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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.

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Today we are studying the book
of Romans.

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But today, since it's Mother's
Day, I thought that it would be appropriate

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to pause that study and to
turn our attention to a godly example

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of two mothers, one being a
lady named Lois, another being a

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lady named Eunice.

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One is a godly grandmother who
was also a mother, and another godly

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mother to an individual in
scripture that we know named Timothy.

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And what we're going to do is
we're going to look at Second Timothy,

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chapter one, and we're going
to see a snapshot of a picture of

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the character of these two
women that I think all of us can

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learn from, not just the
ladies that are here today, but all

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of us can learn from the type
of faith that these two women had

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and especially how it impacted
those that are in their family and

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those that the person that
they sewed into Timothy, how it impacted

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greatly many other people as well.

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So if you want to follow along
with me, we're going to be in Second

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Timothy, chapter one, and
we're going to look at verse number

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five.

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Now, by way of context, Paul
is talking to Timothy.

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He's encouraging Timothy, he's
challenging Timothy, he's teaching

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Timothy.

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And here he's remembering
Timothy's past.

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And he's talking about how
he's thankful for Timothy.

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He's talking about how Timothy
should be standing in the truth of

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God and not having the spirit
of fear.

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And in verse number five, he
calls to remembrance what Timothy

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had as a godly mother and a
godly grandmother.

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And he really explains one of
the main many contributing factors

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to the fact that Timothy has faith.

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It says in Second Timothy,
Chapter one, verse five, he says,

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when I call to remembrance the
unfeigned faith that is in thee,

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talking about Timothy, he
says, when I think about that unfeigned

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or authentic faith or sincere
faith that you have, which dwelt

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first in thy grandmother Lois
and thy mother Eunice.

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And I am persuaded in the also.

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Now, what he basically says
here is he says, when I look at your

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life and I see your faith, I
see the faith of your grandmother,

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I see the faith of your mother
who passed along the truths that

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they learned Now, I want to
give you some background context

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to that, because we see that
Timothy was a young man who was from

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a place called Lystra.

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And if you want to cross
reference another passage that deals

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with his call to ministry, you
can go with me to Acts chapter 16.

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And Acts chapter 16 gives us a
little bit more background on Timothy

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and on his parents.

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And I think it's important for
us to note, because when we're trying

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to understand this type of
faith that Lois and Eunice had and

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eventually Timothy has, it's
important to know how they got there,

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because I think that all of us
to some degree, need to understand

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this lesson so that we can
have this type of unfeigned, sincere

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faith in our lives and so that
other people can see that faith around

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us and grow in their faith.

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And so In Acts chapter 16, we
see Paul's second missionary journey,

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and he's coming back to Lystra.

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He's already been there once before.

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The first time that Paul was
there, he was chased out, he was

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persecuted, and no doubt
Timothy's mom would have seen that,

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and maybe even Timothy saw that.

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Now Paul is coming back to
Lystra and he's going to hear about

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this young disciple.

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It says here, Timotheus,
that's the same guy, Timothy.

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And he's going to see that
Timothy is ready to serve, that he's

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grown in his faith and he
wants to launch out and go into ministry.

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So Acts chapter 16 says, then
came he to Derby and Lystra.

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And behold, a certain disciple
was there named Timotheus or Timothy,

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the son of a certain woman.

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Now, we know that she's named.

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Later on, she's named in
second Timothy.

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But we see here it just says a
certain woman who was a Jewish and

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believed.

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So we see that his mom was a
Jewish lady who was a believer.

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And then we see a little bit
about his father.

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We don't know a lot about his
father, it says, but his father was

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a Greek.

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And by way of implication and
by way of context, most likely, at

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least at this time, Timothy's
father was not a believer.

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And so he's a gentile unbeliever.

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And we see that Timothy has a
Jewish mother who is a believer.

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And so obviously a difficult
place for Timothy to be.

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Maybe there was some division
in the household, maybe there's some

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conflict there.

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There wasn't a stable father
figure that was leading, at least

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in the spiritual realm.

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But we see that there was a
lady who stepped up and believed

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in the Lord and passed that on
to her son.

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And it says in verse two,
which was well reported of by the

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brethren that were in Lystra
and Iconium.

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So what happens here is that
Timothy's testimony precedes him,

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and Paul hears about him and
Lystra and Iconium, and now he comes

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two here, and he's going to
find out more about this guy.

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And it says verse three, him.

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Would Paul have to go forth
with him and took and circumcised

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him because of the Jews which
were in those quarters, for they

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knew all that his father was a Greek.

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And so there's some
implications there.

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Some people knew that
Timothy's father was a Gentile.

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And so Timothy took a step to
show that he was committed to understanding

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the Jewish culture and their
belief systems.

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But ultimately, Timothy was a
man of faith.

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And so he goes out with Paul
and he becomes Paul's partner.

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He preaches the Gospel.

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And eventually Timothy goes
and becomes somebody of a.

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A pastor.

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And he pastors many churches,
which we're going to see later on.

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So That's Acts, chapter 16.

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Let's go back to second
Timothy, chapter one.

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And let's look at this
authentic faith, this sincere faith

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that all of us should be having.

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And by the way, that word,
sincere, that word, authentic, that

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word, what we see in the King
James unfeigned faith, it literally

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means without hypocrisy,
without a mask.

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And so the type of faith that
Lois and Eunice had was a faith that

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was sincere.

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And I want to talk about that
sincere faith here right now, because

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we live in a world that's very superficial.

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Actually, the title of this
sermon this morning is Sincere Faith

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in a Superficial World.

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We live in a world that is shallow.

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We live in a world that is all
about the material thing that we

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see right in front of us right now.

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What can we get in this moment?

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What can I feel in this moment?

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And there's no depth.

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We.

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We see a lot of things
happening in this world.

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And we're.

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We're really wide, we're miles
wide, but we're only an inch deep.

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And what we see here is that
Timothy sees his grandmother and

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his mother not just being a
Christian who walks the walk, but

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what we see here is that they
walk the walk, they talk the talk,

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and they teach Timothy what it
means to have a true faith.

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A true faith.

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It's.

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It's something that's sincere.

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And we also see in verse
number five that it's something that's

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shared.

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So they have a sincere faith,
an authentic faith, but it's Something

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that they not only live
privately, but they live publicly.

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They.

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They live it in front of Timothy.

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Timothy sees his grandmother,
Timothy sees his mother, and he sees

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that they're real about what
they say, they're real about what

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they do.

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They don't just come to church
and go home and act a completely

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different way when they come home.

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They don't talk a certain way
in front of Christians, but then

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when they get other places,
they talk another way.

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The Bible says that we're
called to have authentic faith.

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We're called to be transparent
before the Lord, transparent before

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others, and say, this is who I am.

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God is what I need, and I must
live and walk in this way.

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Too many times we're trying to
live in such a way in which we are

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perceived by others to be a
certain way, but really in our hearts,

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we know we're something different.

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And the Bible says that we're
to live authentically, we're to live

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in such a way that we not only
believe in an outward way, but we

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also believe in an inward way.

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There's some other passages of
Scripture that do talk about that.

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And we're going to go into a
lot of passages here this morning

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that discuss this type of
authentic faith, this type of sincere

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faith.

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And we're called to have
sincere faith in this superficial

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world.

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So the next passage of
Scripture that I'd like us to go

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to is Psalm chapter 51.

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Psalm chapter 51, verse number 6.

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This speaks a little bit more
to this idea that God already knows

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our hearts.

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So therefore, we should live
in a way that in our hearts we're

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believing, in our hearts we're trusting.

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And we know that even if
nobody sees what we're doing, this

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is the type of character that
we're supposed to have.

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Because the type of faith that
we have is not just about showing

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other people who we are, but
it's about really showing God what

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we believe in the heart of hearts.

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And so In Psalm chapter 51, we see.

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In verse 6, we see that God
already wants.

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God already knows our heart,
but God wants our heart.

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He wants our most inward
passions, our most inward desires.

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Psalm chapter 51, verse 6
says, behold, thou desires truth

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in the inward parts, and in
the hidden part, thou shalt make

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me to know wisdom.

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So, so God wants our heart.

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God wants sincerity.

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God wants authentic faith.

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And.

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And I thought about that word, sincere.

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I thought about that word.

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What we see in the King James
here, unfeigned faith.

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And actually in the Greek,
that word is used in multiple occasions

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in the New Testament.

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And when it's used in the New
Testament, specifically, it's used

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in the area of loving other
people and loving the Lord without

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hypocrisy.

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Literally, it means without a mask.

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And so what we see is that the
Bible says that there's a way that

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we can love, there's a way
that we can believe, there's a way.

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There's a way that we can
serve, there's a way that we can

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teach with a mask on.

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And I'm not talking about the
mask that we wore, you know, back

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five, six years ago.

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I'm talking about a mask like
an actor would wear on the stage

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at this time, and the actor
would come out and the actor would

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put a mask on, and he or she
would be a different person.

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Right?

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They would be a.

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An individual.

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Let's say his name is John,
but he would wear a mask.

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And maybe now he's Bob, and
he's acting completely different

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than he did before, right?

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He.

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He's wearing a mask.

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He's being a different person.

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And so when the Bible says to
have this type of unfeigned, sincere

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faith, it's talking about
being real to who we are, having

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a true faith.

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What we are being shown in the
Word is this, that we're supposed

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to love, serve, worship, live
with this type of authenticity.

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And so this word is used in a
couple of different occasions, one

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being in a passage in First
Peter one, Peter, Chapter two.

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We're told here in First
Peter, chapter two, if you want to

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see this, that we are to live or.

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Excuse me, First Peter,
chapter one, verse 22.

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First Peter, chapter one,
verse twenty two, tells us that we're

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supposed to love with this
type of unfeigned love without hypocrisy.

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The Bible says that when we're
saved, we're changed.

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So when Lois and Eunice were
saved, they were changed.

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And the way that they lived
was such an authentic way that their

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son Timothy saw this type of change.

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And that type of change was
compelling for him, and he trusted

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in the Lord.

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So first Peter, chapter one,
verse 22, it says, seeing ye have

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purified your souls in obeying
the truth through the Spirit unto

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unfeigned love of the brethren.

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So part of having unfeigned
faith, part of having authentic faith

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is having an authentic love
for the brethren, for other Christians,

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you can't save.

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First John tells us this.

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You.

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You can't say that you love
God, but then hate your brother,

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00:11:27,890 --> 00:11:30,050
hate your brother in Christ,
hate your sister in Christ.

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So one way to demonstrate
unfeigned faith in front of the next

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generation.

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Because, by the way, remember,
this was sincere faith that was shared.

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So how can I share my faith
with other people?

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How can I share my faith with
my children?

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00:11:45,970 --> 00:11:48,450
How can I share my faith with
my grandchildren?

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00:11:48,450 --> 00:11:50,080
How can I share my faith with other.

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Other people who need to see
this type of sincere faith?

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Well, the Bible says one way
that we do that is to love authentically

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other Christians, particularly
In this case, First Peter, chapter

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one, verse 22 says that we
love with this type of love of the

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brethren, seeing that ye love
one another with a pure heart, fervently.

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So the way that Timothy was
able to see this type of unfeigned

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faith, this type of authentic
faith, was that, no doubt Lois and

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00:12:18,610 --> 00:12:22,530
Eunice were able to live
authentically and love authentically

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to other Christians around him.

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They loved him, but they loved others.

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One of the things that I
struggle with is to tell my children

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something and then stay
consistent in that.

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Some of you know that struggle.

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You know, you tell your kids,
hey, you shouldn't be doing that.

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And then, you know, if you
tell your kids something, some of

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you maybe don't have this problem.

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I have this problem, they'll
call me out on my consistency.

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Well, dad, didn't you say that
we weren't supposed to.

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Yeah, okay.

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Yeah, you caught me.

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You got me.

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The reality is, is that
sometimes in our life, what we do,

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00:12:53,350 --> 00:12:57,310
we don't necessarily mean to
do this, but our inconsistency in

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00:12:57,310 --> 00:13:01,030
what we believe and what we
say and what we do causes other people

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to see an inconsistency.

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Therefore, it doesn't look authentic.

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00:13:04,230 --> 00:13:06,510
And why does anyone want
anything that's inauthentic?

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00:13:06,510 --> 00:13:08,510
Why does someone want a faith
that's empty?

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00:13:08,510 --> 00:13:08,950
That's.

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That's hypocritical.

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00:13:10,470 --> 00:13:13,470
Now, all of us, to some
degree, to some level, are hypocritical

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00:13:13,470 --> 00:13:16,200
because we say certain things
that we can't keep our word in every

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00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,640
case, but our heart should be
to display this type of love to other

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00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,200
Christians so that our
children, so that our grandchildren,

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00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:27,560
so that other people around us
can see authentic faith in action.

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00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,040
Another passage of scripture
that speaks of this type of authentic

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love is in Romans chapter 12.

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00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,360
We're going to get there in
our study in the Book of Romans.

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00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,480
But the Bible speaks in Romans
chapter 12 about how we're supposed

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00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:39,720
to live out what we believe.

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00:13:40,270 --> 00:13:43,390
And part of living out what we
believe is by how we treat other

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Christians.

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00:13:44,270 --> 00:13:48,670
And So Romans chapter 12 tells
us that we're tight, we're to love,

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00:13:48,830 --> 00:13:51,630
as it says here, to love without.

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00:13:51,710 --> 00:13:54,910
If you have the King James
there, it says, love, let love be

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00:13:54,910 --> 00:13:56,190
without dissimulation.

303
00:13:56,350 --> 00:13:59,950
Now, we don't use the word
dissimulation often, but it's a old

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00:13:59,950 --> 00:14:01,950
term that basically means hypocrisy.

305
00:14:02,110 --> 00:14:04,110
So let love be without hypocrisy.

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00:14:04,430 --> 00:14:06,950
Another reminder for us as
Christians that if we're going to

307
00:14:06,950 --> 00:14:09,270
show love, which the
assumption is we're going to show

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00:14:09,270 --> 00:14:11,950
love, that's, that's one of
the calls of being a Christian, is

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00:14:11,950 --> 00:14:12,990
to show love for other people.

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00:14:12,990 --> 00:14:13,990
What does it mean to love someone?

311
00:14:13,990 --> 00:14:15,510
It means the sacrifice for them.

312
00:14:16,150 --> 00:14:18,830
The type of agape love that
we're called to have for people is

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00:14:18,830 --> 00:14:20,590
not a selfish love.

314
00:14:20,590 --> 00:14:21,990
It's a selfless love.

315
00:14:22,550 --> 00:14:23,910
Selfish love is this.

316
00:14:23,990 --> 00:14:25,670
Selfish love is what the world teaches.

317
00:14:25,670 --> 00:14:28,630
Remember sincere faith in a
superficial world.

318
00:14:28,710 --> 00:14:30,550
What does a superficial world teach?

319
00:14:30,790 --> 00:14:33,350
Well, love is loving somebody
who will love you.

320
00:14:33,970 --> 00:14:36,930
Love is loving someone who
will do good for you, make you feel

321
00:14:36,930 --> 00:14:38,770
good, give something back to you.

322
00:14:38,770 --> 00:14:42,490
It's a, it's a transactional
type of love that our world teaches

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00:14:42,490 --> 00:14:42,770
today.

324
00:14:43,410 --> 00:14:46,730
But biblical love in many
cases is talking about this agape

325
00:14:46,730 --> 00:14:48,450
love that's sacrificial.

326
00:14:48,450 --> 00:14:51,330
I'm going to love with the
risk of not being loved back.

327
00:14:51,410 --> 00:14:53,730
Isn't that the type of love
that God displayed for us?

328
00:14:54,610 --> 00:14:58,250
When Jesus went to the cross,
There was the understanding and the

329
00:14:58,250 --> 00:15:00,170
knowledge that there would be
many who would not believe.

330
00:15:00,170 --> 00:15:02,600
But yet the understanding from
the Lord was this.

331
00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,120
I'm still going to show the love.

332
00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:05,800
I'm still going to demonstrate
the love.

333
00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,800
When a parent, specifically in
this context, on Mother's Day, when

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00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,840
a mom is raising her child,
true love is this.

335
00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:16,680
I don't care what they say,
I'm still going to love them.

336
00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,320
You know, a, a, a selfish
mother would say, well, if a child

337
00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:22,120
talks back to me, I'm not
loving them anymore.

338
00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,520
That's not the type of
motherly love that the Bible calls

339
00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:25,160
us to have.

340
00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:27,960
The Bible calls us to have the
type of love that says, no matter

341
00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:29,680
what that person does, I'm
still going to love them.

342
00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,360
I'm still going to sacrifice
for them.

343
00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,000
I'm still going to put my life
in the way for them.

344
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,320
And that's what the type of
love that God's calling us to have.

345
00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:40,360
And that's the type of love
that shows us in, in many ways the

346
00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:41,920
authenticity of what we believe.

347
00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,000
If we truly believe what we say.

348
00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:48,960
We believe that unfeigned
faith will be producing unfeigned,

349
00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:50,480
unhypocritical love.

350
00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:55,700
And so it says in Romans 12,
9, love, let love be without dissimulation,

351
00:15:56,020 --> 00:15:58,580
Abhor that which is evil,
cleave to that which is good.

352
00:15:58,980 --> 00:16:03,180
And so the reminder for us as
we want to demonstrate sincere faith

353
00:16:03,180 --> 00:16:05,940
and share sincere faith would
be this.

354
00:16:06,340 --> 00:16:10,260
It would be to love
authentically, to love consistently,

355
00:16:10,660 --> 00:16:12,100
to love differently.

356
00:16:12,980 --> 00:16:16,780
We want our children, our
grandchildren, the next generation

357
00:16:16,780 --> 00:16:20,260
that's being raised in the
church, to see people that are different.

358
00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:22,080
Wow.

359
00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,440
That didn't make a lot of
sense that dad or mom would do that

360
00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:26,360
for somebody else.

361
00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:30,440
That, that didn't make a lot
of sense that dad or mom would give

362
00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:32,600
someone that thing or to do
that for them.

363
00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:33,600
What did they do for you?

364
00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,600
Well, they did nothing for us,
but God tells us to love them.

365
00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,000
That's what Lois and Eunice
were doing.

366
00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,320
They were demonstrating an
authentic faith.

367
00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:45,440
So there, there was a sincere
faith, there was a shared faith with

368
00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:45,800
the love.

369
00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,200
But the Bible also talks about
the wisdom of God that can come through

370
00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:51,120
unfeigned faith.

371
00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:52,640
Go with me to the book of James.

372
00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:54,400
James chapter 3, verse 17.

373
00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,600
The Bible tells us that God
can give us through unfeigned faith.

374
00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,760
What we would say is unfeigned
wisdom or, or true wisdom.

375
00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,560
Now there's superficial wisdom
that comes from this world, right?

376
00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,760
We know that if you go to
someone, or if you go to the Internet,

377
00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:13,960
or if you go to someone who
has no belief in the Lord or belief

378
00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,200
in His Word, there would be
some level of wisdom that's given.

379
00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:18,760
But that's man made wisdom.

380
00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,760
That's wisdom that's going to
be lacking that superficial wisdom.

381
00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,360
Maybe it's this, hey, should I
do this?

382
00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:28,320
Should I sacrifice here?

383
00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,360
And someone says, no, what's
that benefiting you?

384
00:17:30,679 --> 00:17:31,760
How's that going to benefit you?

385
00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,160
How that's, how's that going
to help you?

386
00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:34,440
How's that going to bless you?

387
00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:35,680
That's worldly wisdom.

388
00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,120
Worldly wisdom is, don't do it
unless it helps you out.

389
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,320
Don't do it unless it
amplifies you, lifts you up.

390
00:17:41,910 --> 00:17:43,110
But godly wisdom is different.

391
00:17:43,270 --> 00:17:46,790
So James chapter 3, verse 17
says, but the wisdom that is from

392
00:17:46,790 --> 00:17:54,030
above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle and easy to be

393
00:17:54,030 --> 00:17:59,150
entreated, full of mercy and
good fruits, without partiality and

394
00:17:59,150 --> 00:18:00,390
without hypocrisy.

395
00:18:01,030 --> 00:18:04,910
The Bible says that unfeigned
faith brings about unfeigned wisdom

396
00:18:04,910 --> 00:18:06,670
from God, imparted to others.

397
00:18:06,670 --> 00:18:09,860
Because remember our three
words today, it's going to be sincere,

398
00:18:10,100 --> 00:18:11,940
shared, and then we're going
to get to another one at the Very

399
00:18:11,940 --> 00:18:12,260
end.

400
00:18:12,260 --> 00:18:14,100
But we have sincere and shared.

401
00:18:14,900 --> 00:18:19,300
So for me, to have sincere
faith is to pass on something by

402
00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:20,020
sharing it.

403
00:18:20,180 --> 00:18:25,900
So if God is giving me wisdom
that's unhypocritical, I'm to pass

404
00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:28,260
along that wisdom that's unhypocritical.

405
00:18:28,420 --> 00:18:32,140
So it says there at the end of
that verse 17, it says, and to have

406
00:18:32,140 --> 00:18:33,540
that wisdom, that is what?

407
00:18:33,620 --> 00:18:36,280
Well, pure, first of all,
God's wisdom.

408
00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,440
That's in the case here.

409
00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:41,000
With authentic faith, God's
wisdom is always pure.

410
00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:43,560
God's wisdom is always peaceable.

411
00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:48,040
It's gentle, it's easy to be
entreated, full of mercy and good

412
00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:48,440
fruits.

413
00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,680
It's always going to be
aligned with the Word.

414
00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,760
It's without partiality,
meaning it's not a respecter of persons.

415
00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,560
It's not going to look at
someone and say, well, this wisdom's

416
00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,480
for you and you're because
you're better.

417
00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:00,440
And this wisdom over here,
we're not going to give it to you.

418
00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:00,680
No.

419
00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,360
The Bible says that God sheds
his wisdom upon all that ask in faith.

420
00:19:04,550 --> 00:19:07,350
And then it says there at the
end of verse 17, without hypocrisy

421
00:19:07,750 --> 00:19:10,630
and the fruit of righteousness
is sown in peace of them that make

422
00:19:10,630 --> 00:19:10,950
peace.

423
00:19:10,950 --> 00:19:14,230
Meaning the idea is that there
will always be peace along with this

424
00:19:14,230 --> 00:19:15,750
type of wisdom that God brings.

425
00:19:15,830 --> 00:19:18,150
It doesn't mean that there's
going to be peaceful circumstances.

426
00:19:18,310 --> 00:19:20,669
It's just going to mean that
there's going to be peace in the

427
00:19:20,669 --> 00:19:22,470
midst of the difficult circumstances.

428
00:19:23,030 --> 00:19:27,510
And so with authentic faith
comes authentic love, comes authentic

429
00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:27,990
wisdom.

430
00:19:28,710 --> 00:19:30,470
Authentic wisdom does not come
from me.

431
00:19:30,470 --> 00:19:31,830
Authentic wisdom comes from God.

432
00:19:31,830 --> 00:19:36,170
So part of Lois and Eunice's
relationship with Timothy no doubt

433
00:19:36,250 --> 00:19:39,530
was giving him wisdom, giving
him godly wisdom.

434
00:19:40,170 --> 00:19:42,210
That godly wisdom came from a source.

435
00:19:42,210 --> 00:19:45,290
And we see in James chapter
three that source comes from God.

436
00:19:46,730 --> 00:19:50,930
When we want to display our
unfeigned, unhypocritical faith to

437
00:19:50,930 --> 00:19:53,730
others, and people come to us
and ask us questions.

438
00:19:53,730 --> 00:19:55,810
It should always go through
the lens of the gospel.

439
00:19:55,810 --> 00:19:57,530
It should always go through
the lens of truth.

440
00:19:57,530 --> 00:20:00,180
It should always go through
the lens of what I believe about

441
00:20:00,180 --> 00:20:02,100
God, not what I believe about myself.

442
00:20:02,900 --> 00:20:06,500
There's times in my life where
it's a lot more convenient, it's

443
00:20:06,500 --> 00:20:10,180
a lot more peaceable in my
mind to choose my path.

444
00:20:10,420 --> 00:20:12,980
But the Bible says that
choosing the path of the Lord is

445
00:20:12,980 --> 00:20:13,979
a difficult path.

446
00:20:13,979 --> 00:20:14,500
Sometimes.

447
00:20:14,500 --> 00:20:16,300
Sometimes it's not going to
bring me pleasure.

448
00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:20,180
But what the Bible says is
that if we want to share our authentic

449
00:20:20,180 --> 00:20:23,180
faith that God has given us,
and we want to share that with others,

450
00:20:23,180 --> 00:20:24,720
we must sacrifice.

451
00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:26,160
We must go to the Lord.

452
00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:27,680
We must put him first.

453
00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,200
There's a whole passage of
Scripture and we're going to go there,

454
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:35,040
here in a few moments that
talks about how God can search our

455
00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:35,520
hearts.

456
00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,680
We know that he's searching
our hearts, but oftentimes we put

457
00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:39,280
up a barrier.

458
00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:42,800
Oftentimes we think that we
have some type of hidden knowledge

459
00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:44,480
that nobody in the world knows about.

460
00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,440
And again, that's the type of
wisdom that the world gives.

461
00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,410
In a superficial world, the
world says if nobody knows about

462
00:20:50,410 --> 00:20:51,290
it, it's okay.

463
00:20:52,490 --> 00:20:55,370
If, if nobody is affected by
this, it's okay.

464
00:20:55,690 --> 00:20:57,410
I don't know if you've ever
heard that teaching.

465
00:20:57,410 --> 00:20:59,210
Well, maybe you've heard it
this way.

466
00:21:00,650 --> 00:21:01,930
It's not hurting anybody.

467
00:21:02,890 --> 00:21:06,450
Truth is, is that a lot of
times if what I'm doing, even though

468
00:21:06,450 --> 00:21:08,490
I don't think it's hurting
anybody, it's hurting somebody.

469
00:21:09,050 --> 00:21:12,370
Because if I'm living
inauthentically, it affects those

470
00:21:12,370 --> 00:21:13,930
that I'm ministering to.

471
00:21:14,330 --> 00:21:16,930
So for Lois and Eunice, if
they were inauthentic in what they

472
00:21:16,930 --> 00:21:21,070
were doing, if they were being
guarded with the truth of God in

473
00:21:21,070 --> 00:21:23,870
their lives, Timothy would
have not been able to see their open

474
00:21:23,870 --> 00:21:24,150
heart.

475
00:21:24,150 --> 00:21:27,350
And so we see a guy named
David in Psalm chapter 139.

476
00:21:27,350 --> 00:21:30,430
And by the way, what David is
talking about here is something that

477
00:21:30,430 --> 00:21:31,910
all of us need to be
challenged with.

478
00:21:32,230 --> 00:21:34,630
It's this idea that God
already knows.

479
00:21:35,270 --> 00:21:37,550
Did you know that no matter
what you try to hide from God, he

480
00:21:37,550 --> 00:21:38,310
already knows it?

481
00:21:38,870 --> 00:21:41,470
I mean, I, I think that
sometimes in our life it's like my

482
00:21:41,470 --> 00:21:42,830
kids trying to hide something
from me.

483
00:21:42,830 --> 00:21:44,810
It's like when I tried to hide
something from my parents.

484
00:21:44,810 --> 00:21:48,170
My parents knew me so well
that they knew what I was hiding.

485
00:21:48,170 --> 00:21:51,010
They knew my heart even though
they couldn't see it visibly.

486
00:21:51,010 --> 00:21:52,810
They knew me so well that they
understood me.

487
00:21:52,890 --> 00:21:56,250
Think about God in such a more
infinite scale knows every thought

488
00:21:56,250 --> 00:21:57,090
that I've ever had.

489
00:21:57,090 --> 00:21:59,290
He knows every action that
I've ever done.

490
00:21:59,530 --> 00:22:02,370
And so the Bible tells us that
if God already knows it, how should

491
00:22:02,370 --> 00:22:03,530
we be living in our life?

492
00:22:03,610 --> 00:22:05,570
How should we be facing Him?

493
00:22:05,570 --> 00:22:09,800
And the Bible says in Psalm
139, David is talking here at David

494
00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,000
is attributing God's all
knowing nature.

495
00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,880
And I think all of us have to
come to this point in, in our lives

496
00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:16,560
when we want to live authentically.

497
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,400
If we want to be a Lois in
unice to a Timothy, we have to live

498
00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,040
Psalm139 out.

499
00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:24,480
We have to do this on a
regular basis.

500
00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:28,240
Verse 1 says, oh Lord, thou
has searched me and known me.

501
00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,920
It's a recognition that God
already knows my heart.

502
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,000
Whether you are walking in
faith, whether you're walking in

503
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,000
doubt, whether you're walking
in sin, whether you're walking in

504
00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:45,180
obed obedience, whatever way
you are walking, God already knows.

505
00:22:45,180 --> 00:22:49,020
David recognizes that God
already knows my heart.

506
00:22:49,180 --> 00:22:52,380
My children might not know my
heart, my spouse might not know my

507
00:22:52,380 --> 00:22:56,860
heart, my pastor might not
know my heart, but God knows my heart.

508
00:22:57,179 --> 00:23:01,260
Verse 2, Thou knowest my down
setting and mine uprising.

509
00:23:01,260 --> 00:23:03,580
Thou understandest my thought
afar off.

510
00:23:03,820 --> 00:23:07,260
So God not only knows my
heart, but he knows my thoughts and

511
00:23:07,260 --> 00:23:07,980
my actions.

512
00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,320
Now this isn't a message to
make you feel super convicted, but

513
00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,640
maybe the word of God will
bring you some conviction.

514
00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:16,840
God knows everything.

515
00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:18,280
You can't hide it from him.

516
00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,400
He, you can't hide your
thoughts, you can't hide your actions.

517
00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:23,800
And so David says, okay.

518
00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,760
With that being in mind, he
says, thou compass my path and my

519
00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:31,000
lying down and are acquainted
with all my ways, for there is not

520
00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,080
a word in my tongue but lo, O
Lord, thou knowest it all together.

521
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,840
Thou has beset me behind and
before and laid thy hand upon me.

522
00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,360
So he says, you've guided me.

523
00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:42,800
You know me.

524
00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:46,000
Such knowledge is too
wonderful for me.

525
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:46,760
It is high.

526
00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,080
I cannot attain it.

527
00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:49,960
What is he saying here?

528
00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:50,640
He says this.

529
00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:56,280
When I stand before the Lord,
when I understand his grandeur and

530
00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,400
when I understand my
limitations, it brings me to a place

531
00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,080
of humility, and it brings me
to a place of authenticity.

532
00:24:03,050 --> 00:24:06,370
You know, when I am trying to
make people think a certain thing

533
00:24:06,370 --> 00:24:08,050
about me, I have pride, right?

534
00:24:08,050 --> 00:24:11,770
It's pride that I want someone
to think that I'm better than I am.

535
00:24:12,490 --> 00:24:15,210
And what David is saying is,
God, you already know so much.

536
00:24:15,210 --> 00:24:16,730
You're so big, I'm so little.

537
00:24:16,730 --> 00:24:18,650
And it brings them to a place
of humility.

538
00:24:19,050 --> 00:24:22,970
So always, always attached to
transparency and authenticity is

539
00:24:22,970 --> 00:24:23,450
humility.

540
00:24:23,850 --> 00:24:25,330
So he comes to a place of humility.

541
00:24:25,330 --> 00:24:28,850
Here he says in verse seven,
whither shall I go from my spirit?

542
00:24:28,850 --> 00:24:30,770
Or whether shall I flee from
thy presence?

543
00:24:30,770 --> 00:24:32,330
He says, I can't run from you.

544
00:24:32,330 --> 00:24:33,690
I can't hide from you.

545
00:24:34,010 --> 00:24:36,250
If I ascend up into heaven,
thou art there.

546
00:24:36,250 --> 00:24:38,890
If I make my bed in hell,
behold, thou art there.

547
00:24:38,890 --> 00:24:40,810
He's basically just teaching this.

548
00:24:40,810 --> 00:24:41,730
I can't run from you.

549
00:24:41,730 --> 00:24:42,890
No matter where I go.

550
00:24:43,050 --> 00:24:45,650
I can try to go to the place
that no one can reach, and you're

551
00:24:45,650 --> 00:24:46,170
still there.

552
00:24:46,170 --> 00:24:48,770
He goes on to say in verse
nine, if I take the wings of the

553
00:24:48,770 --> 00:24:50,970
morning and dwell in the
uttermost part of the sea.

554
00:24:51,050 --> 00:24:52,970
Even there shall thy hand lead me.

555
00:24:52,970 --> 00:24:54,370
Thy right hand shall hold me.

556
00:24:54,370 --> 00:24:56,090
He says, I can't hide from you.

557
00:24:56,090 --> 00:24:57,690
You're holding me no matter
where I go.

558
00:24:57,690 --> 00:25:01,320
Verse 11 if I say, surely the
darkness shall cover me, even the

559
00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:02,800
night shall be light unto me.

560
00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,760
Yea, the darkness hideth not
from thee, but the night shineth

561
00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:06,200
as the day.

562
00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,560
The darkness and the light are
both a light to thee.

563
00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:10,400
Meaning I can't hide.

564
00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,480
There's so much darkness in
this world, but God's light is so

565
00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:14,879
much brighter than all the darkness.

566
00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:19,080
Verse 13 for thou has
possessed my reigns, Thou has covered

567
00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,440
me in my mother's womb.

568
00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,320
He says, from the very
beginning you knew me.

569
00:25:23,120 --> 00:25:24,320
Wasn't after I was born.

570
00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:27,460
It wasn't after that I started
loving you and serving you.

571
00:25:27,460 --> 00:25:28,940
You knew me from the very beginning.

572
00:25:29,100 --> 00:25:31,260
Verse 14 this is the response.

573
00:25:31,580 --> 00:25:35,020
So there's two responses to
knowing that God sees everything

574
00:25:36,140 --> 00:25:40,660
really one response to the
person who's walking in disobedience

575
00:25:40,660 --> 00:25:41,460
and sin is this.

576
00:25:41,460 --> 00:25:42,860
Oh man, that makes me scared.

577
00:25:43,100 --> 00:25:44,140
God sees everything.

578
00:25:44,460 --> 00:25:48,300
When I was a teenager and a
pastor got up and preached that sermon

579
00:25:48,380 --> 00:25:51,220
and I wasn't walking with the
Lord, that sermon brought me to a

580
00:25:51,220 --> 00:25:52,300
great place of anxiety.

581
00:25:52,980 --> 00:25:53,780
God knows everything.

582
00:25:53,940 --> 00:25:56,300
Oh man, God saw me doing that.

583
00:25:56,300 --> 00:25:59,460
God heard me thinking this, oh
man, that's not a good thing.

584
00:25:59,460 --> 00:26:03,060
Because when I'm walking in
obedience, that type of oversight

585
00:26:03,140 --> 00:26:05,300
stresses me out because I'm
hiding from that.

586
00:26:05,300 --> 00:26:06,660
I don't want to face that.

587
00:26:06,820 --> 00:26:09,900
But a person who's walking in
the goodness of God, the person who's

588
00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:13,060
walking in fellowship with
him, it should bring another response.

589
00:26:13,220 --> 00:26:15,740
So the fact is, is that if I'm
walking with the Lord, I have nothing

590
00:26:15,740 --> 00:26:17,700
to hide and I'm authentically
before him.

591
00:26:18,110 --> 00:26:20,910
Then that brings me comfort
and joy knowing that God sees everything

592
00:26:21,070 --> 00:26:23,230
because he's there with me
through the struggles, he's there

593
00:26:23,230 --> 00:26:24,310
with me through the trials.

594
00:26:24,310 --> 00:26:27,750
He's there with me through all
the times in my life in which I can't

595
00:26:27,750 --> 00:26:28,350
do something.

596
00:26:28,510 --> 00:26:30,790
And so we see verse 14 David's response.

597
00:26:30,790 --> 00:26:34,990
He says, I will praise thee,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully

598
00:26:34,990 --> 00:26:35,310
made.

599
00:26:35,390 --> 00:26:38,510
Marvelous are thy works, and
that thy soul knoweth right well.

600
00:26:38,510 --> 00:26:40,310
Meaning this is a good thing
that you know.

601
00:26:40,310 --> 00:26:43,550
Everything about me goes on to
say this.

602
00:26:43,550 --> 00:26:46,310
Verse 15 he says, My substance
was not hid from thee when I was

603
00:26:46,310 --> 00:26:49,060
made in secret and curiously
wrought in the lowest part of the

604
00:26:49,060 --> 00:26:50,940
earth, Thine eyes did see my substance.

605
00:26:50,940 --> 00:26:54,260
Yet being unperfect and in Thy
book, all my members were written,

606
00:26:54,260 --> 00:26:57,780
which is in continuance, were
fashioned, when as yet there was

607
00:26:57,780 --> 00:26:58,340
none of them.

608
00:26:58,340 --> 00:27:02,300
How precious also are thy
thoughts unto me, oh God, how great

609
00:27:02,300 --> 00:27:03,260
is the sum of them.

610
00:27:03,260 --> 00:27:05,540
Meaning God only wants what's
best for us.

611
00:27:05,780 --> 00:27:07,860
God doesn't want anything
harmful to come to us.

612
00:27:07,860 --> 00:27:09,420
God wants us to come to repentance.

613
00:27:09,420 --> 00:27:11,340
God wants us to walk in
fellowship with him.

614
00:27:11,340 --> 00:27:14,360
God wants us to have all the
blessings of this world and all the

615
00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:15,440
blessings of eternity.

616
00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:16,240
Verse 18.

617
00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,280
If I should count them, they
are more in number than the sand.

618
00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,200
When I awake, I am still with thee.

619
00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:23,920
Surely thou wilt slay the
wicked, oh God.

620
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,480
Depart from me therefore, ye
bloody men, for they speak against

621
00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:28,320
thee wickedly.

622
00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,840
And thine enemy take thy name
in vain.

623
00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,480
Do not I hate them, O Lord,
that hate thee and am not.

624
00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,760
I grieved with those that rise
up against thee.

625
00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:39,640
I hate them with a perfect hatred.

626
00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:41,480
I count them mine enemies.

627
00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:43,280
So what David's saying here is this.

628
00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,480
He's saying, everyone that's
against you, I'm against them.

629
00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:47,240
I. I don't want to be on their side.

630
00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,480
I don't want to ever be
associated with anything against

631
00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:51,320
you, Lord, I want to be on
your side.

632
00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:54,280
That's that type of
consistency that we were talking

633
00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:54,600
about.

634
00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:55,360
He wants to.

635
00:27:55,360 --> 00:27:58,040
He's asking the Lord to give
him strength to be consistent.

636
00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:01,840
Folks, there's a lot of people
in this world that have caused a

637
00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,360
lot of people to stumble
because a lack of consistency with,

638
00:28:04,360 --> 00:28:07,320
with beliefs, preferences,
values, convictions.

639
00:28:08,110 --> 00:28:10,630
For example, if I say, hey,
we're not doing this, and we're the

640
00:28:10,630 --> 00:28:12,430
most holy people because we're
not doing this.

641
00:28:12,430 --> 00:28:13,990
But over here, that's my pet sin.

642
00:28:13,990 --> 00:28:16,670
We can keep doing that, okay?

643
00:28:17,390 --> 00:28:21,470
If we can't see through that
inauthenticity, children can.

644
00:28:22,270 --> 00:28:24,430
Children are going to
understand growing up that, well,

645
00:28:24,430 --> 00:28:26,990
dad said one thing but did
another thing, or he was really strong

646
00:28:26,990 --> 00:28:29,070
on this area, but over here,
he didn't care about this.

647
00:28:29,150 --> 00:28:31,710
Folks, we need to be
consistent with our preferences,

648
00:28:31,870 --> 00:28:33,310
consistent with our convictions.

649
00:28:34,490 --> 00:28:36,770
Folks, we can't make our
convictions farther than we can even

650
00:28:36,770 --> 00:28:37,770
keep those convictions.

651
00:28:38,650 --> 00:28:39,650
Sometimes that's what we do.

652
00:28:39,650 --> 00:28:42,730
Sometimes we make our
convictions or our preferences so

653
00:28:42,730 --> 00:28:44,850
far in advance that we can't
even keep up with it.

654
00:28:44,850 --> 00:28:46,570
Folks, no one can be perfect.

655
00:28:46,810 --> 00:28:47,890
We have to understand that.

656
00:28:47,890 --> 00:28:50,130
So if we're trying to set up
an environment where everyone to

657
00:28:50,130 --> 00:28:52,170
be perfect, none of us are
going to reach that environment.

658
00:28:52,330 --> 00:28:55,610
We got to strive to be like
the Lord, but ultimately understand

659
00:28:55,610 --> 00:28:58,650
that we are going to fall
short and there's grace there that

660
00:28:58,980 --> 00:29:01,380
when we fall short, it doesn't
mean that we're hypocritical.

661
00:29:01,460 --> 00:29:03,900
It just means that when we
fall short, we recognize where we

662
00:29:03,900 --> 00:29:06,620
fall short and understand that
it's only God who can give us forgiveness

663
00:29:06,620 --> 00:29:10,500
and strength and not celebrate
the fall, but celebrate the restoration.

664
00:29:10,900 --> 00:29:14,540
And so what we can see here is
he says, I don't want to be inconsistent.

665
00:29:14,540 --> 00:29:15,780
I don't want to be with them.

666
00:29:16,260 --> 00:29:19,340
And then verse 23 and 24
really should be the challenge for

667
00:29:19,340 --> 00:29:22,340
us, as Lois and Eunice were
authentic in their faith.

668
00:29:22,420 --> 00:29:26,950
So we should ask God to give
us this type of authenticity.

669
00:29:27,030 --> 00:29:30,310
David says, search me, oh God,
and know my heart.

670
00:29:31,270 --> 00:29:35,950
Try me and know my thoughts
and see if there be any wicked way

671
00:29:35,950 --> 00:29:37,830
in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

672
00:29:37,830 --> 00:29:38,870
What is David asking?

673
00:29:38,950 --> 00:29:40,630
David saying, lord, search me.

674
00:29:40,630 --> 00:29:42,350
Now, the Lord has already
searched us.

675
00:29:42,350 --> 00:29:43,910
The Lord already knows our heart.

676
00:29:43,990 --> 00:29:46,630
But what David is doing is
he's opening himself up and he's

677
00:29:46,630 --> 00:29:47,830
saying, lord, search me.

678
00:29:47,830 --> 00:29:51,710
Then reveal to me where I'm
wrong and allow me to be consistent

679
00:29:51,710 --> 00:29:52,350
in my faith.

680
00:29:52,350 --> 00:29:54,660
He says, and lead me in the
way everlasting.

681
00:29:54,740 --> 00:29:55,860
Point out to me, Lord.

682
00:29:55,860 --> 00:29:58,900
Make it clear for me where I'm
wrong and where I can get that right.

683
00:29:59,540 --> 00:30:02,620
To be an authentic Christian
means to recognize where we've gone

684
00:30:02,620 --> 00:30:06,500
astray, allow the Holy Spirit
to convict our hearts and don't allow

685
00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:09,740
that Holy Spirit conviction to
cause us to be defeated, but to cause

686
00:30:09,740 --> 00:30:13,700
us to come to a place of
comfort and to a place of repentance.

687
00:30:13,700 --> 00:30:17,860
And so for all of us, we
should be asking God to search our

688
00:30:17,860 --> 00:30:21,260
heart daily so that we can be
consistent in what we believe and

689
00:30:21,260 --> 00:30:24,540
consistent in what we say and
consistent and authentic with what

690
00:30:24,540 --> 00:30:28,340
God has allowed for us to have
in our life as the blessings of salvation.

691
00:30:28,580 --> 00:30:32,460
And speaking of salvation, I
think a part of this is understanding

692
00:30:32,460 --> 00:30:33,780
what we should be focused on.

693
00:30:34,180 --> 00:30:37,099
To be an authentic Christian
means that we're gospel centric,

694
00:30:37,099 --> 00:30:38,900
not individual centric.

695
00:30:39,300 --> 00:30:40,420
Think about it this way.

696
00:30:40,980 --> 00:30:44,420
Everything that I do should be
seen through the lens of the Gospel.

697
00:30:45,060 --> 00:30:48,290
Everything that I do within my
family, when, whether it be discipline,

698
00:30:48,290 --> 00:30:52,050
whether it be celebration,
whether it be fun, whether it be

699
00:30:52,210 --> 00:30:56,010
just whatever rest, all of the
things that I do within my life should

700
00:30:56,010 --> 00:30:57,890
be seen through the gospel lens.

701
00:30:58,530 --> 00:31:01,210
You know, for, for example,
you've heard the analogy of seeing

702
00:31:01,210 --> 00:31:02,570
things through rose colored glasses.

703
00:31:02,570 --> 00:31:04,770
You know, you put on red
glasses, everything you're going

704
00:31:04,770 --> 00:31:05,570
to see is.

705
00:31:05,570 --> 00:31:08,610
Is going to have a red tint to
it, right?

706
00:31:08,850 --> 00:31:12,170
Everything that we see in our
life should have a gospel tint to

707
00:31:12,170 --> 00:31:15,860
it to understand the gospel
implications of the decisions that

708
00:31:15,860 --> 00:31:16,380
we're making.

709
00:31:17,660 --> 00:31:21,380
You know, I'll just speak to
you in a way that is transparent

710
00:31:21,380 --> 00:31:22,700
and authentic here this morning.

711
00:31:23,900 --> 00:31:27,500
One of the things that I
struggle with as a parent, and I'm

712
00:31:27,500 --> 00:31:29,780
still in that struggle, Some
of you might be still in the struggle.

713
00:31:29,780 --> 00:31:32,140
Some of you might say that was
a long time ago.

714
00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:34,260
Some of you might say I
mastered this.

715
00:31:34,260 --> 00:31:35,020
But whatever.

716
00:31:36,140 --> 00:31:38,860
When I'm disciplining my
children or when I'm.

717
00:31:38,860 --> 00:31:42,910
I'm trying to teach them to do
right, many times my flesh is.

718
00:31:42,910 --> 00:31:46,510
I want my children to obey me
because it's embarrassing to me when

719
00:31:46,510 --> 00:31:47,510
they're not acting right.

720
00:31:47,910 --> 00:31:51,430
It's a, it's an, it's an
affront to me and it's a selfish

721
00:31:51,430 --> 00:31:55,350
way in which I'm going about
it instead of saying, I want to discipline

722
00:31:55,350 --> 00:31:59,150
these children in the proper
way so that they can understand their

723
00:31:59,150 --> 00:32:00,230
relationship with God.

724
00:32:00,230 --> 00:32:03,830
Yes, I am set up as authority
to my children, but I am not the

725
00:32:03,830 --> 00:32:07,190
ultimate end all be all to
their authority and their worship.

726
00:32:07,540 --> 00:32:09,140
And so it's pointing them to Christ.

727
00:32:09,380 --> 00:32:12,100
Lois and Eunice pointed
Timothy to Christ.

728
00:32:12,580 --> 00:32:16,340
They pointed Timothy to a
relationship with him, not just following

729
00:32:16,340 --> 00:32:16,700
them.

730
00:32:16,700 --> 00:32:19,340
And so the point that I'm
trying to make here is that anything

731
00:32:19,340 --> 00:32:22,420
that we do, even if it's under
the realm of being a good thing,

732
00:32:22,580 --> 00:32:26,820
if it's self focused, it's the
wrong focus, it's the wrong motivation,

733
00:32:27,540 --> 00:32:30,660
it always must be a gospel
motivation to what we're doing in

734
00:32:30,660 --> 00:32:32,840
our lives by our teaching, by our.

735
00:32:33,390 --> 00:32:38,590
By our discipline, by our
love, by our sacrifice, by our giving,

736
00:32:38,990 --> 00:32:40,350
by anything that we do.

737
00:32:40,510 --> 00:32:44,190
It must be through the lens of
this is what Jesus did for me, and

738
00:32:44,190 --> 00:32:47,310
now this is what I'm doing for
him because he gave me so much.

739
00:32:48,110 --> 00:32:50,150
It's sincere words and actions.

740
00:32:50,150 --> 00:32:50,990
It's humility.

741
00:32:51,710 --> 00:32:53,950
First Timothy, chapter one,
verse five.

742
00:32:53,950 --> 00:32:56,910
So we are in second Timothy,
chapter one, verse five dot and it's

743
00:32:56,910 --> 00:32:59,550
interesting that in first
Timothy, chapter one, verse five,

744
00:32:59,900 --> 00:33:03,580
it talks about this very
thing, about having this type of

745
00:33:04,060 --> 00:33:07,900
love, this type of faith, this
type of conscience.

746
00:33:08,700 --> 00:33:12,900
And I think all of us to some
degree understand that there's a

747
00:33:12,900 --> 00:33:17,300
bigger picture, that there is
a bigger battle than what we think

748
00:33:17,300 --> 00:33:19,820
we're fighting sometimes in
this superficial world.

749
00:33:20,060 --> 00:33:26,140
And in First Timothy chapter
one, he's talking about being distracted.

750
00:33:27,340 --> 00:33:30,660
And, and so in, in verse
number three, he says, as I besought

751
00:33:30,660 --> 00:33:34,620
thee to abide still at
Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia,

752
00:33:34,620 --> 00:33:38,620
that thou minus charged some
that they teach no other doctrine,

753
00:33:38,620 --> 00:33:42,739
meaning there were people that
were teaching the wrong teachings

754
00:33:42,739 --> 00:33:43,100
there.

755
00:33:43,260 --> 00:33:47,340
And verse four, he says,
neither give heed to fables and endless

756
00:33:47,340 --> 00:33:52,500
genealogies which minister
questions rather than godly edifying,

757
00:33:52,500 --> 00:33:53,420
which is in faith.

758
00:33:54,540 --> 00:33:58,620
So he says people are teaching
things that are a distraction.

759
00:33:58,780 --> 00:34:00,700
People are teaching things
that don't matter.

760
00:34:01,100 --> 00:34:05,260
He says it's these
genealogies, these fables, these

761
00:34:05,260 --> 00:34:07,180
things that have no standing
in the Gospel.

762
00:34:07,180 --> 00:34:09,500
He says those are distractions.

763
00:34:10,540 --> 00:34:14,180
Those are things that are
pulling the attention away from what

764
00:34:14,180 --> 00:34:15,420
needs to be taught.

765
00:34:16,460 --> 00:34:20,750
And so for us in this world,
remember sincere faith in a superficial

766
00:34:20,750 --> 00:34:21,030
world.

767
00:34:21,030 --> 00:34:24,550
We're living in a superficial
world that has so many distractions.

768
00:34:26,390 --> 00:34:30,350
Our children that you see
running around the church have so

769
00:34:30,350 --> 00:34:31,430
many distractions.

770
00:34:32,070 --> 00:34:35,590
There's so many different
voices that are trying to pull them

771
00:34:35,590 --> 00:34:36,870
away from the truth.

772
00:34:38,550 --> 00:34:42,830
The adults that you see in the
room with you today have so many

773
00:34:42,830 --> 00:34:46,270
distractions, so many things
that are trying to pull us away from

774
00:34:46,270 --> 00:34:46,790
the truth.

775
00:34:47,590 --> 00:34:50,910
It's hard to live as an
authentic Christian when there's

776
00:34:50,910 --> 00:34:52,950
so much superficial nature
around us.

777
00:34:53,510 --> 00:34:57,430
There's so many lies that are
around us, and in a world of lies,

778
00:34:57,430 --> 00:34:58,670
the truth seems crazy.

779
00:34:58,670 --> 00:35:01,270
And so for us to live boldly,
what do we do?

780
00:35:01,270 --> 00:35:04,550
Well, it says in verse five
now, the end of the commandment is

781
00:35:04,550 --> 00:35:05,430
charity or love.

782
00:35:05,430 --> 00:35:11,590
That's that agape, love out of
a pure heart and of a good conscience

783
00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:16,560
and of faith unfeigned, same
word without hypocrisy.

784
00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,360
The Bible says here that what
do we want to teach our children?

785
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:23,160
Well, not fables, not endless
useless genealogies.

786
00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:25,720
Even though if you're into
genealogy, I'm not saying it's useless,

787
00:35:25,720 --> 00:35:27,200
but it's not the gospel.

788
00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:30,280
What we're seeing here is that
he says there's so many things that

789
00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:33,920
we can teach people within the
church, within our communities, within

790
00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:35,520
our homes, within, within our world.

791
00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,960
But he says what we have to
focus on is what really matters,

792
00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:42,530
and that is to love out of a
pure heart, to have a good conscience,

793
00:35:42,610 --> 00:35:46,210
to walk with authentic faith
from which some, having swerved,

794
00:35:46,210 --> 00:35:50,330
have turned aside into vain
jangling, meaning some people have

795
00:35:50,330 --> 00:35:52,050
turned away from the authenticity.

796
00:35:53,570 --> 00:35:57,530
And so he's explaining here
that we must be laser focused on

797
00:35:57,530 --> 00:35:58,610
what we're trying to do.

798
00:35:58,610 --> 00:36:02,210
And that is to teach the next
generation what it means to understand

799
00:36:02,850 --> 00:36:06,690
the truth of Jesus Christ, to
have faith unfeigned.

800
00:36:07,510 --> 00:36:10,390
And so we go back to second
Timothy, chapter one, and we see

801
00:36:10,630 --> 00:36:17,830
verse number five, Paul's
remembrance of Timothy, Paul's remembrance

802
00:36:17,830 --> 00:36:22,630
of Lois and Eunice, and we're
going to conclude here with these

803
00:36:22,630 --> 00:36:24,150
thoughts this morning.

804
00:36:24,310 --> 00:36:26,870
Second Timothy, chapter one,
verse five, he says, when I call

805
00:36:26,870 --> 00:36:30,150
to remembrance the unfeigned
faith that is in thee.

806
00:36:30,790 --> 00:36:34,580
So first of all, we see that
it's a sincere faith which dwelt

807
00:36:34,580 --> 00:36:37,820
first in thy grandmother Lois
and thy mother Eunice.

808
00:36:37,820 --> 00:36:39,060
It's a shared faith.

809
00:36:39,620 --> 00:36:43,100
Lois and Eunice share their
faith with Timothy, and we know that

810
00:36:43,100 --> 00:36:44,980
Timothy shared his faith with
other people.

811
00:36:45,780 --> 00:36:48,420
Another passage of scripture
that some of you might know, it's

812
00:36:48,420 --> 00:36:51,300
only probably a page away in
your bibles.

813
00:36:51,300 --> 00:36:52,854
It's a second Timothy 2.

814
00:36:52,906 --> 00:36:56,420
2 Paul says, what you've heard
of me, pass that on to other people

815
00:36:56,740 --> 00:36:58,420
so that they can pass it on to
other people.

816
00:36:58,830 --> 00:37:02,670
So, so Timothy ultimately was
one who could share his faith with

817
00:37:02,670 --> 00:37:02,990
people.

818
00:37:03,470 --> 00:37:08,910
So Lois and Eunice, they were
able to impact one man that we know

819
00:37:08,910 --> 00:37:13,710
of, but that one man was able
to impact hundreds, if not thousands,

820
00:37:13,710 --> 00:37:16,190
if not millions, because of
the Scriptures.

821
00:37:16,510 --> 00:37:21,710
Today, we know that their
unfeigned faith through their life

822
00:37:21,710 --> 00:37:25,630
and through teaching, Timothy
was able to impact so many more people.

823
00:37:26,290 --> 00:37:27,570
So it was a sincere faith.

824
00:37:27,570 --> 00:37:28,650
It was a shared faith.

825
00:37:28,650 --> 00:37:32,370
And we see lastly here in
verse five, he says, and thy mother

826
00:37:32,370 --> 00:37:37,450
Eunice, and I am persuaded in
the also, meaning it's a steadfast

827
00:37:37,450 --> 00:37:37,890
faith.

828
00:37:38,130 --> 00:37:41,570
It wasn't shallow, it wasn't
something that was just flash in

829
00:37:41,570 --> 00:37:45,130
the pan because we had a
revival moment that we were there

830
00:37:45,130 --> 00:37:47,730
and we went to church for one
year every single Sunday.

831
00:37:47,730 --> 00:37:49,330
No, this was steadfast.

832
00:37:49,330 --> 00:37:52,330
That was in the life of
Eunice, the life of Lois, and the

833
00:37:52,330 --> 00:37:54,050
life of Timothy for a lifetime.

834
00:37:54,670 --> 00:37:58,910
And what we can see is that if
we pass on the truth of the gospel

835
00:37:58,910 --> 00:38:02,190
and people believe in the
Gospel, it's something that's sincere,

836
00:38:02,190 --> 00:38:04,230
it's something that's shared,
and it's also something that can

837
00:38:04,230 --> 00:38:05,710
be steadfast in the Lord.

838
00:38:06,430 --> 00:38:09,310
And so here this morning, the
challenge for all of us, not just

839
00:38:09,310 --> 00:38:12,750
mothers, even though mothers
would be included, is are we going

840
00:38:12,750 --> 00:38:17,510
to be willing to be like Lois
and Eunice, who not only had unfeigned

841
00:38:17,510 --> 00:38:21,400
faith, unhypocritical faith,
authentic faith, but are we willing

842
00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:23,640
to say, you know what, that's
something that I want to share with

843
00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,600
somebody else now, how do we
share with somebody else?

844
00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:27,800
We've talked about it already.

845
00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:32,640
To have that unfeigned love,
to love them in such a way that's

846
00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:36,280
sacrificial, to love them in
such a way that's gospel centric.

847
00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:42,680
Recently had an opportunity to
talk to one of my children.

848
00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:44,200
And they had acted up.

849
00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,200
And at the end of the day, I
said, okay, we're all going to go

850
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:48,580
get some ice cream.

851
00:38:49,380 --> 00:38:53,420
And the one child said, but
dad, I'm.

852
00:38:53,420 --> 00:38:54,020
I'm in trouble.

853
00:38:54,580 --> 00:38:55,860
I said, yeah, but you know what?

854
00:38:56,180 --> 00:38:57,900
I'm going to take all three of
the kids and we're going to have

855
00:38:57,900 --> 00:38:58,500
ice cream.

856
00:38:58,820 --> 00:39:00,340
He said, yeah, but I don't
deserve it.

857
00:39:01,380 --> 00:39:02,700
I said, well, now I just said.

858
00:39:02,700 --> 00:39:02,940
He.

859
00:39:02,940 --> 00:39:04,259
So you know which one it was.

860
00:39:04,420 --> 00:39:05,700
He said, I don't deserve it.

861
00:39:06,980 --> 00:39:08,300
Oh, it could have been Silas.

862
00:39:08,300 --> 00:39:13,300
Okay, he could say this, but,
but, but he said, I don't deserve

863
00:39:13,300 --> 00:39:13,420
it.

864
00:39:13,420 --> 00:39:13,900
I said, you know what?

865
00:39:13,900 --> 00:39:17,750
I know, but you know, I don't
deserve God's love.

866
00:39:18,310 --> 00:39:21,230
You know, there's times that
I'm not saying all parents, you should

867
00:39:21,230 --> 00:39:24,190
give your kids everything in
every situation situation, but there

868
00:39:24,190 --> 00:39:27,030
is a time and a place
sometimes to teach that gospel centric

869
00:39:27,030 --> 00:39:29,350
grace that only could be found
in the scriptures.

870
00:39:29,750 --> 00:39:30,030
So.

871
00:39:30,030 --> 00:39:31,310
Yeah, I know, but you know what?

872
00:39:31,310 --> 00:39:32,310
I've forgiven you.

873
00:39:32,310 --> 00:39:33,270
Everything's okay.

874
00:39:33,590 --> 00:39:34,390
We're gonna go.

875
00:39:34,390 --> 00:39:36,150
Even though you don't deserve
it, I don't deserve it.

876
00:39:36,150 --> 00:39:37,190
We don't deserve salvation.

877
00:39:37,190 --> 00:39:38,190
We don't deserve God's love.

878
00:39:38,190 --> 00:39:39,270
We're gonna do this anyway.

879
00:39:39,990 --> 00:39:43,230
And in so doing, you know,
there's probably a lot more learning

880
00:39:43,230 --> 00:39:43,670
with that.

881
00:39:43,990 --> 00:39:46,790
But one of the things that we
have to do within our Christian faith

882
00:39:46,790 --> 00:39:50,750
is to tell people lessons that
we have learned, wisdom that we have

883
00:39:50,750 --> 00:39:54,990
learned from God so that we're
able to show them that type of love

884
00:39:54,990 --> 00:39:57,830
is not something that's
normal, that it is different.

885
00:39:59,190 --> 00:39:59,670
Giving.

886
00:40:01,270 --> 00:40:03,870
I'm not naturally someone who
has the gift of giving.

887
00:40:03,870 --> 00:40:05,470
I want to keep everything that
I have.

888
00:40:05,470 --> 00:40:07,470
My flesh is like, it's mine.

889
00:40:07,470 --> 00:40:08,550
No one can touch it.

890
00:40:09,050 --> 00:40:09,330
Okay.

891
00:40:09,330 --> 00:40:11,610
And that part is probably
because I'm an only child, too.

892
00:40:11,610 --> 00:40:13,130
It probably plays a lot into that.

893
00:40:13,690 --> 00:40:17,010
The reality is, though, is
that the way that we give, the way

894
00:40:17,010 --> 00:40:19,210
that we share is different.

895
00:40:19,290 --> 00:40:20,970
Therefore, someone sees that.

896
00:40:22,170 --> 00:40:25,930
I remember times in my life
when my dad, we would be doing something

897
00:40:27,130 --> 00:40:30,090
and my dad would not take part
of something with somebody else.

898
00:40:30,170 --> 00:40:32,490
He wouldn't talk a certain
way, he wouldn't do a certain thing.

899
00:40:33,210 --> 00:40:35,010
And I was like, dad, why did
you not do that?

900
00:40:35,010 --> 00:40:35,810
Why did you not say that?

901
00:40:35,810 --> 00:40:37,610
He says, because as
Christians, we don't do that, son.

902
00:40:38,030 --> 00:40:38,430
So, dad.

903
00:40:38,430 --> 00:40:39,670
But people made fun of you for that.

904
00:40:39,670 --> 00:40:40,510
He said, that's okay.

905
00:40:40,510 --> 00:40:41,150
I don't care.

906
00:40:41,630 --> 00:40:42,350
And that meant.

907
00:40:42,350 --> 00:40:45,110
That meant a lot to me because
I knew that my dad was real about

908
00:40:45,110 --> 00:40:45,790
what he said.

909
00:40:46,110 --> 00:40:49,510
He said Things in public, at
church, but then behind the scenes

910
00:40:49,510 --> 00:40:51,710
in real life, I knew that he
was real about that too.

911
00:40:52,030 --> 00:40:53,550
And that spoke volumes to me.

912
00:40:54,270 --> 00:40:57,630
And if we want what we're
teaching to resonate with people,

913
00:40:58,110 --> 00:41:03,070
if we want our children to see
that this is real, if we want the

914
00:41:03,070 --> 00:41:06,390
world to see that this is
real, the Bible says that we're to

915
00:41:06,390 --> 00:41:11,190
love authentically, we're to
serve authentically, we're to sacrifice

916
00:41:11,190 --> 00:41:15,470
authentically, not out of
ulterior motives, not out of a selfish

917
00:41:15,470 --> 00:41:15,790
heart.

918
00:41:16,430 --> 00:41:17,630
We're to say, you know what?

919
00:41:17,870 --> 00:41:20,790
If it means that I miss out on
something, fine, because I've got

920
00:41:20,790 --> 00:41:23,070
a bigger plan, I've got a
bigger purpose.

921
00:41:23,710 --> 00:41:27,190
And so Lois and Eunice were
sincere, shared it, and there was

922
00:41:27,190 --> 00:41:30,110
a steadfast nature to that
type of faith.

923
00:41:31,310 --> 00:41:39,870
Are we thinking, are we
praying for opportunities for us

924
00:41:39,870 --> 00:41:42,590
to teach gospel centric
lessons to those that are around

925
00:41:42,590 --> 00:41:42,790
us?

926
00:41:42,790 --> 00:41:44,270
It doesn't need to be a little child.

927
00:41:45,070 --> 00:41:46,270
It could be adult children.

928
00:41:47,070 --> 00:41:50,309
It could be our friends, it
could be our family, it could be

929
00:41:50,309 --> 00:41:50,750
co workers.

930
00:41:51,070 --> 00:41:54,430
Are we looking for
opportunities to display authentic

931
00:41:54,430 --> 00:41:54,750
love?

932
00:41:54,910 --> 00:41:56,750
If we are, guess what?

933
00:41:56,990 --> 00:42:00,510
When those opportunities come,
we've got to take those opportunities.

934
00:42:00,610 --> 00:42:04,440
And as Paul says, to take that
door of utterance, to take that opportunity

935
00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:09,240
to live out the gospel before
them so that it can be real to them.

936
00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:14,320
I want my children not to see
the dad's a pastor, that the church

937
00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:15,160
is a fun place.

938
00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:18,560
Even though I want church to
be fun, I want them to see that the

939
00:42:18,560 --> 00:42:22,160
greatest thing that they could
ever experience and believe in is

940
00:42:22,160 --> 00:42:23,880
a relationship with Jesus Christ.

941
00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:25,800
Lead them to Jesus.

942
00:42:27,010 --> 00:42:29,730
Lois and Eunice were not
leading Timothy to themselves.

943
00:42:30,130 --> 00:42:32,050
Paul wasn't leading Timothy to himself.

944
00:42:32,050 --> 00:42:34,130
It was all about leading him
to Jesus.

945
00:42:35,010 --> 00:42:37,650
You know, there's a big
epidemic in this world, and there's

946
00:42:37,650 --> 00:42:40,250
a lot of epidemics, but one of
the epidemics is people leaving the

947
00:42:40,250 --> 00:42:43,730
church, children that grow up
within the church and then leave.

948
00:42:43,730 --> 00:42:45,650
And we go, well, that's a lost cause.

949
00:42:45,810 --> 00:42:48,290
Sometimes they come back,
praise God for those moments.

950
00:42:48,930 --> 00:42:50,770
But we don't want them to leave.

951
00:42:52,140 --> 00:42:52,820
How do we keep them?

952
00:42:52,820 --> 00:42:53,900
Well, I don't have all the answers.

953
00:42:53,900 --> 00:42:57,260
If I did, I'd write a book
about it and maybe sell a few books.

954
00:42:57,260 --> 00:43:00,140
But the reality is, is I. I
believe one of the core principles

955
00:43:00,220 --> 00:43:05,820
to retaining people within the
church is living an authentic Christianity

956
00:43:05,820 --> 00:43:06,460
before them.

957
00:43:07,020 --> 00:43:10,060
We don't have to have the best
ministries, we don't have the most

958
00:43:10,060 --> 00:43:10,860
entertainment.

959
00:43:10,860 --> 00:43:12,420
We don't have to have anything
like that.

960
00:43:12,420 --> 00:43:14,980
What we need to do is show
people that There's a real relationship

961
00:43:14,980 --> 00:43:17,420
with Jesus Christ that can
change our life.

962
00:43:18,930 --> 00:43:19,090
That.

963
00:43:19,090 --> 00:43:22,210
That can transform a person
who has a sin nature into someone

964
00:43:22,210 --> 00:43:26,330
who loves the things that God
loves to love differently, to love

965
00:43:26,330 --> 00:43:30,010
someone who looks different,
to love someone who is from a different

966
00:43:30,010 --> 00:43:32,850
culture, from a different
background, from a different age.

967
00:43:34,210 --> 00:43:37,010
Now, I'm not saying love, by
the way, I. I hope that you understand

968
00:43:37,010 --> 00:43:37,330
this.

969
00:43:37,330 --> 00:43:40,690
I'm not saying that love is an
acceptance of a person's lifestyle,

970
00:43:41,250 --> 00:43:42,450
because I'm not saying that.

971
00:43:43,420 --> 00:43:45,900
Because love, love that way
would not be true love.

972
00:43:46,780 --> 00:43:49,660
If I love somebody and I saw
that they were doing wrong or I saw

973
00:43:49,660 --> 00:43:51,780
that they were doing something
that would harden them, and I didn't

974
00:43:51,780 --> 00:43:54,580
say something that would not
be love, that would be selfish because

975
00:43:54,580 --> 00:43:55,220
I say, you know what?

976
00:43:55,220 --> 00:43:56,620
I don't want them to get upset
with me.

977
00:43:57,420 --> 00:44:01,580
So love, authentic love in
scripture does not mean a condoning

978
00:44:01,580 --> 00:44:03,180
or an acceptance of sin.

979
00:44:03,180 --> 00:44:06,060
What it means is that I love
them enough to do what's best for

980
00:44:06,060 --> 00:44:06,460
them.

981
00:44:06,860 --> 00:44:08,260
And that's what God's love is
for us.

982
00:44:08,260 --> 00:44:10,820
He doesn't always give us the
things that we want because the things

983
00:44:10,820 --> 00:44:12,620
that we want might be harmful
to us.

984
00:44:12,620 --> 00:44:15,620
God gives us the things that
we need because he knows better than

985
00:44:15,620 --> 00:44:17,500
us what we need for our lives.

986
00:44:18,780 --> 00:44:23,580
And so for Timothy, he was
able to see a mother and a grandmother

987
00:44:23,660 --> 00:44:28,220
who were authentic with
unfeigned faith, depth.

988
00:44:29,500 --> 00:44:33,340
True, true sacrifice for a mom.

989
00:44:34,380 --> 00:44:36,100
What are some good
characteristics of a mom?

990
00:44:36,100 --> 00:44:39,040
Loving, sacrificial, selfless.

991
00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:40,960
It's the same thing for a Christian.

992
00:44:41,120 --> 00:44:41,800
All Christians.

993
00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:42,680
Let me give you a hint.

994
00:44:42,680 --> 00:44:46,800
All Christians should be
sacrificial, selfless, loving.

995
00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:48,480
Why?

996
00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:50,080
Because that's what a good mom does.

997
00:44:50,080 --> 00:44:51,760
No, that's who God is.

998
00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:53,760
God's the greatest example.

999
00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:55,320
We want be better mothers.

1000
00:44:55,320 --> 00:44:57,960
Okay, I can't speak for this
because I'm not a mother, but the

1001
00:44:57,960 --> 00:44:58,840
Bible teaches this.

1002
00:44:58,840 --> 00:44:59,800
To be a better mother.

1003
00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:01,520
What love Christ, grow in him.

1004
00:45:02,240 --> 00:45:04,720
To be a better mother means to
be more like Christ.

1005
00:45:05,390 --> 00:45:07,550
To be a better father means to
be more like Christ.

1006
00:45:07,790 --> 00:45:10,110
To be a better child means to
be more like Christ.

1007
00:45:10,350 --> 00:45:13,310
To be a better anything means
to be more like Christ.

1008
00:45:14,670 --> 00:45:17,430
And so what I would encourage
you to do here today is not just

1009
00:45:17,430 --> 00:45:18,830
say, well, am I being authentic?

1010
00:45:18,830 --> 00:45:19,950
Am I being hypocritical?

1011
00:45:19,950 --> 00:45:20,590
I don't know.

1012
00:45:20,670 --> 00:45:23,030
I. I sometimes think about sins.

1013
00:45:23,030 --> 00:45:24,430
Does that mean that I'm bad?

1014
00:45:24,510 --> 00:45:26,430
No, folks, all of us deal with that.

1015
00:45:26,510 --> 00:45:29,270
It's not a matter of saying
I'm perfect in what I think about

1016
00:45:29,270 --> 00:45:32,490
and what I do, what it Means
here is, is that I'm real.

1017
00:45:32,490 --> 00:45:33,690
When I make a mistake.

1018
00:45:33,690 --> 00:45:34,650
What did David do?

1019
00:45:34,650 --> 00:45:37,330
Search me, oh, God, know my
heart, try me and know my thoughts.

1020
00:45:37,410 --> 00:45:40,850
See if there be any wicked way
in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

1021
00:45:41,490 --> 00:45:44,370
The challenge is this, to live
as authentically as we can.

1022
00:45:44,370 --> 00:45:48,290
But when we make a mistake, be
authentic and transparent and sincere

1023
00:45:48,370 --> 00:45:50,370
and go to the Lord and ask him
for forgiveness.

1024
00:45:50,370 --> 00:45:53,610
And if we do harm somebody
else in the process, if we do sin

1025
00:45:53,610 --> 00:45:56,690
against somebody else in that
process, to ask them for forgiveness

1026
00:45:56,690 --> 00:45:58,530
and come to them with authenticity.

1027
00:45:58,930 --> 00:46:03,970
Do you know I've had to ask my
children for their grace.

1028
00:46:04,530 --> 00:46:05,210
Guys, I'm sorry.

1029
00:46:05,210 --> 00:46:06,210
Dad made a mistake.

1030
00:46:07,010 --> 00:46:08,210
Shouldn't have said it that way.

1031
00:46:08,690 --> 00:46:11,250
I was frustrated, but there's
no excuse.

1032
00:46:12,050 --> 00:46:14,610
That's the same thing for us
as Christians when we make a mistake,

1033
00:46:14,610 --> 00:46:17,970
to have that humility, to say,
lord, I need your help to do what's

1034
00:46:17,970 --> 00:46:18,610
right in my life.

1035
00:46:18,610 --> 00:46:20,210
It's not about being a good person.

1036
00:46:20,290 --> 00:46:23,890
It's about being more and more
aligned with the Lord and being authentically

1037
00:46:23,890 --> 00:46:24,450
before Him.

1038
00:46:24,740 --> 00:46:27,780
Folks, if I got up here today
and said, I've got it all figured

1039
00:46:27,780 --> 00:46:28,100
out.

1040
00:46:28,660 --> 00:46:32,580
Be perfect like me and we'll
all go home and be happy, that would

1041
00:46:32,580 --> 00:46:34,580
be inauthentic because I am
not perfect.

1042
00:46:34,660 --> 00:46:35,700
I'm still learning.

1043
00:46:35,780 --> 00:46:36,740
I'm still growing.

1044
00:46:36,740 --> 00:46:38,420
I think all of us can say the
same thing.

1045
00:46:38,420 --> 00:46:41,100
So what does that mean within
our church society, within our church

1046
00:46:41,100 --> 00:46:42,580
culture, within our church community?

1047
00:46:42,580 --> 00:46:43,380
It means this.

1048
00:46:43,540 --> 00:46:45,220
All of us are part of this.

1049
00:46:45,780 --> 00:46:48,300
Whether you have a child
within the church, a grandchild within

1050
00:46:48,300 --> 00:46:51,830
the church, or you just have a
little kid running around that you

1051
00:46:51,830 --> 00:46:56,910
see, all of us are part of
that process to live unfeigned, unhypocritical,

1052
00:46:57,070 --> 00:46:59,950
authentic Christian lives
before others and before the Lord.

1053
00:47:00,670 --> 00:47:02,950
And so I want us to think
about that here this morning.

1054
00:47:02,950 --> 00:47:07,470
In what ways can I be more
steadfast in my faith?

1055
00:47:07,550 --> 00:47:10,630
What ways can I share my faith
with others around me?

1056
00:47:10,630 --> 00:47:13,390
In which ways can I be more
sincere with what I believe?

1057
00:47:14,110 --> 00:47:18,440
I made a statement before, and
I think it is important to note again

1058
00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:21,240
because I want there to be
some clarity when I talked about

1059
00:47:21,240 --> 00:47:22,120
convictions before.

1060
00:47:22,200 --> 00:47:23,320
Convictions are one thing.

1061
00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:24,960
Convictions are what we stand
in Scripture.

1062
00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:27,080
And we should never compromise
in our convictions.

1063
00:47:27,880 --> 00:47:29,240
Never compromise our convictions.

1064
00:47:29,240 --> 00:47:31,800
So one conviction that I have
is that Jesus Christ died on the

1065
00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:34,040
cross for my sins, that he
rose again on the third day, and

1066
00:47:34,040 --> 00:47:36,920
that he offers grace and
forgiveness for all of us for salvation.

1067
00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:38,000
That is a conviction.

1068
00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:40,280
I can take you to a scripture
and I can point you to that.

1069
00:47:41,000 --> 00:47:44,880
Never compromise your
convictions for the sake of being

1070
00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:45,840
authentic.

1071
00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:48,480
Okay, well, I want to, I've
heard people say this.

1072
00:47:48,480 --> 00:47:49,480
I want to reach people.

1073
00:47:49,480 --> 00:47:53,200
So I'm going to compromise my
convictions so that I can reach people.

1074
00:47:53,200 --> 00:47:54,880
No, Paul never teaches that.

1075
00:47:54,880 --> 00:47:56,120
Jesus never teaches that.

1076
00:47:56,120 --> 00:47:58,320
He tells us to stand fast in
the truth.

1077
00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:02,440
But there's other things in
our life that are more what we would

1078
00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:06,560
consider to be in the, in the
fringe where we can have our preferences.

1079
00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:10,280
Preferences are not something
that I die for, but preferences are

1080
00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:11,360
something that I prefer.

1081
00:48:11,360 --> 00:48:11,720
Right?

1082
00:48:11,720 --> 00:48:11,930
Preference.

1083
00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:15,200
I prefer a certain way to live
out this principle in my life.

1084
00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:18,400
Folks, in some ways, those
preferences are going to be different

1085
00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:19,760
amongst the church family.

1086
00:48:20,080 --> 00:48:22,960
There's going to be different
ways in which we can enact certain

1087
00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:24,560
things within our preferences.

1088
00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:27,920
Within that being said, we can
have grace, we can have patience.

1089
00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:30,160
We can show people that, hey,
you know what?

1090
00:48:30,160 --> 00:48:33,520
Just because you prefer this
and I prefer this, neither one of

1091
00:48:33,520 --> 00:48:34,320
us are sinning.

1092
00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:37,240
We can live in unity and we
can live in fellowship as long as

1093
00:48:37,240 --> 00:48:40,230
we're not compromising the
values of the Scriptures.

1094
00:48:40,550 --> 00:48:42,790
So therefore, that's how we
can live authentically.

1095
00:48:43,670 --> 00:48:46,750
So for example, if I, if I
have a, two Christians that are sitting

1096
00:48:46,750 --> 00:48:48,910
here and one Christian over
here looks at this Christian and

1097
00:48:48,910 --> 00:48:53,590
says, well, I can't believe
that, you know, you, you eat, you

1098
00:48:53,590 --> 00:48:55,190
eat meat, sacrifice to idols.

1099
00:48:55,190 --> 00:48:57,310
I'm going to use an analogy
from Scripture, okay?

1100
00:48:57,310 --> 00:48:59,870
So I don't confront too many
people here today.

1101
00:48:59,870 --> 00:49:03,070
And this person looks at here
and says, well, I, I, I mean, sacrifice

1102
00:49:03,070 --> 00:49:03,670
to idols.

1103
00:49:03,670 --> 00:49:04,430
And you know what?

1104
00:49:04,430 --> 00:49:05,670
I don't, it doesn't convict me.

1105
00:49:05,820 --> 00:49:08,780
Well, Paul talks all about
that in Romans chapter 14, okay?

1106
00:49:09,180 --> 00:49:13,420
Paul says one is okay because
they aren't convicted by the other

1107
00:49:13,420 --> 00:49:16,100
is not okay, okay, because
they are convicted.

1108
00:49:16,100 --> 00:49:17,260
So they shouldn't go do that.

1109
00:49:17,420 --> 00:49:19,300
There's times in our life
where we're going to talk about this.

1110
00:49:19,300 --> 00:49:19,980
In Romans 14.

1111
00:49:19,980 --> 00:49:22,860
There's times in our life
where we have to enact some level

1112
00:49:22,860 --> 00:49:24,460
of grace to other Christians.

1113
00:49:25,100 --> 00:49:28,420
Because what if I said in,
within the church, okay, every little

1114
00:49:28,420 --> 00:49:31,380
kid coming up has to dress
just like Pastor Josh every single

1115
00:49:31,380 --> 00:49:31,660
day.

1116
00:49:31,860 --> 00:49:34,660
They all have to have, you
know, my same hairstyle.

1117
00:49:34,660 --> 00:49:36,980
They all have to, they all
have to talk like me.

1118
00:49:37,140 --> 00:49:39,780
Every, that was, that's what
it means to be a good Christian.

1119
00:49:40,020 --> 00:49:42,260
You have to be just like
Pastor Josh and his family.

1120
00:49:42,820 --> 00:49:45,540
The problem is, is our church
would be very narrow because there'll

1121
00:49:45,540 --> 00:49:47,500
be a lot of people that are
like, I can't be that way.

1122
00:49:47,500 --> 00:49:48,980
That's not a good standard to have.

1123
00:49:49,780 --> 00:49:50,140
So.

1124
00:49:50,140 --> 00:49:51,380
So what we would say is this.

1125
00:49:51,780 --> 00:49:54,140
There's going to be people
within the church that are different

1126
00:49:54,140 --> 00:49:54,740
than us.

1127
00:49:55,220 --> 00:49:58,020
Maybe they look different,
may, maybe.

1128
00:49:58,020 --> 00:49:59,460
Maybe they're from a different culture.

1129
00:49:59,460 --> 00:50:01,550
Maybe, maybe they live in a
different area.

1130
00:50:01,550 --> 00:50:04,310
You know, maybe they live all
the way over in Maryland, across

1131
00:50:04,310 --> 00:50:04,710
the line.

1132
00:50:04,710 --> 00:50:05,190
Okay?

1133
00:50:06,230 --> 00:50:10,630
The idea would be this, that
we can look at one another and show

1134
00:50:10,630 --> 00:50:12,230
that, hey, they're following Jesus.

1135
00:50:12,310 --> 00:50:16,150
And there's that type of
authenticity that's going to rise

1136
00:50:16,150 --> 00:50:16,950
up within the church.

1137
00:50:16,950 --> 00:50:19,630
A next generation that says,
hey, this is something that can be

1138
00:50:19,630 --> 00:50:20,230
sustained.

1139
00:50:20,710 --> 00:50:22,550
This is something that crosses cultures.

1140
00:50:22,550 --> 00:50:24,670
This is something that crosses decades.

1141
00:50:24,670 --> 00:50:28,070
This is something that crosses
different socioeconomic classes.

1142
00:50:28,070 --> 00:50:31,190
And that's when we can see a
church that stands, a church that's

1143
00:50:31,190 --> 00:50:34,630
steadfast, a church that's
faithful, a church that's authentically

1144
00:50:34,630 --> 00:50:36,590
serving the Lord no matter
what might be the case.

1145
00:50:36,750 --> 00:50:39,670
So what I would say is this
here this morning, all of us are

1146
00:50:39,670 --> 00:50:41,470
called to share our faith.

1147
00:50:41,470 --> 00:50:44,030
All of us are called to be
sincere in our faith, and all of

1148
00:50:44,030 --> 00:50:45,710
us are called to be steadfast
in our faith.

1149
00:50:45,710 --> 00:50:48,910
Lois and Eunice and even
Timothy were good examples of that.

1150
00:50:49,550 --> 00:50:52,550
And may we be the type of
people that pass that on to the next

1151
00:50:52,550 --> 00:50:53,070
generation.

1152
00:50:53,810 --> 00:50:55,170
Some of you have children
within your home.

1153
00:50:55,170 --> 00:50:57,090
That's your number one place.

1154
00:50:57,570 --> 00:50:59,410
That's your number one
discipleship field.

1155
00:50:59,730 --> 00:51:02,050
Some of you have grandchildren
that might not live in your home.

1156
00:51:02,050 --> 00:51:04,130
Maybe they do, or maybe you
get to see them a lot.

1157
00:51:04,130 --> 00:51:05,730
That's another mission field
right there.

1158
00:51:05,730 --> 00:51:06,850
Start ministering to them.

1159
00:51:07,730 --> 00:51:11,290
Some of you might not have
grandchildren or even great grandchildren.

1160
00:51:11,290 --> 00:51:12,930
Maybe you have nieces and nephews.

1161
00:51:14,050 --> 00:51:16,850
Maybe you don't have nieces
and nephews, but maybe you have someone

1162
00:51:17,090 --> 00:51:18,450
within the church that you're
friends with.

1163
00:51:18,450 --> 00:51:23,620
All of us, all of us have
opportunities to sow into the life

1164
00:51:23,620 --> 00:51:26,660
of the next generation at
whatever capacity that is.

1165
00:51:27,700 --> 00:51:29,860
What I would encourage you to
do is think about ways in which you

1166
00:51:29,860 --> 00:51:35,259
can do that with a gospel
centric, humble, loving, God centered

1167
00:51:35,259 --> 00:51:39,700
wisdom focus that all of us
can see that faith shared to the

1168
00:51:39,700 --> 00:51:40,220
next generation.

1169
00:51:40,220 --> 00:51:41,460
We don't want it to end with us.

1170
00:51:41,540 --> 00:51:42,900
We want to pass the torch.

1171
00:51:43,220 --> 00:51:45,460
So Lois and Eunice pass the
torch to Timothy.

1172
00:51:45,740 --> 00:51:47,180
Timothy passed the torch to others.

1173
00:51:47,260 --> 00:51:50,140
And we know that that torch
has been passed down throughout generation

1174
00:51:50,220 --> 00:51:51,100
to generation.

1175
00:51:51,100 --> 00:51:53,860
And if the Lord tarries, we
want to continue on with that as

1176
00:51:53,860 --> 00:51:54,140
well.

1177
00:51:54,780 --> 00:51:59,260
Middletown Baptist Church has
been around for almost 60 years,

1178
00:52:00,540 --> 00:52:03,060
and I don't know what the
future holds for this church, but

1179
00:52:03,060 --> 00:52:05,900
I do know that if God tarries,
I want it to be another 60 years

1180
00:52:05,900 --> 00:52:07,100
at Middletown Baptist Church.

1181
00:52:07,100 --> 00:52:08,620
Is here faithful in this community.

1182
00:52:09,100 --> 00:52:10,220
And the way we do that.

1183
00:52:10,220 --> 00:52:14,250
I don't know if any of you are
like, 60 years from now, I might

1184
00:52:14,250 --> 00:52:14,850
not be here.

1185
00:52:15,810 --> 00:52:18,050
60 years from now, I might not
be here.

1186
00:52:19,010 --> 00:52:21,210
But maybe some of those little
ones that are running around will

1187
00:52:21,210 --> 00:52:21,730
be here.

1188
00:52:22,130 --> 00:52:25,930
And instead of looking at them
as a distraction or looking at them

1189
00:52:25,930 --> 00:52:29,090
as someone who doesn't get us
or someone who doesn't understand

1190
00:52:29,250 --> 00:52:32,450
us, what we have to say is,
okay, maybe I don't understand them.

1191
00:52:33,170 --> 00:52:35,330
Maybe I don't understand their lingo.

1192
00:52:35,650 --> 00:52:38,370
Maybe I don't understand why
they talk the way they talk or what

1193
00:52:38,370 --> 00:52:39,110
they watch or.

1194
00:52:39,180 --> 00:52:42,300
But you know, what I can
understand is that they need Jesus

1195
00:52:42,460 --> 00:52:45,660
and they need to understand
that Jesus changed my life and that

1196
00:52:45,660 --> 00:52:46,700
he can change their life.

1197
00:52:47,020 --> 00:52:50,100
Some of you are going to work
directly with children within children's

1198
00:52:50,100 --> 00:52:50,620
ministries.

1199
00:52:51,180 --> 00:52:52,820
Some of you are like, I'm not
called for that.

1200
00:52:52,820 --> 00:52:54,060
Pastor Josh, that's okay.

1201
00:52:54,140 --> 00:52:57,820
You're working at a capacity
that's not direct, but it's still

1202
00:52:57,820 --> 00:52:58,140
there.

1203
00:52:59,180 --> 00:52:59,820
Okay?

1204
00:53:00,060 --> 00:53:04,420
I, as a child that grew up in
a church, I'm a people watcher, okay?

1205
00:53:04,420 --> 00:53:05,500
I always watched people.

1206
00:53:06,270 --> 00:53:08,310
And whether they were my
teacher or not, I always wanted to

1207
00:53:08,310 --> 00:53:09,390
see if they were in their place.

1208
00:53:09,390 --> 00:53:11,630
I always wanted to see if they
were serving.

1209
00:53:11,630 --> 00:53:13,390
I always wanted to see what
they were doing.

1210
00:53:13,550 --> 00:53:17,110
And folks, no matter if you're
directly ministering to a young person

1211
00:53:17,110 --> 00:53:20,630
or indirectly ministering to a
young person, it's a large responsibility

1212
00:53:20,630 --> 00:53:22,670
for all of us to pass that on.

1213
00:53:23,070 --> 00:53:24,430
So who's the next Timothy?

1214
00:53:24,510 --> 00:53:25,230
I don't know.

1215
00:53:26,590 --> 00:53:29,390
But the truth is, is that I
know who can be the next Lois in

1216
00:53:29,390 --> 00:53:29,750
Eunice.

1217
00:53:29,750 --> 00:53:32,300
It could be any of us who are
going to be willing to.

1218
00:53:32,370 --> 00:53:37,010
To sacrifice and to share and
be sincere in our faith and ultimately

1219
00:53:37,090 --> 00:53:40,690
be steadfast and see steadfast
disciples for Jesus Christ.

1220
00:53:41,090 --> 00:53:42,490
And so I'm going to ask if
you're able to.

1221
00:53:42,490 --> 00:53:44,370
To stand with me, every head
bowed, every eye closed.

1222
00:53:44,370 --> 00:53:47,090
As the music plays here this
morning, we're going to have an opportunity

1223
00:53:47,090 --> 00:53:48,050
to respond today.

1224
00:53:49,090 --> 00:53:51,330
I'm thankful for godly mother.

1225
00:53:52,610 --> 00:53:55,090
I'm thankful for a godly.

1226
00:53:55,330 --> 00:53:59,410
Multiple godly women in my
life that have impacted my life.

1227
00:53:59,410 --> 00:54:05,950
My grandmothers, my Sunday
school teachers, my school teachers,

1228
00:54:06,430 --> 00:54:09,470
other church members here at
Middletown Baptist Church.

1229
00:54:09,630 --> 00:54:13,030
I'm so thankful that God
blessed us with godly women in our

1230
00:54:13,030 --> 00:54:13,310
lives.

1231
00:54:14,190 --> 00:54:16,350
I'm so thankful for Eunice's.

1232
00:54:16,350 --> 00:54:20,110
I'm so thankful for Lois's I'm
so thankful for ones that were able

1233
00:54:20,110 --> 00:54:21,230
to stand in the gap.

1234
00:54:23,310 --> 00:54:26,670
What we would say here this
morning is that the job's not done.

1235
00:54:28,110 --> 00:54:30,710
Some of us still have children
in the home, some of us still have

1236
00:54:30,710 --> 00:54:31,270
grandchildren.

1237
00:54:31,270 --> 00:54:34,710
We're affecting, some of us
still have young people running around

1238
00:54:34,710 --> 00:54:38,230
us here at the church and we
have an opportunity to be able to

1239
00:54:38,230 --> 00:54:40,110
pass this on to somebody else.

1240
00:54:40,670 --> 00:54:42,510
And it's not just about the
little ones.

1241
00:54:42,590 --> 00:54:44,110
Some of us have adult children.

1242
00:54:44,270 --> 00:54:47,910
Some of us have people in our
lives that are needing that type

1243
00:54:47,910 --> 00:54:54,260
of guidance and example of
authentic, sincere faith, not perfect

1244
00:54:54,260 --> 00:54:56,580
faith because none of us could
reach that.

1245
00:54:56,660 --> 00:55:00,220
None of us can be perfect, but
authentically living for the Lord

1246
00:55:00,220 --> 00:55:01,540
to the best of our ability.

1247
00:55:01,700 --> 00:55:04,820
And when we fall short,
admitting where we fall short and

1248
00:55:04,820 --> 00:55:07,340
having grace and mercy for
those that are learning and growing

1249
00:55:07,340 --> 00:55:08,180
as well with us.

1250
00:55:08,980 --> 00:55:12,340
So here this morning, are you
willing to take that call, man or

1251
00:55:12,340 --> 00:55:16,260
woman, to be the one who
passes on that unfeigned faith?

1252
00:55:16,580 --> 00:55:19,630
Now the reality is, is that
none of us can fit force anyone to

1253
00:55:19,630 --> 00:55:20,190
be saved.

1254
00:55:21,150 --> 00:55:25,910
None of us can make someone be
a person who follows God.

1255
00:55:25,910 --> 00:55:30,590
But what we can do, what we
can affect is my testimony to them

1256
00:55:31,150 --> 00:55:37,190
and to make the gospel so
compelling, so amazing, so life transforming

1257
00:55:37,190 --> 00:55:40,750
to them that they are wanting
that change, that they're wanting

1258
00:55:40,750 --> 00:55:41,630
that difference.

1259
00:55:42,190 --> 00:55:45,150
Paul talks about compelling
people to come to Christ.

1260
00:55:45,150 --> 00:55:49,840
There's nothing wrong with,
with trying to bring people to Christ

1261
00:55:49,840 --> 00:55:53,000
through showing them the
amazing power of the Lord and the

1262
00:55:53,000 --> 00:55:54,720
amazing power of his salvation.

1263
00:55:55,600 --> 00:55:59,240
So are we going to be the
church that individually and corporately

1264
00:55:59,240 --> 00:56:03,520
takes the call to say I want
to live authentically, I want to

1265
00:56:03,760 --> 00:56:08,360
share authentically and I want
to ultimately pass that on to the

1266
00:56:08,360 --> 00:56:09,200
next generation.

1267
00:56:09,360 --> 00:56:11,840
Lord, I pray that you be in
this time of invitation working hearts

1268
00:56:11,840 --> 00:56:15,700
and lives help us to be those
who are praying that prayer of Search

1269
00:56:15,700 --> 00:56:18,220
me, oh God, know my heart, try
me and know my thoughts.

1270
00:56:18,780 --> 00:56:21,900
See if there be any wicked way
in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

1271
00:56:22,140 --> 00:56:25,260
Lord, I pray that that's
something that we can be today folks

1272
00:56:25,260 --> 00:56:29,980
that are open to you, Lord,
authentically, transparently living

1273
00:56:29,980 --> 00:56:34,580
a life of grace and faith
before others so that they may see

1274
00:56:34,580 --> 00:56:37,100
your good works and glorify
you in heaven.

1275
00:56:37,100 --> 00:56:39,180
Lord, I pray that you be in
this time of invitation if there's

1276
00:56:39,180 --> 00:56:42,350
someone here who does not know
you as Savior, who does not know

1277
00:56:42,750 --> 00:56:47,390
the fact that Jesus Christ
died on the cross for our sins, rose

1278
00:56:47,390 --> 00:56:49,350
again on the third day and
offers grace to us.

1279
00:56:49,350 --> 00:56:51,510
Lord, if there's someone who
needs to put their faith in that

1280
00:56:51,510 --> 00:56:51,950
here today.

1281
00:56:52,110 --> 00:56:56,230
May today on Mother's Day 2026
be the day of salvation for that

1282
00:56:56,230 --> 00:56:56,510
person.

1283
00:56:57,310 --> 00:57:00,110
But if there's anyone else
here that maybe is saved, Lord, but

1284
00:57:00,110 --> 00:57:04,830
needs to be challenged in that
living transparently, sharing transparently,

1285
00:57:04,830 --> 00:57:09,420
Lord, I pray that today can be
the day of conviction, where the

1286
00:57:09,420 --> 00:57:12,220
day can be the day of comfort,
today can be the day of equipping,

1287
00:57:12,380 --> 00:57:16,020
that today can be the day of
promise to you, Lord, that we are

1288
00:57:16,020 --> 00:57:18,060
going to commit ourselves to
that in our lives.

1289
00:57:18,220 --> 00:57:20,140
Lord, I pray that you be in
this time of invitation, working

1290
00:57:20,140 --> 00:57:20,780
hearts and lives.

1291
00:57:21,100 --> 00:57:22,700
We ask all these things in
Jesus name.

1292
00:57:22,779 --> 00:57:23,220
Amen.

1293
00:57:23,220 --> 00:57:25,860
As the music plays, the Lord
spoken to you this morning, come

1294
00:57:25,860 --> 00:57:28,900
forward here, kneel and ask
the Lord to give you strength, whatever

1295
00:57:28,900 --> 00:57:30,220
he might be calling you to do
here today.

1296
00:57:30,220 --> 00:57:32,740
Thank you again for listening
to the Middletown Baptist Church

1297
00:57:32,740 --> 00:57:33,340
Podcast.

1298
00:57:33,580 --> 00:57:35,630
I hope that this sermon has
been a blessing for you.

1299
00:57:35,780 --> 00:57:38,900
You you would like to find out
more information about our church

1300
00:57:38,900 --> 00:57:42,340
or this sermon, you can find
us at middletownbaptistchurch.org

1301
00:57:42,660 --> 00:57:45,220
or find us on Facebook or YouTube.

1302
00:57:45,940 --> 00:57:50,900
You can also email me directly
at Josh Massaro, Middletown BaptistChurch.com

1303
00:57:51,380 --> 00:57:53,060
if you've enjoyed this podcast.

1304
00:57:53,220 --> 00:57:57,700
Please subscribe and follow
along for future podcast and updates.

1305
00:57:58,340 --> 00:57:59,300
Thank you so much.

1306
00:57:59,540 --> 00:58:00,260
God Bless.

1307
00:58:00,500 --> 00:58:01,780
Have a wonderful day.