(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.) Amen, so if you want to keep something there in 1st Thessalonians 5 do so but go to Acts 14 I want to just touch on something I really to have time for on Thursday night and inside it's this idea of the fact that we as Christians are going to go through tribulation However, as we just read in 1st Thessalonians 5 Bible clearly says that God has not appointed us unto wrath Okay, if you're there in Acts chapter 14 You'll read there verse 20 It says when they had preached the gospel to that city and it taught many the return again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch confirming the souls of the disciples and Exhorting them to continue in the faith. Now. Why does he need to exhort them to continue? Right? Why is he saying? Hey, don't quit don't stop serving God continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation That's what he's reminding them say. Hey don't quit because here's the facts. We are going to go through much tribulation That's what he's saying That's what Paul's saying that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God And obviously he's not talking about you know We have to do a lot of work in order to be saved but that as we enter into the kingdom of God as we serve God as we Tarry here until the Lord's coming or as first Thessalonians 5 if we sleep and we live under the Lord in the meantime You know our life spent here on earth as Christians. We're gonna have tribulation. There's going to be trials. They're gonna be difficulties Things that we go through that's why Paul is saying hey we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God Okay, that's something I didn't really have time to point out in acts chapter 14 on Thursday But if you want to go back to first Thessalonians chapter number five, we'll pick it up there So I want to preach a sermon tonight entitled appointed to wrath appointed to wrath I'm gonna talk about how we are and not are not appointed to wrath as Christians because as you read in first Thessalonians chapter 5 the Bible is real clear that we're not appointed to wrath So you're saying why would you call the sermon appointed to wrath if the Bible saying you're that were appointed not appointed to wrath? Okay. Well, let me explain You look there in verse 8 it says But let us who are of the day Be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Why for God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ So we're to be saved by the Lord Jesus Christ from wrath, but here in first Thessalonians 5 He's being real specific He's talking about the return of Christ the second coming of Christ and the fact we know that at the you know Prior or after rather the coming of Christ. God is going to pour out his wrath on this earth So when he's saying in first Thessalonians 5, there's the first Thessalonians 5 that we're not appointed to wrath He's being very specific about that instance Okay He's being it's it's very specific set of circumstances referring to a very set time right the time of wrath that comes after The return of Christ after the opening of the sixth seal Okay after the opening of the seventh seal when he begins to pour out his wrath. Okay, that's what he's referring to here and so we have to we can't just misapply this to our entire Christian life and think that just because We're saved that God's never gonna get angry with us and that we could never perhaps You know bring the wrath of God upon us in our lives because if you've ever read the scripture You would know that God judges his people and even that pouring out of his judgment is called wrath throughout the Bible, okay So yes, we are not appointed to we're not appointed to wrath But that's really specific to the second coming of Christ if you would go to first Thessalonians chapter number one You're there in fives go back a few chapters to verse one He says there in verse 9 for they themselves show of show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you How you turn to God from idols to serve the truth the living and true God and To wait from his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come So he's not saying he's delivered us from all wrath, right? He's being real specific in first Thessalonians He's saying he's delivered us from the wrath that is to come right and it's the wrath that we know is coming upon the whole World we are going to be delivered from that wrath Okay, and of course in Revelation chapter 6 if you want to turn there in Revelation chapter 6, I'll begin reading a verse 12 We'll start to read about when that wrath comes and this isn't an end time sermon Okay, we're gonna talk about it a little bit here, but this isn't a prophecy sermon. So don't get too excited It says in verse 12 and I beheld and when he opened that sixth seal and lo there was a great earthquake It's the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair and of moon the moon became as blood and the stars fell from unto Fell, excuse me and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig tree cast at their untimely flicks when she is shaken of a mighty wind and the heavens departed as a scroll and is rolled together and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places and the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains And the mighty men and every bond man and every free man hid themselves in the dens and the mountains and they said to The mountains and the rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath Of the Lamb, okay So this is what they're saying all these mighty men Right when when he's opening up the sixth seal if we know where prophecy we know that we have been here God's people have been here through all of those seals. Okay, and I've just preached a sermon about this not too long ago So I'm not gonna go into it length. I think everybody in the room gets this This isn't something that needs to be really expounded Okay But you know It's always interesting whenever you read that how they're crying out that the mountains and rocks would fall on them how they're going into the dens And the rocks of the mountains and isn't it a coincidence that you know, there's all these underground areas these these places that you know High-ranking officials had to go to they all go underground, right? So you can see how that already ties in with what we see going on around us All right, so I believe that's what it's gonna be that kind of a thing I don't think it's gonna be you know them climbing up into a mountain and going into some little, you know bat-infested cave They're probably gonna be going down into some underground complex that they've constructed You know deep in the earth and saying hey fall on us right hide us from the wrath of the god of Hide us from the face of him that's in that on the road for the wrath of the lamb, right? What I'm pointing out here is verse 17 for the great day of his wrath is come, right? So that's what first Thessalonians 5 and 1 I believe are referring to the wrath that is to come That's what we have not been appointed unto by God Okay, God hasn't appointed unto this wrath that is going to come upon the face of the whole earth right and we know that You know, we've already been taken out at this point the sixth seal, you know You go and you read Revelation 7. We won't take the time after you have the ceiling of 144,000 that God, you know that all of a sudden that great multitude appears into heaven and Paul says, you know, or excuse me, John says Is asked, you know, who are these right and he says sir thou knowest right he said to me These are they which came out of great tribulation. So Christians are going to go through tribulation We just read it in Acts chapter 14. You know what just go to Revelation 7 just go over there We got it. We got to get it in context go to Revelation chapter 7. So yes We're not appointed unto the wrath that is to come The wrath that all the mighty men and the rich men and the great men are gonna hide from in that day You know, we're not appointed under that wrath, but that doesn't mean we're exempt from any and all wrath from God, okay And we know that Christians will face tribulation So we have you know as Christians these two things got one thing that has certainly guaranteed us in this life It's called tribulation all they live God in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution We know we're gonna go through tribulation Paul said that we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of heaven That is a given We know we through our actions the things that we do the way we conduct ourselves Can also add another layer of difficulty the Christian life called God's wrath. Okay, we don't want to misunderstand first Thessalonians 5 We want to make sure that we we understand it in its context that it's referring to that very specific Wrath that is going to come upon the face of the old earth If you look there in Revelation chapter 7 you have verse 9 after this the ceiling of the 144,000 I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people in tongues stood before the throne And before the lamb clothed with white robes and with palms in their hands Okay, that's after the opening of the sixth seal. Okay, all of a sudden you have this great multitude appearing in heaven Hmm. I wonder what that could possibly be I wonder what that might be what major event where a great multitude of people are caught up into heaven You know, it's called the rapture. Okay, and it happens after the sixth seal. Okay, that's when it this takes place But that's another sermon, right? And so they they cried a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and under the lamb And all the angels stood around about the throne about the elders and the four beasts that fell before the throne on their faces and worship God saying amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever Amen, and one of the elders answered saying unto me what are which are these? Excuse me? What are these? Which are rain and white robes and whence came they? and I said unto him sir thou knowest and he said to me these are they which came out of great tribulation Right, so people a lot of time will say things like oh, you know We're not gonna have to go through wrath because we're not gonna we're not gonna face that tribulation Well, here's a group of people where it specifically says they did go through that great tribulation now obviously these are safe people one they're in heaven to they're praising the God of heaven and What does it say of them? Where did they come from out of great tribulation? So it kind of goes against the grain, you know You know this pre-trib doctrine that we're just never gonna go through tribulation in the end times Okay, and I'm sure they have all kinds of cute little ways to work around this but you know here you have a perfect example of somebody showing, you know being showing up this great multitude and it says that they came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and Made them white in the blood of the Lamb Therefore they are before the God of the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sit at The throne shall dwell among them So he's kind of talking about what they're gonna get, you know, and it's just kind of a side note here But it's interesting that you know, they have this kind of special reward, you know, this is something that's kind of reserved for them This is some of the privilege that they have for having gone through the great tribulation, right? This is something that these specific people are gonna get they are before the throne of God Meaning I don't believe you know, I don't think the scripture teaches that we're all gonna be in the same proximity to Christ You know maybe for a moment But there's gonna be certain people that are gonna be forever much closer to the Lord than others There's some people are gonna be a lot closer to that throne, right? Because I mean heaven is a literal place, you know, and it's there's only so much space. There's only so much room You know, it's not so obviously some people are gonna have the privilege of being closer while others are not gonna have that privilege Okay, so showing us here That these are they which came out of great tribulation They are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple So, you know and this you know, this is kind of I'm just kind of going off tonight It's kind of a free-wheeling sermon tonight. So bear with me Okay But isn't it interesting that these people get to serve God day and night in his temple that they get to be in his throne Before God they're closer to God. They're gonna be there serving the Lord God of heaven in his temple day and night and What else do they get it says they shall no more hunger no more Neither thirst anymore. Neither shall the sunlight on on nor any heat For the Lord, excuse me for the lamb Which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living Fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes So he's saying this about this very specific group of people who went through great tribulation It's like and it's interesting because it seems that their reward is equivalent to their suffering because think about if they're the ones that have gone through great tribulation if they've been there through all these seals being opened up the Pestilence the war everything they're there at You know, the the the the mark of the beast now they can no longer buy or sell or trade they're living so these people are living through this very difficult time where they're going without and They're being persecuted Right. They're not able to go buy food They're they're not a they're getting there probably have been Destitute. I mean, that's why it's saying that their son shall know the light on them nor any heat nor more They shall hunger no more meaning they were hungering. They were without things they were without shelter What's their shelter now the temple of God? They hungered on earth going through that great tribulation. Now the Lamb of God is going to feed them and lead them to living waters You know, they were parched. They didn't have drink they were suffering But now God is going to minister them Well, you know specifically about those needs and minister them in a way that he's not necessarily gonna minister to everybody At least to not this degree. That's what I see in this passage and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Obviously these people have seen some horrific things if they're going through You know the great tribulation if they're seeing the devil come down with great wrath for his time is short You know and trying to destroy God's people they're going through Great tribulation they're suffering all these things and yet when they get to heaven their reward is far better And that's you know something we need to understand That's something that's gonna come back into play a little bit later in the sermon that concept That our reward in heaven far outweighs the suffering we go through here on earth You know we get to heaven we're gonna go to these, you know tribulation Saints and ask them and say hey You know, don't you feel bad about having to go through all that all that hungering and thirsting and being destitute And you know being out in the Sun and exposed to the elements and everything They're gonna say no actually I don't because look at my reward Look what I got in return. You know, I got a pretty good return on my investment This is why it's so silly to me when people when Christians spend their life trying to prepare for the tribulation or something They're gonna build some bunker. They're gonna get a bunch of food They're gonna get a bunch of MREs and they're just think they're just gonna hunker down and just you know And just see it through the tribulation You know one that's that's not in our hands. We don't get to decide that Okay, and two let's not forget that our God is a powerful God that works miracles, you know The guy that's probably gonna make it all the way through the end is probably the person that's just gonna trust God for everything You know just serve God the guy that's probably just gonna say, you know what I'm gonna do exploits. I'm gonna go out there I'm gonna serve God mightily. I'm not gonna just go cower somewhere and hide I'm gonna you know preach the word and if I get killed I killed if I perish I perish whatever Yeah, that's why it's silly and look even if you go through the Great Tribulation and you end up having to be persecuted And have your life taken from you during that time Look at the reward you get you're gonna be closer to God than anybody else practically You're gonna be in his throne serving him day and night You know, and I know that there's other things that other people are gonna do in heaven But that's kind of a pretty special thing, isn't it? Say what would you want to do in heaven would you want to serve God day and night or be over? You know X amount of cities Would you want to be in the temple day and night for all eternity close to the Lord or would you want to be? You know ruling and reigning on the earth or whatever and checking in with the Lord every so often Man, I'll take that being close to God in the throne you can you know, I've I've had enough this responsibility stuff on her I've done enough ruling and reigning as it is, you know, I can barely keep this together, right? I'll take that put me through that tribulation bring it on So their reward is equivalent to their suffering So I'm kind of bringing this up because the problem with pre-tribbers is that they conflate wrath and tribulation They take those two concepts and try to make them the same thing. Okay, those two ideas. They're not they're two separate things Wrath and tribulation two different things. Oh, you know, you're saying that God's gonna you know, God's not we're not appointed under wrath brother Exactly but wrath is what comes after God raptures the church, right? We're not appointed under wrath, you know, yeah, but we're gonna go through tribulation Paul said it Paul said, you know We must we must through much tribulation under the kingdom of heaven Right, and these are people here that have gone through great tribulation. Okay? So we don't want to miss apply or misunderstand what it means to not be appointed to wrath, okay We don't want to make the mistake of thinking that means all tribulation that we're gonna get away Scott Without having to suffer for Christ in this world or in the end times. That's not what the Bible teaches at all And look setting people up for that isn't doing them any favors and saying oh, don't worry Jesus could come at any moment. We're just all just gonna be snatched out of here You know, that's that's not doing anybody any favors people ought to be prepared Spiritually for that possibility, okay But also the another way people can miss apply First Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 8 is they can think that Oh God has an appointments in the wrath meeting we can just do whatever we want and You know, there's there's no condemnation to us right go to Romans chapter 8 This is another thing that I've heard, you know This is something that I heard very early on in my Christian life by a couple of Christians who were you know? getting involved in the sin of fornication and Some other young people kind of called him on it and he said well, you know My pastor told me that there's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus That's literally what some pastors will get up behind a pulpit and teach That hey you could sin you can do whatever you want doesn't matter, you know, you should know It's not what God's wants for you. But if you do it, you know, there's no judgment God's not gonna condemn that because you're saved You know, you're in God's grace You know, that's that's all done away with in Christ That's why Christ died on the cross So we could go out and you know Just live lewd and lascivious lives so we could just go out there and be just as wicked as everybody else and commit fornication And look fornication is a wicked sin The Bible condemns it it's one of those sins that I'll get you kicked out of church There's not a lot of sins that I get you kicked out of church There's a lot of things you can do and not get kicked out of church You could still suffer God's judgment, but you know fornication drunkenness covetousness idolatry extortion Those are same things that will get you removed from the local church and not allowed back until you get it, right That's what and that's what the Bible says about fornication. Okay, and And look people out there teach it there's there's nothing wrong with it That's the world's philosophy and there's even pastors that get up behind Paul behind pulpits and think oh, you know We're not appointed to wrath God's not gonna ever judge us, you know first Thessalonians 5 is about a very specific moment in time That wrath is about a very specific, you know a particular instance of what God pouring out his wrath. It's in the end times It's not right now you and I can still suffer the wrath which is the anger of God, okay They miss apply first Thessalonians 5 they miss apply passages like Romans 8 verse 1 there is now therefore no condemnation of them which are in Christ Jesus and They want to put a period right there And when this guy quoted it to me, that's what he said and that's how a lot of these preachers will preach it They'll just where there's that little comma right there They'll just put a period and just act like the rest of the latter half the verse doesn't exist You know, yeah, there is no condemnation them which are in Christ Jesus Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit that seems like a pretty important part of that verse Meaning if you're walking out of the flesh, there's condemnation to you. What's condemnation judgment? There's wrath God will judge us if we walk after the flesh and not after the spirit, right? Look at verse 12 therefore brethren We are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if you live after the flesh ye shall die God will judge you but if you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live What's what's Paul getting at here, you know to kind of just sum it up I think basically what he's saying is you don't own the flesh or excuse me. Don't owe the flesh You're not in debt to the flesh So if you live after the flesh, it's like you're paying and freely and that's gonna upset God It'd be different if we were unsaved and we were debtors to the flesh. We were just in bondage to the flesh We didn't have any just the old man living after the flesh. We'd be indebted to it But we're you know, there is no condemnation which are Christ's which walk in the spirit We've been freed from the the bondage of sin of death. We've been freed from this flesh We have the power to mortify the flesh So if we sit there and act like debtors to the flesh and just keep paying the flesh its dues You know, we're gonna be we're gonna die God's gonna judge us Okay, you know, you don't know own the flesh owe the flesh anything. So don't spend any money on it Don't be forking over, you know your time and your energy and everything else, you know spending your life in the flesh Okay, I think that's what he's getting at So obviously we're not appointed unto the specific wrath that's mentioned in first Thessalonians 5 and Revelation But we are more than capable of suffering God's wrath on a personal level. Okay This is the reality of the Christian life and look you got to bring this to people's attention because it you know We're gonna we don't want to make the Christian life more difficult than it already is I mean it isn't the fact that Paul said exhort them and say hey You're gonna go we're gonna have to go through much tribulation and we're to enter the kingdom of heaven That's already kind of like a you know, really Paul you came all this way and that's what you preached right? But let's not forget what Paul went through. Okay, Paul just got done, you know getting stoned right and Like and not the way a lot of people think He wasn't like passing the doobie, right? He was getting rocked to death and not sung a lullaby Right. He was getting stoned. They were throwing rocks. He's he's he could talk him. He's saying hey, I've suffered This is how it's gonna be for us. So let's not add another layer of difficulty Let's not make it more difficult by living our lives in such a way that God is going to be angry with us Okay God we God will cause us to suffer on a personal level. God does punish his own people Okay In fact, God punishes his own own people on this earth more harshly a lot of times than he does the wicked Because the wicked have this thing called hell waiting for them. You ever wonder why wicked people seem to get away with everything It's because ultimately they're gonna end up in hell Right Psalm 73 until I went in the sanctuary of God then understood I their end He set their foot in slippery places You know, once he got in there He stopped being envious of the wicked once he got in the sanctuary of God. Look that the wicked have it coming Unless they get saved We suffer on this earth. He chased that every son who receiveth Okay, we all go through that punishment, especially if we're asking for it, okay and look Just go read through the Bible read the Bible and just notice how many times God's judging his own people and specifically calling it wrath I will pour out my wrath upon you, you know, it's like you read through You get you know, you read through it and and he starts, you know, you get into you know Exodus Numbers Deuteronomy where he's basically saying here's what hurts how it's gonna be and if you don't obey I'm going to pour out my wrath upon you Then you get into like Joshua and first chronicles second Kings and all that It's like them breaking all the commandments that God pouring out his wrath He's doing exactly what he warned him of and then you get into like Psalms right where it's like him Like where they just start recounting it all. Yeah, God warned us. We did it Here's what happened and they're just like explaining how it all happened I mean, that's like a major theme in the Old Testament God punishing Israel for their disobedience Whoa, but God doesn't judge his own people God would never pour out wrath It's like that's that's like one of the major themes of the Old Testament God God punished his own people the tunes of to the tune of millions of people. I Mean just hope and we pretty much just wiped the nation off the face of the earth Northern Kingdom was just you know, just dismantled and gone and Then he causes his you know, the southern kingdom to be carried off into captivity You know, so why would we sit here today and think oh God wouldn't punish me You know, you'd think that if you never read your Bible you think that if you listen to some liar behind the pulpit who just says Well, there's no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus period You know, we're not a point under wrath You know if that guy is either deceived or a deceiver or both Likely the latter Likely the latter Anyone that would say that I mean, it's just the Psalms There's so many passages we could turn to where Bible talks about how the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people Insomuch that he aboard his own inheritance, right? God gets angry at his own people So, how does that happen? All right, you convinced me, you know, we could possibly be appointed to wrath again Not the wrath the first Thessalonians 5 not the wrath of Revelation 7 and onwards not the wrath of the end times not the wrath that the Wicked of this world are going to fear at the coming of Christ We're not appointed under that but you know, you convinced me. Yeah, we can suffer wrath in this life It's nothing new, you know, hopefully I don't have to pound that drum too much for you for you to understand that You know, hopefully you agree with me You say okay. Well, what's the solution what brings wrath? What is it that's gonna make God angry right? Well, we read in Romans Right Romans ain't there that if we walk in the flesh, you know that God will judge us There's no condemnation them which are in Christ Jesus who walked out after the flesh but in the spirit Meaning if we do walk in the flesh, we will suffer wrath. That's what brings it. How does that happen? How does a Christian get to a place where they're gonna live their life in such a way that it makes God mad? And this you know, and this is I understand this isn't some mind-blowing sermon I'm not rocking anyone's theology tonight Probably everybody in the room understands this concept That you can make God angry and then he'll judge you That God's wrath can be poured out upon individuals in this life on a personal level. You can suffer God's wrath God can make life miserable You know, that's not the message you're used to hearing in church though, is it? Right, that's not what the televangelist is gonna tell you call now, you know Put place your hand on the screen and God will make your life miserable Right. That's not what he says you know, he's lying to you and saying and look obviously God can bless and we can live a Joyful life we can live a blessed life if we walk in the spirit But you know what a lot of Christians today don't walk in the spirit They walk in the flesh They they please the flesh they do the things that that they want to do in the flesh You know, that's fine. But just understand that's what make God's man. That's what makes God mad And that's gonna bring God's wrath. That's what's gonna bring God's chastening into our life Okay So but so you ask like how does that happen in a Christian's life? Why is it that Christians do that? In a nutshell if I could just you know, put it into you know Put it on the back of a postage stamp. It would be the fact that it's misplaced affection misplaced affection Okay, if you would go to Colossians chapter 3, I don't know if I had you there earlier I didn't go to Colossians 3 when you get there put a bookmark. We're gonna go there We're gonna leave for a second and then we're gonna come back Again a lot of Christians were probably even agree with me a lot probably wouldn't but there's you know, probably there's some people I'm sure everyone in the room and agree with me That you can bring God's wrath into your life So, how does that happen? How does a Christian get to the place where they just think that happens to them? That's you know, God's wrath is a part of their experience It's because of misplaced affection Look at Colossians chapter 3 verse 1 if then if ye then be risen with Christ Seek those things which are above Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God? And look if you're saved you're risen with Christ You know, that's what we read in first first Thessalonians 5 whether we live or whether we sleep we live unto the Lord We're all it's like our resurrection has already happened in a sense. It's as good as done in God's eyes And we already have the earnest of our inheritance the Holy Spirit You know to live, you know Excuse me to to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord It's gonna happen if you're saved the moment you die you're in heaven if Then if ye then be risen with Christ, you know, he's it's kind of a He's kind of putting it to them like, you know, if it's a hypothetical though He's kind of assuming everyone understands. Look you are risen with Christ So if ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above Look if you're saved if you're God's child If you're on your way to heaven, you might as well start living like it might as well start acting like it You know and not make give God a reason to get angry at us on our way to heaven We're only gonna have to go through much tribulation Let's not you know upset the Lord along along the way Let's not make it even harder by having God, you know, trying to get us back on the right path and tan our hide Seek those things which are above You know that takes effort that's not something that people just are naturally going to do Naturally going to do people are gonna have to start seeking the things of God or suffer for having not done. So Okay, seek those things Set your affection on things above is what he says in verse 2 set your affection on things above Not on things on the earth Yet, this is what so many Christians do they just make their life about all the things of the earth They set their affection on things of the earth And They think well, there's just not gonna be any consequences for that that I'm just gonna set my affection on things of earth I'm gonna disregard the things which are above I'm not gonna seek those things which are above I'm not gonna set my affection to heaven. I'm gonna make my life all about the things on this earth I'm just gonna make my life about what I want what I'm gonna get out of it I'm gonna make my life about wealth and abundance and things and and and playtime and you know Just pleasures and just whatever I want to do and I'm just gonna enjoy my life and kind of just disregard the things of God and they think that life's just gonna be you know, a Basket of peaches and I'm here to tell you that's not the case That you will be appointed to wrath if that's your attitude. I Mean do we let our kids just do whatever they want? I mean, I hope not You know, I don't we don't just let our kids, you know wake up in the middle of the night and start eating cookies Or do we I don't know Boy, maybe I finally brought some conviction in the room right We don't just let them make you know Get away with every little thing that they want to do be chasing them. We correct them we get them back on the right path You know, it's no different than with with us and God If we just start ignoring his commandments ignoring the things that he has for us to do and you know Not setting our affection on things above we just Decide we're gonna make our life all about us and all about the things of this earth. God's just gonna come down on us And people don't like to think about that but that's true that's who God is Set your affection on things that Above and not on things on the earth. Why because Paul's a big meanie Because Paul's just uh, he just wants to make life miserable, right? Just make life hard. He's just trying to ruin your good time He's just trying to steal all your fun, that's what Paul's doing Because we all know that live in the Christian life being just some old, you know Independent fundamental Baptist fuddy-duddy is just such a you know a miserable existence You know that the Christian life is just something that we have to just do endure to the bitter end Does that why Paul's saying that does he just mean he just wants to steal your fun You know, you can still have plenty of fun Looks the best times I've ever had is that or as a Christian the most fun I've ever had is is out serving God. I Got stories you were there You know got there on the on the rez, you know in a Jeep preaching the gospel almost rolling down the side of mountains You know, that was some of the best times I've ever had You know out here preaching the gospel serving God You know my life was so miserable because I decided to you know Get married and have and be fruitful and multiply like God said and let me tell you it's just made life such a drudgery You know, I find no joy. I find no pleasure at any of my children. Oh But don't mean what if you weren't married didn't have kids you could be doing this that and the other thing Yeah, and I'd probably be miserable doing it Wouldn't trade that for anything who gave me that God who commanded me to do that God You know setting your affection on things above it's gonna bring joy in this life It's not like you have to wait to heaven to get there to enjoy that You know You could set your affection on things above and God can begin to bless you in this life and you'll actually have I'm not saying You won't have tribulation right But you'll be able to rejoice in that tribulation you'll be comforted in that tribulation It's a Paul said God comforted us in our all our tribulations You'll be able to do as Paul said rejoice. And again, I say rejoice rejoice evermore. I Mean Paul talks a lot about rejoicing and yet he's somebody who's suffered greatly for God explain that because there's a difference between tribulation and wrath and We are guaranteed tribulation in this life if we're gonna live for God So it's like you can have your pick, you know We can live for God and have tribulation or you cannot live for God and have God's wrath, but you're not getting out of difficulty You're not it's not you're not gonna wiggle your way out of life being hard the Christian life being hard one way shape or form It's just you know, the tribulation option. There's also a joy that comes with that There's also blessings that come with that there's also victory that comes with that like tribulation isn't necessarily just a punishment It's challenges. It's things that have to be overcome and when things are overcome we rejoice You know, there's a sense of accomplishment that comes with that People you know that they set their affection on just the things of this earth and they think they're gonna make life easy and nice and comfortable and just not Worry about the things of God and then what they're gonna get instead is God's wrath and that's way harder But why is he saying to set their affection on things above again just to steal our fun Because he just wants to make life miserable. No verse 3 for you're dead For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Because you're not your own you've been bought with the price And Even if God decided you know what you're gonna live the Christian life and it's gonna be miserable He would still have every right to say that Because we are not our own and Christians need to get it through their head. You're not your own you're saved. You're not your own Your life isn't yours anymore It's Christ's and it should be spent serving him Verse 5 mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. What does it mean to mortify to kill them now? Don't take this too literally Okay We're already thin out. We're thinning out enough in this church as it is I don't need you people going home and taking this too. Literally, you know, you're gonna go home and drink bleach or something. Don't do that Okay Obviously he's speaking figuratively here's he's talking about the fact that we're not just gonna give in to the lust of the flesh That when the flesh raises up its head and says I don't want to set my affection on things above I want to set my affection on things of the earth We're gonna you know, we're gonna mortify that flesh we're gonna say no, sir We're putting our affection on things which are above we're gonna seek those things which are above where Christ sit on the right hand of God that's what we're seeking That's what it means to mortify the flesh not giving in to that's lusts having some temperance having some self-control Mortify therefore your members which are on the on the earth fornication Uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness, which is idolatry You know, he's being real specific about the things you need to mortify. Don't be a fornicator Don't be unclean which kind of goes hand in hand with fornication because being a fornicator is unclean Sleeping around with a bunch of people is unclean. It's unsanitary That's why there's an STD epidemic in this country that never gets talked about But it's out there there's it's an epidemic Everyone gets bent out of she's always freaked out over kovat It's like where have you been for the last, you know, 50 years or whatever when STDs have just been being You know spread to and fro throughout this entire country Because they're a bunch of it's filled with a bunch of fornicators because they're all being taught. There's nothing wrong with fornication It's unclean inordinate affection evil concupiscence It's all kind of the same thing right just just the lust of the flesh covetousness, which is idolatry For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience He's saying look God judges people for this people who disobey the children disobedience who do these things They get punished by forgot by God for this the wrath of God comes upon them You Know and if that's what we set our affections on if that's what we're gonna do in this life But we're just gonna make our life just about pleasing the flesh You know and even going to this place Christians can do it. You know, what's gonna come next? wrath Wrath Well, at least I won't have any tribulation, you know, good luck with that I'll take tribulation any day over wrath I'll take I'll take trials and persecutions and tribulation Entering into the kingdom of God and be able to walk there there and hold my head high. I Mean look at what we read in Revelation 7 those people showed up and God's like, oh you went through tribulation, huh loser That's what you get No, he's like come a little closer. I got a special place for you at the throne I'm gonna you're gonna be served by me. I'll lead you to living waters. Let me wipe away all those tears You'll be in my temple day and night, you know, that's the reward for going for tribulation What's the remind you again what the ward is for going through wrath? Oh, yeah, there isn't any It's zero zero reward. It's just you know live for your flesh Don't consider the things of God don't set your affection on things above Suffer wrath through your entire Christian life and then go to heaven and have no reward. Yeah, it sounds great. Where do I sign up? You know emphasis on the sarcasm Okay But that's how some people live their life as Christians and It's sad Go to Ephesians chapter number five I'll begin reading a verse one keep something in Colossians 3 go to Ephesians chapter 5 begin reading a verse 1 Ephesians 5 be therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and have given himself for Us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling saver Oh, you want me to live my life as a sacrifice for God you think I should give up things you should you think I? Should dedicate parts of my life to God. Yes. That's what Christ did for us He offered himself a sweet-smelling sacrifice for a saver unto God laid down his life for us I think he has the right to ask us to do the same You know And it's not even a literal laying down of your lives the the chances of us any one of us ever having to actually die For the cause of Christ is practically nil You know in all likelihood it's not gonna happen Even if we went into the tribulation, there's a good chance. God would just watch out for us if we're walking in the spirit But yeah, God could ask us that of that of us God could has every right to ask us to mortify our members Which are on the earth? God has every right to ask us to clean up our lives and to get the sin out and start living for him Well, what did he do for me? bore the cross to Calvary Suffered in hell and Then resurrected that's what he did for us but let's not forget the sinless life that he lived living up to that leading up to that and All the shame and the mockery and the cruelty that he endured on the cross All the persecution he went through. I mean, I think you know, he's done his fair share I don't think it's much for him to ask. Hey follow me followers of God as dear children And I love how he puts it there as dear children that's how God looks at us as dear children Not are not his personal little slaves as I look at my children sometimes I'm scared Ha ha slaves Right, that's that's how we look at our kids. I mean from time to time But that's how God looks at he looks at his dear children, right? You know, he loves us he wants to bless us He wants to you know guide us and lead us. He wants the best for us not what's easy But what's best? And you know what part of being a good parent is and what a part of you know, having your children be in dear to you is That you punish them appropriately You don't let them just go wayward so we might as well follow God as dear children because if we don't follow God as dear children because if we don't follow God as We'll still be as dear children. It just might not be as evident You might feel like man does God really love me because I'm having a hard time sitting down lately It just seems like life isn't really going the way I thought it was supposed to go It just seems like you know ever since I quit church and quit think caring about the things of God that life's just getting harder And harder and harder. Yeah, that's God coming down on you. It's called God's wrath. You can be appointed to it You know, but oh living the Christian life is so hard, you know, God's wrath a lot worse and you're his dear child That's what you are. You're saved. You're a dear child. You might as well just start following him Because an endeared child doesn't get to just wander off without any Consequences walk in love look at verse 3 brings it up again. He keeps coming back to this verse 3 But fornication there it is again It just seems like the Bible has a lot to say about that subject and all uncleanness oh, isn't it crazy how again fornication is just being equated with uncleanness and Covetousness, let it not once be named among you has become the Saints It's not something that should be in our lives folks. It should not be tolerated Neither filthiness nor foolish talking or jesting which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks Giving of thanks Giving of thanks We can't do all these things. I'm supposed to be thankful for it Yeah, thank God that he's endeared you as a child and as it doesn't want you going out there and destroying your life For this, you know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man Who's an idolater hath any inherits in the kingdom of God? Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things come at the wrath of God. There it is again It's just like back in Colossians. It's practically a parallel passage Come upon the children of disobedience God's wrath comes upon people who disobey It comes upon the unsaved in this life and in hell We're not exempt from that if we do these things if we are living for the flesh You can bank on the fact that God's wrath will come upon you. So it's just a fact Otherwise, why is Paul bringing it up in Colossians? Why is he bringing it up in Ephesians? I'm just trying to fill space in the Bible You know trying to please some editor. It's got to have so many words so many chapters No, because this is the reality of the Christian life that God Will bring his wrath upon us that even as a saved Christian you can be appointed under wrath But I thought I'd first s Sonya's fine. It said we're not appointed under wrath Yeah, we're not appointed under the wrath. It's gonna come up on the face of the whole world Well, praise God for that but you know what you can have all God's all the other forms got you can have God's wrath on A personal level right up to the Rapture and then skip out on that wrath That's the only wrath you're not appointed to Verse 7 be therefore not partakers with them go back to Colossians go back to Colossians chapter 1 this time You Know we ought to we ought to desire the things of God we ought to seek the things of God and live for the Lord Because one, you know, we're gonna avoid God's wrath that's a pretty strong motivation, isn't it? But consider this already consider this at the end here consider the wrath that you've already been spared Right. Yeah, we're not appointed in a wrath to come we can have wrath in this life But you know you as a Christian as a born-again believer have already been spared from wrath called hell Right and look that's the worst wrath there is You will not you won't find a worse punishment There's there's nothing worse in this life than to go to hell. I Mean try to think of it there. It doesn't mean there's nothing that even comes close. We can't even begin to fathom the horror that is hell We can't even begin to think about it like if we try to wrap our minds around it we you know We can't even come close to the how horrific a reality it is And look, there's people that are going there But we've been spared from that wrath You know, why should I live for God because he spared you from the worth worst wrath that there ever will be You've been spared that But that's no reason to sit there and say well, I guess I'll just take the wrath that comes in this life I'll just take the judgment of God then it's like why would you want any of God's wrath? You're spared from the wrath of hell. You're not a point of the wrath That's gonna come upon the face of the whole world at the return of Christ It's like why not just skip out on the wrath in the Christian life You know, it's it would be better is just to not be appointed to any wrath at all You know and if we think about the fact that we've already been spared from hell maybe we'd be a little bit more motivated To live for the Lord To read our Bibles to pray to go to church to go soul-winning to start cleaning up our lives So starts, you know making changes that they need to be made doing whatever we have to do You know, maybe we need to just stop and think about the wrath that we've already been spared If the Christian life is just so hard if it's just such a drudgery well, it's not hell And people make stupid comments like that all the time people someone said to me yesterday I'm like, well, are you sure you're going to heaven? Well, you know, this is hell like And I didn't like make fun of them or anything. I was just like, oh, okay I would try to get on the gospel, but it's like people say all the time. It's like you don't really know what you're saying This ain't hell I know it's summer and it might feel like it This isn't hell Because you know, it's light out and hell there's no there's no light it's dark Look at Colossians chapter 1 verse 9 for this cause we also since the day we heard of it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be fulfilled with the Knowledge of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding It just looks like Paul has a real burden for people's spiritual growth You know and that's the sincere desire of any pastor for his people that people would grow spiritually And you know one of the big things people have to get over is the flesh You know, that's a big hang up It's kind of hard to get all the spiritual understanding and wisdom when you have this big hang up called sin and the flesh in your life He's saying we want this is what we pray for that. You might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing What does that mean? It means there's a way to walk that pleases God So the inverse is also true there's a way you can walk that doesn't please God That will get you appointed unto wrath, right? Being fruitful and every good work Yes, there's work that were to do as Christians and increasing in the knowledge of God Understanding more about his word understanding more about who God is Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering God Want he wants him to be strengthened according to God's power unto all patience and long-suffering meaning enduring Tribulation going through the difficulty that comes with living the Christian life, but notice what he says at the end with what? Joyfulness The Christian life is a joyful life Not saying it doesn't have its ups and downs, but it's a it's a joyful thing to live for the Lord You know if we live for God, we're walking pleasing unto all Lord. We're gonna have joy We might not have everything the flesh wants you might not have everything that the world has to offer but we'll have joy Look, and if you have joy, there's a lot of things you can go through in this life There's a lot of things you can endure There's a lot of things you can put up you can have a lot of patience and long-suffering when you have joy Verse 12 giving thanks son of the Father which hath made us to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Giving thanks to God and look not just thanking God for all the things that he gives us all the things that we could thank God for he's being he's saying in this passage giving God. Thanks for a very specific thing, right? Being in thanks and giving thanks unto God which hath made us partaker to be partakers With the inheritance of the Saints in light Thank God that you're saved You know, even if you are, you know being chastened by God even if you are out of sorts with the Lord There's still no reason why you couldn't get down on your knees and just thank God you're saved You know, and if you consider the fact that you've been spared from the wrath of hell, you'd probably be a lot more Motivated to do that You know give thanks God that we're made to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light The inheritance of the Saints in light verse 13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness What you know, what have I got to thank God for that you're saved? That you understood the gospel that Christ died for you That you're not going to hell that you've been delivered from the power of darkness You've been what translated into the kingdom of his dear son God What's so what what's so great about the Christian life i'm saved i'm going to heaven Why were those people willing to endure that great tribulation Because they were going to go to heaven and when they got there god blessed them abundantly You know, that's joy right there that's where it's at That's the joy of the Christian life You know, it's it's meditating upon god's word it's it's it's knowing that you're saved knowing that you're on your way to heaven That you've been translated the kingdom of his dear son in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins I mean all those great old songs about the cross and the blood I mean, I remember just early on in the Christian life man those songs even to this day But especially back then they spoke to me On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross The emblem of suffering and shame was there on that cross what that the savior bled and died Right for who for me I remember early on in Christian life just just I would just think about that And look early on i'm not saying that's perfect folks obviously And i'm still not obviously right But I mean early on, you know as a young man coming out of the world getting saved Giving up all the things that were you know All the friends all the partying all the things of the flesh that the world had to offer just walking away from all say You know that must have been miserable. No, it was actually quite joyful Actually had a lot of joy as I was happier I had my low moments But I was never as low as I would before before I was unsafe. Well, what made you so happy? The fact that i've been translated the kingdom of his dear son in whom he died The fact that i've been translated the kingdom of his dear son That i've been redeemed by the blood of the land and I just listen to those songs just think about he did that for me And you could say that every person in this room could say that for themselves Christ died for all of us. You could sit there and say he died for me and point it yourself You get there and say i've been translated he shed his blood for me he did that for you How often do we think about it It's probably you know You know the degree to which we think about it is probably directly proportional to the degree which we have joy in our lives How much joy have you got well, you know how much have you really thought about what god has done for you what you've been spared From what you haven't been appointed to What you have been appointed to You've been you know taken from the kingdom of darkness and made an inheritance of the saints and light Yeah, but the creature life is hard yeah it is paul said We're going to go through great tribulation. We must through much tribulation enter in the kingdom of heaven. That's what he said in acts 14 But tribulation pales in comparison to wrath, doesn't it? One last passions passage second corinthians four i'm done Look tribulation pales in comparison to wrath If living for god means i have to go through tribulation that they have to have trials and difficulties i'll take it Because it's a lot easier than wrath There's no joy at the end of wrath. There's no reward at the end of wrath It's just punishment and chastening and then disappointment It doesn't sound like a good time to me tribulation it's hard but there's joy there's reward Why do people why do christians go through wrath why do christians, uh, you know fail to uh, You know avoid this. Why is it appointed unto them because they Because of their misplaced affections They care more about the things of the world and the things of god Look at second corinthians chapter four verse 16 for which cause we faint not But though our outward man perish yet the inward man is redoed day by day For our light affliction now who's writing second corinthians? It's paul And he calls this a light affliction now if you were here thursday and you and you've read acts and you were reading the And we're just getting the ball rolling with paul we haven't even seen all the things paul's going to go through But when you get stoned to death that's not exactly what I would call a light affliction, but paul did Paul looked at all that and just said it's a light affliction Why was he able to say that Because where he had set his affection He said he was a light affliction Because where he had set his affection Because he had the right perspective Because he had set his affection on things above and not on things of the earth That's why he was able to say to to die, you know to live is christ to die is gain Can we say that tonight It's gonna be hard to say that death is gain if we can't say that to live is christ You know if we're not living for christ what we would end up saying is to die is Break even Not come out ahead it's not going to be gained there's going to be an old reward Look to live is christ and then to die is gain He's saying look we faint not though our outward mind perish verse 17 for our light affliction which is but for a moment It's a moment Whatever we're going to suffer in this life whatever tribulation we have to go through in the comparison of eternity and in comparison to the wrath we've been spared from It's it's nothing look it's it's just a drop of water in a bucket It doesn't move the needle And he said our light affliction calls it light which is but for a moment Worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory The afflictions for a moment, but the reward is for eternity You know those those saints that went through the great tribulation in revelation seven, you know, they went through great tribulation They suffered greatly for a moment And in comparison they would look back and like paul say it was a light affliction because look what I got now Now i'm in the throne of god day and night Now I serve I serve the lord i'm in i'm in his throne i'm in his temple I I don't even the light doesn't even the sun doesn't light up on my skin. I'm royalty I'm a lot closer to god than a lot of other people in heaven are That's an eternal weight of glory And it's going to be forever It's not like god's gonna be like, okay your time's up next crew. You know, it's not like some it's not a it's not a roller coaster ride Heaven it is an amusement park Where it's like, okay that you got to spend time in the throne next batch. Let's get them in here It's like no they get that position forever You know, maybe that doesn't sound too exciting to you but let's not forget what that means they're beholding the face of god forever They're in the glory of the lord forever. They're there before his throne That magnificent marvelous beautiful undescribable throne is what they're going to be looking at He says look our affliction is light it's but for a moment It's going to give us an eternal weight of glory that far exceeds anything that we go for go through in this life How does someone get that well verse 18 how does someone have the perspective that paul had how could paul have the perspective that paul had? How could paul sit there and say a light affliction I mean, we haven't gotten to the part where he's shipwrecked where he's you know in jail Where he's imprisoned for years Where he's bound in chains You know where he's being practically torn asunder by people where you know We're not even through some of the worst things that paul's gone through How does someone like that go through that and say light affliction? For a moment Verse 18 is how you do it while we look not at the things which are seen with the things which are not seen You must shift your perspective if you're going to get through The tribulation that we must go through in this life to enter in the kingdom of god For the things which are seen are temporal the things which are not seen are eternal It's your perspective that affects your capacity perspective affects capacity capacity to endure The ability to sit there and say the tribulation we must go through is light it's but for a moment You have to you have to have a shift in perspective You have to look at the things which are not seen you got to do what like you said in colossians Set your affection on things which are above You know, we we we're not appointed to wrath folks That's going to come on the world. We're not appointed under the wrath that we deserve But we can bring the wrath of god in this life If we don't have the right perspective And it's not going to be tribulation No one's going to say about tribulation about wrath. Oh light affliction No one's going to say about wrath that it's going to work eternal weight of glory because it's not there's no reward for going through wrath Wrath is what god uses to get you back on the path through tribulation because that's where the rewards are That's where the eternal weight of glory is So let's not be appointed under the wrath let's go through the tribulation that we have to go through let's live the christian life And take you know all the difficulty that comes along with it And if we have the right perspective We'll do it with joy. We'll be able to say it like paul light affliction. Let's go ahead and close