♪♪♪ WELCOME TO LOVE WORTH
FINDING WITH PASTOR, TEACHER,
AND AUTHOR, ADRIAN ROGERS. REACHING OUT WITH GOD'S LOVE,
BRINGING PEOPLE TO CHRIST, TOUCHING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD,
AND HELPING YOU FIND
THE ANSWERS YOU NEED TODAY. JOIN US AS WE PREPARE TO OPEN
GOD'S WORD AND DISCOVER HOW YOUR
LIFE CAN BE CHANGED FOREVER BY HIS GREAT
LOVE WORTH FINDING. TAKE GOD'S WORD AND FIND TITUS,
CHAPTER TWO. WOULD YOU DO THAT? TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT GODLY ZEAL
AND UNGODLY EXTREMISM. NOW, IN THE PASSAGE THAT WE'RE
GOING TO READ, PAUL IS GOING TO BE TELLING TITUS TO BE
ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS. AND THAT WORD ZEALOUS HAS
THE IDEA OF BEING ON FIRE. LITERALLY, THE IDEA
OF, OF, OF BOILING. SPURGEON SAID, "YOU MIGHT AS
WELL HAVE A, A CHARIOT WITHOUT
HORSES OR A SUN WITHOUT SUNBEAMS OR HEAVEN WITHOUT JOY AS TO HAVE
A MAN OF GOD WITHOUT ZEAL." AND I'VE OFTEN TOLD YOU, THE
NEED OF THE HOUR, THIS DAY AND
THIS AGE, IS A BURNING, BLAZING, PASSIONATE, EMOTIONAL LOVE FOR
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND WE NEVER HAVE TO BE
ASHAMED OF OUR ZEAL. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE
COMMANDED TO BE ON FIRE,
TO BE ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS. WELL, LET'S JUST
READ THE PASSAGE. BEGIN IN
TITUS TWO AND VERSE 11, AND HERE'S OUR WORD,
"ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS. GOD WANTS US TO BE ON FIRE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
JESUS HAD RATHER HAVE YOU COLD, LISTEN, HE'D RATHER HAVE YOU
COLD THAN LUKEWARM. JESUS SAID TO THAT LUKEWARM
CHURCH AT LAODICEA, "FOR I KNOW
THY WORKS, THAT THOU ART NEITHER COLD NOR HOT; I WOULD THAT
THOU WERT COLD OR HOT. SO, THEN, BECAUSE THOU
ART LUKEWARM, I WILL SPEW
THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH." GOD SAYS, "YOU'RE NAUSEOUS TO
ME WITH YOUR LUKEWARMNEST." AND SO, AH, WE HAD, WE OUGHT
TO BE ON FIRE FOR JESUS. BUT, HAVING SAID THAT,
HAVING SAID THAT, THERE IS A
MISGUIDED ZEAL THAT IS UGLY. IT IS FANATICISM.
IT IS UNGODLY EXTREMISM. AND WE ALSO LEARN ABOUT THAT IN
THIS, AH, BOOK OF, OF TITUS, AND WE'RE GOING TO
SHARE THAT WITH YOU. SO, TODAY, OUR MESSAGE
HAS TWO MAJOR POINTS. FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT THE GRACE, AH,
THAT, AH, THE ZEAL RATHER THAT DISPLAYS THE GRACE OF GOD, AND
THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT EXTREMISM THAT DISTORTS,
AH, THE GRACE OF GOD. NOW, FIRST OF ALL,
LET'S THINK OF THE GODLY ZEAL, THE GODLY ZEAL THAT
DISPLAYS THE GRACE OF GOD. REMEMBER WHAT HE SAYS THERE IN
VERSE 14, "WE ARE A PECULIAR
PEOPLE, ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS." NOW, WHAT SHOULD WE
BE ZEALOUS ABOUT? WELL, HEY, WE OUGHT TO BE
ZEALOUS ABOUT WORSHIP, WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS MORNING,
WORSHIPING, AH, THE LORD. UH, JESUS WAS ZEALOUS
ABOUT HIS WORSHIP. AS A MATTER OF FACT,
WHEN THE HOUSE OF GOD HAD BEEN
TAKEN OVER BY CARNALITY, JESUS WAS MOVED WITH ANGER. AND JOHN CHAPTER TWO VERSE 17
SAYS THIS, "AND HIS DISCIPLES
REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS WRITTEN, 'THE ZEAL OF THINE
HOUSE HATH EATEN ME UP.'" DO YOU HAVE A ZEAL
FOR THE HOUSE OF GOD? DO YOU? I MEAN, ARE YOU ZEALOUS FOR WHAT
WE'RE DOING THIS MORNING, OR DO YOU JUST SIMPLY YAWN IN THE FACE
OF GOD WHEN YOU COME TO WORSHIP? WE OUGHT TO BE ZEALOUS
ABOUT OUR WORSHIP. JESUS WARNED US ABOUT
HALF-HEARTED WORSHIP. AH, HE SAID TO THE CHURCH AT
EPHESUS, AH, IN, IN REVELATION
CHAPTER TWO VERSE FOUR, "NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE SOMEWHAT
AGAINST THEE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE
LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE." WHAT IS FIRST LOVE? THAT'S
HONEYMOON LOVE. DO YOU REMEMBER
YOUR HONEYMOON? OH, I CAN REMEMBER OURS;
HOW SWEET, HOW TENDER, HOW
ROMANTIC, HOW EXCITING IT WAS. NEVER GET OVER THAT FIRST LOVE. NOW, WHEN OUR LORD WAS TALKING
TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS, HE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T REBUKE THEM
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LOVE HIM. THEY LOVED HIM, BUT THEY
JUST DID NOT LOVE HIM
WITH THAT FIRST LOVE. HALF-HEARTED WORSHIP IS AN
INSULT TO ALMIGHTY GOD. IF HE'S WORTH ANYTHING,
HE'S WORTH EVERYTHING. SAY,
AMEN! [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] ALRIGHT,
AH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TO BE
ZEALOUS ABOUT OUR WORSHIP. WE'RE TO BE ZEALOUS
ABOUT THE TRUTH. NOTICE HOW THIS PASSAGE ENDS IN
VERSE 11, AH, AH, OR BEGINS IN
VERSE 11, "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH
APPEARED UNTO ALL MEN." AND THEN VERSE 15, "THESE
THINGS SPEAK, AND EXHORT, AND
REBUKE WITH ALL AUTHORITY." AH, WE ARE TO BE VERY ZEALOUS
ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD. AND THINK OF THE TRUTHS
THAT WE JUST READ ABOUT. HE TALKED ABOUT
GRACE IN VERSE 11. TAKE AWAY GRACE;
YOU DON'T HAVE CHRISTIANITY. HE TALKS ABOUT THE DEITY
OF CHRIST IN VERSE 13. HE CALLS HIM THE,
"GREAT GOD AND OUR SAVIOR." JESUS IS GOD. THAT IS A
NON-NEGOTIABLE. THAT'S A HILL
WE CAN DIE ON. JESUS IS GOD. HE TALKS ABOUT THE
SECOND COMING OF JESUS. AH,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE, "GLORIOUS APPEARING
OF THE GREAT GOD AND
OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST." HE MENTIONS THAT IN VERSE 13.
MAY I TELL YOU THE ONLY HOPE FOR AMERICA, THE ONLY HOPE
FOR THE WORLD IS
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS! HE TALKS ABOUT REDEMPTION THERE,
"WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US THAT HE
MIGHT REDEEM US AND PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE,
ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS." WE NEED TO GET A BULLDOG GRIP ON
THESE THINGS AND NEVER, NEVER,
NEVER, NO NEVER LET THEM GO. WE'RE TO BE ZEALOUS
OF THE TRUTH. AND, AH, YOU'VE OFTEN HEARD ME SAY, "IT'S
BETTER TO BE DIVIDED BY TRUTH
THAN IT IS UNITED IN ERROR." [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] JESUS DIDN'T
COME TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. MATTHEW CHAPTER 10 VERSE 34 HE
SAID, "THINK NOT THAT I AM COME
TO SEND PEACE ON THE EARTH; I DIDN'T COME TO SEND
PEACE, BUT A SWORD." THE MOST DIVISIVE FORCE
ON EARTH IS JESUS CHRIST. NOT ONLY ARE WE TO BE ZEALOUS
ABOUT OUR WORSHIP AND ZEALOUS
ABOUT THE TRUTH, HEY, WE OUGHT TO BE
ZEALOUS ABOUT HOLINESS. AH, LOOK IN VERSE 12 OF THIS
CHAPTER, "TEACHING US THAT,
DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD
LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND
GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD." LOOK, IF YOU WILL, ALSO IN VERSE
14, "HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR US THAT
HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, AND PURIFY UNTO
HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE."
NOT AN ODD PEOPLE, PECULIAR. YOU BE HOLY AND YOU'RE GOING
TO BE DIFFERENT IN THIS WORLD. WE OUGHT TO BE ZEALOUS
ABOUT HOLINESS. WE OUGHT TO BE ZEALOUS
ABOUT SERVING THE LORD. LOOK AGAIN IN VERSE,
AH, 14, THE LAST PART,
"ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS." WE WANT TO BE ZEALOUS
ABOUT SERVICE. DID YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE ZEAL,
WHEN YOU LOVE JESUS
AS YOU OUGHT TO LOVE JESUS, LET ME TELL YOU, THE PROBLEMS
WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF? THE ATTENDANCE PROBLEM
WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF. WE HAVE MANY OF OUR MEMBERS
WHO ARE NOT HERE THIS MORNING. IF ALL OF OUR MEMBERS
CAME TO ONE SERVICE WE
COULDN'T PUT THEM IN. AH, SOME OF THEM ARE SITTING
BACK, DRINKING COFFEE,
READING THE PAPER RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY COULD BE
IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] YOU OUGHT TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF
GOD. WHEN YOU LOVE GOD, YOU'RE
GOING TO LOVE WHAT GOD LOVES. AND JESUS SHOWS, LOVES
IT SO MUCH, HE SHOWS
UP HERE EVERY SUNDAY. "WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE
GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE
AM I IN THE MIDST OF THEM." IT, IT, IT WOULD SERVE
THE ATTENDANCE PROBLEM. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT, IT ALSO
SERVE, AH, THE GIVING PROBLEM.
WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU WANT TO GIVE. WHAT MAN, WHAT WOMAN HAS NEVER
BOUGHT A GIFT THAT THEY COULD
NOT AFFORD FOR SOMEBODY THAT THEY LOVE? WE ALL HAVE. WHY?
JUST LOVE. WE JUST WANT TO GIVE. FRIEND, YOU DON'T HAVE
TO BEG PEOPLE, AH, TO
GIVE WHEN THEY LOVE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY TO ME, "YOU
KNOW, PASTOR, I HAVE DIFFICULTY
FIGURING OUT MY TITHE. SHOULD I TITHE ON CAPITAL GAIN?
SHOULD I TITHE BEFORE
AND AFTER TAXES?" MISTER, IF IT WERE COMING
TO YOU, YOU'D HAVE NO
DIFFICULTY FIGURING IT OUT. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] I MEAN,
IF, IF IT WERE COMING TO YOU, YOU'D HAVE NO DIFFICULTY
WHATEVER FIGURING IT OUT.
IT'S A MATTER OF LOVE. YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING;
YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING. OH, YOU THINK ABOUT
THE SERVICE PROBLEM. IT, WHEN PEOPLE ARE FULL OF ZEAL
THAT TAKES CARE OF SERVICE.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO BEG PEOPLE
TO WORK IN THE NURSERY, TO WORK
AT VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, TO SING IN THE CHOIR IF THEY,
IF THEY'RE FULL OF ZEAL
FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. YOU MOTHERS OUT HERE.
WHEN YOUR BABY IS SICK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BEGGED
TO TAKE CARE OF THAT BABY.
WHY? BECAUSE YOU LOVE! THE EVANGELISM PROBLEM, AH,
BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS CHRIST. JESUS SAID TO PETER, "IF YOU
LOVE ME, FEED MY SHEEP." HE DIDN'T SAY, "IF YOU LOVE
SHEEP, OR LOVE FEEDING SHEEP."
"IF YOU LOVE ME, FEED MY SHEEP." THE DISAGREEMENT PROBLEM
TAKEN CARE OF BY ZEAL. IF WE LOVE GOD, AH, WE'RE
GOING TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
NOW, FOLKS, I'M TELLING YOU, WE NEED A ZEAL, AH,
THAT GETS US BEYOND THIS,
UH, LUKEWARM MODERATION. IF A MAN'S HOUSE IS ON FIRE,
YOU DON'T TELL HIM MODERATELY
THAT HIS HOUSE IS ON FIRE. IF JOYCE SAYS,
"ADRIAN, DO YOU LOVE ME?" I DON'T SAY, "MODERATELY."
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] I DON'T
EVEN SAY, "CONSERVATIVELY." I'M A CONSERVATIVE, BUT SHE
WANTS ME TO LOVE HER LIBERALLY. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
HA, HA, WE ARE, WE ARE
TO LOVE, WE'RE TO LOVE. IF ANYBODY WERE TO LAY HIS
HAND ON HER, I WOULDN'T
DEFEND HER MODERATELY. WE NEED SOME ZEAL,
AND NOT TO BE LUKEWARM. REVELATION THREE VERSE 16,
"SO, THEN, BECAUSE THOU ARE
LUKEWARM, NEITHER COLD NOR HOT; I WILL SPEW THEE
OUT OF MY MOUTH." AND THEN HE SAID IN REVELATION
CHAPTER THREE VERSE 19, "AS MANY
AS I LOVE, I REBUKE AND CHASTEN; BE ZEALOUS, THEREFORE,
AND REPENT." SO THERE IS GODLY ZEAL THAT
DISPLAYS THE GRACE OF GOD. NOW, I WANT TO LEAVE THAT POINT
BECAUSE, ACTUALLY, I'M TALKING
NOT ABOUT GODLY ZEAL, BUT UNGODLY EXTREMISM THAT
DISTORTS THE GRACE OF GOD.
NOW, THAT IS A PROBLEM. NOW, THE DEVIL, AH, IF HE CANNOT
KEEP US FROM BEING ZEALOUS, WILL
WANT TO MAKE US EXTREMISTS. NOW, YOU'RE IN CHAPTER TWO.
JUST TURN OVER TO CHAPTER THREE. TITUS, CHAPTER THREE AND LOOK,
IF YOU WILL, IN VERSE EIGHT, NOW THAT'S GODLY ZEAL, OKAY.
"THESE THINGS ARE GOOD
AND PROFITABLE UNTO MEN." BUT NOW, NOTICE THE
LITTLE CONJUNCTION BUT. NOW, WHAT HE'S TALKING HERE
ABOUT IS A MISGUIDED ZEAL,
A MISGUIDED EXTREMISM, A FANATICISM THAT IS DIVISIVE.
IT IS DESTRUCTIVE. IT IS DEADLY. IT DIVIDES CHURCHES. IT DIVIDES
COMMUNITIES. IT DIVIDES HOMES. NOW, WE'RE TO LIVE BY
PRINCIPLES, BUT YOU KNOW,
YOU CAN TAKE A PRINCIPLE AND MOVE IT TO AN EXTREME
AND DISTORT IT. SOMETHING YOU MIGHT UNDERSTAND,
A STEAK IS TO BE COOKED, BUT
IT'S NOT TO BE CREMATED, AMEN? [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] HEH, YOU
WANT YOUR STEAK COOKED, BUT, HEY, THERE'S A TIME
WHEN YOU BACK DOWN. AH, PRINCIPLES
ARE LIKE A HAMMER. YOU CAN TAKE A HAMMER AND BUILD
A HOUSE WITH IT, OR TAKE THE SAME HAMMER AND BEAT
SOMEBODY TO DEATH WITH IT. AND, AND PEOPLE CAN TAKE, A, A,
ANY KIND OF A ISSUE AND BECOME AN EXTREMIST OVER
EVEN A GOOD ISSUE. THAT'S THE REASON PAUL SAID,
IN PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER FOUR AND
VERSE FIVE, "LET YOUR MODERATION BE KNOWN UNTO ALL MEN,
THE LORD IS AT HAND." NOW YOU SAID, "PASTOR, YOU
SAID WE'RE TO BE ZEALOUS."
THAT'S RIGHT. AND WE'RE ALSO TO BE MODERATE.
AND THERE'S A PERFECT BALANCE
IN THE WORD OF GOD. AH, ONE OF MY VERSES THAT I
REPAIR TO OFTEN IS SECOND
THESSALONIANS CHAPTER THREE, HUH, VERSES ONE AND TWO,
"FINALLY, BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US,
THAT THE WORD OF GOD MAY HAVE FREE COURSE AND BE GLORIFIED,
EVEN AS, AS IT IS WITH YOU. AND THAT WE MAY BE
DELIVERED FROM UNREASONABLE
AND WICKED MEN." HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU EVER
MET AN UNREASONABLE PERSON?
AH, GOD HAVE MERCY. UNREASONABLE PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE NO FLEXIBILITY.
THEY HAVE NO BALANCE. THEY ARE, AH, FANATICS,
EXTREMISTS, MISGUIDED. THEY DO INCALCULABLE HARM
TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. NOW, NOTICE WHAT HE SA,
WHAT PAUL SAYS ABOUT
THIS EXTREMISM HERE. AH, VERSE NINE. LOOK, FIRST OF
ALL, IT'S FOOLISH, IT'S FOOLISH.
YOU SEE THAT IN VERSE NINE? AH, "BUT AVOID
FOOLISH QUESTIONS." THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO FANCY
THEMSELVES THEOLOGIANS. THEY, THEY CAN SPLIT A
THEOLOGICAL HAIR INTO SIXTEEN
EQUAL DIVISIONS, BUT THEY HAVE NO RELATIONSHIP TO THAT WHICH
REALLY MATTERS IN A CHURCH. ONE OF THE FORMER PASTORS OF
THIS CHURCH, DR. ROBERT G. LEE,
A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE. I HAD THE JOY OF DOING HIS
FUNERAL, AND I, I, I WOULDN'T
EVEN SAY HE'S A FRIEND OF MINE. I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY
I WAS A FRIEND OF HIS. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS,
I WAS JUST HONORED
TO BE IN HIS PRESENCE. BUT DR. LEE TOLD
A STORY ONE TIME. I MAY HAVE REPEATED IT TO YOU.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET IT
OUT OF MY MIND. HE TOLD ABOUT A TIME
IN THIS CHURCH WHEN, UH, THE
FLOODGATES OF GLORY WERE OPEN. HE WAS GIVING AN INVITATION
AND PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM
EVERYWHERE TO GIVE THEIR HEARTS TO JESUS, AND THERE WAS WEEPING
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS ALL OVER
THE PLACE, AND GOD WAS JUST BLESSING IN A WONDERFUL WAY.
AND A LADY CAME DOWN THE AISLE
IN THE MIDST OF THAT INVITATION. SHE SAID, "DR. LEE." I CAN JUST
HEAR HIM SAYING IT RIGHT NOW.
SAID, "DR. LEE. DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE WERE
PEOPLE ON EARTH BEFORE ADAM?" NOW, THIS IS IN THE INVITATION.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] AND HE,
PEOPLE ARE BEING SAVED. IT FLEW ALL OVER HIM.
HE SAID, "NO, MA'AM, I DON'T KNOW IT, YOU DON'T
KNOW IT, NOBODY KNOWS IT.
GO BACK TO YOUR SEAT." [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
HUH,HUH! SEE, SHE HAD SOME LITTLE CRAZY
IDEA AND HAD NO BETTER SENSE THAN TO UNDERSTAND, IN THE
MIDDLE OF AN INVITATION WHEN
PEOPLE ARE GETTING SAVED, BRING UP SOMETHING FOOLISH LIKE
THAT. THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING. LOOK AT IT,
"AVOID FOOLISH QUESTIONS." DON'T GET DRAWN INTO ENDLESS
DEBATES ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWEEDLE-DEE-DEE
AND TWEEDLY-DUMB. NOT ONLY IS IT FOOLISH,
IT IS FRACTIOUS. NOTICE AGAIN IN VERSE NINE,
"AVOID FOOLISH QUESTIONS, AND GENEALOGIES, AND
CONTENTIONS, AND STRIVINGS." THESE THINGS SOMETIMES DIVIDE
PEOPLE OUGHT NOT TO BE DIVIDED. THE WORD, UH, HERE CONTENTIONS
AND STRIVINGS HAS THE IDEA OF BICKERING AND JUDGING
AND CRITICIZING. ALMOST ALWAYS, THESE
FANATICS ARE SELF CENTERED
AND THEY'RE SELF WILLED. JUDE DESCRIBED THEM IN JUDE
VERSE 19, THEY, AH, "THESE THEY
BE WHO SEPARATE THEMSELVES, SENSUAL, SENSUAL,"
THAT IS, OF THE FLESH,
"HAVING NOT THE SPIRIT." PEOPLE CAN DIVIDE IN CHURCHES
OVER INCIDENTALS, THINGS THAT REALLY DON'T MAKE
THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE.
IN A PARTICULAR CHURCH, THEY HAD IN THIS CHURCH
AN AMERICAN FLAG
SITTING ON THE PLATFORM. IN A, AN OPEN BUSINESS
CONFERENCE, A MEMBER STOOD UP
AND SAID, "I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE AN
AMERICAN FLAG ON DISPLAY
IN OUR WORSHIP CENTER. THE REASON WHY IS THAT
OUR FAITH IS NOT AN AMERICAN
FAITH; IT'S A WORLDWIDE FAITH. AND WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE FLAG
HERE, THEY MAY THINK THAT WE HAVE SOMEHOW
AMERICANIZED CHRISTIANITY. I MOVE THAT THE FLAG BE TAKEN
OUT OF OUR WORSHIP CENTER." WELL, THERE WAS AN ISSUE NOW.
HE'D BROUGHT IT UP. IT HAD TO BE DEALT WITH, AND,
HA, HA, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE
THE AMERICAN FLAG OUT BECAUSE OF WHAT THAT MIGHT SAY. AND
SOMEBODY ELSE SAID, "WELL, LET'S
PUT THE CHRISTIAN FLAG UP. PUT THE AMERICAN FLAG ON ONE
SIDE AND PUT THE CHRISTIAN
FLAG ON THE OTHER SIDE." AND THEY DISCUSSED THAT FOR
A WHILE, BUT THE OFFER OF
THE MOTION SAID, "OH, NO. IF YOU PUT THE CHRISTIAN FLAG
OV, OVER HERE AND THE AMERICAN
FLAG OVER HERE, THEN THAT SAYS THAT CHRISTIANITY AND
AMERICANISM ARE EQUAL."
"OH," THEY SAID. WELL, SOMEBODY SAID,
"I HAVE AN IDEA. LET'S PUT THE AMERICAN FLAG AND
THE CHRISTIAN FLAG, BUT LET'S MAKE
THE CHRISTIAN FLAG HIGHER
THAN THE AMERICAN FLAG." THEY KICKED THAT AROUND AND
SOMEBODY SAID, "NO, YOU CAN'T DO
THAT BECAUSE IT IS NOT RIGHT TO FLY ANY OTHER FLAG HIGHER
THAN THE AMERICA FLAG." "HUM,' THEY SAID. SOMEBODY SAID,
"I KNOW WHAT TO DO. LET'S PUT THEM WHERE THEY LOOK
LIKE THEY'RE ON THE SAME LEVEL, BUT LET'S PUT A PIECE OF PAPER
UNDER THE CHRISTIAN FLAG."
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] HEY, FOLKS, THIS CHURCH
HISTORY, LITERALLY WENT ON. THEY HAD A BIG DEBATE ABOUT THAT
AND SOME PEOPLE LEFT THE CHURCH
OVER THAT KIND OF BUSINESS. GOD DELIVER ME. SAY, AMEN!
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
GOD DELIVER YOU. YOU SEE, THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE
WHO CAN TAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND JUST WORK IT OVER UNTIL IT
CAUSES, AH, DIVISION. PEOPLE GET DIVIDED
ABOUT CHURCH MUSIC. OH, MAN.
YOU KNOW, LISTEN. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO THINK IF
YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, IT'S OF THE DEVIL, AND,
ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS A BEAT
TO IT. [ TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP ] THAT'S RIGHT, THEY
THINK IT'S OF THE DEVIL. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO THINK
IF, IF, IF YOU HAVE MUSIC THAT
IS TRADITIONAL AND GLORIOUS AND, AND, AH, FROM YESTERYEAR,
THE CHURCH HAS GROWN COLD
AND DEAD AND FORMAL AND, AH, WE HAVE FORSAKEN GOD AND
WE'RE NOT WITH IT. THAT'S HAP,
BE, LISTEN, FOLKS. IN THIS CONGREGATION THIS
MORNING, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
ALL KINDS OF TASTES ABOUT MUSIC. ONE THING ABOUT MUSIC I
WOULD SAY WHEREVER IT IS,
IT OUGHT TO FIT THE OCCASION. I, I FOUND A VERSE; PROVERBS 25
VERSE 20, "HE THAT TAKETH AWAY A
GARMENT IN COLD WEATHER, AND AS VINEGAR UPON NITRE,
SO IS HE THAT SINGETH
SONGS TO A HEAVY HEART." NOW, WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IF
SOMEBODY IS, AH, IS IN SUFFERING
AND PAIN, THERE'S CERTAIN KINDS OF SONGS THAT'LL RUB
HIM THE WRONG WAY. AH, THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS,
AH, TO PRAISE GOD, AND, AH, AT
BELLEVUE, OF COURSE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, THERE'S MUSIC THAT
WOULD BE UNFITTING, BUT DON'T, HUH, BECOME AN EXTREMIST ABOUT
ANYTHING. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE EXTREMISTS ABOUT WORSHIP. THERE'RE SOME PEOPLE WHO THINK
YOU'RE NOT CONSTANTLY LIFTING
YOUR HANDS TO HEAVEN, YOU'RE NOT CONSTANTLY
JUMPING AROUND, AH,
YOU KNOW, A WAVING YOUR HANDS, OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT YOU
JUST DON'T LOVE GOD. AND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE
WHO THINK IF YOU LIFT
A HAND TO HEAVEN, YOU ARE SOME KIND OF FANATIC.
ONE MAN SAID, "MISTER, IF YOU
LIFT YOUR HAND IN THIS CHURCH, IT'D BETTER BE A GOOD QUESTION."
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] HA, HA, HA. HEY, FOLKS, LISTEN. THE BIBLE MENTIONS LIFTING HOLY
HANDS TO GOD IN PRAYER, AH,
BUT THE BIBLE ALSO SAYS THAT EVERYTHING IS TO BE DONE
DECENTLY AND IN ORDER. AND IF YOU'RE A PERSON THAT'S
DRAWING ATTENTION TO YOURSELF
RATHER THAN POINTING ATTENTION TO JESUS, YOU DON'T KNOW
THE MEANING OF WORSHIP.
[ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ] BUT, FRIEND, WE'RE TO WORSHIP
AND LET PEOPLE WORSHIP
AS THEY WANT TO WORSHIP, AND DON'T GET
DIVIDED OVER WORSHIP. DR. VANCE HAVNER SAID, "WE DON'T
NEED TO FREEZE IN FORMALISM
OR FRY IN FANATICISM." NO, WE'RE HERE TO
WORSHIP THE LORD. THERE ARE THOSE WHO THINK THAT,
AH, IF WE WORSHIP ONE WAY
OR THE OTHER WAY, THAT SOMEHOW WE'VE
QUENCHED THE SPIRIT. THE DEVIL LOVES TO GET US
DIVIDED OVER THESE THINGS. SEE, IT IS FOOLISH.
IT IS FRACTIOUS. NOW, NOT ONLY IS IT FOOLISH AND
FRACTIOUS, IT IS FRUITLESS. LOOK, IF YOU WILL, IN VERSE
NINE, "BUT AVOID FOOLISH
QUESTIONS, AND GENEALOGIES, AND CONTENTIONS, AND STRIVINGS
ABOUT THE LAW; FOR THEY ARE
UNPROFITABLE, UNPROFITABLE." THAT IS, THEY'RE FRUITLESS.
THEY DON'T GET YOU ANYWHERE. LET ME TELL YOU SOME WAYS THAT
YOU CAN GET YOURSELF INTO SOME
SORT OF AN UNPROFITABLE EXERCISE JUST BY BECOMING A FANATIC.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE MATTER
OF YOUR QUIET TIME. EVERYBODY OUGHT TO HAVE A QUIET
TIME. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
I BELIEVE THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BECOME
LEGALISTIC OVER YOUR QUIET TIME,
AND, AH, AND, AH, SOMEHOW FEEL THAT YOU, YOU'VE GRIEVED THE
SPIRIT OF GOD IF YOU FAIL TO HAVE THIS EXACT, PRECISE,
SPECIAL TIME. DID YOU KNOW? SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU NEED MORE THAN
A QUIET TIME, IS A NAP! [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] SERIOUSLY! JESUS WENT TO SLEEP IN THE
BACK OF A BOAT DURING A STORM,
BECAUSE HE WAS JUST WORN OUT. WAS HE SINNING BY DOING THAT?
COURSE HE NEVER SINNED. WHEN I WAS A YOUNG PREACHER, I
USED TO THINK I HAD, HAD TO HAVE
A BIG S PAINTED ON MY CHEST; SUPER PREACHER.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] AND PEOPLE SOMETIMES WOULD CALL
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
OR EARLY IN THE MORNING. I'D SAY, "HELLO."
BE SOUND ASLEEP. "HELLO," LIKE I'D BEEN UP
ALL NIGHT READING
THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] AH, LISTEN, AH, SOMETIMES
THE MOST SPIRITUAL THING WE CAN DO IS TO REST.
THE BIBLE NEVER LAYS DOWN
ANY RULES FOR QUIET TIME. YOU OUGHT TO HAVE A QUIET TIME. BUT I'M TELLING YOU, THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO'LL GET YOU UNDER
BONDAGE ABOUT THESE THINGS. YOU CAN BE AN EXTREMIST
ABOUT BIBLE STUDY.
YOU OUGHT TO READ THE BIBLE. BUT IT'S A SIN TO BE
READING THE BIBLE WHEN
YOU OUGHT TO BE PRAYING. AND IT'S A SIN TO BE PRAYING OR
READING THE BIBLE IF YOU OUGHT TO BE PLAYING
WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS.
DOES THAT OFFEND YOU? LISTEN, THERE IS ENOUGH TIME IN EVERY
DAY TO DO EVERYTHING GRACEFULLY
THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] YOU NEED TO
READ WIDER THAN THE BIBLE. OBVIOUSLY, YOU OUGHT TO READ
THE BIBLE, BUT A CHRISTIAN
NEEDS TO BE INFORMED. THERE ARE EXTREMISTS
IN EVERY AREA OF LIFE. YOUR BIBLE STUDY CAN
BECOME A BURDEN RATHER THAN
A BLESSING BY EXTREMISM. AH, YOU CAN BE EXTREME OVER
THE MATTER OF SEPARATION. AH, WE'RE TO,
WE ARE TO BE SEPARATE
FROM SINNERS. JESUS WAS. BUT LISTEN, HIS SEPARATION
WAS NOT ISOLATION. AH, JESUS, LET ME GIVE
YOU SOME VERSES HERE. MATTHEW NINE VERSES NINE THROUGH
13, "AND AS JESUS PASSED FORTH
FROM THENCE, HE SAW A MAN, NAMED MATTHEW." NOW,
WHO WAS MATTHEW? WELL,
LET ME TELL WHO MATTHEW WAS. MATTHEW WAS A TAX COLLECTOR.
DO YOU THINK THE IRS IS BAD? FRIEND, IF YOU LIVED
IN THAT DAY, YOU'D
BEG FOR THE IRS TODAY. HE WAS A TAX COLLECTOR, WORKED
FOR ROME, AND HERE, "AS JESUS
PASSED BY FROM THENCE, HE SAW A MAN, NAMED MATTHEW,
SITTING AT THE RECEIPT OF
CUSTOM;" THAT IS, HE WAS TAKING IN THE MONEY, "AND
HE SAITH UNTO HIM, 'FOLLOW ME.'
AND HE AROSE, AND FOLLOWED HIM. AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS JESUS
SAT AT MEAT IN THE HOUSE," THAT
IS, THE HOUSE OF MATTHEW, HA, HA, "BEHOLD, MANY
PUBLICANS AND SINNERS CAME
AND SAT DOWN WITH HIM." NOW, AH, THESE ARE, THESE
ARE PEOPLE, THE OFFSCOURING. THEY, THEY SAT DOWN WITH
HIM, "AND HIS DISCIPLES. [ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ]
NOW, WHAT IF JESUS, IN HIS
BODY, WERE TO VISIT MEMPHIS? I MEAN, JUST COME DOWN, STEP
OUT OF HEAVEN, LITERALLY, AND. WE'D SAY, "WELL, I WONDER
WHERE HE'S GOING TO SHOW UP. I WONDER IF HE'S GOING TO
SHOW UP, AH, AT BELLEVUE? MAYBE HE'S GOING TO BE AT
ONE OF THOSE OTHER CHURCHES. AH, WHERE, WHERE, WILL,
WILL HE BE AT THE COLISEUM
SO EVERYBODY CAN GO?" AND SUPPOSE YOU WENT
AND FOUND JESUS SITTING
ON A STREET CORNER, EATING PIZZA WITH, AH, PIMPS AND, UH, DRUG ADDICTS.
THERE HE IS. YOU'D SAY, "WELL,
HE DIDN'T COME TO BELLEVUE. HE'S, HE'S DOWN THERE ON
THE STREET CORNER EATING
A PIZZA WITH PIMPS. I'M A LITTLE
DISAPPOINTED IN JESUS." YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST LIKE
THE PHARISEES,
[ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ] JUST LIKE THE PHARISEES.
"WHAT IS THIS? THIS MAN EATS WITH SINNERS!"
YES, HE'S A FRIEND OF SINNERS.
[ AUDIENCE: YES, INDEED ] THANK GOD HE IS.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
AND WE OUGHT TO BE. YOU SEE, YES, SEPARATION, THAT'S
RIGHT; BUT NOT ISOLATION. AH, YOU ASK
SOME NON-BELIEVERS WHAT THEY
THINK ABOUT, AH, CHRISTIANS. THEY'LL TELL YOU THEY'RE
LEGALISTIC, THEY'RE
SELF-RIGHTEOUS, BACK-STABBERS. WE CAN BE EXTREME
ABOUT, UH, MANY THINGS. YOU CAN BE EXTREME EVEN ABOUT
YOUR SERVICE FOR THE LORD. I, I SAID THAT LOVE CAUSES YOU
TO SERVE THE LORD, BUT YOU CAN,
YOU CAN GET, AH, YOU CAN GET SO EXTREME THAT YOU RUN YOURSELF
INTO THE GROUND AND, AND, AH, MAYBE HARM YOUR FAMILY,
HARM YOUR HEALTH.
YOU KNOW WHAT A FANATIC IS? A FANATIC IS SOMEBODY,
WHEN HE LOSES HIS DIRECTION,
HE DOUBLES HIS SPEED. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
THAT'S WHAT A FANATIC IS. AND, AND PAUL SAYS, "LOOK,
TIMOTHY, BE ZEALOUS OF GOOD
WORKS, A BURNING, BLAZING, PASSIONATE, EMOTIONAL
ZEAL FOR JESUS, BUT AVOID UNGODLY EXTREMISM." YOU CAN BE AN EXTREMIST IN
THE MATTER OF SELF DENIAL.
YOU'RE TO DENY YOURSELF. BUT WHILE THE BIBLE TEACHES
SELF DENIAL, THE BIBLE IS NOT
AGAINST YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME. [ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ] THERE
ARE SOME SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS
REMIND ME OF THE GRINCH. REMEMBER THE GRINCH
WAS, YOU READ DR. SEUSS? THE OLD GRINCH, ANYTIME
HE SAW ANYBODY HAVING A
GOOD TIME, HE BIT HIMSELF. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE THAT. GOD WANTS YOU TO ENJOY LIFE.
YOU SAY, "ARE YOU SURE?" YES, THE BIBLE SAYS, "GOD GIVETH
US RICHLY ALL THINGS TO ENJOY." ECCLESIASTES FIVE VERSE 18,
"BEHOLD THAT WHICH I HAVE SEEN;
IT IS GOOD AND COMELY FOR ONE TO EAT AND TO DRINK, AND ENJOY
THE GOOD ALL HIS LABOR
THAT HE TAKETH UNDER THE SUN AND ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE,
WHICH GOD GIVETH HIM;
FOR IT IS HIS PORTION." NOW, SURE THERE'S SACRIFICE.
SURE, THAT WE'RE
TO ENDURE HARDNESS. SURE, THE CHURCH IS A
BATTLESHIP, NOT A SHOWBOAT. BUT THERE IS THE
JOY OF THE LORD. JESUS
HAD THE OIL OF GLADNESS. LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING ABOUT JESUS. JESUS WAS NOT SOME COLD, PALE,
RELIGIOUS, SANCTIMONIOUS RECLUSE
THAT HAD ICE WATER FOR BLOOD. LITTLE CHILDREN CAME,
AH, TO SIT IN HIS LAP. IN THAT PASSAGE THAT I READ TO
YOU ABOUT THE PUBLICANS AND THE
SINNERS, THEY CAME TO EAT WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
BECAUSE THEY SAW IN HIM
AN OPENNESS AND A GLADNESS. NOW, WHAT HAVE I SAID
ABOUT THIS, THIS, AH,
THIS, AH, EXTREMISM? I SAID IT IS FOOLISH. IT IS
FRACTIOUS. IT IS FRUITLESS. I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE.
IT IS FATAL, IT IS FATAL. NOTICE, AH, CONTINUE ON IN VERSE
10, "A MAN THAT IS A HERETIC, AFTER THE FIRST AND SECOND
ADMONITION, REJECT.
KNOWING THAT HE, HE THAT IS SUCH IS SUBVERTED,
AND SINNETH,
BEING CONDEMNED OF HIMSELF." AH, YOU MISS THE GRACE
OF GOD WITH EXTREMISM,
AND THAT IS FATAL. MANY ARE LOST BECAUSE
OF MISGUIDED ZEAL. AH, NOT ONLY OF THEIR OWN,
THEIR OWN LOSTNESS, BUT OTHERS
ARE LOST BECAUSE OF FANATICISM. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF CHRIST
HAS BEEN HURT MORE IN THE HOUSE
OF GOD THAN IT HAS IN THE HOUSE OF ITS ENEMIES MANY TIMES.
AN INTERESTING STORY. AH, JESUS WAS TRAVELING,
AND THE SAMARITANS
WOULD NOT RECEIVE HIM. NOW JAMES AND JOHN WERE
FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD JESUS,
AND THEY WERE INCENSED BECAUSE OF THE SAMARITANS WHO LIVED
NORTH OF, AH, JUDEA. AND READ IN LUKE NINE VERSE 54,
"AND WHEN HIS DISCIPLES, JAMES
AND JOHN, SAW THIS, THEY SAID, 'LORD, WILT THOU COMMAND," UH,
"WILT THOU THAT WE COMMAND
FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND CONSUME THEM,
EVEN AS ELIAS DID?' BUT HE TURNED AND REBUKED THEM,
AND SAID, 'YE KNOW NOT WHAT
MANNER OF SPIRIT YE ARE OF; FOR THE SON OF MAN IS
NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN'S
LIVES, BUT TO SAVE THEM.' AND THEY WENT TO
ANOTHER VILLAGE." NOW, THEY WOULDN'T
RECEIVE HIM IN SAMARIA. SO JAMES AND JOHN SAID, "LORD,
LOOK WHAT THESE PEOPLE, THEY,
THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED YOU. LORD, I'LL TELL
YOU WHAT LET'S DO. LET'S NUKE 'EM.
[ AUDIENCE CHUCKLE ] LET'S CALL DOWN
FIRE FROM HEAVEN! HA. LET 'EM FRY! THEY DESERVE IT." JESUS SAID, "YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT SPIRIT YOU'RE OF. I DIDN'T COME TO DESTROY MEN'S
LIVES, BUT TO SAVE THEM." THIS IS THE SAME SPIRIT OF THOSE
WHO'LL GO INTO AN ABORTION
CLINIC AND SHOOT A DOCTOR OR A NURSE
[ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ]
IN THE NAME OF JESUS. [ SLAP ] AND THE WHOLE
ABORTION MATTER IS SET
BACK, NOT SET FORWARD. PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT SPIRIT THEY ARE OF. IT IS, IT, IT'S A
FANATICISM THAT IS FATAL. AH, GOD HAD A PLAN
FOR SAMARIA ALL RIGHT, BUT IT
WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE. IT WAS HOLY GHOST FIRE.
AND IT WAS A REVIVAL
THAT CAME TO SAMARIA. MISGUIDED ZEAL IS SO TERRIBLE.
LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE
OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WHEN SIMON PETER IN THE
GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
TRIED TO DEFEND JESUS. HA, HA. OLD PETER PULLS OUT HIS SWORD
AND HE RUNS OVER THERE AND HE
CUTS THE EAR OFF OF MALCHUS, THE SERVANT TO THE HIGH PRIEST.
JESUS HAS TO PUT IT
BACK ON IT AND HEAL HIM. DO YOU, DO YOU REMEMBER
THAT WHAT WAS THAT? FRIEND, THAT WAS MISGUIDED ZEAL.
THAT WAS EXTREMISM. THAT DID NOT HELP THE CAUSE
OF CHRIST; IT SET IT BACK. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT
WAS WRONG WITH IT. NUMBER ONE, HE HAD
THE WRONG ENEMY.
MALCHUS WAS NOT THE ENEMY. THEY WERE NOT WRESTLING AGAINST
FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST
PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS. MALCHUS WAS A SERVANT
TO THE HIGH PRIEST.
HE, HIMSELF, WAS A SLAVE. AND MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE
ATTACK, THEMSELVES, ARE SLAVES
OF SATAN, DID YOU KNOW THAT? [ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ]
AND IT CAN BE A FINANCIAL SWORD,
IT CAN BE AN EMOTIONAL SWORD, IT CAN BE A PHYSICAL SWORD,
BUT HE HAD THE WRONG ENEMY.
I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE. NOT ONLY DID HE HAVE THE WRONG
ENEMY, HE HAD THE WRONG WEAPON.
HUH, A SWORD. THE BIBLE SAYS, "THE WEAPONS
OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL. THEY'RE MIGHTY THROUGH
GOD TO THE PULLING
DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS." LATER ON, PETER USED ANOTHER
SWORD, THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT,
ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST AND 3,000 WERE NOT SLAIN; THEY WERE
MADE ALIVE BY TRUSTING JESUS
AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT ELSE HE HAD.
HE HAD THE WRONG ENERGY. PETER HAD BEEN DOWN
THERE SLEEPING. JESUS HAD SAID, "PETER,
WATCH AND PRAY, LEST YE
ENTER INTO TEMPTATION." ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WAKES UP, UP,
PULLS A SWORD OUT, AH, GOING OUT TO DO SOMETHING FOR GOD.
[ SLAP ] THE WRONG ENERGY. THE ENERGY OF THE FLESH
RATHER THAN OF THE SPIRIT.
EVERY EXTREMIST, EVERY FANATIC, RATHER THAN WALKING
IN THE SPIRIT, IS OBEYING
THE ENERGY OF THE FLESH. THE WRONG ENEMY, THE WRONG
WEAPON, THE WRONG ENERGY;
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, HE HAD THE WRONG ATTITUDE. HE
WAS HOPPING MAD. HE WAS ANGRY. AND THE BIBLE SAYS, "THE
WRATH OF MAN DOES NOT WORK
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD." HOW DID PETER GET IN THIS MESS? I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING,
HE WAS ARGUING WHEN HE
SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTENING. HE WAS TRYING TO KEEP JESUS
FROM THE CROSS WHEN JESUS
WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO HIM. I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE.
HE WAS SLEEPING WHEN
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRAYING. NOW, I'VE TOLD YOU THERE'S
A TIME TO SLEEP, BUT THERE
IS ALSO A TIME TO PRAY. THERE IS THIS WONDERFUL
BALANCE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
AND NOW PETER IS A MISGUIDED, RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST
WHO IS SETTING BACK
THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. I'M SO GLAD THAT JESUS PUT
THE EAR BACK ON MALCHUS. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT HE'D
LOOK LIKE WITH ONE EAR? "HEY, MALC, WHAT
HAPPENED TO YOUR EAR?" "HUH, ONE OF THE FOLLOWERS
OF JESUS WHACKED IT OFF." A GREAT TESTIMONY, HUH, A GREAT
TESTIMONY, GREAT TESTIMONY. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS
THIS, THANK GOD FOR ZEAL. WE'RE TO BE ZEALOUS
OF GOOD WORKS. NEVER LOSE YOUR PASSION.
NEVER LOSE YOUR FIRE. NEVER LOSE YOUR JOY.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER! BUT DON'T LET THE DEVIL
MAKE YOU AN EXTREMIST. DON'T LET THE DEVIL
MAKE YOU A FANATIC. DON'T LET THE DEVIL JUST GET YOU
LIKE SOMEBODY, SOME FOLKS WERE
SO HOPPED UP ABOUT, AH, HA, HA, HA, THE WAY THEY WORSHIP.
SOMEBODY SAID, "YOU THINK THOSE
FOLKS ARE GOING TO HEAVEN?" HE SAID, "WELL, IF THEY
DON'T RUN RIGHT PAST IT."
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] THERE IS A SWEET REASONABLENESS
TO SERVING OUR LORD. NOW, OUR TIME IS GONE, BUT
WHAT, WHAT IS THE GRACE OF GOD? GO BACK TO, YOU'RE IN CHAPTER
THREE. [ PAGES TURNING ] LOOK AT THE
FIRST PART OF CHAPTER THREE. READ THE FIRST THREE VERSES,
"PUT THEM IN MIND TO BE SUBJECT
TO PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, TO OBEY MAGISTRATES, TO BE
READY FOR EVERY GOOD WORK,
TO SPEAK EVIL ON NO MAN, TO BE NO BRAWLERS,
BUT GENTLE, SHOWING
ALL MEEKNESS TO ALL MEN." WHY? LISTEN, FOLKS, THIS IS
THE WAY WE WERE ONE TIME. "FOR WE OURSELVES WERE, WERE
SOMETIMES FOOLISH, DISOBEDIENT,
DECEIVED, SERVING DIVERSE LUSTS AND PLEASURES, LIVING IN
MALICE AND ENVY, HATEFUL,
AND HATING ONE ANOTHER. BUT AFTER THE KINDNESS AND
LOVE OF GOD, OUR SAVIOR,
TOWARD MAN APPEARED. NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
WHICH WE HAVE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY
HE SAVED US." HE SAYS,
"LOOK, BE LOVING, BE KIND. YOU WERE JUST LIKE
THEM AT ONE TIME. AND, AND, AND LET THE BEAUTY,
THE LOVE OF THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST, BE SEEN IN YOU." WELL, [ CLAP ] I REALLY
FELT THE LORD WANTED
ME TO SAY THAT TODAY. I DON'T KNOW WHY, EXCEPT
MAYBE ABOUT SOMEONE HERE
TODAY MAY HAVE NEEDED IT. HA, HA, HA. OH, YEAH.
[ PASTOR CHUCKLING ] LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING,
FRIEND. THE GRACE OF GOD
IS SO WONDERFUL, [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] SO
WONDERFUL THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION HATH
APPEARED TO ALL MEN. ISN'T GRACE A BEAUTIFUL WORD?
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] I THINK THE TWO MOST BEAUTIFUL
WORDS IN THE WHOLE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARE THESE: JESUS AND GRACE.
I LOVE THOSE WORDS.
I LOVE THE NAME JESUS. IT FITS JUST RIGHT ON MY TONGUE.
AND THE WORD GRACE. THAT'S WHAT MAKES GOD
LOVE PEOPLE LIKE WE ARE,
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] LIKE US. WE'RE NOT A BUNCH OF SELF
RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE
BETTER THAN SOMEBODY ELSE. A CHURCH IS A SOCIETY OF SINNERS
WHO FINALLY REALIZED IT AND
BANDED THEMSELVES TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WHO THANK GOD FOR HIS WONDERFUL,
WONDERFUL GRACE. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING, SOME GOOD NEWS. GOD LOVES YOU AND HE
WANTS TO SAVE YOU. AND HE WILL SAVE YOU
BECAUSE IT IS HIS GRACE
THAT BRINGS SALVATION. AND PAUL TOLD TITUS, "NOT BY
WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT WE
HAVE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY THAT HE SAVED US."
AND HE'LL SAVE YOU. HE'LL SAVE YOU TODAY.
AND HE'LL KEEP YOU FOREVER. WOULD YOU BOW YOUR
HEADS IN PRAYER? WHILE HEADS ARE BOWED
AND EYES ARE CLOSED,
MAY I LEAD YOU IN A PRAYER? AND IN THIS PRAYER, YOU CAN
RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR
PERSONAL SAVIOR AND LORD. YOU'RE NOT SAVED
BY REPEATING WORDS. MY PRAYER IS ONLY A GUIDE AND IT
WILL DO NO GOOD AT ALL UNLESS
YOU MEAN IT FROM YOUR HEART. BUT IF YOU WANT TO BE SAVED,
WOULD YOU PRAY
THIS KIND OF A PRAYER, JUST FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW.
FORGET ANYONE ELSE IS HERE. JUST ADDRESS YOURSELF, JUST
ADDRESSED YOUR, ADDRESS YOURSELF
TO THE GOD WHO LOVES YOU SO MUCH AND PRAY LIKE THIS, "DEAR GOD.
I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE ME, AND I
KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO SAVE ME. JESUS, YOU DIED TO SAVE ME AND YOU PROMISED TO SAVE ME
IF I WOULD TRUST YOU. I DO TRUST YOU, JESUS.
I BELIEVE YOU'RE THE SON OF GOD. I BELIEVE YOU PAID FOR MY SIN
WITH YOUR BLOOD ON THE CROSS. I NOW, BY FAITH, RECEIVE
YOU INTO MY HEART
AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR. I TRUST YOU TO SAVE ME. I YIELD
MY HEART, MY LIFE TO YOU. YOU ARE NOW MY LORD, MY GOD,
MY SAVIOR, AND MY FRIEND.
THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME." YOU SAY, "PASTOR ROGERS,
COULD IT BE THAT EASY?" YES, BECAUSE JESUS DIED FOR YOU.
THAT'S GRACE. THAT IS GRACE. RECEIVE IT.
"THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME. NOW, LORD JESUS, BECAUSE YOU
DIED FOR ME, I WILL LIVE FOR
YOU; NOT IN ORDER TO BE SAVED, BUT BECAUSE I'M SAVED. AND I
WILL NOT BE ASHAMED OF YOU. I WILL MAKE IT PUBLIC IF YOU'LL
ONLY GIVE ME THE STRENGTH. IN YOUR NAME I PRAY. AMEN." ♪♪♪ WE PRAY GOD HAS BLESSED YOU AS
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