I have this church this evening.
We're gonna go ahead and get started with the service.
This will be the crowd pick songs night.
Bethany already has her hand up.
So she'll be first, but here's what we're gonna do
before you pick your song.
We're gonna do one verse, pray,
and then again, it's gonna be kind of one verse song pick.
So if you have a song that you wanna call out,
we'll sing one verse of it kind of as we've done in the past
just to give you an idea of what we're doing.
Ms. Bethany, what's your song, ma'am?
323 more about Jesus.
We'll do the first verse.
323 more about Jesus.
323 there on the first.
More about Jesus would I know.
More of His grace to others shown.
More of His savi-
your heads with me. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for your many
blessings. We thank you for the salvations from this afternoon. And I just pray
that you would fill all the preachers this evening with your spirit, that you
would help the messages be bold, accurate, and clear, and edifying, and
applicable to each of our daily lives. These things we pray in Jesus' name, amen.
All right, I need another pick. Leah, what you got?
is not one that I know so I will have to skip I'm sorry I'm like pick up find
another one that you want I'll come back to you later you guys have one what
you got
244 is that right okay 244
amazing grace 244 amazing grace on the first amazing grace how sweet the sound
215
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul 215 to 1.5
215 there on the first
187 okay 187
Jesus loves me
187
Jesus loves me
187 on the first
One, two, zero. Jesus, save your pilot, me. 120, 120 on the first.
Appreciate you guys coming on the front is our Bible memory passage of the week relations chapter number one
Verse 20 on the inside or service times are listed Sunday morning at 1030 Sunday evening
at 4.30 and our Wednesday evening Bible study at 7 o'clock.
We also have all of our soul winning times listed there
and soul winning went great today.
Had four salvations for the SWAT soul winning time
at that apartment where a homicide took place last Sunday.
So I believe, let's see here,
that's seven out of that apartment complex this weekend.
So praise the Lord for that.
We do have our nursing home ministry schedule
listed there, Brother John preaching next weekend.
We also have our year to date statistics for soul wanting make sure you keep reporting those
Numbers if you have any salvations even just throughout the week in your personal life email the church be happy to add those
Upcoming events of course tonight is the men's preaching night and the time limit is going to be 20
Minutes for each preacher. That is a lot of time, you know when I went to steadfast the sermon length was of five minutes
So, you know should appreciate this so you get lots of
you know, experience preaching this evening and I'm looking forward to hearing you guys.
We've got the names in the cup here, so Brother Kamen will draw once he's done with the last song,
but you'll have 20 minutes. You're welcome to obviously preach under that time,
but just 20 minutes is the upper limit. And then after service, if the men could help us
set up a few tables and we'll have a potluck right after.
Also May 31st is the Durant, Oklahoma soul winning marathon with steadfast Baptist church
June 28th is the tinker air show and the next day brother Ben naeem from steadfast will be preaching both
Services for us and definitely looking forward to that Ben is a great preacher really knowledgeable
Preacher especially for a layman. I mean he's like an expert on King James stuff
And I'm just blown away that a layman cares that much about the issue. So he's a great example looking forward to that
August 27th through the 31st is the Fire Breathing Baptist Fellowship at Steadfast.
Definitely hope you guys can make it to that and then lastly October 6th through the 11th
is the Bahamas mission trip. My family we finally got all of our passports shipped in in our hands.
It does take a while so if you're planning to go don't wait until September to get your passports,
get that stuff going right now and that's going to be an awesome time. There's going to be a lot
Well, the back is the prayer list.
If you have any requests, please do email the church.
Be happy to update that for you.
And that's going to be it for announcements.
We'll go ahead and keep picking songs here.
All right, we've got four more to pick.
Miss Leah, what you got for me?
One, six, seven?
Four, six, seven.
The B-I-B-L-E.
467, the B-I-B-L-E.
We'll sing there right there on the first.
The B-I-B-L-E.
Yes, ma'am.
The shout has to go in there.
I forgot to mention that, but we should always shout.
The Bible has to be in there.
John, what you got?
408.
408?
You have to pick the ones I don't know.
Do you have a backup?
Because I don't know this.
I'm going to skip you.
Maddie, what you got?
412.
412 is Onward Christian Soldiers.
412.
412, we'll sing their starting on the first.
Onward, Christians, soldiers, marching!
262 262
the light of the world is jesus great ham 262
262 starting there on the first
preaching 127. Is that what you said? Okay 127. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus 127.
We'll sing there starting on the first.
The sign will prepare for the offering plates to be passed, as those are being passed.
If, I can get one, if Brother John, you'll prepare to preach after the offertory.
All right, good evening.
I want to thank Pastor Oz, the opportunity to preach.
And so I've got a pretty practical message.
But it's practical as far as soul winning goes.
So I think everybody here will find it pretty relevant.
But the time of message is, here is water.
Acts chapter 8, if you're following along in your Bible,
for a pretty familiar passage, the Ethiopian eunuch.
So, we'll start reading there in verse 27.
The Bible says in verse 27, it says,
And he arose and went, and behold, the man of Ethiopia in eunuch
Of great authority under Candace the Queen of the Ethiopians
Who had charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for the worship
Was returning and sitting in his chariot reading Asaius the prophet.
And so, he's essentially reading Isaiah the prophet here
verse 35 says and when Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached
unto him Jesus and as they went on their way they came to a certain water and the eunuch
said see here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized and Philip said if thou believest
with all thine heart thou mayest and he answered and said
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he commanded the chariot to
stand still and they went down both into the water and Philip and the eunuch and
he baptized him. So
I want to first look at the eunuch as a man of great authority and a lot of times when we're
out talking to people, out soul winning, you know, for them to even get saved or be receptive to
the gospel or what we're talking about, you know, they have to humble themselves and this man was
no exception to that. He was a man of great authority, would have had to humble himself
and admit that he needed a man to show him what was going on here in the book of Isaiah.
What death hinder me to be baptized and he says if thou believe us all with all that heart they may is he answered
He said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
It wasn't just him believing that Jesus Christ was the Son of God just a head knowledge
but in Isaiah it also talks about
Jesus bearing our iniquities that are the chastisement of our peace was upon him that he took our place and that he took our punishment and
so
It was a full gospel presentation. It wasn't just
him being a Christian so-called,
it was him actually being saved,
that was a prerequisite to him being baptized.
But he has two statements here that he says,
the first being, see here is water,
and the second being, what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And I think this case with the Ethiopian eunuch
is a great case to look at.
for a case study in someone who is about to be baptized
and where their headspace is,
for many of us it's probably even been a while
since we've been baptized
and it's kind of maybe hard to reflect
exactly where we were mentally before we got baptized
and why or the things that maybe prevented us
from being baptized for a while.
But from the perspective of this Ethiopian eunuch,
you know, having to humble himself, receive the gospel,
many people often have to humble themselves also in being willing to be baptized.
And when we're out soul-winning with people,
a lot of the confrontational things
that we talk to people about,
it's either gonna be a yes or no.
People's fight-or-flight come in,
hey, I'm with a Baptist church.
Are you interested in what I have to say yes or no?
You're either gonna get a yes or no,
and oftentimes they've already known,
before you even ask them,
if they're going to be receptive
to what you have to say or not.
And it's whether somebody's gonna be saved,
it's a yes or no, whether somebody's gonna get baptized.
It's no difference.
Hey, do you wanna get baptized?
Can we baptize you today?
You know, if that question's asked with somebody,
it's gonna be a yes or no answer.
And a lot of times there's gonna be a hard sway
whether somebody's on a strict no,
they don't wanna get baptized.
That's a really hard thing to get somebody to.
be persuaded differently on Mark chapter one.
If you're following along, I'm going to read in John chapter three.
The first thing that you Nick said was see here is water.
John chapter three verse 22.
I'm going to read here.
It says after these things came Jesus and his disciples into
the land of Judea and they tear it there.
He tarried with them and baptized.
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salem
because there was much water there
and they came and were baptized.
So these two towns, Salem and Aenon
would have been the Jordan Plains near the Jordan River.
And there was much water there.
And this is a time we started
because we're on the cusp of summer beginning
and there's going to be a lot of water.
everywhere around us and most apartment complexes have pools.
And so I've got a goal of mine is to get more people baptized
because that's not something that I've seen a lot of.
And I think there's room for improvement
in anybody's presentation and anybody's efforts
to see people baptized and noticing that there's these
opportunities of water in the summertime you know that that gives us a
great a great chance to really to capitalize on the water that's out
there but you know it's convenient because the Ethiopian
Ethiopian unique here he's going along here here's water it's real
convenient for him to be baptized
And that is the first place of this, the, the perspective of the Ethiopian, Ethiopian
unit.
He's about to get baptized and it's really convenient for him to do that.
And a little bit of preparation can, can really bring the opportunity to that convenience.
Just a little bit of preparation.
a baptismal robe with you out soul winning.
If you wear a backpack,
that's something that's easy to do.
But when you get to an apartment complex,
you know, check and see if there's a pool there.
See if the pool's open.
See if it's accessible.
See if you can walk in there.
And I've talked to pastor about this briefly,
but you know, it's a good idea to just check
in every soul winning time that you're at.
If you see the opportunity there
and you've got a little bit of preparation,
maybe a four time.
Let Pastor know, hey, if I can get somebody to save,
I'd really like to have them baptized in this pool,
in this water.
And as you're talking with people,
at the end when you're closing, going over baptism,
you have a much better opportunity to get them baptized
if you can say, hey, here's water right here,
I've got everything going, what do you say?
Let's make it happen.
You know, it's either gonna be a yes or no, like I said,
but it's a great opportunity.
Mark chapter one, I had you turn.
Verse four there again
John did
Baptizing the wilderness preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and there went unto him all the land you land of Judea
And they have Jerusalem and they were all baptized them
Baptized of him in the river Jordan confessing their sins
And John was clothed with camel's hair and with a girl of skin about his loins
And he did eat locus and wild honey
That's like, uh, I think he tried a carnivore diet for just a little bit seems like he's been preached saying
There cometh one mightier than I after me the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose I
Indeed have baptized you with water
But each shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of
Gasly and was also baptized of John and Jordan
But when we talk about Jordan, it's not like the modern country of Jordan, because that
didn't exist in those days, but we're talking about the Jordan River here.
And just like to Salem and Aenon, this is a place where there's much water.
And I don't think it's a coincidence that we see the disciples baptizing in places where there's a lot of water.
And they see this as an opportunity.
And if it's really inconvenient to get people baptized, it's just going to be harder to see baptisms.
So, we have, though...
You know, at our church, a man of God that is authorized to baptize,
he's out soul-wing with us a lot of times,
and we should definitely take advantage of that and appreciate that.
And Matthew chapter 3, if you're following along,
this is kind of where I go to for talking with people who've recently gotten saved for baptism,
because Matthew 3.16 is a very easy...
reference John 3 16 Matthew 3 16 Matthew 3 16 if you can just
remember that for baptism. I'm going to start in verse 13
though. Bible says then come with Jesus from Galilee to
Jordan unto John to be baptized of him but John for bad him
saying I have need to be baptized of thee and come
And Jesus answering said unto him,
suffer it to be so for now,
for thus it be cometh us to fulfill all righteousness.
Then suffered then he suffered him. So I kind of stopped there and I I just explained usually to the who I'm talking to that
You know, Jesus wanted to fulfill all righteousness
And we already talked about we would have already talked about to these people that Jesus was perfect and sinless and
Baptism does not wash away sins. Baptism is something that Jesus is doing here to fulfill all righteousness
Continuing verse 16 this is in Jesus
When he was baptized, went up straight way out of the water and lo, the heavens were opened unto him.
And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him.
And lo, a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
And so I kind of emphasize that.
A lot of times what I'm talking to people as, as in the reason to get baptized is because it pleases God.
God's commanded us to baptize and to be baptized after we're saved.
And it pleases God when people follow this commandment.
But going back to the example of the Ethiopian eunuch where his, where his headspace is, he asks, what doth hinder me?
And he's not asking what, what are the reasons I should get baptized?
He's asking, what does hinder me to be baptized?
And I think that's where a lot of people
are going to be at when you propose
that we baptize you right here on the spot.
They're going to think of reasons not to get baptized.
They probably already thought of reasons not to talk to you.
So if you've made it this far,
you've succeeded in persuading a little bit probably.
But it is kind of a sales tactic, though, too,
just to think about what people are going to object
to your proposal ahead of time
and to be ready with a response,
be ready with a reason to counter their reason
not to get baptized.
But most of the time, there's like one of two reasons, really.
And a lot of times when you're first talking to people,
when you ask them what they believe,
it takes to go to heaven.
A lot of times you hear, I've been baptized,
I'm good, that kind of response.
And if you've picked up that they've already been baptized,
you can already kind of bet that when you come to this place,
if you're trying to persuade somebody to be baptized,
that they're gonna bring it up
that they've already been baptized.
So if you have this knowledge ahead of time,
You can kind of start with that.
I know you said you've already been baptized,
but the Bible teaches that you should be baptized
after you're saved.
And the second reason that I've come across
a lot is just that I'm not ready
or that I need to take some kind of class
or they just feel like you might need
to have some kind of development
or have a better understanding.
But Acts chapter 16, that's another pretty familiar soul-winning passage, Acts chapter 16, if you've got it,
Bible says, and brought them out and said, sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved in thy house.
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord.
And to all that were in his house, and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized
He and all his
straight way
So, you know in this in this passage is a great place to go to show an example of people who are doing the right thing and being
baptized straight way
immediately after their save being baptized and
It's, you know, it is an ideal situation that somebody would, after they're saved, immediately go straight way to be baptized.
I think that, I think back on when I was baptized, which was quite a while ago, but my wife and I were actually dating at the time.
It's a great trait characteristics if you're dating a woman and she's just willing to follow you because I decided
I was gonna get baptized and I really didn't have to talk my wife into it that much
She just kind of just said hey, well, I'm gonna get baptized too. And so she kind of followed that example
So, you know, it's a great just a side note. That's a great thing to look at for in a woman if you're dating but
You know, the Bible says he and all his straight way.
And I think that if we're out soul winning,
we have this great opportunity
and we have the preparation to capitalize on that.
And we see people saved and we have people,
other people in their home.
You know, it's just,
it's a great opportunity to see more people saved
and to try and inspire other people to get baptized.
Because one thing I've noticed a lot of times is
when somebody hears about somebody getting baptized,
you know, they're encouraged to kind of go do it themselves.
You know, once the dominoes kind of start to fall,
you can kind of see more people do that,
feel comfortable doing that.
But also emphasizing that, you know,
if the pool's right down the block, you know,
baptism can be a really quick thing.
It doesn't have to be this huge show, this huge ordeal.
You know, baptism could be a quick deal.
And
Just kind of letting them know that, reassuring them that, you know, it doesn't have to, you don't
have to invite people, it doesn't have to be what a lot of churches have made it to be.
But Psalm 89, if you're following along, Galatians 3 says,
And so I believe that starting in verse 29, this passage does kind of, not kind of, it
refers to Christians and in the New Testament and specifically how God punishes his children,
which has been a topic of discussion lately.
You're there in Psalm 89 verse 29 the Bible says
His seed also will I make to endure forever in his throne as the days of heaven
If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments
Verse 32 then will I visit their transgression with the rod and they're iniquity iniquity with stripes
Obviously, not an ideal situation for somebody just getting saved especially, and it's also
a great idea though, if ultimately they decide not to be baptized, to let them know that God
is one who will punish his children, he will chastise his children.
Again, verse 33 says,
Nevertheless, my loving kindness
will I not utterly take from him,
nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant will I not break nor alter
the thing that has gone out of my lips.
So obviously, you know, even though
if God's chastisement is upon you,
because you've not obeyed his commandment
of being baptized, you know, you're still saved at least
and nothing can take that away from you.
But I think it's, it's, you know,
not a coincidence that that the baptisms happening in the Bible are taking place near water and
Making baptisms as easy as possible for those that are wanting to get baptized is
How we can increase our baptism. So that's that's gonna be my goal
I plan on taking towels with me out out soul winning and just really trying to to see if I can get more people baptized and
You know, I think that
I think we could all, you know, if we tried to do that,
I think we could increase our baptism numbers.
So with that, I'll close in prayer.
Heavenly Father, thank you so much
for the opportunity to preach.
Thank you for your word.
And I think, thankful for the summertime.
And I pray that we could have more baptisms.
And in Jesus' name I pray, amen.
So I get set up here, if you would, turn to Proverbs chapter number 14.
Proverbs chapter number 14.
Turn there, myself.
Proverbs 14, you're probably there at this point.
Look down, if you would, at verse number 15.
Proverbs chapter 14, verse 15.
The Bible reads,
The simple believeth every word.
But the prudent man looketh well to his going.
You know, the Bible teaches us that an attribute of a simple person
is that you can tell them anything virtually
and they will believe it.
That a simple, or in this case with the Bible saying
what it means, when it means simple or when it's saying simple,
is stupid, foolish, dumb, uneducated, ignorant.
I mean, what other words can I use to drive this home today?
That type of person will just simply, pun intended,
believe anything that they hear.
They it doesn't even have to come from a reliable valid source. They'll just believe whatever, but what's the
Antithesis of that what's the opposite says, but the prudent man looketh. Well to his going
The sermon title I have for you this evening is this consider the source
consider the source
unfortunately today
We have a population, especially in the United States,
and I would say even the world,
that does not consider where they are getting
their information from when it comes to
whether or not that information is true.
They just readily accept whatever the TV, the internet, or anything will tell them.
But the Bible is saying that we should consider the source.
We should not be a simple person that believes everything that we hear.
We never question anything.
We're never doing our own research.
We're never looking into it.
We're just kind of like, oh, yep, someone said it.
It must be true.
But unfortunately, if you are online for any period of time,
let me just tell you what you will see, people believing anything.
Anything at all, if you're on the internet, they will believe it.
I could go on Twitter or X, formerly known as Twitter, right now,
and post anything and someone would believe it, like anything.
We're going to get into some specifics this evening.
Turn if you would to first Thessalonians chapter number five.
First Thessalonians chapter number five.
The first thing I want to do this evening, though,
is I want to prove to you before we get into some specifics
that if you want to be a Christian,
if you want to be right with God,
if you want to know for sure that you're following the word of God,
that you're worshiping God and truth,
you must consider the source of information
when you're weighing whether something is or is not true.
Be a Christian, and you cannot call yourself a Christian and be right with God and right with the Bible
and just believe whatever you hear.
You're not right with God.
You say, well, that's harsh.
Well, look, I didn't write the Bible.
I'm sorry.
I'm trying to help you.
Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
1 Thessalonians chapter 5, look at verse 21.
1 Thessalonians 5 verse 21.
Prove all things.
Hold fast that which is good.
You know, people will prove virtually nothing today.
Oh, here's my opinion.
Source, trust me.
Source, I saw it on X.
Source, I heard it on the radio.
Source, you know, Sabrina Carpenter sang it in the song.
Source, Kanye West said so.
Like, wow, okay.
Can we prove, though, that that's true?
Like, proof.
Prove that to me.
And as Christians, we should not be scared of proof.
I mean, the Bible is full of proofs.
You know the Bible talks about the account of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrections?
That it's proven by many infallible proofs that there were witnesses.
The Bible and Christians today, for some reason, want to have this identity of, like, absence of proof.
It's just faith, bro. It's all faith. Just blind faith, bro.
The Bible is not a book of blind faith.
The Bible is a book of proofs, proofs, proofs.
I mean, did pastor not preach this morning all the proofs that Jesus Christ is the Messiah?
I mean...
The Bible is a book of let me prove it to you. God is a God that not only does he also gives us
infallible proof. Why? Because an attribute for a Christian is to prove all
things.
God gave you a book. You should read it. It's a book full of proofs. It's proving everything. That doesn't stop with the Bible.
That doesn't stop with the doctrines that we hear.
That does not stop Sunday evening at 5.30 or 6.00 or whatever when you go to your workplace,
when you log on to Facebook, when you log on to YouTube, and hey, I'm not against social media at all.
Some people, hey, if that's your choice, you don't want to be on social media, God bless you with more power too. That's fine.
I like being on the Internet. I'm probably terminally online. Who knows?
But so much the more...
You should prove all things if you're gonna be online if you're gonna have some kind of online presence
Now, I wanted to prove first and foremost that this is a Christian attribute,
but I want to get into some specifics of sources that people just for some reason fail to consider today.
And I believe it's causing a huge breakdown of culture and society
because people will not prove these sources.
Now, let's start with something easy.
I'm preaching to the choir tonight.
Let's start with this, though.
How about false prophets?
How about people not considering the source?
Oh, that's a false prophet, bro.
I don't want to hear what they have to say.
I don't want their information.
First John chapter number four.
Well, I know he's maybe a little different
than your church, but I just really think Joel Osteen
has a lot of great truths.
I've literally heard that.
No, he doesn't well. I know he believes one this pentacosalism, but I really think Geno Jennings has some great truths
Well, I know he's not, like, right on everything, but I think Andrew Tate has some great truths.
Like, that guy, if you believe what he has to say, he's basically preaching a religion.
That guy's a false prophet in his own way, even though he's not preaching the Bible.
We'll get to some of that later on.
But false prophets, 1 John 4 verse 1, the Bible says, Beloved, believe not every spirit.
Hey, quit believing everything you hear.
And look, this is talking to the saved.
It's like, quit.
Stop.
It's so frustrating when people come up to me
and they're like, did you hear?
Insert false information.
And I'm like, dude, that's definitely not true.
Like, bro, no, that's not right.
I saw it online, though, man.
I'm like,
Ah! Like, it's not true, though.
Like, do you think about anything that you hear?
Beloved, believe not every spirit.
But what? Try the spirits, whether they are of God.
Why? Because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Look, you give a one-minute YouTube short of Gino Jennings
preaching about, like, how we should be modest and not drink
and not have tattoos.
Yeah, that sounds great.
And then you pull up the fact that Bro can't even figure out
He's a false prophet, he doesn't believe the Bible, he's not saved.
Not only is he not saved, he's a false prophet, he's a reprobate, he's damned.
I'm not looking to him for like all my next information and all the great sources.
Why don't I consider a source that's maybe saved if I want doctrinal information?
Why don't I go to a saved source that's preaching right doctrine and then like,
2 Peter 2, if you would turn with me, 2 Peter chapter number 2.
You're like, well, if they knew, if they knew they were false prophets,
I don't think they'd really follow them.
Look, I hate to tell you, it really sometimes doesn't matter.
This is the sad part, is I can scream this, but it doesn't matter.
Sometimes you'll prove someone's a false prophet and they'll still follow them.
Why? Because they heaped it themselves, teachers having itching ears.
Yeah, well, I just really like how he delivered it.
I was sure he didn't like how your pastor said it.
He's really mean.
Like, okay, was it true though?
Because like, I think that's more important than whether or not it felt great when I heard it.
2 Peter 2 verse 1 says this,
but there were false prophets also among the people,
even as there shall be false teachers among you,
who privily shall bring in damnedable heresies.
even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction, verse 2,
and many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And you say,
hey, I don't really think so many people are convinced by false prophets.
Is this really a big problem?
We just had, I say we.
That's a very loose term here.
There was just a new pope.
And it's like watching the live stream. It's so crazy. They literally...
I guess I'm not an expert on this, so don't quote me if I'm wrong.
But basically, wherever this convocation of cardinals happens when they're selecting the new pope,
they'll burn a certain type of incense.
One color, like the darker, it's like they haven't picked one, and if it's like white, it's like there's a new pope.
People have no life, and they're so stupid, because the Catholic Church just picks doctrines in the Bible to do the opposite of.
Call no man father. Pope. It's like...
Don't wear long robes.
A guy will wear the long robe.
Call no man father.
Oh, father, so and so, from this way.
It's like, abstain, not, you know, meats, drinks,
commandmentsment, hey, we should probably give up meat for Lent.
So, I mean, name me a doctrine in the Bible
that they don't try to go the opposite of, and yet.
With that truth that they're so off base, just tens of thousands probably on this live stream I saw standing at probably more than that.
Standing outside of this like building where they can't see inside and they're watching the smokestack, waiting for the white smoke and the white smoke came out when they picked the pope a couple weeks ago and they're like,
It's a false prophet!
We're cheering over a false prophet being, like, pedestaled up
that's just gonna allow the Catholic church—
first of all, the guys not saved.
They don't believe salvation by grace alone.
They—all the other doctrines I've said that they conflict with,
they're enabling all these churches and parishes that have pedophiles and people to abuse people.
It's just like, yeah, let's stand out and cheer that on.
Why?
Because people don't consider.
They don't consider the source.
Well, but it's just, that's what we've done forever.
It's just tradition, man.
That's what we've done, because they're not considering the source.
Now, false prophets, that's an easy one,
but you know what else 2 Peter 2 brings up?
It says false prophets, and then later on,
it talks about false teachers among you.
You know, it's really easy for us to rip on false prophets,
because it's easy, because they're not saved.
But let me help you out.
Here's one thing a saved person could be, a false teacher.
This is a saved person teaching heresy.
could be a false teacher.
This isn't another source that people fail to consider.
Well, but he's saved.
He's a saved pastor.
So he must be right.
I mean, leading by constraint doesn't work, bro.
Source, trust me.
Source, no Bible verse.
Source, here's my opinion.
No, this is not true.
Revelation chapter number two.
Jesus, of course, writing to the churches and he brings up in Revelation 2, we get, of course, a famous reference to Jezebel in the New Testament.
This woman Jezebel that's teaching, it says in Revelation 2.20,
notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee,
because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
which calleth herself a providence,
to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication
and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Now, I'm going to give you my opinion, the Bible is not
concrete clear on this one way or the other.
My opinion though is,
Jezebel in Revelation chapter 2,
I believe could actually just be a saved lady
that this church is allowing in a position
and she should not be in this position.
Because a woman should not be a pastor,
she should not be getting up and teaching behind the pulpit.
Whether she's saved or not,
I'm just saying in this instance,
I believe she could be a saved woman.
But then what's she doing?
She's getting up and teaching people to commit fornication.
and to eat things, sacrifice unto idols.
Now look, Jesus is not writing in Revelation
to all just like the bad churches everywhere.
He's writing to churches saying like,
hey, you got some good works.
I see that you guys are doing well.
Stuff is going good, X, Y, and Z.
But look, I got some problems though.
Like you guys have some problems you need to fix
and that's why my personal opinion
is that Jezebel could potentially be saved.
If nothing else, it's a good church
and they're just letting her do stupid stuff
by letting her teach.
People can be saved and teach and seduce God's people to do bad things,
and this is in a good church where people are coming to church
and then some teacher's getting up and seducing them to do what?
Commit fornication, to eat meat, sacrifice unto idols.
Turn if you would to Acts chapter 17.
Acts chapter number 17.
Hey, you know what they should have done?
They probably should have considered the fact
that a pastor should be the husband of one wife,
blameless, that he should be a steward of God's flock.
He, he, hey, God's not afraid of pronouns, folks.
He should be the pastor.
She should sit down and shut up
and teach the children at home.
And if she's got a question, ask your husband at home.
I didn't write that.
That's what the Bible says.
Acts chapter 17 verse 11.
Acts 17 verse 11.
So many people today will show up to a church.
They show up to a church that's new IFB.
And look, we have good churches in the new IFB.
Now, when I say they show up to a church that's new IFB,
they might be showing up to a church that used to be a new IFB.
It's not new IFB anymore.
And then what do they do?
They don't consider the source.
And look,
Even if you're here in Anchor Baptist Church, we have a great pastor.
You need to consider the source and you need to do what the Bible says in Acts 17, verse 11, which is what?
These were more noble than they in Thessalonica.
We're talking about the Bereans in that they received the word with alreadiness of mind.
Hey, come to church ready to hear, you're hungry, you want the sermon, you're listening, you're paying attention,
but then also what?
And the latter part of that verse.
Weathers, those things were so.
You need to consider the source.
Why?
Because it's not enough to show up to church and be ready to receive the word.
You have to consider whether or not the source is true.
Whether or not the source is the Bible.
And unfortunately, saved people, saved pastors can get up and preach stupid doctrines.
And people that don't consider it are going to give on Facebook and tell you why it's so great.
I'm sick and tired of this stuff.
It's so frustrating.
How about this?
How about known liars?
Hey, if you're a known liar, I'm not going to listen to you.
Oh, but he's saying the truth now.
I don't care.
Bro, he's a liar.
Oh, but he apologized.
I don't care.
I'll forgive you.
Forgiveness is incident.
Trust is not.
Trust is rebuilt over time.
And there's nothing in the Bible saying I ever have to trust you again.
I will forgive you instantly.
Oh, but that's not very Christian.
That's not very Christ.
Like, I know he's a liar, but you should believe him.
We'll turn to Proverbs 17.
Let's see if that's what the Bible says.
You know why?
I'm going to consider the source.
And you come to me with this stupid crap about,
oh, I know they're a liar, but you should just believe them anyway.
I know it's a tranny that's uploading these online,
but you should just believe them because I think they're true against the new IFB.
I know this tranny literally just infiltrated a new IFB church and lied.
and was trying to like destroy the work of God
and is a reprobate that hates God
and wants to burn it all down.
But I really think that we should listen to him, man.
I really think they might have some truth.
Hey, how about, no, because I'm not an idiot
and I'm gonna consider the source.
You're like, wow, you're really fired up?
Yeah, you know why?
Because the simple belief of every word.
And it makes me so upset
when there's people that I love and I've gone to church with
and I've invested in and I'm like their friend.
I think I'm their friend.
And then they're a liar.
They're listening to false lips.
They're just buying into all this stupidity.
And let me show you something what the Bible says about known liars
and people that listen to liars.
Proverbs 17 verse 4 says this,
a wicked doer giveth heed to false lips
and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
You know what it says?
A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips.
Hey, I'm not even going to listen to a liar because that makes me wicked if I start listening to some known liar
If someone's a known liar you need to cut them out of your life
quit
Look, even a good source. This is the last verse that we'll look at this evening. We need to consider the source and
Here's the truth even a good source is
Worthless if that source ends up against God
Second Samuel chapter 17 will close this sermon tonight. I really just want you guys to consider the source
I really want everyone here to be solid, steadfast Christians.
I really want you to think about the things that you hear online and from preaching and things that you read in books.
And again, I don't necessarily think that we have this problem with this congregation right here right now,
but the Bible iterates this over and over and over again. Why? Because it could become a problem
and we should never be complacent and think like, oh, I'm good. I don't need to consider that source.
I'll never be tricked. It's a bad idea.
Even a good source is worthless if that source ends up against God.
2 Samuel 17 verse 14 says,
for the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel
to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.
You know, I don't have time to really establish the counsel of Ahithophel,
but the Bible says that it was as if when you asked the counsel of Ahithophel
in the times of David and Absalom, it says the Bible says it was as if you were inquiring of the Lord.
I mean, this guy had some good advice.
And notice what it says in verse 14 of 2 Samuel, don't miss this.
It said,
is better than the counsel of the hithifal, why?
For the Lord had appointed to defeat the bad counsel?
No, no, no.
The Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of a hithifal.
You know, you're good source.
What sounds good to you if it's against God and against the Bible,
the truth is it's not a good source.
We need to consider it and always be on the Lord's side.
Are they saved?
Where's the info coming from?
Is it true?
Does it contradict the Bible?
That's how you can check every source.
the source. Let's end with the word of prayer. Heavenly Father, I thank you for this day,
for the opportunity to preach. I just pray that this message would be applicable to us.
These things we pray in Jesus' name, amen. Brother Alex, you would be the next.
So if you could, if you could please go to Luke 17, Luke 17, and then I'll begin with my own verse and then go into the sermon title.
Genesis 49, 3-4 says...
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength.
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
Unstable is water, thou shall not excel.
Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, and then defileest thou it, he went up to
my couch."
What making up a slight metaphor and then going into it is that Ruben here what had actually had the
Strength the Excellency of dignity and the Excellency of power
But it was by his own choice his own free will to squander it all and so the title of today's message is don't be average
Don't be average and so
When I think something we can all understand is that when you get into a car you don't feel motion when it's moving at a constant speed
You feel acceleration, right?
So the thing is is that with your Christian life waking up every day doing the same thing as you did yesterday shouldn't be a
Pulse of whether or not you're right with God, right?
I think a lot of mistakes that a lot of Christians do especially when you even run with unsaved people at the door
Is you knock on the door and you ask them? Hey, how do you know you're saved? It's like well? I don't kill
I don't kill anybody. I didn't cheat on my wife yet.
And so what they always do is comparison, right?
A very popular verse in the Bible is when Peter,
Jesus tells Peter after he, you know,
tells him to ask him if he loves him three times, right?
He then says that tells him the manner
of which how he's going to die.
And then he sees like, well, what about him?
He's like, well, if I told you to,
if I told him to tarry till I come,
what is it to you, right?
So the thing is is that
God is expecting growth from our Christian lives,
not just staying the same throughout, right?
And so you guys are at Luke 17.
Let's just start at verse number seven.
It says,
but which of you having a servant plowing or feeding cattle
will say unto him, by and by,
when he has come from the field,
go and sit down to meet,
and will not rather say unto him,
make ready whether with I may sup and gird thyself
and serve me.
till have eaten and drunken and afterward thou shall eat and drink."
Doth he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded of him?
I trove not.
And so the thing is is that a lot of Christians what we end up doing is that we kind of start
getting into a rhythm and everything starts feeling really routine and then we're thinking,
oh well God has to bless me, oh why am I, I can't go through any persecution, why would
he purge me?
I'm doing the same things.
I go soul-winning, read my Bible.
But the thing is, again, it's about growth.
Because the problem is, is that when we get complacent,
we often tend to be idle.
And that usually leads to temptation,
or even then past that, sin.
Because here's the thing,
if you do just those basics, because again,
or it's a reasonable service.
The law is not grievous.
So the thing is, I don't need to like,
for example, for some people,
for example, I, my parents have a wine seller,
but I'm not tempted to drink, right?
Or, and I'm, again, there's no sins
that are not common to man.
So no one here, I hope, wakes up.
and then thinks that they're gay, right?
Like that's not a temptation that's common to man
or something like that.
You know, so the thing is,
it's not, you're not like all of a sudden great
because you just got through doing the bare minimum,
essentially.
Like as the verse says here, it's like,
well, do you deserve thanks just because you just got by,
right?
And so one of the things that I wanted to warn people about
is that
Once we're saved, it's not about maintaining the status quo of where you were.
Ephesians, if you may go to John chapter 15, I'll read to you Ephesians 2.10.
Because after salvation, Ephesians 2.10 says,
For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
So a motivation as well is that
You know again, if you compare every reward or blessing you try to why do we make plans and be diligent?
towards things that are corruptible on this earth,
things where moth and dust doth corrupt, right?
Because the problem is, is that
we make all these vain plans here
and then we end up putting aside the things of God
and then while thinking we're right
because we always compare ourselves to others
and saying, oh, at least I'm doing better
than the lowest on the totem pole, right?
And so I think that's what ends up setting yourselves up
to all of a sudden basically being pruned by God.
It's where you're getting purged
to bring forth more fruit.
And so in John 15 verse one,
I'm the true vine, and my father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit,
he takeeth away.
And every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it,
that it may bring forth more fruit."
And so again, like with the children of Israel, right?
They were becoming unprofitable.
And if they are the natural branches
and they were broken off, how much more us, right?
Where we are coming.
grafted in, but then it's like, okay, if we're also unprofitable, he would also prune us, right?
And so the problem is, is that if we just go by, thinking we're always all right,
and actually not checking the source, and seeing if we're actually growing, if there's
possibility of us to have, grow, do more work, have more plans, do more mighty works for God,
that's where the real avoidance of chastisement would be, and knowing if you really are right
He was just in the end after he had this long conversation with all his friends accusing him of being evil
He was able to justify himself to be righteous in his own eyes
Why because he was continually growing and doing the work things, you know, perfect upright and so the thing is is that?
We do want it to try to grow every day not just compare ourselves to yesterday and give us our excuse to be idle
Give the excuse to be like oh, I did enough good. That's it
I think a common thing for a lot of people who backsize like oh well
I've been soul-winning for like 20 years already
I think it's enough to just take it one break or to call it quits, right?
That's not you're still that doesn't mean that all of a sudden that you're kind of like paying and building good favor for God
And then you can just cash out whenever you want, right? You're asking yourself to have problems
And so continuing there, I'd just like for you guys to go to Luke chapter 12.
And then I would also then, while you guys are going there, I'll read to you guys Proverbs 27 verse 18, it says,
Who so keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof.
So he that waiteth on his master shall be honored.
And so the thing is, is that we're all waiting for the second coming of Jesus, right?
And so a motivation on how not to be averaged is not just about avoiding being purged and pruned to grow more fruit.
Because I think that's a lot of problems with people in this, you know, for actually for a lot of us is that we tend to notice that
Most of the time, people don't make drastic changes in their lives.
It's usually when they hit rock bottom,
that they finally come to their senses and make a change.
For example, the, sorry, the prodigal son, we all know it, right?
He spends the substance and then it was only when he was eating corn husks
did he come to himself and then be like, I made a huge mistake.
And let's, I just want to say like, to avoid being average,
let's not wait to hit rock bottom because when we usually do that,
you can't fix, right? How do you fix hitting rock bottom if it's your wife divorcing you,
right? It's that there's some things you just can't go back on. And so that's why I wanted to
actually have you guys continue to push forward, not just for the fear of God, but also again for
those rewards. And so if we read Luke 12 verse 42, it says, And the Lord said,
Who then is that faithful and wise steward from whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household to give?
Then their portion of meat and due season
Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh find so doing of a truth
I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all that he hath
But if that servant say in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and he shall begin to beat the man service in
Maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunk. So the thing is is that
Again, if you continue to do those good works and grow,
there is honor, there is rewards in heaven.
Those things should be a continual motivation.
Not being like, I mean like, here's the thing,
if you knew that every time you actually got a good review,
like I don't know if you guys were in like elementary school,
I don't know if you guys got like,
if you got like, I had to do these four color markers,
and based on my behavior,
they would, I'd have to actually color code
how well I behave that day, right?
Where it's like green, you did really, blue, you did excellent,
you did above the mark, greens, like you did okay.
you got a little bit in trouble and red it's like okay you guys are good you're
getting detention right
And so the thing is is that if you were told at work every day if you perform got blue little color in your little calendar every day that you got a bonus.
How much of you how many of you guys would just continue to work as hard as you can every day to push the mark right pick up more responsibility want to do more to get paid more.
But that's the thing is what it says here in the Bible right is that if you got has left you with the talents based on your ability.
and then God thinking that God's expecting you to make 10.
No, you started with two.
You didn't have five.
It's not comparing yourself to others.
It's up to your ability that God gave you your talents.
And so it's not about looking at others
and then quitting because then the problem is
if you compare to someone who has five, makes 10,
you're gonna be envious and that sets you up to be bitter.
And then again, you're not being realistic.
And so I say this is that just worry about your ability your walk with God
Doesn't matter what he says with other people and that you perform and push that mark is eventually if you continue in that belief
That you are getting rewarded again
You will have honor in due season and so that's what I have to say on that and just don't be average
Let's grow and do better. Thank you Lord for this day. Thank you for the opportunity to preach your word
I pray that the
Fellowship goes well today and that the food please the best bless for the nourishment of our bodies in Jesus name. I pray amen
Okay, this time we'll do one more song, it'll be a full song.
What a day that will be
63 what a day that will be
63 we'll sing they're starting on the first
Thank you.
Pray for the food.
After I'm done, if the men will help,
we're gonna deconstruct this middle row
and kind of just set up a table right here.
So I'm gonna go ahead and pray for the food.
Heavenly Father, we thank you again
for this day, for this evening.
I pray that you'd bless all this food
to our bodies, to the edification of ourselves,
and that you would keep us safe
as we go our separate ways.
These things we pray in Jesus' name, amen.
And with that, you're dismissed.