Are You Ready for Baptism?

[Music] Passover is now less than eight weeks away and that may seem like a long time two months it's actually just slightly less than that but traditionally we have a flurry of individuals requesting baptism at this time so if anyone is wanting to request baptism now is the time to let your ministers know don't wait around if you want to be baptized before Passover sometimes we have people wait for the last minute I've actually had situations where somebody asks the day before now honestly if there's a busy time for a minister that's it and he really doesn't have time in most cases to talk to you about baptism so especially if you've been around a while you need to talk a little bit earlier but my questions for you today are are you ready for baptism are you ready for baptism and for the rest of you which is most of you who are here I don't want you to go to sleep so I have a question for you and that is do you remember why you are baptized and that might sound like a simple question but sometimes we need to be reminded of why we were baptized or why we want to be baptized baptism is the most important decision of your life we say that all the time but I wonder if people really believe that that is the case a lot of times people think that well the most important decision of life is who you marry but we must remember that marriage is temporary we hope it is till one dies or the other until death do us part but at the very least it's it's temporary you might be married for 50 or 60 I've known one or two couples that managed to make 70 years that's a long time humanly speaking however that's still temporary and the older we get the more we realize how 10 Paree life is when you're 16 it seems like life goes on forever but when you get a little bit older 60 or 70 years of age you realize just how short it is and funny things happen your mind is still the same at least we hope it is if you're 70 years of age but little problems become big problems a lot more quickly and we have this flu epidemic and it seems to be taking lives of the very young or older people and what might have just been something you would throw off at a younger age isn't always so easy to throw off sometimes when you get older so life is temporary in marriage is temporary but baptism deals with eternal life it's a decision that can lead to eternal life life forever baptism is an outward expression of an inward intent what we do outwardly getting in the water being dunked having a prayer said over you having hands laid upon you that's all expressing what is inside what you understand what you believe inside it's making a decision and it's a commitment we see some evangelists and talk about making a decision for Christ well it is a decision but it's also a commitment and actions must follow that decision and commitment it has to do with how we live the remainder of our lives baptism has implications for eternity now let's notice what we might look at as a starting point considering baptism in Luke the 14th chapter we often read this in fact I think we probably always do at least that is the tradition of the church read Luke 14 a portion of it and I like to start back little ways here where he said in verse 16 a certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servants at supper time to say to those who were invited to come for all things are now ready this is analogy metaphor for the marriage supper of the lamb referring to those that are going to be resurrected at Christ's return or born into the family of God at that time there are those who are given an invitation we know elsewhere that many are called but few are chosen and we see that here but they all with one Accord began to make excuses the first one said I've bought a piece of ground and I must go and see to it I ask you to have me excused so that's one excuse that somebody might have they bought a new piece of ground they bought a new home they've got they're busy they're taking care of it maybe they're building a home itself and they say well I just don't have time for right now and another it said verse 19 I have bought five yoke of oxen and I'm going to test them I ask you to have me excused I have a new job I have a new piece of equipment so yes I'd like to come to the supper but I'm just too busy at the moment still another said verse 20 I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come so he talks about new jobs you might say a new wife family circumstances whatever it might be it gives three examples here so that servant came and reported these things to the master and notice that the master of the house being angry what God offers us something well he gives us an opportunity for life for being in his family for being in the first resurrection and we turn it down that doesn't please our Creator and he said to the servant go out quickly into the streets and the lanes of the city and bring in here the poor of the maimed the lame and the blind the ones that were originally invited of course it's there's a metaphor here of Israel or the Jews specifically and so God is going to fill the seats of the marriage supper and the servant said master is done as you command and in still there's room then and the master said to the servant go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be full may be filled for I say to you that none of those men notice none of those who are invited it shall taste my supper now we don't know how that means that they're not going to be in the kingdom of God but they're certainly not going to be in the first resurrection they're not going to have an opportunity to sit at Jesus feet or at the same table and be a part of the Bride of Christ these are individuals who are losing out maybe not on it to in eternal life that's something that we don't absolutely know but they certainly are going to miss out on the first resurrection and Christ is going to be angry with those individuals whom he offered or his father offered an opportunity for and how often we see that I've heard people say well I just don't have time to study and there are I suppose many different reasons sometimes we have people who attend services for years literally years and for all practical purposes they're a part of the church but they never take the step of being baptized and we'll see a little bit more of the purpose for this I remember an individual many many years ago he's not a part of the living Church of God as far as I know but he'd gone through ambassador College which most of the students by the time they were seniors were baptized but he was about 26 years of age at the time and he finally asked to be baptized and as he told me he said I've been doing all the right things I've been keeping the Sabbath I've been paying my tithes I've been avoiding unclean meats I've been doing everything that all the rest of the members are doing but he said if I die or Christ comes back it's all for nothing he finally woke up to realize he was doing all those things really to no end or purpose now he's certainly a better life if you're obeying God but nevertheless when it comes to eternal life he realized that he was missing out on something and there are people like that sometimes we know why they wait sometimes we don't but I've known people that have been in the church been attending church for literally decades but they never come to place of making that decision sometimes it's because people pressure them and there's a certain stubbornness well my husband is pressuring me so I'm not going to do it and that's probably good that you don't do it for that reason at some point you have to say wait a minute this is between God and me and I have to decide what is best for me not what's best for my husband what's best for my wife not what's best for my my parents all those things sometimes people give in and they get baptized for the wrong reason just to satisfy somebody else and that's not right we go on to this part that we often read for those who are being baptized says now great multitudes went with him and he turned and said to them if anyone comes to me and does not hate meaning love to a lesser degree his father and mother wife and children brothers and sisters yes in his own life also he cannot be my disciple now it's easy to read right over that but jesus said he cannot be my disciple if he is not first we must love to a lesser degree the closest relationships that we have including our own life also the Christ must be more important than this physical life that we're living and I wonder how many times people read that but they really don't get it they really don't because if one member of the family leaves they often leave with them something was missing there in their understanding says whoever does not bear his cross or his burden and come after me cannot be my disciple for which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish sometimes you we don't see too many built people building towers today I suppose you've got Trump Tower and some other kinds of towers but we see people sometimes that start houses I know in my wife's family's neighborhood there was a house that they were building for years and at one point you thought they were never going to finish it I've known people that are that build their own house and they start out with a basement and then they live there to save enough money so they can build the upper structure sometimes they never get to the upper structure they only go so far and so he says here that we should after they've laid the foundation is not able to finish all who see it begin to mock him or what King going to make war against another King does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand especially in a warfare that is not so technical technical as we have today so much technology but when it has to do with swords and clubs and so forth ten thousand would have a hard time going against twenty thousand he says where else while the other is still a great way off he sends a delegation and asked conditions of peace so likewise whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple we must be willing to forsake everything there is nothing that should be more precious to us than Christ and following his ways and so he tells us where to to count the cost we need to count the cost what we're going to do has he who has ears to hear let him hear this is what we call counting the cost now let's be honest with ourselves when we read those verses we know what we want to do don't we but can any of us say I know what I will do Peter thought he knew it he would do but when the time came and they were threatened he took off and ran now he repented of that and eventually as we understand from history as well as even the Scriptures he was murdered he didn't run then so we can't say what we will always do but we at least in our minds at the time of baptism and each day as we get up we have to have that commitment that I'm going to put Christ above all else that's not easy to do but something that we must be prepared to do in Revelation the twelfth chapter revelation 12 and verse 11 we'll just read the the one verse there but it's talking about the servants of God the saints of God and verse 11 it says and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death he's talking about people who yet in the future are going to be willing to lay down their lives for Christ of course this applies to the past but it's leading right into the very future when well actually before that Satan is cast of the earth talking about time yet in the future and it says they did not love their lives unto death they put God first Christ first are we willing to do that do we understand that's the commitment that we made or that we will make and though you must live with that commitment and every day when we get up we understand the commitment that we're making to God and Deuteronomy the thirteenth chapter I find rather interesting the Bible has dr. Meredith has always said is the mind of God it's how God thinks and here in Deuteronomy the thirteenth chapter in verse six your army 13 verse 6 it says if your brother the son of your mother your son or your daughter the wife of your bosom or your friend who is as your own soul secretly entices you saying let us go and serve other gods which you have not known neither you nor your fathers of the gods of the people which are all around you says near to you are far off from you from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth verse 8 you shall not consent to him or listen to him nor shall your I pity him nor shall you spare him or conceal him but you shall surely kill him your hand shall be the first against him to put him to death and afterward the hand of all the people and you shall stone him with stones until he dies because he sought to entice you away from the eternal your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage now I think we all understand this was under the Old Covenant this was had to do with the nation of Israel and we don't go out and we don't start stoning someone or killing them I think we all know that but I have to clarify that so nobody misunderstands it it's in some places in this world to read that scripture I don't know if we qualify it will make a difference in Canada now be considered hate speech that's that's been proven in court not this particular scripture but another one similar to it so we need to understand that this is not what we are espousing that we we take somebody out and kill them but I think it tells us something about the mind of God for example when the church the the living not living but the Worldwide Church of God was going into apostasy I know that there were some ministers who felt oh I can't say anything I can't do anything and here the sheep being slaughtered with wrong ideas and they're just standing up on the top of the hill saying well I can't say anything I can't do anything is that the mind of God I understand that we should not take a paycheck from someplace that we and then badmouth and or whatever but I know I was terribly conflicted during that time what to do but I realized that I had to say something not badmouth the individuals but the ideas and just point out simply actually had four questions when I left you know why such massive changes actually three questions where are they headed and what should we do and I think that there comes a time when we all have stand up and we have to say I'm not going to sell myself for a paycheck I think I well I know I used a different word some people were offended by that but I know I said I will not prostitute myself for a paycheck which means to sell yourself and I think that there's a time when even in families we have to separate truth from error and we find somebody in the congregation as an example and we're not asking everybody be tattletales or whatever but if you have somebody who's spreading heresy and you say oh I can't I can't go against my buddy I just keep my mouth shut he's a wolf gobbling people up and we have this sometimes somebody brings in a heresy and they talk privately with people I don't know of that happening here so please understand I'm not talking about anybody here at least I hope I'm not but I've known of those situations and they take away a half dozen or a dozen people sometimes a few more we should not stand back and keep silent in those situations we need to stand up for the truth and where is our loyalty is it with God or is it was my friend that comes a time when you have to make choices and first Corinthians a fifth chapter first Corinthians five we're familiar with this and we'll probably read a little bit of this chapter during the days of unleavened bread coming up but we know that there was an individual that was committing sexual immorality and the problem was that as you allow a little bit here it spreads to others people are more emboldened to do those things verse 9 he says I wrote to you in a my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people you know I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or idolaters since then you would need to go out of the world so we're not here to change the world but within the Church of God as he points out here but now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral or covetous or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner not even to eat with such a person now we have some Churches of God out here who will disfellowship us as it were because we're not with them but talking here about immorality it's not talking about the fact that we might have a somewhat different view on the Sabbath or how to keep the Sabbath or whatever it's you know we recognize well as some look at us we're all laetus Ian's and they're Philadelphia so Philadelphians can't fellowship with later sins even if it's your own family member what a perversion of Scripture that is there were seven churches in Asia Minor can you imagine Philadelphia and Laodicea which were at the opposite ends of the valley that Paul is saying that boy if you're a one-in and you are mostly because it wasn't everybody in the congregation but this was the attitude of one congas you can't fellowship with those people over there how foolish they're all the Church of God now we do need to understand that there are differences out here and we're not all the same but to say that one should never you know sit down with somebody and have a meal with somebody because they're of a different group I don't think we should just be going back and forth and this church and that church and be a this one fella described it he was in the with the highway Church of God or the something like that one we could go on place one we could go another place that's confusion and it certainly doesn't help brand-new people who don't understand all the history and so forth but we're just talking about the fact that you can't even be civil to someone who might be of a different group I think we need to know why we're here and be strong and why we're here and not go back and forth them to different festival sites and that sort of thing I think that that shows a lack of understanding but at the same time the point is that it's talking about the world here in Chapter five the first Corinthians there were to forsake well we're we're not to go out of the stop a fellowshipping with anybody in the world now where's your neighbors you can be friends with them even if they have a few problems but as far as the church goes if someone's going to be sexually immoral nor idolaters nor covetous or whatever then he says those individuals if it's you know a real extreme case there you put them out the point I'm trying to make here is that we have to decide where our loyalties are and Christ says you must put him first above all else in Hebrews 11 Hebrews 11 and verse 36 here we read of the cost of discipleship for some people it says still others had trials trial of mockings and scourgings yes and of chains and imprisonment they were stoned they were sawn in two I think there's some tradition that Isaiah was sawn into I think there's some tradition on that we don't know for sure who it's talking about but it does say here that some were sawn into now I'm not sure exactly whether that's talking about this way or this way it doesn't sound like anything that I'd want to have happened to me and I'm sure you feel the same way that's something that probably all of us in this room could all agree upon whether we're baptized or not we all agree that that would not be very pleasant they were tempted were slain with the sword they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute afflicted and tormented they didn't always have nice comfortable homes of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth now that's all almost poetically poetic and sounding there we can read that and there's a certain rhythm to it all and if we're not careful we can we can love the words and miss the meaning these were real things that happen to real people verse 39 all and all these having obtained a good testimony through faith did not receive the promise so they did not inherit the promise in this physical life but they went about destitute in sheepskins and goatskins tormented afflicted in various ways some were stone some were sawn in two we see that but this is the calling that God has given to us that we must be willing whenever he requires of us we don't know what he will require of us sometimes it's putting God before a mate I've known people who have been willing to do that I think you probably have too but there are others who put their mate before God and when we were baptized we said that we are putting it all on the line this is the way that we are going this is the cost of discipleship are you ready to make this kind of a commitment and for those already baptized was this your decision at baptism and is it still your decision are you putting Christ above all else so where do we start where do we start with all this well do you really deeply know the God of the Bible do you really know God I think that's the first place that's where I like to start when I'm counseling someone for baptism do you really know that God exists notice over in Hebrews the eleventh chapter in verse 6 says but without faith it is impossible to please him for he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him so you must first of all know that God exists and know that he will reward those who diligently seek him not passively but diligently seek him in the first verse of Hebrews 11 his faith it says faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of a 'the is the evidence of things not seen now I explained this in a previous sermon and wrote an article about this but I do want to emphasize it again because sometimes it takes a few times for something to sink in if you've been looking at in a different way but faith goes beyond physical evidence this is not saying in verse one that we have evidence for our faith it's saying that faith is the evidence of things not seen it goes beyond physical evidence how do we know that well an example is ancient Israel was there ever a people who had more evidence than ancient Israel coming out of Egypt they saw all the plagues that took place in Egypt they watched as the Red Sea was opened up before their eyes just imagine looking out over a river or a large body of water and seeing it open up so that you can walk across dry land that must have been an awesome sight we read about a pillar of fire at night and a cloud by day day after day after day to lead them what must have that been like what about the fact that the firstborn were killed in Egypt who weren't protected by the blood of Christ or the blood of the Lamb picturing what Christ would do for us it was only the firstborn who died and all the firstborn in that house but for those who had the blood of the Lamb not a single one was killed that's pretty remarkable that's hard to explain or to explain away what about the manna that came from forty years six days a week and the sixth day always had enough for the next day and if they saved it over any other day it bred worms in its tank this is you know you read that and you think wow if I can see that if you could see any one of those miracles you think that that would save you but I've known some people who've been healed miraculously no explanation for it other than a gift of God an act of God and I can tell you that doesn't keep people in the truth very many of them fall away in fact it seems to me that the most spectacular miracles that take place the percentage is pretty high of those that fall away eventually now if you've had something miracle don't think that I'm saying you're going to fall away but I'm just saying that miracles do not prove things for people faith goes beyond physical evidence notice Hebrews a fourth chapter he was four and verse 16 that's not where I want to go Hebrews 3 sorry Hebrews 3 verse 16 he says for who having heard believed I'm sorry for who having heard rebelled indeed was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses now with whom was he angry 40 years was it not with those who sinned whose corpses fell in the wilderness and to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest but to those who did not obey and then verse 19 so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief in spite of all of those miracles now does this mean that we have as so many people in this world a blind faith does that mean that our faith should be blind that we simply believe something because we grew up in that type of a household if you were Catholic you probably believe at least up to a certain point if you're here that doesn't apply but if you're a Catholic growing up you probably believe as my Catholic friends did that they were right they didn't have the evidence they thought they did those of us who are Protestants we thought we were better there are Catholic friends and those who grow up in an Islamic religion believe that they are right and Buddhist probably think that they're right an atheist we know they believe they're right so oftentimes whatever your background is that's what you believe and a lot of times when our young people come to us to be baptized and you ask the question do you know that God exists oh I've always believed God exists that's not that's not the right answer don't mean to feed you the right answers but the point is that just because you believe it doesn't mean it's so unless it is based on some form of evidence now this doesn't do away with Hebrews the eleventh chapter faith goes beyond physical evidence but at the same time we should have some reason why we believe something notice in Nehemiah of the 9th chapter when ancient Israel came out of Egypt they had evidence for God they lacked faith but they had the evidence the evidence was there and God did not withhold evidence from them God doesn't want us to believe something through blind faith notice Nehemiah the ninth chapter and verse 10 it says you showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh against all his servants and against all the people of his land for you knew that they acted proudly against them so you made a name for yourself as it is this day God made a name for himself among the children of Israel they had signs and they had wonders that they could view there in Psalm 77th chapter the 77th song verse 11 it says I will remember I will remember the works of the eternal surely I will remember your wonders of old so the psalmist here is saying I'm going to remember your works of old I will also meditate on all your work and talk of your deeds your way O God is in the sanctuary who is so great a God as our God you are the God who does wonders you have declared your strength among the peoples you have with your arm redeemed your people and the sons of Jacob and Joseph notice over in Romans the 1st chapter Romans 1 and I'll just read the one verse verse 24 since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse God has given us evidence everywhere of his existence and so when we start thinking about baptism we have to know that God exists and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him notice over in Psalm 139 and verse 14 Psalm 139 and verse 14 says I will praise you David said for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are your works and that my soul knows very well the starting place is to really know that God exists not believe simply because that's what you've been taught and you've always believed it since you're a child but really prove it for yourself and there are a hundred a thousand different ways of doing that I suppose to help you out doctor when Al wrote I think it's Doctor when Al disease that or John of wind which one was it yeah doctor when al wrote the real God proofs and promises this may not be the most update version but it's something that it does you well to read it has more depth to it then you might realize when it says a creator there can't be a creator there can't be a creation without a creator far more to it than that when you start thinking about the dirt underneath your feet or the rug or whatever it is there had to be a beginning as we grow up we just think it's always been there but scientists know that it hasn't always been there they're trying to figure out how it came about and when you listen to their explanations I don't know if they're right or wrong they talked about the Big Bang or they like called the cosmic expansion and they point out that this is what they they believe at least many scientists today and they very well could be right that everything in the entire universe was squeezed down to something smaller than a dot at the end of the the paragraph or at the end of the sentence it was all that small at one time now I can't even imagine everything in this room all of you squeezed down that small and then expanded outward they very well may be right I don't know how God did it we know he stretched out the heavens as a curtain but how did he do it how did he bring in a ballot it's an amazing thing the science is still struggling to figure these things out I think at the booklet I think this is an older version it needs to be updated it talks about how the everything is spreading out but it's slowing down now they're saying it's speeding up as it spreads outward and I always think about that I say wait a minute how come I can see Orion out there how can I see all the stars that seem very familiar if they're spreading out at the rate that they're talking about how fast it's going outward well of course that's part of I think our galaxy it's the other galaxies are spreading out from it going out further it's all just going outward but the galaxy that we're in as far as I know it's hanging together is not just flying off out there so that's why we see things so constantly anyway that's the theory for today that it's speeding up we'll have to wait till tomorrow but it doesn't mean that everything scientists say is bad when we talk about the Big Bang Theory or the cosmic expansion people that are in the church often think oh that's talking evolution you know that fact is is on our side because saying there was a beginning and they have to come up with an explanation for it so as mr. Smith has pointed out and honor his programs are an article they they have multiverses in other words there are multiple universes not just galaxies but what we know is our universe is just one universe but there are a whole lot of other universes out there they've got to develop those they've got to theorize that maybe they exist with no evidence whatsoever to be able to explain explain evolution because they realize how difficult it is for life to come into existence by chance the odds are so so against it as any anyone who's really looked into it knows the odds are staggering way beyond any of our comprehension for it to come into being by itself so do you know that God truly does exist I'd say a good starting places and if you've read it before go back and read this booklet it's an important statement on the subject now you must also know that the Bible is God's Word this book that you're holding in your hands is the Word of God that it comes by inspiration from God you can look at prophecies fulfilled how could all these things come about in the way that they have one of my favorite ones is in Zechariah the 14th chapter and here we read well actually you could start in the 12th chapter look at Zechariah the 12th chapter and verse 2 it says behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples when they lay siege against judah and jerusalem and it shall happen in that day that i will make jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces though all the nations of the earth are gathered against it do we see Jerusalem first of all in existence today because this is written some 2500 years ago plus or minus 100 forget exactly the date on it but 2500 years ago how would you like to project Ford what is going to happen with Charlotte 2500 years from now whether it would even be in existence and furthermore we see from the 14th chapter that Jews are there so who's going to be inhabiting Charlotte 2500 years in the future if it even exists we know that this is after Christ's coming because it says here in verse 10 and I will pour on the house of David on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication then they will look on me whom they pierced yes they will mourn for him as one who mourns for his his only son and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn he's talking about after Christ's first coming after his death burial and resurrection these events then you get chapter 14 it says behold the day of the Lord is coming that's the time yet in the future day of God's wrath and your Spirit will be divided in your midst for I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem do we see Jerusalem in that state where all these nations hate it want to destroy it want to run the Jews into the sea and he says the city shall be taken the houses rifled and the women ravished half of the city shall go into captivity somewhat of an indication that it is a divided city half the city shall go into captivity but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city it goes on to say that the Lord will go forth and fight and that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives verse 4 verse 9 and the Lord shall be king over all the earth if you read this and you see that the things that's describing in verses 4 and 5 and so forth about the Mount of Olives splitting and the river coming out from it that hasn't happened yet we can see the circumstances that will bring it about so there are many different proofs that the Bible is the Word of God I think one of the greatest proofs is that this way of life works this way of life works some think God's law is burdensome now it's true that the Jews added burdens to the law but Jesus himself condemned those burdens that they added to it God says through John that God's law is not burdensome notice Adam first John the fifth chapter and verse 3 I think we're very familiar with it but let's just notice it because all these things have implications to it verse 3 for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments people talk about God's love and that's all we need is love but John says this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and His commandments are not burdensome now you know what's burdensome is a violation of God's law god says you shall not commit adultery now if you don't commit adultery there's no penalty if you do their unwanted pregnancy there are diseases there are destroyed relationships between husband and wife destroyed relationships with your children there could be embarrassment there could be loss of a job look at some of these these politicians and others who get caught in these things and destroys their career now that's burden burdensome when we violate God's law there are penalties for it that's what the burden is it is sin that it's burdensome notice over in proverbs the fourth chapter the problem is that as we grow up as teenagers we think that God is sometimes keeping us from the good things and that mom and dad are keeping us from the good things when in reality God and mom and dad are keeping us from keeping us from heartache and suffering chapter four of Proverbs beginning verse 10 here my son and receive my sayings and the years of your life will be many when young people go out drinking and driving the consequence is often very bad sometimes you think you get away with it but you've just developed the the encouragement to try it again nothing happens so it must be okay young people take up smoking habit and they think they were getting away with something because I don't die immediately and it doesn't seem to affect their breathing that much not right away of course the fact that they threw up a few times and had quite a call for a little bit they they'll stick with it if we work hard it's hard developing good habits sometimes as we do it developing bad habits we we do well wouldn't we but it says you know people take up that habit and some place down the road as consequences doesn't it same thing with marijuana and other drugs there are people asking a question well if it's legal is it okay well a lot of things are legal working on the Sabbath is legal in this country but is it okay it's amazing the questions that people ask and you begin to think what is it that they really want do they really get it or is it passing right over their head somehow says I I have taught you in the way of wisdom I have led you in the right paths when you walk your steps will not be hindered and when you run you will not stumble this is what God wants us to be able to do he wants us to be able to live this life with all the without all the stumbling the heartache the suffering says take firm hold of instruction do not let go keep her for she is your life verse 14:00 do not enter the path of the wicked and do not walk in the ways of evil avoided do not travel on it turn away from it and pass on for they do not sleep unless they have done evil and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall a fall for they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence you know their penalties all through the book of Proverbs it tells us things that we should not do tells us to seek wisdom to seek understanding and Galatians the sixth chapter actually Galatians 6 quotes from the book of Proverbs on this particular passage says do not be deceived verse 7 God is not mocked for whatever a man sews that he will also reap for he who sews to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption but he who sews of the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life so they're two choices two ways of life and God wants us to have the best we also have the booklet the Bible fact or fiction again this think this is more update one I just grabbed what I had in my library but the Bible fact or fiction another very important booklet that would do us well to read just to be reminded of these things it's so easy for us to forget these things maybe we know that the general gist of it maybe we know the right answer that yes it is fact we know that but it's good to be reminded of those things isn't it and for those who have not been baptized who grew up in the church you believe this is that you know the place you should be but have you really proved it for yourself have you proved the Bible a way of life is one proof fulfilled prophecy answered prayer gives us some other things there the third pillar is you must know where God is working you need to know that God exists you need to know that the Bible is word but you also need to know where God is working and the Catholic says well this is where God is working the Prophet says this is where God is working the Muslim thinks this is where God is working and if you've grown up in the Church of God you think this is the work where God is working have you proved it have you truly proved it and those that have been around for well have we proved it in first Timothy three and verse 14 this was in part the name of living Church of God or where it came from verse 14 these things I write to you though I hope to come to you shortly Paul tells Timothy but if I am delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and the ground of the truth now there are people who think the pillar on the ground or the truth is what I think not what me personally but what they personally think that's what they think that it's that's where I get true that's how I prove it so I'll get a little bit here a little bit there I'll read all these different people and I'll sort out and I'll come up with my own they don't think my own but they think they'll sort it out on their own and they're the most confused of all people because nobody else believes like they do they've got a little bit here a little bit there and they miss the whole thing the Church of the Living God is a pillar and the ground of the truth that's where the the truth is going to be upheld and protected what does the Bible teach have you ever compared at least in your mind with professing Christianity we've known some very difficult times down through the years haven't we those have been around for a while we've seen leaders who have been disloyal we've seen the church going in a wrong direction only be brought back we've seen apostasy within the church and for those who were there in the 90s we saw the church go totally off the rail and it's times like that that it gets very confusing doesn't it and you begin to wonder what is all this about you know these three pillars have served me well through the years and I hope that they serve you well do I know that God exists I go back and I ask myself that question on my knees and prayer do I know God exists and I review the proofs that I know that God exists I don't have to prove it to anybody else but I know that it isn't just because I believe it for the sake of believing it it's because I know from scientific facts and otherwise that God exists and do I know that the Bible is the Word of God well I've given you just a little bit tiny bit why I believe it's the Word of God and I you know I come to the same conclusion every time if you're if the foundation is right you will come to the same conclusion every time but sometimes it just gets so confusing out there and you wonder well how can this be the church when we have all these problems now I don't think we have a lot of problems right now I'm not saying that but there you just never know there is a spirit being out there as trying to destroy us and he's going to create as much confusion as much chaos as possible and human beings being what we are sometimes he gets through to somebody and they they go off the rail and so I go back does God exist is the Bible the Word of God and then you know it gets pretty simple after that because a third pillar is am I in the right place and I start thinking about Catholicism is God working through Catholicism when you look at the whole history and you look at the doctrines that come out of ranked paganism and you go through that you just know that that can't be where God is working and of course you've got Revelation the seventeenth chapter that kind of explains that a little bit also explains about the harlot daughters and protestantism which I came up through I realized that this is no way Christmas Easter even Halloween which some celebrate some don't but the immortality of the soul I know what the Bible teaches on that law of clean unclean meats that may not be the most important doctrine the church ever had but boy I've proved that to myself so many different ways all the difficult scriptures that sometimes they're thrown up I know that that's the truth that we shouldn't eat certain things and you know just go through the list whatever your list might be and you say okay where is it I can narrow it down to the Sabbath and the holy days pretty easy but does that mean that everybody that keeps the Sabbath and the holy days is on track not necessarily Sabbath keepers I know a lot of people when they came out of world-wide they were just looking for Sabbath keeping church but you know one of the probably the largest Sabbath keeping church in the world is Trinitarian and they have no idea of the plan of God because they reject the holy days and come to the conclusion that for a thousand years everything is going to be a wasteland on this earth with nobody alive and you look at the scriptures they use and you realize they're taken out of context in fact Isaiah 24 verses 1 to 6 it leaves out the last words and few men are left so you go down the list and you begin to narrow things down at least that's how I've always done it for myself you may do it another way and that that's just fine however you you know come to the great conclusions but for me it's sometimes just a of elimination and I only I come up with one one place but you should be able to prove these things for yourself because there will be difficult times there will be confusing times and acts the 20th chapter X 20 the Apostle Paul told the elders of Ephesus that there would be times of difficulty and confusion in verse he didn't say that those words but the bottom line of what he was saying was was there would be that way verse 26 acts 20 verse 26 it says therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God the whole counsel of God that is so important brethren therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers these were ministers they didn't come from Ephesus to meet him to Shepherd the Church of God that's another proof what it isn't the church of Luther it isn't the Church of certain method it's the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves that sounds like difficult times doesn't it therefore watch and remember that for three years but three years I did not cease to warn every one night and day with tears he was passionate about it so now brethren I commend you to God and the world of His grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified who are set apart so he shows that there's going to be confusion from time to time even within the Church of God we do everything we can that it's not that way but sometimes confusion sets in so where do you go how do you look at it what is the whole Council of God what is well as much as some people don't like talk about it government there's one form of government that is God's government now you can bring out all kinds of scriptures that try to portray it another way but it can't be done simply cannot be done not to an honest person I remember in acts I gave a sermon on government one time and somebody said well what about Acts the first chapter or talks casting Lots because that has been portrayed as casting their ballot it just amazed me that people could believe that casting Lots was was balloting you read anything about lots you know when they when they the high priests took the two goats and he cast lots over the goats and he put one on the head of the the one representing Christ and the other one Azazel what did he do okay I vote this one will be this I vote the other one because he was by himself no he was appealing to God and as any commentary will point out point out on casting loss or Bible dictionary there are different ways but sometimes into their their robe they would cast a little stones or something with you know two different answers I it be very similar to us drawing straws or taking an answer out of a hat we do it that way but it was appealing to God to give them an answer that they could not know so when they cast lots over a Mathias and the other one Justin was it anyway the two the two that were going to be chosen one of them to be out of says they cast their Lots and the lock fell on Mathias I never can't remember Mathias thank you for knotting her head heads plural here thank you it fell on Mathias it wasn't the the 11 voting on what they wanted if they cast their Lots who are the they're not the the 11 use Mathias and Justin or who is the other fellow was and the lot fell on the one but that has been so abused government has to be a part of the whole Council of God doing the work of God doing the will of God preaching gospel to the world the Ezekiel warning message those are things that we need to be doing as a church and we are but that must be part of the whole Council of God a way of life separate from worldly standards not trying to conform ourselves to the world and yet sometimes I've heard people say well you know the world's the head of the church on this subject boy that ought to be a huge red flag it says wait a minute when does the church ever been a head out of the world ever been a head of the church and yet too often we move in the direction of the world I say we hopefully not you and me but even within the church sometimes people are move in the wrong direction another part of the whole Council of God is that there are ranks in the ministry Ephesians 4:11 first apostles prophets evangelists pastors teachers etc do we have every one of those at all times we don't think so mr. Armstrong certainly didn't think we had prophets at that time will there ever be a prophet in the future sure probably the two witnesses I'd say would be probably prophets but right now we understand that their ranks in the ministry but because people are so adverse to government they want everybody to be equal and as somebody told me one time that was a part of a group that split off from us back in the Kansas City area in that first year there another church started and so some people went that direction and then they split as he said they have two forms of government the minister is in charge of the congregation but on the ministerial level they were all equals because no one wanted to answer to anybody else you know this part of the whole Council of God you can't read Ephesians 4:11 and really do away with the fact that there are different levels within the ministry and they say well those are just what functions well you have to decide that you have to look at it objectively tithing as a law not just a nice principle I remember going out on the Internet the CompuServe forum there was that shows how far back it was I haven't been on any of these forums ever since that time but for a period of time I was on that and I realized I couldn't sleep at night because I was checked it just before I went to bed and I'd be so angry that I couldn't sleep so I finally had to get rid of it and ditch it but it was amazing how many people how many ministers were out there saying that tithing is is a nice principle a good principle and oh I tithe by the way you know it's the way they put it but it's not a law of God we need to prove these things for ourselves you need to know why you are where you are and I think that most of us in this room know why we are where we are that's why we're here that's why we're not someplace else but we need to know those things these three pillars knowing that God exists and knowing that the Bible is the Word of God and knowing where the churches will serve you well through trials disruptions and times of confusion and I'll be the first to tell you I've had to go through those pillars time and again you can't be in the Church of God for 50 years or more and not at times have to go back to it and I'm not afraid of going back through it because I know the answer is going to be the same but sometimes I have to remind myself and maybe you'll have to remind yourself someday so why should you be baptized some see baptism is something that you do to join the church some adults have come from other churches where they were baptized and they just ask the question well do I need to be baptized again because they know that if they're going from one church that teaches baptism to another that oftentimes they require that of them without a whole lot of counsel it's just something you have to do in order to be in the church it's an Indian and then let me try that again and initiation right so you go through and that's how they see it sometimes when people ask about being baptized I usually try not to give them an answer right away because a lot of times it'll be a church and you don't want to give a quick answer and truthfully you can't know always what the person background really is although you might suspect they need to be but one of the things that people need to repent of when it comes to baptism as being a part of satan's religion being a part of another's one thing you have to repent of is of wrong religion you might have been a drunk before you might have been running around on your wife you might have been smoking you've stopped all those things and that's repentance up to a point but have we repented of false religion of being a part of a worldly religion that's something that those of us who didn't grow up in the church certainly have to repent of some teens grow up in the church and they may see it as well I'm old enough it's time for me to become a full member I know I'll be baptized someday and well now is the right time I've turned 18 or 19 so now I'm ready but is this what it's all about I like to quote from mr. mayor this booklet on Christian baptism is not the one with with Josh and restrainment on it but anyway it's it's Bey the same as when I had but another booklet that it's good to review from time to time and in it a dr. Mara throat you cannot just join the true Church of God now I heard that when I was a lot younger and I never really understood what it meant you can't join what do you mean I can't join the church i baptize I'm in the church well God must draw you or call you and then place you in his church by giving you his Holy Spirit in other words what makes you a member of the church is when God gives you his Holy Spirit which takes place by the laying on of hands after baptism and I think we know that remember how Jesus said no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day through baptism and the receipt of God's Holy Spirit you you are automatically baptized in the true Church of God and then he quotes from 1st Corinthians 12:13 where it says for by one spirit we were all baptized into one body whether Jews or Greeks whether slaves are free and have all been made to drink into one spirit for God's church is composed of those people who are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit Romans 8:14 so in a sense a person says ok I'm going to join the church I want to be baptized but we have to understand that we would not come to that conclusion unless God drew us to that point God must grant us repentance and then upon repentance and accepting Christ as our Savior and a few other things that we we look at they're believing in the gospel knowing what the gospel is and so forth when order baptized and have hands laid on us that's when God puts us into his church we don't just say ok I'm going to join the church so put me under the water there's far more to it than just getting wet so if it's not to join the church then why baptism well again quoting from dr. Meredith at the beginning of his booklet on Christian baptism it's real meaning he starts out by telling a very short story here he says the shoulders of the big man sitting across the table began to shake and heave quote I've broken every single one of God's commandments he cried I need to be baptized this man a World War two veteran and former Marine was very deeply conscious that he was a sinner in need of salvation as a young 22 year old college student conducting a baptizing tour I was deeply struck by this man's sincerity or is this man sincerely repentant attitude he was coming to see himself and he genuinely hated what he saw he recognized his desperate need for a savior we are baptized because we needed we're not baptized just to join something were baptized because we see that we desperately needed an acts the second chapter axis 2nd chapter on the day of Pentecost Peter was preaching a sermon after God had poured out the Holy Spirit upon those who are there and then in verse 36 he he finished the sermon with a statement you know therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus this is in verse 36 Acts 2:36 who has made this Jesus whom was when whom you crucified both Lord and Christ so not just any Jesus but this Jesus the one that you people who are there at the time crucified and killed he's made him Lord and Christ now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do they saw that they were guilty of killing the Messiah and in a real sense you and I need to understand that we were the ones that killed the Messiah because it was through our sins that he had to die we may not have been there shouting crucify him crucify him we may not have been the soldier who jammed the spear into his side we may not have been the ones who nailed them to that stake are the one who ones who are jeering him there but we were every bit as guilty because we took sin lightly we sinned time and again and sometimes we still do through weakness don't we and we have to recognize he had to die for us as much as the others but it says they were cut to the heart some of them knew that they had seen Jesus about them performing miracles some of them may have been there shouting crucify him and they were cut to the heart and they said what in the world do we do we killed the Messiah we've been looking for the Messiah and he came and we killed him and Peter said to them repent repent turn around go another direction and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins to have your sins forgiven and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in Romans 1/6 chapter it tells us the meaning of baptism I will forego that for now for lack of time but you can read Romans a sick chapter the first seven verses but it is a burial service it is putting the old person in the ground actually in the water in this case is bearing and is killing the old man and when we put you under we put you all the way under and we didn't leave a finger out like one group of people who wanted to violate man's law they left their trigger finger out they felt like they could shoot a deer any time they wanted to they left their trigger finger out and they're pretty stubborn about it or what is it that you might have left out I'll be buried except what what might it be that's a tough question to ask and well tougher to answer all self will self desire and the ways of this world must be put aside mr. Herbert Armstrong wrote a booklet titled all about water baptism and on page 22 he said this there can be no set rule about the proper age for baptism it is almost impossible to be absolutely sure all caps about young people under 21 or 25 and especially under 18 and unless positively sure that such one has really repented of self-will such a one should be encouraged live according to God's Word but refrained from baptism until sure John the Baptist insisted on candidates bringing forth fruits meet for repentance or in other words evidence of repentance or proving their repentance by the fruits in their lives he went on to say youngsters I don't know the young people like to be called youngsters but that's what he wrote says youngsters should let a few years of fruits prove their repentance and permit sincerity and earnestness their permanent sincerity because scientists now tell us that a person's brain doesn't fully mature until somewhere around 25 and you begin to wonder even after that in some cases you know a person can be sincere at a certain age be truthfully sincere but may not have experienced everything especially if you're still living at home sometimes you you haven't been out there and had some of the the world thrown at you not that you you want to be out there and have the world thrown at you but they just may not fully understand it improve their repentance and permanent sincerity and earnestness adults should be baptized immediately or as soon as possible on real repentance and faith now we've seen in more recent years the last decade or decade and a half where where people have all these these rules about how they're going to be baptized they decide well I don't want to be baptized in that stock tank I want to be baptized in running water I haven't run to many of these but some want to be baptized in the Jordan River now realizing that all of that vibrates up in the air and whatever John was baptizing that we may have as much here as it's over there but they have these sentimental things and you know if you're truly repentant you don't care where it is in us what our pictures it's not a memorable moment in the sense of the scene and everything like that it's not postponing until everything is just right we want to get baptized now like the man who was there talking dr. Meredith when he was dr. marrows as a young man you want to get your sins passed over forgiven washed but lost in the blood of Christ and reality there are far more there is far more on this subject and I've covered today and that I have time to cover but I encourage you to read study and meditate on this subject by reviewing the the booklets that I've mentioned here real God the Bible fact or fiction Christian baptism as just three booklets I encourage you to read them to study them to think about them Christian baptism it's real meaning very important for anyone contemplating baptism and good booklet for us to be reminded of as we come up on Passover know why you want to be baptized and know why you were baptized [Music] you

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Published: Fri May 11 2018