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Hello and welcome to the
Middletown Baptist Church podcast,

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where we are proclaiming the
truth to the world.

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My name is Pastor Josh, and I
want to thank you for listening to

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this podcast.

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I hope that this podcast can
be a blessing to you and strengthen

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you in the word of God.

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Now, come along.

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Let's look into the Bible and
see what God has for us here today.

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If you have your Bibles, turn
there with me.

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2 Corinthians, chapter 13.

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And we have been studying this
book now for quite a bit of time,

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and we're in the last chapter.

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And you might say, hey, I'm
just joining you for the first time.

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Am I going to get anything out
of this?

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The Bible says that all
scripture is given by inspiration

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of God, and none of it returns void.

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So we're going to learn
something here today.

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All of us are going to learn
something together.

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And so what we're going to be
talking about today is a continuation

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of what we've been talking
about with Paul, and that's Paul's

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compassion for the church
there in Corinth.

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And.

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And we as Christians are
called to have compassion.

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Um, the Bible says that even
Jesus, as he was walking in his earthly

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ministry when he saw the
people and he saw their need for

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a savior and he saw their
brokenness, that he was moved with

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compassion.

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And as Jesus is our greatest
example, we are to follow that example

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by having compassion in our lives.

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And so what Paul does here is
Paul's demonstrating to us what it

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means to have compassion for
those that might not necessarily

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even love us back.

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If, if you go back and look at
chapter 12, Paul says, the more I

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love you, the less I feel loved.

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But isn't that the type of
love that God calls us to have?

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That.

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That word, agape, the Greek
word for the love that he's describing

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in, in the New Testament, is
the love that's sacrificial, a love

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that's selfless, a love that
says this, I will love you even if

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you don't love me back.

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And that's true compassion.

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And in the midst of Paul's
compassion, he demonstrates some

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things.

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He demonstrates love, true
biblical love.

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He demonstrates the desire to
teach them the truth, the real truth,

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the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth.

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And where do we find the truth?

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We find the truth in the word
of God, in Scripture.

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So Paul says, it's not about me.

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It's not about my opinions.

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It's not about necessarily my
pedigree in where I've been trained.

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It's about the Word.

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And.

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And remember what's happening
in Second Corinthians is that there

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are these other people that
have come into the church there in

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Corinth, and they've
essentially been trying to steal

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Paul's message by saying
Paul's fake.

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We're the true apostles, we're
the super apostles.

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And Paul says, no, just match
us up to what the word of God says.

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Match us up to the truth.

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And so compassion is
demonstrated through truthful teaching,

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but compassion is also
demonstrated through edification.

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That's a big word.

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But what is edification?

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Edification is building others
up in Christ, meaning this.

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I want to do everything that I
can to strengthen you in your relationship

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with Christ.

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If I have compassion for
somebody, I will do that.

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So by what I say and by, by
what I do and by how I sacrifice,

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by how I teach, all of this is
to build other people up in Christ.

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And that's what it means to
have compassion for folks.

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You know, we, we looked at it
last week in the idea of edification.

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But, you know, if I love
somebody and if I have compassion

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for somebody, I'm not going to
talk negatively about them.

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I'm not.

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As we saw at the end of
chapter 12, the King James puts it,

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whispering, that's, that's gossiping.

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I'm not going to gossip about somebody.

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I'm not going to spread
slander about somebody.

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I'm not going to say negative
things about them that are going

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to tear them down.

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And you might say this, well,
Pastor, isn't it true what I'm telling

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that other person is true
about that person?

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They did this.

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That is true.

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But is it edifying?

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Paul says, all things are
lawful, but not all things are expedient.

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Meaning, as a Christian, there
are things that I can do that are

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not beneficial to my own
spiritual walk and not beneficial

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for other people.

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And so it's a sacrificial way
of saying, I don't need to win this.

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And that's meekness.

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Meekness is strength under control.

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It's having the understanding
of, I could say this about this person,

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I could do this to somebody,
but I'm going to have some control,

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some self control, to be able
to say, no, that's not gonna benefit

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this person.

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That's not going to edify them.

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And so one aspect of
compassion is edification, building

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them up.

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And the other aspect of this
would be something called exhortation.

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We're gonna talk about
exhortation here today.

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What is exhortation?

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It's a, it's a, it's a word
that we don't use quite frequently.

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Most of you in your workplace
aren't gonna use the word exhortation.

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How many of you exhorted
someone this week?

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I don't know.

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What does that.

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That sounds kind of crazy.

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What's exhortation?

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Literally, exhortation means
think of it.

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I.

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I like to think in pictures.

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I don't know about you guys.

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I like to think in pictures,
think about someone walking alongside

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of someone.

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It literally means coming
alongside of somebody and challenging

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them to, in the context of
Scripture, challenging them to be

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more like Christ.

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So it's an exhortation.

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It's a challenge.

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Think about it this way, a challenge.

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I'm challenging you, and I'm
coming alongside of you, and I'm

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going to be with you in this challenge.

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That's what Paul is going to
do here in 2 Corinthians, chapter

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13.

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He's going to exhort the
church at Corinth to be more in Christ,

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to walk in Christ, to walk in
their faith, to be people who walk

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the walk and not just talk the talk.

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That's why we read this
morning in James, chapter one.

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Hey, don't just be a hearer of
the Word, but be a doer, because

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it's easy to hear and agree.

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I could get up here today and
say, jesus is good.

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Jesus calls us all to serve,
and we can all say, yeah, that sounds

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great.

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The truth is, though, if I
leave this building today and I allow

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that to go in one ear, out the
other, it means nothing.

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Because I can agree to
something, I can even believe something,

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but that might not affect my life.

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Where it affects my life is
when I become a doer, when I put

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it to practice.

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And that's what Paul is
challenging the church here in 2

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Corinthians.

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And so Paul's compassion and
his concern leads him to what we

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would call an exhortation, or
dare we say, a confrontation here

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in 2 Corinthians, chapter 13.

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And so I want you to refer
back to chapter 12 and look at verse

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20 and 21, because before we
get to chapter 13, we gotta see the

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end of chapter 12.

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Because this is what he's
confronting them on within the church.

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And he says, verse 20.

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For I fear lest when I come, I
shall not find you such as I would.

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He's like, I, I, I, I'm.

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I'm cautious.

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I'm.

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I'm concerned that I'm gonna
come back and not find you the way

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that I'd like to find you,
that I should be found unto you such

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as Ye would not.

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Meaning if I come back and
find you like this, you're not gonna

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like how I come back.

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And, and so there's an area of
challenge here.

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He says, lest there be
debates, this is fighting, okay?

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We talked about, remember this
last week, divisions, envyings, okay?

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That's.

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That's jealousy.

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That's.

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That's wanting what other
people have and thinking that other

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people don't deserve what they have.

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Wraths, stripes, backbitings.

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That's slander, okay?

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Talking about someone,
whisperings, that's gossip.

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Swellings, that's prideful
speech, tumults, that's.

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That's chaos.

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That's.

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That's anger against other
people practiced by what we do.

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He says, don't allow any of
that to happen.

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Because if you say that you
believe in Jesus and you say that

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you believe in his love, and you.

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And you walk in this and you
act in this way, you're.

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You're contradicting yourself.

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He says, unless when I come
again, my God will humble me among

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you, and that I shall be well,
or I, I shall sorrow many which have

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sinned already and have not
repented of the uncleanness and fornication

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and lasciviousness or
sensuality which they have committed.

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Meaning this.

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He says, when I find you, I'm
not going to be upset that you've

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sinned, okay?

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That's one thing, okay?

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If I'm a pastor and I walk
around here today and I go, if any

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of you sin this week, we've
got issues, okay?

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No, we're all going to sin, okay?

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I'm gonna have an issue with myself.

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The, the true test of a
believer who's walking in Christ

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is the repentance, a broken
heart over the sin, to disdain sin,

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to hate sin.

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So he says, it's that
repentant heart that I'm looking

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for when I come back.

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And.

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And so that's Paul's challenge here.

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And so now as he returns to
them, he's going to point out to

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them a need for inspection.

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Because as he says here, if
you don't want to be here and you

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want to be a repentant
believer and you want to be walking

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in the truth, you need to take
some steps.

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And that's what he's going to
challenge him with here in chapter

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13.

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So now you've got the
background, now you've got the context.

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Let's jump into chapter 13.

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He says, this is the third
time I am coming to you.

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So that's pretty clear what's
happening here.

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Paul says, I'm planning to
come back to you for a third time.

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Okay.

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The first time you.

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You learn some things.

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But obviously, if you know the
story of the church at Corinth, and

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if you don't, I encourage you
to read First Corinthians.

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There were a lot of chaos that
was happening.

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There was a lot of.

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A lot of sins still involved
with the Corinthian Church.

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And essentially what they were
doing is they were trying to honor

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God by allowing their pagan
ways to be blended with the things

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of God.

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And, and, you know, we're
guilty of that within our church

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today.

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You know, we, we want to
follow the word of God, but sometimes

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we want to bring in things
from the outside.

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And that's what was happening here.

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And so he says, I'm coming
back to you for a third time.

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In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word be established.

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Now, there's a lot of
commentary about what this means.

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Essentially, Paul is quoting
the Old Testament here, and he says,

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the mouth of two or three
witnesses, that could either be the,

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the third time he's visiting.

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He says, basically, how you're
living is.

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Is who you are, or he could
say, you know, some of the other

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witnesses that have told me
what's happened.

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He says basically this.

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In the mouth of two or three
witnesses, this is your testimony.

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This is who you are.

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This word is going to be established.

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And so we're going to figure
out where you stand in the eyes of

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God.

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00:09:40,588 --> 00:09:43,436
We're gonna figure out where
you stand in context of Scripture.

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00:09:43,468 --> 00:09:46,316
And so then he says in verse
two, I told you before and foretell

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you as if I were present the
second time.

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00:09:49,124 --> 00:09:53,148
And being absent now I write
to them which here for have sinned,

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and to all other, that if I
come again, I will not spare meaning

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this.

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00:09:57,396 --> 00:09:59,996
Okay, he says, I've told you
before, I'm coming back.

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00:10:00,068 --> 00:10:01,436
And, and there's going to be.

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00:10:01,588 --> 00:10:03,840
There's going to be some
reconciling that's gonna.

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There, there.

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00:10:04,740 --> 00:10:06,684
There's going to be a
challenge that's going to happen.

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00:10:06,772 --> 00:10:07,020
I.

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00:10:07,060 --> 00:10:09,356
I'm going to call you out on
the carpet is basically what Paul

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00:10:09,388 --> 00:10:10,338
is saying here.

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Now.

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Now, ultimately, we know that
Paul's an apostle and Paul is given

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this divine position by God.

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But ultimately we could say
that God is going to reveal who we

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truly are eventually.

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00:10:22,006 --> 00:10:24,690
At some point, we can hide it
from other people.

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We can try to be someone
different in public.

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We can be different even at church.

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00:10:31,190 --> 00:10:34,342
But the Bible says very
clearly that God knows our heart

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00:10:34,446 --> 00:10:37,782
and all things that are in the
darkness will be brought into the

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00:10:37,806 --> 00:10:38,302
light.

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00:10:38,446 --> 00:10:41,182
And what we're seeing here is
Paul says, hey, who you truly are

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is going to come to pass.

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00:10:42,342 --> 00:10:43,710
We're going to know who you are.

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Verse, verse 3.

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00:10:45,158 --> 00:10:48,686
Since ye seek a proof of
Christ speaking in me.

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By the way, they said, we
don't believe, Paul, that you're

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from God.

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We believe these other guys
who are teaching us these things

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00:10:54,646 --> 00:10:55,310
are from God.

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00:10:55,390 --> 00:10:56,254
You're not from God.

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00:10:56,302 --> 00:10:59,790
And so Paul says, you're
seeking proof in Christ, in me, which

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to you word is not weak, but
is mighty in you.

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00:11:02,966 --> 00:11:06,012
For though he was crucified
through weakness, and so he's going

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00:11:06,036 --> 00:11:09,596
to liken his position before
them to the position of Christ.

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00:11:09,668 --> 00:11:11,132
Now he says, you know what?

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00:11:11,156 --> 00:11:11,340
You.

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00:11:11,380 --> 00:11:12,156
You call me weak.

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00:11:12,188 --> 00:11:15,468
And, and you can understand by
context that Paul was being called

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00:11:15,524 --> 00:11:16,940
weak by the church at Corinth.

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00:11:17,020 --> 00:11:18,880
They said, paul, you're weak.

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00:11:19,620 --> 00:11:20,860
No, you, you.

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00:11:20,900 --> 00:11:22,320
You show your pain.

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00:11:22,820 --> 00:11:23,228
You.

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00:11:23,284 --> 00:11:24,348
You're struggling.

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00:11:24,524 --> 00:11:27,308
Now, these other super
apostles that we like to hear from,

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00:11:27,364 --> 00:11:28,280
they're strong.

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00:11:28,820 --> 00:11:31,852
And so the challenge for Paul
was, you're weak, you're not from

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00:11:31,876 --> 00:11:32,574
God.

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00:11:32,772 --> 00:11:34,618
And so Paul says, oh, you
think I'm weak?

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00:11:34,714 --> 00:11:35,482
Verse 4.

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00:11:35,586 --> 00:11:38,634
For though he talking about
Jesus was crucified through weakness,

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00:11:38,682 --> 00:11:41,226
meaning seemingly from people
from the outside.

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00:11:41,298 --> 00:11:42,874
Jesus was weak when he went to
the cross.

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00:11:42,922 --> 00:11:44,938
Now we know he wasn't weak
when he went to the cross.

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00:11:45,034 --> 00:11:46,474
We know it was something
called meekness.

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00:11:46,522 --> 00:11:46,778
Right?

304
00:11:46,834 --> 00:11:47,850
Strength under control.

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00:11:47,970 --> 00:11:49,866
Jesus went to the cross willingly.

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00:11:49,978 --> 00:11:51,450
Jesus wasn't forced on the cross.

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00:11:51,530 --> 00:11:52,426
Jesus wasn't killed.

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00:11:52,458 --> 00:11:54,874
Jesus gave his life for us as
a sacrifice.

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00:11:55,002 --> 00:11:57,824
But what Paul is saying, so
that people thought Jesus was weak

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00:11:57,922 --> 00:11:58,180
on.

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00:11:58,220 --> 00:12:00,884
On the cross, yet he liveth by
the power of God.

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00:12:00,932 --> 00:12:01,476
Meaning this.

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00:12:01,548 --> 00:12:02,580
You thought he was weak.

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00:12:02,660 --> 00:12:05,028
No, it was the power of God
that brought him back to life.

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00:12:05,164 --> 00:12:08,468
He says Jesus is powerful
because his power was demonstrated

316
00:12:08,484 --> 00:12:11,684
through the power of God and
the resurrection from the dead.

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00:12:11,732 --> 00:12:15,172
So he says, yet he liveth by
the power of God, for also we are

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00:12:15,196 --> 00:12:15,732
weak in him.

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00:12:15,756 --> 00:12:19,572
Paul says, we talking about
himself and his party, we are weak,

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00:12:19,636 --> 00:12:23,822
yes, from your perspective,
but we shall live with him by the

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00:12:23,846 --> 00:12:24,910
power of God toward you.

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00:12:24,950 --> 00:12:28,142
So he says, the same power
that rose Jesus from the dead is

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00:12:28,166 --> 00:12:31,518
the same power that's driving
our ministry, our gospel message,

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00:12:31,614 --> 00:12:32,526
what we're doing.

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00:12:32,598 --> 00:12:36,046
So we might look weak to you,
but the power of God is resting upon

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00:12:36,078 --> 00:12:36,558
us.

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00:12:36,694 --> 00:12:37,982
You might say, what is he
talking about?

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00:12:38,006 --> 00:12:39,662
Well, remember Second
Corinthians, chapter 12.

329
00:12:39,686 --> 00:12:42,330
He says, When I am weak, he is strong.

330
00:12:42,630 --> 00:12:45,662
So the more that we realize
our inadequacies and our need for

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00:12:45,686 --> 00:12:48,286
Christ, the more the power of
God rests on us.

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00:12:48,438 --> 00:12:50,942
So, so I could stop the sermon
right now and say, guys, let's be

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00:12:50,966 --> 00:12:53,740
more weak in ourselves and
more powerful in Christ.

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00:12:53,860 --> 00:12:57,340
Die to ourselves and be
understanding the power of Christ.

335
00:12:57,460 --> 00:12:59,964
But yet we can continue on
further here because we're going

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00:12:59,972 --> 00:13:01,804
to see him challenge them here.

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00:13:01,892 --> 00:13:02,188
So.

338
00:13:02,244 --> 00:13:04,188
So what is Paul doing in the
first four verses?

339
00:13:04,284 --> 00:13:06,508
He's putting into context what
he's about to do.

340
00:13:06,564 --> 00:13:09,132
He's about to challenge them,
and he's giving the framework for

341
00:13:09,156 --> 00:13:09,932
the challenge.

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00:13:10,076 --> 00:13:12,360
Number one, I'm coming back.

343
00:13:12,740 --> 00:13:15,840
Number two, who you are is
going to be revealed.

344
00:13:16,340 --> 00:13:18,796
Number three, you think that
I'm weak?

345
00:13:18,908 --> 00:13:20,684
Well, let's judge it in the
power of God.

346
00:13:20,732 --> 00:13:22,940
Let's judge it in the proof of Scripture.

347
00:13:23,100 --> 00:13:25,900
And so then we're going to get
to number five, verse number five

348
00:13:25,940 --> 00:13:26,332
here.

349
00:13:26,436 --> 00:13:30,396
And now here we really see the
understanding of what he's talking

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00:13:30,428 --> 00:13:30,716
about.

351
00:13:30,788 --> 00:13:31,212
So.

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00:13:31,316 --> 00:13:32,460
So he's returning to them.

353
00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:36,268
And remember, this is all set
in the context of love and edification.

354
00:13:36,364 --> 00:13:38,028
And I want you to see that here.

355
00:13:38,164 --> 00:13:41,212
Anytime I'm going to make an
assertion, I want you to see the

356
00:13:41,236 --> 00:13:43,692
word, I want you to see
Scripture be a berean.

357
00:13:43,756 --> 00:13:44,426
Follow me here.

358
00:13:44,508 --> 00:13:44,702
So.

359
00:13:44,726 --> 00:13:48,478
So 2 Corinthians, chapter 12,
verse 20.

360
00:13:48,534 --> 00:13:50,862
Or, excuse me, let's go back
and let's look at verse 15.

361
00:13:51,046 --> 00:13:54,126
Paul is doing this all in love
and edification.

362
00:13:54,158 --> 00:13:56,890
We've already discussed those
two words, verse 15.

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00:13:57,270 --> 00:14:01,438
And I will verily, very gladly
spend and be spent for you.

364
00:14:01,494 --> 00:14:04,478
So Paul says, the reason why
I'm doing this, the reason why I'm

365
00:14:04,494 --> 00:14:09,214
spending myself for you is
why, though the more abundantly I

366
00:14:09,222 --> 00:14:11,886
love you, the less I be loved,
he says, I'm willing to sacrifice

367
00:14:11,918 --> 00:14:12,270
for you.

368
00:14:12,310 --> 00:14:14,870
I'm willing to do these things
because I love you.

369
00:14:15,030 --> 00:14:16,614
So what Paul is doing is he's.

370
00:14:16,662 --> 00:14:18,422
He's challenging them in love.

371
00:14:18,606 --> 00:14:20,150
But then it goes further.

372
00:14:20,190 --> 00:14:25,414
Verse 19 of chapter 12, he
says again, think ye that we excuse

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00:14:25,462 --> 00:14:26,758
ourselves unto you.

374
00:14:26,894 --> 00:14:28,646
Ye speak before God in Christ.

375
00:14:28,718 --> 00:14:32,230
We excuse me, we speak before
God in Christ, meaning Paul saying,

376
00:14:32,270 --> 00:14:36,326
I speak the words of Christ,
but we do all things, dearly beloved,

377
00:14:36,358 --> 00:14:37,690
for your edifying.

378
00:14:38,110 --> 00:14:41,702
So remember, Paul is
challenging them here in love and

379
00:14:41,726 --> 00:14:45,084
edification, not because he
doesn't like the Church of Corinth,

380
00:14:45,132 --> 00:14:48,044
not because he thinks that
they're less than him, not because

381
00:14:48,132 --> 00:14:50,300
he wants to prove that they're
a bunch of sinners.

382
00:14:50,380 --> 00:14:54,188
Paul is challenging them
because he loves them and he wants

383
00:14:54,204 --> 00:14:57,644
to build them up okay, let me
give you an example before we get

384
00:14:57,652 --> 00:15:00,972
to chapter 13, verse 5, I, I
gotta kind of paint a little bit

385
00:15:00,996 --> 00:15:02,076
more of a picture.

386
00:15:02,268 --> 00:15:07,260
I have my children, okay, so
Micah, Nora and Silas, okay?

387
00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:11,974
Each one of my children I love
immensely, okay, Equally sometimes.

388
00:15:12,022 --> 00:15:14,450
You ever had your kids come up
to you, dad, who do you love more?

389
00:15:15,230 --> 00:15:17,414
I love all of you guys, okay?

390
00:15:17,462 --> 00:15:18,262
Completely.

391
00:15:18,406 --> 00:15:23,302
But in, in their life, I, I, I
can see as their father, areas where

392
00:15:23,326 --> 00:15:24,710
they need to be challenged.

393
00:15:24,870 --> 00:15:25,574
Right?

394
00:15:25,742 --> 00:15:30,230
So, so one child might have an
inadequacy here and another child

395
00:15:30,270 --> 00:15:31,478
might not even struggle with that.

396
00:15:31,534 --> 00:15:33,158
Okay, so what do I do?

397
00:15:33,214 --> 00:15:36,054
Well, I don't challenge them
the same way I challenge this child

398
00:15:36,142 --> 00:15:37,850
to grow in this area.

399
00:15:38,150 --> 00:15:38,798
Why?

400
00:15:38,934 --> 00:15:40,798
Because dad just wants to
torture me.

401
00:15:40,854 --> 00:15:44,030
Dad's gonna make me order at a
restaurant and save these things

402
00:15:44,070 --> 00:15:45,054
cuz he hates me.

403
00:15:45,142 --> 00:15:48,942
No, because I know that that
child is, is fearful of people and

404
00:15:48,966 --> 00:15:50,462
doesn't want to come out of
their shell.

405
00:15:50,526 --> 00:15:52,510
And so I say, okay, we're
gonna challenge them here.

406
00:15:52,630 --> 00:15:55,886
The other kid might just talk
to anyone in the restaurant.

407
00:15:55,918 --> 00:15:56,254
Okay?

408
00:15:56,302 --> 00:15:58,062
So I'm not gonna challenge
them in certain areas.

409
00:15:58,166 --> 00:16:01,022
And so, so what I do is I see
the need in an area and because of

410
00:16:01,046 --> 00:16:04,272
my love for them and because I
want them to be built up in that

411
00:16:04,296 --> 00:16:07,072
area of their life, I'm going
to challenge them and get them out

412
00:16:07,096 --> 00:16:08,096
of their comfort zone.

413
00:16:08,208 --> 00:16:10,640
I think all of us at our
parents understand that.

414
00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,296
And I think that's what God is
doing with us when he challenges

415
00:16:13,328 --> 00:16:13,856
us.

416
00:16:14,008 --> 00:16:16,832
It's not a matter of he wants
to torture us.

417
00:16:16,936 --> 00:16:19,872
It's a matter of he wants us
to get out of our comfort zone and

418
00:16:19,896 --> 00:16:23,872
be stretched and be able to
grow in those areas that we are inadequate.

419
00:16:24,016 --> 00:16:27,088
And so when we come to this
area of challenging, Paul is not.

420
00:16:27,144 --> 00:16:29,216
You know, if me as a pastor,
when I get up here and challenge

421
00:16:29,248 --> 00:16:32,586
you, number one, when I
challenge the church in, in a passage

422
00:16:32,618 --> 00:16:35,322
of scripture, just know that
I've been challenging myself with

423
00:16:35,346 --> 00:16:38,138
that passage of scripture a
lot longer than this sermon, okay?

424
00:16:38,234 --> 00:16:39,658
Because this is a challenge
for me.

425
00:16:39,714 --> 00:16:42,362
But then number two, when I
challenge the church, it's not to

426
00:16:42,386 --> 00:16:45,162
say, hey, look, I'm up here
telling you how good I am and how

427
00:16:45,186 --> 00:16:45,818
bad you are.

428
00:16:45,874 --> 00:16:48,442
It's the idea of, hey, I want
us all to get to the place where

429
00:16:48,466 --> 00:16:49,658
we need to be in Christ.

430
00:16:49,794 --> 00:16:51,434
So it's love and edification.

431
00:16:51,562 --> 00:16:53,082
And so that's what Paul is
dealing with here.

432
00:16:53,106 --> 00:16:55,712
And so we, we exhort each other.

433
00:16:55,866 --> 00:16:57,236
Hebrews, chapter 10.

434
00:16:57,388 --> 00:17:00,676
Some of you like this verse,
when it comes to the idea of church

435
00:17:00,708 --> 00:17:01,076
attendance.

436
00:17:01,108 --> 00:17:03,316
And I like this verse, too,
with church attendance.

437
00:17:03,348 --> 00:17:07,540
Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24
sometimes is a proof text for people

438
00:17:07,580 --> 00:17:09,652
to say, this is why you should
not skip church.

439
00:17:09,796 --> 00:17:11,668
And I would echo that.

440
00:17:11,724 --> 00:17:12,132
Okay?

441
00:17:12,196 --> 00:17:16,276
I do believe that this is a
passage of scripture that challenges

442
00:17:16,308 --> 00:17:18,292
us to get together and worship together.

443
00:17:18,396 --> 00:17:18,900
Okay?

444
00:17:18,980 --> 00:17:23,672
But there's more to that than
just sitting in a pew and going home.

445
00:17:23,776 --> 00:17:25,496
Let me show you here In
Hebrews, chapter 10.

446
00:17:25,568 --> 00:17:27,288
Hebrews, chapter 10, verse 24.

447
00:17:27,344 --> 00:17:29,272
We're gonna look at verse 24
and 25.

448
00:17:29,376 --> 00:17:34,740
And he says, and let us,
talking about Christians, consider

449
00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:37,980
one another to provoke.

450
00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,056
Now, this is not a bad provoke.

451
00:17:40,088 --> 00:17:41,304
This is literally.

452
00:17:41,352 --> 00:17:43,780
We talked about this in our
Bible study this morning.

453
00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:48,046
This word provoke means to
stir up, to make active.

454
00:17:48,208 --> 00:17:51,890
So it says here, and let us
consider one another to provoke unto

455
00:17:51,970 --> 00:17:54,242
love and to good works.

456
00:17:54,386 --> 00:17:58,162
We are to provoke each other
in a good way, to stir each other

457
00:17:58,186 --> 00:17:59,746
up for love and good works.

458
00:17:59,858 --> 00:18:01,762
How do we do that as Christians?

459
00:18:01,906 --> 00:18:07,234
Well, it says verse 25, not
forsaking, not neglecting the assembling

460
00:18:07,282 --> 00:18:11,234
of ourselves together as the
manner of some is meaning that some

461
00:18:11,242 --> 00:18:13,890
people have already forgetting
about this even back at this time

462
00:18:13,930 --> 00:18:14,946
in the book of Hebrews.

463
00:18:15,058 --> 00:18:20,002
But here's our word here for
the day, exhorting one another, and

464
00:18:20,026 --> 00:18:21,842
so much the more as you see
the day approaching.

465
00:18:21,906 --> 00:18:24,338
So the way that we provoke
each other to love and good works

466
00:18:24,354 --> 00:18:27,666
is by exhorting one another,
by challenging one another in a healthy

467
00:18:27,698 --> 00:18:29,430
way with love and edification.

468
00:18:30,250 --> 00:18:33,106
And so I wanted you to see
that when we get to verse number

469
00:18:33,178 --> 00:18:37,282
five in 2 Corinthians, chapter
13, just to know Paul's heart when

470
00:18:37,306 --> 00:18:40,834
he challenges them here, and
to know my heart when I'm about to

471
00:18:40,842 --> 00:18:41,362
challenge you here.

472
00:18:41,386 --> 00:18:43,248
Okay, so Hebrews, chapter 10.

473
00:18:43,304 --> 00:18:46,576
Take that into account, and
let's go to 2 Corinthians, chapter

474
00:18:46,608 --> 00:18:47,360
13, verse 5.

475
00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:48,336
And here's our main text.

476
00:18:48,368 --> 00:18:52,128
I know that's a long Runway,
but the first four verses in.

477
00:18:52,184 --> 00:18:56,400
In Second Corinthians, chapter
13, Paul is warning them of this

478
00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,180
impending confrontation.

479
00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:00,352
Verse 5.

480
00:19:00,456 --> 00:19:01,136
Here it is.

481
00:19:01,208 --> 00:19:07,152
He says, examine yourselves,
examine yourselves.

482
00:19:07,296 --> 00:19:09,130
Test yourselves.

483
00:19:10,030 --> 00:19:12,770
Look carefully at your own light.

484
00:19:13,390 --> 00:19:16,390
You know, I think there's a
lot of times in the church when we

485
00:19:16,430 --> 00:19:20,534
do gather, we're more
concerned about what someone else

486
00:19:20,582 --> 00:19:24,102
is doing, and we're more
concerned about examining somebody

487
00:19:24,166 --> 00:19:24,790
else.

488
00:19:24,950 --> 00:19:26,390
But what does Paul say here?

489
00:19:26,510 --> 00:19:28,010
Examine yourself.

490
00:19:28,510 --> 00:19:32,134
Now, there is a time and a
place to confront and to challenge

491
00:19:32,182 --> 00:19:33,078
and to exhort.

492
00:19:33,174 --> 00:19:35,146
But before we get to that
place, we.

493
00:19:35,198 --> 00:19:37,074
We need to inspect Our own life.

494
00:19:37,162 --> 00:19:37,410
We.

495
00:19:37,450 --> 00:19:40,530
We need to see where we stand,
where are our motives?

496
00:19:40,690 --> 00:19:41,010
Where.

497
00:19:41,050 --> 00:19:42,470
Where are our desires?

498
00:19:42,810 --> 00:19:43,218
Where.

499
00:19:43,274 --> 00:19:43,826
Where is.

500
00:19:43,898 --> 00:19:46,690
As we're going to see here,
where is our faith placed?

501
00:19:46,850 --> 00:19:50,690
And so Paul's heart is that
the church in Corinth would come

502
00:19:50,730 --> 00:19:51,506
to repentance.

503
00:19:51,538 --> 00:19:53,026
Remember, that's chapter 12.

504
00:19:53,178 --> 00:19:58,578
He says, you have been doing
all these things, and you have been

505
00:19:58,714 --> 00:20:00,934
called to change and repent.

506
00:20:01,042 --> 00:20:01,470
What that.

507
00:20:01,510 --> 00:20:03,806
That word repentance means to
turn away from.

508
00:20:03,958 --> 00:20:04,910
Okay, so.

509
00:20:04,950 --> 00:20:07,134
So Paul's challenge is for repentance.

510
00:20:07,262 --> 00:20:07,550
And.

511
00:20:07,590 --> 00:20:10,398
And so his heart for the
church is, change your ways.

512
00:20:10,494 --> 00:20:12,254
Turn away from where you're at.

513
00:20:12,342 --> 00:20:14,174
And so verse five, examine yourselves.

514
00:20:14,222 --> 00:20:17,566
And so as Paul is challenging
the church at Corinth to examine

515
00:20:17,598 --> 00:20:21,822
themselves, so I believe God
is challenging us today to examine

516
00:20:21,886 --> 00:20:25,870
ourselves, to look into our
own life, to say, where?

517
00:20:25,910 --> 00:20:26,206
Where.

518
00:20:26,278 --> 00:20:29,196
Where do I find the greatest joy?

519
00:20:29,308 --> 00:20:31,900
Where do I find my satisfaction?

520
00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:34,640
Where do I find my sufficiency?

521
00:20:35,060 --> 00:20:37,244
Say, well, Pastor, I'm in
church on Sunday morning.

522
00:20:37,412 --> 00:20:38,348
I've done my job.

523
00:20:38,404 --> 00:20:39,132
No, go back to.

524
00:20:39,156 --> 00:20:40,380
What did Hebrews chapter 10 say?

525
00:20:40,420 --> 00:20:43,004
Hebrews chapter 10 is not just
about assembling yourselves together,

526
00:20:43,092 --> 00:20:46,092
but it's about doing the works
of God together and challenging each

527
00:20:46,116 --> 00:20:49,132
other to serve and to love and
to grow.

528
00:20:49,236 --> 00:20:51,964
And so that even goes back to
that idea of discipleship, right?

529
00:20:52,052 --> 00:20:56,286
Paul challenges us in Second
Corinthians, and ultimately God throughout

530
00:20:56,318 --> 00:20:59,278
the New Testament challenges
us to have a heart of discipleship.

531
00:20:59,374 --> 00:21:00,770
What is discipleship?

532
00:21:01,590 --> 00:21:04,702
You growing closer to the Lord
in the process, showing others how

533
00:21:04,726 --> 00:21:08,302
to grow closer to the Lord,
making disciples.

534
00:21:08,366 --> 00:21:10,622
That's actually what the Bible
calls the Great Commission.

535
00:21:10,806 --> 00:21:12,494
And so he says, examine yourself.

536
00:21:12,542 --> 00:21:14,250
But examine yourself for what?

537
00:21:14,870 --> 00:21:16,130
Well, I'm in church.

538
00:21:16,950 --> 00:21:18,250
I look the part.

539
00:21:18,630 --> 00:21:20,130
I gave my tithe.

540
00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,208
That's not what the
examination is here.

541
00:21:23,264 --> 00:21:24,648
Okay, let's look at the examination.

542
00:21:24,744 --> 00:21:27,816
Examine yourselves whether ye
be in the faith.

543
00:21:27,928 --> 00:21:28,712
There it is.

544
00:21:28,816 --> 00:21:29,980
Where's your faith?

545
00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:33,384
Is your faith in Christ
because we know that's the object

546
00:21:33,432 --> 00:21:34,380
of our faith?

547
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:36,460
Or is it in something else?

548
00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,740
Okay, so the examination is,
where is my faith?

549
00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:42,568
Well, I believe that God
exists, but I.

550
00:21:42,624 --> 00:21:45,700
I need something else on top
of that.

551
00:21:46,170 --> 00:21:48,834
Or, you know, I know that
God's grace is sufficient.

552
00:21:48,882 --> 00:21:49,954
We just studied that.

553
00:21:50,042 --> 00:21:52,962
But he doesn't understand what
I'm going through right now.

554
00:21:53,146 --> 00:21:56,722
Folks, that's an examination
of our faith to realize that our

555
00:21:56,746 --> 00:21:58,546
faith is not in Christ alone.

556
00:21:58,658 --> 00:22:01,906
Our faith is in Christ in
something else, or our faith isn't

557
00:22:01,938 --> 00:22:02,946
something else complete.

558
00:22:03,058 --> 00:22:05,362
So he says, examine
yourselves, whether ye be in the

559
00:22:05,386 --> 00:22:08,550
faith, prove or Demonstrate
your own selves.

560
00:22:09,370 --> 00:22:13,750
Know ye not your own selves,
how that Jesus Christ is in you,

561
00:22:13,790 --> 00:22:16,790
except ye be reprobates, or
that you fail the test.

562
00:22:16,830 --> 00:22:17,430
That's that.

563
00:22:17,470 --> 00:22:21,290
That Greek word for reprobates
would mean you fail the test of faith.

564
00:22:21,790 --> 00:22:22,198
So.

565
00:22:22,254 --> 00:22:24,610
So the challenge here is not,
are you a good person?

566
00:22:25,470 --> 00:22:26,310
Because of all of.

567
00:22:26,350 --> 00:22:26,742
All of us?

568
00:22:26,766 --> 00:22:29,062
If we look at our lives long
enough, we can justify like, well,

569
00:22:29,086 --> 00:22:29,910
I'm a good person.

570
00:22:30,030 --> 00:22:32,486
Not as bad as that person, right?

571
00:22:32,558 --> 00:22:32,854
I'm.

572
00:22:32,902 --> 00:22:34,490
I'm a decent citizen.

573
00:22:35,070 --> 00:22:36,678
It's not what the test is.

574
00:22:36,814 --> 00:22:38,194
The test is this.

575
00:22:38,382 --> 00:22:41,626
Do you have faith in Christ?

576
00:22:41,698 --> 00:22:43,530
And are you living in that?

577
00:22:43,650 --> 00:22:44,790
That's the question.

578
00:22:45,090 --> 00:22:45,498
So.

579
00:22:45,554 --> 00:22:48,650
So he is telling them to look
at their own lives and their own

580
00:22:48,690 --> 00:22:51,274
heart to see where their faith
is placed.

581
00:22:51,402 --> 00:22:54,986
And by extension, here this
morning, I am asking you on behalf

582
00:22:55,018 --> 00:22:59,898
of God, thus saith the Lord,
to examine your life, to examine

583
00:22:59,994 --> 00:23:02,698
your heart, to examine your faith.

584
00:23:02,794 --> 00:23:04,590
Where is it placed?

585
00:23:05,090 --> 00:23:06,234
The challenge is this.

586
00:23:06,322 --> 00:23:08,270
Examine your motives.

587
00:23:09,730 --> 00:23:11,710
Examine your thoughts.

588
00:23:12,930 --> 00:23:15,162
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, Pastor, you can't.

589
00:23:15,226 --> 00:23:16,922
You can't judge what's going
on in my brain.

590
00:23:16,986 --> 00:23:17,786
No, I can't.

591
00:23:17,898 --> 00:23:21,386
But Jesus said on, on this
wonderful sermon called the Sermon

592
00:23:21,418 --> 00:23:24,410
on the Mount, that, hey,
you've been told that what you do

593
00:23:24,450 --> 00:23:28,986
is sin, but I tell you that
what you think about is sin.

594
00:23:29,178 --> 00:23:30,528
You say, well, what is that?

595
00:23:30,634 --> 00:23:35,364
Because God desires not just
what we do on the outside.

596
00:23:35,452 --> 00:23:36,468
He desires our heart.

597
00:23:36,524 --> 00:23:37,636
He desires our mind.

598
00:23:37,708 --> 00:23:38,980
He desires all of our body.

599
00:23:39,020 --> 00:23:42,612
Romans chapter 12 says,
present your bodies, a living sacrifice

600
00:23:42,676 --> 00:23:45,316
wholly acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.

601
00:23:45,468 --> 00:23:48,276
And so he says, examine your
motives, your thoughts, your actions,

602
00:23:48,308 --> 00:23:48,932
your heart.

603
00:23:49,036 --> 00:23:52,280
Are they in Christ or are they
in something else?

604
00:23:53,420 --> 00:23:56,692
Okay, I know that this is
tough, and I know that this isn't

605
00:23:56,756 --> 00:23:58,064
popular in the world because we.

606
00:23:58,092 --> 00:23:59,320
What's popular in the world is this.

607
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:01,000
If I get them to church, I've
got them.

608
00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:01,432
Okay?

609
00:24:01,496 --> 00:24:03,592
Now tell them everything that
they like to hear.

610
00:24:03,696 --> 00:24:04,872
Okay, So I could have.

611
00:24:04,896 --> 00:24:06,376
Oh, man, I got a full crowd today.

612
00:24:06,448 --> 00:24:06,680
So.

613
00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:07,176
So you guys.

614
00:24:07,208 --> 00:24:07,512
You know what?

615
00:24:07,536 --> 00:24:08,984
You guys are just wonderful people.

616
00:24:09,072 --> 00:24:10,680
Don't change anything that
you're doing.

617
00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,072
Keep up the good work.

618
00:24:12,176 --> 00:24:12,920
That sounds good.

619
00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:13,256
And.

620
00:24:13,328 --> 00:24:15,592
And I do want you to keep up
the good work, but, folks, there

621
00:24:15,616 --> 00:24:17,944
is a realization that all of
us need to change.

622
00:24:18,032 --> 00:24:19,400
All of us need to grow.

623
00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:19,800
I.

624
00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:21,144
I'm not here to entertain.

625
00:24:21,192 --> 00:24:22,616
I'm here to tell you the truth.

626
00:24:22,728 --> 00:24:25,298
The truth is, maybe I'm the
only person I need.

627
00:24:25,354 --> 00:24:26,162
I need growth.

628
00:24:26,266 --> 00:24:27,074
I, I, I.

629
00:24:27,162 --> 00:24:27,362
You.

630
00:24:27,386 --> 00:24:27,810
You ever.

631
00:24:27,850 --> 00:24:29,746
Those signs on the road that
say, we're in Delaware.

632
00:24:29,778 --> 00:24:30,802
So we all know these signs.

633
00:24:30,866 --> 00:24:31,986
Road under construction.

634
00:24:32,018 --> 00:24:32,546
Okay.

635
00:24:32,658 --> 00:24:33,506
Okay.

636
00:24:33,698 --> 00:24:36,034
Pastor Josh is under
construction right now.

637
00:24:36,122 --> 00:24:36,610
Okay?

638
00:24:36,690 --> 00:24:38,562
I am not where I need to be.

639
00:24:38,666 --> 00:24:41,106
You say, well, then why are
you our pastor?

640
00:24:41,298 --> 00:24:42,722
Because God has called me to be.

641
00:24:42,746 --> 00:24:45,634
But, like, let's be honest,
nobody is where you say, well, I

642
00:24:45,642 --> 00:24:46,114
don't know about that.

643
00:24:46,122 --> 00:24:47,682
I want my pastor to be there.

644
00:24:47,866 --> 00:24:49,330
Would you guys want Paul if.

645
00:24:49,370 --> 00:24:51,070
If Paul could come back in time?

646
00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:53,472
You guys know who I'm talking
about, the Apostle Paul.

647
00:24:53,536 --> 00:24:55,072
If Paul could come back in
time, would you have.

648
00:24:55,096 --> 00:24:55,376
Pass.

649
00:24:55,448 --> 00:24:58,576
Would you have Brother Paul,
Apostle Paul sit up here and preach

650
00:24:58,608 --> 00:24:58,976
to you guys?

651
00:24:59,008 --> 00:25:00,192
Would you guys be okay with that?

652
00:25:00,296 --> 00:25:00,800
Okay.

653
00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:01,488
Okay.

654
00:25:01,584 --> 00:25:04,160
Paul says in Philippians, he
says, I'm not there.

655
00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:05,620
I have not attained.

656
00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:07,344
Still pressing forward.

657
00:25:07,512 --> 00:25:10,032
So I think it's a biblical
concept to say we're not where we

658
00:25:10,056 --> 00:25:10,816
need to be yet.

659
00:25:10,888 --> 00:25:13,536
And so we go back and we see,
okay, what's the challenge?

660
00:25:13,568 --> 00:25:16,304
The challenge is, is Christ
living in you?

661
00:25:16,392 --> 00:25:17,792
Is Christ driving you?

662
00:25:17,816 --> 00:25:19,022
Is Christ the one who.

663
00:25:19,056 --> 00:25:19,810
Who is God and you?

664
00:25:19,850 --> 00:25:22,710
Are you walking in the spirit
or are you walking in the flesh?

665
00:25:23,530 --> 00:25:25,870
He's concerned with their
spiritual health.

666
00:25:26,170 --> 00:25:27,442
He's concerned with them.

667
00:25:27,546 --> 00:25:29,762
You know, it would be like,
for example, if.

668
00:25:29,786 --> 00:25:32,562
If I love you, going back to
compassion, I love you, and you walk

669
00:25:32,586 --> 00:25:37,154
up and I have some sense of
medical prowess that I could look

670
00:25:37,162 --> 00:25:40,082
at you and see a sign of
something that might be a disease.

671
00:25:40,226 --> 00:25:42,514
I think there was, like, this
story in the news where there was

672
00:25:42,522 --> 00:25:44,674
a person on the news and there
was, like, a lump on their throat.

673
00:25:44,722 --> 00:25:45,508
And someone was.

674
00:25:45,554 --> 00:25:47,824
A doctor was watching that,
and they said, hey, you know what?

675
00:25:47,832 --> 00:25:48,544
I see that lump.

676
00:25:48,592 --> 00:25:50,400
And that could be possibly something.

677
00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:51,344
And eventually it caused.

678
00:25:51,392 --> 00:25:52,560
It was actually cancer.

679
00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:56,048
And it got caught early enough
because that person saw it on tv.

680
00:25:56,224 --> 00:25:59,744
And so if I was looking at you
and I see, like, a sign of a disease

681
00:25:59,792 --> 00:26:02,736
or something, and you might
not know, if I loved you enough,

682
00:26:02,808 --> 00:26:04,800
I would tell you, hey, you
know, you might want to get that

683
00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:05,740
checked out.

684
00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:06,944
Okay?

685
00:26:06,992 --> 00:26:07,344
That.

686
00:26:07,432 --> 00:26:09,300
That might be something more serious.

687
00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,808
It's the same thing when it
comes to our spiritual lives.

688
00:26:11,864 --> 00:26:15,608
If I love somebody enough, I
will tell them the truth about who

689
00:26:15,664 --> 00:26:16,664
Christ is.

690
00:26:16,832 --> 00:26:18,664
I'm not worried about
offending them.

691
00:26:18,832 --> 00:26:22,696
If my son had an issue on his
arm and it was, you know, that looks

692
00:26:22,728 --> 00:26:24,824
pretty bad, but I don't want
to bother him with that.

693
00:26:24,912 --> 00:26:28,360
No, I'm going to do everything
I can, you know, and even with Silas,

694
00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,872
we can't explain to Silas
that, hey, they're Going to have

695
00:26:30,896 --> 00:26:31,592
to give you a shot.

696
00:26:31,656 --> 00:26:34,280
Hey, they're going to have to
cut your, you know, whole mouth open

697
00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,992
and do this and have weeks and
weeks of pain and surgery, you know,

698
00:26:38,016 --> 00:26:40,072
and we couldn't explain that
to him, but because we loved him,

699
00:26:40,096 --> 00:26:42,746
we were willing to say, like,
hey, there is a growth process.

700
00:26:42,818 --> 00:26:43,946
There is a challenge here.

701
00:26:44,018 --> 00:26:46,346
And so within the church, we
have to be willing to say that.

702
00:26:46,418 --> 00:26:49,002
We have to be willing to say
like, look, I need to examine my

703
00:26:49,026 --> 00:26:49,750
own life.

704
00:26:50,210 --> 00:26:52,030
I need to examine myself.

705
00:26:52,530 --> 00:26:55,770
And so the test isn't
necessarily their actions as much

706
00:26:55,810 --> 00:26:58,762
as whether Christ lives within
them now.

707
00:26:58,786 --> 00:26:59,738
Their actions will follow.

708
00:26:59,794 --> 00:27:00,010
We.

709
00:27:00,050 --> 00:27:03,130
We know that the Bible says
that if Christ lives in our heart

710
00:27:03,170 --> 00:27:06,858
and the Holy Spirit is guiding
us, and the Holy Spirit is, is.

711
00:27:06,914 --> 00:27:10,678
Is giving us direction, and
we're heeding that direction.

712
00:27:10,774 --> 00:27:12,850
The Bible says that our
actions will follow.

713
00:27:13,470 --> 00:27:13,830
But.

714
00:27:13,870 --> 00:27:17,222
But if I sat here today and
said, how many of you are in church?

715
00:27:17,286 --> 00:27:19,110
Every one of you could raise
your hand because you're here.

716
00:27:19,150 --> 00:27:20,950
Unless you're on the line,
then you're watching on the live

717
00:27:20,990 --> 00:27:21,990
stream, that's totally fine.

718
00:27:22,070 --> 00:27:24,534
But the truth is, is that this being.

719
00:27:24,702 --> 00:27:26,566
And I love you guys and I'm.

720
00:27:26,678 --> 00:27:29,638
People say this, pastor, be
careful about this, okay?

721
00:27:29,734 --> 00:27:33,194
If you don't come back because
I say this, I love you anyway, okay?

722
00:27:33,302 --> 00:27:36,658
But being in church is just
not enough, okay?

723
00:27:36,834 --> 00:27:39,154
Sitting in a pew is not going
to save you.

724
00:27:39,242 --> 00:27:41,186
What's going to save you is
Jesus Christ.

725
00:27:41,338 --> 00:27:44,082
And the Bible says very
clearly that it is he who died on

726
00:27:44,106 --> 00:27:44,578
the cross.

727
00:27:44,674 --> 00:27:46,738
I didn't die on the cross for
your sins.

728
00:27:46,914 --> 00:27:49,218
This building didn't die on
the cross for your sins.

729
00:27:49,314 --> 00:27:51,314
The Bible very clearly says it
is Jesus.

730
00:27:51,362 --> 00:27:52,466
He is the test.

731
00:27:52,618 --> 00:27:53,330
He is the test.

732
00:27:53,370 --> 00:27:55,282
I don't care how long you've
been in church.

733
00:27:55,346 --> 00:27:57,138
I don't care how many
ministries you've been in.

734
00:27:57,194 --> 00:27:59,402
The Bible says it's Jesus
Christ and him alone.

735
00:27:59,506 --> 00:28:00,890
That's why we sing that song.

736
00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:03,830
In Christ alone, my hope is found.

737
00:28:04,930 --> 00:28:07,962
And so the Bible says very
clearly here that the test is Jesus.

738
00:28:08,026 --> 00:28:09,930
And then he says, test yourself.

739
00:28:10,090 --> 00:28:11,754
Except ye be reprobate.

740
00:28:11,882 --> 00:28:13,610
What happens if you fail this test?

741
00:28:13,730 --> 00:28:14,826
What do you do?

742
00:28:14,978 --> 00:28:18,266
Well, the test is Jesus.

743
00:28:18,298 --> 00:28:20,010
And so Jesus is the answer.

744
00:28:20,170 --> 00:28:20,650
If you.

745
00:28:20,690 --> 00:28:22,922
If you inspect your life and
you say, you know what, there are

746
00:28:22,946 --> 00:28:24,442
some inconsistencies.

747
00:28:24,506 --> 00:28:25,800
There's some areas of.

748
00:28:25,930 --> 00:28:28,156
Of spiritual growth that I
need to have.

749
00:28:28,228 --> 00:28:30,348
There's some areas in my life
that need attention.

750
00:28:30,444 --> 00:28:33,680
Folks, the answer to that is
more Jesus.

751
00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:36,284
It's Jesus pervading my life.

752
00:28:36,372 --> 00:28:37,484
It's the love of Christ.

753
00:28:37,572 --> 00:28:39,036
It's the word of God, folks.

754
00:28:39,068 --> 00:28:41,644
That's what the Bible tells us
is the answer to all of our problems.

755
00:28:41,692 --> 00:28:44,172
You know, the world, some
people, like, we want world peace.

756
00:28:44,236 --> 00:28:46,076
And it just needs to be this
or this.

757
00:28:46,148 --> 00:28:49,052
Or needs to be this policy or
this policy or this person.

758
00:28:49,156 --> 00:28:52,012
Folks, the answer to every
problem is.

759
00:28:52,036 --> 00:28:53,452
Is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

760
00:28:53,556 --> 00:28:55,340
That is what's going to change hearts.

761
00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:55,884
Folks.

762
00:28:55,932 --> 00:28:56,140
I.

763
00:28:56,180 --> 00:28:56,908
I don't.

764
00:28:57,084 --> 00:28:59,948
I could sit up here today and
tell you all the reasons why I'm

765
00:29:00,044 --> 00:29:01,180
upset and my.

766
00:29:01,220 --> 00:29:05,400
Why my week was bad and why
life could be much better.

767
00:29:05,780 --> 00:29:08,204
But then, you know what, if
you ask me how I'm doing, what I

768
00:29:08,212 --> 00:29:10,460
should tell you, is this
better than I deserve?

769
00:29:10,540 --> 00:29:12,108
I can't imagine it being any better.

770
00:29:12,164 --> 00:29:12,428
Why?

771
00:29:12,484 --> 00:29:15,116
Because Jesus Christ, and
because what he has done in my life.

772
00:29:15,268 --> 00:29:17,100
Every day is a gift.

773
00:29:17,260 --> 00:29:18,348
Every moment is a gift.

774
00:29:18,364 --> 00:29:18,920
Every.

775
00:29:19,820 --> 00:29:22,680
Every person that you come
across, you know, it's a lot easier

776
00:29:23,100 --> 00:29:28,052
in life to have joy in the
Lord when you see every moment in

777
00:29:28,076 --> 00:29:29,320
your life as a gift.

778
00:29:29,740 --> 00:29:31,348
Every person as a gift.

779
00:29:31,444 --> 00:29:33,108
You say every person as a gift.

780
00:29:33,204 --> 00:29:37,140
Every person is an opportunity
for you to either see them grow in

781
00:29:37,180 --> 00:29:39,200
Christ or bring them to Christ.

782
00:29:39,820 --> 00:29:42,240
You can boil all relationships
down to them.

783
00:29:42,540 --> 00:29:43,914
They do not know Christ.

784
00:29:44,052 --> 00:29:45,950
Lead them to Christ if they
know Christ.

785
00:29:46,070 --> 00:29:47,930
Edify them, build them up.

786
00:29:48,710 --> 00:29:51,118
When I look at my children,
some of you that have young children

787
00:29:51,174 --> 00:29:53,886
or some of you that have had
young children, they can challenge

788
00:29:53,918 --> 00:29:54,650
your heart.

789
00:29:57,030 --> 00:29:59,758
Oh, some of you don't remember
putting your children down at bedtime.

790
00:29:59,774 --> 00:30:00,014
Okay.

791
00:30:00,062 --> 00:30:00,430
Back then.

792
00:30:00,470 --> 00:30:02,270
And go to bed, you know, okay, so.

793
00:30:02,310 --> 00:30:05,454
So there's those ideas that,
okay, instead of seeing this as a

794
00:30:05,462 --> 00:30:09,678
moment of, I've been there,
this child is a gift.

795
00:30:09,694 --> 00:30:11,962
And I need to edify them in
the cosmic gospel.

796
00:30:12,026 --> 00:30:14,746
I either need to lead them to
Christ or lead them in the truth

797
00:30:14,778 --> 00:30:15,590
of Christ.

798
00:30:15,970 --> 00:30:17,450
Take a step further in church.

799
00:30:17,530 --> 00:30:18,906
I've got a ministry over here.

800
00:30:18,978 --> 00:30:21,242
There's a ministry over here,
and there's tension.

801
00:30:21,306 --> 00:30:24,842
Well, it's a lot easier for me
to live in Christ and live in the

802
00:30:24,866 --> 00:30:28,282
gospel and live in truth when
I see that person as a gift, as an

803
00:30:28,306 --> 00:30:29,546
opportunity for service.

804
00:30:29,698 --> 00:30:32,790
And so when we see that here,
Paul says, there's the test.

805
00:30:33,810 --> 00:30:35,162
The test is Jesus.

806
00:30:35,226 --> 00:30:35,866
Verse 6.

807
00:30:35,938 --> 00:30:38,230
But I trust that ye shall know what?

808
00:30:38,700 --> 00:30:39,476
Excuse me.

809
00:30:39,548 --> 00:30:42,676
But I trust that ye shall know
that we are not reprobates.

810
00:30:42,708 --> 00:30:46,452
Meaning Paul's like, hey, you
should trust that you should see

811
00:30:46,476 --> 00:30:47,520
Christ in our life.

812
00:30:48,380 --> 00:30:49,364
Reprobates.

813
00:30:49,412 --> 00:30:50,196
That word, reprobates.

814
00:30:50,228 --> 00:30:53,540
There just Means those who
fail the test, those without Christ,

815
00:30:53,660 --> 00:30:55,560
those guided by their flesh.

816
00:30:56,540 --> 00:31:00,532
And so the test for us today,
if, if we are going to take the challenge,

817
00:31:00,596 --> 00:31:03,284
is there like a movie that's
like, here's your challenge.

818
00:31:03,332 --> 00:31:07,144
If you, you know, follow it or
whatever, choose to accept it, I

819
00:31:07,152 --> 00:31:07,880
think is what it called.

820
00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:09,016
Okay, here's your challenge.

821
00:31:09,048 --> 00:31:13,688
If you choose to accept it,
examine yourself and say, am I guided

822
00:31:13,784 --> 00:31:14,780
by the flesh?

823
00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:16,568
Am I guided by the spirit?

824
00:31:16,664 --> 00:31:20,200
Is my faith in Christ alone,
or is it in something else?

825
00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:22,140
Is my faith in Christ plus?

826
00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:24,872
Plus what?

827
00:31:25,056 --> 00:31:27,768
Well, faith plus works, right?

828
00:31:27,824 --> 00:31:28,664
Isn't that what it is?

829
00:31:28,752 --> 00:31:30,552
I believe in Jesus and then I
work really hard.

830
00:31:30,576 --> 00:31:31,064
And he.

831
00:31:31,152 --> 00:31:32,808
He rewards those who work hard.

832
00:31:32,944 --> 00:31:36,100
No, no, there's no work.

833
00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:42,680
For by grace are ye saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves.

834
00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,384
It is a gift of God, not of works.

835
00:31:45,432 --> 00:31:49,912
Lest any man should boast,
Bible says that we are to work, but

836
00:31:49,936 --> 00:31:51,304
the works are not what save us.

837
00:31:51,392 --> 00:31:55,448
It is the salvation that
drives us to those acts of service

838
00:31:55,504 --> 00:31:55,976
and works.

839
00:31:56,008 --> 00:31:59,014
And so he says, I would trust
that you are understanding that we

840
00:31:59,022 --> 00:31:59,814
are not reprobates.

841
00:31:59,862 --> 00:32:01,110
We are not the ones that fail
the test.

842
00:32:01,150 --> 00:32:02,950
Our testimony speaks for itself.

843
00:32:03,110 --> 00:32:06,570
Now, I pray to God that you do
no evil.

844
00:32:07,310 --> 00:32:11,670
Not that we should appear
approved, but that ye should do that

845
00:32:11,710 --> 00:32:13,126
which is honest.

846
00:32:13,318 --> 00:32:15,750
Though we be as reprobates,
Meaning, though.

847
00:32:15,790 --> 00:32:18,502
Though you might treat us as
reprobates, hey, look, there's this

848
00:32:18,526 --> 00:32:21,478
idea of be honest with
yourselves, that you would be honest.

849
00:32:21,574 --> 00:32:22,550
And that's the true test.

850
00:32:22,590 --> 00:32:23,254
Are we going to be honest?

851
00:32:23,302 --> 00:32:24,374
Are we going to be authentic?

852
00:32:24,422 --> 00:32:25,070
Are we.

853
00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:30,688
Instead of constantly, you
know, examining others like we already

854
00:32:30,744 --> 00:32:35,008
mentioned, you know, I think
that it's the idea that, that we

855
00:32:35,064 --> 00:32:38,780
as Christians should first and
foremost examine our own lives.

856
00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:42,672
A lot of times we look at
people and we say, well, are they

857
00:32:42,696 --> 00:32:44,180
going to meet my expectations?

858
00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:47,632
Is this church going to meet
my expectations?

859
00:32:47,696 --> 00:32:49,616
Is this person going to meet
my expectations?

860
00:32:49,728 --> 00:32:51,970
Is my spouse going to meet my expectations?

861
00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,478
Instead of seeing it from that
perspective of like, is everyone

862
00:32:54,534 --> 00:32:56,414
gonna meet my expectations?

863
00:32:56,542 --> 00:32:59,774
How about we flip that script
around and we should examine ourselves

864
00:32:59,822 --> 00:33:02,450
to see if that we're meeting
God's expectations.

865
00:33:03,030 --> 00:33:06,210
You would say, whoa, what's
God's expectations?

866
00:33:06,950 --> 00:33:09,182
Well, I'm glad that you asked.

867
00:33:09,286 --> 00:33:12,814
Bible says, what is the
greatest commandment?

868
00:33:12,942 --> 00:33:13,822
Some of you already know it.

869
00:33:13,846 --> 00:33:14,622
Some of you already know it.

870
00:33:14,646 --> 00:33:17,290
Like, summarize it for me in
everyday English, just call it out,

871
00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,648
love the Lord with all of our
heart, soul, mind and strength.

872
00:33:20,744 --> 00:33:23,912
So we can say this way, love
God with Everything that we are,

873
00:33:24,096 --> 00:33:24,760
okay?

874
00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:25,800
We love God.

875
00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:28,456
That's what he calls us to the
second commandment.

876
00:33:28,648 --> 00:33:30,872
So right after that is to love
others as we love ourselves.

877
00:33:30,936 --> 00:33:31,352
Right.

878
00:33:31,456 --> 00:33:32,744
First commandment is to love God.

879
00:33:32,792 --> 00:33:33,940
Okay, great.

880
00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:35,340
Easy.

881
00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:37,180
Well, not so easy.

882
00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:39,048
What does that mean?

883
00:33:39,184 --> 00:33:43,260
If I love God, it's going to
tell everyone that I love God.

884
00:33:43,610 --> 00:33:44,610
Well, that's a good start.

885
00:33:44,650 --> 00:33:46,322
But that doesn't mean that you
love him.

886
00:33:46,506 --> 00:33:47,906
Okay, I love my wife.

887
00:33:48,018 --> 00:33:48,706
I love my wife.

888
00:33:48,738 --> 00:33:49,298
I love my wife.

889
00:33:49,314 --> 00:33:51,522
I can say my, I can say a
thousand times, I love my wife.

890
00:33:51,586 --> 00:33:52,994
But does that mean that I love
my wife?

891
00:33:53,042 --> 00:33:54,098
Not necessarily.

892
00:33:54,274 --> 00:33:56,706
It's what I do that proves
that I love my wife.

893
00:33:56,818 --> 00:33:59,938
So Jesus very clearly told us
to what we do in the book of John.

894
00:33:59,994 --> 00:34:03,682
He says, if you love me, you
will tell other people that you love

895
00:34:03,706 --> 00:34:04,034
me.

896
00:34:04,122 --> 00:34:04,754
Not initially.

897
00:34:04,802 --> 00:34:05,506
What does he say?

898
00:34:05,578 --> 00:34:06,162
You love me.

899
00:34:06,186 --> 00:34:08,910
You will keep my commandments,
you will obey me.

900
00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:16,400
So the way that we demonstrate
our love to God, the way that we

901
00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:21,824
obey God ultimately is by
following his commandments, by doing

902
00:34:21,912 --> 00:34:22,816
what he says.

903
00:34:22,888 --> 00:34:24,368
This is not an analogy.

904
00:34:24,464 --> 00:34:26,944
I think a lot of people think,
well, Jesus just wants us to kind

905
00:34:26,952 --> 00:34:28,848
of say, like, hey, you know what?

906
00:34:28,984 --> 00:34:30,288
Kind of be like me.

907
00:34:30,424 --> 00:34:32,208
Kind of follow what I say when
it makes sense.

908
00:34:32,224 --> 00:34:34,230
But when it doesn't make
sense, it's all allegory.

909
00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:37,578
No, Jesus wants us to obey him.

910
00:34:37,714 --> 00:34:38,570
That's what it means.

911
00:34:38,610 --> 00:34:43,162
And so when we see here God's
expectations, what is God's expectations?

912
00:34:43,226 --> 00:34:44,470
That we obey him.

913
00:34:44,770 --> 00:34:47,354
That we simply obey him in faith.

914
00:34:47,402 --> 00:34:49,594
Because if we have faith, we
will believe.

915
00:34:49,682 --> 00:34:51,754
And if we believe, we will obey.

916
00:34:51,802 --> 00:34:53,738
And if we obey, we please God.

917
00:34:53,834 --> 00:34:56,150
That's the basic cycle that we see.

918
00:34:57,090 --> 00:35:00,900
You would say, well, I, I, I'm
not sure about that line of thinking.

919
00:35:00,980 --> 00:35:02,948
We'll go with me to a few
other passages of Scripture.

920
00:35:02,964 --> 00:35:05,972
And I want to amplify this a
little bit more, because Paul himself

921
00:35:06,036 --> 00:35:07,156
followed this practice.

922
00:35:07,268 --> 00:35:09,604
Before Paul was going to
challenge anyone at the church at

923
00:35:09,612 --> 00:35:12,480
Corinth, he was willing to go
through the same process.

924
00:35:12,940 --> 00:35:16,852
He was willing to go through
the same excruciating process of

925
00:35:16,876 --> 00:35:18,484
God examining his life.

926
00:35:18,572 --> 00:35:20,720
Look at Galatians, chapter
six, verse four.

927
00:35:21,900 --> 00:35:23,924
Galatians, chapter six, verse four.

928
00:35:24,012 --> 00:35:26,430
And then we're going to look
at another passage of Scripture.

929
00:35:26,540 --> 00:35:29,914
And, and, and so there's this
idea that Paul says, hey, look, before

930
00:35:30,002 --> 00:35:33,790
we go examining others, we
need to examine ourselves.

931
00:35:35,330 --> 00:35:36,762
Galatians, chapter 4.

932
00:35:36,866 --> 00:35:40,010
Or, excuse me, Galatians
chapter 6, verse 4 says, but let

933
00:35:40,050 --> 00:35:44,282
every man prove or demonstrate
his own work, and then shall he have

934
00:35:44,306 --> 00:35:48,378
Rejoicing in himself and not
in another meaning.

935
00:35:48,474 --> 00:35:49,818
Examine yourself.

936
00:35:49,994 --> 00:35:51,050
Prove yourself.

937
00:35:51,130 --> 00:35:55,100
Demonstrate your own ideas,
your own heart, instead of trying

938
00:35:55,140 --> 00:35:56,620
to be tied to somebody else.

939
00:35:56,700 --> 00:35:59,404
Another passage of scripture
is in First Corinthians, First Corinthians,

940
00:35:59,452 --> 00:36:00,440
chapter 9.

941
00:36:01,460 --> 00:36:01,820
We.

942
00:36:01,860 --> 00:36:02,812
We are in Second Corinthians.

943
00:36:02,876 --> 00:36:04,760
Go to First Corinthians,
chapter 9.

944
00:36:05,220 --> 00:36:07,756
Want you to see this, because
this is a very convicting passage

945
00:36:07,788 --> 00:36:08,720
of Scripture.

946
00:36:11,540 --> 00:36:11,964
Paul.

947
00:36:12,012 --> 00:36:16,012
Paul's talking about this
examination process, by the way,

948
00:36:16,036 --> 00:36:19,292
this examination process has
to happen over and over again in

949
00:36:19,316 --> 00:36:20,026
our lives.

950
00:36:20,188 --> 00:36:24,490
So it says here, First
Corinthians, chapter 9, verse 27.

951
00:36:25,190 --> 00:36:29,198
Paul says, But I keep my body.

952
00:36:29,334 --> 00:36:30,890
I keep under my body.

953
00:36:31,350 --> 00:36:34,010
You say, what is that talking
about he keeps under his body?

954
00:36:35,190 --> 00:36:36,110
Basically, it's this.

955
00:36:36,150 --> 00:36:38,050
He keeps his body in subjection.

956
00:36:38,630 --> 00:36:44,990
He puts himself to a place of
responsibility, he says, and bring

957
00:36:45,030 --> 00:36:49,396
it into subjection, lest that
by any means, when I have preached

958
00:36:49,428 --> 00:36:51,796
to others, I should be a castaway.

959
00:36:51,828 --> 00:36:53,300
I myself should be a castaway.

960
00:36:53,380 --> 00:36:54,452
So he says, what are you
saying here?

961
00:36:54,476 --> 00:36:59,492
He says he disciplines himself
in Christ so that he can preach the

962
00:36:59,516 --> 00:37:00,836
message of discipline.

963
00:37:01,028 --> 00:37:01,428
He.

964
00:37:01,484 --> 00:37:05,924
He preaches a message of dying
to the cross and giving himself the

965
00:37:05,932 --> 00:37:06,660
opportunity to.

966
00:37:06,700 --> 00:37:09,524
To take up the cross and die
to his flesh and to, to identify

967
00:37:09,572 --> 00:37:10,036
with Christ.

968
00:37:10,108 --> 00:37:12,004
He says, if I'm going to
preach that message, I have to do

969
00:37:12,012 --> 00:37:12,754
that myself.

970
00:37:12,892 --> 00:37:15,942
And so here's a very simple
way to remember it.

971
00:37:16,046 --> 00:37:18,694
To, to make disciples, we have
to be disciples.

972
00:37:18,822 --> 00:37:21,250
To be a disciple, we have to
obey Christ.

973
00:37:21,550 --> 00:37:24,262
And so if we want to see
disciples made within our church,

974
00:37:24,326 --> 00:37:26,490
we have to be a church made up
of disciples.

975
00:37:27,470 --> 00:37:30,450
We have to be people that are
desiring to obey him.

976
00:37:31,150 --> 00:37:33,222
So isn't that a little
legalistic, Pastor?

977
00:37:33,286 --> 00:37:35,206
No, it's gospel centric.

978
00:37:35,318 --> 00:37:38,310
Okay, because we're not saying
that's the legalese that gets you

979
00:37:38,350 --> 00:37:38,806
saved.

980
00:37:38,918 --> 00:37:41,270
It's the desire after you are saved.

981
00:37:41,430 --> 00:37:44,502
The Bible says that we should
not continue in sin, God forbid,

982
00:37:44,646 --> 00:37:44,998
right?

983
00:37:45,054 --> 00:37:47,478
So the Bible says that it's a
desire to know him more.

984
00:37:47,534 --> 00:37:48,438
So what are we looking for?

985
00:37:48,494 --> 00:37:49,990
What does it mean to be in Christ?

986
00:37:50,110 --> 00:37:52,210
Well, if there was just a list.

987
00:37:52,750 --> 00:37:55,750
If there was just a list to
show what it means to be in the Spirit,

988
00:37:55,830 --> 00:37:57,574
it would be a lot easier, right?

989
00:37:57,662 --> 00:37:58,982
Oh, you know, wish God would
do that.

990
00:37:59,006 --> 00:37:59,622
He did.

991
00:37:59,726 --> 00:38:01,222
Galatians, chapter 5.

992
00:38:01,326 --> 00:38:02,390
Galatians, chapter 5.

993
00:38:02,430 --> 00:38:05,690
He gives us something called
the fruit of the Spirit.

994
00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:08,816
You want to test your life to
see if Christ lives within you.

995
00:38:08,888 --> 00:38:11,024
Christ living within you just
means that you're indwelled by the

996
00:38:11,032 --> 00:38:11,728
Holy Spirit.

997
00:38:11,824 --> 00:38:12,224
Okay.

998
00:38:12,272 --> 00:38:15,232
And if the Holy Spirit is
guiding your life, these are the

999
00:38:15,256 --> 00:38:17,760
character traits that are
going to be manifested.

1000
00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:20,336
So you would say, was this
decision that I made in the spirit

1001
00:38:20,368 --> 00:38:21,040
or the flesh?

1002
00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:24,736
Let's match it up to the great
test of the fruit of the Spirit.

1003
00:38:24,848 --> 00:38:25,936
So let's look at the fruit of
the spirit.

1004
00:38:25,968 --> 00:38:28,220
Galatians, chapter 5, verse 22.

1005
00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:31,596
But the fruit of the Spirit is.

1006
00:38:31,768 --> 00:38:32,644
Here's your list.

1007
00:38:32,732 --> 00:38:33,556
You like list?

1008
00:38:33,628 --> 00:38:34,532
God's given you a list.

1009
00:38:34,556 --> 00:38:35,108
Okay.

1010
00:38:35,204 --> 00:38:40,644
Love, joy, peace, long suffering.

1011
00:38:40,772 --> 00:38:45,044
That's patience, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness.

1012
00:38:45,092 --> 00:38:45,892
We've already talked about that.

1013
00:38:45,916 --> 00:38:46,500
Temperance.

1014
00:38:46,580 --> 00:38:48,052
That's self control or God control.

1015
00:38:48,156 --> 00:38:50,116
Against such there is no law.

1016
00:38:50,188 --> 00:38:51,200
You would say.

1017
00:38:51,740 --> 00:38:53,572
I thought we weren't supposed
to live by list.

1018
00:38:53,676 --> 00:38:56,676
Well, if you try to follow
this list in your own strength, that's

1019
00:38:56,708 --> 00:38:57,550
wrong, man.

1020
00:38:57,590 --> 00:38:59,450
I'm just gonna try to be more
joyful today.

1021
00:39:00,550 --> 00:39:02,046
Hope everything goes well.

1022
00:39:02,198 --> 00:39:02,734
I'm gonna be.

1023
00:39:02,742 --> 00:39:03,102
I'm gonna be.

1024
00:39:03,126 --> 00:39:03,582
I'm gonna try to.

1025
00:39:03,606 --> 00:39:05,182
I'm gonna try to have more
peace today.

1026
00:39:05,366 --> 00:39:07,022
But then circumstances happen
and then we.

1027
00:39:07,046 --> 00:39:08,110
We don't have joy and peace.

1028
00:39:08,190 --> 00:39:11,342
Folks, these things that are
given to us here are only by the

1029
00:39:11,366 --> 00:39:12,446
power of the Spirit.

1030
00:39:12,558 --> 00:39:12,926
And.

1031
00:39:12,998 --> 00:39:15,250
And they're outside of circumstance.

1032
00:39:15,750 --> 00:39:16,222
You say?

1033
00:39:16,246 --> 00:39:17,134
What does that mean?

1034
00:39:17,302 --> 00:39:19,422
Well, all of us have no
problem having joy when things are

1035
00:39:19,446 --> 00:39:20,250
going well.

1036
00:39:21,190 --> 00:39:22,190
A raise at work.

1037
00:39:22,230 --> 00:39:22,606
I gotta.

1038
00:39:22,638 --> 00:39:23,886
I got a raise at work today.

1039
00:39:23,958 --> 00:39:24,610
Yes.

1040
00:39:25,020 --> 00:39:25,960
Okay.

1041
00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:30,640
The Bible doesn't say have joy
when things are going well.

1042
00:39:31,100 --> 00:39:33,060
Fruit of the Spirit is joy.

1043
00:39:33,220 --> 00:39:36,340
So this means I can have
contentment in Christ no matter what

1044
00:39:36,380 --> 00:39:37,480
my circumstances.

1045
00:39:38,780 --> 00:39:43,156
I can have patience, I can
have love, I can have peace.

1046
00:39:43,268 --> 00:39:45,444
I can have gentleness, I can
have goodness.

1047
00:39:45,492 --> 00:39:46,420
I can have faith.

1048
00:39:46,500 --> 00:39:49,364
I can have meekness and
temperance outside of my outside

1049
00:39:49,452 --> 00:39:50,226
circumstances.

1050
00:39:50,348 --> 00:39:53,286
Because it's not my outside
circumstances that are drawing me

1051
00:39:53,358 --> 00:39:54,262
to these things.

1052
00:39:54,366 --> 00:39:57,638
It is what is living within me
that's driving me to live this way.

1053
00:39:57,694 --> 00:39:59,942
And so, folks, I don't care
how bad the world gets.

1054
00:40:00,006 --> 00:40:01,686
I don't care how bad your job is.

1055
00:40:01,758 --> 00:40:03,846
I don't care how bad your
health is.

1056
00:40:03,918 --> 00:40:07,526
The Bible says that we can
have all these when we are indwelled

1057
00:40:07,558 --> 00:40:10,086
with the Spirit, when the
Spirit lives within us and guides

1058
00:40:10,118 --> 00:40:11,170
us in our life.

1059
00:40:11,470 --> 00:40:13,478
Folks, this isn't magic.

1060
00:40:13,574 --> 00:40:14,470
This is God.

1061
00:40:14,550 --> 00:40:15,142
This is.

1062
00:40:15,246 --> 00:40:16,848
This is a miracle.

1063
00:40:16,974 --> 00:40:20,156
This is the miracle of
salvation, that we can have Christ

1064
00:40:20,228 --> 00:40:23,116
and that it doesn't matter
what people do to us.

1065
00:40:23,268 --> 00:40:23,628
Who.

1066
00:40:23,684 --> 00:40:24,636
Who wrote this?

1067
00:40:24,788 --> 00:40:25,580
Paul?

1068
00:40:25,740 --> 00:40:26,908
Well, Paul had a good life.

1069
00:40:26,964 --> 00:40:28,444
Paul had an easy life.

1070
00:40:28,612 --> 00:40:29,612
You know anything about that?

1071
00:40:29,636 --> 00:40:30,732
Paul did not have an easy life.

1072
00:40:30,756 --> 00:40:31,676
Paul was in prison.

1073
00:40:31,788 --> 00:40:33,100
Paul was persecuted.

1074
00:40:33,180 --> 00:40:34,316
Paul had a thorn in his flesh.

1075
00:40:34,348 --> 00:40:36,732
If you were here a few weeks
ago, we talked about this, this thing,

1076
00:40:36,756 --> 00:40:39,420
and he asked God to take away
from him, and he didn't take it away.

1077
00:40:39,540 --> 00:40:42,758
But Paul says, have love, joy,
peace, all these things, Love, long

1078
00:40:42,814 --> 00:40:46,678
suffering, patience, all these
aspects that are what we would consider

1079
00:40:46,734 --> 00:40:47,734
to be impossible.

1080
00:40:47,862 --> 00:40:50,662
But God gives us the grace to
be able to live this way.

1081
00:40:50,686 --> 00:40:52,966
So you say, am I walking in
the Spirit?

1082
00:40:53,158 --> 00:40:54,770
Am I living in Christ?

1083
00:40:55,390 --> 00:41:00,134
Examine your life, examine
your actions, examine your motives.

1084
00:41:00,182 --> 00:41:03,782
Are they driven by the Spirit
in these areas or not?

1085
00:41:03,966 --> 00:41:07,670
I have some people that say,
pastor, I lost it with my wife last

1086
00:41:07,710 --> 00:41:07,862
night.

1087
00:41:07,886 --> 00:41:09,526
We just totally had a big argument.

1088
00:41:09,638 --> 00:41:12,502
And you know, I don't know if
that was from the Spirit or, or was

1089
00:41:12,526 --> 00:41:13,382
that my flesh?

1090
00:41:13,526 --> 00:41:15,302
Okay, well, did you do it in meekness?

1091
00:41:15,446 --> 00:41:15,990
No.

1092
00:41:16,110 --> 00:41:17,126
Did you do it in love?

1093
00:41:17,198 --> 00:41:17,718
No.

1094
00:41:17,854 --> 00:41:19,062
Did you do it in self control?

1095
00:41:19,166 --> 00:41:19,862
No.

1096
00:41:20,046 --> 00:41:20,838
There's your test.

1097
00:41:20,894 --> 00:41:22,010
That was in the flesh.

1098
00:41:22,910 --> 00:41:24,982
Well, you know, and so that's, it's.

1099
00:41:25,046 --> 00:41:25,702
I know, I know.

1100
00:41:25,726 --> 00:41:26,630
Sometimes we put it that way.

1101
00:41:26,670 --> 00:41:28,406
It's, it's, it's silly and
it's basic.

1102
00:41:28,518 --> 00:41:29,798
That is the true test.

1103
00:41:29,934 --> 00:41:33,370
Am I walking in the Spirit or
am I walking in the flesh?

1104
00:41:33,710 --> 00:41:34,646
That's my test.

1105
00:41:34,718 --> 00:41:35,558
Examine my.

1106
00:41:35,614 --> 00:41:36,022
Myself.

1107
00:41:36,086 --> 00:41:37,478
And then we would go further here.

1108
00:41:37,534 --> 00:41:39,814
Okay, so let's take it a step further.

1109
00:41:39,982 --> 00:41:41,250
Let's, let's get.

1110
00:41:42,110 --> 00:41:42,614
It's.

1111
00:41:42,662 --> 00:41:44,390
It's always good to get a
little convicted here and there.

1112
00:41:44,430 --> 00:41:45,590
Okay, let's get convicted.

1113
00:41:45,670 --> 00:41:48,050
Psalm, chapter 139.

1114
00:41:48,350 --> 00:41:49,510
Go with me here.

1115
00:41:49,630 --> 00:41:53,734
If we want this type of life,
if we want to examine ourselves,

1116
00:41:53,782 --> 00:41:55,830
if we want God to clean us up.

1117
00:41:55,870 --> 00:41:58,450
And by the way, it's only God
who can clean us up.

1118
00:41:59,150 --> 00:42:00,310
I can't clean you up.

1119
00:42:00,350 --> 00:42:01,510
The church can't clean you up.

1120
00:42:01,550 --> 00:42:05,084
It's the word of God, the
power of God that gets us to a place

1121
00:42:05,172 --> 00:42:06,540
of changing our life.

1122
00:42:06,660 --> 00:42:10,972
It's the Bible that shows us
what can change and what can't change

1123
00:42:10,996 --> 00:42:13,772
and what needs to change and
how we need to adapt and how we need

1124
00:42:13,796 --> 00:42:14,380
to grow.

1125
00:42:14,500 --> 00:42:15,852
It's not me, okay?

1126
00:42:15,916 --> 00:42:18,428
And I think a lot of times
people say, well, let me get cleaned

1127
00:42:18,444 --> 00:42:20,188
up, Pastor, then I'll come to church.

1128
00:42:20,364 --> 00:42:22,076
No, no, no, it's not the other
way around.

1129
00:42:22,148 --> 00:42:26,652
Come to church all of your
scars, with all of your brokenness,

1130
00:42:26,796 --> 00:42:30,220
all of your pain, with all of
your sorrow, and, and say, look,

1131
00:42:30,260 --> 00:42:31,836
I need Jesus to change me.

1132
00:42:31,908 --> 00:42:37,548
But we get to Psalm 139 and we
see this and, and I would say, let's

1133
00:42:37,564 --> 00:42:39,160
make this a prayer in our lives.

1134
00:42:39,780 --> 00:42:43,100
Let's make this a prayer, a desire.

1135
00:42:43,260 --> 00:42:45,320
God, I want you to do this.

1136
00:42:45,860 --> 00:42:49,120
This is tough because not all
of us are gonna wanna pray this prayer.

1137
00:42:49,620 --> 00:42:53,240
Well, let's look at it here in
verse 23 of Psalm 139.

1138
00:42:53,620 --> 00:42:56,280
Psalm 139, verse 23 and 24.

1139
00:42:59,110 --> 00:43:04,490
Search me O God and know my heart.

1140
00:43:05,270 --> 00:43:11,998
Try me and know my thoughts
and see if there be any wicked way

1141
00:43:12,054 --> 00:43:15,810
in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

1142
00:43:16,710 --> 00:43:22,488
Search me oh God, know me,
know my heart, Try me know my thoughts.

1143
00:43:22,504 --> 00:43:25,672
How many of us guys by the
way, how many of us would want to

1144
00:43:25,776 --> 00:43:29,500
have God see our deepest
darkest thoughts and desires?

1145
00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:33,140
Let me tell you something, he
already does now.

1146
00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:36,904
And so it's an opening up to
realize that and say, Lord, search

1147
00:43:36,952 --> 00:43:37,400
me.

1148
00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:42,500
And then he says here and see
if there be any wicked way in me.

1149
00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:45,736
And lead me in the way everlasting.

1150
00:43:45,928 --> 00:43:46,328
So.

1151
00:43:46,384 --> 00:43:49,512
So just as much as we are
called to exhort others to love and

1152
00:43:49,536 --> 00:43:52,242
good works, so we ask God to
exhort us.

1153
00:43:52,346 --> 00:43:54,162
Lord, see if there be any
wicked way in me.

1154
00:43:54,186 --> 00:43:55,074
And lead me.

1155
00:43:55,162 --> 00:43:56,370
That's what that word lead means.

1156
00:43:56,410 --> 00:43:56,754
Exhort.

1157
00:43:56,802 --> 00:44:00,110
Come alongside of the Lord
leads us as he's walking with us.

1158
00:44:00,410 --> 00:44:03,554
Lead me in the way everlasting
Lord, guide me to that place in my

1159
00:44:03,562 --> 00:44:05,590
life where I'm walking in your truth.

1160
00:44:06,250 --> 00:44:10,802
That's the desire that we
should have basing everything that

1161
00:44:10,826 --> 00:44:11,990
we do in truth.

1162
00:44:13,130 --> 00:44:15,704
Big question today is what,
what is truth?

1163
00:44:15,882 --> 00:44:17,324
Well, your truth is my truth.

1164
00:44:17,372 --> 00:44:19,708
And maybe your truth is not my truth.

1165
00:44:19,804 --> 00:44:20,124
Folks.

1166
00:44:20,172 --> 00:44:21,356
The truth is the word of God.

1167
00:44:21,388 --> 00:44:21,740
That's right.

1168
00:44:21,780 --> 00:44:22,732
Hold your bibles up.

1169
00:44:22,756 --> 00:44:24,796
That is the word of God, Thy truth.

1170
00:44:24,908 --> 00:44:27,356
Sanctify them by thy truth.

1171
00:44:27,468 --> 00:44:29,180
This is, this is Jesus's prayer.

1172
00:44:29,260 --> 00:44:30,812
Sanctify them by thy truth.

1173
00:44:30,876 --> 00:44:32,720
Thy word is true.

1174
00:44:33,620 --> 00:44:35,120
God's word is true.

1175
00:44:36,020 --> 00:44:38,200
And so where do we judge
ourselves by?

1176
00:44:38,580 --> 00:44:39,840
Look to His Word.

1177
00:44:40,260 --> 00:44:42,140
You want to know what God
wants for you in his life?

1178
00:44:42,180 --> 00:44:42,492
Read his.

1179
00:44:42,516 --> 00:44:43,504
Read His Word.

1180
00:44:43,692 --> 00:44:44,680
Study his Word.

1181
00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:45,064
Folks.

1182
00:44:45,112 --> 00:44:45,320
I.

1183
00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:49,992
I guarantee you, I guarantee
you if you are searching after him

1184
00:44:50,176 --> 00:44:52,900
and you read His Word, he will
speak to you.

1185
00:44:54,880 --> 00:44:56,472
I've heard many people that
say, you know what?

1186
00:44:56,496 --> 00:44:58,888
I just went on a task of
reading the Bible.

1187
00:44:59,064 --> 00:45:00,088
I didn't know what to believe.

1188
00:45:00,144 --> 00:45:01,176
I didn't know where to go in church.

1189
00:45:01,208 --> 00:45:02,504
I just started reading the Bible.

1190
00:45:02,632 --> 00:45:03,624
Things started changing.

1191
00:45:03,672 --> 00:45:04,872
I started to see the truth.

1192
00:45:04,936 --> 00:45:06,120
I started to be revealed.

1193
00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:07,144
Hey, this is where it's.

1194
00:45:07,192 --> 00:45:07,704
Hey folks.

1195
00:45:07,752 --> 00:45:09,210
The word of God is swift.

1196
00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,290
It's alive, it's powerful.

1197
00:45:11,950 --> 00:45:15,702
Sharper than any 2 inch sword
as the Bible says folks, I, I, I

1198
00:45:15,726 --> 00:45:17,158
encourage you to inspect your life.

1199
00:45:17,214 --> 00:45:22,134
And so if, if Paul's weakness
could contribute to the strength

1200
00:45:22,182 --> 00:45:25,990
of the Corinthian churches, he
would be glad.

1201
00:45:26,070 --> 00:45:27,330
That's what he says there.

1202
00:45:30,190 --> 00:45:33,062
And so when we look at that
passage of scripture in second Corinthians,

1203
00:45:33,126 --> 00:45:35,286
let's, let's go back, this is
where we'll, we'll conclude today.

1204
00:45:35,358 --> 00:45:38,810
Go back to Second Corinthians
chapter chapter 12 or excuse me,

1205
00:45:38,850 --> 00:45:39,430
13.

1206
00:45:44,530 --> 00:45:53,946
He says, for we can do nothing
against the truth, but for the truth.

1207
00:45:53,978 --> 00:45:56,202
Meaning Paul says there's
nothing else that we can preach but

1208
00:45:56,226 --> 00:45:56,730
the truth.

1209
00:45:56,810 --> 00:45:59,178
There's nothing else that we
can live by but the truth.

1210
00:45:59,354 --> 00:46:00,234
Verse 9.

1211
00:46:00,322 --> 00:46:03,448
For we are glad when we are
weak and, and ye are strong.

1212
00:46:03,504 --> 00:46:08,856
Paul says, if it takes
suffering for you to come to Christ

1213
00:46:08,928 --> 00:46:11,580
and to grow in Christ, I'm glad.

1214
00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:15,624
That's some tough stuff there.

1215
00:46:15,712 --> 00:46:19,064
Paul says, I'm willing to go
through it so that you can understand

1216
00:46:19,152 --> 00:46:19,688
Christ.

1217
00:46:19,824 --> 00:46:21,656
That is what brings me joy, folks.

1218
00:46:21,688 --> 00:46:22,728
What brings us joy?

1219
00:46:22,824 --> 00:46:24,168
What brings us gladness?

1220
00:46:24,264 --> 00:46:28,216
Well, when people minister to
me, what should like, it's okay,

1221
00:46:28,248 --> 00:46:30,660
it's okay to love when people
minister to you.

1222
00:46:31,730 --> 00:46:36,122
But folks, we should
understand that there's a greater

1223
00:46:36,186 --> 00:46:39,210
joy in the area of seeing
another person come to Christ.

1224
00:46:39,330 --> 00:46:42,970
There's a greater joy in
knowing when someone else is growing

1225
00:46:43,050 --> 00:46:44,026
in the truth.

1226
00:46:44,138 --> 00:46:47,578
There's a greater joy when you
see somebody else go out and serve

1227
00:46:47,674 --> 00:46:49,470
that has been in your ministry.

1228
00:46:49,890 --> 00:46:53,930
Had an opportunity to go down
this past summer and see a young

1229
00:46:53,970 --> 00:46:57,908
man that I was able to teach
in high school, go through the ordination

1230
00:46:58,004 --> 00:47:01,700
process and now and then he
came back here to our church and

1231
00:47:01,740 --> 00:47:07,060
he, he's on deputation for
missions going to Spain and just

1232
00:47:07,100 --> 00:47:10,452
to see him in church here, it
was like can't describe to you the

1233
00:47:10,476 --> 00:47:13,140
joy of seeing a young man
following after Christ.

1234
00:47:13,180 --> 00:47:15,844
I had nothing to do with it,
but there was joy in the fact that

1235
00:47:15,852 --> 00:47:19,252
I got to be a contributing
person to show him Christ.

1236
00:47:19,436 --> 00:47:20,900
And it's the same idea for us.

1237
00:47:20,940 --> 00:47:24,742
We should strive to desire
more and more what it means to not

1238
00:47:24,766 --> 00:47:28,246
only understand the grace of
God, but to give the grace of God

1239
00:47:28,278 --> 00:47:30,086
to others and to grow in those areas.

1240
00:47:30,158 --> 00:47:35,702
And so he says here, hey, his
real joy is, is what that he says,

1241
00:47:35,806 --> 00:47:38,662
for we are glad when we are
weak and you're strong.

1242
00:47:38,766 --> 00:47:41,686
And this also we wish even
your perfection.

1243
00:47:41,798 --> 00:47:43,190
You say wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait.

1244
00:47:43,270 --> 00:47:45,894
I thought you said that God
doesn't expect perfection from us.

1245
00:47:45,982 --> 00:47:49,324
And Paul, he's talking about
completion, or what we would say

1246
00:47:49,412 --> 00:47:49,708
is.

1247
00:47:49,764 --> 00:47:51,040
Is maturity.

1248
00:47:51,780 --> 00:47:58,960
Paul says, I have joy when I
see the church maturing and growing

1249
00:47:59,700 --> 00:48:02,508
and launching out verse 10.

1250
00:48:02,564 --> 00:48:04,280
And then this is where we're
going to end.

1251
00:48:05,220 --> 00:48:08,428
He says, therefore I write
these things being absent.

1252
00:48:08,524 --> 00:48:09,948
So Paul says, I'm writing
these things.

1253
00:48:10,004 --> 00:48:11,160
I'm not with you.

1254
00:48:11,460 --> 00:48:13,484
Lest being present, I should
use sharpness.

1255
00:48:13,532 --> 00:48:15,872
He says, I would if I was with
you right now.

1256
00:48:15,896 --> 00:48:21,440
I might be sharp according to
the power which the Lord hath given

1257
00:48:21,480 --> 00:48:24,112
me to edification and not to destruction.

1258
00:48:24,256 --> 00:48:29,552
He says, the whole point of
this, the whole idea is that you

1259
00:48:29,576 --> 00:48:32,580
would be edified, that you
would be built up and not destroyed.

1260
00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:36,176
Every time we talk about the
challenge of the church, the challenge

1261
00:48:36,208 --> 00:48:39,200
of the word, the challenge of
the Gospel, it's never to tear people

1262
00:48:39,240 --> 00:48:41,160
down and make them feel
terrible about themselves.

1263
00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:44,220
It's about building them up in
the cause of the gospel.

1264
00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:48,152
It's always about edification,
always about lifting up Christ and

1265
00:48:48,176 --> 00:48:49,384
lifting up others with him.

1266
00:48:49,472 --> 00:48:50,680
And so it's this idea of.

1267
00:48:50,720 --> 00:48:55,032
Of this compassionate
challenge is based in truth, and

1268
00:48:55,056 --> 00:48:56,920
it's always based in edification.

1269
00:48:57,080 --> 00:49:00,056
Okay, so two things this morning.

1270
00:49:00,128 --> 00:49:03,048
Number one, are we willing to
examine ourselves and understand

1271
00:49:03,104 --> 00:49:05,300
that God loves us enough to
challenge us?

1272
00:49:06,320 --> 00:49:09,334
We're willing to examine our
hearts, our motivations.

1273
00:49:09,472 --> 00:49:12,430
Are we willing to allow God to
search our hearts?

1274
00:49:13,170 --> 00:49:16,762
Number two, are we willing to
get to a place in our life as we

1275
00:49:16,786 --> 00:49:19,994
grow, that we can take that
step of challenging and exhorting

1276
00:49:20,042 --> 00:49:23,146
others for the sake of
edification in the truth?

1277
00:49:23,338 --> 00:49:25,270
Not my business, not my problem.

1278
00:49:26,370 --> 00:49:28,250
You know, let them go the way that.

1279
00:49:28,290 --> 00:49:28,730
No.

1280
00:49:28,850 --> 00:49:31,482
If I love a fellow brother and
sister in Christ, I want to come

1281
00:49:31,506 --> 00:49:33,350
alongside of them and exhort them.

1282
00:49:34,450 --> 00:49:35,626
Love sometimes.

1283
00:49:35,738 --> 00:49:36,282
What do they say?

1284
00:49:36,306 --> 00:49:36,954
Love is messy.

1285
00:49:37,002 --> 00:49:40,372
Love is difficult sometimes.

1286
00:49:40,436 --> 00:49:40,804
Love.

1287
00:49:40,892 --> 00:49:41,332
There's some.

1288
00:49:41,356 --> 00:49:41,956
There's some lumps.

1289
00:49:41,988 --> 00:49:42,212
You get.

1290
00:49:42,236 --> 00:49:43,380
You take your lumps.

1291
00:49:43,540 --> 00:49:45,240
True love is difficult.

1292
00:49:45,820 --> 00:49:47,844
True edification is difficult.

1293
00:49:47,972 --> 00:49:49,940
True exhortation is difficult.

1294
00:49:50,100 --> 00:49:52,240
We've been called to something
that's worth it.

1295
00:49:52,620 --> 00:49:55,800
Anything that's worth it is difficult.

1296
00:49:56,540 --> 00:49:59,508
And I tell you, if the
Christian life was easy, there'd

1297
00:49:59,524 --> 00:50:00,560
be a lot more people.

1298
00:50:01,660 --> 00:50:02,980
If the Christian life was a.

1299
00:50:03,020 --> 00:50:06,300
Was a cakewalk, a lot of
people teach it that way.

1300
00:50:07,880 --> 00:50:12,848
When we have our faith in
something that's not the truth, everything's

1301
00:50:12,864 --> 00:50:14,500
okay until the stakes are raised.

1302
00:50:15,320 --> 00:50:16,700
What do I mean by that?

1303
00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:23,536
You can believe something and
say you believe it, but the true

1304
00:50:23,568 --> 00:50:26,304
test of whether or not you
believe something is when the stakes

1305
00:50:26,352 --> 00:50:29,766
are raised, when there is
something to lose, when.

1306
00:50:29,808 --> 00:50:31,830
When there might be A risk.

1307
00:50:32,770 --> 00:50:34,330
What I would say here this
morning is this.

1308
00:50:34,370 --> 00:50:37,114
You might say that you profess
Christ, and I hope that you do.

1309
00:50:37,282 --> 00:50:38,698
And I can't judge your heart.

1310
00:50:38,754 --> 00:50:39,990
I cannot see your.

1311
00:50:40,530 --> 00:50:44,410
But what I would say is that
if you got on your hands and knees

1312
00:50:44,570 --> 00:50:47,018
and said, lord, examine my life.

1313
00:50:47,154 --> 00:50:51,290
Look into my deepest, darkest
corners of my heart.

1314
00:50:51,410 --> 00:50:52,826
Where is my faith, folks?

1315
00:50:52,858 --> 00:50:53,830
He knows already.

1316
00:50:54,370 --> 00:50:56,582
And the truth is, is that if
we're willing to.

1317
00:50:56,626 --> 00:50:59,742
To allow that examination in
our life, we should be willing to

1318
00:50:59,766 --> 00:51:04,010
then allow the Lord to speak
to us to change certain things.

1319
00:51:05,270 --> 00:51:06,690
Where is my faith?

1320
00:51:07,590 --> 00:51:09,486
I'm a religious person, Pastor.

1321
00:51:09,598 --> 00:51:10,926
I'm not asking if you're religious.

1322
00:51:10,958 --> 00:51:12,850
I'm asking where is your faith?

1323
00:51:13,510 --> 00:51:15,822
In Christ alone.

1324
00:51:15,966 --> 00:51:16,750
That's it.

1325
00:51:16,870 --> 00:51:18,350
In Christ alone.

1326
00:51:18,510 --> 00:51:23,864
Bible says that God loved us
so much that he gave his only begotten

1327
00:51:23,912 --> 00:51:24,540
Son.

1328
00:51:24,880 --> 00:51:26,020
That's love.

1329
00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:30,280
God, you know, we want that
type of love within our church, folks.

1330
00:51:30,360 --> 00:51:32,952
The greatest act of love, the
Bible says In Romans, chapter 5,

1331
00:51:32,976 --> 00:51:36,632
verse 8, For God commendeth or
he demonstrated, he showed his love

1332
00:51:36,656 --> 00:51:39,592
towards us in that while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for

1333
00:51:39,616 --> 00:51:40,088
us.

1334
00:51:40,224 --> 00:51:43,352
God the Father loved you so
much that he said, I will send my

1335
00:51:43,376 --> 00:51:49,714
only begotten son so that you
who sinned against me would still

1336
00:51:49,802 --> 00:51:50,590
have an.

1337
00:51:51,610 --> 00:51:54,770
You would still have a path,
you would still have an exit route.

1338
00:51:54,930 --> 00:51:56,110
That is love.

1339
00:51:57,130 --> 00:51:59,442
So that's the reason why we
believe, that's the reason why we

1340
00:51:59,466 --> 00:51:59,714
trust.

1341
00:51:59,762 --> 00:52:01,630
Because God has proven himself
to us.

1342
00:52:03,130 --> 00:52:04,802
My children love me.

1343
00:52:04,986 --> 00:52:11,170
Not because I'm wealthy, not
because I'm good looking, not because

1344
00:52:11,210 --> 00:52:13,394
I give them everything they
want, because they want a lot of

1345
00:52:13,402 --> 00:52:13,538
stuff.

1346
00:52:13,554 --> 00:52:17,150
And I'm like, hey guys, can't
have that.

1347
00:52:19,050 --> 00:52:22,242
But my children love me, I
hope, because I've demonstrated to

1348
00:52:22,266 --> 00:52:24,550
them that I'm there for them,
that I'm willing to sacrifice.

1349
00:52:26,170 --> 00:52:29,666
Same reason for us as
believers, we know that God loves

1350
00:52:29,698 --> 00:52:30,270
us.

1351
00:52:30,970 --> 00:52:33,410
And if you're an unsaved
person here this morning, maybe you

1352
00:52:33,450 --> 00:52:35,506
have no understanding of what
that even means.

1353
00:52:35,578 --> 00:52:38,306
There's a point in our lives
where we must say that I cannot save

1354
00:52:38,338 --> 00:52:38,642
myself.

1355
00:52:38,706 --> 00:52:40,582
It is ultimately he who can
save me.

1356
00:52:40,666 --> 00:52:42,862
And I'm putting my faith and
trust in what God has done for me

1357
00:52:42,886 --> 00:52:43,850
in his love.

1358
00:52:44,710 --> 00:52:47,886
Behold what manner of love the
Father has bestowed or given unto

1359
00:52:47,918 --> 00:52:50,210
us that we should be called
the sons of God.

1360
00:52:50,550 --> 00:52:51,610
That's love.

1361
00:52:52,150 --> 00:52:53,598
So are we willing to love others?

1362
00:52:53,654 --> 00:52:55,038
Are we willing to challenge others?

1363
00:52:55,094 --> 00:52:59,006
Are we willing to be those
that are examining our own lives?

1364
00:52:59,158 --> 00:53:00,382
I'm gonna ask if you're able to.

1365
00:53:00,406 --> 00:53:03,518
To Stand with me this morning,
every head bowed, every eye closed

1366
00:53:03,534 --> 00:53:04,782
as the music plays here.

1367
00:53:04,886 --> 00:53:05,422
This is a.

1368
00:53:05,446 --> 00:53:07,570
This is what we call a time of invitation.

1369
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:13,380
And it's an invitation to
respond to the preaching of the Word.

1370
00:53:14,040 --> 00:53:14,464
It's.

1371
00:53:14,512 --> 00:53:15,056
It's really.

1372
00:53:15,128 --> 00:53:15,840
It's really this.

1373
00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:19,264
It's an invitation to respond
to God speaking to you.

1374
00:53:19,352 --> 00:53:20,576
By the way, I'm.

1375
00:53:20,768 --> 00:53:21,120
I.

1376
00:53:21,160 --> 00:53:23,700
I am not an apostle.

1377
00:53:25,000 --> 00:53:25,408
There.

1378
00:53:25,464 --> 00:53:28,416
There's nothing that I say in
my life that is any more powerful

1379
00:53:28,448 --> 00:53:29,312
than anybody else.

1380
00:53:29,376 --> 00:53:33,242
But when we start quoting the
word of God, that is the power the

1381
00:53:33,266 --> 00:53:34,714
Bible says, that is the word
of God.

1382
00:53:34,762 --> 00:53:35,546
Thus saith the Lord.

1383
00:53:35,578 --> 00:53:36,682
That can change lives.

1384
00:53:36,786 --> 00:53:39,514
And, folks, this morning we've
thrown a lot of Bible out there,

1385
00:53:39,682 --> 00:53:42,590
and what I would encourage you
to do is to respond to the Word.

1386
00:53:42,930 --> 00:53:45,466
Don't allow distractions in
your mind and your heart.

1387
00:53:45,538 --> 00:53:46,410
Allow you to get away.

1388
00:53:46,450 --> 00:53:47,770
I know it's late in the hour.

1389
00:53:47,890 --> 00:53:49,386
I know that you're probably hungry.

1390
00:53:49,418 --> 00:53:51,834
I know that there's a lot of
things that are pulling you away,

1391
00:53:52,002 --> 00:53:55,002
but the truth is, is that
don't run from the examination right

1392
00:53:55,026 --> 00:53:55,590
now.

1393
00:53:56,530 --> 00:53:59,130
Embrace it and say, lord,
where do you want.

1394
00:53:59,170 --> 00:53:59,810
Search me.

1395
00:53:59,890 --> 00:54:01,618
How many of us will be willing
to say this morning?

1396
00:54:01,674 --> 00:54:01,890
I.

1397
00:54:01,930 --> 00:54:03,714
I'll come forward and I'll
pray that prayer.

1398
00:54:03,762 --> 00:54:05,874
Search me, oh God, and know my heart.

1399
00:54:05,962 --> 00:54:07,362
Try me and know my thoughts.

1400
00:54:07,426 --> 00:54:10,754
See if there be any wicked way
in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

1401
00:54:10,882 --> 00:54:12,850
Are we willing to do that this morning?

1402
00:54:12,890 --> 00:54:16,230
Are we willing to take the
challenge to examine ourselves?

1403
00:54:16,730 --> 00:54:17,698
I pray that you.

1404
00:54:17,754 --> 00:54:19,586
You take that challenge this morning.

1405
00:54:19,738 --> 00:54:22,274
But number two, if you don't
know Jesus as your personal savior,

1406
00:54:22,322 --> 00:54:24,914
maybe you're not living in
Christ, you don't believe in Christ,

1407
00:54:25,002 --> 00:54:27,928
or maybe you do, but you don't
know what that means to have salvation.

1408
00:54:28,074 --> 00:54:28,588
Come forward.

1409
00:54:28,644 --> 00:54:31,020
We've got some folks up here
that can show you in the Bible what

1410
00:54:31,060 --> 00:54:34,844
it means to know Jesus and to
know everlasting life, to know forgiveness.

1411
00:54:34,972 --> 00:54:36,924
Folks, all of us want
forgiveness, but we're trying to

1412
00:54:36,932 --> 00:54:38,588
find forgiveness in all the
wrong places.

1413
00:54:38,684 --> 00:54:41,292
Forgiveness is only found
through Jesus Christ and his work

1414
00:54:41,316 --> 00:54:42,240
on the cross.

1415
00:54:43,700 --> 00:54:45,960
Conquer death so that you
might have life.

1416
00:54:46,660 --> 00:54:48,012
So this morning, let's think
about that.

1417
00:54:48,036 --> 00:54:49,580
If you need Jesus, come
forward this morning.

1418
00:54:49,620 --> 00:54:51,180
Lord, I thank you for this time.

1419
00:54:51,300 --> 00:54:54,076
Pray that you be in this
moment of invitation.

1420
00:54:54,108 --> 00:54:55,420
I pray that you work in hearts
and lives.

1421
00:54:55,460 --> 00:54:58,248
I pray that you challenge us
to examine ourselves, Lord, even

1422
00:54:58,304 --> 00:55:00,500
now, Lord, I'm praying, Lord,
search me.

1423
00:55:01,280 --> 00:55:04,056
Know my heart, try me and know
my thoughts.

1424
00:55:04,088 --> 00:55:06,616
See if there be any wicked way
in me and lead me in the way everlasting

1425
00:55:06,648 --> 00:55:08,680
Lord, I pray that you'd be in
this time of invitation today.

1426
00:55:08,800 --> 00:55:09,928
In Jesus name, Amen.

1427
00:55:09,944 --> 00:55:12,088
As the music plays, some have
already come Follow as the Lord leads

1428
00:55:12,104 --> 00:55:13,060
here this morning.

1429
00:55:23,370 --> 00:56:15,290
Sa Foreign.

1430
00:56:25,150 --> 00:56:27,782
Thank you again for listening
to the Middletown Baptist Church

1431
00:56:27,846 --> 00:56:28,534
podcast.

1432
00:56:28,662 --> 00:56:31,330
I hope that this sermon has
been a blessing for you.

1433
00:56:31,630 --> 00:56:33,926
If you would like to find out
more information about our church

1434
00:56:33,958 --> 00:56:37,574
or this sermon, you can find
us at middletownbaptistchurch.org

1435
00:56:37,702 --> 00:56:40,540
or find us on Facebook or
YouTube to.

1436
00:56:41,000 --> 00:56:45,600
You can also email me directly
at Josh Massaro at middletownbaptistchurch.

1437
00:56:45,680 --> 00:56:46,256
Com.

1438
00:56:46,408 --> 00:56:49,872
If you've enjoyed this
podcast, please subscribe and follow

1439
00:56:49,896 --> 00:56:52,980
along for future podcast and updates.

1440
00:56:53,320 --> 00:56:54,480
Thank you so much.

1441
00:56:54,600 --> 00:56:55,424
God Bless.

1442
00:56:55,552 --> 00:56:56,600
Have a wonderful day.