(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.) 9 and the title my sermon this morning is things that Jesus never said things that Jesus never said Now keep your place there in John and because we're gonna come back to it. We're gonna be in John We're gonna be in math. You're gonna be all over the place this morning as usual But yeah, the title my sermon is things that Jesus never said and it's funny. Once again I was writing the sermon this week and finishing it on our way to Vancouver and You know, it never fails there's always some kind of story there or something that happens to where you know, I can apply that to this sermon and You know, by the way, everybody from Vancouver in Sacramento says hello. They send the regards So they're excited about the things that have happened, you know, the little bit of persecution that we've gotten for for soul winning They think it's great So just stand strong and that and there's a lot of people that support us tons more people to support us than don't But you know, we were soul winning yesterday and Kayden knocks on this guy's door and he's like, oh, yeah I'm a Christian, you know and Kayden's like, okay great. Well, are you 100% sure you're on your way to heaven? He's like he's like, oh, yeah, I know because Jesus said so I was okay. Well, that's great Is there anything you can do to lose your salvation? He's like, yeah If you start listening to people like Paul and Peter and he starts to be when the disciples and it's just like wait What in the world are you talking about? And so this guy's claim was, you know, Kayden's looking at me like, what do I do? This guy says he's a Christian, you know, he says he listens to Jesus and then all of a sudden he's like But you can't listen to Paul Peter King Solomon, he goes I don't like any of those guys I only listen to what Jesus says and that's obviously a lie, right because you know He said I don't I don't listen to Moses because Jesus said if you'd believe Moses you would believe me But it's funny this people so many people in the world. They have this warped view of Jesus Christ You know, they think that he said things that he hasn't they think that he implies things that he hasn't implied So the verse I want to draw your attention to this morning is John chapter 9 look at verse 39 It says in Jesus said for judgment I am come into this world that they which see might not see and they which see Might be made blind what he's talking there is pretty obvious. What he's talking about there He's basically saying hey, I came here for the meek and humble I came for the people that realize they can't save themselves And then the last part of the verse he says and they which see might be made blind So they that see that say okay. I've got my own way. I understand. I don't need anybody to help me I know what the Bible says. I know what God says. I'm gonna get to heaven. It's by works It's by you know faith plus works or whatever the case may be Jesus said that I came to judge those people and to make it so that they cannot see so that they cannot enter into the Kingdom and we're obviously gonna talk more about that but you know turn to Matthew chapter 7 because what this guy also told Kayden and Pastor Thompson and I was that you know, only God can judge me. He said Jesus said only God can judge me You know, and is that true did Jesus ever say that did Jesus ever say that only he can judge you well, yes It's true only he can send you to hell only he can save you But does that mean that we can't judge we can't discern whether or not a person saved and obviously the answer is no And you know, it's funny I'm just gonna read this list for you here because I'm not gonna have time to go through all these I've just basically compiled this list over time, you know, you've probably heard better ones or more of them But here's some things that Jesus never said for example only God can judge you we heard that one yesterday judge not period No judgment that that's that's that's a very popular thing or how about this one hate the sin not the sinner? Jesus never said that that was said by Muhammad Gandhi or what about this one love thy neighbor including the lgbt community in Pedophiles is that that that's not true. Jesus never said that we are gonna talk about that this morning Well, how about this one? You need to forgive anyone for any reason any time? So somebody comes in your house and blows your family away and hates God. You're just supposed to instantly Oh, it's all good. Don't don't don't even worry about it. You know, it's uh, God loves you not true How about this one? God loves everyone and so a loving God would not send people to hell How about this one? It's not about a religion. It's about a Relationship or the the next one here the Billy Graham all roads lead to heaven. Is that true? How about this your life might be the only Bible that some people read? Or Anyone can be saved even up to their deathbed no matter what the den So this is what people say, you know, even Jeffrey Dahmer got saved on his deathbed Yeah, this guy who hated God who was a sodomite who cooked people up real good and ate him then Yeah, sure. He could get saved. That's that's all over the Bible or how about this one? God doesn't hate anyone or how about this? Jesus said to co-exist Jesus said to tolerate everybody or the most famous one that the world likes to push do what makes you happy That's actually a popular Satanist type saying there right do as thou will that was wasn't that Aleister Crowley's thing do as thou Well do what thou want, you know forget God forget his word and what he says, it's not important And so you're there in Matthew chapter 7 and the first statement that I want to look at is this claim that people say Jesus Said don't judge others So if you look at Matthew chapter 7 look at verse 1 it says judge not that's where they stop, right? They have blinders on like John chapter 9 verse 39 says they read that or they hear this judge not and then they do this Checkmate, I got you. I won you lost game over right, but there's a whole look Look, this is a pretty big lettered Bible But if you have your Bible despite the font I'm guessing you have quite a few pages after that statement and you probably have even more before that statement that you should probably understand Before you go making foolish claims like that And so, you know the Bible says and we're gonna look at this verse here in Matthew 7 about knowing the Lord, right? If you're saved here this morning, the Lord knows you you're going to heaven. There's nothing that can change that So the question is how well do you know him right? We don't want to just stop at the milk We don't want to just stop at a you know When we get saved and not pursue knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ of God, you know of the Bible We want to continue and further our instructions so that we can know him better And here's why listen to this because the world doesn't understand Jesus Christ. They have a false view of them I mean Jesus has been offending people for over 2,000 years I mean the first sermon that he preached you can read about it in the book of Luke The people wanted to throw him and they tried to throw him off of a cliff So it makes sense that when we know Jesus the more that we know him the more that we understand him People are going to want to do the same thing to us now It is a bad thing to have a false view of Jesus Christ. Listen to this Bible verse here This is song. I'm sorry. This is Proverbs chapter 11 verse 1 which reads a false balance is abomination To the Lord but a just weight is his delight So the Bible says there that a false balance right a false balance is an abomination It is not good and you can read the same verse in Proverbs 20 verse 23 It says an abomination or a false balance is not good. It is not a good thing It is a wicked thing to have a false view of Jesus Christ. So when you run into somebody that has these Views, it's a good indication that they aren't safe for one But if they are it's a good indication that they're just unbalanced that it's wrong that they're there They're just backslidden or they just don't know and you need to teach them these things because it's an abomination God wants us to have a right balance, you know diverse weights just weights so that we don't displease him And so that we can have a balanced lifestyle and it's very very important So let's take a look at this statement here, right? The claim is Jesus said don't judge others and They get it from this chapter here judge not but look at the rest of the verse It says that ye be not judged and then read the next verse it says for with what judgment you judge You shall be judged and with what measure you meant ye it shall be measured unto you again or to you again Verse 3 and why beholdest thou the moat that is in thy brother's eye, but consider is not the beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy brother? Let me pull out the moat out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye. So what's going on here? What's going on here is a false balance, which is an abomination right it being, you know, judging people hypocritically So if I have a problem gambling and I go up to somebody who's who's gambling and say hey, you're insane You need to repent you need to get it right, you know, I'm a hypocrite I'm wrong I'm an abomination right now I'm not pleasing God. I'm not good. That is the wrong way to judge people So if you're gonna judge you have to have righteous judgment You have to have a right balance and if you look at verse 5 it says thou hypocrite This is what Jesus says thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly To cast out the moat out of thy brother's eye. So nobody ever wants to talk about this verse Nobody ever wants to keep reading the chapter in context context is so important when you're reading the Bible Well and why it's so that you don't get that false balance because the Bible says that is an abomination To God and then if you look at verse 6 it says give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cashew your pearls before swine lest they trample them under your feet or Under their feet and turn again and rend you you know We have to be careful with what we say and what we do. It should be according to knowledge We should understand these things especially with a mega-marathon coming up, you know, people are gonna have questions Well, hey didn't Jesus say this didn't he say that didn't he say that? You know Paul's wrong or or whatever the case may be, you know It's our job to be able to diligently know And study these things so that we can teach them the right way so that we can pass on that right balance to other people So keep your place there and look see jump down actually jump down to Verse number 13. So what is judgment? We've talked a lot about judgment the last few weeks and because it's a thing that the world doesn't understand and it's a thing that most Christians today really don't understand it's because they are not reading the Bible. Remember what we just read in John chapter 9 It says and Jesus said for judgment. I am come into this world. Jesus came for judgment Jesus came to bring division. He came to bring variance the you know judgment means to render a decision You know, you're here today because you made a judgment call you woke up and said, you know what? I want to go to church I want to learn what the Bible says. I want to be pleasing to God That's a judgment call and God will bless you for that Then the truth is that Jesus never said don't judge others. You're not gonna find that in the Bible anywhere. It's a false teaching. So Matthew chapter 7. I'm sorry. Listen to this first here. I mean think about what we've been doing on Sunday nights We've been going through the book of Judges. What is what is the the main theme in judges the children of God? They rise up they do well They have some victories and then they get complacent they backslide God delivers them up into their enemies and then what happens What does he do? He raises up a judge, right? It's a judge that delivers people. It's a judge that saved our souls It's a judge that gives us power to go out into the community and do great works for God Judgment is very important and it is probably one of the most Attacked doctrines today. It's one of the most important things that you could have as a leader If you're a husband and you don't have judgment you're gonna fail if you're a mother and you don't have judgment You're gonna fail if you're a brother a sister whatever whatever, you know God has blessed you with in this life. If you don't have judgment, you will fail So actually just look down at verse number 13 It says empty and at the straight gate For why does the gate and brought us the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in there at that's why We go so any because the majority of the world is going to hell and a handbasket Literally look at verse 14 He says because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life in few there be that find it The Bible says there are few people that will find everlasting life because most people are trying to enter in in the broad way They're trying to do what's what's what's common to man, which is the human achievement agenda, right? What men can do what I can do I know I'm going to heaven because of my good works think we have like eight people tell us that yesterday You know, I know I'm going to heaven because I'm a good person Everybody in here has heard that same nonsense. That's verse 13 That's the broad way and just just just for introduction if you read the verse again verse 13 It says enter you in at the straight gate. That's str a it that corresponds with the word narrow, right? Have you ever heard the Straits of Gibraltar or the Straits of Juan de Fuca up north in Washington? It just means now it means that Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life No man cometh to the Father, but by me, it's all through Jesus Christ It has nothing to do with our works nothing to do with what we do It's all through him and you know what you have to have a judgment call You have to be able to have that spiritual discernment to be able to tell people that and to be able to explain them That concept so that we can pull people out of this destruction in this destructive behavior Now it says few there be that find it and you know a few there be that find any kind of wisdom in this world Few there be that understand Jesus take all the Christians that are in this world today people that are really a hundred percent saved They've trusted Christ, you know If you if you were to take all those people and put them in one state and just line them up you I mean It would be even fewer of those people that really have a concept of what Jesus is really like in the Bible And that's a shame and that's you know, that's something that we need to work against That's that's something that we need to fight against now jump down to verse 22 Look at this it says many will say to me in that day Lord Lord Have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works So these people are what we would say is professing Christians right there. They're Christians. They're doing the works verse 22, right? They're saying hey haven't we prophesied in thy name didn't we teach Sunday school didn't we go out and do these things didn't we? You know go to the homeless shelters and feed people and teach, you know in preach and do all these things and You know and do cast out devils, you know, that's life way Church down there on Eagle Road, right? The Pentecostal mess that they are those people are insane that this snake handling fools You know and then it says and cast out many devils and in thy name done many wonderful works These people don't know God look at verse 23. Look at what Jesus tells them He says and then I will profess unto them. I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity So Jesus looks at these people with judgment and says you know what? I don't know you I never knew you depart from me What does that mean depart for me? He's saying go to hell He throws them in hell he has his angels cast them into the lake of fire But you wouldn't know that if you didn't read the rest of the Bible, by the way, but he says I profess unto them I never knew you so if he doesn't know you number one, obviously, you're not safe and number two You're not gonna have the discernment. You're not gonna really know Jesus. You're gonna have this false balance View of God and that is not good. That is that is an abomination So our goal is now that after we've known him after he knows us Let's continue this process and let's get to know him better so that we can better serve him in his kingdom So you guys turn to John chapter 12 and I'm just gonna read for you out of Judges 2 verse 16, which says Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them So I just want to leave you real quick right off the bat with just four quick things about judgment and number one Is that God believes in judgment? Number two is that God has ordained judgment to be used by his people I've said this last two weeks in a row out of 1st Corinthians chapter 2 if you want to be spiritual You have to have judgment. You have to have discernment. You have to be able to perceive your situations So number two is that God has ordained judgment as a tool for his people to be used by his people And you can see that throughout the entire Bible when the children of Israel get you know They get sold into slavery. They get back into bondage. God uses judgment to save them Number three is that what I just said God uses judgment to deliver his people and number four God uses judgment to destroy people and we just read that here in Matthew chapter 7. Jesus says depart from me I never knew you. I mean, do you think it's a loving act to send someone to hell? No, it isn't So does Jesus hate certain people? Yes, he does He says that people that are like this here in verse 22 people that do the works that teach in his name That's that cast out devils that do many wonderful works that don't know him Jesus looks at those people and says you know what? You're a worker of iniquity You're an abomination and I'm sending you to hell but you tell people in the world that today and they just look at you with Three eyes, they just say you are insane. You're crazy. That's not Jesus No The thing is you don't know Jesus you have a different Jesus and you're on your way to hell if you don't Change your mind and believe on the God of the Bible Psalm chapter 119 verse 66 says teach me good judgment and knowledge for I have believed thy commandments And so the question is do you believe his commandments? Do you want God to teach you judgment? I hope you do I hope that everybody in here does because like I said earlier in the introduction to this sermon The key to great leadership is judgment is being able to make a decision. That's not popular You know, you know how you husband's out there and you father's you're gonna have to make decisions that upset your kids that may upset Your wives, you know, but you've got to do what's right? You have to have a right godly balance and the only way you're gonna be able to exercise that is through Righteous judgment. That's what God's teaching us here. So Let's just along these same lines here about Oh, Jesus said don't judge anybody We've obviously seen that that's false. But another part that goes along with that is Jesus is this claim that Jesus does Net let or I'm sorry. What is this? Jesus does not love everyone on the planet for any reason so people will say then somebody send me this message Well, Jesus loves everybody, you know, no matter what they do no matter what they say Even people that claim to hate God that burn churches down, you know, he loves them as well and you're a hate preacher You're really hateful and you're despicable and you need to leave our community. Well, look I I want to be like Jesus You know, what did Jesus say to people he said thou hypocrite, you know, what did he say to people to have a false balance of? Judgment. He said you're a hypocrite. He calls them fools Did you know that Jesus called the disciples fools after you after the resurrection, you know, he's walking, you know He's hit his countenance from them He's he said isn't himself from them and he's walking with them and he's you know He's telling them all the things in the Bible and he's berating them because of their unbelief and he says that you guys are fools You don't believe you know That's the attitude that we should have and obviously we should have Jesus love and his righteousness as well and do good things And I mean we're not we're not against that at all But like I said in the beginning we want to have a right balance. We want to have a good balance So if you're there in John chapter 12 Let's look at this idea that Jesus just loves anyone for any reason and he never you know has anything negative to say Look at this is very important here John chapter 12 look at verse 37 It says but though he had done so many miracles Before them yet. They believed not on him So this is in this story Jesus has done a lot of miracles in the town and they're like, you know We're not gonna believe on you. We're done and look at verse 38. He says that the saying of his eyes the Prophet might be Fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath believed our report and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed Therefore they could not believe Because that his eyes said again he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see With their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them These things said his eyes when he saw his glory and spake of him Do you realize what you just read there now? Don't let some Calvinist teach you that God just looks at some people says, you know what you're damned to hell You're gonna get saved and there's nothing you could do about it. That's not what's going on here This just does not support that what this is simply saying is there are people on this planet who are self-righteous Like we just read in John 9 right they that see that might be blind the people that have their way that see Oh, I know the way it's by works Jesus said that those people when they harden their hearts there comes a point where he says you know what I'm giving you over I'm going to make it so that you can not be saved and that's what he's saying here lest they should be converted That's what Jesus said, but you read that most people do not believe that You know and it's sad now go back to Matthew and go to Matthew chapter 13 Because remember our opening verse John 9 39 and Jesus said for judgment I am Come into this world that they would see Not might see and they which see might be made blind So the people that see right the people that have their own way that get it in their own terms that have their own way They want to just you know, get to heaven by climbing up another way Jesus says you know what? I'm gonna make them blind and that's what you read in John chapter 12 God has blinded the eyes of these types of people Matthew 13. Look at verse number 13 It says therefore speak I to them in parables Because they seeing see not in hearing they hear not Neither do they understand and in them is fulfilled the prophecy of his eyes Which saith by hearing you shall hear and shall not understand and seeing Ye shall see and shall not Perceive for this people's heart is wax gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes They have closed so you've got to understand this, right? This is how we know that God is not a Calvinist because look at the language here Look at verse 15. This is for this people's heart is wax gross. It always starts out that way It always starts out with the individual person saying you know what? I know the way it's my way or the highway I don't care what God says. I've got my own way and that's it, right? That's them seeing their way and he says that their heart is waxed gross So they harden their hearts first and look and keep reading it says and their ears are dull of hearing They don't want to hear the truth and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with the ears and should understand with their heart and Should be converted and I should heal them and then verse 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see in your ears for they hear and apply that to your own personal life Blessed are your eyes you that are in here today that are saved, you know, God says hey, that's a blessing You need to continue to look and you need to continue to read you need to continue to see and hear the things of God Jesus says that I Will blind people's hearts. I will blind their minds I will I will shut off their ears because they have done it first and it's the same thing with Pharaoh Pharaoh hardened his heart first and then God gave him over to a reprobate mind Which is obvious and we're gonna take a look at that actually on Wednesday but the claim is that Jesus loves anyone on the planet for any reason anytime people can always get saved even up to the deathbed no matter what sin they've Done and that's what's taught in your community church. That's what's taught even in a lot of independent Baptist churches today But is that true and the answer is no and you need to know these stories You need to understand this stuff because it's important So we're gonna shift gears here and go on to the next one Which is Jesus said love thy neighbor including pedophiles God haters Jeffrey Dahmer types Ted Bundy types psychopaths It doesn't matter, you know and yesterday I woke up With another message on my phone another another bad review. This was from some bozo loser in California, you know And you know these guys are all your name calling. Yeah, because you're an idiot, you know, Jesus did it You ever read what Paul called the limus the sorcerer? I Mean go read that and then call Paul say go go tell Paul. Hey, you're a name-caller You know, you're you're a meanie Paul. You're really mean You know Paul would slap you, you know, I would Paul would be like, you know what shut your mouth Paul would blind you physically and tell you to depart is what he would do This guy here, you know, he writes this review on our page. He doesn't even go to our church I don't even know what his what his deal is He must have saw my sermon about soul winning and just got offended because he's not doing any works He doesn't even quote any Bible verses he puts us these things from the NIV that he claims It's a Bible verse but you know, basically he posed he basically said hey, you have to love your neighbor You have to love everybody even even these people that call us all the time and send us perverted images on Google You know, it's just sick and they're like, well, you should be mature and just love them Anyways, and is that what the Bible teaches? I mean, come on. Let's be real here. We're gonna take a look at that So why don't you guys turn to Psalms chapter? 139 We'll take a look at something here Psalms 139 So this guy's just rambling on and on on about how you know, we need to just love our neighbors No matter what there's no such thing as hate if anybody has hate Oh, and I saw somebody was telling me that this the same guy was Commenting somewhere saying that he's gonna turn my sermon over to the person who sent me here Which is pastor and men is and I'm thinking to myself like man. These people really are lost You know, you really are stupid you pastor Menes wouldn't even open email I mean you'd be like get out of here, you know You get a complaint about the guy that I sent to Boise to do soul winning, you know, I mean get real I mean, do you know who I mean we could spend an hour talking about the stuff that pastor Menes has been through about You know the Orlando and all that stuff, you know, he's not gonna let something like that bother him But it just goes to show you that people don't really understand the Bible. They don't really understand us They don't understand that we're an independent Baptist Church that we are fundamental that we don't have anybody that's governing us You know, you're all gonna tell your pastor on you somebody else told us out a few years ago, too All right was about two three years ago when I preached I preached against the Nazarenes and somebody is like well We're gonna report you to to your pastor for this. Go ahead. He's gonna probably just you know, give you a thumbs up, you know It's like get out of here. So so the the claim here is love thy neighbor including pedophiles God haters anybody for any reason, right? So even if some guy, you know who hates God the children will blile come here they they start burning down churches We're just supposed to love them and you know, is that true? So you're there in Psalms 139. Look at verse 21 Look at this. It says do not I hate them Oh Lord that hate thee and him not I grieve with those that rise up against thee Verse 22. I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies So who does the psalmist here count as his enemies God's enemies, right? Do not I hate them? Oh Lord the hate thing you have to remember hate is the opposite of love if you love your children Then you should hate pedophiles Jack Heil said if you can't love flowers without hating weeds and it's so true It is the opposite and remember we have to have a righteous balance. It is an abomination to have a false balance So there are things that we should hate now if somebody wants to just come here and you know And just just say a couple of mean things, right? Does that mean I'm gonna hate that person? No, because I don't really engage that person I don't really understand if that person's a God hater or if he's a you know, he's a reprobate but nonetheless when somebody hates God and it's pretty obvious from looking at our reviews and stuff like that on Facebook and Google at who hates God, you know and those people, you know what? Yeah, I do hate him But so what what it is me hating you gonna give you cancer is me hating you gonna kill you No, it's not. It's just just deal with it. Look. I hate mayonnaise. Okay, but I have never gone and blown up a mayonnaise plant You know what I mean everybody in here hate something and even look these people hate us There's a lot of people that hate us There's people, you know, most of the people that are that are sending us hate mail and stuff. They don't even live in Boise I can't tell you how nice of a city this is I go into people's houses every week for my job and people are super nice. It's it's it's it's insane It's like it's like unlike anything I've ever seen in my life every single day I go into people's homes that have just left their doors unlocked and to me. I'm like, this is crazy You know my boss he said, you know Don't lock the truck up anymore because he came to drop some stuff off and the door was locked and he's like don't lock the Door, nobody does that here. He's like, dude, you you're crazy. This isn't California, you know, he's like what's wrong? I'm like what's wrong with you man. You're getting somebody's gonna steal all my stuff. He's like, it's not like that here, man Just just relax. I'm sure there are spots where it is like that. But nonetheless, you know, I think this is a great place I mean look most times that we've gone out so winning in last week. We've gotten people saved. We've had great conversations with people We've edified people even people that didn't get saved, you know, they've caught actually messaged with questions and they're you know They're they're just they're they're excited about the things of God. They're just this is just new I guess to this area I guess there just hasn't been a soul-winning church This really had a great vision for God for so long that people are like wait what you're not a Jehovah Witness You're not a Mormon what's going on here, you know, but nonetheless, I think people here by the by the vast majority are just Exceedingly nice and just great people here But nonetheless, there are people that hate God that are out there and we don't have to love them In fact, we we want to be on God's side just like David was Now look at verse 23 it says search me Oh God and know my heart try me and Know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting So what he's saying here is hey, you know what? I hate your enemies to God They're my enemies and then he says search me Oh God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Why would he say that if hatred was such a bad thing, you have to hate the right things You have to have a right balance. Remember a false balance is an abomination to the Lord And then he says and see if there be any wicked way in me now Did God say okay because you said that you hate my enemies. There's a wicked way in you He doesn't say that it doesn't say that at all Why again? I'm just gonna say this one more time He says I hate them they hate thee and then in verse 24 We read and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting. Look God's saying Hey, look, that's a righteous thing. We're allowed to hate the things the people that hate God. That's okay Now does that mean we're gonna take action and do harmful things? No, not at all You know, that's not at all what we're saying. That's what the world does to try to push on us You know, they try to imply that to get us in trouble with the authorities and things like that But that's just ridiculous. It isn't true. It's false. You can go back to Matthew chapter actually go to Matthew chapter 18 Real quick. We're gonna take some more look. Look Christians doesn't mean that we have to be doormats, right? It doesn't mean that I mean these people they want to call us and cuss us out, you know And send these perverted messages and stuff. They're the first ones say you're not godly. You're a you're no you're hateful You're this and you're that it's like look I don't have to put up with that You clearly hate God by the things that you say and I would never even repeat those in fact They're so wicked and so distasteful. I can't even like PG these things. I mean, it's just disgusting. It's it's abominable, but you know what? I know what their end is. I know what God has in store for them and that brings me comfort You know these people that are against us. They're gonna get their destruction. God's gonna judge them and they're gonna wind up going to hell So look at the Matthew chapter 18. Take a look at verse number six. It says I'm sorry. Look back up. Look at verse five this is what Jesus said and Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a millstone Were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. I Didn't write that in fact, you can find that two other times you can find that in Mark you can find that in Luke I didn't write that those are the words of Jesus Christ But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a millstone Were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Jesus is saying that if somebody would like to offend a little child, let's take a pedophile For example, it would be better for that pedophile to go up to the river out here Have a big millstone tied around his neck and him cast into that river That would be better than what Jesus has in store for that person Does that sound like that person can be saved? Does that sound like Jesus loves that person? Does that sound like something that Jesus would say and if the answer to that third question is no then you don't know Jesus As well as you should and you need to read the things that are written about him because that's what he said Jesus does not love pedophiles, you know love your neighbor even if your neighbor's some faggot queer look, that's false doctrine That's not true. This is what Jesus said So if my neighbor happened to be a pedophile somebody who would offend a little child which believes in God Jesus says you know what? You don't have to love that person because his destruction is coming Jesus is gonna roast that person in hell with worms and never die and flames that are never quenched. That's Jesus Christ That's the Jesus Christ of the Bible and things that Jesus never said were love your pedophile neighbor turn to Luke chapter 10 And we'll just keep looking at this idea of who is my neighbor Who is my neighbor do I have to love my pedophile neighbor the answer is no Jesus never said that he never implied that and he never would say that So let's take a look at the parable here of the Good Samaritan Because it's gonna give us some good insight onto who is my neighbor, what does Jesus teach about being a neighbor? You have to remember that a neighbor is somebody who's next unto you or nigh of kin unto you somebody who is of like like You now yeah today in 2019 we use that term loosely. Yes. I have next-door neighbors Should I should I bless them? Should I do good unto them? Absolutely. I should you know, I don't believe these people around here Hey God at all. I think that they're they're good friendly people, you know, and we ought to love them And even if they decide you know what? I don't like you. I don't like your church I don't like what you stand for. I'm not gonna be mean to them I'm not gonna do mean things now if they come harshly like some of these other people have Yeah, I'm gonna stand up for us You know when people call me and say yours stupid church members are pounding on my door, you know Look, I'm gonna stick up for our church members, right? I'm gonna come back at you and you know what some people they don't like that boy because they're you know Like CJ said, you know Idaho's cold, but these snowflakes, you know these snowflakes man. They they really want to keep coming at us So let's let's take a look at this who did Jesus say that my neighbor was Look at verse 25 Luke 10 25 It says and behold a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him saying master. What shall I do to inherit eternal life? So you got to understand that this guy here. He's trying to get to heaven in his own way He's one of these guys that he can see right he can see the way to heaven and look at verse 26 He said unto him what is written in the law? How readest thou? Let's stop right there I should have had you turn there, but go to Exodus chapter 3 real quick. Go to Exodus chapter 3 There's a lot of people will actually try to twist this parable here and say that you have to work your way to heaven that You have to follow the command see Jesus said to keep the commandments. No, that's not true What he's teaching this guy here. Number one is his flaw that working your way to heaven cannot save you and number two He's trying to tell him who his neighbor really is But he says he said unto him what is written in the law how readest thou? So let's take a look at that What is written in law? How do you read? How do you comprehend these things? How do you understand these things? Look at Exodus chapter 3 verse 19 It says and I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go No Not by a mighty hand and I will stretch out my hand and smite Egypt with all my wonders Which I will do in the midst thereof and after that he will let you go Verse 21 and I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians and it shall come to pass that when you go He shall not go empty. So what is God doing here? He's saying hey, I've got a plan for you guys I'm gonna rescue you guys. I'm gonna get you out of Egypt, right and you're gonna get some stuff You're gonna get blessed look at verse 22 It says in every woman shall borrow of her neighbor and of her that sojourneth in her house jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment and he shall put them upon your sons and Upon your daughters and you shall spoil the Egyptians So here's an example of the word neighbor being used kind of like how we use it today, right? They're saying hey your neighbor of the Egyptians, but notice what God has the children of Israel do to their neighbors Spoil them. That's what it says read the verse again But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor and of her that sojourneth in her house Jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment and ye shall put them upon your sons and upon your daughters and you shall spoil the Egyptians, so here's God giving the the children of Israel permission to spoil the heathen nation of Egypt That's what it's saying here now turn over one book to Leviticus Go to Leviticus chapter 19 real quick and we'll take a look at verse number 16 So we just read there who is your neighbor? Well in this context here their neighbor was a heathen person and God said hey, you know what? It's okay for you to spoil that person now You have to understand that God gave them permission to do that you know and I'm not saying that we should just go around and spoil our neighbors and taking all their fruit off the trees and Using a lot more without their permission. That's not what I'm saying at all But there is a distinction in the word neighbor You have to understand the context kind of like with the word repent, right? You need to know the context is the same thing with neighbor when you read verses in the Bible about loving your neighbor What exactly is Jesus talking about? What is the Bible saying? It's very important to know the context of that word because it could mean your next-door neighbor It could be the heathen but most of the time it's talking about people in God's kingdom in his Israel in His with his chosen people. So look at verse Leviticus 19 look at verse 16 Says thou shalt not go up and down as a tailbearer among my people neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor I am the Lord now look at verse 17 thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise Rebuke thy neighbor and not suffer sin upon him. So here you can see a different exchange You can see the word neighbor used in conjunction with brother, right? So back then when God was forming the nation of Israel, they were nigh of kin unto each other They were brothers. They were they were all related and they were neighbors. They were neighbors unto themselves and God saying here Hey, don't hate your brother. Don't hate your neighbor Don't allow sin to be on that person and look at verse 18 Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people But thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself I am the Lord. So when Jesus is quoting the law here and says how readest thou? How do you understand you've got to know the law you've got to understand the the Bible verses leading up to that point That's why it's so important for you to read and discern the Bible Compare spiritual things with spiritual because look at this verse again thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people So who is your neighbor? It's the children of thy people. He says but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself So he's saying you shall love, you know, you know the tribe of Asher you're gonna love Judah, Judah You're gonna love Simeon Simeon You're gonna love Naphtali and so forth and you guys are gonna love each other and you're going to conquer the heathen nations around you And you're going to become a great nation. That is the context here. That was God's implication now go back to Luke chapter 10 And we're gonna continue reading this parable So back to Luke chapter 10 Look at verse 27 and this is the answer that the guy gives Jesus is an answering I'm sorry, and he answering said thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all Thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbor as thyself. So, okay. He's got it. He understands it. He can quote it Verse 28 and he said unto him thou has answered right this do and thou shalt live But look at verse 29 says but he willingly to justify himself said unto Jesus and who is my neighbor, right? So now he wants to play games now He wants to tempt Jesus in verse 30 Jesus says okay and Jesus answering said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves which stripped him of his raiment and Wounded him and departed leaving him half dead and by chance there came down a certain priest that way and when he saw him He passed by on the other side and likewise the Levi when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by On the other side So these people that are supposed to be nigh of kin these people that are supposed to be brothers in Christ Supposed to be of the same nation supposed to be taking care of them. They just say you know what I'm out of here I'm not I got my own way. I don't want anything to do with this guy That's hurt but look at verse 33 But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him he had Compassion on him and he went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in oil and wine and set him on his beast I'm sorry on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him and on the morrow when he departed he Took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more When I come again, I will repay thee now I wish to God there were more people like that in the world today verse 36 which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbor unto him that fell among thieves and He said he that showed mercy on him and look what Jesus says then said Jesus unto him go and do likewise So the guy does understand here. He gets it in verse 37 It says and he said he that showed mercy on him now Jesus I believe here that he's leading up to his future Kingdom Jesus the Bible says that Jesus came to bring a people a peculiar people unto himself Right, and so those of us who are saved we know that we are part of the Israel of God, right? So your neighbor is your brother. Your neighbor is your fellow man or woman in Christ? That's what these verses mean when he says love thy neighbor now. Yes. I like I said, let me just just claim this again We should love the people in the community and we do and we prove that every week when we go out knocking doors Trying to tell people how to be saved That's why we're having the mega soul-ending marathon this Saturday so that we can bring this message. Hey, we do love our neighbors We do care about our community to the point where we want to rescue them and give them the tools to get out of hell Hey believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved But does that mean that I should love my sodomite neighbor or people that hate God and the answer is no Those are not my neighbors. They might be neighbor in the context of yeah They live next door to me But that doesn't mean that there are neighbors in the same sense that these verses are being quoted in So you guys turn to Hebrews chapter 8? And while you're turning there, I'll read for you Ephesians 4 25 Which says wherefore putting away lying speak every man's truth with his neighbor for we are members One of another again another verse proving that your neighbor in this context that your neighbor According to the law is your brother in Christ We're gonna read this is a quick chapter we're just gonna read this here real quick because this is an important teaching This is an important doctrine A lot of people miss this boat a lot of Christians cannot explain who their neighbor is because they don't get context They don't get the Bible. So Hebrews 8 1 look at this It says now with the things which we have spoken this is the sum we have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the Heavens a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle Which the Lord pitched and not man for every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices Wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer for if he were on the earth For on earth he should not be a priest seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law Verse 5 who's who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things and Moses was admonished of God When he was about to make the tabernacle for see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shown to thee in the mount Now look at verse 6 he says But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant Which was established upon better promises. So there's no doubt that the first few verses we read it's talking about Jesus Christ He is our high priest He's the priest that never failed that never will fail that lives on forever And then it calls the covenant that we're a part of the New Covenant the New Testament it calls it the better Covenant that's what it says there that this is a better covenant now look at verse 7 He says for if that first come covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second verse 8 for finding fault with them he saith behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a new covenant with a House of Israel and with the house of Judah, what is that talking about? That's talking about right now God has made a new covenant and God has made an Israel for himself again But it is made up of people that have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ people that are saved Right. So somebody who's in England today that saved they're part of the nation of Israel Not people that are in the physical nation of Israel that are that are over in the Holy Land today Those people that hate God those Jews over there. They're not saved. Those aren't God's chosen people We've beat that to death over the last few weeks But it's important to understand that doctrine in order to understand who is your neighbor now look at verse 9 He says not according to the covenant that I have made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to Lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not my covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord Verse 10 for this is the covenant that I will make with a house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my laws into their mind and I will write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God And they shall be to me a people so is there any doubt right now? What's going on in the New Testament and the New Covenant people that are saved are a nation are a Kindred of people unto God now look at verse 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying know the Lord For all shall know me from the least to the greatest Look if you're saved here, like I said this in the beginning of the sermon, you know the Lord the Lord knows you You're saved, right? I don't have to go up to you guys that are here that are saved and try to give you the gospel and try to Teach you and admonish you and exhort you to know the Lord because you already know the Lord I have to lead and exhort you to know him better and to understand his word better But not to get saved you see because people that make up God's nation of Israel today are already saved Now in the Old Testament, it wasn't so when you were born into Israel You were born into the tribe of Judah or you were born into Benjamin that didn't make you saved and on your way to heaven You still had to get saved You still had to know the Lord and that's obvious by the beginning of this verse here when he says and they shall not teach Every man his neighbor because back then they had to go around and teach at each other, you know Hey, do you know the Lord? I mean how often when you're reading through the Old Testament? Do you find children of Belial sons of Belial amongst the people of God, right? You're gonna you're not gonna find that today The only people that can get into God's kingdom the kingdom of heaven are people that are saved now Does that mean that the children of allow can't creep in amongst us wolves, you know That's a different sermon and of course that can happen but that's besides the point The point is here is this verse is key and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, right? My neighbor is my brother or sister in Christ and it says to know the Lord I don't have to teach you that because you already know it He says for all shall know me from the least to the greatest and this is talking about the time that we're in now the New Covenant the better covenant the New Testament right now the dispensationalists He will look at this and say well if you're still going so winning then you know That means that this verse talks about the millennium and the Jew is still righteous unto God and God's gonna Bless them and we should keep the Passover. He could filter fish and mop so crackers and all this crazy stuff Look, that's not what's going on here. You have to have a righteous judgment You have to have these things down in your hearts You need to study the Bible look at verse 12 for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities Will I remember no more remember what Jesus remember what God said in the Bible? What does this read in the Psalms that our sins are departed from us as far as the East is from the West? Nobody can measure that distance because it just goes around and around and around if you head east you will never If you just keep heading east right, you're never gonna start heading west, right? But if you start heading north, there's gonna come a point to where you start to go over and you head south, right? That's why God said that our sins are forgiven as far as the East is for the West and that's similar to what he's saying Here in verse 12 for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities Well, I remember no more as it's talking about now the better covenant the New Testament verse 13 And that he sayeth a new covenant He hath made the first old now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away So who is my neighbor it is my brother and sister in Christ when you when somebody who sends you this verse So they say hey, you should you're part of that hate Church, you know You should get out of there because you should love your neighbor no matter what even like that You know, even the trendies and these people that bring sodomites in to teach Sunday school. You should love them. That's not true They're not my neighbor. They're not saved. They're haters of God It's very clear here by reading Hebrews chapter 8 It says that we our neighbors are those who are part of the Israel of God God's chosen people which are us who are saved Further proof go to Matthew chapter 10. We're almost done with this concept here I wanted to spend the majority of time on this because this stumps a lot of Christians here when they cannot discern Who their neighbor is? All right, you know it the reprobate doctrine But you haven't got into a lot here because there's a lot of stuff that You know just starting out we need to preach through through preach through first But the reprobate doctrine is like the one thing that keeps a lot of good Baptists out there from coming to a church like this and working with us, you know And if they could just get this and just understand this I mean our church these churches would grow we'd be able to Multiply the works that we're doing out in the community because there's a lot of people that are saved to go to these other Baptist Churches, they're good men, you know and they would do so much more if they just had the right vision, you know And it's just sad today. They don't understand these things because it's not popular in society, right? Reading this and teaching these things. This is gonna get some people mad I'm sure somebody's gonna watch this and send me to the Southern Poverty Law Center or some junk like that But you know what? That's fine with me. I don't care. I'd rather believe the Bible I'd rather have the right balance that's not an abomination to God than be you know an abomination or be not good So further proof real quick Matthew 10 look at verse 34. This is what Jesus said Remember what's the sermon about about things that Jesus did not say and Jesus did not say that we have to love our neighbors even them They hate God further proof Matthew 10 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I am come not to send peace but a sword Remember that verse keep that in your heart. Just remember that verse because people miss this boat I mean if you were to go out there and read just this verse to most people say who do you think said this? They would say and you were to maybe say Jesus or I don't just pick somebody else they would say Oh, Jesus would never say that, you know, but it's here in the Bible, right and even in these stupid false versions It probably says something similar to this and let's let's just be real So you that you know what that tells you that tells you that the community churches aren't even reading their lame Bibles to their own People so verse 35 look at this It says for I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law Against her mother-in-law and a man's foes shall be they of his own household He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter More than me is not worthy of me and he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it Jesus said hey, I came to turn a mother Against a daughter I came to bring division I came to bring variance I came to bring war What is he talking about? he came to call people whosoever they are out of their bondage and To believe on him and to become part of his nation his chosen people That's what he called people for and so when you do that when we do that, we have new neighbors We have new family We have new people that we fellowship with God replaces the family that you had that Rejects God that doesn't want to get saved and God says, you know what? I'm gonna give you a church family I'm gonna give you these people that care about you. He replaces them. So let's move on here. Once you guys turn to 2nd Peter 2nd Peter chapter 2 We'll just take a look. We just got a couple more here real quick So we just did the neighbor question, right? Now, we're gonna look at this one real quick real popular God loves everyone and so a loving God wouldn't send people to hell Well, I'm not gonna have you turn there but we already read out of Matthew 7 that Jesus said depart from me I never knew you right you can read Mark chapter 9 starting in verse Started verse 40 and read to the end of the chapter and Jesus says over and over again You know, it's better for you to pluck out your eye than to go to hell with a warmed eye It's not in the flames not quench, you know It's better for you to enter into life halt or maimed and it is to enter into hell You know having having these things then what Jesus is saying there is hey, you know, whatever excuse you have That's holding you back from being saved It's better for you to reject that and get rid of that than it is to go to hell, right? I gave the gospel to this guy in Japan one time very very nice guy a very humble kid and He said, you know what? I believe what you're saying. I believe that I gave it They gave him the gospel right in the hangar deck on the George Washington. I'll never forget what he said He says but I had some family members that died and I know they're in hell based on what she told me He said I believe that and I want to go to hell with them I want to go to that place where they're at, you know what he wasn't willing to pluck out his eye He wasn't willing to rip out, you know that thing out of his life for the sake of Christ, you know And that guy he rejected God that day and you know what? I believe unfortunately that it's too late for him now And I think he's on his way to hell because from what I've heard that that guy has just done a 180 and is a very Wicked person now and he was never like that before I worked with this guy for six seven years off and on You know and after that day, he was never the same again, you know, I can't say for sure But you know what? He would not get it He just he just he wanted to go to the place where his family members were where his friends were He was not willing to pluck out that sin that you know that thing out of his life It was holding him back, you know, and that's what she's the same there when he says pluck out your eyes It's better for you to go into heaven with one eye than it is to go to hell You know having that that both of your eyes, so you're there in second Peter chapter 2 look at verse 9 Because the question is God loves everyone and so a loving God wouldn't send people to hell Well, actually loving God would second Peter chapter 2 verse 9 says the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations And to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished and you need to understand that Jesus said I and my father Are one in John chapter 10, you know The Bible says that these three the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost agree in one So when you read other passages in the Bible, you know You need to understand that they're written and preserved by by God by the Holy Ghost The Bible says that these things were written, you know by holy men of God and they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And so the Bible says that these three agree in one So the whole Bible is Jesus Christ the whole Bible is written by God the whole Bible is preserved by God So this is God saying that he knows how to reserve people for the day of judgment how to reserve them for hell There are people that walk this earth today this morning, you know And some of you are gonna meet them today and they have a reservation. They've got a ticket They've got a pager that one day the red lights are gonna go off in that big circle and it's gonna vibrate and that's their Time they're on their way to hell. That's what he's saying here So this idea that a loving God wouldn't send someone to hell is foolish. It's not true at all turn to Revelation chapter 1 The Bible says that the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust And to the day of judgment to be punished We're almost done revelation 17 18 Start with verse 17. It says and when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead And he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive For evermore and don't miss this and have the keys of hell and of death So you need to ask yourself the question who's got the keys to hell who's got the keys to death and that is Jesus Christ That is God. He does send people to hell. But yes, he is a loving God I mean, come on He sent his son to die and pay the bill so that you wouldn't have to go to hell But yeah, what do people say? I don't need that. I can see clearly I know the way and Jesus says no you don't you've got a reservation in hell. It's too late for you All right. So how about this next one you guys turn to James? So if you're there in Revelation just go back in your Bible to James The next one here, which should be the last one it's not about a religion it's about a relationship Right. I used to have the t-shirt, you know, I used to I was carried away by this stupid doctrine back in the day, too This is so common. We hear this all the time. It's not about a relation. Sorry. It's not about a religion It's about a relationship. What is the it? Think about that. It's not about a religion. What is it? What are you talking about? Are you talking about salvation or are you talking about your walk with God that needs to be established? First when you're talking with somebody when you hear somebody say it's not about a religion It's about a relationship ask them. What is it? What are you talking about? Because that is very important and I will tell you this. This is the relationship to I'm sorry This is the definition of relationship the way in which two or more concepts Objects or people are connected or the state of being connected So, you know what your walk with God you're if you're saved here This morning your walk, you know your your your Christian walk your profession of faith is important Your relationship is very important how you stay connected to Christ is by reading the Bible, right? What did you say if you love me keep my commandments, you know, your relationship is important I'm not discounting that at all I mean, that's why we have churches so that we can deepen our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ That's important. But what a lot of people mean by that is I don't need church. I don't need the Bible I don't really need these things that's all religion right there and I'll just get to heaven by my own achievement That's really what they're saying. So when somebody brings us to you ask them. What do you mean? It's what does that mean? And watch the look on their face. They're gonna like What? What do you mean? Well, well, what's it's what are you talking about? Well, it's not about a religion It's about a relationship what your salvation because yeah, you're right your salvation is not about a religion Because yeah, you're right your salvation is not about a relationship, right? You don't have to have a great relationship and work hard and do all these things in order to get into heaven We know the truth. We know that it's by you becoming born again by accepting him by calling upon him It happens in an instant But once you do that and God does want us to continue on he wants you to get baptized He wants you to go to church. He wants you to reach other people There's a lot of things that we should do after that point So remember that your relationship is important to Jesus Christ, but you know what religions not a bad word and it's found in the Bible So if you're there in James, you know, you're gonna you're gonna see this here. Look at James chapter 1 look at verse 26 You're gonna see the religion is a good thing according to the Bible If a any man among you seem to be religious in bridle if not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's religion is vain So, what are we learning there? We learned that we want to have a religion that's not empty. That's not vain That's not worthless, right? And then he goes on to say pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world That's what people have a problem with keeping themselves unspotted from the world You know that right there the Bible says that religion is keeping yourself unspotted from the world. It is doing good works We should be a religious people, you know, I've told this story before if you go up to Vancouver sometime during football season You're gonna see this guy this Seahawks fan over i-5 He's got this big green mohawk thing on right and he waves that number 12 flag that Seahawks like and he waves that thing I mean we would get to church about what 930 10 o'clock. He'd be out there waving that I don't know when he gets there does he get there at 7 in the morning? But when we would like go out soul and that dude is still there at 2 o'clock. We've already had Church We've already had the Baptist Buffet We've already been joking around and you know in praying and getting ready to go out soul winning and that guy's still there after soul Winning we're headed back to evening service. That guy is still out there and people honking and waving at that guy I mean that guy's got some zeal that guy is religious but his religion is vain and there are so many people that are caught up into these these sports and things and it's okay for Them to go to the sporting events religiously. It's okay for them to do their things religiously But when we go to church all of a sudden, oh, it's not about a religion. It's about a relationship That's just a cop-out. It's just an excuse. It's absurd Jesus never said that the Bible says that being religious according to the Bible is very very important to God. We're almost done here I'm just gonna read these verses for you. And that's first Thessalonians 4 says furthermore Then we beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk To please God so you would abound more and more for you know What Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus for this is the will of God even your sanctification Remember your sanctification is your holiness. That's your walk. That's your separation from the world. He says that ye should obtain I'm sorry abstain from fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and Honor look God wants us to be a sanctified holy people unto himself Just because we don't have to work for our salvation just because we don't have to work to maintain our salvation Doesn't mean we shouldn't be religious you're gonna look everybody in here is religious about something you are all religious about something It's either about the things of God or about the things of the world and that is a fact verse 5 He says not in the lust of concupiscence Even as the Gentiles which know not God that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter Because that the Lord is the avenger of all such as we have also forewarned you and testified for God had not called us unto Uncleanness but unto holiness He therefore that despises despite this I'm sorry despises not man But God who has also given unto us his Holy Spirit. So when we say this, it's not about a religion It's about a relationship and we discount the teachings. We we throw these things away We say God doesn't care about how I live God just wants me to be happy God looks at that and he says that's an abomination. That's Aleister Crowley ism. That's Anton LaVey ism. That's not true Jesus never said that and you are in sin right in the point of this sermon is to teach you how to know the Bible It's to teach you to get a better understanding a better knowledge of the things that Jesus said Because you know what people are gonna look to you for the answers. You're the one that's got the answers We're the one that's going out there into the community and trying to reach the lost You know what and you should be ready always to give every man an answer of the hope, you know that it's in you So let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer Lord. Thank you for this opportunity to preach I thank you for all these people that would come here Lord on a Sunday morning and And sacrifice their time to hear your word and sing praises unto you Lord. I pray you bless the fellowship Lord. I pray you keep Moving us forward Lord as we go soul-winning and do great works for you Lord Please bless the mega marathon this week and all those that are that are traveling Lord to meet us up for that event And we've asked you for these things Lord in Jesus name. I pray. Amen