How to Walk With God Acceptably

good morning i'd like to thank each and every one for being here this morning and if you are a visitor we would like to ask you to fill out a visitor's card and drop it in a little box in the back on your way out we'd like to have a opportunity to spend a little time to speak with you if you would like to stick around we'd be glad to talk with you a little bit thank you for coming uh today i got several things to add to what's going on in our bulletin uh see if we can get all this straightened out and figured out today i'm going to go over where uh what who's doing what right off the bat to start with our song leader this morning to be zach christie our opening prayer be brother frankie klein and our scripture reading before the communion of be rick maynard and our scripture reading before the lesson will be logan shanks and our closing prayer will be lewis chesney if you have a bulletin you can get out your bullet and look through it and i'll try to make a few updates and bring you up to date on a few things also uh as we look through it is gary oakley also has we've updated a thing there for him there's a tumor that he has at the top of his spine now that he'll be going through some treatment for that and we definitely need to remember stacy i mean gary oakley for that also as you look to your bullet nurse tommy monk and we definitely remember tommy monk and his family at this time for the many things that they're going through uh virginia sherman has asked me to add dorothy humphrey's son robert to the list for our prayer list uh he has leukemia and the good part is he has the treatable leukemia so uh just remember him at uh robert humphrey dorothy humphrey's son i also would like to add stacey everhart to our uh list today she's in the hospital with the covid her husband and her small child is at home with the covid and she's also in the hospital that so she needs to hopefully get over this cove and soon so she can be back home taking care of her child and also her husband is dealing with this also uh james and nancy cocker have a little update for them nancy's fibromyalgia is flared up and she's not here this morning and james's lower back seems to be bothering him also again with some other issues and also remember he also has a problem with his sugar levels earlier this week so james is experiencing several things going on and samantha peters is also having shots for arthritis in her back and she'll be going through a series of shots this coming week it's starting this week and then should be going through that so definitely remember her and hopefully uh those shots will work and give her some ease from her pains and arthritis and other issues there also as you look through the bulletin rick waddle procedure went well and bob says he'd like to thank you for your prayers and the cards and the things that he received for that and definitely remember them as they'll be moving forward they didn't put in a stent from what i've understood and there's other procedure and issues that they're going to do to help clear up some of his heart issues so that that will move forward so definitely need to remember and keep that in prayer that the procedures will be working for him i also an update on the friends and relatives down here camille fiscio uh which was uh michael hensley's friend's mother i think she passed away so she uh also passed away so she's no longer needs to be on the prayer list but we definitely need to remember that family and the things she was associated with to help them through the days that are coming and the days that have passed as her passing away as we look through the bulletin if you look up to the september upcoming events for the congregation we need to remember that the pew packers training for the youth will be every sunday in september at 5 45 beginning and on next sunday and that'll be here at the building before the evening worship so all of those in the youth uh can come for that that'll be a good thing it's a pew packers training for the youth and that'll be every sunday in september beginning next week uh also as you look through the upcoming events on the 11th there is uh something going on at declines house and there should be more information coming up i wasn't given any this morning but you can see michael or misty there'll be dinner and games and other things going on there seems to be always a good thing for the youth and what goes on there i think that is all of the updates that i actually have at this time and just like to say again as you give us updates and stuff we'll definitely try and remember and get them up here and i'll tell you i've been pretty slack in the back i've wrote them down and forgot them when i got here so uh you're definitely important so we definitely like to try to make sure we get all the updates here for each and every one we have no further updates we'll start this morning with opening prayer from frankie klein let's all pray together dear heavenly father thank you for blessing us with this first day of the week this another opportunity to worship you and we pray that our worship this morning is in spirit and in truth and in complete accordance with your will we pray for all those that that martin just mentioned on our prayer list says that our undergoing treatments and doctors care and unable to be with us this morning we pray that they'll have their most wanted state of health soon and be with all the caretakers that that that are helping them through this as well and dear heavenly father for our church family and and there are several that have have lost loved ones and we just pray that you'll continue to be with them even though it takes time for the healing it help each of us to be some some encouragement to each and every one and dear heavenly father we continue to pray for your church here in lexington the works that take place the works that we support and we pray that they will always be fruitful that you will receive the praise and the glory for all of these words and we're thankful for each and every member that is participating and dear heavenly father for your your church we we give so much thanks and we just pray that we'll never take this blessing for granted the blessings that we have through your son jesus christ who willingly came to this earth and died that cruel death on calvary's cross for our sins yet he committed no sin and to heavenly father we we realize that none of these spiritual blessings can can be taught there they should be the epitome of all the blessings that we we have and share our benefit from every day however dear heavenly father we also are are thankful for the physical blessings that we have to live in this great country that we live in to have the freedoms to make the choices that we choose to make every day and we just pray that our leaders will look to your word that will be based on your word that the decisions they make will allow us to enjoy these freedoms and to be able to assemble here freely each and every time that we have an opportunity and dear heavenly father for the men and women that have made sacrifices in the past and continue to make sacrifices daily we we pray for those families that have lost loved ones as well and dear heavenly father we pray also now for those that are in harm's way of of this hurricane that is hitting our gulf coast we know that if they are preparing for for the worse and we just pray that you will be with them comfort them and that they will receive the help that they need to get them through this challenging time dear heavenly father again we just pray and give thanks for all things and we pray that your will be done in all things and dear heavenly father we we pray that you'll be abroad as he will soon bring a lesson to us from your word that he will have a ready to remembrance of his time study preparation and that he will present it to us in a way that we can make application to our lives and that others may see christ through the lives that we live we pray this prayer in jesus name amen our first him this morning will be number 72. again that's him number 72. let us is holy is is is i i [Music] 545 beautiful beautiful beautiful [Music] we're free free beautiful beautiful shall never die beautiful beautiful [Music] our next scene will be 134 again that's number 134 after we sing the song and have a communion scripture and then the opportunity to glorify oh [Music] oh my [Music] maybe truly is [Applause] me this morning scripture reading before we observe the lord's supper comes from matthew chapter 27 45-54 matthew 27 45-54 now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over the land in about the ninth hour jesus cried out with a loud voice saying eli eli lama sabachthani that is my god my god why have you forsaken me some of those who stood there when they heard that said this man is calling for elijah immediately one of them ran and took a sponge filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and offered it to him to drink the rest said let him alone let us see if elijah will come to save him and jesus cried out again and allowed with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit then behold the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom of the earthquake and the rocks were split and the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many so when the centurion and those with him who were guarding jesus saw the earthquake and the things that had happened they feared greatly saying truly this was the son of god let's give thanks for the bread our father in heaven we thank you for this first day of the week of this opportunity now to surround this table thanking you for this bread which symbolizes christ's broken body on the cross we pray father we'll all reflect back to that time remember the love that christ had for us christ's name we pray amen um let's now give thanks for the cup in like manner father we thank you for this fruit of the vine which symbolizes christ's shed blood when he died upon the cross for our sins may we also partake of this in a manner that is pleasing except with thee in christ's name we pray amen oh ah this concludes the lord's supper at this time we're commanded to give back as we've been prospered let's all pray our father in heaven we thank you so much for every blessing that you bestow upon us daily father not only for the physical blessings we thank you for our families for our friends for our homes but also the spiritual blessings the blood that christ shed upon the cross for our sins we pray father now that as we give back that we will do so cheerfully father we pray that these funds may be used to spread your world here in date word in davidson county and throughout the world world thank you christ's name we pray amen i is see drew me back oh see he will be [Music] [Music] shall be is [Music] me the scripture reading before the lesson will come from first john chapter one verses five through seven again that's first john one verses five through seven i'll be reading from the king james version this then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that god is light and in him is no darkness at all if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of jesus christ his son cleanseth us all from sin the concept of walking with god is taught and demonstrated that's not it we'll preach that if you want to but that's not that's for tonight actually we don't need it anyway the concept of walking with god is taught and demonstrated all over the entire bible enoch walked with god genesis 5 24 noah walked with god genesis 6 9 abram was instructed to walk before god genesis 17 1 israel was warned not to walk after other gods or they would perish deuteronomy 8 and verse 19 jeremiah said to walk after other gods would be to the hurt of judah in jeremiah 7 and verse 6 even getting into the new testament zechariah and elizabeth walked blameless in all the commandments of the lord luke 1 and verse 6 paul instructed the church at ephesus to walk in love ephesians 5 and verse 2 the colossians were told to walk worthy of the lord in colossians 1 and verse 10 the thessalonians had received how to walk and to please god in first thessalonians 4 1. why say all that because the concept of how to walk with god acceptably is worthy of our time it is taught in principle precept and practice all over the entire bible so this morning's sermon is entitled how to walk with god acceptably and there are four things that we want to talk about this morning in the first place let's talk about the what in other words what does it mean to walk with god acceptably now all throughout the scriptures walk indicates the way we live or the manner in which we conduct ourselves on a regular basis colossians 3 7 in the which he also walked some time when ye lived in them notice from that passage how the inspired apostle paul connects the idea of walk with live so walk is a picture of our overall behavior which could be good or it could be bad let's look at our scripture reading from this morning's sermon in first john chapter one the general epistle of love well let's notice first john chapter one verses five through seven the text says this then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that god is light he is purity he is knowledge he is truth there is no error in god at all and in him is no darkness at all so darkness is the opposite of light it is evil it is error it is ignorance it is sin verse number six if we say that we have fellowship partnership joint participation with him with god and walk or live how in darkness in evil in sin in error there's a problem we lie and do not the truth but verse 7 if we walk this is not point action it is perpetual action it's the general course of our lives if we walk in the light in truth in purity in knowledge with god as he is in the light what do we have we have fellowship one with another and the blood of jesus christ his son cleanse f keeps on cleansing us from all sin so there's the concept of walk but what about this idea of with with implies a close relationship kinship and fellowship think of the minor prophet as he's so known amos chapter 3 and verse 3 can two walk together except they be agreed in other words to walk with someone is to agree with them and to have shared common goals think about second john verse nine whosoever transgresseth the idea is god stopped walking right here but some people say i'm gonna keep walking well god stopped here whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of christ hath not god he that abideth in the doctrine of christ he hath both the father and the son so observe walk it's the general course of our life with we don't run ahead of god we don't drag behind we try to walk step in step with god and then god who is god god is the true and living god in other words the godhead romans 1 and verse 24 the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and god head so that they are without excuse some question the validity of first john 5 and verse 7 but it's in my bible and i'm going to preach it and understand it as it is the inspired word of god for there are three that bear record in heaven the father the word and the holy ghost and these three are one first corinthians eight five and six for though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be god's many and lords many but to us there is but one god the father of whom are all things and we him we in him and one lord jesus christ by whom are all things and we buy him how do we miss first timothy 2 5 for there is one god and one mediator between god and men the man christ jesus so who is god it's the god head the father the word and the holy spirit we know the word is jesus christ to walk with god we hopefully at least have a general understanding but that modifier acceptably acceptably means according to the standard established by god in the new testament without additions without subtractions without modifications of any sort romans 8 1 2 there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in christ jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit for the law of the spirit of life in christ jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death so everyone is a servant and we have but two choices romans 6 16 to 18 know ye not the meaning there is you all already know this don't you know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey his servants you are to whom you obey whether of here's choice number one sin unto death or choice number two of obedience unto righteousness that's it but god be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you being then made free from sin then when when you obeyed from the heart that pattern titus 2 and verse 7 that form of doctrine which was delivered to you being then made free from sin what did we become you became the servants of righteousness so in the first place we've talked about the what that is what does it mean to walk with god acceptably so let's tie it all together to walk with god acceptably means to live in full harmony with the gospel there are two main things that this implies what does it take to become a christian and what does it take to behave as a christian in the second place let's talk about the why in other words why is it important to walk with god acceptably now perhaps fewer and fewer individuals of our day and time believe in the bible doctrine of heaven and hell the church of christ is where the manifold wisdom of god is manifested to the world according to ephesians 3 8-12 therefore it is the duty it is the responsibility and yes it is the privilege of every member of the lord's church to teach others hebrews 5 verses 12 through 14 the truth about eternity jesus gave us a very grim but very true picture in matthew 25 41 then shall he say also unto them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels verse 46 of the same chapter says and these those on the left hand shall go away into everlasting punishment but there's a contrast the righteous into life eternal there's a play on words there that i don't know why it's this way but in the greek of matthew 25 verse 46 everlasting and eternal are the exact same word so what does that mean if there is such a thing as temporal punishment then there must also be temporal rewards in other words if hell is not eternal then guess what neither is heaven but since it is the case that heaven is eternal what does that say about hell it is also eternal now every human being is made in the image of god genesis 1 27 so god created man in his own image i look around i don't see anybody out here that looks like me everybody and that's to your benefit by the way i don't see anybody in this audience that looks exactly like me but yet what do i know every single soul in this assembly is made in the image of god and how does god do things so god created man in his own image and the image of god created he him male and female created he them you know the most precious possession that any human being made in the image of god has it is your soul for what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul so said jesus in mark 8 36 and 37 do we understand what the lord meant there imagine if you were though if you owned the entire world and everybody had to pay rent to you for their land for their building for their property whatever it is if you owned everything would this entire world and everything contain their end would it be able to pay for your soul the answer to that is no so one soul made in the image of god is more valuable than everything in the entire world so let's ask and answer this question why should we walk with god acceptably because we want to be prepared for eternity man is more than just flesh and bone we are body we are soul we are spirit look at me in the book of first peter notice the general epistle of first peter chapter one let's begin in verse number three why is it important to walk with god acceptably we want to be prepared for eternity we want to be prepared for what happens on the other side of this life first peter 1 and verse 3 the text says blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively or to a living hope by or through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that then that fadeth not away reserved where reserved in heaven that's where god lives reserved in heaven for you you who who verse number five are kept by the power of god through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time verse six wherein ye greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be the idea theirs is this is right this is proper this is fitting you're in heaviness or distressed through manifold temptations notice carefully verse number seven that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire poles pause just for a second the goldsmith takes the fire he lights it up to sometimes up to 1700 degrees fahrenheit not to destroy the gold okay because the purest gold has been through the hottest fire so why does the goldsmith heat the gold it's not to destroy the gold is to get the impurities out of the gold so that it can be the purest that it can be now watch do you know when the goldsmith knows that the gold is just as pure as it can be it's when he looks down at the gold and he sees his own reflection now look back at first peter 1 verse 7 that the trial of your faith being much more precious now our look at this much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire so why do the trials of life happen why does god allow heat to be put under us it's not to destroy us it's to remove the impurities from our lives and do you know when the lord knows that we're as pure as we can be it's when he looks at brock and sees his own reflection he sees himself notice it might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of jesus christ whom having not seen these people had not laid their eyes on jesus of nazareth ye love that's you and me in whom though now ye see him not yet believing that's you and me you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end the crescendo the pinnacle of your faith even the salvation of your souls so why is it important to walk with god acceptably we want to be prepared for eternity but know this a life motivated by terror a life motivated by fear is hey miserable life first john 4 18 there is no fear in love but perfect that is mature complete love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love now no one should desire to walk with god acceptably due only to a fear of burning in hell for time unending think with me just for a second why do good parents feed clothe and discipline their children is it because we're afraid they'll call dss on us i told you i tried that one time i heard it from some little boy at school when your parents tell you no just tell them you're gonna call dss so i said hey i told that to my mama which was the worst one to tell you don't let me do what i want i'm gonna go call dss she went over to the phone well some of you may not know what that is that's an old dial rotary phone i don't know who she called but i begged her to stop please don't do that i don't know what dss was but i knew i'd rather stay home with my mama and dad but now think with me just for a second why do parents feed clothe and discipline their children is it because they're scared of dss i promise you it is not it is because they love those children right so parents don't do good for their children because they're afraid they do it because they love those children and they love them as they love themselves so why is it important to walk with god acceptably because we love god with every fiber of our being jesus was asked one time what's the greatest commandment in the law he gave an answer in mark 12 29-31 jesus answered and said unto him this is the first commandment hear o israel thou shalt notice it jesus answered him and said this is the first commandment hear o israel lord thy god is one lord and i shall love the lord thy god with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy mind with all thy strength this is the first commandment and the second is light namely this thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself so why is it important to walk with god acceptably because we love god and because we want to be ready for what happens on the other side third place let's talk about the wind this is a double-barreled win i want to ask and answer two questions number one when should notice that when should we begin to walk with god acceptable then let's ask and answer this when do we begin to walk with god acceptably so let's answer the first question since life is a vapor james 4 14 it behooves us all to number our days psalm 90 and verse 10. how many days do i have left i have no idea how many days do you have left i have no idea but i know they're numbered and i know i'll have one fewer if i make it through today than what i had even today and i have one fewer today than i had yesterday friends there is a sense of urgency to life probably everyone here has lost a loved one and if you haven't just keep living you know what will happen someone you love will step into eternity there are two inevitable aspects of life that are on every single one of our agendas whether we choose to think about it or not number one is death and as it is appointed unto men wants to die hebrews 9 27. if that doesn't happen the only exception to that will be the second coming of our lord jesus christ first thessalonians 4 16-17 for the lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout for the voice of the archangel with the trump of god and the dead in christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and so shall we ever not a thousand years that's denominational doctrine so shall we ever be with the lord now there is no such thing as the annihilation of the soul there is no such thing as purgatory that is where sins are supposedly punished for a long period of time but not forever and ever that's false there is no such thing as some sort of second chance gospel now the fact is some might have a longer period longer opportunity to walk with god acceptably and others might have a shorter period of time or a shorter opportunity to walk with god acceptably but here's the truth every one of us gets only one shot we get one shot at this life and that's it turn me the book of luke let's notice something that some of our religious friends believe to be a parable luke 16 19 to 31 i'm of the persuasion that this is not a parable it doesn't have the marks of a parable okay i believe this is a true historical account that the lord allows us to see on the other side of life one instance of what happened on one occasion but even if this is a parable which it isn't but even if it is all of jesus's parables were true jesus taught the truth and all of jesus parables either did occur or could have occurred but i believe this is a true event where the lord allows us to see what happens on the other side notice luke 16 beginning in verse number 19 and notice here the contrast as we read through this there was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day he lived in lavish obvious comfort and there was a certain beggar named lazarus this is not the same lazarus of john 11. lazarus apparently was a common name among first century jews which was laid at his gate full of sores and still talking about lazarus desiring to be fed with the crumbs from the rich man's table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores i love dogs i don't have a problem with dogs but if you ever see dogs licking me i'm i can't help myself there's something wrong with me okay i don't mind dogs but i don't want a dog to lick me okay so if you see brock and dogs licking him all over i need help okay i'm in a position where i can't stop them from doing that but what do we see so far a rich man who lives an obvious comfort and a beggar man notice the contrast but notice how god has a great equalizer rich poor everywhere in between male female any other distinction of life there is a great equalizer and it came to pass verse 22 that the beggar died but notice what happened he didn't just cease to be and was carried by the angels how many is that it's at least two perhaps it was ten thousand or more i don't know but it's a plurality of angels his immaterial aspect his soul his spirit was carried by the angels into abraham's bosom that's the third heaven known as paradise second corinthians 12 1-5 notice it the rich man also died and was buried perhaps there was great pomp and circumstance they stood up and told lies about him told how great he was and how good he was to the community and this that and the other what did he do with the beggar man lazarus who had laid at his gate full of sores desiring to be fed with the crumbs the fragments the morsels that fell from this rich man's table he didn't do what he could when he could now he's faced the great equalizer and on his death rich man died and was buried verse 23 and in hell paul's got to understand this if you read the king james version this is not gehenna this is hades but this is the bad side of hades known as torments or tartarus you don't want to go there this is the waiting place of all the dead everybody goes to hades the righteous go into paradise or abraham's bosom the wicked go into what appears to be the lower portion torments are tartarus this rich man who lived in obvious comfort on this side it changed when he stepped across the threshold of death just as lazarus the beggars did but not in the same way and in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth abraham afar off and lazarus in his bosom now notice here in beginning verse 24 the certainty of certain things there was some contrast now notice the certainty verse 24 and he this unnamed rich man cried and said father abraham have mercy on me and send the person i didn't have time for in this life the person i gave apparently no regard to on this side send lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool don't you find this interesting my tongue didn't say my head my hands my feet he said my tongue why for i am tormented in this flame notice he doesn't have a body this is his soul his body's on this side his soul's on the other side and he is awake he is aware and he knows he's in agony notice this verse 25 but abraham said son remember you know maybe perhaps this would be the worst part of losing your soul is that you'd remember gospel preachers getting up and pleading their hearts out week after week after week sermon after sermon after sermon and know that we sat there unmoved immovable not willing to budge to what the gospel has to say notice it abraham said son he apparently notices their fleshly kinship but that didn't get him into heaven did it son remember that thou in thy lifetime received us thy good things and likewise lazarus evil things but now no matter what it was what is it but now he is comforted and thou art tormented and beside all this notice verse 26 between us and you paul's we don't like that do we we don't like that sometimes in the church there's us and there's them and if they're not part of us they're them now we don't like talking like that here but it's going to be made plainly apparent on the other side that if we're not right with god here it's going to be plain over there that there were some people who walked with god acceptably on this side and if we don't we're going to know it and it's plain beside all this between us and you there is a great gulf fixed there is a great chasm a chasm an opening so to speak you don't go from one to the other great gulf fix so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot we get one shot at this life neither can they pass to us that would come from thence now notice the concerns that begin among this rich man in verse number 27. then he said i pray thee therefore father that thou would have sent him who him lazarus the beggar whom he had apparently no time for on this side that thou would have send him to my father's house why would you say that for i have five brethren now he's all concerned i have five brethren that he may testify unto them lest they come into this place of torment do you see this do you see this he has lost his soul and all of a sudden he's concerned about his five brethren now why wasn't he concerned on this side because apparently he didn't care to listen to god's word watch verse number 29 abraham saith unto him they have moses and the prophets run that phrase down you'll see that it means the written word of god at that time it would have been what we know is the old testament they have moses and the prophets let them hear them let your five brethren listen to god's written word do we believe in the all-sufficiency of the scriptures yes ma'am and yes sir this man didn't and look where he ended up oh that's a powerful lesson i'd have to say is the bible good enough or do we need something else notice verse 30 and he said nay he rejects the all-sufficiency of god's written word name father abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent i know the greatest man who ever lived with jesus of nazareth he died and was buried he came out of that grave and did everybody repent no so even if this would have been allowed to happen it happened with jesus of nazareth and not everybody repented no disrespect to lazarus the beggar but he's not jesus and not everybody believed and repented when jesus came out of the tomb listen friends if we get nothing else out of this get this if the bible's not good enough nothing's good enough nothing would convince anyone if we can't accept god's written word now we'll we may not accept it on the other side but it's not going to change where we are verse 31 he said unto him if they hear not moses and the prophets god's written word neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead now why do we say this when should we begin to walk with god acceptably listen there's a sense of urgency to life and that means right now today friends but let's answer this question when do we begin to walk with god acceptably salvation is in christ second timothy 2 10. therefore i endure all things for the elect's sakes that they may also obtain the salvation which is in christ jesus with eternal glory we are justified we are declared free from the guilt and condemnation of sin by the blood of christ romans 5 8-9 but god commendeth his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners christ died for us much more than being now justified by his we shall be saved from wrath through him so notice salvation is located in a specific place it's in christ we're justified not by the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer were justified declared free from the guilt and condemnation of sin by christ's blood and that's it but notice this in accordance with proper teaching of the gospel acts 18 8 belief in the gospel acts 16 31 repentance of sin acts 17 30 and confession of jesus christ as the son of god acts 8 37 baptism into christ galatians 3 27 for the remission of sins acts 2 38 is when we begin to walk with god acceptably turn with me the book of romans and let's notice romans 6 verses one through four there is a point at which we begin to walk with god acceptably the answer is it happens at baptism but you gotta be taught the truth you gotta believe it you gotta repent you gotta confess jesus christ as the son of god but baptism is the point where we begin to walk with god acceptably romans 6 verse 1 beginning what shall we say then in view of all the information contained in romans 5 shall we continue in sin that's not the occasional stumble that is a life characterized by sin shall we continue in sin that grace may abound no no no a thousand times no it's not true now it's not ever going to be true and in fact it never has been true that's the idea of magneto god forbid that's the strongest way the king james translators knew how to emphasize this absolute negativity no so what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound absolutely not god forbid how shall we notice it that are dead to sin we have been separated from a life characterized by sin continue or live or walk any longer therein know ye not the meaning is you all already know this don't you know ye not that so many of us as were baptized immersed into jesus christ were baptized that is immersed into his death question where did christ shed his blood did christ shed his blood at his death so here's one way to teach us where we meet the blood of christ which is the only thing that can justify us from the guilt and condemnation of sin verse 4 therefore we are buried you know the greeks had words for sprinkled and poured baptism is burial and the word itself baptism baptized means immersed or immersion therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also should walk live conduct ourselves we've changed in newness of life you know baptism occurs at the end of a person's life who says i'm sick and tired of being sick and tired i'm sick and tired of living in sin i'm ready to be separated from that lifestyle baptism in accordance with proper teaching belief repentance and confession of christ as the son of god baptism is where we begin to walk with god acceptably now number four let's answer the yes the the title of the lesson how do we do this how do we walk with god acceptably once we understand the what the why and the when listen it's time to do what we've learned the blessing of walking with god acceptably is not for those who only hear but for those who hear and do james 1 21-25 wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls but be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves for if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is likened to a man beholding his natural face in the glass for he beholdeth himself and go with his way straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was but who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continue with therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed at the end of what we know is the sermon on the mount you know jesus if he were in a modern homiletics class he'd say son why did you end your sermon on a negative note don't ever do that again now who would tell jesus that nobody so if you end the sermon on a negative note you're in good company that's how the son of god did it jesus said matthew 7 24 to 27 therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them i will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock and everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened into a foolish man which built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it where are we building our lives are we building it on the rock of truth or on the shaky shifting sands because if we're not building it on truth it's going to fall and notice something from that passage the storms of life happen no matter where you build if you build on the rock storms come if you build on the sand storms come which house survives the one built on the right foundation obedience to the gospel and walking with god acceptably is not point action this is not something we do on sunday and wednesday and maybe the occasional other day when we may get together and talk about the bible this is something that is perpetual action go back to first john chapter one all right looked at verse number seven but let's pick up at verse number seven and read through verse number nine of first john chapter one the text says but if we walk do we understand the concept of walk now i hope so in the light hopefully we understand what that means as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of jesus christ his son cleanseth us from all sin notice the warning if we say that we have no sin if we ever think we get to the point that sin is not an ever-present danger we've deceived ourselves if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us so what happens when a christian sins if we confess our sins verse nine he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness back up to the book of luke chapter nine notice what jesus said here in this precious passage luke 9 and verse number 23 jesus gives an important modifier here luke 9 and verse 23 and he said to them all if any man will come after me what's number one it's no longer about self let him deny himself and take up his cross what's the modifier it's daily take up his cross daily and follow me what we have to do is develop a new way of fault and a new way of life we're all trying our very best to think and behave like jesus let this mind be in you which was also in christ jesus who being in the form of god thought it not robert to be equal with god but made himself of no reputation and took upon in the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross philippians 2 verses 5 through 8. another passage that we're probably all somewhat familiar with is in revelation 2 and verse 10. don't be afraid fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tried and you shall have tribulation ten days what's the point be thou faithful unto death and i will that's a promise from jesus does jesus keep his promises it's a conditional promise be thou faithful unto death and i will give thee a crown of life becoming a christian is one thing behaving as a christian is another but both are interrelated and both are necessary if we desire to walk with god acceptably walking with god acceptably will never lead one into sin or eternal suffering the best life available on this side is the life lived in christ have you begun walking with god acceptable remember there's a sense of urgency to life you need to get started on that today did you begin at one time and then give up did you quit listen the lord is ready he's willing the father stands with open arms ready to receive all his children who will come back his way what must i do to start walking with god acceptably hear the gospel acts 18 8 believe the gospel acts 16 31 pen of sin acts 17 30. confess jesus christ as the son of god acts 8 37 and be immersed in water for the remission of sins acts 2 38 that's how to become a christian okay that's how to have the spiritual consequences of all our past sins washed away by the blood of christ once we become a christian it's time to behave as a christian how do christians behave it's implied in the term christian isn't it we want to be like christ how many times did christ sin zero there's the goal and a worthy goal it is but what's the reality we stumble we fall we become overtaken in a fault and we commit sin as christians what does god expect of his children who miss the mark acts 8 22 repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray god if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven wherever you are make it right do it now as together we stand in this together we sing the song of encouragement every year jesus is is jesus [Applause] jesus we for joining us online we're certainly glad to have you worshipping and if you're our guest we uh honor the habit and we invite you by kidding and every time that the church here led you to meet uh hope everyone has a good rest of your sunday afternoon and we're willing to see anyone back here this evening for our dm worship service if there's no further announcements we will be dismissed this time pray with our me and our father we thank you for this day we especially thank you for the opportunity we've had to come together here and it works with you we pray father that everything we've said and done has been in accordance with your word we pray as we depart from here that we take your word put it into our hearts live it daily in our lives bring us back at each opportunity we have forgive us always in christ now amen

Channel: Lexington Church of Christ

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Length: 71min 53sec (4313 seconds)

Published: Sun Aug 29 2021