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Amen, all right James chapter 2 I think we'll go through James chapter 2 once a year just for that first Couple years of the ministry here. It's just a great chapter in the Bible and it's chapter that people use to prove things that are not in the Bible many times and So we're talking about good things and tonight, you know, we've talked about in this series We talked about good things that are not tied to salvation good things that sometimes especially In you know Bible preaching churches good these good things these phrases these terms these Nouns, maybe they they get a bad name because people in you know False teaching churches or whatever they tie them to salvation. We talked about repenting of your sins We talked about how that's not tied to salvation, but you know, it's a good thing to do I mean, it's a good thing to turn from your sins. It's a good thing to try to get the sin out of your life We talked about confessing your sins. We talked about how you know, that's something that's good to do It's not tied to your salvation, you know Lutherans Catholics will tie that to salvation they'll tie it They'll say it's a sacrament or whatever and they'll say it has to do with being saved But they're good things to confess your sins is good It's good to do that to be in good standing with your Heavenly Father So tonight we continue this idea of good things and you know, it's kind of a big one tonight But what we're gonna talk about this evening is works. We're gonna talk about your works So we talked a lot about we'll go out and we'll preach the gospel and we'll talk about how it's not of works You know, but sometimes works can get a bad name because people tie it to salvation But look works are a good thing and we're gonna talk about Works this evening turn to Ephesians chapter 2 a verse many of you. I'm sure know well Ephesians chapter 2. So first of all, let's talk about how Salvation is not of works. Literally. It's not of works Of course, we know this but let's just look at it real quickly. So it has nothing to do with salvation It's not that it has a little bit to do with salvation It has absolutely nothing to do with salvation works The Bible says in Ephesians 2 verses 8 through 9 the Bible says for by grace Are you saved through faith and not of yourselves? It is the gift of God not of Works the Bible says so look, I mean it's not of works. It's very clear I don't think that there's a clearer verse in the entire Bible where then the verse that says not of Works, you know, this is how you're saved and it's not of works So look to go to heaven does not even depend a little bit on your works. This is Satan's religion is what it is. This is Satan's religion and Satan very effectively has taken a good thing and Turned it into something that will send people straight to hell is what has happened. So I mean it's belief on Works that is sending everyone to hell folks instead of belief on the Lord Jesus Christ So look turn to John chapter 14 Let's turn to John chapter 14 The Bible says I mean look I mean on not having works. Let's think about this for a minute, you know James chapter 2 We're gonna get to that keep your finger in James chapter 2 But the Bible says, you know, the Bible is not for just not having works Okay, the Bible is talked talks many places throughout the entire Bible about having works It just doesn't have to do with how you're gonna go to heaven Okay, so look the Bible first says in John 14 15 says if you love me keep my commandments So look if you don't have works and I'm using that as a general term Okay, if you don't have works you don't love God is the bottom line Okay, so basically how much you love you could say this could be a true statement Alright how much you love God is directly proportional are you familiar with directly proportional? So if something is if two things are directly proportional to each other It means when one increases the other one also increases Okay, if two things are inversely important proportional it means when one increases the other decreases So your love for God is directly proportional to your works So if you have a lot of works, it means the Bible says you love God a lot Basically is what the Bible is saying if you don't have many works. You don't love God is what the Bible says Okay, so it's giving you that proportion there It's giving you that that relationship between your works and how much you love the Lord Okay, go back to James chapter 2. Let's talk about in James chapter 2 Let's talk about this idea of dead faith of dead faith. So we're talking about not having works here Okay. So first of all, we see in J in John chapter 14 If you don't have works, you don't love God, but you're like, oh, but I love God, but I love him What is love again? Love is you actually doing something? Love, you know your definition of love is wrong again, right? So love is you actually doing something? Doing work doesn't that make sense? Doesn't that completely match God's definition of love? We'll go back to James chapter 2 look at verse number 15 James chapter 2 now if you've never really read James or you've never really read James Especially chapter 2 and you read James chapter 2 you might think wow This sounds a lot like you need to have works in order to be you know Have your faith alive and all this kind of stuff well What is James chapter 2 talking about look at verse 15 the Bible says if a brother or sister be naked and destitute? Of daily food and one of you say to them so here we have you know The context is this the context is you have a brother and sister in Christ and they need something They need like something important. They need food or they need clothing the Bible says The Bible says they be naked and they have a destitute of daily food They're starving and they have nothing to wear and one of you saying to them depart in peace be ye warmed and filled Notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body Underline this in your Bible. What doth it profit? So the what the Bible is saying here is your brother or sister in Christ comes to you and they're like I'm cold and I Don't have any food and you're just like and you know I'm praying for you brother, you know Just depart in peace. I hope things get better for you. It's like you profit them. Nothing is what this is saying Okay, it's saying you're not profiting those people any anything that's the context of verse 17 Look at verse 17. It says what it says even so It means that means like as or likewise and in the same way it means Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Look, what is it? What it means is in verse 14 in verse 16 when it says what doth it profit is that if you do not have works Your faith is useless to other people is what it's saying it's saying your religion your faith is dead It can't help anybody just like you with your brother when you're just like I hope you get warmer I hope you get you know food and you just do nothing to help them. Okay, what does it profit? You know, look, I mean this one is actually the most I mean this one thing right here is the most Costly thing for not having works, which is why James is talking about it He's talking about your works profiting your brothers and sisters in Christ profiting other people because if you don't have works that is the biggest consequence to it is That no one else will profit from it. No one else will profit from your life now look, I mean this is this is probably one of the most Exciting things for me personally in the ministry to see is when you see people when you see people grow So let me just let me just park it here first on James chapter 2 Basically what James chapter 2 is telling you is number 1 your faith is tied to your works Your faith is directly proportional to your works So as I mean go down to verse number 22 of James chapter 2 this is like the the verse of the chapter right here See is how thou faith wrought with his works and by works was his faith made perfect How do you make your faith perfect through your works? Okay, you have saving like you you if you you're saved you had enough faith you trusted in Jesus You're saved it had nothing to do with your works But you make your faith perfect your faith grows throughout your life and you make it perfect through your works That's how you do it your works rot. They work with your faith It works together Okay, so it James chapter 2 is laying out this relationship between your faith in your works It's not talking about how you're going to heaven. It's talking about how they're related to each other Okay, and I mean even if you read James chapter 2 I've thought about this many times if you've read James chapter 2 and you're Like oh, yeah, that means you got to have works to be to have faith to be saved It's it makes no sense if you think that through Okay, because I mean think about this What's the opposite of good works? Like wicked deeds, right? Good work, like I help a little lady across the street or I like murder the lady. That's the opposites, right? That's the opposites is anyone like completely does anyone have like zero has anyone any even the more psychopathic killer? I'm sure they said hi to their mother one time The whole thing makes no sense, right? It's a spectrum. It's just showing you the Relationship between faith and your works. It has nothing to do with salvation It's talking about how your faith and your works are proportional to each other Okay, and it's also talking about what it's giving you the consequences as well It's saying I mean first of all, it has to match the rest of the Bible how you interpret something, right? It makes no sense, even if you would think that through but the bottom line is The consequences are if you have no works or you you have you don't do good works you profit No one that's a big consequence. I mean, that's a big problem. I mean think about your family think about your friends Think about all those people around you Back to what I was saying one of the most exciting things for me personally in the ministry is when you see people start to Change their life and get their work straight and start doing what they're supposed to do You know what happens like it's weird, but it happens like as a side effect or something They just start becoming profitable to people and you just see that you just see them that you know maybe they were Struggling before and then they start getting some things straight and they start listening to what the Bible says and they start making the moves That they need to make through their works in their life and all of a sudden they just become this profitable person And And they become someone that's that's no longer having to have somebody else give them food and have somebody else You know help them and they start to be the one that's profitable to others. That's what James chapter 2 is talking about Okay, so look that I mean that's I mean that's exciting to see I mean that's proof And why is it exciting to see I mean look if we had a church of a hundred people we had one person like that It would be worth it Because it's exciting to see that the Bible works Right. It's exciting to see that that happened I mean now look now here's the the paradox of works and I don't know if many of you if any of you I'm sure you've probably thought about this but here's the thing people that believe in works Have you noticed that like people that believe in works-based salvation many times? I mean, you're just like they they don't appear to have any works At all. I mean, of course they have some they don't have zero works Right, like I just explained but you're just like these people that believe in works-based salvation. We met some of these people today. I Mean trying to give the gospel these people there's just like this huge party going on and like this music I'm just like going insane from this music brother David's giving the gospel to this lady I mean some days you go and you give the gospel and it's just like it's like feeding candy to a baby, right? They're just waiting for it They're just couldn't wait and they're just like oh that makes sense and it just clicks and all this and other times you got music Just blast it in your face and there's like all these people and there's there's having this party over here and you're just like should I even be here right now and Then you got a guy over here like fighting for someone's soul. I Mean, it's just a fight It's just a battle and and then and then they end up not getting saved because I'm like, no no No, you got to have the works as they go back to their party and get drunk. I mean you're just like What But it's a paradox right and here we are We think that you have zero it has zero to do with it. And here we out are out. We're doing the works But it has nothing to do with us going to heaven. I mean, it's a paradox, right? It doesn't seem to makes sense, right? So, how is it possible and here's why it's possible because people set their own bar. That's how it's possible Everybody sets look. It's the devil's greatest trick It's the devil's greatest trick think about this think about this what's the first thing we tell people when we give them the gospel What's the first thing the first thing that we tell people is hey, you know what you're not good What the devil's greatest trick is convincing people that they're good Because these people have in the party and doing all this stuff. I mean they think they're good They think that they're nice. They think that they're good. They think that they're good enough Because they've set their own bar Right. So I mean the first trick to understanding the true gospel is understanding that you're not good So that's why the devil has people set their own bar. He convinces people to set their own bar So look you have to believe that you're guilty before you will believe that you deserve to be punished I mean, that's the bottom line But if you're proud turn to Proverbs 16 if you're proud and you think you are good You've got problems look at Proverbs chapter 16 Proverbs chapter 16 and look at verse number 5 Proverbs 16 5 the Bible says Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Okay, so that's pretty strong language right there I mean the Bible says, you know abomination that's like the Lord hates it or the Lord hates you It's like if you're proud in heart, you know, the Bible says that you know God, you know, you're an abomination to the Lord So I mean Though hand joined in hand. He shall not be unpunished, right? so the unsaved person that is proud in heart is probably in the worst condition that anybody could ever be in and The Bible says that they're not going to go unpunished meaning, you know, I mean for the unsaved pride is deadly to the soul For sure and Ultimately, that's why pride is tied to somebody's ability or likelihood of getting saved turn to James chapter 4. Just a couple chapters over James chapter 4 Look at James chapter 4 in verse number 6 So, I mean, I'm sure you that we all know people like this that aren't saved and their main problem Is that they're prideful that they think they're pretty good that they're they have a pretty high view Of themselves look at James 4 in verse number 6. The Bible says but he giveth more grace Wherefore he saith God resisteth the proud but giveth grace Unto the humble so look it's through grace that you're saved. So this grace look if you don't get this grace You're not getting this salvation. That's the bottom line and it says God Resisted the proud and giveth grace. So look he's not gonna give that grace To somebody who's proud you see what the Bible is saying here. So I mean look it takes being humble to be saved I mean, that's the bottom line and ultimately if you're not saved, but you're proud I'll read for you Proverbs 26 12 the Bible says seeth thou a man wise in his own conceit There is more hope of a fool than of him. I Mean the Bible says that if you're look if you're unsaved and you're proud there is just not much hope for you I mean that's kind of sad but you think about all the unsaved people You know just take three seconds and think about the unsaved people that you know, and I guarantee you This is most Americans right here This is most Americans. This is why that Jesus said it's so hard for the rich man To get saved when he used the analogy of a camel going through the eye of a needle Look, that's why it's so hard. It's pride It's why it's so hard hard for it's it's hard for someone when things are going well because it puffs them up Right, maybe I mean, that's why you know, sometimes maybe it's best to pray that you know Somebody that is proud maybe gets knocked down a little bit because they're gonna need that humility first And then they'll be able to understand so they're gonna need to realize you know what? I'm not so good That's step one That's step one. I'm not so good Maybe my works aren't so great and Then there might be a little bit of hope there But that that's where it has to go and a side note for the save by the way side note for the save You get prideful don't make God knock the pride out of you Because look it's not gonna it's not gonna ruin it's not gonna be deadly for your soul if you're saved But God will beat the pride out of you. I mean, that's another sermon in itself Don't take the blessings that God has given you and be like, I am awesome. I am great and Then just make God just have to just beat the pride out of you and go through these cycles where you're like, I'm great Beat me down. I'm great. Beat me down, right? I mean because everything that's good comes from God if you're saved and everything that's good is a blessing from the Lord. Don't All sudden make that about yourself stay humble in any blessing that you receive. All right, that's just a side note for safe so look This is another reason that especially in America. I don't really understand why people do this but enticing people with this prosperity gospel Is is not going to work at all because look Many people out there are doing well In this country, I mean people are just too comfortable. People are too comfortable. That's the problem That's the problem with 90 plus percent of the people that you knock on their door Is they're too comfortable in their own life telling them to get that they need to get right with God and it will just improve Their life they're just like well things are pretty good right now. I Don't really need any improvements. I mean things are going well. I mean, it's probably not the case from their perspective That's also why you see if somebody does get saved and then they get into the Christian life a lot of times There's just a lot of growing pains at the beginning Because they were just into all this stuff all this sinful things and they come into this Christian life and they're into all these These these just short-term highs and all these things that were just giving them these quick fun, you know Reactions right away and they come into the Christian life and they're like, oh, there's all these rules here You know, look there's there's no rules. That's not of works It's just we're trying to express our love towards God here We're trying to find them, you know, we're trying to follow the Bible here So, I mean they were having a good time before I mean look these short-term highs just lead to long-term Depression and despair we know that right but look that's why the prosperity gospel just falls flat on its face for most people All right. So what ultimately it's true that you know, the Christian life will improve your life I mean that is true in the long term term But in the sense that they will think of it from the worldly sense from a worldly perspective It's gonna it's not going to resonate with them. All right, look there's a lot of unsaved people out there that think they're doing just fine That's the problem All right, they're living extremely comfortable lives. It's not the problem that they face the problem that they face I was telling David today. I mean I was like, you know those guys they seem nice enough They seem nice enough You know and and you know, they're just you know They're just a bunch of drunks and they're all gonna go to hell other than that. They seem fine But that's kind of a big problem Right that damnation thing is a big problem. Their problem isn't really paying their bills a lot of people so back to the point The reason turn to Jeremiah chapter 9 the reason people think that they are pretty good Why do people think why has the devil? successfully convinced so many people that they're pretty good and This is why I mean pride is the is the overarching reason But you know more specifically good Jeremiah chapter 9 in verse number 23. The Bible says this Jeremiah 9 23 the Bible says thus saith the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisdom Neither let the mighty man glory in his might Let not the rich man glory in his riches. So here we have a guy that he's got wisdom He's got might and he's got riches and what is he doing? He's just he's personally glorying in that he's not appreciating it. He's not being like oh, this is such a blessing I'm so thankful that you know I don't have to worry about money or I'm so thankful that I'm not weak or I'm so thankful that you know, I'm not a fool He's just glorying in the fact that he is great is what this guy is doing turn to Isaiah 14 It sounds a lot like this guy in Isaiah chapter 14 Sounds a lot like this guy this guy's like I'm so smart and I'm so rich and he's just like He's got a lot of glory focused in on himself. It sounds a lot like this guy Isaiah 14 14 is talking about Satan himself in Isaiah 14 14 Satan says this he says I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I Will be like the Most High See, this is Satan's problem. This is why Satan Satan is like I want to be as powerful as God Satan wanted to be he wanted to be God. Look what it says right there his own words I will be like the Most High. Hello. Who's got a pride issue here? You know, I mean, I'm gonna be as powerful as God. I'm gonna be up at the same level as God But look, that's why he's dumping this problem That's why his religion is the religion of you have to do it yourself You glory in yourself. You set your own bar. You are good You can be like the Most High. This is Satan's philosophy. It's a very simple one But it works with everybody. Maybe that's why because it's so simple. It's so easy to believe right? Look, I mean how hard is it for me to believe? I mean, I probably have a lot more people in this church if I just like preached like you are great You are all great you brother Awesome. I mean, I don't know what you did today great It's awesome. Everything you do is awesome Good job, guys But you know what I'm saying? It doesn't make any sense, but it works But it works Okay, so look it's because I believe it starts from a good place with people Okay, and I'm just kind of giving you some deep thoughts from my head here right because I've thought a lot about this I mean everybody's wondering why we're here on on this earth, right? everybody has thought about that if you ever go and knock on somebody's door and you like have you ever thought about Where you're gonna go when you die and they say no, they're lying to your face That's what I think Because look everybody has wondered like what does my life mean? What is my life about? Right, I mean you're maybe you're in a bad place maybe you're in a good place But everyone's like wondering like what's the point of this of my life, right? Everyone knows everyone knows I've never had one person say When you ask them do you are you gonna live forever? I've never had one person say yes I'm eternal right now as I stand I've never had one person say that but everyone wants to do something important with their life, right and Most people just translate that into Satan's philosophy is the problem They think that something important you say what are you talking about? That doesn't even make any sense They think that there's something important in their life is to get rich is to is to be the CEO is To be the most successful That that's Satan's philosophy. He wants you to get he wants to get you to think that your life Is about you becoming the most powerful or the most? High you see what I'm saying? It's Satan's philosophy, you know, it's the it's the exact Opposite of God's philosophy. It's the exact opposite I mean, I mean you're something important from the Bible's perspective is to what James chapter 2 It's to profit others That's the opposite of profiting yourself Right. So what? God's perspective even from the perspective of the world makes more sense, right? I mean, it's not sustainable that everyone's just in this thing. Let's just think about a world where think about a country Just imagine this for a second where everybody's in it for themselves Imagine what that would be like Probably there's nothing a lot like today, right? I mean imagine but imagine a country that operated by or a group of people that operated Under the rules of or under the guidance of the Bible and under the guidance of profiting others I mean, it's a much it's a sustainable model. Everyone's worried about sustainability today. I can't believe even said that word It's a bad word to me But look if everyone was out for self It just wouldn't work out The whole thing would be a mess kind of like where we're headed today All right. So let's talk about let's get kind of bring it back around Let's talk about why your works matter your works aren't tied to salvation. That's Satan's religion He successfully propagated it throughout our entire country throughout the whole world Every single religion other than the religion of the Bible is all the same thing. It's works. That's it There's only two religions in the whole world. There's what the Bible teaches and works It's just changed up do these works. No do these works. No do these works then most of these religions. It's not even fair There's no list What are the ones that I have to do to get there? You know, there's no list. You can't even win the game It's not fair. Okay But look, I'm just kind of joking but look why your works matter John 14 15 We already saw this your works matter because it shows how much you love God All right. Look being saved doesn't mean you love God Being saved means God loves you for God so loved the world that he Gave his only begotten son, right? Look it you being saved proves nothing of you loving God It only proves that you were able to trust on him Okay, you loving him is what comes next you doing those works is what's supposed to come next. It's what you should do Okay, love is not a feeling Thank God that love is not a feeling Thank God that when a lot loved us he actually gave his son for us All right, so that's an easy one. But here's the second one. It's through your works That your life will matter It's through your works that your life will matter you sitting in a chair and in drinking all day long You're guaranteeing that your life won't matter It's through your works that your life will matter faith without works is dead. I Mean look everyone wants to matter. I mean the whole thing the whole thing is this Everybody's everybody has the same goal in life. It's this search for relevance, right? I Mean, it's a search for relevance. Doesn't everyone want to be relevant? I mean who could you ask? Do you want to be relevant in your life and people would say no, not really I want to be a nobody. I want to just be a loser and you know, maybe you would find people like that in, California I don't know probably But my point is most people want to be relevant in their life and this is how you do it You through your works comes relevance. That's the bottom line Literally going I mean look and the first works the first works are the best ones. That's why they're the first ones So, you know literally going out and when we come back in I mean think about it We go out at two o'clock and when we come back in people that were going to hell are now not going to hell They're going to heaven. I mean look that's I mean that's like better than the best hero story you can find Right. I mean everybody. I mean that's all you hear about today is heroes and Soldiers and a guy just got the Medal of Honor the other day and all these things and he sees great fantastic stories Right these people going out and he saved all his buddies and he went through and saved Hostages and all these things and you know firefighters going and saving things and saving people and all this look But we do that all every week here But we don't do it for ourselves and for our glory like the world says We do it out of the love. It's it's two reasons. We do it We do it out of the love for God and out of the love for other people And it's almost like those are the two most important Commandments that encompass all the Commandments Love God and love your neighbor. I Mean, that's why we do it But think about this you think about we go out and we go soul-winning it's you're like, it's no big deal, right? But do you remember the first time that you went soul-winning? Do you remember the first time that you went soul-winning? It was terrifying It was a terrifying prospect getting out of your car going into some neighborhood that you're not from carrying a Bible. Oh Karen a Bible in public Matter with you We're gonna carry these Bibles around and people are gonna see us to bring Bibles I Mean, that's how you feel when you start doing it. Look. It's a terrifying experience for people at first It can be anyway, but look Most people will be terrified at such a prospect but doing something great like this. That's how you become relevant and profitable In the world So look, I mean, those are just the first works. Okay. Those are just the first ones There's a lot of works Those are just the first ones. Here's some more works. It's through your works that you will raise godly children It's through your works that you will raise godly children turn to Deuteronomy 6 It's it's through your works that you will raise children that will grow to reject The the world that we live in and serve the Lord instead But that will only happen through them profiting from your works From your works Deuteronomy 6 what works you say? Well, here's some of them Deuteronomy 6 look at verse number 5 The Bible says and thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might now What is that? What is that doing right there? Thou shalt love the Lord That is work. I Mean are you seeing the connection? I mean it says thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart Look, that's a lot of works right there. I Mean to love the Lord with all thine heart if look, I mean first of all, I'll never get there To love the Lord with all my heart To love the Lord with all my heart would be to do everything in the Bible that God wants me to do I'll never get there This is something we're striving for right? We're trying to love the Lord with all our heart with all thy soul with all thy might and what's that connected to and these Words, oh, it's connected to the words in the Bible Which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart So to love God is to follow his words to put his words in our heart right and to follow him and then look at verse 7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and Shall talk of them when thou sittest in thy house when I walk us by the way, but that lies down When thou riseth up, so if your children see you loving the Lord, they will also love the Lord That's the pattern but if they don't see you doing it, you don't teach them those words those commandments that law There's no chance that they will do it So you have it's through I mean, so everyone's like, oh you think you can just do whatever you want Yeah, go ahead get saved do whatever you want and then watch The nightmare of your family unfold for the next 40 years or 50 years of your life, I mean, it's crazy like teaching them the law Separating them from the world this all takes a look. It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of work That's I mean, that's what we talk about here week after week after week Raising them to fear God as you teach them to love and respect you takes a lot of work. It takes consistency It takes effort it's not easy at times right? These are all works folks These are all works and look most people aren't gonna get these things, right? so you're gonna see a lot of people fail at these works a Lot of people and I mean look that that's why that's why we need the success stories Can you give me some success stories? So, you know, you don't have to watch everyone fail Because look a lot of people aren't gonna get it right because it's a lot to get right It's a lot to get right folks. Look here's number three. It's through your works It's through your works. What's the third one? It's through your works that this church will grow You say what? People always ask here's the thing Being in this position. I never would have thought this but it's shocking how many people ask like what kind of numbers are you running? Constantly Like whenever somebody visits whenever somebody, you know asked how things are going from out of town or whatever You know, the bottom line is you know, the truth is I mean, here's the thing. I could care less about numbers. I Mean I could care less you say why? Don't you want the church to grow don't you want people to come here? I could I mean I could literally care less about the numbers and you say why because I have faith. That's why Because I have faith you say well, what do you mean I have faith that as we do the works I Mean you see you say you say well, I thought God grows the church. Yeah as we do the works. God will grow the church You think God's gonna look down here and see a bunch of bums running this church and a bunch of people You know not doing what they're supposed to do and you think he's gonna grow this church you think he's gonna invest in that No As we do the works God will grow the church. I also know That there's a difference between this church and the other church churches around the area all the other churches around the area And I'm sure you know, maybe if you've been to other churches around the area, you know turn to Exodus chapter 17 Look, this is a working church This is a working church. I mean this This is a busy place around here. I Mean this is a busy place ultimately I mean, I'd love to just like like glorify myself with the bum buster invention But ultimately, you know what got rid of the bums around here. Yeah, they're bumps All right, you know what got rid of the bums is that we're constantly in and out of here We're just I mean this place is is is hopping. I Mean, there's constantly somebody here every single day. There's people here I mean you think about there's a lot going on Look at the bulletin every single week. The new the bulletin has new things going on So what I mean you think about all the things going on from Sundays Think how busy the Sundays are around here from you know Events to I mean, I think the church is cleaned like four times a week at this point To decorating to all these different activities. I mean turn to Exodus chapter 17. I'm gonna turn there myself I want to I want to just say something real quick to Look at Exodus chapter 17. Look there's a lot going on here. This is a working church I mean we're not I mean this is gonna be a hard place to be if you're just kind of like Half in one toe in it's not gonna be that much fun for you probably but that's fine because We're looking for the right type of people here too. This is a working church. Okay? Let's talk about the ministry for a second Here's a funny thing and I was talking to my wife about this the other day But we never the church is cleaned. I don't know. It seems like a lot the church is cleaned a lot and Look at Exodus chapter 17. The Bible says that the children of Israel are at war here. Okay, and look at verse number 11 The Bible says and as it came to pass when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed but Moses's hands were heavy. Look Moses got tired You know something? We never put a sign-up sheet for cleaning here We never put one out We never put one out because you know what we felt like that, you know We'll just be the example and I'm just I'm speaking for my wife because I don't know that I've cleaned the church that much But we'll just be the example and we'll see what happens with that and all of a sudden, you know Look at verse number 12, but Moses's hands were heavy because look he was getting tired because it's a lot of work just holding your hands up like this so everybody could win the battle and they took a stone and they put it under him and he Sat there on an Aaron and her stayed up his hands. They held his hands for him The one on the other side and the other on the other side and his hands were steady until the going down of the Sun So, let me tell you something about you ladies that show up here to help clean you are holding up the hands of the ministry Nice one. I mean the the ladies the ladies my wife and everything that she does, you know, it's kind of a silent ministry there She doesn't get up here get up get to get up and yell at you people But you know, she's doing a lot of work and you know, I just want to say thank you to the people helping hold her hands I mean, amen to that. It was never asked It was never asked but you have no idea How much it helps the ministry because this is a working church and it takes a lot of work. There's no button Remember the button there's no button that says Reset Church. I mean there's a lot of people doing a lot of work to keep things squared away here So, I mean, I just want to say thank you. I mean to the people that aren't seen especially There's a lot of people that aren't seen that help to stay up the hands of this ministry and and guess guess what? Guess what? Those are works Those are works and you know what? Those are works you can even argue that they're the first works because they're works that support the first works So, I mean everything builds upon everything This is a working church That's why I don't care about the numbers because I don't want this this place filled with the wrong type of people If we if we kept 40 of just Working people that were here to just get this thing done and we just leave it to God when he adds to that That's where I'm at That's where I'm at. I mean, I'd rather preach to a small group of soldiers than a hundred people that aren't plugged in any day any day I Mean that's why if you don't respond to the Bible if you're if you're lazy You just don't respond to the Bible. You are going to hate it here Because we're moving We're moving this place is busy and we're gonna look we're gonna get it done One way or another we are gonna get it done. We are gonna get and look God. Here's the thing. God will bless that We're gonna get it done. We're gonna drive forward We're gonna do the works and everyone's gonna drive forward together and God is gonna bless that That's how it's gonna work. I don't want to give you the end of the story But it's gonna work that way because our works are important. Okay, our works Matter look our works at this point when you're saved at that point your works are everything at that point But you know, I mean the devil does have power to hurt you and that's also how he's gonna hurt you three works It's three works it's it's through it's through your works that the devil can make you worthless He can't take away your soul he can't take away, you know your soul to hell he can't he can't damn you He can't take away your salvation, of course, but look he can make you worthless He can make this church worthless. He can make this church a lazy ineffective church. Think about how horrible that would be If we were just like everybody else I mean, what a nightmare who would want to be part of something like that? So look here's the thing if you want your life to matter You know salvation is by grace through faith. We know this But your relevance of your life will be you through your works. It's a pretty simple message Tonight, but let's not downplay works because that's how you become relevant in this one life that you have And that's a good thing. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer