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You You Well welcome to Mountain Baptist Church, I know it's not I'm not brother Dave up here leading the singing but If you'll find your places find the hymnal turn to page 143 Page 143 in your hymnal Blessed assurance, and if you'll stand we'll sing all three verses there Starting there verse 1 page 143 in your hymnal Blessed assurance Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine Heir of salvation Creation purchase of God born of his spirit Washed in his blood This is my story This is my song Raising my Savior all the day long This is my story This is my song Raising my Savior all the day long Perfect submission Perfect delight Visions of rapture now burst on my side Angels descending Bring from above Echoes of mercy whispers of love This is my story This is my song Raising my Savior all the day long This is my story This is my song Raising my Savior all the day long Perfect submission All is at rest I am my Savior I'm happy and blessed Watching and waiting Looking above Filled with his goodness Lost in his love This is my story This is my song Raising my Savior all the day long This is my story This is my song Raising my Savior all the day long Amen, let's open the word of prayer the only father We thank you today and pray that you'd be with us as we meet on this Wednesday night I prayed you to fill me with your spirit as I preach the sermon later on But also as we continue to sing some songs to you Lord pray that you be glorified and everything that we do and Lord We love you and pray all this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. You may be seated and Turn to page 310 I know I know it's like Christmas season, but I'm getting over losing my voice brother. Dave has lost his voice So I'm gonna try to do some shorter songs tonight I'm the C the C team when it comes to singing just so you know, right Dave's a Brother Levi don't take this, you know, but he's be he's usually stepping in for brother Dave And then if you see me, you know that pretty much everybody's like take it, you know, get out of the picture But we're gonna sing footprints of Jesus 310 there and we'll sing all four verses Sweetly Lord have we heard thee calling come follow me And we see where that footprints falling lead us to thee For prints of Jesus that make the pathway glow We will follow the steps of Jesus where ere they go Though they lead or the cold dark mountains seeking his sheep Or along by Siloam's fountains helping the we Footprints of Jesus that make the pathway glow We will follow the steps of Jesus where ere they go If they lead through the temple holy preaching The word Or in homes of the poor and lowly Serving the Lord For prints of Jesus That make the pathway glow We will follow the steps of Jesus where ere they go Then at last when on high he sees us our journey done We will rest where the steps of Jesus and at his throne For prints of Jesus that make the pathway glow We will follow the steps of Jesus where ere they go Amen I was actually wrong. I'm actually the D team because brother Nick is usually stepping in too, so but yeah, so you just got to deal with me tonight, but That being said welcome Mount Baptist Church tonight, but Obviously we still have a lot of sickness. It's good to be back though My family's here, so But it just seems like everybody's getting hit by this sickness, so just be a prayer for those That aren't feeling well that we can get Back to normal with everybody being at least most people being able to be here And we do have family visiting from Michigan, so we talk later all that stuff, but As far as service times this week everything should be normal As far as this coming Sunday, we'll have our morning service. We'll have our afternoon service we have Also the sowing time at 1 p.m.. So that should be there as normal, and then we have our regional sowing times, and I know Brother Richie, I think you were saying you were wanting to move yours to Thursday Due to work schedules and stuff like that and so we'll get that switched up on there, but Again when it comes all these regional sowing times You really want to be on the whatsapp there and The men that are leading those up will tell you where and when they're meeting and so Really, you could just whatever day. They post something Figure out if you want to go on that day or not But these are kind of tentative times there as far as upcoming events We do have our Christmas party that we're gonna have this Saturday, so That's 3 p.m.. I know we had 6 p.m.. On there, but I'm pulling it back to 3 p.m.. Because when we had our harvest party if you will We had that I think at 6 and it was like 9 o'clock We're getting home, and then everybody has to try to Get all the sugar out of the system to go to sleep and then get up in the morning on Sunday And so this will give us a little more time to kind of You know get rest before Sunday, so I think there's that the signup sheet in the back there I was asking Holly what we're You know what people are bringing But I don't think most of the most of the people probably haven't even signed it put anything on that sheet because they haven't been here so So with the sickness and everything Obviously hopefully we'll have some people so we're all going to get together and get sick again By having this party no, but but obviously being prayer for everybody getting better Hopefully we have a good fellowship this Saturday And then Are we are you still doing the the soul-winding Marathon on the 17th, okay? So On the 17th, but Richie's gonna be leading up a soul-winding marathon out, and is it done doc done doc, Maryland and so and so That'll be the next Saturday so not this Saturday, but next Saturday And then on the back of your bolts in there. We have our memory chapter for the month is first That's only in chapter 3 and then Romans 5 1 is the memory verse for the week and Got I'm guessing we got all the birthdays this past Sunday and the anniversaries And then be in prayer for my wife on the pregnancy list they're Getting closer and closer so that due date is February 8th, so Yeah coming down to Us then well, I guess today is the seventh right so about two months but every one of my children have been early, so I'm gonna say is less than two months But the baby has flipped so Praise the Lord for that. Hopefully he stays there, so he was he was breach at one point, but so last this past week they did like a portable ultrasound and so Yeah, Holly's like yeah, well, I guess that I guess he could be born in the truck then so that's not what I want So I want to be able to make it But be in prayer for my wife and the baby and everything goes well there And That's about all I got for announcements the offering boxes in the back there if you want to give a tie they're not offering mother baby room is for the mothers babies only and They probably mentioned to you, but the bathrooms are over there back in there, but that's about all I got for announcements It's weird because usually like Dave brother Dave come up here and do this so This is how it used to be when we first started the church. I was just up here this whole time Yeah, I was doing the leading the singing and doing all this up It is so much better to have other people that are doing things to to give me a little break between it But Who's reading tonight did anyone that we ain't get anybody to You want to read tonight? Okay, so but Dave is gonna read first Peter chapter 2 for us And we're gonna do one more song before that. So Let's do a Christmas song I'm using the one that's prodding brother Dave to do Christmas songs But they're a little harder to sing Let's see which one I want to do here Just thinking of little Little town of Bethlehem, maybe Can't remember what was what we sang this this Sunday Let's do 434 434 Four thirty four a little town of Bethlehem And we'll start there in verse one Oh little town of Bethlehem How still we see the light Above thy deep and dreamless sleep Yes, I and stars go by Yet in thy dark streets shineth The Everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight For Christ is born of Mary and gathered all above while mortal sleepy angels keep their watch of wondering love Oh Morning starts to gather Oh claim the holy birth and praises sing to God the king and peace to man on earth How silently How silently The wondrous gift is give So God in hearts to human hearts the blessings of his have No here may hear his coming Where meek souls will Receive him still the dear Christ enters in Holy child of Bethlehem be sent to us we pray Cast out our sin and enter in be born in us today We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell oh come to us Abide with us our Lord Emmanuel Amen, but they will brother David will come and read to us first Peter chapter 2 Amen If you're there say men And the Bible reads referral laying aside all malice and all guile and Hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings as numeral as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby If so be if tasted that the load is graces to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men But chosen of God and presses ye also as lively stones are built ups Are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices except acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Wherefore also it is contained in the scriptures behold I lay in scion as chief Cronus stone elect Precious mean that believeth on him shall not be confounded unto you therefore rich believe he is precious But unto them which be disobedient the stone was that with the rich the builders disallowed the same is made of the head of the corner and A stone is stumbling and a rock of offense even to them that stumble at the word being disobedient Wherein to also they were appointed But you are chosen generation a royal priesthood and holy nation a peculiar people that you should serve forth the praises of him Which hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light? Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy But now have obtained mercy Dearly beloved I beseech I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which were against the soul Having a conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas you speak against you as evildoers that they may be your good works Which they shall behold glorify? God in the day of visitation Submit yourselves every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake Whether it be to the king is supreme or into governors is under them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers And for the praise of them that do well For so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as Free and not using a liberty for a cloak of maliciousness But as the servants of God honor all men love the brethren fear God on the king Servants be subject to your masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the forward For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience told God under grief suffering longfully What glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults you shall take it patiently but But if when you do well and suffer for it you take patiently This is acceptable with God For even here unto you where you called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that used to follow his steps Who didn't know sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he would be viled be viled not again When he suffered he threatened not but committed himself to him that judges righteously Who his own self bear us in his own body on the tree That we being dead sins should live under righteousness by whose stripes you were healed For ye for you were a seep going straight, but are now returned into the separate and bits above your souls Let's pray dear Lord I thank you for this opportunity to come back to your house And I pray that you be with pastor that you fill him with your spirit Jesus name. Amen So You're there in 1st Peter chapter 2 and we are continuing our study through the book of 1st Peter and we Last week we saw that 1st Peter is written to the stranger scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia and This chapter is really going to confirm that we're not talking about strangers like the Jews that are scattered throughout there But we're dealing with Gentiles and we're dealing with those of the nation and What we're gonna see here in chapter 2 chapter 1 We kind of saw that that they're saved that they're saved by the blood that they're saved by faith and just really kind of hitting on those points and chapter 2 here He's he's really kind of hitting on that that there's probably a lot of Babes in Christ that he's speaking to here because notice what it says in verse 1 It says wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and enbies and all evil speakings as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word to me grow thereby if so be yet tasted that the Lord is gracious now that that the Way that that second verse there is kind of worded is maybe a little Different the way we would say because it seems like almost as newborn babes desires sincere milk of the word kind of like it's just stating a fact, but what's really being stated there is that as newborn babes Desire meaning he's he's telling you to desire, right? It'd be kind of like if you said desire ye the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby So it's it's basically a command to state that you're as newborn babes You need to desire the sincere milk of the word you may grow thereby if so be that you have taste that the Lord is gracious and so What you know, it's stating here that he's not he's not being demeaning to them He's not saying like like in Corinth it says you're babes, you know, because you're in the flesh and that is a rebuke Okay, go to Hebrews chapter 5 because there's another place where he's rebuking a group of people but in 1st Peter chapter 2 He's not rebuking them This there's nothing wrong with being a babe in Christ But there's a problem with when you're a babe in Christ and you ought to know better. Okay? When when in Hebrew chapter 5 we're dealing with are people that ought to not be babes anymore In Christ and so if someone gets saved and they're newly saved They're a babe in Christ and there's nothing wrong with that. But no this is that they need the milk of the word They need the simple doctrines they they shouldn't be going into some You know crazy end times like getting down deep into like some some doctrine They really just need to be knowing salvation down pat They need to know you know, they just need to start reading the Bible really They just need to just ingest it. Okay, and really get the simple fruits down Okay, and then you can get into the complex stuff. But but you did the old phrase you can't You can't you can't run until you walk, but you can't you can't walk until you crawl you know the idea there is that you got it you got to start somewhere and And notice in Hebrew chapter 5 verse 12 here. It says for when for the time ye ought to be teachers What does that mean? It means like by now you ought to be teaching people Right, you ought to be teaching this But it says ye have need that one teach you again Which be the first principles of the oracles of God and are becomes such as have need of milk and not a strong meat Now this is a rebuke right because he's basically telling these people like hey you ought to know better But you need milk. You can't handle the strong meat Notice what he says here in verse 13 for everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe Okay, so this is a rebuke to them because he's basically saying you're not skillful in the word of righteousness You need to go back to just just you know Desiring them to sincere milk of the word. You need to grow up is what you need to do But then it goes on to say but strong meat belong to them that are a full age Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil So in 1st Peter 2 though, he's he's this isn't a rebuke He's basically just talking to them saying you need to desire the sincere milk of the word. You need to grow and You know, there's nothing wrong with that. Okay, and You think of this this verse in verse 3 there it says if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious It makes me think of Psalm 34 if you want to turn there you can Psalm 34 in verse 8 Psalm 34 in verse 8 and I'm gonna show you another another verse in Psalms if you want if you want to turn in Psalm there But Psalm 34 in verse 8 it says O taste and see that the Lord is good Blessed is the man that trusteth in him Okay, so as a babe in Christ, obviously that person saved and we established that in chapter 1 these are saved individuals, right? They purified their souls You know through the spirit unto enthane love of the brethren and they're born again not a corrupt We'll see but if incorrupt about word of God, which you live in the body forever, then he goes on to say Now you need to lay aside all this stuff You need to lay aside malice and guile and hypocrisy and enbies and evil speakings. You need to lay this stuff aside Okay, and you need to basically you need to get the milk of the word So if you have if you want to say well, okay someone gets saved what you should tell them to do well, they need the milk of the word and they need to just start basically trying to You know live live godly live holy and That's their job. Okay, it doesn't say to go deep down into doctrine and go crazy into into like some theological You know Doctrine or something like that It doesn't mean to go crazy in some other realms basically you just start off with I need to read the Bible and I need to try to You know as I'm reading the Bible, I'm gonna see okay. I shouldn't be doing that I shouldn't be doing this and it's simple stuff, right? I mean a Lot of the commandments aren't necessarily they're not complex. They're just a lot of people just don't know that they need to do it Okay, I Mean if you think about it, you know, Jesus talks a lot, you know, people are talking about like murder It's like well, we know we shouldn't murder somebody but if you're angry with your brother without a cause Then you committed murder already in your heart, right and then you can think about well, you know I haven't committed adultery but if you if you look upon a woman to lust after her you've committed adultery already in your heart and you can think About like okay this the Sermon on the Mountain just looking at things that Jesus says and and just applying those Okay, and so we should all be applying what we know and what we hear but how much more someone that's a babe in Christ That has just learned how to get saved. They've learned that you know, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They have eternal life They know they're saved But what's the first step? Okay. Well, they need to know the Bible and they need to apply it and apply it You know the milk the milk, right? So Go to go to Psalm 119 Psalm 119 and 103 Psalm 119 and 103 there So Taste and see that the Lord is good is very similar to if so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious Okay, and I remember when I first got saved You know, I started reading the Bible and I just remember just This it's kind of like this You taste it and you're like this is good. I don't know how to really explain it But I remember starting in Genesis and I remember reading, you know, obviously creation stories knowing the flood and then you're going through like Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the story of Abraham Isaac and Jacob you would think wouldn't be like that like Awesome to somebody right but for some reason the only way I can describe Reading the Bible for the first time or just getting into the Bible was this sense of comfort and being at home I don't you know, I don't know if that makes any sense to you But it's kind of like this idea of like I could just stay here You know and then obviously then you don't read it and you forget about that and you don't you know You don't read like you should and all that but as soon as you go back in you're just like yes Why haven't I been here longer, right? And it's this idea of like you taste it. You're like, this is good This is good. And so the idea is that keep tasting it because you're gonna keep remembering that it's good Okay, but just as much as when you eat that Reese's Cup as soon as it goes down your your throat you forget You know and then you have to have another one, right? So Bad illustration, but the idea is that you taste something that taste doesn't always stay it doesn't just linger You know, so you have to keep going back on a daily basis and all that. So the idea of tasting it and and Psalm 119 and 103 here it says how sweet are thy words unto my taste a sweeter than honey to my mouth So when it comes to the words of God That's what we're talking about and the sincere milk of the word is what he's talking about desire it and taste and see that the Lord You know if so be that you have tasted the Lord is gracious. So it's kind of like the idea is that You know desire the sincere milk of the word because if you tasted it, you know that you're gonna want to desire that. Okay, and Proverbs 24 in verse 13, you don't have to turn there but you can if you want Proverbs 24 verse 13 says my son eat thou honey, because it is good in the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it Then there shall be a reward and I expectation shall not be cut off because The the premise of a lot of what's going to be you know, what's gonna be stated later in this chapter? We've moved on from that you're saved right that you're saved by the blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish without spot we're saved by faith and we're kept by faith You know, but through faith were kept by the power of God through faith and that's been established Chapter 2 it's kind of like going on from that right you need to lay aside all these things like malice and envy and Hypocrisies and you that you need to basically ingest the Word of God and then it's gonna go on To state here and go back to the first Peter chapter 2 first Peter chapter 2 and verse 4 And again This I love the book of 1st Peter and I could do a whole sermon just on that subject right there Right and I could do a whole sermon on this next subject So this is really kind of just going through like here's some points but really I mean you could spend a whole sermon talking about the fact of reading the Bible and tasting the Word of God and and Growing in the Word of God and then you go on into like the meat of the word and all that. Okay, but We understand that he's stating that they need to basically ingest the Word of God as newborn babes and listen Think about how babies desire the milk Right. I mean, that's what they live for Right. I mean, I think they dream about it, you know About mama milk, you know as we call it. Okay And so that's that's what they live for So if you think about it when you get saved, that's what you should be living for. Right? I want the milk of the Word Okay now in verse 4 here It says to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious so basically he's talking about the fact that As you're reading the you're desiring this milk of the Word and you're tasting it and you're ingesting it, right? You're coming unto this lively stone right the Lord Jesus Okay, and obviously Jesus is the Word in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God So we're coming unto this this Word of God, you know this precious Word of God and it's stating here that He is a living stone chosen and precious Okay, but then it goes on to say in verse 5 here. Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house So here's where we're going to get into the fact that we move kind of we move past found eight the foundations of salvation Which is very similar actually to Hebrew chapter 5 right because Hebrew chapter 5 is basically stating that for the time, you know For the time you have to be teachers, but you have need that one teach you again Which be the first principles of the oracles of God and have need of milk, right? Chapter 6 goes on to talk about the first principles of the oracles of God, right? I mean the first principles and not laying again the foundation of those first principles, right of Repentance from dead works and faith toward God. What is that salvation, right? and the idea is that we kind of hit on chapter 1 that foundation of faith and it's by the blood and it's By the Word of God here in the Word of God but then we're moving on from that and now we're building a house right and It verse Verse keep reading there in verse verse 5. I was read verse 5 again It says he also has lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ wherefore also it is contained in the scripture behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded so he's kind of reiterating what he said in chapter in verse 4 there because it says that he's he's chosen of God and precious but then it says elect precious right this cornerstone is elect and precious so chosen being chosen of God is the same as being elect of God Okay, because if you were to elect a president what you do you chose that president? Okay, we're dealing with the same exact thing So when it's talking about how he's the chosen of God, he's the elect, right? He was elect the elect of God and obviously talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the anointed He is the chosen one to come to save us from our sins. He's the the second person of the Trinity. Okay, but This this pattern where it says wherefore also it is contained in the scripture That's going back to Isaiah 28 And I want you to go back to that really quick because I want to I want this to be very clear that we're dealing With a foundation stone. Okay, not a capstone To a building. Okay now You Say well, why are you making distinction because new versions of the Bible well instead of saying stating a cornerstone they'll say they'll call it a capstone, okay, and You know the idea he ever had a dollar but you ever look at the back of a dollar bill and you have like this pyramid with this this it's like basically the eye of Horus and there's a lot of paganism and You know satanic stuff dealing with masonic stuff and when it comes to our you know Our money system and all that crazy that our money would be dealing with wickedness and like crazy Masonic stuff anyway you know the New World Order is Is trying to push? basically This idea of one world government. That's what that whole thing is about. If you look on the back of your dollar bill I Can't remember the Latin phrase is there but it has to do with basically all becoming one. Okay, and so I Could pull out a dollar but I don't really care The idea there is if you want to read that you want to look it up basically It's talking about the world becoming one one world government, but I want to prove to you that when it says that this this this Chief's Cornerstone is laid in Zion that we're talking about a foundation because it's quoting Isaiah 28 verse 16 therefore that's at the Lord God behold I lay in Zion for a foundation stone very clear right a foundation stone a Tried stone a precious cornerstone a sure foundation. He he that believe it shall not make haste So when you're dealing with this you're dealing with a foundation stone, not not some capstone on a building And it's a chief cornerstone because basically when you would build a building or when you know if you think about like if you're building a building you have to have kind of like this one point that Everything's based off of okay for measurement purposes, right? So there's more than one corner to a building usually there could be more than four corners, right? I mean think about this building. There's what one two, three Four five six, right because it's kind of like this L shape. Okay But The idea there is that you can have multiple corner you have a whole bunch of corners But there's a chief corner and when everything is basically Going back to that cornerstone, okay There are all the measurements everything that you're doing is coming back from that cornerstone. Okay, and so There's a you know, the Bible talks about in Ephesians about the prophets and the apostles are also Built up this foundation if you will, you know, think about the Bible and how it's written by the prophets and the apostles But Jesus is the chief cornerstone okay, because he's the Lord of God and Everything goes back to him, you know, everything that we do comes back to the Bible All faith and practice comes back to this. This is our ruler. This is How we measure everything? Okay And it's it's unmovable Okay, so the idea there is that this chief cornerstone there and notice that in 1st Peter, it says he that believes on him should not be confounded and Isaiah says he that believe it on him shall not make haste now. This is also quoted in Romans chapter 10 He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed Okay Now these are three ways of saying pretty much the same thing Okay, and Think about this when it says he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed I don't believe that saying they're not gonna be ashamed of their sin or of themselves Okay, I guess I guess it could be that but here's what I mean by this The idea here is that we believe if we put our faith in Jesus Christ. What's he what what is he gonna give us? eternal life, right He's not gonna let us down Okay, that's what basically is means okay, well we're not gonna be confounded we're not gonna make haste we're not gonna have to run away You know We're not gonna be ashamed of like oh, I'm ashamed. I put my trust in the Lord Right, you're kind of ashamed of who you trust it in No, you're not gonna be ashamed of who you put your trust in. You're not gonna be confounded by the enemy you're not gonna make haste because of the enemy because that enemy was destroyed by Jesus and You know we because we believed on him we have this surety we have this this the anchor of the soul if you will That we don't have to worry about We know he's gonna do it. Okay, that's pretty much what it's stating is that he will perform it We're not gonna be ashamed. We're not gonna make haste. We're not going to be confounded He said it it's going to happen now when it's talking about building up the spiritual house go to 1st Corinthians chapter 3 1st Corinthians chapter 3 1st Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 9 out these two passages chapter 1st Peter chapter 2 And verse 5 is very complimentary to this passage right here dealing with It's it's leading into the judgment seat of Christ where we're gonna be judged according to our works Not to go to heaven or not to go to hell I mean just to see the Christ has nothing to do with whether we go to heaven or hell it has to do with Rewards has to do with you know, basically Whether we're going to suffer loss with our rewards or whether we're gonna gain rewards for all eternity Okay, but it's based off what we do. Okay now in verse 9 here It says for we are laborers together with God your God's husbandry notice this year God's building Okay. Now obviously you can say well, we're the temple of the Holy Ghost You know, you could say well we're God's building because of that and that's true Okay But notice what it says here in verse 10 according to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master building builder I have laid the foundation and Another buildeth thereupon But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. Okay, so We are God's building but if you think about when you get saved the foundations there Foundation is not going anywhere, okay The foundation can't be burned up, you know, it doesn't say anything about the foundation being burned up or anything like that But at this point when you get saved you have a choice okay, you could just remain babes in Christ and Just and be saved and you're going to heaven you have eternal life. Okay, or You can desire the sincere milk of the word and grow thereby and build up a spiritual house And you may ask yourself what's the point of that right like why why would I do that Okay Well one you should do that because Jesus deserves it. Okay Jesus died for me He shed his blood for me. I have eternal life. I'll never go to hell because of what he did You know that alone should merit like you wanting to go do something for him and live for him and all that. Okay, but In particular here notice what it says, let's read here if you build, you know, it says Let every man take heed how he buildeth there upon because what is basically stating here is that you can build stuff That's that's good and bad. Okay, when you're building on this this foundation, okay, and notice what it says here in verse in verse 11 For other foundation can no man lay that then that I'm sorry For other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ So I just you know, obviously that's very clear. Jesus is the foundation now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones woodhay stubble every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be Revealed by fire in the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is Okay, so you can probably guess that there's a difference between gold silver and precious stones and wood hay and stubble, right You know one is dealing with metals and stones, right and the other one's dealing with pretty much wood Right things that are that can be burned okay, and You have a choice of which one you're gonna build upon and then it says in verse 14 if any man's work abide which he had built there upon He shall receive a reward. So basically if you imagine everything you do in this life is Going to be a put on this foundation, right? I'm kind of building up this house and for lack of forgive the illustration but the three little pigs right if you think about like how they build the the house of Straw and the house of sticks, right? They weren't smart were they right they get eaten by the wolf now depends on which cartoon you watch Okay, because they don't always get eaten they go run over to their brother and but whose house Actually makes it it's the one that's basically the the brick house Okay, not a perfect illustration But the idea here is that the idea here is that what's going to what's gonna actually stand to the fire, right? Woodhand stable stubble is not going to okay but Gold silver precious stones will And what is this really getting down to is that you're dealing with in your life? Are you going to build up things which are temporary things that are just for this life or things that are? For eternal value see not everything in this when you're dealing with is I don't believe any of this stuff is sin Okay, I don't believe any of the stuff that's on here sin because when we go to judgment see the Christ the Bible says work We're gonna be in our in the spirit Spiritually speaking we have no sin and our sins are Pat are you know, forgotten there as far as the East is from the West. I Don't believe our sins are being brought up here, but this is different when it comes to okay Well, you worked and you and you basically got this nice house. You got this nice car You got this, you know, and those things aren't necessarily sinful are they? Okay, it's not it's not it's not simple to have a nice house and have a nice car or whatever But are those things gonna be eternal value though but if you think about what did you do eternally though souls that are saved when you think about you know change, you know helping people to live for the Lord discipling people to like Learn how to go soul winning and then they go start winning people to Christ and I'm not here to tell you everything What's going to be on the table there as far as what's eternal value? But keeping God's commandments and doing what he tells you to do that's eternal value okay, and There's gonna be things that are Necessary for this life, but they're not eternal value. Okay, and It depends what kind of Christian you're gonna be You're gonna be a Christian that is focusing on things that are eternal value or things that are temporal Okay, and that's what it's dealing with here It says if any man's work abide which he hath built there upon he shall receive a reward if any man's work shall be burned He shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved yet. So as by fire, so he's not well, he he might have went to hell No, it's basically stating here. You're gonna suffer loss because I mean if you think about it If you lose anything That's gonna you're gonna feel some loss, aren't you? I believe there's gonna be people that everything's burned up They didn't do anything for the Lord you know they just live for the world and Live for the things this life and it was all temporal stuff and everything's burned up but There's gonna be people that are from everywhere from like not much is being burned up to Half and half. I mean think about it Let's say you you have a house that's made out of like partially wood, hay and stubble and partially gold silver and precious stones You're gonna suffer some loss though, right? And I'm sure you're gonna be thinking man I wish it just would have done a little more though Because what you do in this life You only have a short period of time To earn those rewards and to do that work for the Lord and once you're in heaven once once this life is over There's no more time to do that okay, and That'll reflect for all eternity and I guarantee no one's gonna be standing there be like I wish I would've done less for the Lord Everybody's gonna be saying I wish I did more so you have to make that choice now though before you see it because The just walk by faith not by sight you're not gonna see those rewards and it's probably a good thing that you don't Because I have not seen nor ear heard Neither has it entered into the heart of man You know the things which God has prepared to them that love him, you know The idea there is that if I saw this mountain of rewards, let's say and and I'm obviously I have no idea Okay but let's say For example, I had this like mountain of rewards over here from the things that I've maybe done in the past or up to this Point, right? It could be easy for me to be like man. That's amazing I you know, I could live in eternity with that and I would be blessed forever and truly that'd be the case Right anything the Lord gives us will be amazing But it's better that we don't know You know the way I the way I look at it. I don't have much of anything Work, you know, that's the way I look at it But I also know that the Lord is gracious and the Lord it gives above and beyond anything that we deserve So I also know that I'm going to be pleasantly surprised just because I know my Savior and oh my god Okay But while I'm down here I'm gonna just focus on the fact that I don't got much of anything I need to get the word and I don't want to be a pauper going into heaven I want to be able to show the Lord how much I love them when I'm there and all that. Okay, so Let's move on here in 1st Peter chapter 2 and verse 7 Notice what it says here in verse 7. It says unto you therefore which believe He is precious now the thing with the with 1st Peter. Sometimes the grammar is a little Different than the way you normally say something, right? But basically it's not unto you which believe he is precious meaning like he's not saying unto you which believe He is precious like that's what you believe is that he's precious that's not what it means it says unto you which believe He is precious. Okay, meaning that he's precious unto those that believe okay, because the contrast is Notice what it says here, but unto them which be disobedient. So notice the contrast those that believe he's precious unto them Okay But unto them which be disobedient So in which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense Even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient where unto also they were appointed so unto them which are disobedient What are they what is what is Jesus a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense? So basically unto the believers Jesus is precious, but unto the unbeliever He's he's an offense That makes sense Anna look up here and don't talk Okay, now That's the contrast. So you kind of see this with the This the manifest token of the right, you know Righteous judgment of God or the token of the gospel for example, is that unto us is salvation but unto them perdition Okay, if you think about the gospel to us, it's great Unto them that believe it's the power of God, right? But unto the unbeliever it's damnation Okay, and so when it comes to this it's giving you that contrast that Unto us that believe Jesus is precious that precious stone right that elect and precious cornerstone We look at Jesus and I mean, he's everything that's precious in this world right to the unbeliever though It's it's an offense. Okay, and to those that are disobedient and Disobedient is dealing with not believing the word, okay So the idea is that that's the opposite there of being disobedient to the gospel. So Romans 10 16 says this where it says, but they have not all obeyed the gospel Isaiah said Lord who hath believed our report. So What do you get there? You kind of get in defining of terms there when it's talking about obeying the gospel We're talking about believing the gospel, but even it's in 1st Peter chapter 4 it talks about What shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God, you know So when we're talking about this obedience, we're talking about Disobeying the gospel right? So, you know and what did Jesus say repent ye and believe what the gospel? So that's what we're dealing with here We're not talking about being disobedient to the commandments as far as like not keeping the law They're disobedient to what the word I mean, that's the whole idea of what we're dealing with here is the Word of God this stone They're disobedient to the Word of God now Other places too it talks about and I don't want to belabor this point like in Romans 1 and Romans 16 it talks about the obedience of faith, you know, and the idea of obeying the truth You know belief of the truth and obeying the gospel It's kind of like this if Jesus says believe the gospel and you don't do it, right? You're just obeying that he's telling you to believe you're not doing it. Okay, and Then you have these these people that are like, well isn't it work then because you're obeying the commandment Just turn the Bible on its head You know when the Bible talks about the fact that faith it's faith not by works if it's faith not by works Then by definition faith can't be works. Okay, so Go to Isaiah chapter 6 because another thing that's stated here. It says where unto also they were appointed Okay, so it's talking about these people that are disobedient. They're stumbling at the word It's an offense to them that they were appointed unto this. Okay, so this is actually dealing with people that are appointed unto stumbling at the word, okay, and Particularly those that were appointed to this in that time were the Jews Okay, which is kind of interesting because this whole passage is actually dealing with talking to Gentiles and talking about We're gonna see right after this that they were not a people over there Now the people of God they had not obtained mercy, but now they have obtained mercy and Isaiah 6 here I just kind of want to explain this because the reason I want to explain this is because there's Calvinists out there that basically believe that God Ordains people for help from the very beginning and that's just not the case Everybody has a chance to believe He's not willing to any should perish who have all men to be saved that comes to the knowledge of the truth he's the Savior of all men, especially those that believe though and And Isaiah 6 and verse 8 here notice what it says What does it mean that they were appointed unto this because there were certain people that God Basically closes their eyes okay, and Notice what it says in Isaiah 6 and verse 8 It says also I I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who will go for us? Then said I here am I Send me and he said go and tell this people hear ye indeed But understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people People fat and make their eyes heavy and shut their eyes Lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed This is this is actually what's quoted in Matthew 13 when he's asked. Why are you speaking to them all in parables? And this is why He's speaking to them in parables so that they don't understand That's always funny when people are just like well this parable over here proves this doctrine. It's like The reason he's speaking to parables is not to be clear Right now he would expound that and I believe we can understand parables because we had the Holy Ghost and we had the whole Bible to Understand it, but it's obviously the parables are not the clear teachings. Okay, they're by definition dark sayings Okay, but He purposely preached to them in parables because there were people that he had darkened their eyes Now go to John chapters 12 because there's another place where it mentions Isaiah 6 so when it says we're into appointed I Would say that Isaiah 6 if it's talking about when Jesus was gonna come. I mean, that's a big time gap between that right that That That was appointed from before time, right? I mean it was appointed from at least when Isaiah's day That this was going to happen that he was gonna darken their eyes and all that now I'll say this I believe that's been going on from the beginning of time. I believe that Cain's eyes were darkened I believe that his heart was hardened right Pharaoh Obviously was hardened and other people in the Bible down the line. Okay, but in particular When Jesus came and he was in his ministry There were basically The Jews the Sadducees the Pharisees the scribes and there were certain people in there that were hardened Not all of them right because Nicodemus was a Pharisee, right? I Mean even Paul was a Pharisee at one point So it's not saying like holistically every Pharisee and every Sadducee and every scribe because I do believe some of them did get saved But there were a lot of the people that were hardened were in those groups Okay now in John 12 verse 37 says, but though he had done so many miracles before them yet They believed not on him So it's not because they didn't see anything In verse 38 it says that the saying of his eyes that the Prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath believed our report and to whom at the arm of the Lord been revealed So if they didn't believe what are they doing? They're disobeying right? They're not obeying the gospel It says therefore they could not believe because that he's iseth again he had blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes and nor understand with their heart and be converted and Should be healed okay, so When you're dealing with this passage here Go to Matthew chapter 21 Matthew chapter 21 is that there were people dealing with In Jesus day when he was there when he was in his ministry that were hardened That were basically made to stumble at the word. Now. Let me give you a Passage in the Bible where Jesus is preaching and This is very evident and actually ties in perfectly with what we're talking about in first Peter chapter 2, okay Matthew chapter 21 verse 42 It says Jesus says unto them Did you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected the same as become the head of the corner? This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes So isn't that exactly what we're talking about in 1st Peter chapter 2 the stone in which the builders disallow The same is made the head of the corner, right verse 43 Therefore say unto you the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And whosoever shall fall on this stone Shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall It will grind him to powder and when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard this his parables They perceived that he spake of them So even they knew he's talking about us So what we're talking about those that were there unto appointed You know weren't they they were appointed who what are we talking about Isaiah 6, right? They were appointed unto this idea that they were going to be hardened, but let me let me say this though God wanted them to get saved to begin with and they had an opportunity to be saved And God didn't God didn't harden them from the womb Hey, they didn't come out of the womb and they're a baby and they're just hardened from the Word of God. No, they It says it says that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful It became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. Okay, there is a prerequisite for someone getting darkened for someone getting hardened and That is knowing the truth holding the truth and unrighteousness That's what happens and he appoints unto those that hold the truth and unrighteousness So that they'll stumble at the Word okay, and so But here it states it's talking about the stone and Both these things are bad. It's basically saying whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken So if you fall on it, you're gonna be broken But if on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind into the powder So either way you slice it right you fall on it. You're going to be broken if it falls on you You're gonna be ground down the powder Okay, so this stone is going to destroy them. It also goes into the fact that it says That the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Go to the next verse in 1st Peter chapter 2, 1st Peter chapter 2 I love how the Bible all fits together. I mean that passage there with the stone which the builders rejected Peter's really bringing this exactly what Jesus was talking about The stone which the builders rejected is made the head of the corner He's saying that thing's gonna grind you the powder It's if you fall on it You're gonna be broken and the kingdom of God is gonna be taking from you and give it to a nation bringing forth the fruits There up, who is he taking it from? Israel the physical nation of Israel, he's taking it from them and give it to a nation bringing forth the fruit there Well, who's the nation he's giving it to well, what does it say in verse 9 here? but you are a chosen generation a royal priesthood and holy nation a Peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light Well, maybe this is talking about the Jews No Well, let's look at the next verse by the way, there's no period there. We're in the same sentence There's a colon then it says which in time past were not a people But are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy Now I'm gonna prove to you six ways of Sunday that this is talking about Those that are Gentiles and not of Israel, okay, but you should know off the cuff here that we're dealing with that So when it's talking about a nation It's gonna be it's taken from you and give it to a nation bringing forth the fruits there. Well, who's that nation? Well, is he talking to any one group of people here? Is this the book to Galatia? Is this the book to? Ephesus So it's not to any city it's not the book to Asia No, it's to the stranger scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia and by the way I don't believe it's all-inclusive to just that but it's basically stating like those are all different areas What is he saying here? believers unto unto you which believe he is precious and Those that believe are a holy nation That's the holy nation bringing forth the fruits are up and by the way Galatians chapter 6 says Peace be unto you and unto the Israel of God because in Ephesians chapter 2 we are now fellow citizens with the saints of God and of the Commonwealth of Israel Whether you're Jew or Gentile and by the way, this isn't just for Gentile, right? This is obviously anybody that believes barbarian Scythian bond free Jew Greek Gentile, so but this terminology of a pure people a holy nation a Priesthood, right Think about royal priesthood go to Exodus chapter 19 Exodus chapter 19 and verse 5 Exodus chapter 19 verse 5 Exodus chapter 19 verse 5 it says now therefore If you will obey my voice Indeed and keep my covenant notice this if-then statement here if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant Then you shall be a peculiar treasure Unto me above all people for all the earth is mine and you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and in holy nation These are the words which thou shalt speak unto who the children of Israel This is where the first covenant was being established. Okay, and the next chapter that you have the Mount Sinai where God's Speaking the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel Okay, but it's an if-then statement if if you keep obey my voice and keep my covenant Guess what? They didn't keep his covenant because in Hebrew chapter 8 it says that I regard them not because they didn't keep my covenant I regard them not set the Lord Okay, and he taketh away the first they may establish the second meaning that in order to establish the new covenant he had to have taken away the first and You know people are just like all you that replacement theology You believe that Israel is replaced. We'll call it take away theology then Because it literally says he taketh away the first that he may establish the second He's taking the kingdom of God away from you and giving it to a nation breaking forth the fruits thereof Take it to taking and giving doc, you know, but it obviously is replacing it. Okay so Good. I Hosea chapter 1 Hosea chapter 1. I just want to prove to you when it's talking about Which in time past were not a people running out of people of God which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy there's two passages once at the end of I Hosea Hosea chapter 1 and at the end of Hosea chapter 2 dealing with this idea of the Gentiles, okay, not Israel, but the Gentiles and In verse 10 here says ye yet yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea Which cannot be measured nor numbered it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto unto them Ye are not my people There it shall be said unto them. You are the sons of the Living God Why because as many as received them to get them gave you power to become the son of God even to them that believe on his name How do you become a child of God believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? You're all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus whose ever believed that Jesus the Christ is born of God So, yeah But our where it was said unto them. You're not my people Go to verse chapter 2 and verse 23 chapter 2 and verse 23 Now this this verse right here is what's being quoted in 1st Peter If you if you take the time to look through these epistles and see how much is actually in the Old Testament You know when people try to say, you know We Need to throw out the Old Testament because you have the people that are just like well the Jews that's the Old Testament They want to cling on to that stuff But then you have people that just want to throw it out completely I'm like the New Testament is literally just a quotation of the old and clarifying everything, right? So you're gonna throw out a lot of New Testament if you did that But in in verse 23 there says and I was so her Unto me in the in the earth and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy and I will say to them Which were not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God So what we're dealing with it We're obviously not dealing with children of Israel because it's giving a contrast of the children of Israel Those that are like to see the sand of the sea I'm gonna say unto these people that were not my people that you're gonna be the sons of the Living God I'm gonna say unto these people where it was said thou are not my people that you are my people okay, and You know obviously, you know Paul hits on the idea of the fact that he's He had God had not cast off you know those which he foreknew meaning like he didn't cast off all the Jews because I mean most of the a lot of the Apostles for Jews, right? I mean Paul was I mean most of the twelve were except for Simon the Canaanite but I think he was still technically a Jew and the fact that he was by, you know religion if you will but He's not it's not stating that but the idea here is that it's really pointing the fact that hey when we're talking about this Holy nation and also it says a royal priesthood because in Revelation talks about how he made us kings and priests in the Old Testament You had the political priesthood right the New Testament. You have Jesus Christ is the high priest at the order Melchizedek and we're all priests Quite a difference, isn't it? And it's a whole sermon for another day But you get into the idea that the priesthood would be the ones that are supposed to teach the Word of God And this is why it says in the New Testament You know we have the Holy Ghost indwelling us and the anointing which you have received with him abideth in you and you need not That any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth There's no lie and even as it had taught you shall abide him You know, that's a New Testament type of thing and the idea that with a priesthood of the believer We're kings and priests unto God We're peculiar people zealous of good works He had redeemed us redeemed a peculiar people and zealous of good works And so like I said get into a lot of stuff with that But I need to move on so I can get through this chapter. So go to chapter 2 first Peter chapter 2 in verse 11 These next two verses here we're gonna see when it says strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia He's not just he's not saying like strangers like Like they don't belong there necessarily like physically right like you think of a stranger of America He'd be like, well, they're not a citizen, right? I Believe he's talking to them like this right here in verse 11. It said dearly beloved. I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims Why because in Hebrews chapter 11 it talks about how you know Abraham Confessed that he was a stranger and a pilgrim in this land right that this wasn't his home He was looking for a heavenly kingdom So I believe that's what we're dealing with here is that he's basically saying like we're just passing through this isn't our home We're just sojourning here. And that's why he uses this language throughout the book. So in verse Verse 11 there abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul Having a conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evildoers They may by your good works, which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation now this is where I believe Keeping the commandments living a good life living a holy separated life is going to help your soul Okay This is a great verse to prove that meaning that people are gonna Constantly be trying to cast on you that you're some evildoer and you believe the Bible look at these evildoers over here You keep doing good people are gonna see what you do and When that time comes where you give them the gospel, they're gonna be a lot more receptive to hear it Go to a Matthew chapter 5 this fits in perfectly of Matthew chapter 5 dealing with being the light of the world So we don't believe in lifestyle evangelism Because no one's just gonna come up to me and be like what must I do to be saved? You know, I saw that you were going to you know, I saw that you like help that lady over there You know, what do I have to do from to get to escape hell, you know, like they're not gonna do that I Like I see something different in your life, and I want I want what you have. That's that idea of lifestyle evangelism And it just doesn't happen but Okay, here's a big but but when someone sees that you're doing good on to others and you're going to church and you're trying to raise your family right and You know, you're trying to be an up, you know upstanding type of guy or girl That when you go to say hey, do you know a hundred percent sure you're going to heaven can I show you? The idea there is that they're gonna be way more likely to listen to you at that point You'll be like well this guy probably knows what he talked about You know they're gonna give you a little more credence than if you were just living for the world and you're just cussing up a storm all the time and you're just Living like a vagabond, you know or whatever. You're just living like this this lascivious life and you're like, hey Can I show you how you know you can know you're going to heaven or be like, why would I listen to you? Right, even if you have the truth, right? And we know that it has nothing to do with the way you live as far as how you get saved It doesn't matter as people are gonna see the way you live and that's gonna determine whether they listen to you or not Okay, and that's what this is teaching Matthew chapter 5 verse 13. It says ye ye are the salt of the earth But if the salt have lost the Savior wherewith shall be salted it is thenceforth good for nothing But to be cast out and be trodden underfoot of men Ye are the light of the world a city that said on the hill cannot be hid neither Do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto that Unto all that are in the house now look at verse 16 here let your light so shine before men that they see your what good works and glorify your father Which is in heaven and what does it say in 1st Peter chapter 2 that they may buy your good works, which they shall behold Glorify God in the day of visitation See it gives you a little more information at the day of visitation, right? The day of visitation when you go to visit them with the gospel when you go to preach the gospel to them they're gonna see the good works that you've been doing and they're gonna glorify God in the day of visitation meaning that they're gonna give the opportunity there and glorify God and That's a big reason why we should be living holy be ye holy for I am holy as it says in chapter 1 You know live have you know honest? conversation among the Gentiles and You know what when you go to give them the gospel you're gonna be more likely to get them safe Go down to verse 13 there. I need to kind of go a little faster here verse 13 It says submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the king of supreme or unto governors as Unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers for the praise of them to do Well, if I'm saying that this isn't just brought up out of the blue He just got done saying that you may have an honest conversation among the Gentiles so then he's basically stating here that you know what just submit yourself unto every ordinance of man and But it's not this Whatever they say. Okay, because obviously they tell you to like kill your family. You don't do it. Okay? Don't when you read this you can't just like Just read this and just negate everything else in the Bible. Okay? The the thing that's being said here in Romans chapter 13 You can turn there if you want But this is these two passages are very complementary to each other is 1st Peter chapter 2 and Romans chapter 13 Most people go to Romans chapter 13 when they're dealing with obeying the government or something like that But Romans chapter 13 to me makes it even more clear that we're not talking about which is obeying Those people in authority Just no matter what that's not what it's stating in Romans 13 verse 1 It says let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be ordained of God, so it's not saying that you know, Donald Trump was ordained by God or Joe Biden was ordained by God or Camel face Harris, you know or any of these crazy wicked people that are in office right now ordained by God The power itself was ordained by God does that make sense the power of government so we're not anarchists Okay, we believe that God ordained government that there is a government that we are to obey that's ordained by God Okay The people when there could be wicked We're not to necessarily obey them because notice what it says here in verse 2 it says Whosoever therefore resisted the power Resisted the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation those is in verse 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil Notice it's defining to you the rulers that are ordained by God Are those that are not a terror to good works, but to the evil yet? We have rulers that are literally the opposite of that Okay. Now another thing to think about too is that the highest power in our land is the Constitution But what's higher than that? the Bible Okay, so when you're dealing with the powers that be ordained of God well This is the ultimate power but under that if it doesn't contradict the Bible and the government's you know Tell you know, or basically if we have this Constitution, right and that doesn't contradict the Bible then, you know obey that But guess what all the governors and the president and everybody is supposed to be under the law of the Constitution Therefore if they say to do something and it's against the Constitution the Constitution Trump's that you have a higher power Okay So, you know if some cop comes and tells me you like go wash my truck off sleep. I Don't have to obey that. Okay, because it's not it's not something that to obey but let me say this Obviously Is stating here that we're supposed to be obeying government that are for the The punishment of evildoers are for the praise of them to do well, okay so but if there's ordinances, let's say let's say speeding limit speed limit or You know seat belt laws and stuff like that. And and listen, I don't agree with the seat belt law. Okay You know, it's just like the the laws about like what we should eat or what we shouldn't eat it's like listen Stop treading on me, but I wear my seat belt, but I don't think that you know brother Matt You should be like forced to wear your seat belt. Okay But here's the thing When it comes to a bank the whole premise here is that we we have this honest conversation among the Gentiles And we shouldn't just be bucking the tide to buck the tide. Okay? We should I'm going to listen. I just paid my property tax to pay the DMV for the registration on my wife's hand. I Didn't like that Okay, I didn't like any of that. I don't agree with any of that. I don't believe it's constitutional or anything But here's the thing though. I'm not going to fight that I'm not going to prison because I don't You know because I'm driving a car without a registration or I don't pay my taxes Okay, and guess what Jesus also said lest we offend them He actually had Peter go give them a tribute or pay tax. Okay, yet. He knew that. Hey, that means we're not free Okay, so but here here's the thing and that I want to get across with this is that in In Romans chapter 12 before you get the Romans 13 It says if it be possible as much as life and you live peaceably with all men The premise here is that I'm going to keep these stupid little ordinances that they have and I'm going to just try to live peaceably with them as much as possible but if it starts going into how I raise my family according to the Word of God or how I How we do things according to the Word of God, guess what? I'm not going to obey it Okay, and it's not this curt blanche, you know blank check just obey the government no matter what no we ought to obey God rather than men So this isn't stating that actually this is stating that there's higher powers and obviously God is the highest But the premise here is that don't be like that guy. Listen, I have liberty in the Lord. I'm a child of God I'm gonna judge angels Nuts to your ordinances. This is anarchy, you know, I'm a true-born son of Liberty Yeah on my face and listen Granted you have a lot of credence to that and I understand where you're coming from at the same time You know in this life what the Bible's teaching here is that we just need to try to live peaceably with all men If me paying my taxes and paying for a registration on my vehicle Even though it seems Marxist, you know I'm going to I'm just gonna I'm gonna that's not the hill I'm gonna die Okay, but if they come at me and say you can't snake your children. Guess what? I'm gonna die on that hill If they say you can't you can't preach the gospel guess what I'm gonna die on that hill You can't preach that you can't say that guess what I'm gonna die on that hill But I'm not gonna die on the hill of taxes or registration or licenses when it comes to that type of stuff Okay, there's these ordinances that are just annoying Just get over it. We're not we're just passing through my friends We're just we're strangers and pilgrims in here don't get attached to all that stuff anyway, okay but Notice what it says here in verse 15 It says or so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put the silence ignorance of foolish men As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness But as a service of God honor all men love the Brotherhood fear God honor the king Okay, so the idea here you got to understand what the whole premise what let's be what's the whole point of why you're doing this So that you can live honestly as you get people saved You know the whole point is we're just trying to get through this life and get as many people saved as possible serve the Lord Obviously there's gonna be times we're gonna have to say that's enough. I'm not doing that. Okay, but When it comes to these trivial things You know, I'm gonna put my seatbelt on or I'm gonna pay a ticket, you know But I'm not gonna just like go to jail over it. Okay, but The idea here is that suffering wrongfully, even though you know, like hey these these laws are just oppressive or whatever Well, listen if we turn our country around for God guess what the laws will be less oppressive The Oppression that's in our our country right now is a reflection of the ungodliness in our country Because where the Spirit of Lord is there is Liberty But where the Spirit of Lord is there's also the law of God So there's not this Liberty doesn't mean absence of law but you know what we need to do get these people say get as many people say and and Well, well the laws will take care of themselves Right that Liberty will come when the Liberty of the the gospel of Jesus Christ is in the hearts of men You know, that's what we need to do and focus on that Okay, and so don't take it so far be like well, you're just uh, you're just wanting to let them oppress you listen I'm not gonna let them hurt my family. I'm there. There is a line I have Okay, there are lines of the Bible's aligned but there are lines that I have that I'm gonna say no Okay, but I'm gonna as much as lie within me I'm just gonna Try to get along and do work my job Get paid provide for my family so I can serve the Lord and if they get in the way of certain Lord That's where we're gonna have problems. Okay now It kind of goes into verse 18 There's a subject servants be subject to your masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward For this is a worthy if a man for conscious toward God and or grief suffering wrongfully For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults you take a patient you shall take it patiently But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently. This is acceptable with God So what's basically stating here is that there's gonna be times where you're just done wrong, right? The government does you wrong Your boss does you wrong? The idea is just take it patiently and do your job Right And it's basically saying if you're not doing right if you're actually in the wrong and you're taking it patiently that that's it You don't get any reward for that Okay, but if if you're in the right and you're suffering for it take it patiently because there's going to be a reward for it and notice here that it states and the other thing that I wanted to mention there just real quick before I get to the last point here and we'll be done is The fact that when it says honor all men or honor the king Obviously when the Antichrist is king we're not to be honoring him. The Bible says that we're not to honor a fool Okay But in Romans chapter 13, which is that complimentary passage it says give honor to whom honor is due Even in first Corinthians chapter 15 when it says that all things are going to be put under the feet of Jesus It says it is manifest that he is accepted which did put all things under him So sometimes when it says like honor all men, it's implying honor all men to whom honor is due, right? You know honor the king obviously to whom honors do but you're not gonna honor So you're not gonna honor let's say let's say Stalin was king or you know or whatever and you should be like I'm gonna give all honor. I'm gonna give homage you know, but the Bible says you know that It's unseemly. It's not seemly to give honor to a fool So you got to take the Bible as a whole Just as much as when it says thou shalt not kill. It doesn't mean you can't kill animals Okay, right or there's never a time to kill there's a time to kill But you have to take it in context in the whole Bible. We're talking about murder Okay, and we're talking about honoring all men. We're talking about honoring all men to whom honor is due custom whom custom Tribute to him tribute, right? Okay, so I just want to kind of hit on that before Before We ended here because the whole idea here is that suffering wrongfully for doing good Jesus is the best example of that Notice what it says in verse 21 It says for even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us in an example that you should follow his steps Who did no sin now that was guile found in his mouth? So obviously Jesus can't be blamed for doing any wrong because he didn't know sin now We're sinners, right? We do make mistakes and at some point you can say well, I kind of deserve this for that Jesus didn't deserve any of it Right. He never sinned but in verse 23 He says who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatened not but committed himself to him that judges righteously Who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead the sins should live unto righteousness By whose stripes ye were healed for ye were as sheep going astray But are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls So Jesus is this great example if you want to think about how to deal with suffering wrongfully You'd be like man this I can't handle this think about what Jesus went through When he went through the cross when he suffered such contradiction of sinners against himself But he endured the shame and he went through that they've reviled him, but he didn't revile back Right, I mean think about it like all the times they were hitting him and they were making fun of him they're mocking him that he took it took it patiently and Anytime that you think you're going through something hard like that and you feel like ah, man This is annoying or I you know, whatever think about what Jesus went through And just take it on the chin now The last thing I want to point out is that and then we'll be done is the fact that when it says By whose stripes ye were healed in verse 25 for ye were as sheep going astray The reason this catches my eye is because I memorized 1st Peter But I also memorized Isaiah 53 and it's it says we in Isaiah 53 and it always throws me off Right every time I'm trying to quote this I'm like thinking, you know in Isaiah 53 It says with his stripes. We are healed all we like sheep have gone astray And that's what I usually remember. So I'm going through 1st Peter. I'm like saying we instead of ye but here's the thing It actually is very I believe very important that it says you who's he talking to you? Gentile, right Isaiah 53 is being very poignantly pointed at the Gentiles saying that applies to you because if it said we You could people could kind of take that. Well Peter obviously is a Jew, right? I mean he's of Israel and Maybe he's just talking about him and all the Jews right, you know, and like kind of we as that group Right when it says ye it's been very clear in this chapter. We're not talking about Israelites, right? Isaiah 53 is being pointed at the Gentiles that it applies to them So when it says that for the transgressions for the transgressions of his people, he was stricken his people Who's that? Who's that fly to just just Israel? Oh Oh actually according to this passage all those that believe You know all those that are believers all that he knew would believe and obviously died for everybody. Don't get me wrong He's there is you know, he's the propitiation forces not for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world but It's not just to the Jews that Isaiah 53. It's not like it just got extended. It was always to everybody okay, and That was just something that I kind of just I was like, you know that's actually very interesting that it says ye instead of we and That is pointing it to the Gentiles and basically we can own Isaiah 53 that that was written for us right that was We don't have to be of Jewish descent to be like, yeah, that was written to me No, it was written to all of us. Okay, so I first Peter chapter 2. I'm sorry for being long-winded There's a lot of information in these chapters. Let's end with a word of prayer The only father we thank you for today and thank you for your word and pray that you'd be with us as we go out Throughout the rest of the week. I pray to be with those that aren't feeling well I pray to heal us all this sickness is going around and Lord give us travel mercies and when we love you and prayers Jesus Christ name. Amen So let's do one more song and then we'll be dismissed Definitely pray that my song leaders get better at least one of them, right? so Let's go to 3 16 3 16 316 in your hymnals. I Have decided to follow Jesus 316 once you find your places if you'll stand Page 316 your hymnal starting there verse 1 I have decided To follow Jesus I have decided To follow Jesus I have decided to follow Jesus Oh turning back No turning back Though non go with me Still I will follow Though not go with me still I will follow Though none go with me still I will follow No turning back No turning back the world behind me the cross before me the world behind me the cross before me the world behind me the cross before me no turning back no turning back amen you may be dismissed you you