 00:44:13.340 --> 00:44:16.340 We got to confess faith in Christ And we've got 00:44:16.340 --> 00:44:18.440 to be baptized for the forgiveness of our sins. 00:44:18.500 --> 00:44:20.860 That's what Peter told the Jews in Acts 2 .38. 00:44:21.340 --> 00:44:23.500 He told them to repent and be baptized, every 00:44:23.500 --> 00:44:25.539 one of them, in the name of Jesus Christ, for 00:44:25.539 --> 00:44:28.159 the forgiveness of their sins. And if you've 00:44:28.159 --> 00:44:29.900 never put your trust, your faith, and rendered 00:44:29.900 --> 00:44:33.719 obedience to this gospel today, if you've never 00:44:33.719 --> 00:44:37.039 made God's plan your own plan and the solution 00:44:37.039 --> 00:44:39.260 to your sin, if you've never believed, repented, 00:44:39.480 --> 00:44:41.920 confessed, or been baptized, you need to do that 00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:44.630 today. And if you'll do that, You may have come 00:44:44.630 --> 00:44:47.309 here today in a wrong relationship with God, 00:44:47.409 --> 00:44:51.030 but you will leave here today. Save from your 00:44:51.030 --> 00:44:55.349 sin in a right relationship with the Lord. We're 00:44:55.349 --> 00:44:57.150 going to sing a song of invitation if you're 00:44:57.150 --> 00:44:58.969 here this morning and you want to respond to 00:44:58.969 --> 00:45:00.969 that gospel. You want to make a change in your 00:45:00.969 --> 00:45:04.789 life. You want to come forward. You want salvation. 00:45:04.889 --> 00:45:07.170 You want forgiveness of sin. You want to be baptized 00:45:07.170 --> 00:45:09.949 into Christ. We can help you with that today. 00:45:10.230 --> 00:45:14.039 We take no greater joy and pleasure. Than helping 00:45:14.039 --> 00:45:15.960 you get right with God today. That's why we're 00:45:15.960 --> 00:45:19.179 here. We want to help people I'm gonna help people 00:45:19.179 --> 00:45:20.960 get right with God if we're here and we can help 00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:23.460 you do just that please don't hesitate now is 00:45:23.460 --> 00:45:29.800 the time It's decision time. I Just beg and pray 00:45:29.800 --> 00:45:32.139 you'll make a wise decision today choose Jesus 00:45:32.139 --> 00:45:34.139 choose salvation choose eternal life