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So I wanted to talk tonight or preach tonight about the subject of prophesying to begin with but really what is the purpose of prophesying it's to edify the church and that is the topic tonight the edification of the church and we'll get into that in a minute but I did want to go over 1st Corinthians 14 and just talk about this subject of prophesying what it is and what it isn't so it says there in 1st Corinthians chapter 14 verse 1 follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts but rather that you may prophesy so of course he's talked earlier about all these different gifts how there's many different things that people can do but he's saying that they should desire most of all that they would prophesy goes on and says for he that spoke speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God for no man understandeth him howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries but he that prophesyeth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and to comfort so why is it that they should desire to prophesy they should desire to prophesy so that he'd speak unto men to edify and to exhort and to comfort he goes on to verse 4 and says he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edify it himself but he that prophesy edify ith the church I would that you all speak with tongues but rather that ye prophesied again he's putting the emphasis not on tongues but on prophesying because prophesying is what's going to edify the body of Christ for greater is he that prophesyeth than he that speaketh with tongues except he interpret that he may that the church may receive edifying saying look there's nothing wrong with tongues as long one as somebody interprets the tongues and then the church is edified and of course this isn't the thrust of the message but we understand that tongues are not what modern you know the Pentecostals today would call tongues the babbling the incoherent speaking but it's very clear in Scripture that tongues are actually speaking in a foreign language a language that you have not learned and you see that in Acts and elsewhere we're not going to go into that tonight but he's saying here what's more important than speaking with tongues is prophesying and the tongues are only beneficial unless somebody interprets it unless it's understood by the church what is said because only then is what set what is said is edifying to the church so the the the the the emphasis that Paul is putting here 1st Corinthians 14 is the edification of the church so prophesying here is how he's he is saying that that is to be done he would write he'd rather people prophesy than speak in tongues now prophesying that's not something that we that's not a term we use a lot today and a lot of times you know people say well prophesying is preaching now I will say it is a it is a form of preaching you know if somebody would be speaking you know the words of God but I don't think it's the preaching that we mean today I think what that's that's something different it's not prophesying it's not preaching in the sense that we would think of it today like what I'm doing right now I would not consider prophesying and let me explain why that's simply because of the fact and if you would go over to keep something in 1st Corinthians 14 go over to mark 14 mark 14 prophesying is a foretelling of the future that's what that is and that's many times in the scripture that's what you see it as simply somebody telling something that that is about to come to pass I'll remind us of 1st Kings chapter 22 when Ahab convinced Jehoshaphat to go up with them to war and they called for the prophets and the prophets you know lied to him and Jehoshaphat says to him is there not a prophet of the Lord besides that mean we may inquire of him and the king of Israel said on Jehoshaphat there is yet one man Micaiah the son of Imlah by whom we inquire of the Lord but I hate him for he does not prophesy good concerning me but evil saying why doesn't he like him because he prophesies not good but evil so he's going to give us an example of prophesying in the scripture and that's exactly what my hot Micaiah does he goes in on in verse 15 so he came to the king and the king said unto him Micaiah shall we go against Ramoth Gilead to battle or shall we forbear so he's asking him tell us what we should do what is the future prophesy to us is what he's saying here and the king said on him and he said and he answered go and prosper for the Lord shall deliver it into that hand of the king and the course Jehoshaphat knows better and the king said unto him how many times shall I journey that doth tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord and saying look I know who you are I know how you preach and you're saying the exact same thing as all these other guys I son tells me you're holding back and he said I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep having not a shepherd and the Lord said these have no master let them return every man to his house and peace he says actually know what if you really want to know what what's gonna happen you shouldn't go to war you should go back and what was he doing there what was Micaiah doing for Jehoshaphat he was telling him what was about to come to pass he was telling him things that had not come to pass or he was prophesying he was telling the future he was foretelling things prophesying is you know not only for telling the future but it's also stating that which one could not otherwise know stating that which one could not other not otherwise know it's a supernatural thing I'll remind us of Matthew chapter 26 where it says one of course this is when the Pharisees had taken Christ and and began to mock him and it says that they spit in his face and buffeted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands saying prophesy unto us thou Christ who is it that smote thee they're not saying preach they're not saying get up and tell us a message they're saying prophesy who is it that smote thee you're saying why would they ask in that question we'll look in Mark chapter 14 it says in verse 65 and some to began to spit on him and to cover his face and to buffet him so they put a blindfold on him when they're smacking him and they're saying prophesy tell us who it is that smote thee how else could he know he had no way of knowing who it was I'm all being he was God but they didn't they didn't know that there were they didn't believe that anyway and so they're saying prophesy tell us something that you could not otherwise know do something super natural and they're mocking him of course there's an example of this I've already kind of alluded to it the announcements what the about the you know this the sign-up sheet Ananias and Sapphira right in Acts chapter 5 a certain man named Ananias and Sapphira sold the possession and kept back the part of the price his wife also being privy to it and brought a certain part and laid it at the Apostles fee okay now he's saying his wife was privy to it meaning nobody else knew about it but Ananias and Sapphira that the only two people that knew that they were up to but Peter and Ananias but Peter said Ananias why has Satan filled thine heart to lie into the ghost that and to keep back the part of the land whilst there may not was it not thine own and afterwards it sold was it not in thine power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart and hast thou hast not lied unto God unto men but unto God and of course Ananias falls down what's and what's Peter doing here he's prophesying he's telling him something that he you know otherwise would have no ability to know because he's been giving a supernatural ability to tell Ananias exactly what's taking place just like Micaiah could tell Jehoshaphat what was going to come to pass just like the Jews were tempting Christ to do they wanted them to prophesy now it says here in 1st Corinthians if you would go back to 1st Corinthians 14 he'd something there go back one chapter 1st Corinthians chapter 13 Paul said that prophesying would be done away that it would disappear okay he said in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 verse 9 for we know in part and we prophesy in part but when that which is perfect has come then that which is in part shall be done away he's saying look when that which is perfect has come that which is in part shall be done away now what was in part the prophesying that's the previous verse in verse 9 for we know in part there's things that we know we understand and then we prophesy in part and he says but that which is perfect when that which is complete has come then that which is in part the prophesying shall be done away now of course to kind of understand the context here and I've heard different interpretations of this but I believe what he's referring to here is the Word of God he's saying look we know in part and what part did they have back then they had the Old Testament you know this might come as a shock but they didn't have the New Testament Paul's day right because he hadn't written it yet you know that was how that's who it came from was them so they knew in part they had the Old Testament but then they also prophesied in part and that's how you receive the Old Testament or the New Testament rather and he's saying look when that which is perfect has come when we've spoken the Word of God when these epistles have been written when God is done completing his word then that which is in part prophesying shall be done away so do we have the complete Word of God today we do so it's prophesied done away I believe that it is because prophesying as I understand it is not preaching I believe it's something different now I will say that prophesying serves the same end as preaching and what was the whole purpose behind prophesying in 1st Corinthians 14 the edification of the local church so today we don't necessarily prophesy although if you wanted to call it that I wouldn't you know make a big stink about that but I would just call it preaching because I think prophesying the Bible is something different but some people say oh he's just talking about preaching and I see where they're coming from because they both serve the same end to edify the body in Christ look there in 1st Corinthians chapter 14 verse 3 but he that prophesy speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort I mean it's almost verbatim what Paul told Timothy to reprove rebroup and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine he that speaketh an unknown tongue to edify it himself but he that prophesy edify at the church so prophesying preaching though I don't believe they're the same thing serve the same end to edify the body of Christ go over to go over to Ephesians chapter 4 actually no I go over to 1st Thessalonians 5 1st Thessalonians 5 1st Thessalonians 5 the Bible says in Ephesians 4 wherefore he saith when he ascendeth up on high he led captivity captive it gave a gift gifts unto men somehow when Christ ascended into heaven it says that he gave gifts unto men okay and he gave some apostles and he gave some prophets and he gave some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for what what was the purpose behind for for what was the purpose of Christ giving these gifts and giving me these gifts unto man and giving apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors and teachers what was the point of that for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect man so the offices of apostle and prophets are just like prophesying do we still have prophets and apostles in the in the biblical sense the biblical definition today we have prophets who are the ones that prophesy today we don't now you could say that a preacher is a type of a prophet and I would agree with you but I believe there is an actual thing called a prophet in the Old Testament and what he did was prophesy okay and just like today just like in Paul's day in Christ Day there were apostles and there was a very select group of people you know that's a whole nother sermon right there what qualifies an apostle I believe it's somebody who saw the miracles of Christ and of course believed on Christ and saw the resurrected Christ as well that was there's a criteria there okay we don't have those today I don't care what the apostolic Church says none of those people have seen the risen Christ they're liars okay the awful offices of the apostles and prophets no longer exist just like prophesying is not something that we do today just like tongues is something that has gone away just like certain gifts have seen so of these offices and you say well what's the point of this what are you getting at what I'm getting at is that you know it's true that this gift of prophesying has gone away but we still have preaching going we still have the means by which to edify the body of Christ now the apostles and the in the prophets they're done away but we still have teachers and we still have preachers today right to do the same end the evangelists the pastors and teachers to perfect the body of Saints so here's the what I'm getting at is that the work has not gotten lighter the load has not gotten lighter on that which remains it's actually gotten heavier because now you have less means by which to do it right we don't have the prophesying we don't have the Apostles anymore we don't have the prophets now it's a smaller group of people that have been given the exact same work to do and it's it's much it's a bigger work there's more people that need to be edified today than in Paul's day that makes that which remains the preachers the teachers the evangelists all the more important all the more necessary the job of the edifying of the church still needs to be done are you there in first Thessalonians chapter 5 look at verse 11 and this is what I want to get at tonight you know and it doesn't just fall all on the preacher to edify the body he says here in first Thessalonians 5 verse 11 wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also he do and that's the title of the sermon tonight that was all introduction right there but edify one another and I went through all that to explain all that just to lead up to this point that the the edifying of the body of Christ is something that still has to happen today we have we don't have more people to do it you know we have less we have less offices by which to do that it's still a big job and you know what if doesn't fall all on just the preachers the teachers and the evangelists and the pastors it also falls on the body itself but the Paul's telling them here edify one another and that's what I want to encourage everyone in this church to do to edify one another don't just leave it up to one person to get up and edify you you know we need to have other people that are capable of edifying the body of Christ and you know there's different ways in which we could do that but I'm trying to get at the point here is that it's the job of everyone to edify one another you know I kind of in this kind of ties in with this morning sermon a little bit behind the law of kindness you know being long-suffering so on and so forth I can repreach all that but that would be one way to edify one another wouldn't it and it's everyone's job to edify one another and I call it a job because it's it's work that's one thing I've learned in the last you know however long I've been a year and a half whatever it's been is that getting up and trying to edify the body of Christ is not always the easiest thing to do to know what people need to hear know what people should hear you know I we were talking about this morning you know it's a lot funner to just get up here and just rip on fags the whole time you know I could do that every Sunday and have have a grand old time especially with everything that's going on with Ellen Degenerate right now I mean let me just take a brick I'm just kidding you see how easily I could just start going off you know mass is coming you know look out Ellen you degenerate I'm glad she showed up my newsfeed because I got give me a topic and I would love just go off on that we'd love to just preach about you know all these different topics and things that people you know we're entertained by we love we it's good we'd like to hear it but does that always edify the body is that really what you're gonna need to walk out of here live a successful Christian life just to hear me rail and rant about Ellen Degenerate you know we can get together after church if you really really want believe me I have some thoughts that I would be more than happy to express to you but that's you know it's it takes work to get up and to actually try to edify the body to figure out what is it that people really need to hear what is it gets actually going to help them in the long haul to live the Christian life it's a job and you know what it's not just my job it's everybody's job look there in verse 12 he says and beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you it's hey look what is the labor of them what is it that they're doing when this laboring it's edifying and who are over in the Lord and admonish you you know that's the preaching and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake I'm not just up you're trying to blow my own horn blow my own horn or you know get you know you know validate my position or something like that but I'm just telling you that you know I've come to learn and have even more respect for the men of God in my life the people that have preached to me the Word of God the people that have labored among me in the past the pastor Anderson and others you know that I've since taking on this role have only more respect for these people because now I understand even more how hard it really is to know what it is that ought to be preached and to really edify a body again the positions may be fewer but the job isn't any smaller it's still a big job there might be no more apostles there might be no more prophets there might be no more prophesying you know I'm not just gonna get up here and have the spirit take over and give me some utterance I'm actually gonna have to get into the Word of God and read it and study it and know it and sit down and actually type it out and print it out you know not just the words but how the words are organized what font to use how many spaces so on and so forth so I can actually read my own sermon and have actually have a coherent you know line of thought so that would actually will do what edify the body okay that job isn't easy and the job hasn't gotten any smaller and I'll say this you know is that preaching is not the only way to edify one another you know we could do that you don't have to have I'm not the only one in the room that has to do it you know you got and I'm sure people do that in fact I know people in this church do that that they go to one another they encourage one another they have relationships outside of the day they get together outside of church times and they hang out together and they you know encourage each other in the Lord and to live for the Lord and so on and so forth and how to you know be a godly wife and mother how to be a godly man how to be a godly husband and father people get together and they learn these things not only just from talking whether but often even just from observing one another you know sometimes you don't have to try to edify somebody you know you're just living your life doing the best living for the Lord and somebody's watching you and whether you even know it or not you're edifying them you're helping them you're building them up in their own faith just by your example it's not just a preaching that does it how you live your life can edify people but on the flip side you know in the same token you can also discourage somebody if you think about it you know you could also be very discouraging to people that's not the thrust of the sermon but how you live your life can edify people now go over to Romans chapter 14 Romans chapter 14 so preaching is not the only way to edify each other how you live your life will also edify one another Bible says in 1st Corinthians 10 all things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient he's saying look there's a lot of things that I can do that you know are not gonna be sinful they're all they're lawful for me to do but are they expedient meaning are they you know necessary are they is it something I should be doing because it's expedient is this actually going to help in any way shape or form just because you can do something doesn't always necessarily mean you should all things are lawful lawful for me but all things edify not you know there's some things we could do that you know the the others in church could watch us do and we could say well it's not sinful but you know what it doesn't edify and it's not building us up look here in Romans chapter 14 of course he goes into talking about you know the eating of meat sacrificed on two idols and how it would cause some men to stumble to see a man who is professing Christ then partake of meat that has been sacrificed and a weaker brother might see that and say well why I thought you were a Christian I thought you said the Lord God was was the true and living God and now I see you eating this meat and he's saying look we know an idol is nothing and we know that mean is nothing yes everybody's saying look all things might be lawful but you know if that meat is gonna cause my brother to assemble then I shall know eat no meat while the world standeth look at Romans 14 verse 12 he says this so then every one of us shall give us an account of himself to God let us not therefore judge one another and any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way you know one way you could really edify your brother in Christ is to make sure you're not gonna put a stumbling block in front of them then you're not gonna do something or say something or be something that's gonna cause them to stumble and fall out you say well that's on them that's their fault yeah but some people come into church and you know everyone starts out as a babe and and and some people you know think about how a babe learns to walk you mean I've got one that's almost two years old and she still hasn't let go of the furniture yet you know some kids are late bloomers right but they don't just stand they're not like horses you know horses they give birth or giraffes or whatever these for these quadrupeds right I hope I say that right that are born and just within hours they're running around galloping you know because they have to because of you know survival and things like that kids you know are different you know they take months sometimes even years to learn how to walk right we're not concerned but but but I'm using as an analogy it's the same way in the Christian life not every Christian who gets saved and walks into a church like this it's just gonna hit the ground saying all the right things doing all the right things reading the Bible there at all the church service doing the soul winning and just have all the answers and have it all put together and if we're not careful you know if we if we start to judge them over that or have a condescending attitude you know we could actually cause that person to stumble and then he's saying look that's one way to that's one way to edify your brother it is to not be a stumbling block to them but rather to be a support he said in verse 14 I know and it persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself but to him that esteem if anything to be unclean to him it is unclean but if thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou now walkest thou not charitably destroy him not with thy meat for whom Christ died say look we know it's nothing we can eat the meat we understand you know the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and that an idol is nothing it's vain it's dumb it's stupid we're just hungry we just want to eat the meat you know I can go into rainbow donuts at 35th Avenue and and and the what is it 35th Avenue and whatever road it is and walk in and buy 12 dozen donuts and look right at their stupid little statue their little Buddha with the you know the donut the half a donut and a six-day old cup of coffee next to it and I can take that same box of donuts and bring it to church and say hey enjoy because we know that that stupid you know idol is nothing but you know what if a guy walked in here and said well was this sacrifice to idols although I don't think those specific donuts were you know let's pretend they were you know and he was offended we saw us you know you know a bunch of cream and just you know going at it you know we what Paul is saying is put the donut down friend you know put the donuts away if it's gonna cause a person that is weak in the faith to stumble you know edify your brother that way by not putting a stumbling block and not giving him an occasion to fall he says here destroy him not with thy meat for whom Christ died why should we why should we try to edify the body why should we not cause them to stumble because that same person is somebody else that Christ died for let near not your your good be evil spoken of for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost I got some of you second-guessing heaven on radio yeah it's not meat and drink we're talking about really Corbin right anyway stupid joke but he goes on in verse 19 let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith we may edify one another you know instead of saying get over yourself it's just a donut you know it's just meat sacrificed on an idol let's put that away and help that brother in Christ that sister in Christ to grow and to edify them he said in verse 24 meat destroyeth not the work of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil for the man who eateth with offense it is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak so again how you live your life will edify the brethren and how you live your life can also discourage the brethren the things that you do and say the example you are can make or break some people and you say well that's not fair that's on them well that's just the way it is because they're weak and if it's bought you know and he's saying here look if they're offended you know don't put anything in their way that's gonna cause them to set just be to be to stumble to be offended or made weak hast thou faith have it to thyself before God happy is he that condemneth not himself and the thing which he alloweth you know it'd be better to just take that doughnut and go eat alone you know so well just let me not see that me doing this you know and enjoy the doughnut and not condemn yourself and the thing that you allow hopefully you could take the doughnut example and apply it elsewhere okay you're not just gonna use that one well he said we could eat doughnuts right and he that doubteth is damned if he eat but he because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not a faith is sin we then that are strong verse chapter 15 ought to bear the infirmities of the week it all comes back to that again you know that we that are strong we that are mature in the Lord we should edify the brought the body we should edify one another by not putting a stumbling block in their way and if they're offended by something that we're doing and we say well it's not sinful but if it's gonna cause them to stumble you know what it'd be better just to set that aside you know it's lawful but is it expedient is gonna help another grow or are we gonna condemn ourselves in the thing which we allow and maybe we could come back to that later when that you know brother or sister in Christ has the understanding has the maturity has grown to a place where they understand oh now I see why that is allowed why you can do that why that is lawful you could come back to it later maybe so he's saying here basically we should act in a way that will edify one another you know I started out saying you know the edification of the church is a big job it's hard there's a lot to do and it's not just all in the preacher it's not just the preachers job to get up now of course that is his job to get up and edify the body to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine but we can't say that it's entirely his job to edify the body the church also has to edify itself in love we should act in a way that will edify one one another so let me give me some practical examples very down-to-earth very simple examples how about coming to church you want to edify your brother in Christ how about show up at the service I mean like regularly become a fixture in church you know I know I'm kind of it's Sunday night and I preach into the choir you know maybe I should have preached it this morning you know where where are the brethren I mean would be more edifying if there were more and I get it not everybody can be here people schedules and conflicts and things like that I'm not saying you have to be here every single time but I am saying you know you should be known as somebody who's faithful to church why because that will edify the body not only will the person who shows up be edified by the preaching but just your presence alone just sitting in a chair and staring at the preacher is gonna edify your brother your brother in Christ your sister in Christ because you're there you know and I you know I don't I really don't need it you know to feel like what I'm doing is important I'll preach to one of you and some of you know I mean that because I've preached to like two or three of you and I have preached to one guy before you know and it was I had probably told the story already up in faith will work north you know I would show up 8 a.m. in the morning was our service time up there so he can make it back to 1030 service and down in Tempe so I'm up there eight eight o'clock in the morning and I had a policy I said if no one's there I'm gonna do the songs the announcements and then I'm gonna wait 15 minutes to see if anybody shows up and I was in the second song singing to myself just blah acapella acapella nobody in there in the thing and the guy walks in and he sees me singing and he looks around and he's just like and I just smile at him and I just keep right on singing I just I think I even kind of went like have a seat I just kept right on going went through the announcement sang another song with him and then preached a service what I'm saying is this that when you show up to church you know now would I have been more edified more encouraged and and more excited if we had a full house that morning yeah sure but I'll edify one person I'm saying that one way you can edify the body in Christ is to be a part of the body of Christ to just show up don't think it's just oh you know I don't need it you know there's probably plenty of people that have grown in their faith that can that can go without church they don't necessarily have to have church in order to survive as a Christian that they're still gonna live for God and read their Bibles and do the soul-winning and praying and everything that are all the other things that make up the Christian life that they could probably just find you know indefinitely without church you know you don't need that and you know you the same spirit which anointing you can teach you all things you not that any man teach it to you there's nothing you can't learn with the Bible and the Holy Spirit that I that you know that that I'll teach you you can learn it on your own that's what I'm trying to say but you know what what it would be beneficial to the body even if that person who's so mature in their faith would just show up and just be here and be a part of the church and edify one another I mean I'm sure everybody in the room feels the same way I'm sure those those two or three people that I preached to that one night down here would have preferred to have a room full of people because it feels like man there's really something going on here now of course there's something going on either way but doesn't it feel like there's there's more going on when there's more people involved when you're in a big church when you got a full house so that's one way you get the church can edify itself by being in church showing up getting the church Bible says in Hebrews 10 let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promise and let us consider one another to loved and good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together you know that's a very familiar passage anytime you talk about church attendance you go to Hebrews chapter 10 and preach this but it says there consider one another not consider yourself not just consider well I need to be in church for my sake consider everybody else around you consider the brethren consider the other people that in your church that you would edify just by being there then when they see you faithful they say well he's faithful you know she's faithful I'm gonna be faithful too that would encourage somebody not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching so he's saying here you know hold fast the profession of your faith are we doing that are we edifying about are we holding fast the profession of our faith or we just kind of hold home about church yeah and I can make it I'll make it you know but you know and I understand that things come up but if you're just staying out of church because you're just lazy that's not good and it's sin and actually it's sinful to do that and that's a whole another subject in and of itself he said well you know you're just you just you just want people in church so you could feel like a big shot or something no that's not it at all that's not it at all the Bible says in Ephesians I'll just read to you it says husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it you know I think it's important to be in church because this is the institution that Christ gave himself for that God gave himself for Christ it says that he might present it to himself a glorious church I want to be a part of something that God gave himself for and I want that for other people I think you should be in church because that's what God it says in Acts chapter 20 God feed the church of God which which he hath purchased with his own blood I mean think about the price that was paid for church I'm not just talking about rent I'm talking about the blood of Christ was shed so that we could get together and edify one another in Christ that was the price that was paid in order to edify one another here you know get in church how about this and participate in the program look just showing up is great just being there in church that's gonna identify people how about participating in the program and again I'm preaching to the choir here I know that go soul winning I mean what is this church's program soul winning what else have you got well we got we got soul winning on Saturday and we got soul winning on a Sunday you got anything else yeah we got soul winning on Thursday I mean we got soul winning so any more soul winning and as the church grows and there's more you know availability and and resources and thing you know what other programs we're gonna add more soul winning there's gonna be soul winning to the res trips when they own of the reservations when they own up open up there's other things that we can do as things open up you know participate in the program and in case you haven't heard that program is soul winning that's what we're about and you say well it's hot and those of us that were out who have been out over the last several weeks you know and even eight months no it's hot it's hot I mean the hottest July ever recorded in in in Phoenix but here's the thing I bet if it meant a million bucks you could do it I bet if I said there's a suitcase here at the million dollars and if you go soul winning today it's yours yeah I mean you're gonna go out there and feel like like you're like you're in the Antarctic you're gonna think oh man this weather's perfect because there's a million bucks now fortunately for me all it takes is a couple of spottos for you you know if there's a there's a Macedonia waiting for you it's an Ornan delights you're there right yeah well anyway and you know what even if you didn't have that I know people in this church would go out because they love souls then they're willing to do that so participate in the program of the church and I'm just trying to encourage us today you know to to to edify one another and these are just some practical ways we can do it you know it's not just all my job to get up and do the edification now is that a huge part of my job of course it is I understand that but let's not just get an attitude of well you know that's that's the preacher's job we should be conscious and thinking how can I help another brother or sister in Christ what can I do to encourage them what can I do to help them grow in Christ or be you know helped them a blessing to them you know and I've watched this happen in this church and it's been a blessing to me to just sit back you know after service and see people getting together ladies talking about things guys getting together and fellowshipping and people are helping one another even outside of our regular you know service times and that's what is that that's the body edifying itself so I'm not you know this isn't like a harping sermon like you need to fix this I just want more of the same you know I just want to see that continue because that's really important that's something because again it's a big job that one man can't do on his own it's not this churches are going to be built just by me just by me being me you know it's gonna take you being you in Christ and of course it's gonna take the Lord but here's another one I want to touch on before we wrap this up here and it's gonna be a little bit of a shorter sermon I think but how about this be willing to preach if needed be willing to preach if needed you know I recently asked a guy not here I said hey you know I'm gonna have opportunities coming up to preach in Tucson do you want to do it yeah I'll do it but you know I only want to do one service at a time I was like he was like and this is and I'm not trying to bash the guy you know he came around and saw my perspective but this is an attitude that I just you know we shouldn't have of this he said I want to just dip my toe in it and see what it's like I said nobody you need to do a cannonball I mean you need a you need to belly flop into the preaching I mean you just go down there both services do the soul-witting you just just you know take that thing by the horns you know and I would encourage the men in this room as well you know any of the men in here that desire to preach or have have done anything you know guys in the preaching class other people have already have already filled the pulpit before are you ready to do that again because I'm telling you it's you think that'll never happen and then it does and then I do have to make that call hey there's a you know there's a wreck on the ten I'm not gonna be there it's shut down for you know I'm an hour behind now you know or whatever you know blue have a blowout some kid starts throwing up or who knows you know any number of things could happen on an hour and a half journey down here on a Sunday morning the question is are you willing and able and ready to edify the body or is it just my job only or am I the only one that should be ready willing and able to do that and you say well I don't know it just makes me nervous tell me about it you think I'm not I'm nervous you know I'll just confess my I don't want even say it's a fault but I'll just tell you right now I'm nervous before every single service down here in case you couldn't tell you know I get then I get the knots in my guts and you know and I here's what I tell guys when they ask me about nerves they say well you know what do you do to stop being nervous I'm like you don't you know I asked pastor Anderson you know what do you guys say the same question and he was just like well you got to preach about thousand sermons there's your answer just preach a thousand sermons and then you'll be more at ease and you know what the more you preach the more it easy to get but what I've noticed so far is that you just get used to being nervous you say up there my hands are my palms are sweaty again my I'm sweating on my brow I'm having a hard time breathing my diaphragm is constricting I might you know I'm getting tunnel vision I can't think straight I don't even know what I'm trying to say up here anymore everyone's staring at me you know the voice shakes so I support I get it right but that's just part of learning to preach that's just part of going through it and I don't care how nervous a guy is if you get up and preach the Word of God you're gonna edify the body because it's not about us it's not about me it's not about whoever behind the pulpit it's about the Bible preach the word be instant in season out of season you know if you just preach the Bible the body is going to be edified that's the best tip I can give any preacher that's that's what anybody should ever strive to do is just preach the Bible you know and here's the thing guys think well if I fill in for preaching you know I gotta just I gotta bring down the house you know I gotta rock everyone's theology and just blow their minds it's like no you don't just get up and preach what you know preach some simple sermon I mean I preached about being nice to one another this morning is that the most profound thing you've ever heard in your life oh what a what a radical concept to be nice to each other now maybe to some people it was no I'm just saying look you don't have to you can get up preach what you know preach something simple you know preach about sin preach about whatever you know I mean you say well I don't know if I could do that you know it makes me nervous you know I don't like the idea just you know having to preach on a moment's notice I want it's I want to know how many days I'm gonna have look if you're gonna be at if the body is going to edify edify itself in love if we're gonna edify one another and not just me there's gonna be have to be guys even in this room that it can stand up and preach a sermon on a moment's notice meaning you have a sermon written with you ready to go and you know preferably printed on a piece of paper okay I'm just throwing it out there have it ready have it in your pocket throw it in the pulpit have it in your glove box put it somewhere but be ready to edify the body because again it's not just about you preaching a sermon it's about the body edifying itself edifying one another I'm just trying to give us some practical ways that we can do that tonight and say well I don't know I just don't like that I don't like the idea of just you know you having to call me you should just and me having to preach all of a sudden well what's worse let me just you know and I've tried to think of a way to illustrate this and this is the best way that I know how okay imagine what would be worse at Sunday morning you just you're you think it's a regular day you're going to church maybe there's even gonna be some visitors there who knows you think it's gonna be a great day at church we're gonna preaching so winning and I call hey you know whatever happened I can't make it down there until later this afternoon or maybe not at all can you preach for me and then then and I've gotten that call you know you're like yes and you're not really sure that you can I mean you have a sermon you're ready to go but you don't really know if you can and as terrible as that feels imagine walking in here and seeing this and just you sit down and this is all you see for the rest of the service maybe some of you can still see me again kind of big but this I mean what's worse you having that being a little nervous or having an empty pulpit and people walk in well where's the preacher yeah we haven't got anybody well who's gonna lead the songs I don't haven't got anybody who's gonna preach the sermon well we don't have anybody though what are we doing here so be ready you know I'm just trying to encourage guys to preach if needed so the again edify one another that's the title of sermon there's some practical ways to do that coming to church participating in the program being willing to step in where needed you know with the preaching making friendships praying for one another praise God that's already happening you know that's something that takes place you know not everyone can preach you know we read first Corinthians 14 you know the women were commanded to be in silence so the ladies you know they might even be able to do a great job at it but it's just forbidden in the in the scripture for them to get up and preach it's the man's job but hey is that the only way you can edify somebody no of course not there's other ways you can edify people you know by by praying for them talking them just beating a friend to people you know that's a big another big one so let me just end by saying this you know don't bury your talents use them how are you gonna edify the body tonight use your talents that God has given you if you have musical ability are you are you ready to step up or add to the music program if you if you can preach can you can you hate a sermon ready just in case it's needed you know even if a guy came and say hey I've got a sermon the Lord's laid something my heart I really want to preach it I would even make time I would say you will you can preach some night you know I'm not sure if I'm ready to preach I'd like to get some practice well why don't you take a service and it won't even be last minute I'll let you even pick a date you know we won't tell anybody else because we wanted to come back now just kidding oh that's me but hey don't hide your talents what I'm saying don't be like that sloth will serve it you know that the Lord gave everything gave the one guy ten talents gave another guy to gave another guy one you know the other when he came to receive that which was his you know they put it to usury and brought him back even more talents except for that wicked and slothful servant right he was given one talent he just had one thing he needed to do and he refused to do it and what do you do he buried it and when the Lord come I love that part of story he says this low the there thou hast that is thine and he was so lazy he couldn't even bring the one talent he buried it said you go get it well there thou hast that is thine it's buried he didn't even want to dig it up and bring it that's how much he didn't want to do anything for God he said thou art a hard man I was afraid you know what is he's being slothful and he's full of excuses right but you know that's not good enough and he said the whole wicked servant you know and he and rebuked him harshly that's not you know the job of edifying one another falls on all of us it's not just the preacher's job it's everybody's job and these are just you know you could probably think of other ways that you could do that you know not just the preaching filling and preaching or whatever all the things that I've talked about tonight you could probably even be thinking about another person or another way or another situation where you can edify the body I mean think about you know the painting that's going on here that's gonna edify the body once we get this place painted I think and I think people are gonna look at that and be hey that was a nice nice thing that is something that that people are doing that is edifying the body and I'm just using example there's so many other ways we could probably think of you know but the point being is this is that God gave you a talent you figure out what it is that you need to do to edify the body to edify one another because here's the thing if you don't do what you can do to edify the body it's gonna leave it undone it's gonna leave the body un edified in that area so again it's not the job of one person we need to edify one another let's go and pray