(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

okay Joshua chapter 7 and let's just have a look at verse 1 again Joshua chapter 7 verse 1 but the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing for Achan the son of Carmi the son of Zabdai the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel and the title of my sermon today is selfish sins that hurt others selfish sins that hurt others so what's going on here in Joshua chapter 6 basically they surrounded Jericho Joshua has given them some really clear instructions if you look at chapter 6 and verse 17 chapter 6 and verse 17 says and the city shall be accursed even it and all that are therein to the Lord only Rahab the harlot shall live she and all that are with her in the house because she hid the messages that we sent and ye in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing lest ye make yourselves accursed when you take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it but all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron are consecrated unto the Lord they shall come into the treasury of the Lord so the city is accursed or basically doomed to destruction misery and verse 17 said said there that the city the city and all that are therein shall be accursed verse 18 he says to keep from anything in the city or basically you and the camp of Israel shall be accursed in verse 19 says that all the valuables that'll be put into the Lord's Treasury they're pretty clear instructions aren't they okay verse 18 said lest ye make yourselves accursed when you take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it now after this they shout the wall collapses if you remember the story they save Rahab and they burn the city okay it's a great victory things are looking good for them at this point but Akan he didn't care did he didn't care about God's Commandments he didn't care about the repercussions for him or anyone else he couldn't resist and just in case you're wondering this wasn't an accident this wasn't just as you know something that happened he wasn't quite sure the instructions turn to Joshua chapter 7 again in verse 20 Joshua chapter 7 and verse 20 and it says so this is when he's rumbled and Akan answered Joshua and said indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus have I done when I saw among the spores of goodly Babylonish garment and 200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of 50 shekels weight then I coveted them and took them and behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent and the silver under it so basically he's coveted them he's taken them and then stayed there during the scouting trip to AI they've stayed there during this the brief battle that happened at AI as well so this isn't something that he just kind of oh he made this error he kept it guy and he buried it now I don't know about you I reckon it was probably the goodly Babylonish garment that did it now and I was looking at look at thinking about this I was thinking it's kind of it sounds to me like this was some high-end some high-end clothing this goodly Babylonish garment yeah and and I think in and I started looking at this I was looking at what's our high-end suits that we have now has anyone ever looked into this stuff and I try and pretend that you can afford any of it but you know you know there's stuff out there now there's something ridiculous where it's like three quarter of a million it's just because it's not studied with a load of diamonds so I was looking at the top ten suits but there's that one which does seem to sell a lot ninety thousand nine thousand dollars sorry ninety thousand dollars for this kind of very high-end suit which all these these guys wearing ninety thousand yet and this is what you get for ninety thousand dollars if anyone is thinking they want to save up for this okay so so this is designed by a fashion designer Alexander Omosu no doubt he's probably a sodomite this suit is designed with a help of three unique fabrics one from Vicuna a South American animal I think I've said that right that looks like a llama and shears wool every three years wool made from the fur of Arctic musk ox also known as the world's most expensive wool as well as pashmina sourced from the eponymous Himalayan goats truly international in its statement it takes more than 80 hours 5,000 stitches to make it so the price of the suit additionally goes up thanks to its 918 karat gold and is it pave or pave set diamond buttons okay so this is this is stuff that these like oil tycoons and these kind of these big celebrities like to wear going out in and I mean that's something else isn't it but what a waste of money absolute colossal waste of money you'd be embarrassed wearing that wouldn't you you should be embarrassed way something like that I mean you could spend that on some better things in a suit apparently it lasts a long time but well so anyway I think it's a Babylonish garment that really probably done him and then he just added on the money at the same time but he's taking the garment and it is a small fortune what he's taken as well here but look what happens because of his selfishness so remember 618 warned and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble here and I was thinking about this story in the two different areas of Aiken's life that was affected by a selfishness so there's two clear areas that affected and and let's be honest most sin is is probably most sin is selfish to some degree really isn't it okay most sin is but when you know full well the effect it will have on everyone around you that's another level isn't it when you know full well the massive negative effects can have on people around you then then we're talking now we're talking extreme selfishness here and just just remember again John Joshua 7 1 it said but the children of Israel committed trespass in the cursive thing for Aiken the son of Carmine son of Zabdai son of zero of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel so number one here in these two areas is selfish sins that hurt our people okay selfish sins that hurt our people so God made it clear didn't he that would affect the people okay God made it really clear there it did affect the people and notice how he holds the children of Israel collectively responsible does he hold some collective collectively responsible here and the anger of the Lord was kindled against all of them okay not just Aiken now why is that why was it kindled against everyone um it could just be that he warned them as a people and therefore his punishment was on them as a people we see this sort of thing don't we throughout the Old Testament where people as a whole are punished for the sins of the children of Israel but maybe maybe there was already maybe there's a covetous problem covetous problem amongst the people maybe it hadn't been preached hard enough maybe maybe and I would say here to the point where you're stealing that amount when you've been told not to I think there's probably already a sign wasn't there with Aiken I'd imagine there must have been a side so I must have it I doubt that was a first thing you've done which showed is his covetous selfish selfishness I kind of think of it like rats you know they say when you see one rat there's probably already an infestation yeah and in the same way once you're to the point where you're you're stealing when you've been given that clear warning and burying it in in the ground under your tent I think there was probably already some signs of that but either way Aiken would have probably become more of a problem in the future wouldn't he his covetousness his selfishness I'm sure it would have affected them greatly affected people around him affected the children of Israel even more and we'll look at the results so have a look at chapter 7 of verse 4 says so there went up visit with the people about 3,000 men and they fled before the men of Ai and the men of Ai smote to them about 13 six men for they chased him from before the gate even unto Sheba him and smoked them in the going down wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water and Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the event I'd he and the elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads so his sin caused about 36 men to die says about that his it causes people to turn from these mighty destroyers of Jericho to basically a trembling mess didn't it and Joshua and the other leads of Israel to end up basically face first in the mud okay and and when it comes to us our selfishness it hurts our people doesn't it it hurts our people our church that is and it hurts our leaders and we can all be selfish can't we everyone here we all we all have the ability some more than others to be selfish but as a church as a church we should be trying our best not to shouldn't we as a church we should we should be trying our utmost not to be selfish like and especially not to that degree turn of Philippians chapter 2 and this is Paul talking to the to the church at Philippi so Philippians chapter 2 and from verse 3 he said let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others so it's not about our own vain glory is it we should be humble we should be lifting each other up above ourselves in our mind shouldn't we that's how we should behaving in a church we want to be focusing on each other individually and also collectively by having a heart for our church shouldn't we okay that's how we should be behaving and and like in Joshua 7 as a church we can get cursed collectively we can also get blessed collectively can't we as a church as well now you have to know 1st Corinthians 14 12 says even so ye for as much as you're zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church it's all about the church we went through this with the book of Corinthians even our spiritual gifts really it's all about edifying the church okay because that's where it all starts that's where it's all based around isn't it the church now my prayer here is that everyone here genuinely wants this church to succeed okay that's what I pray for that everyone in this church wants it to succeed and aren't just selfishly ticking a box for themselves here waiting for something better maybe seeking their own vainglory somehow through the church or worse maybe hoping for its downfall and I really hope that's not the case I hope that's not going on here but because there are there are people around this country there are people around this country that want this to fail you know that there are people there are Christians around this country that want this to fail they're so-called NIFB believe in Christians around this country that do want this to fail you don't understand that yeah for a few different reasons there maybe it's because it really challenges them all that preaching move close to a church you know change your life where the church is you know you know it's not about the job it's not about the house it's not about the family you know family friends and everything in that area come down get close to a church and then it well wait a second as a church here now I can't just be an online Christian anymore and claim it's just because there's no churches around I've got to make that decision and people they they want it to fail because they don't want that because the truth is a lot easier sitting at home isn't it on YouTube seeing I eat like like they say eating chips off your chest that's the truth isn't it because it's much easier than turning up week in week out and work and doing the work that goes into a church because we all should be here work for the church shouldn't we and there are people around this world that want this church to fail as well there are people around this world that want this church to fail that's the truth and if you're if you're trying to if you are trying to selflessly serve this church then you'll not only want it to succeed but you'll hopefully be praying for myself praying for pastor Thompson pray for others in the church praying for people that have problems that have issues that might affect the church we should all be praying for each other we should all want this church church to succeed you'll also be promoting the church to others won't you inviting others along yeah that's what you'll be doing if you want this church church to succeed you'll want it to grow be kind of loving to everyone here wouldn't we that's how we should all be kind of loving to each other but look as a church all sin all sin is going to affect us but I believe I believe there are certain specific sins that will particularly hurt this church and particularly hurt churches in general and these are just some this isn't you know an exhaustive list these are just some off the top of my head so let's start with Aiken's example so Aiken's example was covetousness wasn't it okay which is a strong or inordinate desire so inordinate desire to of obtaining and possessing some supposed good usually in a bad sense applied to an inordinate desire of wealth or avarice which is agreed for riches okay usually focuses around money and there's a reason that the first Corinthians 5 commands us to kick people out who are covetous isn't there okay there's a reason you don't have to turn Luke 12 15 Jesus said and he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth he said take heed and beware okay that's a serious warning isn't it take heed beware of covetousness because it's bad enough that this society encourages it everywhere doesn't it every step half the adverts are just encouraging you to covet things everywhere you go it's encouraging you to covet wealth covet riches covet other stuff things in life and it is everywhere isn't it and it's bad enough but we're coming we're coming here to get away from a lot of those of those those effects of the world aren't we and then we come into this church and we don't want to have it here either do we as well because it's bad enough trying to keep away from it and keep your mind clean with covetousness and then you come in a church and it and it spreads doesn't it people who are covetous it's catchy it spreads and more people talk about money and stuff and things and more it starts to affect those around them and sadly as we see here often leads to theft doesn't it theft of some sort or another theft from people theft from could be even we've seen it theft from a church haven't we before and that's where covetous leads Aiken said didn't he that he he coveted them and took them he coveted then he took them and it starts with the covetousness and I'm not going to go on a you know that you could preach you could preach sermon after sermon out of this this chapter and you could preach a lot of covetousness but I want to hit through a few different things that I think affect us some hundred nineteen thirty six out of Turner says incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness and that's the answer isn't it is to get your heart right on the things they've got get your heart right on the Word of God and away from that covetousness and when you feel that when you feel that get back to the Word of God get those those verses which make it clear you know not not to covet that man's life consists of not only in you know in his possessions the abundance of things that's not that's not what we should be seeking is it we should be seeking the things of God okay but another one that's similar to that is envy envy similar isn't it okay and and envy is to fill uneasiness mortification or discontent at the site of superior excellence reputational happiness enjoyed by another to repine another's prosperity to fret or grieve oneself for the real or supposed superiority of another and a hate him on that account and the main difference between envy and coveting is that envy is a feeling of discontent and resentment based on someone else's possessions ability status whilst coveting is wishing longing or craving for something that belongs someone else okay so basically envy always creates negative emotions towards that person okay Galatians 5 26 says let us not be desirous of vainglory provoking one another envying one another okay and there's there's quite a few verse in the Bible that's saying similar things because it's a big problem isn't it envious of someone's car people get that don't they get envy someone's car their house their spouse popularity maybe envious of this person in the church they just seem more popular than me and they start to hate on them because of it their looks maybe you know get and I think maybe that might be more of a female thing I don't know maybe maybe some guys get a bit like that as well but they you know you see that don't you see that amongst women they start to get envious of the looks maybe of another lady and then they but they don't go I just so wish I look no they start to hate them they start to hate other things and find other things to hate their job maybe they're envious of that guy's job he's got a good job he's earning more he's got it easy he's got more respect their role in the church it could be as well envious of people's roles in the church I'm not just talking about my role here other people's roles other things people do they get envious of even their faith envious of just someone who's a stronger Christian so instead of instead of saying you know I need to work hard to be a better Christian instead it's you know one of those you know so holy you know oh yeah just showing off because you know they can't really necessarily finger what it is but that and it comes from envy does it they start a hate on them and it you can see how damaging that could be to a church can't you okay how damaging and it's rarely left is just an emotion so it's rarely left it's just oh well I just hate that person I'll keep it quiet I'll work my way through it Proverbs 27 4 says wrath is cruel and anger is outrageous but who is able to stand before envy what a great verse I know I've read it before but but who is able to stand before it's so destructive isn't it it's so destructive more so than the than the court than the wrath and the anger which is cool and outrageous who's able to stand before it because it results a lot of the time in attacks slandering other problems like that doesn't it that's where envy leads to because it's such an emotional thing and it often results in another point which really affects churches is gossip doesn't it often results in goth gossip again you'd have to turn to Proverbs 16 28 says a froward man so if strife and a whisperer separated chief friends and we should be chief friends here shouldn't we we should be chief friends here and a whisperer separated that gossiping feels good though doesn't it truthfully gossiping feels good to many people they feel good with it because you're lifting yourself up against the person you're gossiping about really you're gossiping about something and you're basically saying I wouldn't behave like that no I wouldn't talk like that I wouldn't do what they did I wouldn't behave or be like that person there and that's what you're doing when you're gossiping you lift yourself up and all sorts of problems in church are caused by gossip aren't they all sorts of problems and gossiping is a funny thing where I think for many people they kind of know they've been gossiped about I don't know if you've ever been gossiped about you kind of just there's just there's an air around there's this is feeling there's the the odd look the odd comment you just you kind of know sometimes and that can make people in a church feel unwelcome just feel like they're being gossiped about often results in false witness doesn't it because it's not in front of two or three witnesses it's just being spread around little things little comments people feeling aggrieved don't they start to feel aggrieved the ones who are doing the gossiping a lot of the time or that they've heard something they start to feel angry at people and it's a play thing for division causes isn't it so people that want to actively cause division in a church gossips a great way of doing that and it causes schisms doesn't it causes schisms but first Corinthians 12 25 says that there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another so we don't want the schisms but but gossip causes that it always does doesn't it you're always going to end up with some form of division caused by that even if it's just that someone's been gossiped about to you and you just start to feel a bit drawn away from that person don't you and it's not necessarily it's not always the truth is it so in a church if it's important come and see the leadership if it's not don't gossip about it it's pretty simple isn't it simple rule of thumb there and now gossip often comes from the next point the next one that's destructive is pride isn't it like I said it often comes from pride Proverbs 13 10 says only by pride cometh contention but with a well-advised wisdom you see contention anywhere in life and there'll be pride around it won't there there'll be some sort of pride that's caused it that's that's been involved in it okay and and pride for people in churches cause all sorts of problems don't they prideful people cause all sorts of problems some people just feel insecure random because some people do a good job when they're prideful of making people feel rubbish because they're puffed up they're bragging they're talking about you know how great they are or and you get that a lot don't you with the prideful and people just start to feel wow they're really you know they're pretty they've really got it sorted you know and people start to feel insecure around the prideful sometimes which often then causes counter pride doesn't it you get the old counter pride where then when someone's lifting themselves out you get sucked into trying to lift yourself up back you know people do do that don't they so a lot of the time when you get a prideful person there's a few more around him and they hang around each other and they're all just so puffed up and puffing themselves up and everything else Romans 12 3 says for I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith let's think soberly sensibly when it comes to ourselves yeah okay we should shouldn't we because really it can be pretty sad when you meet those puffed up people and you're looking at thinking really come on and and I'm not talking about people in this channel not trying to hear mark anyway because you get it on the door a lot don't you how many people you knock on the door you're not gonna door and you ask him you know what you got to do to go to heaven and and the answer is be a good person you know and they think they're going to heaven because they they claim to be a good person and look at this person and come on you know and it's sad isn't it and we get it all over the place you get it in place of work and all these puffed up these people you just looking at you were thinking really how how do you get there you know and we should we should think soberly about ourselves shouldn't we and if we're all just that little bit more humble I think in general you can sort out a lot of the division a lot of the gossip a lot of the envy and all of that if you just humble yourself you know okay the the product because the other problem with the private is they often won't submit to leadership of rules will they that's the truth they won't submit to rules in the church and they won't submit to leadership because they think too much of themselves because they think that they're above that they're above to submitting to what they're told to do they're above falling in into line that's the truth isn't it but the problem is it does it just affect the leader and and again a great verse you don't have to turn there we've got loads of verse today Hebrews 13 17 says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for yourselves as they that must give a count that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you and that's you plural isn't it and that's if you have prideful people that are just causing grief causing problems for the leadership of a church because they just can't do as they're told they can't submit they can't just follow it affects the whole church because the leaders end doing it with grief aren't they and they're constantly trying to deal with a prideful people the prideful person that's what that affects everyone in the church so it's more than just oh well I just don't want to listen to that but I don't want to submit to leadership no in the end you just affect everyone else now okay it can also be pride then I sound like linking these up I'm quite proud of this now I'm joking okay that could also be pride that causes another on the selfish sins list okay forsaking the assembling of ourselves together okay and that is a selfish sin forsaking the assembling of ourselves together turn to Hebrews 10 turn to Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 24 says and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching because ultimately it's selfishness isn't it it's selfishness because of that here this is one of kind of the go-to verses for like a clear verse saying don't forsake basically come in a church and and what's it say it says let us just before that let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works so like us I preach the other week one of the big reasons for coming to church is to help each other is to provoke each other to exhort each other it's not just to come to see what I can get from church it's not just well or just because I've got to go to church not just to come to go well what am I going to get from the preacher this week you're coming to church to also encourage exhort each other and it is selfish not coming therefore isn't it when you see verses like this it's a selfish sin to not come to church we're not just at church for ourselves we're not just at church for ourselves we're here to help each other we're here to encourage each other verse 24 says and let us consider one another okay that's a selfless act isn't it to consider one another verse 25 says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a manner of summaries but exhorting one another okay that that can like I said before that could just be from turning up can't it just be from turning up if we turned up here and there was ten people here that's probably not going to exhort the people here that were here when it was 50 60 you know and the rest of it yeah and and that's the truth is just turning up just being part of those numbers for us to look and go well yeah we have 50 we had this it makes a difference it really does okay and that's that's every service you know and that could be that could be discouraging when you when you're in one service it's busy and then you're in another and there's 30 people in there okay and not just for me for everyone in here as well just turning up let alone the fact that you could pray for each other that you could be there when we're singing together and we're all singing like we said before what a difference that makes you know and and again what you know we're in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs we're trying to encourage exhort each other we're trying to we're trying to teach each other aren't we through that as well and when it's being belted out and you think about those words and and like I said just being here and being there for each other makes a big difference it's selfish not to turn up to church and and I'm not talking about those those of you that have really really proper proper reasons but when it's not when it's just I don't really fancy it I don't know I'm a bit tired or something else ain't a reason not to turn up to church we're here to help each other aren't we okay and that's a selfless act isn't it that's how we should be we're here to worship God as well aren't we we're here to worship God God who gave his life for us and then I don't know he wants to see what's the singing to me once it's worshiping him he wants us at church doesn't he okay to serve God to help each other now these are the selfish sins that I think affect the church that came to my mind this week okay and it there and there are many more we could all probably think of some if you want to you know write them down at the end of the service on the back of your bulletin preach another service preach another servant on it in a few weeks but turn turn back to Joshua 7 Joshua chapter 7 and verse 24 says in Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah and the silver and the garment and the wedge of gold and his sons and his daughters and his oxen and his asses and his sheep and his tent and all that he had and they brought them unto the valley of Achor and Joshua said why has thou troubled us the Lord shall trouble thee this day and all Israel stoned him with stones and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones and they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day so the Lord turned up turned from the fierceness of his anger wherefore the name of that place was called the valley of Achor and to this day okay so selfish sins that hurt our family okay selfish sins that hurt our families point number two that's a pretty brutal ending isn't it for Achan and his family that's pretty brutal why did the whole family die you wonder that when you read this why the whole family died were Joshua and Israel out of line here do you think when they out of line well look at verse 15 look at Joshua chapter 7 and verse 15 where God's commands and it shall be that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire he and all that he had because he had transgressed the covenant of the Lord and because he has walked fully in Israel so God commanded Joshua to burn him and all that he has with fire okay God commanded that that included his family yeah include his family the children of Israel if you look back at verse 25 it looks like they chose to stone him first says in all Israel stoned him with stones and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones looks like they went a bit easy on him maybe I don't know maybe that's what God expected anyway but they stoned him with stones first look at verse 13 here okay verse 13 to see why it says up sanctify the people and say sanctify yourselves against tomorrow for thus saith the Lord God of Israel there is an accursed thing in the midst of thee our Israel thou canst not stand before thine enemies until you take away the curt the accursed thing from among you so there would have been worst reap worse repercussions for the people I think had this continued yeah it would have got worse and a harsh punishment dissuades people from repeating sins doesn't it okay and if only our country understood that a harsh punishment the sort of punishments that God wanted us to give people for certain sins certain crimes would stop people doing that and even when people don't care about the effect on their people I think when it comes to your families it can be a different matter can't it so even when you don't care about your church you don't care about your people maybe when it comes to your family it might change things a little bit also though families have a habit don't they of partaking in sin together okay families have a families have a habit partaking since good he buried didn't he buried a lot of gold there silver the old designer suit he buried all that in the earth in the midst of his tent do you think that his family had no idea I think his family had no idea he's just come back from battle and he's digging holes you know do you think oh yeah that's just what that does he just goes back and has a little dig doing a bit of gardening in the middle of the tent okay let's be honest I think they knew what was going on didn't they um it with his sons at all do you think maybe they're involved though maybe they're involved so his sons and daughters here that like I said they're at least I think they were witness to what he did maybe they're involved maybe they're with him at the time that he stole it and by the way just if you're wondering they're not necessarily children are they didn't say that they were children if you look back to verse I think it's verse 24 it says it says and his daughters and his sorry and his sons and his daughters and his oxen his asses no mention of a wife here either but they weren't necessarily children maybe these were these were responsible adults here his daughters and his sons either way though maybe they would have repeated the sin maybe they would have repeated the sin had he got away with it lightly had they got away with being part of it as well but whatever the truth and we're only really we're kind of guessing here a can selfish sin had a devastating effect on his family yeah okay had a devastating effect in his family all got stoned they all got burned and and I was thinking there about some specific selfish sins that hurt our families too so let's start off with the obvious one again so the major sin of this of this story is covetousness isn't it but I'm just going to quickly go over this we've already looked at it but it does hurt families as well as churches okay covetousness obviously hurts hurts families you think of the discontent wives who are just focusing on wealth instead of the things of God there are aren't there though there are women out there that instead of you know focusing on training up their kids focusing on on the things of God focusing on looking after their their husbands focusing on worshiping God focusing on living for God all they can think about is the things and the stuff and the money and and how else they're going to get that to the point where they're trying to take on you know extra jobs and everything else when they don't necessarily need it because that happens isn't it you know and and oh just just you know not got to get more stuff more things more money what about husbands chasing money when with food and raiment they should be content shouldn't they husbands are just chasing the extra money okay it's one thing yeah we should provide shouldn't we we should provide for our families that's clear we don't want to be worse than an infidel we should provide for families but we shouldn't be trying to chase a mega mega rich then our family's going to pot our kids don't have a say hardly at all because we're just trying to get more and more cash and more more stuff and more more things our wives are all my single women single mums because we're never there we're never around now we should earn and we should work and for some we need you know some jobs you need to work the extra hours but but there's a difference between that and then just being covetous and trying to get as much money as you can and there's a fine line between being a diligent worker isn't there and just trying to chase the big money and and with covetousness as well I've seen it really destroy families because that can be a big problem where where my wives feel like they're on their own and or otherwise where men feel they're just inferior because their wives are putting so much pressure on them for more money and more cash where they feel like they're a failure because they don't earn the big money but what about what about gambling as well that comes from covetousness doesn't it and I know people who have literally destroyed the whole lives so give a couple of old friends I was talking to actually an old friend recently who's telling me that eventually his his partner it is this young lady it turned out and they you know sadly they do have kids and and the whole thing was a mess it turned out should be stealing money off him for a gambling addiction and it had gone into the thousands of thousands of pounds and she's now trying to pay it back and they're just what a mess and he's now moved off to another side of the world left the kids just just terrible an old friend who I know who his his his wife used to have to take his bank card and take and have all his money transferred straight out of his bank into her bank account with every paycheck because he couldn't like one day be online poker and and it was it I mean it was again just destructive the lack of respect there what what it was just a mess of a family and just because of the that that just desire that crave that covetousness because that's what it is isn't it okay we are well it's you know they've got this particular synagogue not even sin the world would call it like it's some sort of mental health thing the gambling that's their thing you know they need some help no they need to deal with a covetousness don't they need to deal with a cup because they're coveting money that's what they're doing yes I know it becomes addictive a covetousness does become addictive doesn't it but really they need to deal with the covetousness in Luke 12 13 it says and one of the company said unto master speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me and how many families fall out over money over inheritance again I was thinking about someone else I know who who's they basically somehow I mean she's telling you this as if it's just you know they did the right thing her and her sister decided that because her other brother and sister weren't helping their mum enough towards the end of a dementia that they basically got the will rewritten and just cut them out you know so if she's just like yeah I mean they you know the last couple of years they never even saw her blah blah one of them was a Jehovah's Witness so kind of but yeah they just never saw and never saw mum so you know how why should they why should they get any so we just they just got the mum to change the will while she you know while she was at the early stages of dementia and and this goes on throughout the world doesn't it families falling out over money cash lending etc destroys families and then what happens with it all kids learn to worship money too don't they kids learn to worship money if you're just constantly talking about money constantly craving money constantly going on about money your kids become covetous as well that destroys them so covetousness does destroy families but here's a few others so how about disobeying the commandments for marriage how about that disobeying the commandments that go hand in hand with marriage so let's start for once we're going to start with the men with this and you know this can't be preached enough okay this honestly can't be preached enough because in this day and age in this world and it's I mean we're hearing the complete opposite aren't we everywhere so even if this was preached every week because the the family really that I mean in here we've got majority families anyway and this isn't having a go at anyone that's not not a family at this church but you know it really makes a difference isn't it we've got kids they're the future and this massively this is one of the big problems in families so turn to Ephesians 5 Ephesians chapter 5 like I said we're going to start with the men while you turn there Colossians 3 19 says husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them 1st Peter 3 7 tells us to give honour unto the wives and Ephesians 5 25 says husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it that's a clear command isn't it how clear a command is that it's repeated time and time again love your wives be not bitter against them give honour unto them love them as Christ loved the church okay there are no ifs there are there there's no ifs where or if she submits if she's a good Christian wife if she does what you think she should do there are no ifs there are no buts are there there are no buts there at all love your wife and it's so easy it's so clear and it's something we do and it's not the world's mushy love well if only I could love her she just you know we've fallen out of love and the rest of it that's a load of rubbish you you actively love you choose to love you choose not to love and God made it clear to love your wives and how many problems in families are caused by men not loving their wives how many how many relationships are destroyed how many because men choose not to they choose to not love their wives and then they start going down the route of well she's not submitting she's not maybe if you loved her she might actually submit to you ever thought about that maybe if you just loved her regardless yeah because it's it's a clear command it's not just well you should you should try this is what you should try and do depends if she ticks the boxes no love your wives love your wives it's simple says in verse 26 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with a washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious church and this is obviously talk about how we should be with our wives not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but it should be holy and without blemish so all men to love their wives as their own bodies that's not very selfish that is it he that loveth his wife loveth himself for no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it even as the Lord the church and it's basically giving us what is the selfishness that we you know and we do we all should obviously we should look after and take care of ourselves but we should be putting that onto our wives and it's and that's what it is it selfishness it's selfishness to not love your wife because not only does it affect your wife not only does it destroy your your marriage but it affects your kids as well and I would say it also affects your church on top of that as well when you see guys walking around or just lauding it or trying to act like you know they're so high and mighty because they snap their fingers at their wife and I'm not saying that happens here but I bet it does in churches where men are trying to puff their chest out act like there's something that's special but but why aren't they showing them the love their wife should submit yeah we'll see that in a second why should submit but where's the love because trying to degrade your wife in front of people doesn't sound very loving to me and I'm not saying it's degrading for her to submit but when you're talking down or when you're talking rude to them that's not that's not loving huh how's that loving your wife okay and and again this is a problem this is a problem that affects families I think the world over anyway it does it's not oh well it's not just a problem for Christians because everyone in the world over was just so selfish aren't we too busy loving ourselves and not loving loving those people that God has put in our life those people that we vowed to God told we shouldn't really make that's good but we do don't we because on our wedding day we're vowing to God to love her to honor her to cherish her so aren't we doing it okay we should all do it but but what about you wives though you wives let's stay in Ephesians 5 Colossians 3 18 says wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord first Peter 3 1 says likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands Ephesians 5 verse 22 wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord wives submit unto your own husbands be in subjection to your own husbands submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord I would hope you every single save Christian will want to submit themselves unto the Lord yeah and that's how you should to your husband that's pretty clear isn't it and the irony the irony that wives are commanded to submit to their own husbands but the majority of women in this world and sadly the majority of Christians probably too would prefer to submit to someone else's husband in the workplace wouldn't they they would prefer to submit to someone else's husband in the workplace and for some women it's still probably a bit bit of a pull right now because for some they've maybe only been saved a few years and they've come out from all of that to where they still feel slightly inferior I was talking to a family member yesterday who who is only recently saved who is at home and he's just feeling that pressure that pressure from the people so what do you do for work from the other mums at the school game so what do you do oh so so are you going to be using the extra 30 hours or whatever childcare because so you can go back to work you know and and what's your job what's your career and and she's feeling that well maybe I should do something I'm saying that hell no you shouldn't be doing anything look after you look after your kids and look after your husband because that's what the Bible says doesn't it don't go and submit yourself someone else's husband and it's ironic isn't it because that's where so many problems come from as well verse 23 said for the husband is ahead of the wife even as Christ is ahead of the church and he is a savior of the body therefore as a church is subject unto Christ so let the wise be to their husbands in everything everything wives everything that's pretty again if I'm not just read that in everything not a world just a pair well he's not right about that one no I'm not gonna do that no submit to them that's what the Bible says and it doesn't just say it once says it three times because I think that maybe there's a point that it's trying to be hammered home isn't there three times if only you cared more for God's commandment then you might actually be happy okay and again I hope everyone here is doing it if you're not then I hope this is preaching to you and if it isn't I hope it's preaching to any of you kids here when you grow up because you're probably going to be attacked with this even more this liberal nonsense is brainwash that somehow you're going to be a happier woman when you're submitting to some man in the workplace and not to your husband but the Bible doesn't say that it's selfishness it's selfishness not to it's selfish about it's selfish towards your husband whether he's loving you or not and it's selfish towards your kids as well because not only does it destroy what could be a happy marriage which affects the house but your kids learn it too don't they your kids they soak it up they put and young and there are I reckon the world over there are young ladies that think that a man will love them you know as they're getting together because he gives them maybe slightly more attention than their selfish dad gave their mums you know then there are people probably the world over that have gotten bad marriages just because the benchmark what they were growing up looking at was such a poor example so anything just even slightly well what a loving guy because he remembered my name or something else and and because people do they get the examples off their parents don't they or young men that think that a lady will be a good submissive wife just because she hasn't started bossing them around yet because her dad was just getting bossed around left right and center by their mum you know and again they shouldn't be doing that should they shouldn't be doing it the Bible says clearly to submit in everything and we do don't we do often end up repeating our parents behavior we do we a lot of people repeat their parents sins don't they and not only do you do you destroy your own chance of happiness but your spouses and also your kids and maybe their kids and their kids etc cuz then it becomes this chain event just break it break that chain who's to say they're gonna break that chain right because they the pressure is gonna be even worse on them the pressure on our parents and most people here were probably unsafe parents was a lot less than the pressure on us and it's gonna get worse and worse isn't it I mean by the way the world's gone let's we suddenly see some massive change it's gonna get worse and worse and worse to the point where our kids are gonna have and their kids are gonna have some real real pressure aren't they okay and while we're on the subject of husbands and wives let's just quickly hit probably the most destructive thing adultery okay adultery what a wicked sin what a wicked selfish sin that's why Leviticus 20 10 says and the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death I had a lady email me about our church and was so stressed out about some of our beliefs a little while back she was saying so so are you saying you think that I should have been put to death because I had an affair said yes yes you should have done but we're not the ones that are gonna do it but yes you should have done it I'll tell you and what I said to his had that been hanging over you I doubt you would have commit committed an affair I hope you wouldn't otherwise you're really wicked if you still would have done and then got put to death for it it wrecks lives doesn't it absolutely wrecks lives wrecks families and it's pure selfishness isn't it pure selfishness oh I just fell out of love oh they just you know gave more to me that I was you know that the wife it was better for her that I moved on I'll funny that because you didn't move on first did you but one of the reasons Ephesians 5 22 Colossians 3 18 first Peter 3 1 that we've just looked at talks about submitting to your own husband doesn't it about submitting to your own husband because sir sending your wife out to the workplace as some male boss is asking for trouble isn't it he's asking for trouble getting your wife to submit to another man day in day out is a big problem isn't it okay that's where so many affairs come from they come from the workplace don't they they come from that day in day out and then getting them to submit to some other man when the when the Bible says to submit to your own husband's but in the same way though men employing or having some lady submit to you in one way or another is asking for trouble isn't it it's asking for trouble people that are employing women to submit to them in the workplace that's that's the problem because if the Bible says for the women not to do that why are you encouraging oh well she's unsaved oh well you know she wants a job no you're asking for trouble and with this yet look and again I hope no one has this problem but men don't even entertain the thought because it always starts with a thought doesn't it it all the second you have that fool then that's a hard place to come back for but sorry to come back from it starts with a thought doesn't it it's that thought in the mind even just such as that that fleeting thought oh if only or something else it starts with that and and all these stupid worldly terms like it's somehow just an innocent a wandering eye they call oh he's just he's got a bit of a wandering eye you know oh you know well I just look but I don't touch you know or oh well if I if I wasn't married you know they come out you get these men that come out with that sort of rubbish don't they but it's wicked isn't it you're not fooling anyone who are you fooling that means that you want you would love that idea if only you had the chance that's what that means isn't it okay in Matthew 5 28 Jesus said but I sent you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her have committed adultery with her already in his heart so if you're looking on women if you're lusting after women however much you tell yourself well I wouldn't ever do anything I say you're an adulterer you're an adulterer in your heart you're a whoremonger you're an adulterer and that applies to you women too though that applies to all you women as well oh if only he was more like that man if only he was more like that what's what's the difference it's the same isn't it yeah they might not be so much on the looks and stuff that that the men sadly are led by but a lot of these women they do or or I bet he doesn't treat his wife like that I bet there are women that say that I hope there's no women here that say that I bet oh you know I bet brother so-and-so does it treat his wife like that I bet that person does it what's that what's that if it's not looking on a man to lust after him in some way or another isn't it okay and that's wicked cut that out stop looking at other men stop stop comparing your man with other men there's a name for women like that as one in the Bible isn't it whores because that's what you're doing you're being a whore you're comparing your man to other to other men you're talking about other men it's wicked but we live in a wicked world don't we where adultery adultery is probably more common than a faithful marriage I reckon I don't know how you know I know divorce is massive and a big part of that is adultery but I would say adultery is probably more common than a faithful marriage now I reckon in this country is sadly there's not really that many marriages it seems anymore either in a world where are in a in a country where our pervert Prime Minister is shacked up shacked up with his girlfriend in 10 Downing Street what sort of a message is that given out to our country and what about that what was his name what's that little rat called the recent one his cock Matt his cock who everyone seemed to care more about the fact that he was breaking quarantine rules than the fact that he was having an affair like where have we got and I think that was seemed to be on purpose wasn't it it's like everything was about oh well everyone's you know he needs to apologize for breaking like the social distancing it's like the guy's married and she was married it's like oh yeah by the way they were married yeah oh wow what how far apart isn't it what a massive difference yeah stonem stonem just for the record we're not saying keep an eye out for that buzzer okay but okay but we're on we're on at parents here on at husbands and wives here in the family but let's get on at you kids too yeah let's get on at you kids because I don't think there's probably enough preaching at kids so selfish sins that hurt families children that won't obey their parents children you might be thinking well what is it that our job to tell our kids this do you need to preach that well no because the Bible tells them to obey their parents it's talking to the kids there okay so I think you kids need to listen to some preaching from the Bible telling you to obey your parents oh well I've got it sorted brother in don't you worry that you know take heed he you think if he standeth yeah take heed lest he fall because you know kids can quickly change kids could quickly change and Amy preach as much as we need preaching don't they okay kids need preaching turn to Ephesians chapter 6 Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 1 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with thee and that now mayest live long on the earth so firstly for all of you that are selfish little brats look at me right now I know you all selfish little brats you should have looked at the floor okay I got ya okay so everyone here every child here although I don't think you looked actually grace my little sweetheart everyone here every one of you kids is a selfish little brat okay and the Bible says to honor to and that's to respect to treat with with submission to do your duty to do as you're told isn't it okay honor now now listen this is what I'm saying for those of you that are selfish verse 3 says that it may be well with you that it may be well with you so if you want a happy and long life what it says there if you want a happy and long life then you should obey your parents that you should honor honor your parents yeah okay that's that's pretty obvious there isn't it guys I think even the youngest kids here could probably get this this from here it says here honor thy father and mother that's mummy and daddy okay honor thy mummy and daddy which is the first commandment with promise that's a rule that's an order from God saying then that it may be well with thee that means it's going to be okay with you guys and that that may as live long on the earth that means that you're gonna live for a long time okay that's that's pretty good isn't it okay so it doesn't matter even if you're selfish it's good for you turn to Colossians 3 20 Colossians chapter 3 verse 20 says children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord okay kids here's a question answer how many things did God tell you to obey your parents in first one isn't selfish there we go Joshua all things all things did it say some things no all things obey your parents in all things not just the things that you agree with and some of you older kids start you start to get your own ideas that you know best don't you not just the things that you agree with not just the things that you can't get away with how about that not just the things he said all things all things and if not for your parents say how about to please the Lord that's the first first non selfish reason how about to please the Lord because what did he say here he said there children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord you know the Lord is kids the Lord that died on a cross so that your naughty rebellious selves can go to heaven instead of hell yeah you know that place heaven that's a good one hell's a bad one yeah he died on a cross for every single one of you he died on a cross for every single one of you and it's well pleasing to him when you do what your parents tell you yeah it's not that it's well pleasing to your parents it is I hope it is but it's well pleasing to the Lord why don't we want to please him kids say and I tell you what you want to please him if you want to get through this what can be a tough life you want to please God or how about though because your behavior affects your brothers and sisters how about that because it does doesn't it all us parents can see that when one starts playing up often it starts affecting the other ones they start repeating it they start copying it the younger ones that could be hard can't it because the older one doesn't always have that behavior bad behavior to copy so as long as you can kind of put a good show on in front of them you might get a good older kid then when you suck it in one after another after they start to copy the other kids behavior don't they okay and and if you want if you want a happy house you want you want a happy family you want and I'm not I don't want to go too much on the on the guilt factor but you want happy parents as well kids obey obey obey your parents that's what that's what the Bible says to please God and it will affect your family if you don't and you know what it does cause stress in the home and it can destroy homes wayward kids problem children kids that the won't do as they're told kids that are constantly just running battles with parents will destroy homes won't it destroy families gets between husbands and wives doesn't it often it does gets between and don't be like that kids don't be like that you don't want to do that do you know again it shouldn't be out of guilt it should be because you want to obey the Lord because you want to obey your parents because you want to be you want to be a good child you want to help your home you want to help your home to thrive yeah okay children obey your parents and you know for sake of time that's probably for me that's just a few obvious ones there's so many other sins aren't there so many other sins you can think of you know drug and alcohol abuse and all sorts of things but they're for me common sins common sins that will affect the Christian household that I think that affect and the other ones that affect our church affect our families and there are many more like I said but being less selfish is probably something we can all work on isn't there isn't it yeah every single person could work on being less so how do we work on that so I think that maybe if we just if we stop to think about the effect the effect our selfishness has on everyone else around us stop to think about the effect it has on our church effect it hasn't our family those that we we should and that we do love and care for that should help shouldn't it get down and pray get down and get on your knees and pray to God pray to God that you just fulfill his will get that self that selfish attitude out and just pray that you just you be what what he wants you to be that you desire the things he wants you to desire focus on pleasing God and then I think we can all everyone here can make well I think positively make changes in their life with this yeah on that let's pray Emily father I thank you for your word thank you thank you for for that clear example of a can and just how that selfish desire that selfish lust selfish covetousness just destroys destroys people destroys families out how what you think about that what you think about people just is that disobeying your clear Commandments and help us to to apply that in our lives help us to be more more selfless in our lives help us to want our church to thrive and that that means by cutting out those those sins that will massively affect you effect it help us to want our families to follow that's all of us kids included and again to just cut out those sins which just make make a difference and destroy the family unit and all those that I haven't mentioned as well all those other things sins just help us to cut these out of our lives and to get right with you Lord and help us to now have a have a good afternoon please help us to just get many people saved this afternoon to go preach preach the gospel clearly soundly and and just to do your will today and and and the rest of the days following this week in Jesus name we pray amen