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Serving the Lord Jesus Christ in a way which he finds pleasing is one of the most important

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concerns of a Christian's life.

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In the Old Testament, King Saul might have regretted that he did not search out this

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matter more carefully.

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He was the first king of the nation of Israel, but he was rejected by God because of his

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carelessness, rebellion, and partialness.

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God said about him, He is a man after my heart who will do my will.

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And looking back upon his life, the Holy Spirit wrote these words in the New Testament.

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David served the purpose of God in his own generation.

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It is possible for you and for me to be like Saul or like David.

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How do we know what kind of service pleases God?

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What kind of service does he find acceptable?

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God is pleased when we serve him as a steward.

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That is, when we are faithful to do the job that he has given us to get done.

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He is pleased when we serve him as a soldier with wholehearted devotion and no entanglements

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to distract us from our fight.

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God is pleased when we serve him as an athlete who is disciplined and careful to avoid disqualification

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in the race.

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God is pleased when we serve him like a farmer who is hardworking and diligent in his efforts.

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We continue our study of 2 Timothy chapter 2 with verse 14.

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I invite you to follow along with me as I read.

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1.

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Remind them of these things and solemnly charge them in the presence of God, not to wrangle

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about words, that is to wage war with words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of

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the hearers.

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Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed

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and handling accurately the word of truth.

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But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness and their

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talk will spread like gangrene.

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Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth, saying

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that the resurrection has already taken place and thus they upset the faith of some.

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Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal.

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The Lord knows those who are his.

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And let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.

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Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood

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and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

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Therefore if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified,

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useful to the master, prepared for every good work.

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Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

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With those who call on the Lord from a pure heart, but refuse foolish and ignorant speculations,

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knowing that they produce quarrels.

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And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient

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when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may

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grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.

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And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held

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captive by him to do his will.

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If we are going to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in a way that he finds acceptable and pleasing,

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it means that we need to see ourselves as laborers.

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Verses 14 through 19.

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This word workman in verse 15 refers to a hired hand, a field laborer.

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Men like this are not as common today as they were 30 years ago, 50 years ago, 100 years

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ago.

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My grandfather was this kind of a man.

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He did not own his own farm, but he lived on the farm of another man and worked for

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him.

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He was the hired man.

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The term workman is used in the Bible of those who are false teachers in 2 Corinthians 11

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and 13, and it is used likewise of those who are the servants of God who teach the truth,

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such as in our text today.

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You know there really are only two messages in the world.

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There's the truth and there's everything else.

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The truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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You say you mean everything else is false?

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Yes, that's what I mean.

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Doesn't that seem conceited to you?

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No, it does not.

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How is it possible for two truths to exist which are contradictory?

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The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ claims to be the only truth.

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Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

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No one comes to the Father but by me.

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Those are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Either He meant those words and they are true, or He did not mean them and intended to deceive

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or was ignorant or lied.

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The latter three possibilities cannot be.

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The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the truth of God.

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It has been Satan's purpose since the fall to compromise, dilute, or deny the truth of

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God in any way possible.

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Thus we have around us an array, a whole spectrum of false teachings.

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False teachings have many blossoms, but they have but one root, and that root is Satan.

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Regarding false teachings, the Apostle tells us in our text today that they are in the

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first place meaningless.

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They have no meaning.

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In verse 14, he uses the term useless of them.

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And then again in verse 16, he says that they are worldly and empty chatter.

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That's all that the false teachings amount to, that fill the airwaves and the pages of

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print these days.

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They are meaningless, useless, worldly, empty chatter.

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It is the same old stuff that has been around for thousands of years except packaged more

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cleverly by Satan.

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These false teachings accomplish nothing because there is no power in them to change the heart

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of man.

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Often there is an outward form of godliness, but they deny the power of godliness.

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There is no liberation in them from sin, in contrast to the truth of God, which is in

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the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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False teachings are meaningless, and secondly they are malignant.

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They both spread and destroy.

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He compares it to gangrene.

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If he were writing today, he might use the word cancer.

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False teaching is like cancer.

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It spreads into an individual's life and destroys it.

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It spreads beyond his life, into his family, into his friends, into his co-workers.

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It is malignant.

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It spreads, it destroys, it kills.

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In verse 14 he puts it this way, it leads to the ruin of the hearers.

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That word ruin is an interesting word that means they are overturning, they are demoralizing.

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He says furthermore in verse 16 that it leads to further ungodliness, not godliness, but

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ungodliness.

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How many false teachings are there that have an outward morality about them?

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I think of one that I won't name headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that has an outward

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form of morality, a quote clean lifestyle, but does it lead to godliness?

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No.

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It leads, as do all false teachings, to ungodliness.

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In verse 18 we learn that it even upsets the faith of some.

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That is, it seems that there are some believers who are sucked into it.

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Specifically in the context here, the false teaching was denial of a future resurrection.

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Apparently the teaching here that Paul was concerned about came out of Gnosticism.

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They taught that resurrection was something that happened spiritually.

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To them the body was evil and one could look forward to being free from body forever.

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The very thought of a resurrection, a literal bodily resurrection to them, was a heinous

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thing.

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They taught that resurrection was actually spiritual and that it took place at one's

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baptism in some kind of a spiritual way.

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There is a sense in which that is true.

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We are raised with the Lord Jesus Christ after the likeness of his resurrection through our

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spiritual baptism.

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But these people went a step further and denied any future resurrection.

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They were false teachers.

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You and I who know the Lord Jesus Christ are said here to be workers, laborers, hired people

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with the truth of God.

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And we are exhorted in verse 15 to be diligent, that is to be zealous, to do our very best

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and thus be approved to God and not ashamed before God.

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How is it that we can be approved by God so that some day we don't have to be ashamed

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when we stand before him in judgment to receive our reward as his laborers?

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God really tells us here that we need to handle accurately the word of God.

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Notice that?

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Handling accurately the word of truth.

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That little phrase has to do with our interpretation of the scriptures.

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The word handling here literally means to cut straight.

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It was a word that could be used in that day by a day laborer who worked on the farm plowing.

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You needed to plow a straight furrow.

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How does one do that?

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One thing you do not do is to turn around and see whether you are plowing straight.

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The way to plow a straight furrow is to keep your eyes straight ahead on an object and

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plow toward it.

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And once you have one furrow straight, then you can go back and keep your wheels in and

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plow another one straight.

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This word could also be used by a tent maker and it may be the pole was thinking of it

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in that context where they would have to cut cloth following a pattern to do so.

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You ladies who are seamstresses can identify with this.

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As you cut out the pattern, you have to cut straight.

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If you don't, there is going to be something odd about that piece, that garment, when you

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get it sewed together, right?

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Now the point is this.

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In our interpretation of the word of God, we have to cut it straight.

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If we are inaccurate here or there in our interpretation of the word of God, when we

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put it all together, it is not going to fit.

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It is not going to make sense.

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There are going to be loopholes.

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And so he exhorts us here in our interpretation of the word of truth to cut it straight, to

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interpret it accurately.

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If we are going to be good workers with the word of truth, we secondly need to teach the

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truth and charge the hearers.

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That is what he says in verse 14.

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It is one thing to interpret the word of God accurately, then we have to teach the word

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of God to those around us and give them charge.

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Here we have to do with the application of the word of God, the interpretation and now

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the application of it.

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Teach it and charge them.

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And thirdly, we are told to avoid false teaching ourselves in verse 16.

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Avoid these people who are filled with worldly and empty chatter.

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It only leads to ungodliness.

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Stay away from them.

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This has to do with separation.

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So let me review.

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How is it that we can be approved workmen who do not need to be ashamed?

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Number one, by interpreting the word of God carefully and accurately.

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Number two, by presenting it and charging the hearers to obey the word of God.

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And thirdly, by separating ourselves from false teachers.

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I know of churches even here in the Twin Cities who invited cults into their church so that

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in a certain form the cults can give their side of the story.

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I believe that doing that is absolutely wrong.

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We do not have to hear that which is false to know that it is false.

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If we become acquainted with the truth, we need not be acquainted with the false.

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When they begin to say what they say immediately, bells will start ringing, flags will start

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waving, and inside of us the Spirit of God will say, that is not right.

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So we need not become great students of cults and false teaching.

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Separate from them.

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Avoid them.

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Don't get involved in their chatter, their emptiness, their meaningless words.

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But acquaint yourself with the word of truth, interpret it accurately, teach it, and charge

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the hearers to obey God's word, and keep your distance from those who are false teachers.

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Now the apostle warns us frankly that there are some who will defect from the faith.

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They will be overturned.

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They will be upset by it and will go after the false teachings.

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Well are they believers or are they not believers?

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That is not for us to decide.

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That is God's business.

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What we are told here is that when that happens, and folks it does happen, it does happen,

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there are people who leave sound Bible teaching churches and go to cults.

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When that does happen, we are exhorted here to not allow that to upset us.

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That should not shake our confidence in the word of truth because we are told that God

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hasn't been shaken.

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And if God isn't shaken about it, we shouldn't be shaken about it.

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You see after all it says that the firm foundation of God stands.

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There's no earthquake that's going to knock it down.

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Not one or even a thousand defectors will chip away at the firm foundation of God.

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You say what is that firm foundation?

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Well if you compare scripture with scripture, which is one way to interpret it accurately

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by the way, in 1 Timothy 3.15 you learn that it is the church of the living God.

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The apostle is saying here really the church is a firm foundation.

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It will not be shaken even though there are those who will defect.

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Because you see there is a seal upon those who are in the church.

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That seal has two sides to it.

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On the one side it says this, a word about security, the Lord knows those who are his.

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We can't always know, but the Lord knows.

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If someone temporarily defects and goes after the false teaching who is one of his, he'll

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bring them back.

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The Lord knows those who are his.

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On the other side of the seal is this word regarding sanctity.

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Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain, stand off from wickedness.

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And in the context he particularly has false teaching in mind.

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On the one hand we have God's sovereignty.

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God knows those who are his.

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They will not be lost.

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On the other side of the seal is this word regarding human responsibility.

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Let everyone who claims to be a Christian stand away from wickedness.

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If we are going to be fruitful and blessed in our service for Jesus Christ, we must see

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ourselves as laborers who are involved in working in the Lord's field.

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We must be careful in our interpretation of the scripture.

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We must be courageous in our presentation and application of it to our lives and the

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lives of others.

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We must be careful and cautious and holy in our separation.

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Now in verses 20-28 he tells us that if we would serve the Lord Jesus Christ acceptably,

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we must see ourselves in a sixth role.

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It is that of a vessel.

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He says that in a household there are many different kinds of vessels or containers.

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There are some that are silver and gold that are honorable.

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There are others that are wood and clay that are dishonorable.

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He says that within the professing church, which is what the household represents, there

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are those who are honorable and there are those who are dishonorable vessels to the

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Lord.

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Now our question today should be concerned with this.

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How can one be a choice vessel?

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How can one be a vessel that is fit for the use of the master of the household?

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Well, he tells us here in the context how you and I can be a vessel that is fit for

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the use of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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He says in the first place we need to cleanse ourselves from false teachers.

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He repeats that again in verse 21.

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If any man cleanses himself from these, what is he referring to?

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Well in the context it seems to be people like Hymenaeus and Philetus, false teachers.

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Let me encourage you to stay away from false teaching, whether it be on the radio or the

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television or in a setting of a Bible study, so-called whatever.

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Stay away from false teaching because you see it is malignant.

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It is dangerous.

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It can even upset you.

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So stay away from it.

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If you want to be a vessel that is fit for the use of Jesus Christ, then cleanse yourself

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from these things, he says.

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Secondly, by fleeing from certain things, we can be fit vessels.

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Notice he says in verse 22, now flee from youthful lusts.

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Now immediately we think of sexual immorality.

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Excuse me, Paul could have said immorality here if he wanted to.

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I think that he has something more in mind than that.

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He is saying stay away from immature passions, the passions of those who are young, which

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would include by the very nature of things self-centeredness, the love of passing pleasures.

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These are all childlike things.

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Partiality, the love of a good argument, these are all childish characteristics.

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What the apostle is saying here is that if we want to be a fit vessel in the Church of

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Jesus Christ, we must flee from things that are childish.

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Flee those youthful lusts and desires.

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Put them away from you.

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And thirdly, he says, follow after some things.

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Pursue righteousness, faith, the real trust of God, laying a hold of Him, love that sacrifices

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for others, welfare, peace, and purity of heart.

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And he says to pursue these things in the fellowship of others who want the same thing

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is very difficult for one to be a fit vessel for Jesus Christ and to not be faithful in

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church.

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Because we are told to pursue these things in the company of those who call on the Lord

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with us out of a pure heart.

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Finally he says if we are going to be fit vessels, we have to refuse foolish and ignorant

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speculations.

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We cannot participate in foolish and stupid debates over speculative non-essential issues,

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which frankly there are some people who enjoy fighting over.

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They are nothing but side tracks of the devil.

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And so he says refuse to get involved in these ignorant speculations.

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These issues that don't amount to a hill of beans, which take a lot of energy and time,

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don't be side tracked by the devil.

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Refuse those things, he says, if you want to be a vessel that is fit.

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We must see ourselves as vessels that are cleansed and fit for the Master's use in

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His household.

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And finally in verses 24 to 26 he tells us that if we would serve the Lord acceptably,

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we must see ourselves as servants.

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This word servant or bond servant in verse 24 refers to a household servant.

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The emphasis here is upon the ownership of the servant by the Master.

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By the word that he uses here, the Apostle is reminding all of us that we have been purchased

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with a price, that we are no longer our own.

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We are called in the Bible by more intimate names than this to be sure.

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I would rather be called a child or son or friend.

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But here the Apostle says if you want to serve the Lord in a way that pleases Him, you must

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remember my friend, you are a purchased possession of Jesus Christ.

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You are His servant.

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1 Corinthians 6 19 reminds us that we have been bought with a price, therefore glorify

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God.

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The one thing that characterizes a servant, a doulos, is that he has no rights of his

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own.

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Therefore, as he conducts his Lord's business, he must be characterized as not being a fighter.

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He must not be quarrelsome.

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He must be one who is a promoter of unity and not of division.

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He must not be the kind to choose upsides or to support a faction within the fellowship.

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He must be one who is a unifier.

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And he must be kind, approachable, affable.

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If you and I would be good servants of Jesus Christ, we must not be intolerant and scornful

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of those who are in error or who are weaker than we are.

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We must be gentle with them, just like a nursing mother is gentle with her babes.

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Then we must serve the Lord and be able to teach.

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That is, we should be capable of imparting counsel and instruction to those who are willing

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to learn.

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One who would serve the Lord in this sense must be patient when wronged.

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An interesting phrase.

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It means ready to bear evil treatment without resentment.

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How is it possible for a person to do that?

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To be treated evilly by someone else and not to have feelings about it?

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If one is a servant, he sees himself as having no rights.

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His only concern is his master's concern.

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And therefore, if he is treated with contempt, that is no concern of his.

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His only concern is his master.

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You and I who would serve Jesus Christ acceptably must not see ourselves as big shots for God

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in the world.

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We must avoid the spirit of James and John as they walked with Jesus that day and said,

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Master, we have only one thing to ask of you, and that is that when you come into your kingdom,

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one of us gets to sit on your left and one on your right.

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That is all we want.

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Jesus kindly rebuked them and went on to say that he who would be the greatest among them

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must be a servant.

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And in the context of the conversation, he used this very word that the Apostle Paul

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uses here.

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If you and I would serve Jesus Christ acceptably, we must see ourselves as purchased servants

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who have only one concern, and that is the master's wish.

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We ourselves have no right to make demands.

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We must be willing to do whatever he says.

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We must reflect, as did those servants at the wedding feast of Cana, obedience to what

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Mary said.

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Her words were to them, whatever he says to you, do it.

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And that is what you and I are told.

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Serving God acceptably is not drudgery.

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Serving him acceptably does not limit.

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Serving God acceptably is not the end of a happy life.

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Indeed, it is just the opposite.

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When you and I begin to understand what it means to serve God in a way that pleases him,

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we will see that God gives us a delightful privilege.

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Indeed, we have a joyous assignment that truly liberates us if we understand what it means

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to serve God acceptably and begin doing it.

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Let's pray together.

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Our Heavenly Father, I thank you for the teaching of your Word.

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It is easy for us to come to church and to hear a sermon, to sing the songs, to read

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scripture, to stand up and sit down and go out, and yet never really respond to the working

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of your spirit.

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Do not allow us to escape this morning that blessed working in our hearts, but make us

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a people today who are able and willing to serve you acceptably by seeing ourselves in

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the seven roles that you have outlined for us here in your Word.

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I pray that today, wherever we are in our walk with you, that we will be able to say

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and sing with meaning, Have your own way, Lord.

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Have your own way.

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May we see ourselves today as vessels and as servants, as laborers who are here to get

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a job done.

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Help us to put away childish things, unimportant matters, selfish interests, and to serve you

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in a way so that when we come before you at the judgment, we can hear, Well done, well

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done.

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I pray this in Jesus' name.

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My concern this morning has not been for those primarily who have not trusted the Lord Jesus

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Christ.

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That is my concern in my preaching.

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I want to emphasize to you that if you have never trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, serving

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God is not what you need to think about.

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Your need today is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation, for the forgiveness

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of your sins.

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And we invite you to do that.

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But assuming that many of you, if not most of you, have done that and make that profession,

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I want to challenge you especially to follow through with a teaching of God's word.

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What is it going to mean for you to serve the Lord acceptably?

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What decision needs to be made?

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What change needs to take place?

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What step of faith do you need to take today?

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It may be that you need to do something public, and if so, I invite you to come.

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We're going to sing together the hymn that I alluded to in the prayer, 445, and as we

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do we're going to stand and I invite you to come in response to the working of God's

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Spirit in your heart.

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You say, I would like to serve the Lord acceptably, but there are some things I have to get straightened

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out of my life.

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And we invite you to come as we sing.

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Let's stand together and mean what we sing.